Michonne cracked the door of the bedroom open, peeking her head in to make sure mom and baby were awake. She was met with a tired looking, but beaming Maggie sitting alone in her bed cradling her newborn son.

"Hey," Michonne whispered warmly as she opened the door and motioned for Rick to enter with her. "We dropped everything and came over as soon as we heard the good news."

"You didn't have to do that," Maggie insisted in a quiet voice as she gently bounced the swaddled baby in her arms.

"Of course we did," Rick said as he leaned around Michonne to greet Maggie with a kiss on the forehead. "We wanted to check in on you and meet little Hershel."

Michonne sat on the edge of the bed, and placed a hand on her friend's outstretched leg as she hooked a finger into the blanket and moved it to catch a glimpse of the little man's face. His eyes were open, staring at at the adoring faces above him. Rick stood behind her, with a hand on her shoulder, as he quietly took in the moment.

"Oh Maggie," Michonne said breathlessly as she brought her hand to mouth. "He's perfect."

"He looks just like his daddy," Maggie said with a small, but genuine smile.

Michonne felt a hitch in her chest, and squeezed Maggie's leg a little tighter at the mention of their fallen friend. She and Rick had had many conversations about this incredibly bittersweet circumstance. It was close to his heart, as he knew the singular pain of welcoming a child into the world without his partner. He'd been checking in on Maggie up at the Hilltop as often as he could since they'd lost Glenn, supporting her in anyway possible. It was made abundantly clear to Dr. Carson that he was to send word to Alexandria the minute she went into labor so that he and Michonne could be there.

"And he'll be a good, strong man just like his father and grandfather, but especially like his mother," Rick assured her.

"He will be," Maggie said with resolve, though she felt her eyes beginning to sting with tears at their mention. "We will be."

"You will," Michonne repeated. Nothing was promised these days, but Maggie was as tough as they came, and they had already been through so much together. What Michonne and Rick also knew, as parents themselves, is that her ferocity would only intensify since there was now nothing she wouldn't do to keep her herself and her son safe from harm. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," she admitted. "I thought I knew what tired was, but the past three days have been trying. Thank God there were no complications, but it was a long labor and he's not a great sleeper."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Rick asked from over Michonne's shoulder.

A smile began to spread on Maggie's face as she looked at two of the oldest friends she had left in this world who also happened to be two of the greatest parents and fiercest warriors she knew.

"You mind watching him for a little bit? Everyone has been so sweet, offering help anyway they can, but I haven't wanted to let him out of my sight for a second...which means I haven't had a proper shower in just as long…" She trailed off, slightly bashful about her admission and request despite the fact that they were family.

"You askin' us to babysit?" Rick asked with a grin.

"Yeah. I can't pay you much, but I promise he's good company."

Michonne looked up at Rick, and they exchanged a grin, before she held her hands out toward Maggie. Maggie gingerly passed her son over to Michonne, watching him adoringly, as she shifted him in her arms, cooing at him the entire time, until he was snug against her chest.

Once settled, Maggie eased her sore, tired body out of bed and gathered some supplies and a fresh change of clothes to take to the showers. She looked back at them once she reached the door. "Promise I won't take long!"

"Take all the time you need," Michonne said as she peeled her eyes away from the infant to look up at her friend.

Once Maggie left the room, Rick looked back down at Michonne as she looked down at the baby in her arms, then took a seat on the edge of the bed with her. She wore a soft smile on her face as she tilted the baby toward him so that he could get a better look, just as proud to show him off as if he was her own. She smoothed her fingers over the cowlick in the center of the thick mess of black hair atop his head, then over the light olive skin of his forehead as she rocked him gently in her arms.

Though Rick had seen her hold his daughter almost daily over the past year, and it never failed to warm his heart, seeing her with this infant was stirring a feeling in him that he'd never felt before. He and Michonne were just growing acquainted with each other when Judith was Hershel's age, so this was the first time he'd seen her with an infant; an infant who had dark hair and brown eyes like theirs would probably have if they were to have children of their own, at that. She glanced up at him to find him staring at her, and leaned into him slightly.

"You want to hold him? Uncle Rick?" She asked, teasing lightly.

"Sure."

"Maggie, you and the little guy wanna join us for lunch?"

The booming voice coming from the doorway caused Rick and Michonne to look up just as they were about to trade off babysitting duties, and they saw a familiar ginger entering the room.

"Well look what the cat dragged in. Shit, nice of you to say hello!" He exclaimed as he walked through to the door to shake Rick's hand. Sasha followed behind him, her tiny baby belly on display, and smiled at the familiar faces.

"We were gonna come find you two, just wanted to meet this one first," Michonne replied as she nodded down at the baby.

"Friend, you better watch out letting her hold that little guy, she'll be trying to get pregnant before you even get home tonight," Abe said with a wink as he shook Rick's hand then bent over to greet Michonne with a kiss on the cheek.

"Whatever," she said as she turned her head to rebuff his friendly gesture.

"Happened with this one here, and that was just from being around a pregnant lady for a few months," he said as he pointed at his pregnant wife.

"Don't even try to lie," Sasha said as placed on hand on her hip and the other instinctively went to her growing belly. "You were the one with baby fever."

"Darlin', I've had a lotta things, and that is not one of them." He tried to cover, but everyone in that room, knew better because as loose as his lips were when it came to crude jokes, they were just as loose when it came to talking about his love for Sasha.

"Mama Bear left you alone with him?" Sasha asked. Michonne and Rick nodded which caused her to give Abraham a look. "Well, I see where we rank..."

"You three wanna join us for some grub?" Abe asked.

"I think we should probably stay put," Michonne answered before looking at Rick to see if he agreed. "I don't want her to worry if she comes back and finds us gone."

Abraham began to snicker at her answer. "Oh, I see what's going on here," he said pointing at Rick as he raised a suggestive eyebrow. "She don't even wanna wait to get started. Well, don't let us hold you back, please, go right ahead!"

Michonne rolled her eyes, and Rick began to laugh uncomfortably.

"Please don't mind him," Sasha said as she wrapped her hands around his arm and began to pull him towards the door. "We're going to grab some lunch. Come join us when Maggie gets back?"

"Sure thing," Rick said.

Once they closed the door behind them, Rick sighed and returned his attention to Michonne.

"Let's try this again, you wanna hold him, Uncle Rick?" she asked with a smile.

"Of course, Auntie Michonne," he answered. They were being intentionally corny with their titles, but each actually relished the feeling it gave that their extended family was growing.

She placed the baby in his arms, and watched in awe as he took so naturally to him. It was one of the first things she's ever noticed about him, and still one of her favorite things to behold. The hardened warrior and leader had the most gentle way with his children. Underneath it all, he was a doting father and, as it turned out, uncle.

"Hey there Hershel," he said in a hushed voice as he slipped his finger under one of the baby's tiny hands. "We're awfully glad to meet you."

"So glad," Michonne stressed from his side as she gazed at the baby.

"I know I'm not your dad or your Grandpa Hershel...even if my beard is lookin' more and more like his everyday…" Michonne chuckled and nudged him with her arm. "But they were two of the greatest men I've know, and I'd do anything for them, so if there's anything you or your mama need, I'm here."

"And so am I," Michonne agreed as she wiped a tear out of the corner of her eye.

"He's something, isn't he?" Rick marveled thinking of all of the trauma and loss this perfect little baby had experienced before he had even entered the world.

"He is," she said with a smile. "Judith is going to freak out the first time she meets him," she mused.

"She's not gonna want to let him go," he said as he began to laugh. "Her very own real life doll."

"Exactly."

"You know, Abraham got it backwards," he said as he look up at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked as she furrowed her brow.

"You're not the one we have to worry about…"

She scrunched her nose, still confused by what he meant, until it suddenly hit her and caused her brows to lift slightly. "Really?"

"Seeing you with this baby? Yeah...I never thought much about it because we already have a family, but that doesn't mean it can't grow or change."

"It doesn't. This world is tricky, though. Things are good now, but they weren't seven months ago, and might not be in another few months. It's hard to tempt fate when you don't have to."

"That's true. But imagine if we hadn't taken that leap together, think of everything we'd have missed out on."

Michonne smiled at the thought of the two of them still living together without acting on their feelings for each other. "You really think we'd still be just friends?"

"Honestly?" Rick asked as he began to laugh. "No. This was a long time comin'. We'd have burst by now if we were still holding out."

She threw her head back, laughing at the image. The sexual tension and close proximity surely would have killed one or both of them if they'd waited any longer to get together. She put her hand on his back and kissed the side of the forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."

"If the world was different, I swear I'd have at least three or four of your babies," she assured him.

"You would?" he asked.

"Absolutely. I love raising a family with you. It's just feels right, completely natural and easy. And I'm so thankful that we have Carl and Judith, but I'd be lying if I said I'd never dreamed about you and me adding to that. But that's all it's ever been...a dream and not a necessity, so I just let it be."

"I wouldn't even think about doing it again with anyone else but you."

"Same. That's how safe I feel with you. That I could even open myself up to this again is just…" She trailed off and shook her head then leaned it on his shoulder.

"It's everything," he finished.

"It's everything."

He nuzzled his head against hers and placed a kiss on her forehead. "Whether we decide to do it or not, I'm glad we're talking about it."

"Me too," she whispered. "Me too."