So here we go. This is after Conquer (season 5 finale). The Wolves have attacked and been fought off. Though no one knows if that was all of them. Michonne and Glenn are missing along with some ASZ residents (Heath, Scott and Nick) after going off on a supposed short supply run for some meds and food. Of course I do not own The Walking Dead of any of its characters. This fan fic was simply inspired by our need for a heartfelt Richonne reunion scene on the show.

Chapter 1 - Can't Wait Til Morning

"Rick, are you really sure about this?"

Rick engrossed in a deep train of thought finally looked up from the sea of maps after hearing Maggie's voice cut through the silence in the room like a razor sharp knife. His eyes went to Maggie who sat on top of the wicker basket under the living room window. He noticed the concern in her eyes as moonlight and candlelight mixed together and cast a shadow on her face making her hazel sleep deprived eyes seem more pronounced. He tilted his head and gave her confused look but then panned around the room shifting in a circle in a kneel position on the balls of his feet to see all the tired and weary eyes on him from Daryl to Aaron to Rosita to Abe to Sasha to Carl to Morgan and then to Carol. He realized he had become the main attraction and let out a heavy breath and stood up. He observed the house glowing in the flickering light of a dozen candles and noticed the messes lying all arond from their late night strategy session. He could see plates of half eaten food piled up on the marble island of their modern and cold stainless steel kitchen looking like stranded survivors waiting to be cleaned up and put in their proper home. He eyes then observed the cushy brown living room chairs and the beige sofa rearranged into a semi circle so all could see and hear each other as they tried to figure out their next move. Then finally his eyes landed on the hard wood floors to the shoes piled up at the door and the thin plaid blankets they made out of old shirts splayed on the living room floor to provide some sort of barrier for people's behind and the cold hard floor though now no one really sat on them. He realized looking back up again that as he stood everyone else stood awaiting and anticipating his next movement. He felt odd in his tattered black jeans, white socked feet soaking up the feel of the icy frost of the floor and his white T-shirt stained with dried up sweat turned cold by the evening air circulating throughout the spacious house escaping in and out from under the cracks of the windows.

'Michonne would totally kill me if she saw the place like this.' He thought to himself. Just the thought of Michonne brought him back to the matter at hand.

"This is Glenn and Michonne we're talking about Maggie. We have a plan. I'm ready to go right now. I'm sorry but I just can't sit here and wait this thing out any longer. We know they were going to check out a pharmacy and some stores on Crooks Road and Chestlehurst Way. Aaron said we can use his RV and Abe and Sasha are coming along with me to check it out."

"I'm coming too." Rick darted his eyes to Daryl and shook his head causing his black curly swept back locks to shake before he spoke in protest.

"But we need you here, Daryl."

He watched as Daryl in sleeveless tattered leather vest and dirty jeans played with his crossbow and flicked away some of his long strands of hair from his face with is weathered pale hands made his case. 'What if they had to run off in the woods or something? You can't track for shit, Rick. Abe maybe can give me a run for my money but I'm coming too.'

Rick rubbed the scruff of grey and black beard with his bandaged covered left hand. He could feel the blood rushing to his face causing it to turn from light shade of pink to almost blood red. He just couldn't help but think Daryl didn't want to say the real reason he wanted to go. He wanted to burst out in words of anger at the group for doubting his ability to keep it together as everyone looked at him the way you would look at spilled milk. Like he was done and a lost cause. He could tell they all saw him as an unraveling man and they didn't trust Abe and Sasha alone to string him back together.

Rick turned to Carol as she chimed in, 'Rick it's fine. Maggie and I can help Carl watch over Judith.'

Rick shook his head again and this time brought his left thumb and index fingers into a squeeze on the brim of his nose and held it there feeling the white strip of bandage tape that laid there as a remnant of his patch-up after taking a hard punch in the face from an intruder in the safe zone. He still didn't like this change to the plans but finally acquiesced. He didn't want to waste any more time on logistics. 'Fine, but we still leave in an hour.' He said as he felt the firmness of his demand stiffen up in his throat.

"It's pitch black out there, Rick." Sasha chimed in from a corner closer to the door.

Rick opened his mouth to respond but darted his eyes to Maggie as he noticed her approaching him and without saying a word take him gentle by the wrist and guide him aside to the corner of the room nearest the kitchen. 'Look Rick I know exactly how you feel. You don't think I want to go out there right now and look for Glenn?' His ears perked up despite the whisper and softness of her tone. He wondered if she was trying to imply something. He shook the thought from his mind and continued to listen to her plea.

"Look Rick, I'm just trying to do what I think Glenn would want. Maybe that means waiting it out a few more hours for the sun to come up. I mean maybe they are on their way back right now. Do you really think Michonne would want you to put yourself and others at risk to look for her in the dead of night?"

Rick knew the answer to that question all too well. He knew Michonne never wanted people to put themselves at risk for her but he found himself pulled to do this right now. His anxiety had started to overwhelm him. He had images flash into his mind of Michonne stuck somewhere waiting for him and he didn't want to let her down. Glenn either but his mind kept him focused on Michonne. He thought back to everything he had said to her about the way she influenced him and he knew he meant every word when he told her she could have convinced him to relinquish any plans he made with Carol and Daryl. She had a hold on him he hadn't quite tried to think about. He just often found himself going along with it because it just felt so natural and true. Coming to ASZ and being reminded of the past, of Lori and his failures as a leader and partner made him want to put up every wall in the world to hide what was going in his mind from Michonne.

'Why drag her down with my fears and paranoia? She deserves this place more than me.' He often thought to himself. He found himself wanting to create distance but in the end couldn't help himself. He couldn't help but feel incomplete and at a loss when not in her orbit.

It is perfect as it is. He had convinced himself time and time again and if he ever wanted more he always had his dreams to appease those urges. So he often found himself staring a little too long at her as he took mental notes and pictures. Her eyes, her sultry calm voice, her lips, her smile, her hair, her laugh, her hips, her arms, her rich skin, her perky chest, her hand on top of his, her breathe against the back of his neck, her chest lightly pressed against his back and the sway of her backside, all these things would get him through the nights when sometimes he craved more. He would put them together like the pieces in a puzzle to create this grandiose image in his mind of what it would be like for her to be truly his without the complications of possibly losing one of the truest companions he ever had. He bowed his head for a moment in shame for having these thoughts with everyone in the room and when he finally looked up his eyes wandered passed Maggie and to his son and saw the solemnness washed over his face. He realized Carl someone who loves Michonne just as much wanted to wait too so he knew what he had to do.

"Fine. We'll leave in the morning. Everyone go and get some rest. If they're not back by dawn then we all know the plan."

After saying the words and watching everyone make their moves towards the door in slow apprehension the exhaustion started to overcome yet he felt another sleepless night upon him. He did hope he would doze off long enough to at least have one of his dreams since it maybe all he would have left if his worst fears came to fruition.

Will Rick be able to relax and wait it out? We'll have to see. Check out the next chapter.