Chapter Text
Lucy sat on her jacket at the edge of a hole on a frozen lake.
Tim was across from her, holding a fishing pole with a line going into the hole. A big snow storm had swept through the mountains, freezing over a lake not far from the cabin. Because all the animals were hiding away, they had gone out on the lake to ice fish. Lucy was hesitant, but Tim reassured her it was safe.
“And that’s how I almost lost my finger to a fish,” Tim laughed as he finished up his story.
“Mmm…” Lucy nodded, not really paying attention.
“And then I had to fight off space aliens from Independence Day at age nine.”
“Wait, what?” Lucy stuttered, caught off guard. Tim just shook his head and let out a chuckle.
“Caught you not paying attention,” he joked.
“Oh, sorry,” she said, looking away.
“You know lately, you’ve seemed distant. Like your mind is always somewhere else.”
“No, I’m fine. I guess this weather and not being in modern civilization is affecting me.”
That was a lie, and she knew Tim could see right through her, but she was scared. She hadn’t told Tim about the pregnancy and she had known for almost a week now.
One night, after Tim had gone to bed, she stayed up, trying to think if there was a way to terminate the pregnancy. She had always wanted to be a mother, but she didn’t want to bring kids into a world like this. Not to mention all the complications like preeclampsia or an ectopic pregnancy that would be lethal to her in a world where hospitals no longer existed.
But then it dawned on her how it would be even more dangerous to try and terminate by herself, potentially causing herself to hemorrhage, bleed out, and die.
Lucy’s fears had consumed her as the risks of going through a pregnancy and raising a baby during the apocalypse was going to be her reality.
She had been so consumed by her fears, she had no idea how to even tell Tim she was pregnant in the first place. He had been catching on that something was wrong and she knew was going to have to tell him eventually. She guessed it was now or never.
“Look, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“Okay.” Tim gently took her hand and rubbed his thumb over it. “What is it?”
“Well-”
Right before she could tell him, she was interrupted by the tugging of the fishing line.
“Hold that thought,” said Tim as he started to reel in the line. It took a few moments but soon a fish about a foot long was pulled out onto the ice. Tim unhooked it and placed it in the bucket with the other three they caught.
“Let me go take these by our stuff and get some more bait. Once I get back, we can talk, okay?”
Lucy nodded as Tim walked over to her, gave her a kiss on the forehead, then walked off the ice. She decided this was a good moment to stretch her legs and try to calm her nerves. Lucy placed her shaking hands on her still flat belly, knowing once she shared this information, there was no going back.
_
Tim walked the bucket of fish over to where their bags were on the edge of the lake. They put their stuff there so as to not add too much weight on the ice. Tim placed the bucket down and was wondering what Lucy had to tell him as he focused on re-baiting the line. He had noticed she had been closed off this past week and it was worrying him as to why.
His thoughts were interrupted when a noise that sounded like a crack followed by a woosh interrupted him. He paused, hoping that wasn’t what he thought it was.
“T-Tim,” he heard Lucy say shakily behind him. He turned and saw her arms and legs slightly spread as she was trying to balance herself. Tim saw the look of terror in her eyes as he looked down confirming what he had feared. The ice had cracked beneath her. Their eyes locked again as he looked back up.
“Ti-” but before she could finish her thought, Tim watched in horror as the ice gave way and she fell straight through.
“LUUUCCCYYYY!!!!” Tim screamed as he ran toward the hole. He slid across the ice, almost slipping a few times, but he didn’t care. He dropped next to the hole and stuck his arm in, searching for any sign of her.
After a few moments—that felt more like hours—he found her wrist and grabbed her tightly and pulled. As soon as Lucy broke through the surface of the water, she gasped for air. He slid both arms under her arm pits and pulled her out, setting her down on the ice.
Tim tucked her into his chest, cradling her against his body. Her skin had already turned a deathly shade of pale, frightening him and prompting him to pull her even closer to him.
“Lucy?” He questioned frantically. “Are you okay?”
He heard her mumble something against his chest, but couldn’t make it out. Fearing hypothermia was setting in, Tim slipped an arm under her knees and stood, lifting her against him as he made his way off the ice, careful not to disrupt it any further.
As soon as he hit land, he took off running. “It’s gonna be okay, alright Lucy? But I need you to stay awake. Can you do that for me baby?” Her head was tucked against his chest and her eyes were half open as she looked up at him, lips turning blue. He could hear her mumbling something, but couldn’t quite make it out.
“What is it? What did you try to say?”
“I…I’-m. Pre-e-egn-an-n-nt.”
At that remark, Tim’s heart skipped a beat.
Pregnant.
Lucy was pregnant.
He had gotten her pregnant. And during the apocalypse of all times.
And now, not only was Lucy’s life literally in his arms, but the life of his unborn child’s as well. That thought made him run faster. But he couldn’t think too much about it. He had to focus on getting Lucy back to the cabin.
“Don’t worry Lucy, everything is going to be fine.”
“O-o-our s-s–ssstuuffff,” she reminded him as she shivered.
“Never mind our stuff, I’ll go back and get it later.”
“C-c-old.”
Tim held her more tightly against him, trying desperately to keep her warm.
“It’s okay, I got you. Just focus on staying awake. I’ll get you back to the cabin, we’re almost there, okay? Just hold on a little longer. It’s gonna be okay, baby.”
He felt her press more into his chest, her arms tightening around him. He looked down and saw her eyes fluttering.
“Hey! Don’t you quit on me boot, you hear!? And yes I called you a boot. If you continue to not listen, I’ll continue to call you that. Do you hear me boot!?”
He saw a weak smile appear on her face.
After what felt like an eternity, the cabin came into view.
“Look baby, it’s the cabin, we made it, see?”
Lucy barely made a small noise acknowledging him, causing Tim to hurry the last few steps to the cabin.
Once inside, he kicked the door closed and laid her down in front of the fireplace. He got to work stripping all of her clothes off down to just her underpants. Tim grabbed the blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her until she was completely swaddled up. He hurriedly lit a fire and threw whatever kindling and wood they had into the flame to get it roaring as fast as possible. Satisfied with the fire going, Tim grabbed a pillow from the couch, placing it under her head.
“I’m going to go get our stuff, okay?”
She could only nod as Tim tucked her icy hair behind her ear and kissed her on the forehead.
He left the cabin and raced back down to the lake. His thoughts were jumbled, bouncing around his mind at the same pace as his feet.
Lucy went through the ice.
Lucy was pregnant.
God, what was he thinking? How could he had bee do reckless?
Tim never thought in a million years he would ever get someone who was his boot— whether it be current or former—pregnant, but here he was. Falling for Lucy was not in his plans, but he took comfort in the connection they shared. Between both the apocalypse and their mutual feelings, the boundary between a rookie and her training officer, a boundary he once fiercely lived by, was no longer there.
But aside from all of that, this was reckless. He was the guy that used to make fun of those people in zombie shows who got pregnant, calling them stupid. Now here he was, Mr. Hypocrite, with his girlfriend who he got pregnant during the apocalypse.
Once Tim got to the lake he let out a sigh of relief seeing all of their stuff was still there. He collected everything and made his way back to Lucy, his mind still going a million miles a minute.
He got into the cabin and saw Lucy right where he left her, but despite the blanket wrapped tightly around her and being laid next to the fire, she was still shivering. When he was in the military, they were taught that in dire survival situations, in order to stay warm or reheat someone, the best way to do it was skin to skin contact.
So Tim went into their room and took the mattress off the bed frame. He dragged it into the living room and laid it in between Lucy and the couch. He grabbed another pillow and blanket before stripping all the clothes off his body, down to his boxers. He lifted Lucy onto the mattress, rubbing circles on her arm when he heard the slight whine she made at the movement.
“Shh, it’s gonna be okay,” he whispered as he laid her down. He crawled onto the side closest to the couch and turned her towards him. Tim tucked her against his chest with her back facing the fire. His hand cradled her head against him, as his other arm wrapped around her back. He pulled both blankets over them as the fire continued to burn.
“I’ve got you, don’t worry.” He kissed her lightly on her forehead.
After a short while, her shivering subsided as she snuggled further against him. Tim breathed out a sigh of relief, his body and mind settling down from the adrenaline rush, knowing Lucy would be okay.
_
About an hour or two later, Lucy sat on the couch. Still naked, but still wrapped in a blanket facing the fire. Tim approached her with a hot cup of tea. He was wearing clothes again, as he had given Lucy his other blanket as well.
“Thank you,” she murmured, as he handed it to her.
“You’re welcome.” He sat down next to her as they both stared ahead.
“So,” said Tim, tapping his fingers against his knees. “You’re pregnant.”
“Yup,” Lucy affirmed, as she sipped her tea.
“I mean…” he rubbed his face as he tried to process what to say next. “How… how did this happen?”
“Well Tim, when a man and a woman-”
“I know how it happens,” he mocked back as he interrupted her. “I just mean why? Why did it happen? How could we be so reckless!? We’re in the freaking apocalypse! We’re the trope people make fun of!”
“Honestly, from a psychology stand point, it makes sense. We’re two heterosexual adults, trapped in seclusion for nearly a year. It was bound to happen sooner or later.”
Tim wanted to say something, but all he could do was stare ahead. Lucy looked at him, and she could see his mind was racing. “What is it?” she asked.
“Please, don’t get mad at me for asking this. Understand I am asking in the most respectful way possible and I’m not trying to be a douche bag here.”
“Okay?” Lucy questioned, her brow rising in hesitation.
“Is there a way to… you know… terminate?”
Lucy took breath, “I’ll be honest, the moment I found out, I tried to figure out how. But there isn’t a way to. Abortion pills would be in the city, and we’re not going there. And any tools I use could cause me to hemorrhage and die. There’s no way for me to terminate without the risk of killing me. Whether we like it or not, this baby is coming.”
Tim sighed, attempting to steady his breathing and he paused.
“Wait, how long have you known?”
“About a week.”
“And you’re just now telling me!?”
“Well I was scared, Tim. Terrified, even! I mean, I am pregnant in the apocalypse! What if something goes wrong? What if this is an ectopic pregnancy, or the baby gets sick and dies inside of me and I would need medical intervention that we can no longer get? How am I supposed to track this pregnancy without a doctor and an ultrasound or make sure everything is okay? What if I do everything I can to protect them while they’re inside of me, and I have a still birth? What if the zombie’s get them, what if they get me!? What am I going to do when I am in labor and can’t get an epidural or I’m craving something that’s not available anymore? What if-”
“Hey, hey, hey. It’s okay,” Tim interrupted in a soothing tone. He took the tea from Lucy and then cradled her against his chest. He started rocking her, brushing his fingers along her temple. “Look, it’s clear we are both scared, okay? And nothing has gone the way either of us have wanted to for a very long time now. While a lot might be out of our control, know this; I will do whatever it takes to protect you and our baby and make sure nothing happens to either of you two. I will keep you both safe, no matter what.”
“Tim,” Lucy breathed out, her eyes watering. “You can’t promise that.”
“Yes I can, and I did. And I did so, because I love you.”
Lucy’s breath hitched at the revelation.
“That’s right Lucy Chen, I love you. And no, it’s not cabin fever or false feelings. It’s real. I feel it when I hear you humming in the shower. Or when I wake up and see your head laying on my chest when the morning sun peaks in. I feel it when you make a successful hunt or beat me in sparring. If the apocalypse has shown me anything, it’s how much you mean to me and that once I stopped seeing you as a rookie, all I saw was a beautiful, smart, kick ass woman who won over my heart.”
“Tim,” Lucy whispered his name the way you would a prayer. She took his hand in her own, placing it over her heart. “I love you too. I was scared to admit it before, thinking it was just false feelings from being stuck in a cabin together. But the more I tried to push them down, the stronger they came back. And whenever you wrap your arms around me as a source of comfort or protection, it warms my heart in a way words can’t describe. Like as if it’s just you and me in the world and nothing else matters.”
“You are my world, Lucy Chen.” He placed his hand on her still flat belly and she placed hers over his.
“And this child will be our world,” he whispered as they leaned their foreheads together and looked down at her belly. “A child created out of our love for each other."
They looked into each other’s eyes for a moment before closing the gap. They had kissed before, but this one was different. There was no more hiding, no more bottling down feelings, no more fear. It was pure. It was soft. It was everything that their love for each other had nurtured during their time together.
After they pulled back, Lucy tucked her head into the crook of Tim’s neck. She played with the fingers of the hand that rested on her belly as Tim continued to rock her, whispering words of safety, encouragement, and love. It wasn’t long before she fell asleep in his arms. He knew he would carry her to bed soon, but he wanted this moment with her by the fire for just a little bit longer.
“I’ve got you. Both of you.”