(1) Vita Brevis (D. Dixon)

Chapter Twenty

Catelyn intends on keeping her promise to Glenn about talking to Lori, mostly because she said she would and she doesn't like breaking things like that. Jack did it, a lot, and she will not do anything that remotely feels like a Jack thing. She can at least let Lori know that if she wants or needs medical help, then she's here. She now has a duty of care because of this knowledge. She is not here to judge her choices or to force her to do something she don't want to do. Lori is hanging up wet laundry on an erected line between two trees. Catelyn takes a breath, ready to say something when she thinks better of it. Starting conversations is not really her best skill. But she's trying to beat it. she's approached Lori, which is a start. Lori sighs and turns to her, seeing that look in her face.

"Glenn told you" She points out, Catelyn shrugs a little.

"I think he's worried about you" Catelyn offers. "Considering the world we are in and the life we are now living...."

"I guess you have an opinion on this" Lori states as she sits on the ground. Catelyn shrugs and sits at her side.

"It's none of my business, I just told Glenn I would talk to you" She assures Lori. "Whatever you choose to do is your choice and I am not going to talk you in or out of doing anything" Lori gives her a warm smile but there is sadness to it to. Being forced into doing something she doesn't want to do is a stance Catelyn knows about. And it is clear that she will never push that onto someone else. "My duty as a medical....professional" She rolls her eyes a little at her own choice of words. Because whilst she didn't finish her training, she is the only medical professional in this group and therefore some duty of care has landed on her shoulders. A pregnant woman living in a world without proper health care, vitamins, ultrasound or anything else that might help her if something went wrong, is dangerous, but not impossible. Women gave birth long before the invention of modern medical miracles, it was dangerous but it was done. "Is to make sure that whatever you choose, you are medically sound"

"Are any of us medically sound?" Lori counters. "Not enough water. Not enough food. Living in tents, sleeping on the hard ground..." Catelyn pulls a face and then nods in agreement.

"Bet a chiropractor would be appreciated right about now" Catelyn comments and Lori laughs a little and turns slightly towards Catelyn, to watch her as her lip twitch into a small smile. Lori's seeing peeks of the real Catelyn. A compassionate young woman with some wit and a sense of humor. She's just hiding it all behind a wall that was erected to protect herself from pain and suffering and hurt.

"You would have been a good doctor" Lori offers, Catelyn hums and nods. She knows she would have been. She turns to Lori and shrugs a little.

"World will never know" She comments.

"But we will" Lori argues. "Maybe that's enough" Catelyn hums a little.

"Maybe" She agrees quietly. The two of them then sit there in silence, watching the rest of the camp go about it's morning routine that it seems to have quickly settled into. A sense of peace and quiet that they have here has made it easy to forget what dangers there are lurking out there. Lori's expression changes as she remembers just how hurt this young girl is. Just how haunted she is, and it's more than just the end of the world. It's something that has traumatised this young girl enough that she has utterly shut herself down.

"I know you won't talk to Rick about what happened" Lori starts with a soft sigh. "But if you ever do want to talk about it...." Catelyn gives her a look.

"I won't" She argues, Lori nods a little and gives her a sad smile.

"But...I am here"

"I know" Catelyn stops her. "But it's not something I want to talk about, ever...." She pushes herself to her feet to basically escape this conversation. Lori means well, but this is not something Catelyn wants to talk about with anyone. "I just....I can't..." She adds and Lori gives her a soft look, seemingly understanding why. Catelyn might not talk about it, it might not be vocalised, but they know. They can tell. She projects a certain air to her, that spending any time around her will just let them know. If Rick doesn't already know, he's blind. And he's not. He'll know the gist of what has happened to her. All of them will be able to sense that, even after one or two conversations with her. Lori pushes herself to her feet and moves to stop Catelyn from walking away just yet.