Chapter 1: Rick, Carl and Michonne reach Terminus
Michonne watches as Rick explains to Carl why he must stay at the camp.
"Carl, Michonne and I need to go on a supply run and I need you to stay here to watch and protect Judith." Rick tells him.
"Rick, I can help you, you need me", Carl says, "Why are always treating me like a little kid?"
Carl walks away in a huff leaving Rick standing speechless with Judith in his arms.
Michonne sees Rick and says, "Let me see if I can talk to him."
As Carl walks toward the tent given to them by the camp, he unzips it; walks inside and zips it back up.
Michonne decides to walks up to the closed nylon tent door, "Knock, Knock can I come in for a sec?"
Carl unzips the tent door then goes back to sit down. As Michonne pushes the door open she walks in zips the door back up.
After looking at how angry his is; she sighs and sits down next to him, "Carl, you are one of the luckiest people today. You and your father were able to reunite with Judith. This is a dream come true for you and Rick. You may not realize it but you father is giving one of the most important jobs in the world to him right now. The most important thing in this world to him is keeping the two of you together and safe. Rick has to go on this run for supplies for you and your sister and he trusts you and only you to look out for her; so that the two of you will never be separated again. If something should happen to him out there he will feel better knowing that the two of you are together", She tells him.
"Carl..." She chokes somewhat, "I can't tell you how to be a man that is your father's job; but I can tell you how to be an an adult requires that you put your ego and your pride aside and to look at the bigger picture. To not always be concerned with what you want."
Michonne goes silent for a second then shew looks down at her hands remembering how perfect Andre's hand fit in her. "Believe me...", she says n shame, "...you don't want to pass up a moment with Judith. Not one. I would give anything to hold Andre in my arms one more time. Anything, please don't be blinded by your need to prove how strong you are to your father he already knows it, O.k?"
With a deep exhale Carl realizes that she's is right and says, "O.k."
"Right now the most important thing to your father is keeping the three of you together, always." Michonne tells him.
Carl stands and looks at Michonne with agreement; then begins to unzip the tent.
"One more thing", she blurts out.
"Do me a favor, stop calling him Rick. Two of the greatest titles that anyone could ever have is being called Dad. And I am sure...you can figure out what the other title is o.k.?"
Carl smiles and says, "O.k." and walks out.
He walks out and zips the tent back up only to find Rick walking around from the back of the tent.
"Carl? Can you do me a favor? Can you take Judith over to Tyreese's tent and get her something to eat?" Rick asks.
Carl looks at him then at Judith and smiles motioning Rick to pass her to him and he tells him, "Sure Dad", and begins to walk away while talking gibberish to Judith.
As Rick watches Carl walk away and he looks up towards the rising sun with smile and begins to walk toward the nylon door of the tent to thank Michonne when he hears her sobbing. He decides that this probably isn't the best time and walks toward the supply crate to get weapons and bags for the run.
Twenty minutes later Rick sees Michonne emerge from the tent with puffy eyes yet a look of seriousness on her face. Rick begins to walk towards her with his hand extended handing her a couple of bags. "You ready?"
Michonne nods her head once and puts the bag around her shoulder. Rick can see in her body language that she's become withdrawn with a look of hopelessness in her movement.
"Let's go" Michonne says and begins walking toward the train tracks not looking at Rick.
As they begin to walk together along the train tracks in silence Rick leans down a little bit in order to catch her eyes while she is looking down. "Hey, thanks for talking to Carl. It seems as though you're the only one he will listen to reason."
She looks up and turns towards him with a one corner smile, "It was my pleasure he's a good kid." He is just trying to find out where his place is in the group other than with the kids, that's all."
"Well you have definitely got a gift when it comes to Carl" Rick tells her. Michonne gives a little laugh and keeps walking.
"Although, there was one little inaccuracy that I overheard you tell him." Rick tells her.
They both stop walking, "Oh, what was that?" she says.
Rick glances the tracks ahead that they have to walk and says,
"The number, you got the number wrong. It's four. The most important thing to me is keeping the four of us together."
Rick starts to walk again but pauses for Michonne to walk with him.
Once she catches up; with a smile of reassurance on her face she starts walking in unison with him and says, "Well, I guess I stand corrected."