BLOODLINES [twd]

{4}

Lucas ran his fingers delicately through Maggie's short hair. She shivered, yet sweated profusely.

"Water?" Lucas asked.

Maggie whimpered in pain and shook her head, nuzzling into the pillow. "I'm good."

She wasn't. Lucas knew that. But, Maggie was the world's worst about not showing her pain.

Maggie had only lost her father about four months ago, two weeks after that- she lost her sister, then Noah just a month later. The grief never stopped for Maggie. She never took time to acknowledge the pain she was in.

But, this.. this was different. Enid had cut Maggie's hair when the older woman asked. Then, before Enid knew it, Maggie was screaming on the floor and clutching her stomach.

Lucas had one hand on Maggie's head, making sure her fever didn't get worse while playing with her hair to calm her down. The other hand was clutched in Maggie's two hands- her grip weak but trying so, so hard to hold on.

Carl poked his head in the back room of the RV. He sent a look to Lucas. Lucas nodded, letting the younger boy know that he understood. There was a stop in the road. probably Saviors for the third time.

"Why the hair?" Lucas asked Maggie when Carl walked away. He had to keep her mind on something other than the fear and pain.

"Carol.. she told me about how she cut her hair because her ex-husband abused her.." Maggie whispered. "And I thought.. I thought about the Governor. He grabbed my hair when.."

Lucas winced at the memory. He rubbed his thumb along her eyebrow. He remembered the Governor and Merle torturing Glenn and Maggie. He remembered getting them back and the horrible state they were in.

"And then those Saviors that took us.. They pulled my hair. Walkers grab it. It was just.. in my way," she decided. "So, I cut it. Because I have to keep going."

Lucas sighed. He squeezed her hand gently.

"Those Saviors.. the fight.. do you think the baby-"

"Noona," Lucas scolded.

"If it's gone.. and it turned in me-"

"Noona, stop," Lucas begged.

Maggie sniffled and a tear combined with a bead of sweat that fell down the side of her face.

When the RV started moving again, Lucas looked through to the main part. He nodded to Aaron.

"I'll be right back," Lucas told Maggie. Lucas met Aaron in the doorway. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Can you sit with her for two minutes?"

"Of course," Aaron assured.

Lucas made sure that Aaron got to Maggie's side before he walked over to where Rick was knelt between Abraham and Sasha who were in the front seats- Abraham driving..

"How is she?" Rick asked as Lucas crouched behind Abraham's seat.

"She's holding on. The fever isn't as strong, but.. she's getting weaker," Lucas informed. "What's going on?"

Rick sighed. "Saviors at every stop."

"And they weren't the same men," Sasha pointed out. "Not once have they been the same men."

"Sam outfit, different soldiers," Abraham clarified. "They got numbers."

"We keep driving, we get her there," Rick promised, mostly to Lucas who was obviously stressed.

"If they got the roads blocked, why don't we track through the woods?"

"That's dangerous. It'll take awhile to get to Hilltop on foot, too," Rick denied.