#cod a

You heard movement, a shift in the room. “On the second floor,—“ the voice cut off when you heard the sound of shuffling then a zipper. Then your eyes widened. 

Your backpack!

You managed to gather something for yourself, and now whoever this was had it. You finally found food, and now you lost it. You were going to starve! “No” you breathed out. Your eyes widened and you quickly covered your mouth. What fucking idiot! 

Did they hear you? 

There was just silence. Maybe they had left while you were deep in your thoughts. The silence stretched. Maybe now you could—

The door ripped open, you yelped, pulling your knees closer to your chest, but no use. You were pulled by your collar, yanked out of your hiding place. Stumbling to the floor. You heard the click of a gun. “Wait, wait, wait” you called out, raising your hand in surrender. 

Your eyes were squeezed shut, while another hand subconsciously shielded your stomach. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was someone’s spot,” you cried. “I didn’t mean to steal, I’ll just leave okay, keep the bag?” You stammer, your bladder was almost threatening to make you piss yourself.

When there was no response you opened your eyes to meet brown ones. They seemed as surprised as you. 

He dropped to one knee, pulling your hoodie back, revealing your face. His eyes were showing a mix of emotion as they roamed around your face.

“You're…a survivor,” his voice cracked a bit as he cupped your face feeling your warmth, making sure you were real, “Thank goodness,” he breathed out.

His eyes turned to the side, he seemed to be listening to something in his earpiece. You have time to evaluate your situation. He was wearing a vest with the British flag on the center, was he in the British army? But underneath he was wearing a blue dress shirt and jeans. Not very military…

Maybe he just robbed a dead soldier. 

He clicked the radio on his chest

“2nd floor, I found something, Sir!” He called, standing up, eyes not leaving you. 

“Gaz!” You suddenly heard, his head momentarily looked away from you. To the door, then back at you.

“Second door, left!” He answered. Not long after someone barged through the room. 

“Yer a’right ?” He asked him and the first man jerked his head towards you on the floor. The other head turned to you. 

Two other men walked in analysing the scene. They were all in military gear and heavily armed. One with a fisherman’s hat, the other with a ski mask. 

They all looked not only surprised but a bit dazed, like they were seeing a ghost. 

“Christ…” one of them walked towards you, you shifted back slightly, he stopped. “Were ar’t gonna hurt ye,” he said. 

“What happened back there?” The masked one asked. 

You were not sure what he was talking about. “I found this place, I was just looking for food,”

“You were alone?” He asked, you nodded standing up. “My group left me…” you paused. Contemplating you were alone, these people seemed fed and somewhat clean. They must have a group too. You can’t tell them the reason, you were alone. You would lose your last chance. Before it was too big to hide under layers of clothes. “I found food, I’m willing to share, if you take me in, I can be quite useful.” 

“They…left you?” Gaz asked, perplexed. You nodded. 

There was a slight moment when they debated with their eyes. The two hopeful men suddenly looked defeated again.

“What's wrong with you?” The one with the hat asked, his voice was full of suspicion. You raised your shoulder, shaking your head. 

“Nothing's wrong with me,” you answered, 

“You’re better off not lying to me, love” he warned, “Are you bit?”

“What? No! I swear, I’m not!” Your eyes darted around the room.

“It’s summer, and you have quite a few layers on .” He said, 

“I-I get cold easily” you lied, he sighed.

“Take them off,” he asked, your eyes widened, you took a step back. 

“I don’t understand”

“Strip,” the masked man said, raising his gun. You raised your hand in surrender. 

“Sorry about this love but I will need to check your body,” Gaz said. 

Your eyes darted to all the men. If you removed your clothes they would see your baby bump. It just started to grow and be noticeable. “B-but, I have no bites, I promise” 

He shook his head. “Sorry love, can't take your word for it, if you have nothing to hide then it should be easy, yeah?” 

“You want to be taken in, that’s the requirement,” you sniffle looking around once more. You nodded, two of them turned around. While the masked man remained put hand secured on his gun. 

You removed your jacket and shoes. “Shirt and pants too” he ordered. You removed the rest standing with only your underwear, holding your side. It was easy to hide underclothes with a newly growing belly, with layers but now you were fully exposed. Your heart palpitated from their scrutiny.

Gaz took no time and stepped closer and removed the hand that was covering your chest, turning your arm around delicately, but hastily. His hand gliding over you, he turned you around and continued his search. You hadn’t been touched in a while, your hormones were acting up. Feeling goosebumps, shivering under his touch. If he noticed he said nothing. After a thorough inspection, he smiled softly at you. 

“No bites” he said, helping you dress back up, only when you were fully dressed, did Gaz spoke again. “All good,” he said and they turned back around, 

“Sorry, it was necessary,” The man said walking to you, you nodded.

“I’m John Price” he said  

“Yn Yln” 

The man besides you hesitated a bit, scratching the back of his neck.

“Not to be a knob but, are you…” Gaz hesitated looking at the other “perhaps…pregnant?” he asked, clearing his throat. Your face drained, he noticed. 

Your bottom lip trembled despite yourself. You seemed to cry a lot lately. “I promise it's not a problem-” you quickly said, they exchanged looks, you already thought it was over.  

“Hey, no, don’t cry,” he quickly held your hand. “That’s why they left.”

You heard a loud exhale, peeking over Kyle’s shoulder. The masked men had lowered his gun.

In no time you were sitting on a chair. 

“How far along are you,” John asked, you chew on your lips, glancing past his shoulder to the man with the masked man. 

“Don’t mind him, just look at me.” He said holding your chin guiding your eyes to him “Answer my question.”

“Five months…I–please don’t hurt my baby” you cried,

“Shh, it’s okay. That's quite the predicament you’re in,” he said looking down at your small bump.

“Was the father in the group?” Kyle asked, frowning. You shook your head. 

“No, he was the chief leader of the first group I was in…He said I wouldn’t get my period, He promised he’d take care of me, I’m was so stupid,”

“The bastard, he abandoned you?” 

You nodded slowly, “I didn’t want to get rid of my baby. I’m stupid I know, but I don’t have anything else just to me, they're my blessing,” you replied rubbing your bump, tears streaming down your face, “My recent group found out and I got kicked out again, b-but I’m not a problem I swear, I pull my weight.” 

The man in the room turned their attention to John, his arms crossed looking down at you, deep in his thought.

“That’s two extra mouths to feed, she will have no mobility in a short while, the brat if it survives will cry. Too many liabilities, Sir” the mask man said, shaking his head.

“Please let me stay with you just a little while, I can’t survive out there—please, I beg, you won’t even know I’m here, a-and I know I’m pregnant…but I don’t eat a lot and my baby will be quiet, I’ll make sure of it.” You continued to glance around pleading. “O-or” you licked your dry lips, “I-I’ll leave as soon as they are born, I just need time to gather things, yesterday they didn’t let me take anything with me.” 

“The ones up in the abandoned school were the group?” John asked, concerned.

“Y-You met them?” 

“Something like that,” he hummed, rubbing his beard. “A blessing indeed…”

“A baby cries if it needs to sleep, eat, it will cry if you don't change its nappies fast enough. What will you do if we have to run, you won’t be able to hide, or quiet it down.” 

“I-I find a solution, in time.” You replied your head low,

“Then raising a child takes resources, time, energy,” he continued. 

“How d’ye plan on doin’ that alone?” Another asked.

“We can manage a pregnant woman, can’t we, Sir?” Gaz stated, your head shot up, looking at their faces. Were you hearing their tone correctly?

“I think so,” their captain said, nodding his head. “But the pregnant lady, be in the house with you lots?” 

“Yes!” You said quickly standing up “Yes, I’ll be so quiet, I’ll behave.” 

“No need for all that, for that love,” he said “You’re under Kyle’s watch until we get home.”

“I found you, it’s only normal you’re under my care,” Kyle said smiling. 

Suddenly you felt arms wrap around your form. You were trapped in an embrace. Obscuring your view.

“Sorry lass” the man hugging you said. “The lads arn huggers and felt like ye and I needed it” 

“Soap get off” 

“It’s okay…” you said, not able to hide your surprise, you hugged him back. You forgot when was the last time you had a real one. 

“Hell wit’ tha bastard, we’ take care of ye” 

“Thank you,” 

—-

They brought you along, you learned everyone’s name, that they were ex military, that explained the outfits, and their code names.

Finally you saw the shape of a building on the horizon. Your eyes widen slightly.

“You have a house?” You asked, “on the open?” 

“The perimeter is secured and there are traps; those creatures can't walk through.” 

“You’re not with the rest of the military?”

“We're all that’s left of our squad, there isn't much to protect than ourselves, now you” Kyle said smiling. 

Further back the two other men were watching closely.

Ghost turned to Price, his face was covered but his eyes were screaming, he was opposed to it and for good reasons.

“I know.” John said, sighing.

“It's a bad idea, Sir,” Ghost voiced.

“ I know,” he repeated “but we haven't seen any sign of life for months now, she's the only survivor of her group , that baby saved her life,” 

He looked as Kyle and Johnny gathered around you asking you questions, smiling for the first time in a while.

“It’s a lot of constraint but it’s also hope, after all that happened, with Laswell and the others. They need it” he said, looking at you as laughed at some absurd comment Johnny probably made again. 

“God knows, I do too,” he admitted looking back at the taller man, who remained silent.

“Hey, Ghost you're going to love this!” Kyle beamed, closing the gap between them.

“Yn, show him.” 

You perk up following close behind wanting to do good “yes!” You exclaimed. You unzipped your bag. 

“I got tea, it's not much, the place was already ransacked when I got there,” you said, holding out the little tin can to the tall man.

You walked closer to him, your hand extended, a hopeful look all over your pretty face. He blinked slowly. 

You chewed on your cheek, when he didn’t respond, you swallowed, looking back, at the others. Didn’t they say he liked it?

“You hear that Simon,” Price smirked, glancing at Ghost rocking slightly. “She got you tea,” he said.

Simon hummed, “Already sucking up?” and muttered taking it from you. “smart girl,” he added.

Your lips curled into a smile, and suddenly he felt that maybe it wasn’t a bad idea. 

You turned to the other two who were grinning at your beaming face.

“Come I'll show you where you can sleep!” Kyle said, taking your hand. 

“You can sleep in my bed, it's the most comfortable one,” Soap explained. 

“N-no I can't impose like this, I’ll sleep on the floor.” 

“Don't worry about Johnny, he's house trained,” Simon said, following behind, John chuckled. 

“Mostly,” Kyle added, raising a shoulder. 

“Y’all can fuck off!”