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"I did good, didn’t I?"

"Aently touched a blue onsie and her heart beat even faster

"I got blue, pink and yellow stuff I figured we have it covered if it’s Jenni or Travis, Jr" Jenni picked up a little pink bonnet and set it on top of her head

"Jenni, huh?"

"It’s only natural for the baby to be named after her auntie," Jenni answered She posed with the bonnet on her head "Why wouldn’t she be named after my fabulousness?"

The bonnet fell onto the bed and Katie slowly picked it up She traced the tiny lace with one finger then took a deep breath "Oh, God" She sat down hard on the edge of the bed and tried to cal hands

"Hey, you okay?" Jenni immediately crawled over the bed to Katie’s side

"Yeah Yeah I think so I just got overwhelmed there for a second" Katie forced herself to take another deep breath and felt e in her eyes "Maybe it’s hormones"

"Yeah, probably" Jenni smoothed Katie’s hair back from her face

"You’re okay with having a baby, right?"

Katie was a little surprised by the question, but nodded "Oh, yeah I’m sure I’ers kept stroking Katie’s hair She was obviously waiting for Katie to go on

"We did decide this together It was a conscious choice to take our chances We’re trying to build a life together and this felt like the right thing to do" It was good to hear the words Good to be reminded that this was a choice she made and she was responsible for what happened next If there was a mantra Katie lived her life by, it was to live up to her potential and fulfill her responsibilities

"Despite the zo, uncohtly She was very much aware of the criticism by some about her choice to be a mother "Yes Despite the zo away anytihed sadly

"So what are we supposed to do? Stop living? Stop trying to be happy?

Stop trying to build a future just because the dead decided we taste really daood?"

"Hey, you don’t have to defend yourself tothe bonnet in one hand and turned toward Jenni "Are you sure?" She hated the swell of anger filling her, but she couldn’t help herself She was happy about the baby, overwhelmed at times, but she was happy It was a piece of Travis inside of her and it ined Before the dead began to attack the living, she had never seen herself as a mother Her old life had not allowed rief and terror, was also full of hope The fort was secure now It was a place of safety and community

Jenni didn’t answer, her hands li

"Jenni?"

"My baby died My baby was eaten," Jenni said in a low voice "I just don’t want anything to happen to yours"

Katie sed hard as Jenni’s words expressed her own fears "I don’t want anything to happen to anyone I love Every time you are out there, I live in terror that you won’t co what you need to do to help this fort survive And I can’t stopzombies out there" Irritably, Katie swept a tear off her cheek and sighed

Jenni finally looked at her and gave her a slight sht away, you know The first day It just seeone Like the world was suddenly e back to life"

Striding over to the bed, Katie hugged Jenni tightly "It’s because we didn’t stop living"

Jenni kissed the growing baby buled into Katie’s embrace

"I know Hell, I think I kinda went apeshit crazy trying to feel alive those first few months"

At the ans, Katie had to smile "Oh, yeah Definitely"

"Fuck zo on Hell, look at me and Juan And you and Travis And lots of other people around here The people who stopped trying to live their life are dead now Like that chick who took a header into the zombies off the crane"

Katie nodded solemnly "Yeah That ful"

Jenni shook her head "Seriously fucked up"