Shane didn’t speak to Rick. His eyes locked onto Lori—wide, desperate, searching her face for any sign of the truth. And she… she couldn’t hold his gaze. She looked down at her lap instantly, fingers twisting in the blanket. That tiny flinch—the way her breath hitched—was all he needed.

It was true. She was pregnant.

The room went dead silent. Even Carl stirred slightly in his sleep but didn't wake. Rick slowly turned to Lori now too—his green eyes narrowing as confusion and dread began creeping into them.

You were standing just behind Shane, close enough to see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands curled into fists at his sides. The others—Glenn, T-Dog, Carol, Daryl—were scattered around the edges of the room, all of them frozen, watching.

Nobody breathed. The only sound was the low crackle of the campfire outside and the faint rustle of the trees in the night wind.

Shane finally tore his eyes away from Lori and looked at Rick, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling with shallow, controlled breaths.

His voice came out rough, quiet. Almost like a stranger's.