Stories For My Friends To Read

11: My Babies (incomplete)

Jackie stood in the house, arguing with Carl. "You're not going to be in the front with me." He told her. "Why?" She asked, "I'll be fine!" "We don't know that for sure!" "Babe! Please!" "No!" "Why?!" "Because!" "Because?!" "I know about the baby!" He told her. Jackie's voice was caught in her throat. "How-" She croaked. "I found the test in your underwear drawer when I was putting away laundry." He explained. "How long?" He asked. "A month, maybe two." She said. "Are you mad? Are you gonna leave me?" She asked, a few tears escaping. "No, baby. I'm not mad and I would never do anything like that." He told her, cupping her face with his hands, "I love you." Carl kissed her forehead. "Stay here." He told her before leaving.

———————

Jackie sat in the sewers with Salem and the rest of the Alexandrians. She wouldn't be away from Carl, she refused. When he told her about his walker bite, she was upset. It took a lot to keep herself from killing Siddiq.

Before he died, they got some time together. Granted, Michonne and Rick were a few feet behind her, but they were still together.

"You can't leave me." Jackie quietly sobbed, "You can't leave us." Carl placed his hand over her hand that was on her stomach. "What?" Michonne asked. "I'm pregnant." Jackie told them. "You're going to be grandparents." Carl explained. "How long have you known?" Rick asked. "A couple months." She admitted before turning her attention back to Carl as he coughed. "Hey, baby, it's okay, you're okay." Jackie tried to convince him, but mostly herself. "Heal him fast, heal him quick, don't let his sickness stick, even if its just for now, I need him here anyhow. Heal him fast, heal him quick, don't let his sickness stick, even if its just for now, I need him here anyhow." Jackie chanted quietly, tears streaming, her free hand hovering over Carl's wound. "Babe." Carl tried, but she didn't stop. "Babe." He tried again, but failed. "Babe." He said, grabbing onto her wrist. Her eyes shot up to his, her chanting stopped. "Babe. It- it's not going to work. We- we should start picking names." Carl said. Jackie nodded and moved her hand.

They talked for a while before deciding. "If its a boy, Henry Carlton Grimes, and of its a girl, Lorelai Deanna Grimes." Jackie went over one more time, a tear escaping. "Yeah, I like it." He told her, squeezing her hand.

—-

She sat with Carl as he laid on the floor. "I'll do it." He told her, "You should go." "No. It should be someone who loves you. It should be me. And it will be me." She ordered. "I love it when you take control like that." He chuckled, teasing her. He tried to lighten the mood, knowing how much this hurt her. He handed three letters from out of his pocket. "What are these?" She asked. "One of them is for- for you. The other two are- are for our child. One for a girl and one- one for a boy." He explained. He pulled out his gun as she slid the letters into her pocket. "No." She said, shaking her head. "Jackie-" He tried. "No. The gun I'm going to carry around with me for the rest of my life is not going to be the one that killed you." She explained. She pulled out her knife. "I love you." He told her. "I love you." She reminded him. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, him kissing hers in return. She silently, but quickly, plunged the knife into the back of his head, tears streaming down her face.

She picked up his gun and walked outside to Rick and Michonne. She shook her head, more tears escaping. Michonne took the girl into her arms as Jackie sobbed.

—

Jackie walked into her Carl's room as Michonne and Rick dug his grave. Jackie wanted to help, but Michonne thought she had gone through too much already. Jackie took Carl's shirts and flannels, packing them into a bag. She grabbed a picture of them that they kept by their bed. She packed every picture of him and them that she had, along with her pregnancy tests. She packed everything he had gotten for her, and articles of clothing he complemented. She sling the bag over her shoulder before heading out, Salem going with her.