I started this series to explore a scenario where things don't start out so smoothly for Rick and Michonne once they reach safety. This was a spontaneous idea, so we'll see where it goes. There's so much speculation about what's to come, and I think I wanted to reassure myself that there could still be a future for them even if there are early road blocks. Hope you enjoy!

Michonne sat at her desk in the sparsely furnished one room office that served as the police headquarters for the Alexandria settlement trying to force herself to start her day's work. It was only 8:15 AM, but the mundanity of filling out the previous day's reports was already putting her to sleep: missing cat, fight over the last shower gel at the supply store, disgruntled old lady complaining about noise from her neighbor's children playing outside in the middle of the day, etc. She had to actively remind herself that boredom was a small cost to pay for being safe.

The group had arrived at the Alexandria settlement a little over four weeks ago, and this was her third week on the job as deputy to Rick's chief of police. It certainly wasn't anything she had ever pictured herself doing, but the settlement had no need for a lawyer. She figured this would be a better position than anything else given she could work with Rick and keep an eye on the community, ensuring the safety of Carl, Judith, and the other group members.

"Hey, Michonne, sorry I'm late. I got held up dropping Judy off at daycare again," Rick said as he came through the door to their office. She signaled it was no problem at all by holding out her hands gesturing to the quiet, empty office.

"Right," he said catching her drift. He walked over to her desk and dropped a brown paper bag in front of her. "Apple cinnamon muffin. Mrs. Summers insisted I take it, and I figured you'd enjoy it more than me," he said smiling knowing her love of sweets.

"Thank you," she replied with a faint upward turn of her lips. She found that she was now often the beneficiary of the kindness many of the community members, particularly female, showed toward the handsome new officer. She'd enjoyed her share of cookies and casseroles brought to his home as welcome gifts. In this particular case, the muffin came from the 63 year old woman who ran Judith's daycare. She was taken with Officer Grimes and always trapped him in conversation at drop off and pick up times.

She pushed the bag to the side of her desk and watched as he turned around and made his way over to the coffee maker. His hair was shorter and he was clean shaven. He still wore his signature boots, dark pants, and belt; but the tattered, worn shirts were replaced by a crisp, button down uniform top. The intensity in his face was waning and he appeared more relaxed. He looked several years younger to her now, as if this is who he was prior to the turn. Perhaps that's why he seemed to be settling into this new life more easily than she thought he would; this actually wasn't such a new life at all. It was practically just like his old life: officer and father in a simple small town. With the exception of no longer being someone's husband, he got to pick up right where he left off.

He turned around with coffee in hand, surprised to find her staring at him. She abruptly broke eye contact and started shuffling the papers on her desk. "Sorry, there was something I had to tell you and I just lost it. Um..." she said searching for something reasonable to say to divert his attention from the awkwardness.

He walked over to her desk, came around to the side where she sat and propped his rear on the edge with his legs outstretched in front of him. He was directly to her right and her eyes were level with his left hand which held his coffee mug. Somehow the position of his hand and her proximity made his ever present wedding band seem more prominent than ever. She was transfixed on it for a moment and finally tore her eyes away when she thought of something to say.

"Ginger. They found Ginger. That's what I was gonna tell you," she said as she scooted her rolling chair back just a few inches to give her space.

"Who?"

"Ginger, the cat from yesterday. They found her by the community center," she replied.

He chuckled, "Oh, right. Case closed then. Good work, deputy."

"I guess," she said not quite as impressed by this bit of information as he was.

He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders, then lifted his mug to his mouth. When he drank his coffee, he slurped it then finished each sip with a little ahhh sound. She never had the luxury of having a hot cup of coffee with him prior to Alexandria, and she found this little habit utterly adorable the first few times he did it. Now it was like nails on a chalk board to her. Her neck and shoulder muscles tensed up and she felt like she couldn't get out of the room fast enough. Feeling the tension rising in her, she silently chastised herself with the refrain she had been repeating over and over lately: food, safety, family. She said this anytime she felt any sort of irritation or dissatisfaction because she felt she had no right to anymore. They were here because this is what she pushed for, and she should only be happy and grateful like everyone else seemed to be.

"Michonne, you OK?" Rick asked noticing something wasn't quite right. He was staring intently at her.

"Yeah," she said almost breathlessly, "it's just stuffy in here." She tugged at her uniform collar.

Rick placed the back of his palm to her forehead, then to the side of her cheek checking for fever. "You're not warm, but you just don't look well. Why don't you head home and rest?"

"No, I'm fine. I don't want you to have to cover for me."

He copied her earlier gesture and waved his hand out at the quiet office, "I think I can handle it."

She knew she wasn't coming down with anything, but she didn't want to pass up the chance to get some time to herself to gather her thoughts and hopefully get out of the funk she was in.

"OK, but if you need anything-"

"I know where you live. Don't worry," he interrupted.

She gathered her things then made her way to the center of the room, stopping and turning toward him on her way out, "OK, well I'll see you later."

"See you later. Feel better," he said. He kept his eyes on her until she was out of the building, then sighed and looked down at his empty desk. He wasn't sure what was going on with her, but he was concerned.