Disclaimer: I do not own any part of The Walking Dead, the TV show or the comic. All characters and story history, with exception of random Alexandrians belong to Robert Kirkman and the sometimes brilliant Scott Gimple.

Summary: Tumblr Richonne June Wedding Challenge - This story picks up a couple years after Michonne, Rick and the Alexandrians have defeated Negan.

Author's Note: It's been more than 4 years since I've published fanfiction. I've been excited and intrigued by the story of Rick and Michonne, specifically Michonne. So I decided to take on the Richonne June Wedding Challenge on Tumblr. This is my first Richonne fanfic. I do appreciate feedback, but as always, I ask that you be gentle.

Chapter One

There were more of them than they expected. There always were, and thus, they were always prepared. The walkers came at them like an army, trained to kill, trained to destroy, but their true mission was to feed and populate the earth with their kind. The group spread out, slicing and stabbing, bludgeoning and stomping until all was clear, at least as far as the eye could see. They then split off, cautiously going in separate directions with their specific tasks in mind, dried food, toiletries, medicine and anything that could be useful and a privilege in what was now their desolate world. Though the community was doing better than months past, they always needed more. For they didn't know when hard times would come again and winter would be upon them before they knew it. Michonne moved down the dim space of what used to be a superstore with inventory of every kind and in bulk. The store was surprisingly still stocked with a good deal of stuff, likely because it was off the beaten path, with chained and bolted doors. Most who came upon it probably didn't have the resources to remove the chains and take the oversized items with them. Michonne scanned their surroundings, her air coming in short breathes, her muscles tense, as she held her sword in front of her, ready to act if anything or anyone pounced on her, or Rick, who was leading the way. Her senses were alert, deciphering every smell, every sound, every shadow around them. Her eyes were fixed ahead, watching as Rick moved with precision, his finger firmly on the trigger of his weapon. Soon they came to a blind juncture, and he slowed his trek, then carefully turned the corner, ready to fire if need be, but thankfully there was nothing there. He glanced towards her, then briefly nodded, prompting her to harness her weapon and proceed forward. Michonne grabbed a stray basket and pushed it down the aisle to what they needed – cereal. It would be stale, but it was food and in bulk which would be enough to last, at the very least, through early winter. From the cereal aisle they made their way to the baby aisle, picking up things for Judith, specifically Pamper pullups. The little girl was now walking, talking and learning the potty. Having the pullups would help avoid soiling her clothes which would save water and energy from washing. Michonne saw other items Judith needed, a toddler bowl, a sippy cup and shoes. She pulled several sizes from the shelf that would accommodate Judith's endlessly growing feet, when she turned to put the items in the basket, she found Rick adding a box of popcorn.

What's that for? She questioned with bewilderment.

Movie night. He answered as he moved ahead of her, planning to resume leading the way.

Where're we going to get movies?

There's probably some here, but we can leave them. Spencer inherited a pretty big collection from Deanna. He said. I'm sure he won't mind lending us one or two.

How do you even know the popcorn will pop? Michonne smiled. It's been expired for a minute.

I don't. But it'll be fun finding out. Rick smirked, causing her to laugh. Gradually, the smile faded from his lips and his eyes no longer reflected mirth, but something much deeper, which she could not quite place. When suddenly a walker emerged from the darkness of what used to be a nearby storage room, disrupting something Rick was poised to say and attempted to accost him. Rick turned just in time to shove the walker away, and when Michonne moved to help, another emerged from the darkness, shuffling towards her with it's arms stretched out. Michonne pushed the basket of supplies aside as she removed her weapon from its sheath and quickly, sliced the walker in it's gut, exposing decaying intestines that spilled to the floor. She then drew back her sword and stabbed the walker in the head, just as two more came on the scene, one from the storage room and another from around the corner. Michonne quickly drew her sword from the walker's head, but the momentum of her movement caused her to fall into the basket of supplies, rolling it forward until it crashed into a shelf, which prevented what would've been her falling to the floor. The walker from the corner was upon her within seconds, ferocious and determined, growling with hunger. Michonne pushed it with all she had, but the beast had a good four inches on her in height and had been a bulky man in life. She struggled with one arm to push it away while attempting to get a handle on her sword so that she could kill it. Just a few feet away, she could hear the snarl of walkers along with Rick's grunts, and the slicing sound of his large knife. He was doing battle as she was herself, more walkers must have come. She surmised as she continued to struggle with the monster before her. Her fight, and strength, further empowered not only by her desire to live, but the knowledge that her very capable Rick, may need her help. Michonne gave the walker another shove, as hard as she could, pushing it back just long enough for her to put a foot between them, then positioned her sword and rammed it into the walker's throat. The blow further slowed it down and with one quick motion, she pulled the sword from it's throat and finished it with a stab to the head. Michonne immediately turned to Rick and saw him fiercely stabbing a walker in the head, then slamming it to the floor where the rest of their carnage lay dead at their feet. Rick looked her way and she saw the warrior in his eyes, his fierceness and will, what she'd seen countless times during their many battles, but there was something more in his eyes, something that seemed strange in the company of his feral, something in that moment she didn't have the time to decipher.

Let's find the others and get out of here. He said. Michonne was already there, her weapon positioned for battle as she started to move towards the main aisle, before the suggestion had fully uttered from his lips.

A Short While Later…

Michonne put the supplies they'd gathered in the back of the truck, adjusting them next to the other items to ensure none would slide and get damaged while driving back to Alexandria. She then closed the door to the bed of the truck, when Rick came up, briefly resting his hand on her back.

Is that everything? She asked as she turned to face him, feeling every bit of the warmth in his touch.

Yeah. He replied, holding her eyes, revealing what Michonne could not place before, revealing what she could now decipher as deep adoration. She softly smiled, her heart quickening and light.

You okay? She then asked as she took his hand in hers and squeezed it with gentleness.

Rick held her gaze, intense and un-fleeting, inciting a nervous heat within her. When he then stepped closer, leaving little space between them. Marry me. He quietly uttered.

What? Michonne gasped, not sure she'd heard him right.

Will you marry me. Rick repeated, confirming what Michonne thought she'd heard. Joy raced through her, but was quickly consumed by fear. The air suddenly felt heavy and unbearably stifling, restricting her breath, making her hands sweaty.

Y'all ready? Darryl asked, seeming to come out of nowhere. Michonne opened her eyes, which had fell closed, to find Rick's gaze still fixed upon her, but now a mix of tenderness and confusion.

Yes. She answered, turning her focus to Darryl. We're ready. She said, then briefly returned her eyes to Rick conveying without words that she needed to think, then pulled her hand from his and walked away.

The night air was humid and hot, likely what was spurring the intense lightning she could see in the distance. Michonne sat on the front steps of home, listening to the crickets and cicadas, watching the occasional firefly drift by. The insects were so loud here. She thought. Almost as loud as they'd been in Georgia…Georgia, which was now a lifetime ago, even though it had only been nearly three years ago. In that time, she'd been an Art Director at a major Marketing firm, making a great salary. She was living with the man that she loved and their child whom she adored. She had a good life. She never wanted marriage, never thought about it. It was never a part of her life goals. Even when she and Mike moved in together, then had Andre, marriage didn't seem necessary. They were committed to each other, to their life together. They were planning a future without the need for a ceremony. Then Mike had made the suggestion. He hadn't officially asked, but he'd put it out there why don't we just get married? He didn't mention everlasting love and devotion. He didn't have to, that was already understood, but he did mention tax breaks and better preparation for their future. It'll set a great example for our son. He'd said. She couldn't deny any of those things and she did love him. So she'd agreed to marry him. She'd actually become excited about the prospect. However, they never got the chance to tell anyone their news, because everything went to hell immediately after the decision was made. When she lost Andre and Mike, she thought her life, as she knew it, was over, and it was. She was lost for months before she finally found herself again. She found Andrea, then Rick and Carl and the others and she remembered what she was fighting for. Despite the challenges, life was actually good again. But Rick's proposal, had opened old wounds, reawakened those memories from the past and all the pain they incited. She and Mike had lived together for five years before having a child and seven before deciding to marry. Agreeing to marry him after all that time, in hindsight felt like a mistake, like her saying yes somehow jinxed their future. She knew it was ridiculous. She didn't even believe in fate or jinxes, but her heart and her head couldn't let go of the reasoning that she'd asked for too much, that she should've accepted what she had, accepted that it was good as it was and to ask for more meant she'd inevitably lose it all. That was the fear Rick's proposal had incited. She painfully thought. They'd lost so many people, been in some terribly precarious situations, but they had been incredibly lucky to have not lost each other. So many around them had not only lost love ones from the past, but in this new life, this new world of zombies and tyrants. She and Rick, however, had fared well. They still had Judith and Carl. They still had each other. They had a home, and they were happy. She didn't want to tempt fate again, by asking for too much. The front door suddenly opened and Michonne then heard Rick's heavy boots behind her before he quietly settled on the step next to her, turning his eyes to the dark scenery before him.

You okay? He asked. You were pretty quiet during the ride home and at dinner.

I'm okay. She silently replied.

Look, I know my timing was off… He admitted. But I'd been thinking about it for a while, trying to figure out how and when to do it, and today at the store, it just hit me and I couldn't wait…I want to marry you.

I know.

You want to talk about it? Tell me what you're thinking?

Michonne stared into the darkness, weighing her thoughts, noting the new smell of rain and that the lightning had grown closer and was now accompanied by thunder. The storm would be there soon she deduced, then spoke.

I'm thinking about us. What we have, what you asked. Why now? She questioned as she looked his way. This is good, the way things are.

It is. Rick agreed, thinking of all they'd been through, the hopes, the horrors, the hunger, the deaths, the battles and rebuilding. I know we're committed to each other. But I want more. I want us to take the vows. He seriously stated, turning his gaze to her. I want… He began, then again looked forward and dropped his head, shaking it, unable to find the words to express what he wanted to say. I want… to be your husband. He simply said, returning his eyes to her. Not in theory or due to some silent understanding between us, but because we've made the vows to each other, and in front of our family and children. He uttered. The conviction in his gaze, his words, stirring Michonne until her eyes shined with tears, deepening the struggle she didn't even know was there until he proposed.

I understand you need time. He softly stated, seeing the disquiet in her eyes. It's no pressure. He assured as he gently touched her cheek. Michonne slightly nodded, feeling the pressure somewhat abate. He then leaned forward, kissing her on the forehead, lingering for a moment, then moved to her lips, calmly tasting them. Michonne lifted her hand and rested it atop his, that lay on her cheek. She held it there, comforted by his touch, until he uttered 'good night' and left her alone with her thoughts.