Puppy Love

Summary: Rick is happy to see Michonne make it back to the prison safe and sound, but she just asks for Carl right away and doesn't pay any attention to Rick. What's going on?

A/N: I've had the idea for this story for a while now. Prepare to die from the adorableness, that's all I have to say!

….

"They're back!" Maggie's voice called from the look-out tower.

Rick looked up to see her wave excitedly and then turn to run down the stairs. He dropped his basket of corn cobs unceremoniously on the ground and ran towards the gate as well.

The sight of Glenn's battered pick-up truck followed by Daryl's motorcycle filled him with sweet relief. They were supposed to be back yesterday morning.

Supply runs took longer than expected more often than not, so it didn't do any good to worry until there was good reason. Still, the people left behind at the prison had started feeling anxious about this wait. The weather had turned cold a few weeks ago and a higher number of walkers than usual seemed to be in the area.

Rick started to pull the gate open and Maggie rushed to help him. Glenn drove the truck on through the gate and up towards the parking area. Rick spotted Michonne riding shotgun.

"Everything alright?" Rick asked Daryl as he slowed his motorcycle to greet his friends.

"Yeah. Got messy there for a bit, but it's alright," Daryl said, "We got a good haul."

Rick and Maggie followed Daryl up the hill to where others were already helping to unload the truck. Rick passed them and went to the side of the truck where Michonne was taking her time getting out.

"Hey, it's good to see you back in one piece," Rick greeted her with a smile, "Run into trouble out there?"

Michonne was moving slowly, which was a little strange, and she kept one arm wrapped around her stomach.

"Where's Carl?" she asked, finally looking up at Rick.

"He's inside, reading," Rick frowned, "You okay? Michonne, are you hurt?"

"I'm okay," she said, "Could you go get Carl for me?"

"Alright, sure," Rick agreed, wondering what was going on but knowing Michonne wouldn't explain until she was good and ready.

He set off at a jog to fetch his son.

Carl was stretched out on his bed, writing in one of the workbooks that Carol had all of the kids studying. He'd resisted at first, of course. Eventually he realized that he didn't mind it that much. Filling out a couple pages of math or reading was a good enough break from working in the garden.

"Carl," Rick got his attention, "They're back."

Carl looked up, automatically worried that something was wrong, but saw that Rick was smiling at him.

"Michonne's asking for you," Rick informed him, "I think she has something for you."

"What is it?" Carl jumped up excitedly, all thoughts of schoolwork promptly forgotten.

"I don't know. She wouldn't tell me anything," Rick said wryly.

"Well, let's go!" Carl pushed past his dad and ran off to meet his friend.

Rick followed close behind. A small voice told him to stop running around the prison like an excited kid, so he let Carl run ahead, but not too far as he didn't want to be left out of whatever was going on.

"Hey!" Carl slowed to a stop in front of Michonne, who was waiting by the truck, an unreadable smile on her face.

"Hey yourself," she returned, one arm still wrapped awkwardly around her stomach.

"Dad said you got me something?" Carl asked a little hesitantly. He felt like it might be too rude to ask for a present right when she got back. Still, he was dying of curiosity.

"Did he now?" Michonne asked, raising her eyebrows at Rick.

"Is it comic books? Candy?" Carl asked.

"No, something better," Michonne smiled at Carl and Rick. She now had their full attention.

Michonne unzipped her jacket and a little furry head popped out, timid but curious.

"A puppy?!" Carl gasped in disbelief, "For real?!"

Rick was momentarily speechless. He looked between the dirty puppy cradled inside Michonne's jacket for warmth and his son's shocked face.

"Mhmm," Michonne unzipped her jacket the rest of the way and carefully placed the little animal in Carl's arms.

"He's so little! Dad, look! It's a puppy!" Carl exclaimed in wonder, still almost not believing it.

The puppy wriggled and hid his face.

"Is it for me?" Carl looked up at Michonne, his eyes shining.

"If your dad says it's okay," she answered.

"Dad? Can I keep him?" Carl asked.

All eyes were now on Rick. Even the puppy peeked up at him.

"He'll be your responsibility, Carl. You'll have to walk him, feed him, wash him, everything. Do you think you can do that?" Rick asked, serious with a smile tugging at his mouth. Of course Carl could keep the puppy, but Rick still had to play his role as father.

"Yes! I'll take care of him, I promise!" Carl hurried to assure him.

"I can't believe it!" Carl looked back down at the young puppy. It was skinny and its fur was so matted with dirt that he almost couldn't tell what color it was.

Tears of joy fell from Carl's eyes. He'd always wanted a dog. Before the world had changed, he used to beg his dad for a dog every year, but he'd always been told, 'Not yet. Maybe next year, when you're older.'

He'd almost forgotten what it was like to even want something like that.

"What do you have to say?" Rick prodded Carl gently.

"Michonne!" Carl sniffed and blinked back his tears.

"Here, let me see the little guy," Rick took the puppy from Carl's arms.

Carl threw his arms around Michonne and hugged her tightly, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Rick held the puppy up and looked him in the face. The puppy blinked his big brown eyes nervously and Rick realized that all this time they'd been thinking of it as 'him' but had yet to actually check if it was a boy or girl.

"Yep, it's a boy," he confirmed, "Looks like he's maybe only a few weeks old."

Michonne and Carl were both watching him now.

"We'll get you cleaned up," Rick spoke to the puppy, mock serious, "Get you some food and water, have Hershel take a look at you. What do you think? That sound okay, little guy?"

Carl laughed at Rick, talking to the puppy like that. Rick handed him back to Carl.

"Now, he's scared because he's not used to being around people yet," Michonne advised, "You have to be very gentle with him, make sure he feels safe."

"Okay," Carl nodded and started to head back towards the prison but was quickly stopped by Maggie, wanting to take a look at the puppy.

Rick looked at Michonne in amazement. He wrapped his arms around her in a big hug.

"I don't remember the last time I saw him that happy. I don't know how you did it, but thank you," he told her sincerely.

Michonne hesitated a bit, surprised by Rick's unexpected display of affection, but then relaxed and hugged him back. When he pulled back from the hug, Rick realized that Michonne was crying.

"Hey," he said softly, "Hey, what is it?"

She wouldn't look at him, just turned her head away and tried to wipe her eyes.

"Michonne," he said her name imploringly, titling his head in concern.

Taking a deep breath, she managed, "Sorry, I just…I'm…" she paused, wiped her eyes with her sleeve again, tried a smile, but ended up looking at the ground.

"It's just been a long time since anybody hugged me, you know," Michonne said, her voice quieter than usual.

These days, the way you had to be to not let things get to you, to handle the things you had to do to make it through the day, when a soft moment came along it could be hard to handle. The emotion would catch up to you unexpectedly; it was easy to get overwhelmed sometimes. Rick knew better than anyone how that felt.

"Well, you sure hit the jackpot today," Rick said with a confiding smile, "Carl is usually pretty stingy with his hugs."

Word sure spread fast in the prison and the other kids were already squealing and crowding around Carl. It didn't take him long to put them in order, telling everyone what to do. Carl headed towards the prison, the puppy cradled protectively against his chest and Patrick, Lizzy, Mika, and the little kids on his heels.

"Come on," Rick smiled gently at Michonne. She looked exhausted, probably hadn't slept or eaten anything since the day before.

"The others have the unloading covered. Let's get you inside."

…

TBC!

A/N: So, any guesses as to what Carl is going to name his new puppy?