Rick

'Lets get something straight right now' her voice held that tone that said she would brook no argument and normally, Rick would back down from his demands giving Michonne her way when she used it. But, not this time.

'Yeah, lets get something straight.' He stepped closer into her space, standing toe to toe with his brown eyed baby, who was looking at him like she was five seconds from kneeing him in the balls.

'I'm not …' she started, only to be cut off when Rick's mouth descended on hers.

It was a rough kiss. A shut the hell up kiss. A kiss that pissed her off and turned her on in equal measure, and she was frustrated at her body's betrayal.

There was a time when Rick would tell himself that he only intended to stop the tirade Michonne was about to launch at him when he kissed her. But, he knew himself well enough to realize he could come up with a million excuses to kiss this woman.

No matter what the scenario, it always felt like kissing her was the right thing to do.

Wake up in the morning. Great time for a kiss.

Just finished reading a chapter in a book. Why not have a kiss?

Stubbed toe on the sofa. I should get a kiss.

It went on and on until Rick just accepted that his lips were gonna find her's no matter what the occasion. And right now, he was pretty annoyed with her sexy little warrior ass, but his lips would not be denied.

So he kissed her hard, pulling her close to him. The beat of her heart pounding against his called to him and he could do nothing but deepen the kiss to feed on her mouth and tongue in answer.

Her hands burned a path up his arms and over his shoulders before she raked her fingers through his hair at the nape and gripped him just tight enough to make him moan.

God…this woman. His hands squeezed firmly at her hips and he was lost to everything in the world that wasn't them as the kiss grew wild and hungry and needful.

It was only the insistent sound of Carl's raised voice that pierced their atmosphere. Rick had to drag his lips away from Michonne's and mentally force himself to look over at his son. But his hands flat out refused to let her go.

Carl was standing in the hallway with his arms crossed over his chest and looking awfully parental.

'Here's the thing,' Carl started, and Rick thought he looked serious.

'You guys need a honeymoon.' He sounded serious.

'Which means, you need to get married.' He could not be serious.

'So, that's what's going to happen. You're getting married and having a honeymoon somewhere that's like…not here. Because as happy as I am that my mom and dad love each other, watching you guys is borderline gross.'

Rick had to give him credit. The boy had the Grimes approach to problem solving. He was direct and to the point. And without trying to, his brilliant son had stumbled into his way of thinking.

Rick's amused eyes turned to Michonne, who was clearly coming to the same conclusion, and a smile started to nip at the corners of my mouth.

Without leaving her eyes Rick addressed the only other reasonable person in the room. 'You know, Carl, you've got a good point.' Actually, watching Michonne's eyes darken in defiance, this has become the best idea he had ever heard in the span of a few seconds.

'Baby, will you marry me?'

Michonne

I'm in love with a snake. That's all there is to it.

Rick Grimes was grinning at her like the cat who swallowed the canary. Smug bastard. And it was all because she had let him kiss her just as she was about to read him the riot act.

Not once in there three months of being a couple had she ever been able to maintain a hard line with him when he kissed her. You'd think she'd never been kissed before.

And now here she was again. Not only submitting to his seductive lips and those hypnotic eyes, but almost losing track of what the hell she was upset about to begin with. That is…before he casually asked her to marry him. Like pass the salt. Or, hand me a fork.

She wasn't sure what annoyed her more. The way he tossed out the question like a dish towel, or the way her body yearned for her to scream, YES!

'No!' Michonne gave both the Grimes men one of her signature reproachful looks and stalked out of the room to spend time with the only other reasonable person in the house, Judith.

Judith was playing happily on the floor, oversized red cups and letter blocks sprinkled around her. Michonne couldn't help but smile inside and out at the little angel who had soothed her battered soul without even trying.

Joining her on the floor Michonne began building a tower that was sure to topple over when she heard Rick approach the room.

Rick

He leaned against the doorway watching his two best girls playing together. Knowing Michonne was still a little annoyed with him, he was content to just enjoy the sight of them until she would decide to meet his eyes.

It took longer than he hoped. Stubborn woman!

'Baby', his voice held barely a hint of pleading, but he knew it was there just the same. 'I don't want us to fight about this.'

Her brown eyes focusing harder than they would ever need to on the cups and blocks before her, and Judith seemed delighted with her playmate's attention.

Rick took the few steps he needed to until he reached Michonne's side, and squatted down so that he'd be closer to eye level. Reaching out he tucked a finger under her chin and pulled his obstinate sweetheart's eyes to his.

'I love you,' his steel gaze was locked on her warm eyes. 'You can't fault me for that.' Slowly moving his hand to the nape of his neck, he caressed her gently there as he moved closer to rest his forehead against hers'.

'I love you back,' she whispered, letting her shoulders drop a little. He knew she had accepted that this time, Rick would get his way.

He leaned over to drop a kiss on the top of Judith's head as she busily stacked and re-stacked little wooden cubes. Then he pulled Michonne up to stand with him, wrapping his arms around her waist and clasping them behind her so that no daylight could shine between them. His body was as keenly aware of hers as it always was, but he set aside those thoughts to focus on their discussion, because he knew how important it was to her. It killed him to say no to her, but he would never agree to what she was asking. She had to know that.

'I knew you wouldn't agree to this,' Michonne started. 'But we had to at least talk about it.'

Rick nodded and listened, keeping her close.

'That woman talked to someone who was at the same camp I was in after everything changed.' She swallowed hard. 'Maybe there are others. Maybe people I knew from camp, or even before the outbreak.'

He lifted a hand to tuck a stray lock behind her ear, still listening, his heart hurting for her as she talked through the situation they had been at odds about all day.

'Just the chance of that makes me think it could be worth the risk,' she finished. Her puddled eyes gazed into his, not daring to hope he would change his mind.

Rick leaned in to place the softest kisses over her eyes and lips, just floating over her skin as if too much contact would undo him.

'No, baby. It's not worth the risk. You would be gone for some undetermined time, heading to places we have no information about, to seek out people who may or may not have known you,'

His voice had lost the harshness from earlier.

'I can't say I'd be comfortable with you being away a day, or even two….but some unknown time? No. I won't risk losing you like that. I hate ever having to risk losing you or losing the kids, but this world we live in doesn't grant me that kind of peace.' His eyes were soft as they bored into her's.

Michonne's arms reached up to weave around his neck and he pulled her closer to him. His words falling heavily on her bare shoulder as he continued.

'If this is something you feel you absolutely have to do, we'll pack up the kids and head out there to find these people if that's really what you need,' he finished. Giving in more than he intended, because saying no to her really was the hardest thing he'd ever attempted in his 40 years of life.

She pulled back at his words, her eyes large, searching for any signs of teasing. There were none. Rick was serious. He didn't want to leave. But, he would take the kids and make this trip if that's what she wanted to do. As long as they were together, nothing else mattered.

'No, Rick. That's not what I want. We have a home, and I want to keep it as long as we can.' He could tell she understood now, and was a little relieved that they wouldn't be abandoning the comforts of Alexandria just yet.

Smiling into her beautiful eyes, he felt her hands cup his cheeks. God, he loved it when she touched him like this. Moving closer, he put his lips to hers in a kiss that lingered and healed.

Her lips parted and he groaning into her, sliding his tongue into her warmth to lavish in the lushness of her mouth. This woman. THIS woman, was everything to him. And he could taste every bit of the love she had for him in every kiss. It was beyond anything he'd ever felt for anyone. Beyond anything he had even know was possible to feel for anyone.

She whimpered a little when he pulled his lips away from hers. His lips couldn't help but curve at being missed so soon. And with a sudden gleam in his eyes he decided to press his temporary advantage.

'Now, about marrying me…..'