Summary: Michonne is recruited to the Alexandria Safe-Zone. Run.

Author's Note: This is my first fic in a long, long time. I'm talking probably five years. Don't kill me. Also, this is slightly AU (obviously) and straight-up Richonne. Where my Richonners at?

"Hello."

Michonne felt a cold chill zip through her body, and she was on her feet with her katana in her hands before she noticed it.

A man with short brown hair, a dark parka and a backpack had his hands help up in a peace truce, palms facing her. His eyes were friendly and his smile was warm, but Michonne eyed him suspiciously, sending a dark glare his way. She had been on her own for quite some time and had run into people who had taught her that nobody could be trusted and that it was better off to be alone. The likelihood that this man was not by himself coursed through her head, and she darted her eyes around distrustfully.

"I'm Aaron," he greeted calmly. He eyed her sword with no surprise, and she said nothing, not moving from her stance. The relaxed manner in which he approached her did nothing else than put her more on edge. "Don't be alarmed—I'm not going to hurt you. I just simply want to talk."

"Then talk," she bit back.

He nodded. "I come from a community not too far from here, and I wanted to ask you if you would like to join us."

"Join you," Michonne repeated after a lengthy pause, gripping her katana so tightly that her knuckles were aching. For all she knew, this guy could have been Hannibal Lecter. She wasn't about to take any chances with anymore lunatics, and she chuckled darkly at him. "And why would I do that?"

Aaron smiled, looking slightly amused, and slowly lowered his hands until they were resting at his sides.

"I've actually been watching you for about a week now." Then he added quickly with a sheepish smile, "I know—it sounds a little creepy. But my place, our home—it could use a person like you."

Michonne gave him a look.

He is definitely crazy.

"You don't even know me."

"No, but I know enough. You can ask me anything you want. I'll try to answer you."

Michonne pressed her lips together, studying him. "You've been following me?"

"Yes."

"Alone."

"Well, not exactly. But my partner, he's a bit farther off than me. You know, just in case something happens."

"You mean like I kill you."

Aaron nodded. "Although I would prefer it if that didn't happen."

Michonne lowered her katana by an inch and searched his face, trying to find any giveaway of what he could really be thinking. "And why would you want someone 'like me?'"

"I've seen what you can do out here. We could use somebody with your ability to fight. We…" He hesitated. "We've had some issues come up recently and could use more people with your experience to make us stronger."

"My experience," she snorted, shaking her head slightly.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"We have water, food, electricity…a town. A semblance of what life used to be."

Her brows furrowed as she took this in. "A town."

Aaron smiled. "Yes. There are a lot of us who live there."

After what seemed like several minutes of silence, Michonne finally lowered her sword all the way and stared at this man who was either impossibly stupid or impossibly brave to approach random strangers and chance meetings with them alone.

"Why should I trust you?" she asked after a few more moments.

"Because if this is what the world is now, then humanity needs to stick together. It's the only way to survive."

Michonne breathed out deeply through her nose. "If you're lying about this…" She raised her katana toward his face and pointed it between his eyes. "This goes straight through you."

Aaron half-winced, half-smiled. "That won't be necessary. But I guess that's fair enough."

Michonne stared at the black gate from the passenger seat, almost not believing her eyes…or her ears.

A surge of impossible hope ran through her.

Slowly getting out of the car, she finally looked away from the gate and over to Aaron, who had a small smile tugging at his lips as he watched the expression of utter disbelief on her face.

"Come on, let's go inside. It gets better."

She slowly followed him up to the gate where a younger looking woman with a hat was waiting for them and watching her closely.

Aaron gave her a small smile. "Hi, Rosita. This is Michonne."

The woman named Rosita simply nodded in greeting and pulled open the gate for them to walk through, not taking her eyes off of Michonne the entire time.

Aaron turned to Michonne and hesitated. "We have to take your sword and any other weapons you have on you. Just for our safety."

She frowned. "What—you think I can take you all by myself?"

"It's just protocol."

She shook her head and took in a deep breath. "I only have my sword on me. Wherever it goes, I go."

"Okay," Aaron agreed, holding his hand out. Michonne stepped back quickly as Rosita invaded her personal space and started patting her down, looking for any other weapons on her. Once she was finished, Michonne glared at Aaron, who simply waited expectantly with his palm out. She reluctantly handed her katana over, a nervous look on her face, and he switched her sword to the hand further away from her and continued walking, making sure she was at his side and not behind him.

"I don't like this," she said under her breath.

He gave her a look of understanding. "None of us did. But we have to do it."

She released a heavy sigh. "Something's telling me that my week-long 'test' isn't over yet."

"Well, so far we haven't had any trouble with letting people in. Rick—he's our leader—isn't too happy about bringing in strangers to this place, but we all took a vote and decided that it needed to be done. I'll actually take you to him in a little bit. I basically recruit people that I think are a good fit, but he's the one who really decides whether they stay or go."

There were silent as they walked toward a street of large, spotlessly clean houses. It all seemed very The Truman Show, Michonne admitted, and she didn't know whether she liked it or not. Somewhere inside of her, a warning bell was going off.

But then she heard the laughter.

"There are kids here," she said quietly, without even realizing it.

Aaron nodded. "A few. They get to live in safety here with their families. Hopefully you can help us keep it that way."

Another silence descended on them.

"Why can't we meet him now?"

Aaron stopped walking and looked over at her. He paused uncertainly before answering.

"Meet who?"

"Rick."

He glanced at Rosita, causing Michonne to frown before his eyes met hers again.

"What's wrong with him?" she asked cautiously, not liking whatever look passed between them.

He shook his head and dismissed her question. "We can do that. I'll just have to find him first and see if he's here."

"And my sword?"

Rosita shrugged. "I'll hold it while you go, Aaron."

Aaron nodded his thanks and handed her the katana. Then he turned to Michonne as they approached a large, two-story, light yellow house with shuttered windows and a front porch.

All that's missing is the white picket fence.

"This will be your home. I'll show you inside, then I'll go find Rick and take you to him."

Michonne stared up at it, speechless.

After a moment, she realized that Aaron had started walking up the porch steps toward the front door, leaving her behind. She moved to follow, snapping out of her daze.

My home.