In this alternate reality story, the group is living a semi normal existence in the 'town' of Alexandria. Or about as normal as one can live during a zombie apocalypse.
Michonne and Abraham are the police in the stronghold, since Deanna, while grateful to Rick for killing her husband's murderer, Pete Anderson, still thinks Rick is a little too volatile to be in charge of the law and order in the town. So she asks Rick to switch jobs with Abraham.
Rick is not too thrilled with the switch, but agrees to do it, not only to keep the peace, but because things are strained between himself and Michonne ever since he up and married Jessie, shortly after killing her husband...
And there is this unspoken, uncomfortable vibe amongst the group, with regards as to whether to be happy for Rick and Carl, for finding a new family, or to feel badly for Michonne, since most people assumed that they would end up together.
The solution appears to be to just keep living as if nothing weird has happened at all. But during a zombie apocalypse and with the bad luck of this group, they will not be able to go on like that for very long.
Abraham sat back in his chair at the Alexandria Sheriff's Station. Some of the men at the construction outfit he used to work with, fashioned a small building for the two person police force. There were two jail cells as well. He looked up when Michonne, who was dressed in her uniform, walked in.
"Hey! Sorry I overslept. I still can't get used to the quiet around here." she noted, looking through papers on her desk.
"You mean not being awakened by walkers? Hell yeah!" Abraham agreed, then reached for a beer. Ordinarily, Michonne would've been concerned by this, but she had learned that Abraham could knock back more than a few before it became noticeable. She picked up a report from Father Gabriel Stokes and glanced at it, before she felt Abraham's eyes on her.
"Would you stop that?" Michonne asked quietly.
"Stop what?" Abraham asked, finishing his beer.
"Looking at me like you expect me to cry. I know people think I'm sad over Rick. I'm not sad, I'm concerned. He rushed into this whole thing so quickly..." Michonne trailed off. Abraham stood up.
"Well finally."
"Finally, what?"
"Words come out of your mouth about this whole damned thing. Look, I like Jessie well enough. I mean I'd do her if I had the time. But the point is, there's something off about her story. And I think you always thought so too."
Michonne set down the report and folded her arms. She could not help but smile.
"You'd 'do her' if you had the time? What about Rosita?"
"What about her? Ours is a no strings attached relationship. She's welcome to hook up with anyone else she'd like."
"Maybe she wouldn't like to? Look, I just have to keep telling myself that Rick is a grown man and that Carl and Judith are not my children. So let's just forget it, okay?"
"Okay." Abraham said. Michonne frowned.
"I see a report here? Maybe we should go out and investigate?"
"Michonne, that report is from crying ass Father whatever the fuck his name is! He claims someone wrote 'Bitch Ass Priest' on his church in red paint. I'm not investigating that shit!"
Michonne gave him a knowing look.
"Now is that because you know who did it? It wasn't you, was it?"
"I'm hurt." Abraham said, opening up another beer. And no, he didn't sound hurt worth a damn!
"But you know something?" Michonne prodded.
Abraham sighed with disgust.
"I think it COULD have been Noah and Glenn. I can't be sure but I'm not investigating that shit! It's true, isn't it?"
"I'll go." Michonne said, surpressing a smile. Abraham had a way with words that threatened to crack her up on most days.
"Well if your going, I'm going. We're partners." Abraham said, finishing off his second beer.
The door opened and Rick stepped in. Michonne sighed. He looked better than ever, ever since he shaved the beard and became permanently unavailable to her. She did not notice Abraham watching her.
But Rick did. He slammed the door.
"Rick," Abraham said casually, "what brings you by?"
"I thought you might need some help around here. Things are slow at the construction site right now." Rick informed them. Another run was going to be made for supplies and until then, no work was being done.
"No, we're good. How's Carl and Judith?" Michonne asked casually.
"Good. Judith is taking to Jessie like she's always been her mother." Rick said. Michonne coughed!
"Well that's good. I have to get going." she said, but Rick blocked her way.
"Carl would really like to see you. I was hoping you could stop by for dinner one night this week?"
"I'll see. But I'm really busy." Michonne said, moving around him and leaving. Once the door closed, Abraham shook his head. Rick faced him.
"You have something to say?" Rick asked.
"I think that you have some nerve asking Michonne to come to dinner. You know she cared for you and your kids. Why don't you just back off?" Abraham suggested.
"I'm asking an old friend to dinner..."
"Michonne doesn't see you as a goddamned old friend. You know it and everyone in our group knows it." Abraham said, now standing up to leave. "I have to get going myself. So if you don't mind?"
Rick didn't move.
"I do mind. And don't think I can't see how your eyes follow Michonne's every move. You aren't her type."
Abraham burst out laughing!
"How the fuck would you know what her type is? You never gave her a chance. Look, nothing against you, Rick. I'm glad you're happy. But you didn't have to marry that woman. You could've just gotten ass. It's a different day now. People don't get married when it's the end of the world."
Rick said nothing more as Abraham walked past him and out of the door. He stood rooted in place for several moments after, alone. Why had he extended that invitation to Michonne? Carl hadn't said much about Michonne, since he was spending a lot of time with Enid. Judith did seem to take to Jessie and Jessie's son, Sam, looked up to Carl like the big brother he never had.
Was Michonne really busy? Or was there something to what Abraham said?
He knew there was something to what Abraham said. But Rick didn't quite know what to do about it. He was not used to going days on end without at least speaking to her. How was he going to fix this? Or could it be fixed?
Rick ran a hand through his hair and looked around until his eyes focused on Abraham's desk. He loved Jessie but he had to be near Michonne on at least a daily basis. And that meant getting Deanna to see that Abraham needed to go back to construction and he needed to return here to the Sheriff's office-as Michonne's partner.
Michonne put Rick out of her mind, as she came upon Noah and Glenn getting ready to go out on a run. The last one had been so disastrous, with Tara ending up needing surgery by the now deceased Pete Anderson. Darryl and Aaron were out looking for more residents to come live here-specifically someone with medical knowledge that could fill the void left by Anderson's death.
"We could use a third." Noah said quietly. But Glenn shook his head.
"No. He almost got us killed last time. And with what happened to Aiden, I think it's best if we just go...hey, Michonne!"
Michonne stopped and stood in front of the two men.
"I'm not going to bullshit you here. Father Gabriel's church was vandalized. There is reason to believe that you all know something about it."
Noah and Glenn looked at one another, then at Michonne.
"Errr...we more than know something about it, we did it!" Noah told her. Michonne sighed, just as Abraham walked up. Noah nodded to him.
"So your confessing?" Michonne asked.
"Aw come on, Michonne!" Noah complained. "You know it's true! I'm sick of his ass. I was up in the watch tower and I saw him leave. Then I saw him for like the umpteenth time, try and kill himself by way of a zombie."
"What the hell does that mean?" Abraham asked.
"It means," Glenn explained, "that bitch ass Stokes offered up his wrist so the walkers could bite him. Do walkers ever just bite your wrist?"
"And then he wasn't man enough to follow through. He ran back here, screaming and crying. I couldn't take looking at him at dinner last night." Noah revealed. Michonne suddenly eyed Abraham.
"How'd you know they did it?" she asked him.
"I saw it." Abraham admitted.
"Damnit, Abraham! And you didn't do anything?"
Glenn raised a brow.
"Well he spray painted the exclamation marks." Glenn told her. Abraham grinned! Michonne could not help but smile back, but still...this had to be addressed.
"Guys, I'm going to talk to Father Gabriel and tell him I'm investigating. But please, we don't need any trouble. Deanna likes him. Just let it go."
Noah and Glenn nodded. Michonne turned and walked off towards Father Gabriel's church. Abraham was soon walking beside her.
"I say we don't give this bullshit more time than it's worth. We've got other problems. Like why are only Glenn and Noah going out? Where's that other guy that went with them the last time? He was Aiden's friend?"
Michonne was about to answer, when she spotted Nicholas. She glanced up at Abraham.
"That's him. I heard he almost got Glenn and Noah killed last time. So he won't be going."
Abraham moved so that he caught Nicholas's eye. Nicholas, who was crossing a street, stopped.
"Hey." he said.
"Hey, yourself!" Abraham replied. "Deanna has asked Michonne and I to check to make sure everyone has something to do during the day. You know, so they're pulling their weight. Are you working around here?"
Michonne said nothing. Deanna did not ask them to do that. Abraham was just screwing with this guy.
"I go on runs. That's what I've always done. And since I've been here longer, I don't see how it is you think I have to answer to you." Nicholas said, his manner clearly hostile.
"Well see that's where you're wrong. We're the law around here and someone vandalized Father Gabriel's church. We figure lazy asses are the first suspects. You know, people wandering around not doing shit." Abraham told him.
"Hey! I wouldn't desecrate a church! And I like Father Gabriel! I'd never call him a Bitch Ass Priest!"
"How'd you know that's what it said?" Abraham asked.
"Jesus, what kind of a cop are you? Everyone can see it!" Nicholas snapped. Michonne decided to end this.
"Nicholas, why don't you go and help Father Gabriel clean it off? He's very upset and we've been talking to people. We think we may even have a lead." Michonne said.
"I hope so." Nicholas muttered and walked off-but not in the direction of the church. Michonne moved to stand in front of Abraham.
"What was that?"
"What was what? We sure as hell can't say that Glenn and Noah did it!"
Michonne didn't answer. And that was because Jessie was headed towards her.
"Abraham, why don't you leave Jessie and I alone, okay?"
"Don't let her talk you into dinner. You know you'll never survive it..."
"Thank you, Abraham." Michonne said knowingly, giving him a look. Abraham walked off just as Jessie approached.
"I hope I didn't interrupt anything? I saw that graffiti at Father Gabriel's church. Do you know who did it?"
Michonne smiled tolerantly.
"I have some suspicions, yes. So what can I do for you?"
Jessie looked around, then spoke.
"I asked Rick to ask you to dinner. Did he speak to you about it?"
"He did," Michonne answered, "and I told him I'd have to see. Believe it or not, small crimes add up so I've been busy."
Jessie's jaw tightened.
"Come on, Michonne! There practically is no crime here. Surely you can spare some time to share a meal with us. You were like a mother to Carl and Judith and I know they miss you. And I know that you're important to Rick. I want to get to know the special people in his life. Carol will be there as well."
Michonne lifted a brow.
"Carol is coming?"
"Well, I invited her but she kind of hemmed and hawed. Like you." Jessie replied.
"Jessie, I am not trying to get out of anything. And frankly, I don't appreciate your implication that I'm lying about why I can't be there. If it is that important, I will be there." Michonne said, determined not to make a big deal over nothing.
But would it be nothing? Watching Rick, Jessie, Carl, Sam and Judith act as a family?
"I didn't mean to insult you, Michonne. It's just that too much has happened to pretend anymore. I know people think I jumped into this marriage with Rick overnight. And he does not seem to be able to leave you, Carol, Darryl or any of the others he came here with, behind. Especially you. So, I'll tell Rick you're coming and he'll let you know exactly when, okay?"
Michonne said nothing as Jessie walked away. She then shook her head. Jesus, why had she agreed to that?
Trouble was coming to Alexandria.
Morgan, who had managed to really make himself at home in the stronghold, was in the tower with Sasha. Sasha found Morgan's whole demeanor to be a calming influence. She had begun to settle down a bit in the community. She had also stopped hunting walkers.
Morgan was the first to see Darryl and Aaron pull up. The gate opened and they drove through.
"It looks like they brought someone back with them." Morgan noted, as he shot two walkers in the nearby woods. Sasha grabbed her binoculars and looked out. The car had stopped and Aaron got out and opened a back door. Spencer ran up as well and helped pull a man, that had bandages on his face, from the backseat. Sasha then studied Darryl's face. He looked uneasy and unsure, which made her feel uneasy and unsure. She handed the binoculars to Morgan.
"That 'someone' is hurt." she told him.
Meanwhile, Deanna hurried into the house the bandaged man had been brought to. She looked at Aaron.
"Who is he?"
"He said his name was Brandon. That he had been burned badly and traveling with a group with a doctor, that had dressed his wounds."
"I don't suppose this doctor is still alive?" Deanna asked.
Aaron shook his head.
"No. But we couldn't just leave him."
"Yes we could." Darryl said, now staring down at the man, who was now asleep. "I don't know what it is, but his story smells like bullshit. When he wakes up I think Rick and I should question him."
Deanna sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the man. She then looked up at Darryl.
"Your job is to recruit. Go out and find us a doctor. Or anyone else that can be of use here. Michonne and Abraham will question this man when he wakes up." Deanna said firmly.
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