Chapter 1: The Turn
A/N: Based on a request by the ever-lovely Alex311: AU where Rick and Michonne were married before the Turn. I have given this request some serious consideration and wanted to write it from the view that Michonne would have been in hospital when people were evacuated and someone told Rick and Carl that she had died in order to get them to leave. Anyways, this is a bit different, so please let me know what you think.
\m/ o.o\m/
"Okay. No, no. It's fine. Alright. Thank you for lettin' me know."
Click.
Rick Grimes hung up the phone and pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing deeply. He still had no idea what was really going on with the virus that had been spreading, but patients from the County hospitals who were in critical condition were being evacuated by helicopter to Atlanta. He had recently been informed that Michonne would be flown out with the next lot of critical patients to Northside Hospital; Rick did not know what they would do. Panic had already set in and people were getting ready to leave their town.
Rick felt another wave of sadness overcome him; he and Michonne had built a life for themselves there in King County. They were both previously married and widowed; their respective losses brought them closer together and they formed a solid, loving relationship. They married when his son Carl was 15, his daughter Judith was two and her son André was four. A year later, and they were expecting their first child together. A year later, and a terrible virus was sweeping across the world where people were becoming like rabid animals and hurting others. The government had done its best to keep people from panicking, but the television networks were running the footage all day every day and people were afraid. The logical choice, it seemed, was to head to the larger cities where the humanitarian and medical aid would be.
Yet Rick did not want to leave their home, he wanted to be there when Michonne returned from hospital. If things got really bad how else would she know where to find them? It had been a month since the first reports of the illness had been leaked to the news stations, and two weeks since Rick, a police officer, had seen it firsthand. He knew it spread fast and that the infected tore others apart with their bare hands and teeth. It was the most horrific and frightful thing he had witnessed. Rick knew things were going to get much worse, and he was determined to keep his children safe.
\m/ o.o\m/
3 days later…
Rick barely slept the night before, and had not heard any further news regarding his wife and unborn child. He knew Michonne had arrived safely in Atlanta, but that was all he knew. He woke from a light slumber and glanced around his dimly lit room; his children were still fast asleep next to him. Judith and André tucked safely between him and Carl. He had convinced his partner Shane Walsh that he could protect the children in his own home, therefore they did not have to move, at least not just now.
Rick quietly slipped out of bed and went down stairs; he turned on the television set for an update on the current situation they were in. The screen was blank and a notice that informed him that there was no signal flashed in the middle of the set. Next, Rick tried the radio that sat atop the window sill in the kitchen; all he could pick up was static. He turned the dial several times before he was able to receive anything. It was a recorded message from his Sheriff's Department advising residents that it was safest for them to evacuate their homes and relocate to the local high school where a central safe-zone had been established.
Rick found his cell phone and dialled Shane's number; there was no answer because there was no signal. He walked around the house holding the phone high up into the air, and trying his best friend once again. Still, there was nothing. Rick opened the front door and stepped out onto the porch. He noticed the neighbourhood seemed eerily quiet and most of his neighbours' vehicles were not in their driveways. He glanced around and then spotted someone who looked familiar; it was Joshua from around the corner, if he was not mistaken.
Rick walked quickly down his garden path and approached the young man. As he got closer, he noticed that something was not quite right. Joshua's face looked discoloured and blood appeared to be running from his mouth.
"Josh, are you okay?" Rick asked as he stopped in his tracks and stared.
An indecipherable groaning was all that came from his mouth as he reached his arms out to Rick. Joshua caught Rick by the shoulders as Rick used his law enforcement training to throw the man to the ground. He managed to force his arm behind his back while he tried to get Joshua to stop squirming. Just then, a squad car rounded the corner and came to a stop near where Rick had Joshua subdued. Shane stepped out of the vehicle and looked at Rick disbelievingly.
"What the fuck are you doin'?" He asked his partner.
"He attacked me!" Rick said, a little short of breath. "Help me get him up."
"Fuck no! He's infected; we gotta put him down." Said Shane.
"What? What the fuck are you talkin' about, Walsh? He's a civilian. He's my neighbour!"
Said Rick exasperatedly, totally unaware of how dangerous the situation had become. Shane looked at his best friend and then drew his sidearm.
"Rick, you don't get it. You've been locked in your house for the past few days. Shit's hit the fan, bro. And the longer we stay out here in the street and argue about it, the more danger we're in. You gotta trust me on this one." Shane exclaimed.
"Once you're infected, that's it. You're as good as dead, but you're still able to walk and attack. There ain't no way 'round it. One scratch, one bite and you're fucked! Now move and let me do this!"
Rick, still struggling to hold Joshua in place, looked to Shane. He knew his friend was genuinely telling the truth, but found it so hard to believe that things with the virus had escalated. Just as Rick was about to let go of his hold on what used to be Joshua, he heard a loud scream coming from his house. One of the infected had grabbed his son, Carl.
\m/ o.o\m/
Michonne had woken in her hospital bed to the sound of people rushing about; every so often a piercing scream cut through the walls of her room and caused her shudder in fear.
What's going on? Is this some kind of dream?
She thought as she tried to sit up, in her heavily pregnant state. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and slid to the cold, linoleum floor. Slowly and quietly, she crept towards the door turned the knob; she peered through the small gap and had to cover her mouth to stifle her own scream. There were bodies lying in the corridor, most of which looked to have been mutilated beyond recognition. She saw one of the infected leaning over the form of one of the fallen; the infected woman was covered in blood and had the disembowelled intestines of the other person in her hands. She frantically brought the guts to her mouth and began to devour them.
Michonne could scarcely believe what she was witnessing when suddenly, one of the bodies that was on the floor began to shake violently and sat upright. The reanimated person looked much like the infected woman with discoloured skin and a white film covering her eyes. Just then, a nurse came around the corner and was set upon by both creatures.
Michonne watched on in silent horror as they tore the young man apart; his screams went right through her being and she slammed the door closed before locking it. She could not stop herself from shaking and protectively placed her hand over her unborn child. They had said it would be safer to be sent to the city hospitals until the powers that be got the virus under control, but this, Michonne thought; this was a nightmare.
She wiped her tears and tried to calm her own nerves when the sounds of gunfire rang out. Instinctively Michonne, moved as fast as she could and hid herself away in the adjoining bathroom. She sat atop the toilet and shook out of fear. She could hear yelling and then there was a loud banging at her door; she jumped as the door was forced open with a thud. Gunshots still fired and the voices got closer. Michonne gasped as the door to the bathroom was flung open and a man in military fatigues pointed a very large gun at her.
A/N: Alex311, I hope you like what I've come up with so far; there's more to come! Thanks for reading!