This Must Be A Sign – Chapter 1
Michonne found no excitement in attending the end of summer pool party given by her boss. The party was for the staff of the state attorney general's office which included the attorneys and their assistants, clerks, special investigators and runners; people she had very little interest in. She stood in front of the mirror and pilled her long locks on top of her head and wondered whether or not to put a blouse over her bikini top. She picked up the light, airy blouse off the bed and slipped it over her lean, broad shoulders and liked how it looked. She tied it at her trim waist, but noticed it didn't quite go with the skirt wrap tied at one hip, exposing her leg from foot to waist. The effect of her bare leg in contrast to the stark white strip of her bikini bottoms was stunning, even if she did say so herself, so she pulled the blouse off and slung it over one shoulder and left for the party.
It had been a long busy year with very little down time, and this was something they had earned, but she really could care less. She would have rather stayed at home reading her book, but her boss admonished her with one of his 'that's an order' look, so she inhaled deeply, manufactured a smile, and as usual walked into the party like she owned it. Besides, she thought to herself, it had been a long winter, a hot summer and she had waited through it all to put on the snow-white bikini she bought in France two years earlier.
Special investigator Rick Grimes sat in his jeep just outside the state attorney general's home and inhaled deeply several times, deciding whether to go to the party or go home. He always felt awkward at parties; as if he were wearing a donkey's head.
"Get out of the car Grimes, I doubt if the house bites."
Rick didn't have to see whose voice that was. His boss all but ordered him to come to the party. 'It's good for your career." He would always say. Rick liked his career just fine the way it was. He inhaled deeply and got out of the car and walked toward his boss who stopped and stared.
"That was the best you could do?"
"What?" Rick said looking to see if his fly was down.
"This is a pool party and you show up in jeans and a collared shirt. Even your shirt-tail is tucked in. You really should loosen up."
"I'm loose enough." Rick said dryly walking past him.
"That's what you think. You're wound tighter than a Swiss watch."
"Am I any different today than I was last week, last month Tom?" Rick said cutting him off.
"That's the problem Rick." Tom said catching up to him. "Are you okay?"
Rick lowered his head and nodded. He had been on leave for about six months after his wife's death, and been back at the job for nearly eight months.
"I'm beat up plenty, but I'm still me."
Tom scoffed and nodded with a smile.
"Alright."
This time Rick stood still and Tom moved passed him. Rick was Tom's department's best investigators. He was quick to deliver on leads and used his intelligence to get the job done. Tom worried about Rick; knew he wasn't sleeping, and he wouldn't talk to anyone on a personal level. Tom liked Rick, but liked him better before his wife died.
Hearing the music from the backyard, the party was in full swing. There were people in the pool, people sitting on the grass and people standing around the bar. Rick milled around and had to admit to himself that instead of enjoying the party, his mind was still at work. He had profiled at least five people within the seven minutes he had been there. He shook his assessments from his mind and forced himself to try and enjoy the party without judging the partygoers. His eyes landed on a woman in a white bikini. She was breathtaking. Her smooth dark skin looked flawless contrasted to the white bathing suit. When his eyes finally made it up to hers, she was looking at him as well. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, he saw something in her eyes that was familiar to him. Although she was stunningly beautiful, and had a smile that lit up the entire area around her, the smile wasn't heartfelt. Suddenly, she was walking his way and the only way he could stop staring was to turn away and pretend to examine the make-up of the cement tiles beneath his feet. When he turned away, he saw Tom walking toward him.
"You look dry man."
"I don't really drink Tom."
"I know, I know, but I wanted to share a drink with you."
A waiter had followed Tom over with a tray with two shot glasses on it.
"Please." Tom said.
Rick reached for the shot glass.
"I'm glad you're back, and I owe you Rick. I appreciate everything you do."
"I've been back for eight months, and I'm just doing my job Tom."
"It's more than that Rick, you care about the people you work with just as much as the people you're sworn to protect."
Tom held up his glass and Rick joined him.
"Thanks Rick."
Rick nodded and tossed back the drink and then raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, it's pretty good. Single malt."
"Thanks Tom."
Just as Rick went to back away, Tom tried to warn him, but was too late. Rick turned and bumped into the white bikini and in doing so, the drink she was holding spilled on her from her neckline, over her chest, down to her bare stomach. She gasped from the cold tea and multiple ice cubes that splashed onto her chest, and then crashed to the ground.
"Uh, oh no. I'm sorry miss." The words tumbled awkwardly from his mouth.
In his haste to make right what just happened, Rick pulled what he thought was a napkin off the table, only to pull half the table's contents onto the ground. The noise of the plates and silverware was deafening. Tom quickly handed Rick a towel, which he quickly thrust at her.
She angrily snatched the towel from his hand and glared at him, but was inwardly amused by his red face which was getting redder by the second. She stood there breathing quickly from the frigid ice tea that now dripped into a puddle at her sandaled feet. He watched as she bent slightly over to dab the liquid from her legs, waiting for the tongue lashing to follow.
Thinking how he had just ruined her cool, as well as her crisp white bikini, she was going to give him an earful, but when she looked up into his soft blue eyes, her temperament started to diffuse.
"Thank you." She bit out sharply and continued to dab the remaining moisture from her chest.
"I really am sorry."
"So am I."
She coolly walked passed him, and when she did, she carefully nudged him right into the pool and tossed the towel he had handed her in after him.
The splash from his plunge caused eyes to focus on him and more than a few giggles. As he surfaced he could see her standing at the pool's edge next to Tom. Daggers flew from his eyes to hers, and back again. Rick waved off Tom's offer to help him out of the pool. When he climbed up out of the pool, a towel was given to him by one of the waiters. She stood there long enough to shoot one last disapproving look at him before walking off.
Rick glared at the waiter wishing he had been the one standing in soaked clothes. He nodded thanks and wiped the water from his face and hair. As he did so, he looked in the direction she had gone, and he inwardly shook his head.
"This has got to be a sign." Tom said laughing.
"A sign of what?"
"The adult equivalent of a girl socking a boy in the arm she likes." Tom said earning an irritated look from Rick.
"She doesn't know me and I don't know her. Who is she?" Rick asked Tom who was stifling a laugh.
"Michonne Mitchell. She's the assistant attorney general."
Rick grimaced and rolled his eyes.
"Oh, by the way Rick, you and Katie are to report to her at the OAG in the morning at nine."
Rick closed his eyes and scoffed wishing he had applied at the fire department.
"Look on the bright side, she ain't hard on the eyes at all."
Rick had to agree, but he would never admit that to Tom.
"I'm gonna leave now. I've ruined my life enough for one day. I'll see you Monday Tom."
She left the party shortly after helping that blue-eyed man into the pool. She quietly reprimanded herself for being so vindictive, but that's just the way she felt these days. She stopped by her office before she went home to pick up the files on her new investigators. Richard Grimes and Katie Dixon. She closed her eyes and decided to spend the remaining hours of her day off reading her book. She placed the files back on her desk and left.
Rick went home and slammed every door he came into contact with; the car, the front door, the bathroom. Of all the people, he thought, why would he just happen to spill a drink on his new boss. He had done things to piss off bosses before, but usually he had a good reason, this was just a dumb accident. He never liked paying for dumb accidents.
After his shower, he sat on his bed. As usual, the night would be a sleepless one. It wasn't because of his recent run in with the assistant attorney general, but because of something unrelated he couldn't shake.
Monday morning arrived so fast, Rick wondered where the weekend had gone. Part of that feeling, he knew, came from dreading his meeting with the woman who so unceremoniously invited him for a swim. He rode alone in the elevator to the fifth-floor offices, and was directed to a conference room.
Michonne was late to work, and wasn't going to have time to go over the files of her investigators, and according to her secretary, Rick Grimes was already there.
Rick walked over to the window to look out when the door opened and he turned. She walked in and had her eyes on one of the files in her hand.
"Special investigator Richard Grimes."
When she looked up, her jaw dropped. She quickly closed her mouth and set her jaw to cover her shock. She sized him up quickly as she made her way to a chair at the conference table. She could tell he carried himself well, and something she noticed about him that had to be pushed to the back of her mind; he was extremely handsome.
"Well, we meet again."
They eyed each other for a moment before he spoke.
"I'm sorry I spilled the drink on you."
"No need to apologize. I won't hold it against you."
"Whether you do or not, that's not why I'm apologizing."
She looked up and into his eyes and realized he wasn't typical, not in the least, and she had misjudged him. He was genuinely apologizing.
"Apology accepted." She said surprised by what she saw in his eyes. "Please, sit down. May I call you Rick?"
"Yes, of course." He said taking a seat.
"Where's your partner?"
"Family emergency this morning."
"Is everything alright?"
"It was minor. She's on her way."
Before Michonne could continue, Rick's partner Katie Dixon arrived.
"Sorry I'm late." Katie said breezing into the office and taking a seat next to Rick.
The three of them sat and talked about their case load. She handed Rick a copy of their first case. Their service records were excellent, she noted glancing down at their individual files. The two of them had been partners for two years.
"Roland Pitman. He was tried two years ago on drug trafficking charges."
"Tried, but not convicted? What happened?" Rick asked handing Katie the file.
"Weak evidence."
"What are we going for?" Katie asked.
"Anything. One of his known associates is looking for a plea bargain on a similar charge. He dropped a dime on Pitman. All he said was that it was something we might find interesting located at this address."
She reached across her desk and handed Rick a slip of paper.
"Can you get us a search warrant?" Rick said standing.
"The request has already been made, but don't make a move until you have the warrant. I want this done right Rick. We can't let him slip this time."
"Yes ma'am."
"I wonder if she ever smiles." Katie said as they rode down in the elevator.
"I saw her smile at the party, but it wasn't real."
As soon as they reached their desks, his phone rang.
"Grimes."
"Rick, the search warrant is being printed up now."
"Did you have it on your desk the whole time?"
"Not exactly."
"Thanks." He hung up the phone and called for Katie.
Armed with the search warrant, Rick and Katie knocked on Pitman's door, and an elderly woman opened it.
"Yes."
"Ma'am, my name is Rick Grimes, and this is my partner Katie Dixon. We're special investigators assigned to the state attorney general's office. I apologize for that being a mouthful."
The woman smiled and nodded her head.
"How can I help you officer?"
"Ma'am, do you know Roland Pitman?"
"Yes, he's my son."
Rick looked at Katie.
"Ma'am, we have a warrant to arrest him and search your property."
"He's not here. What has he done now?"
"He's being charged with kidnapping ma'am." Katie said.
"May we come in and take a look around? We'll be respectful of your home ma'am." Rick said entering when she moved back from the door.
She showed them to the door of the basement where she said her son spends most of his time when he's there.
"Over the last few days, him and some men brought things in and put them down there. He said it was t-shirts they were going to sell at the county fair."
Katie switched on the basement lights and proceeded down the stairs with her gun drawn. Rick followed behind her. They saw the boxes Mrs. Pitman talked about. There was a desk with a computer and several hard copy files on it. Katie went to the desk and started looking through the files while Rick searched the boxes.
"Psst." Katie signaled to Rick.
Rick walked over to Katie who showed him the contents in the first folder she looked through. Rick clenched his jaw and started up the stairs.
"Call the team in Katie, and I want someone who can get into that computer."
"Who's here Mother?"
Rick heard a male voice upstairs before he reached the basement door and he drew his gun.
"You let the cops in? I told you not to let anyone in Mother."
Rick quietly entered the room unseen.
"Hands up where I can see them Pitman." Rick said.
"Why?"
"You're under arrest for possession of pornographic material involving children. And once we go through that computer down there, I'm sure we'll find other things we can charge you with."
Pitman grabbed his mother and swung her at Rick and ran out the door. Rick grabbed for the woman and eased her down on a chair.
"He's running Katie!" Rick yelled.
Rick quickly bolted out the door after Pitman. Rick saw him limping and hopping as fast as he could about a block away. Apparently, Rick thought, Pitman got injured running from the house. Rick caught him easily and handcuffed him with no resistance.
He read him his rights and let him catch his breath before they walked back.
"The key is stretching before you run." Rick said sarcastically.
Rick had wanted to beat the man senseless because of what he saw in those files, but that wasn't his job.
"I hate writing reports." Katie said rubbing her eyes.
"Tell me something new about writing reports." Rick said sitting back in his chair.
She looked at Rick with a blank stare.
"I got nothing." She said finally. "I have a question for you, what do you think of her?"
"Who?" Rick said pinching at the bridge of his nose.
"Michonne." Katie stated deadpan and glared at her partner.
"I don't know. She's not exactly being herself I don't think."
"What do you think of her?"
"What you said. I was trying to put my finger on it, and that's it. She's closed off, which I can understand, but we're supposed to be a team."
Rick considered what Katie had said. They were supposed to be a team, but how could they when you don't trust the team leader.
"I heard she was at Sam Kingston's pool party in a drop dead gorgeous bikini, and you fell into the pool."
"She was and I did." Rick said slightly embarrassed.
"How did that happen?"
"I was pushed"
"Who would do that?"
"The assistant attorney general."
"No!" Katie exclaimed giggling. "What did you do to deserve that?"
"I accidentally spilled a drink on her."
This time she laughed out loud at Rick's expense whose face reddened.
"I swear you need constant supervision. Is that why we've been assigned to her?"
"No. That was decided earlier."
"I hope she doesn't hold what you did against us."
"She said she wouldn't."
"Do you believe her?"
"Yes, I do."
She giggled and watched him trying to overcome his embarrassment.
"You're such a boy scout Grimes."
He looked into Katie's eyes briefly and she saw something in his eyes that was different, something thoughtful and a little tender. Somehow, she knew that look was all about the assistant attorney general.
Michonne decided to take the stairs at the end of her day. It was later than when she usually left, but she had been going through the evidence Rick and Katie had gathered. She peeked into the investigators room and saw Rick still at his desk.
"What are you doing here?" She asked sitting in a chair beside his desk.
When he looked up, she noticed his eyes were red and he looked tired. He looked in her eyes as if trying to recall who she was.
"Just wondering why I do this job."
"You do it because it's what you were called to do."
"Is that why you do it?"
"Me? No way. I'm in it for the money." She said attempting a smile.
"Don't do that."
"What?"
"Don't pretend you're enjoying yourself here, and don't attempt to make small talk when you really don't feel like it. You walk around here smiling and pretending to be someone you're not."
She was shocked and it showed on her face.
"You and I just met, not under the best circumstances, but it is what it is. You don't trust me, and I can't trust you. Maybe it's just because we don't know each other very well; that will come with time, but the least you can do is to be real with me and Katie, and please stop blowing smoke up my behind Michonne."
He kept his eyes locked on hers as he got up to leave. She was undone. She looked around the room to see if anyone had overheard, luckily, no one did. She stood up and walked over to Tom's office.
"Why are you still here Michonne?"
"I can ask you the same question."
"I had some business to take care of earlier. I saw you talking to Rick. Did he finally go home?"
"I guess so."
"What happened?"
"I was attempting to chat with him…"
"And he smelled manure."
She rolled her eyes and tried to explain.
"Michonne, I know you're not a real people person and I know why. You don't have to schmooze Rick. He gets it. That man is the real deal, and not real sociable either. Don't try to find trust in him or make him show you trust. Just trust him and your team Michonne, you can, and you need that right now. You need him."
She looked at him curiously wondering why he would say that to her. Wonder though she did, she knew he was right. She finally nodded without further comment and left the office.
His house was easy to find, and even though she thought what she was doing was a bad idea, she had to get it right between them, and it had to be done now.
She knocked on the door and shortly after, a boy of about twelve answered the door.
"Hello. My name is Michonne, is Rick here?"
"Yes. Hold on." He said eyeing her cautiously.
The boy closed the door, and Rick opened it a short time later. He had a two-year-old in his arms. The scene was so unexpected to her, she wanted to smile. Especially the way he was wearing his hair. At work it was combed back, but at home, it was down over his forehead.
"Michonne, what are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you."
The look in her eyes made him consent and let her inside.
"This is my son Carl and my daughter Judith."
Michonne gave the little girl an uncomfortable smile and Rick asked Carl to take his sister to her room.
"I-I didn't know you had children. If this is a bad time..." She stuttered.
"No. Please, sit down." He said motioning to the couch. "What did you want to talk about?"
"I was wrong about you and I'm sorry."
He searched her eyes.
"Go on." He said knowing there was more.
"I have trust issues, but I need to trust someone, and I want it to be you. There's no one else I feel I can trust."
He could see the pain in her eyes and that she was no longer pretending.
"Neither do I."
"Dad, the pizza's here."
"Will you join us for dinner?"
She smiled a genuine smile and nodded.
The next day, on his way home from work, Rick passed the staircase on his way out and saw Michonne descending the stairs.
"You're here late. Have you started building your case?" He said waiting at the bottom of the stairs for her.
"Yes. There's quite a bit of evidence you two gathered. Good job."
"Thanks."
"You look tired."
"I am. I was on my way home. I'll walk you out."
"What are you doing for dinner?"
"My kids are with my mother-in-law, and I don't have any plans."
"Meet me at Buck's around the corner. My treat."
"Alright."
She regarded him carefully and sensed reluctance in his tone.
"You don't have to join me."
"That's not it. Have you been to Buck's?"
"Yeah. I go there all the time."
"Really?"
"Yeah. When I can, I go there to watch Falcons games."
"I don't know whether to be shocked, impressed or both."
"Don't let the skirt fool you."
"I won't."
Buck's was not the type of place he pictured her in. It wasn't what you would ever call classy, it was a sport's bar/restaurant with pretty decent food. But what stood out to him was that she seemed to be a regular person, and not the phony representation she was dishing out.
"Michonne!"
"Hey Buck." She said walking up to the bar.
"Rick." Buck acknowledged Rick coolly.
"Buck."
Buck stopped and gazed at Rick a while.
"Why are you hanging out with this mouth piece Rick?"
"She's my boss."
Buck laughed with genuine amusement.
"Criminals beware. The A Team has just been formed."
Michonne laughed and continued to a booth towards the back near a window. Rick sat with his back facing the rear of the building. He really didn't have to search the place because Buck's was a popular hangout for the Atlanta police department.
"Come here often?" He asked her.
"Just during football season, and I like the food. They have great chili dogs."
Michonne noticed Rick looking over at Buck from time to time.
"How do you know Buck?"
"He's my father-in-law."
He looked at her quickly, but read her face perfectly.
"Yeah. We were friends until I married his daughter and she started complaining about me being a cop."
"It seems like he thinks you're a good cop."
"He does, but his daughter was unhappy."
It seemed to her that his marriage was a sore spot with him, so she avoided bringing it up.
"We could have gone somewhere else."
"No, this is fine."
They placed their orders and Michonne openly looked in his face before speaking.
"Rick, you seem more thoughtful than usual."
"It's your case. Crime in general is bad enough, but when children are involved, it sticks with me for a while."
She lowered her eyes and nodded.
"I know what you mean. This is going to be tough."
"You're going to win." He said looking directly into her eyes. "The evidence is solid, no matter what Pitman pleads, and I have no doubt you'll own that courtroom."
She searched his eyes curiously, and smiled. She believed him.
"I like your confidence in me."
"It's well placed. You're not just a suit and a pretty face."
She brightly smiled at the compliment and the slight change in the color of his face.
"And you're not all hat and no cattle."
He smiled his approval at their mutual assessments and picked up his beer bottle and tapped it to hers. She laughed out loud.
"Are we corny or what?" She asked.
"Yeah, just a little bit, but I think we got it right."
She nodded seriously and this time she tapped her bottle to his.
The night before the trial, Rick went to see Michonne knowing she would be in her office. He knocked on the door and she looked up from the computer monitor, and saw him looking at her through the glass. She waved him in and continued typing on the keyboard.
"I thought you'd be relaxing somewhere." He said sitting in the chair in front of her desk.
"I thought you'd be relaxing somewhere. You and Katie have passed the baton to me. It's my turn now."
"So, there's more you need for tomorrow?"
"I'm just going over the information, again." She said a little embarrassed by her nervousness.
"You're more than prepared. What has you wrestling with what you already know?"
"I wish I knew." She said leaning back and rubbing her eyes.
"Go home Michonne and get some sleep. You're less cranky when you're rested."
"Back at ya Grimes." She smirked.
He smiled and glanced away for a moment.
"Are you worried?"
"A little. Like you said, a case like this, where children are the victims; it's a little more than unsettling."
"Yes, it is, but you standing up in that courtroom tomorrow is for them. You'll be speaking for those who can't speak for themselves. You can handle this better than anyone I know, and you won't fail them Michonne."
Michonne appreciated his supported. She needed that more than he could ever imagine.
They looked in each other's eyes for a long time; resting in the unwavering support and feeding on what they both needed. Finally, she reluctantly pulled her eyes away, stood up, yawned, and turned off the computer.
"Early breakfast?"
"Why not."
She grabbed her bag while Rick took her jacket off the coat hanger.
They sat together in comfortable silence before it was broken by Michonne. She cleared her throat causing him to look up.
"Why are you up Rick? You work hard every day, but I'm starting to see fatigue creeping in around the edges."
He looked at her a long time before speaking.
"I haven't slept in a very long time. I catch cat naps on my lunch break, and then end up awake most nights."
"So, you wander around and wait until your body makes you sleep."
"Something like that."
She wanted to know why, but left that alone. If he wanted to tell her, she felt he would. They both had walls up for their own protection, and they each knew that about the other.
"When you're ready to tell me why, I'll be ready to listen."
He smiled sadly and nodded.
After breakfast, he walked her to her car.
"Will you be there tomorrow?" She asked somewhat shyly.
"I wouldn't miss it. You'll be stellar."
"Stellar?" She smiled shaking her head at his word choice.
"Yeah, it means..." He teased.
She gave him a disapproving look.
"Thank you, Rick." She said quietly. "Oh, try melatonin, it might help you relax enough to get some sleep."
He closed his eyes and this time shook his head.
"Thanks for the tip counselor."
He stepped away from her car and waited until she drove off.
Michonne took Rick's advice and headed to her bed. The hot shower she took really helped her relax and she smiled to herself having really enjoyed their breakfast together, and all the other times as well. As she drifted off to sleep a fleeting thought entered her mind…he's the one.
She was up early with the thought she fell asleep to. She devoted one minute to think on it, then she pushed it to the back of her mind, and concentrated on the trial.
When she got to her office, she found a note taped to her computer screen. She peeled it off and opened it.
This is for them. You got this.
Rick
She smiled and instantly felt even better than when she woke up.
Rick could see her reading his note when he walked to her office. He opened the door and stepped inside.
"Thanks." She said holding up the note.
"You ready?"
She looked up and saw Rick and his partner.
"What's this?"
"Police escort ma'am." Katie said with a smile.
"Is this necessary?"
"No, but you could break a nail between here and the courtroom, and you women are..." Rick said bracing for the backlash.
"What?" Michonne asked.
"Yeah, what?" Katie said chiming in.
"Particular about grooming." Rick said thinking fast.
"That was lame Grimes." Katie stated with a laugh.
Rick and Katie entered the courtroom behind Michonne. Before taking his seat, Rick squeezed Michonne's arm and she nodded. He watched her as she proceeded to her place in the courtroom.
"She'll be fine." Katie said.
"Yes, she will."
Rick watched her in awe. She was magnificent, but when the photographic evidence of the victims was displayed for the jury, he noticed how she subtly cast her eyes away and squeezed them shut. For the remainder of the trial, he noticed the slight difference in her demeanor. This case was affecting her, but she remained steadfast.
The trial lasted approximately two hours. Michonne was quick to get her points across to the judge and the jury. The jury deliberated for less than thirty minutes.
After the trial, Rick made himself scarce until the frenzy was over and then went to see her late in the afternoon.
"Well done counselor." He said standing in the doorway.
"Thanks." She said taking a quick glance at him.
He knew the victory was hollow for her in view of the toll it took on her. He closed the door when he noticed she was moving around her office, nervously pushing books and papers aimlessly around on her desk.
"Michonne."
"Yeah." She said trying to sound busy.
"I know you gave up something when you took that case."
She finally stopped and looked at him. When their eyes met, he saw the heartbreaking sadness in hers. All the confidence she had built up for that trial, was nearly depleted.
"I'm really glad the trial was a short one." She said still fidgeting.
She took a couple deep breaths and looked down at her hands, they were shaking. She turned away from him and placed her shaking hands on her desk.
"What's wrong?" He asked quietly.
She inhaled and turned to face him.
"I had a child Rick." She said with a stiff chin and tears in her eyes. "A boy. He was three years old. He was killed in a car accident. My boyfriend, my son's father, was driving drunk." A sob caught in her throat and her lips trembled. "He walked away without a scratch." She bit out turning her back to Rick.
She could no longer speak, but she moaned deep in her chest and her body heaved with emotion. Her sobs tore at his heart as he watched her now standing, bowed over, defenseless and without strength.
He reached behind him and turned the dial to dim the lights down a bit. He walked over to her and when she sensed his approach, she turned around and held up her hands to ward him off.
"No." She cried out and would not meet his eyes.
He stopped his advance and it hurt his heart to see her that way. She looked like a weak and cornered animal. Emanating from her was a feeling of being caught in a trap who would eventually strike out. He slowly reached out his hand and gently touched her arm and she flinched.
"Michonne." He talked to her in a slow quiet tone to cover up the overwhelming emotion in his own voice. "Please, come here."
She looked up into his eyes and knew he meant her no harm. Her slight move toward him was all he needed to close the gap between them. He gently put his arms around her and held her tightly while she wept. Her great sobs made tears fall from his eyes. This unexpressed pain in her threatened to untie his resolve because he understood what she had gone through. It dawned on him that this was what was in her eyes when he first saw her. A pain that can't be covered up by laughter or a sweet smile. A pain like no other. The impact from the loss of a child can only stay buried for so long before it burst out.
After a while, her sobs subsided and she wiped the tears from her eyes and moved slightly in his arms and he released her.
"Thank you." She said turning her back to him again.
He cleared his throat and used the palms of both his hands to wipe his tears. "Get your jacket. Let's go for a walk." He sniffed back tears.
She gave him a sad smile and grabbed some tissue from her desk and handed some to him before grabbing her jacket from the back of her chair.
The night air was fresh and cool. He took her elbow as they crossed the street to the park. A few people were out jogging along the path.
"It's getting chilly out these days." She said thrusting her hands in the pockets of her jacket.
She really hadn't expected him to respond to her statement, but wondered if he had been listening to her at all. They walked several moments in silence before she spoke.
"I'm sorry about breaking down like that."
"Don't apologize for that. Obviously, you needed to."
"Thank you for understanding that. I've never met anyone who could, especially someone of the opposite sex."
"Grief knows no gender. We both went through something in the courtroom today. I'm proud of you Michonne. Knowing what I know about you now, you bit the bullet and did your job."
The silence came again, but it was comfortable like before; like warm sunshine. She looked over at him and noticed he was looking down at the ground, focusing on the path in front of his feet.
"Rick, what is it?"
He inhaled and looked up and over at the street to his left and then to the trees along the path.
"My wife died in a car accident as well. The weather was much like this. She died before I could get to the hospital. I walked out of the hospital and walked about five miles before I stopped and finally let it hit me."
He looked down and swallowed hard.
"My family fell apart. My son looks at me like I'm a stranger. I'm afraid I've lost him. I'm alone in this world, like you, and it's not easy to find someone you can trust." His voice broke and tears filled his eyes.
As a tear slipped down his cheek, she watched him hastily wipe it away. She stopped and touched his arm.
"Good thing you got me then."
He laughed recalling their near miss at being friends.
"Yeah."
"I have an idea. I need help with a couple of things at my house. Is it alright if Carl lends me a hand? Maybe he and I can strike up a conversation."
"Alright, I'll ask him. Thank you."
He inhaled deeply and laughed to shake off the emotion in his voice.
"Just so you know, you're taking on a lot being my friend. I can be a handful."
"If you recall, I can be too." She mocked her best mean face.
They both smiled and continued walking.
"Are you hungry?" He asked.
"Yeah. How about I cook a late dinner for us?"
"Not your cooking." He said shaking his head.
"Why not?" She asked.
He looked away and smiled.
"I don't trust the cooking of an attorney as good as you are." He smirked.
"That's not right."
"Am I wrong?" He stopped walking and looked at her directly.
"Well…" She smiled sweetly.
"All those hours spent learning all those fancy Latin words, how to convince a jury, and living on fast food and TV dinners. When would you have time to learn how to cook?"
She laughed and they slowly started walking again.
"Do I look like I eat a lot of fast food?"
Without looking at her, he smiled, mostly to himself.
"Not at all."
"I can cook."
"Heating up a can of soup doesn't count Michonne."
"Agh!" She said punching him in his arm.
"You sure you wanna be my friend?"
They both laughed and she took his arm and they continued their walk through the park. They talked about the mundane things that involve their contributions to law enforcement and how difficult their jobs could be sometimes. From time to time, they would steal looks at each other, grateful to have someone to share their thoughts and pain with.
In the shadows in a vacant apartment across the street from the park, eyes looked down on the couple.
"Is that her?"
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."
"Who's that guy with her?"
"I think he's a cop."
"Should we shoot him?"
"I don't want a dead cop on my hands, I just want her to know fear. Fear that's going to last her for the rest of her life. I'm patient, we'll wait."