A/N: So yeah, after last night, I don't know about you, but my Richonne feels are in full swing. Sure, there were just a couple of understated moments, but they said a lot to me, and so… here we are! I don't know if this is a short and sweet one shot, or the beginning of a few chapters of something. But my fingers started itching and this is what came out, so I hope you enjoy whatever it is, lol! -Ash

Chapter 1
Sanctuary

I knew when he left that train car, bound and gagged, that he would make it back. And that's not hubris or me being overconfident – I just know Rick Grimes. So I wasn't worried. In fact, when I heard gunfire, I knew it was the Terminans that were in trouble. It was less than a day ago that I watched Rick tear a man's throat out with his teeth, then turn around and gut the next guy like a fish, so I was very clear that he would do absolutely anything to save his son. That didn't surprise me.

You wanna know what did? When he opened that car door and waited for me.

It was a tiny gesture, really. He probably didn't even think about it, with everything else going on, with trying to make sure Carl was safe, first and foremost. But the fact is, I was second on that list, and that shocked the hell outta me.

I think I recovered from it quickly, didn't show my hand or anything, but if it had been any other situation, and we weren't surrounded by walkers, I'm not so sure I'd be able to say the same. There's something about Rick that simultaneously makes me feel like I can be myself, and yet I don't feel like myself at all. I tend to get lost in his gaze without even meaning to; I smile at him, mostly when he's not looking, because I'm still trying to grasp the fact that he's real, that Carl is real, and they are actual parts of my life. I care for them, I trust him, completely, and it's nearly impossible for me to fathom.

So yes. When Rick opened that train car, and waited for me, I was surprised. It meant that maybe the feeling was mutual.

Hours later and he's sitting outside of this church we managed to find for the night, and he's alone, so I decide to go and sit with him, hoping I'm not interrupting time he would prefer to be by himself.

"You mind if I join you," I wonder quietly, stepping lightly as I move beside him.

He looks up at me with those crazy beautiful blue eyes of his and shakes his head. "Course not."

I take the spot next to him and let out a sigh. What. a. day. "How are you feeling?"

He shakes his head again, this time, as if he's in disbelief. And I imagine he probably is, after everything we've witnessed. "I don't know. I think 'thankful' is the word." I nod at him as he goes on. "I really didn't think I'd ever see her again."

He doesn't have to say her name for me to know he's talking about Judith, and I truly couldn't be happier for him. He deserves this. "When we got to Terminus and she wasn't there, I had given up hope, too," I admit. "Thank god we were wrong."

He looks at me oddly, like I've said something foreign to him. "You were hoping we'd find her?"

"Of course," I frown. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I guess I didn't think you'd even thought of it," he shrugs. "I don't know why."

"You and I never spoke of her, I guess, but you and Carl… I care about what happens to you."

"I know that," he nods, rubbing at his beard. "Of course I know that."

"I hope you do," I look at him squarely. I need him to understand that I meant it when I said I was done taking breaks. "You guys are my family."

He nods again, and looks down at the ground. Both of our boots are covered in blood and dirt, visible even under the midnight moon. "I didn't get a chance to thank you, by the way. For taking care of Carl today."

"I just figured we were past that," I smile at him as warmly as I can. "You give me a look, I know what it means. The words aren't necessary, Rick."

"I just don't know what he'd do without you, is all." Of course he looks at me then and I can't decipher it. "Hell, I don't know what I'd do without you, Michonne."

I can feel a stupid flutter in my stomach when he says that and it makes me smile again, this time to myself. I can remember a time, not so long ago, when he wanted me gone from the prison. It was like he hated me. And I know it was because he was going through a lot, and I didn't make it easy, but it's funny to me that we're sitting here like this now. That we're really and truly friends now. "The feeling is mutual," I eventually assure him. "And hey, co-parenting can still be a thing in the apocalypse, right?"

"Oh yeah, now that I've got both my kids, it's a necessity," he laughs quietly. It's nice to see him laugh again. I've seen him smile a couple of times, but a real, genuine laugh from this guy is a rarity. Haven't seen that since back at the prison.

"I'm warning you now, I'm not changing any diapers," I joke back. "Judith is gonna have to learn to pee in the woods like the rest of us."

"Oh god, why would you remind me of that?" he chuckles a little louder now. "Promise me you'll handle potty training when the time comes."

"Me?" I find myself somewhat honored that he wants me to potty-train his daughter.

"You wouldn't make her go through that with me," he shakes his head jokingly. "That would just be cruel."

I hadn't thought about it, but I suppose that makes sense. I would have probably asked him to do the same for Andre.

My precious baby, Andre. I've found myself thinking of him a lot today, seeing Rick and Carl reunite with Judith. I'm more delighted for them than I even imagined being, but I miss my little peanut. I would be lying if I said that I didn't wish I were reuniting with him, too. But I can take pleasure in Rick and Carl's happiness. Like I said, they deserve this.

Rick takes me away from my thoughts when his hoarse southern drawl fills the air again. "For the record, I don't just need you as a co-parent," he says, looking over to me seriously. "I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you."

I frown at him, unsure of exactly what he's trying to say. "I'm sure you'd be fine," I smile comfortingly. "You always have, always will do what needs to be done."

He lets out a tiny sigh and then chuckles to himself, kind of sarcastically. "Here I am tryin' to offer you love and you just won't accept it."

Well if that's not the story of my life. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry," I grin at the realization. "I'm not good at this. Do it again."

"Nah, it's too late now," he playfully turns from me and crosses his arms. "I'll save it for Daryl."

"Oh, okay." I mimic his actions, pretending to be offended, but keep my eyes on him. It hits me then just how much I enjoy being in his presence. "Hey," I call out to him.

He immediately turns back to me, his eyes seemingly inhaling my face as he waits for me to speak.

"Seriously, I also couldn't do this without you. Or, I mean, I probably could," I reconsider, "but now that I know you… there's no one I'd rather do it with. Just so you know."

"That was an awful compliment," he smiles back at me. "But I'll take it."

"Hey, I willfully admit that I am not good at this."

"At what?"

"At… connecting," I shrug. "I don't know. That's not true."

"Yeah, you and Carl connect just fine, so don't tell that lie." He uncrosses his arms and turns his knees towards me now. "But I get it."

"I don't know what it says about me that I'm better talking to a fourteen-year-old than an adult, but…"

"You're flawed," he declares as he knocks my knee with his own. "Nice to know you have one, at least."

He looks at me in a way that makes me wonder if he's flirting with me. It lingers in the air longer than I'm comfortable with, causing me to smile at him like an idiot. If I didn't have this chocolate skin, he'd know for sure that I was blushing. I finally hit his thigh and just tell him, "Stop looking at me like that."

"What am I looking at you like?" he asks with a silly grin.

"I don't know." With a sigh, I finally tear my eyes away from him and look out into the foreground, a much less alluring view. "You look at me and make me feel like everything is fine."

"Maybe it finally is."

"Oh, I doubt that. There's always some threat lurking around the corner."

"That's true." I can see him nodding in my peripheral. "But against all odds, we all found each other. I mean… Judith is safe," he says in obvious awe. "So maybe… maybe the universe is tryin' to tell us that if we stick together, we're gonna be all right."

I think about this for a moment. I have to admit that my life – at least the one I've lived since I lost Andre – has only gotten better since I found these people. There have been major tragedies along the way, particularly Andrea and Hershel, but we have survived. We did make it this far. I've spent so much time wondering why this world keeps taking things from me, I rarely stop to be thankful for what it's given me. He's right. Maybe we'll be okay, in some form of the word or another.

"Hey, can I tell you somethin'?" I look him in the eye again to ask.

"You can tell me anything." He says it in a way that I know he means it. But then, I don't think he's ever said anything to me that he didn't mean.

I take a deep breath, and after the day we've had, I just know this will hurt as it comes out of my mouth. But I need to say it. I need him to know. "I had a son," I finally admit to Rick, and before I know it, all the tears I've kept to myself come crashing down my face. I can feel his eyes on me, but I can't look at him, not while I cry, so I keep my eyes on the ground. "His name was Andre," I tell him, "and… he was the sweetest little boy in the world. He was my world." I try to wipe some of the tears away as I speak, but it's useless. This hurts. "He died… back at the beginning of all… this. He and his father were bit. And… I had to put him down." I let out another shaky sigh as the memories come flooding back to me. "So I mean it when I say that I understand what you were going through when you lost Judith. And nothing makes me happier than seeing you get that huge piece of your heart back. And I swear I'm crying because I'm happy for you, but… I miss my son."

I pull my knees to my chest and cry harder than I have in a long time. It's almost as if Rick isn't sitting there, and it's just me and my flood of feelings. I never do this in front of people. My tears have always been reserved for when I'm alone. But like I said, something about this man makes me feel more and less unlike myself than should even be possible. This is the Michonne that I hide from everyone else, and I'm not sure why I'm okay with sharing it with him… but I am.

"I'm so sorry," I tell him once I compose myself and hear him sniffling too. The last thing I wanted to do was make him cry. Not today, of all days. He should be happy.

"Don't apologize," he tells me softly. "I don't know what made you decide to tell me that, but I'm glad you did."

"I should go," I say, standing from my crouched position. I feel drained now, the day, this moment, all of it finally catching up to me.

He stands as well, meeting my gaze. "Michonne… Seriously, thank you for telling me."

I nod, but I don't know what to say in reply. Maybe I shouldn't have told him, because now it feels awkward, like he feels sorry for me, but doesn't know how to say it. Or maybe he'll feel bad now for enjoying his daughter, which was never my intention. What do I say? "I'm gonna…go…" I awkwardly point back towards the church and turn for the door, wishing I hadn't ruined his day.

I don't make it to the threshold before he grabs my arm. "Michonne." He says my name in the quietest of whispers, almost as if he's not sure whether he wants me to hear it. But his eyes reel me in, yet again, and he doesn't hesitate to pull me into a hug.

The gesture is so sweet and unexpected, I don't know what to do with it. His arms are at my neck, one of his hands affectionately holding my head, and he squeezes, like he needs this embrace just as much as I do. My tears come to a halt, and I feel myself melting into him as I let my arms wrap around him, too. We become so quiet and so still, I can feel his heart beating against mine.

"We're gonna be all right," he says into my ear and it sounds like a promise.

I nod at his words, desperately wanting them to be true. It's almost scary how much I believe in this man.

He feels warm and familiar. He feels solid and safe. I want to cling to his shirt, bury my face in the curve of his neck. I want to kiss him, God knows I do. But not now. It isn't the right time, the right place. His head is probably still spinning from everything that's happened today, and I don't want to confuse him. Hell, I don't want to confuse myself. Maybe my emotions are getting the best of me right now.

But maybe… Just maybe this is the beginning of something new.