A/N: Again, I do have a beta, but I was impatient and wanted to post it. Please excuse my mistakes. Consider this a work in progress. But thank you for reading and reviewing. I hope you enjoy it. It was fun to write.

"Wait."

Rick tensed when he heard the whispered command and stopped with his hand on the doorknob of his bedroom door. He looked at Michonne with a slightly furrowed brow. "What's wrong?" He whispered back.

Michonne smiled and ran her fingers over his brow, smoothing out the creases of confusion that appeared there. She leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss. "Nothing is wrong. I just forgot my sword downstairs." Rick visibly relaxed and Michonne's smile widened. "You're so adorable."

"Adorable, huh?" He placed his free hand on her waist and pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her. "And why is that?" He could feel her trembling as he held her. She was so responsive. He brushed his fingers over the dip in the small of her back and her spine straightened ever so slightly as she leaned into him, almost like she was granting his silent request that she move closer. He ran his nose over the curve of her jaw and she tilted her head to the side, making his path to her ear much more accessible.

"Because," He could hear the amusement in her voice. It warmed him from the inside out. "You were worried that I was going to tell you that I've changed my mind." He licked her neck and smiled when she gasped in surprise. "Who knew you were such a puppy dog?"

Rick scoffed and bit her earlobe gently. "I'm one mean son of a bitch, and don't you forget it," he growled.

She moaned and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't I know it?"

Her bare chest pressed against him. He could feel her hard nipples through his shirt. His dick jumped inside his jeans and he groaned with need. He opened his bedroom door and gestured for her to step inside. Michonne just shook her head and smiled as she walked passed him into the room. "I'll be right back," he said with a small chuckle.

Michonne turned and looked at him with concern in her eyes. "Where are you going?"

This time it was his turn to smile. "To get your sword." Rick looked at her with raised eyebrows and watched as realization washed over her face. "Now who's adorable?" She gave him a smirk that almost hid her smile and slapped him in the chest with the tank top he'd stripped her of while they were downstairs on the couch. Her breasts were high and pert, her slim waist dipped and curved out at her full hips, her skin glowed in the faint moonlight that streamed through the window. She was a vision. Rick wanted to devour her. "Now will you let me go, so I can hurry up and get back?" He gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "Make yourself comfortable," he said with a tug on her jeans.

Michonne watched as the door closed behind him. Comfortable. She looked down at her naked torso and unbuttoned pants with a wry chuckle. It seemed that she was more comfortable now than she'd been in a long time. She crossed over to the far side of the bed, Rick's side, and ran her hand over the quilted bedspread, remembering.

A thunderstorm boomed through the house, waking Judith. Michonne jumped out of bed and went to calm the fussy baby. She wasn't at all surprised to find that both Carl and Rick had already beaten her there. They all laughed and made sleepy jokes about Judy being the Princess of the house, with them all there to tend to her needs. The storm raged on outside while Judith raged on inside, crying and throwing a fit. They all took turns trying to soothe her, but nothing seemed to work. Eventually, Rick ended up bouncing the youngest Grimes on his hip while Carl entertained Michonne with tales about his childhood before the turn. He told her that he'd also hated thunderstorms when he was younger, and would always run to his parents' room for comfort when a storm woke him in the middle of the night.

"Mom would always read me these silly stories."

"Yeah, your mom sure did love those nights."

The two men smiled at each other then, their lips curling upward in a small tribute of sad remembrance of the woman they'd both loved and lost. It broke Michonne's heart to see their grief, not fresh and gaping like a new wound, but raw and tender, like bright red scars against fragile skin. Her heart broke even more to think that Judith would never know her mother's love. That's when she got an idea. She took the fussy baby from her father's arms and walked out the door, down to Rick's room. She smiled at the confused looks on their faces as they followed her out of the room and down the hall. They all, under Michonne's instruction, piled into Rick's bed. There were lots of giggles and complaints about cold feet, but after a while the commotion stopped and they all settled in with rapt fascination as she told a story about a young boy who couldn't walk, but grew to one day become a great ruler and King. The bed was crowded with Michonne on the right, Rick on the left, Judith in the middle, and Carl stretched out across the bottom, but none of them seemed to mind. They stayed that way for hours, long after Judy had fallen asleep; laughing, talking and telling stories. Michonne was surprised to awake the next morning to Rick's piercing blue stare gazing back at her.

"Good morning," he said with a husky drawl. His hand moved to rub Judith's back, who was nestled between them, sleeping soundly.

"Good morning," she returned with a shy smile. "I guess I fell asleep. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Last night was nice," he gave her a lazy smile out of one corner of his mouth. "You're not a bad storyteller."

"Thanks. It was one of Andre's favorites." Michonne held her breath as she felt Rick turn onto his side to face her.

"I thought it might've been," he whispered, careful not to wake the sleeping child between them. "Thank you for sharing. And for everything you do with the kids. They're better… with you here. So, thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, Rick." She turned to look at him and an understanding passed between them. It was an unspoken acknowledgement of the role she had taken in the children's lives. They were hers now, to love and protect. The weight of it brought tears to her eyes. She coughed and looked away to cover her sudden outburst of emotion. "Where's Carl?"

"I guess he went back to his own bed at some point."

She watched as his hand moved to scratch his belly, his shirt lifting ever so slightly to expose a thin trail of hair that ran along his chiseled abs and disappeared into his cotton pajama bottoms.

"Right, which is what I should be doing." She rose from the bed and hurried to make her exit, only slightly self conscious about the tiny shorts and tank top she wore to bed the night before. "Breakfast in 20 mins, Grimes."

"Yes, ma'am," he accepted his orders with a small yawn and a smile. "Oh, and 'Chonne," he called after her, "That's my side of the bed. For future reference."

The door opened, snapping her out of her reverie and into the present. Rick burst inside carrying her katana and his holster. He closed the door behind him and crossed over to the bed with one eyebrow raised. "You don't look any more comfortable than you did when I left."

"I was just about to get there, you didn't give me much time." Michonne pursed her lips to hide a teasing smile, "What did you do, run?"

"I told you, I wanted to hurry up and get back." Rick licked his lips and gave her a hungry look that made her stomach dance. She watched as he placed her katana against the nightstand and began to make his way around the bed to where she stood. He removed his gun from the holster and placed it on the nightstand, then tossed the holster to the floor. "This is my side." He kept his hands busy working the clasp of his watch. His eyes never left hers. He dropped his watch on the nightstand beside the gun, then wrapped his arms around her waist, snaking his hands into her pants to cup her full, round ass. "I thought we talked about this."

"I remember," she raised shaky fingers to the buttons of his shirt.

"So what," he teased, giving her bottom a playful squeeze, "You staking your claim or something?"

"Maybe…" She moved her fingers quickly over his buttons, exposing his smooth, hard chest as she worked. Michonne pushed the shirt sleeves off of his shoulders and down his arms, forcing them from around her waist so she could remove it. She ran her hands over the smooth skin of his pectoral muscles then trailed her fingers down his toned stomach."You're perfect."

He kissed her forehead and nuzzled his nose along her hairline, inhaling her scent, "So are you."

Michonne dipped her head with a bashful smile, "You and these compliments."

"You getting shy on me?"

"No," Michonne looked up into his eyes, "I'm just getting to know this new side of you." Her hands went to the button of his jeans. "It's different, being with you like this." She undid the button and slid the zipper down, then walked around him, forcing him to turn and face her with his calves against the bed. "I like it." She slipped her hands into his jeans and pushed them down over his slim hips. "Sit down," she commanded, her tone gentle.

Rick did as he was told, plopping down on the bed in eager anticipation as she kneeled before him. She made quick work of removing his jeans and socks, tossing them to the side with abandon as she focused on the sight before her. Rick was leaned back on his elbows, clad only in his slightly worn, faded boxers, with his prominent erection straining against the fabric. Still on her knees before him, she placed a light kiss on his left knee, then kissed her way up the inside of his thigh. His skin felt warm against her lips. She let her tongue sneak out to taste him, and smiled when she heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Are you still wearing those damn jeans?" Rick's voice had taken on a slightly whiny quality, which made Michonne chuckle to herself. Mean son of a bitch my ass, she thought. "I want to feel you, baby," his voice was tinged with the sharpness of frustration.

Michonne stood and took a few steps away from him. "I thought I told you not to call me baby?"

"And I thought I told you that you liked it." He leaned up a little higher to watch her. Michonne loved the way his eyes roamed over her body. She couldn't remember anyone ever looking at her with such raw desire. It made her body tingle. She slowly removed her jeans, completely aware of Rick's eyes on her. She wiggled her body, pushing the tight fabric down her legs. Rick tilted his head to the side and watched her, his hand slowly stroking his hardened length through the fabric of his boxers.

Michonne stepped out of her jeans and kicked them to the side. "Say it again."

Rick eyed her up and down with a lusty stare that made her knees weak. "I want to feel you baby," he said with a sly smile. This time his voice was low and gravelly, and wrought with passion.

Michonne watched as his grip on his manhood tightened. She licked her lips; she wanted to taste him. "I think it's growing on me."

Rick had always been aware of her physical beauty. He'd caught himself staring enough times to know that he found her attractive. There were even times when he'd allowed himself to imagine that it was her he was sinking into as he sought release, all alone, during some sleepless, dreamless night. But this was something else altogether.

Michonne stood before him in a tiny pair of pale yellow lace shorts and nothing else. "Turn around," he ordered, "let me see you."

She tossed a smirk in his direction, then turned in a slow circle, allowing him a three-sixty view. The lace was cut high in the back, her round bottom beautifully displayed for his viewing pleasure. She looked over her shoulder with a playful look in her eyes. "You like what you see?"

"Hmm," he tilted his head in affirmation, "I always have." A brilliant smile lit up her face and he was momentarily stunned. There wasn't a whole lot of happiness in this new world. Life was hard now, and it just seemed to get harder every day. The most minor occurrence could turn out to be a life or death event. There was always a tough decision to be made. Most of those tough decisions rested on Rick's shoulders. He was the one who made the call. Life outside of Alexandria was wild. It was dangerous and reckless. There wasn't a whole lot of time to smile, not like she was smiling now. This smile was new. It was different. He was so happy to be the one to make her smile like that. He knew then that he would fight with everything he had inside of him to protect her happiness. "Come 'ere."

She made her way to him quickly and stood between his legs. He gripped her hips firmly and ran his light stubble across her abdomen. He could smell her arousal, musky and sweet, like a ripened peach. His tongue darted out and flicked her clit through the yellow lace. She gasped and wrapped her hands around his head lightly pulling on the hair at the nape of his neck. Rick smiled to himself. He liked this. She was so eager. He licked her again through the fabric, pressing his flat tongue firmly against the nub, then sucking very lightly. She whimpered and pressed his head into her mound, silently asking for more. Rick was happy to oblige, moving her soaked panties to the side to make contact with the bare skin of her sweet center for the first time. They both moaned from the pleasure of it.

"Rick, please," she begged. Her grip on his hair had gotten tighter. He could feel her legs trembling where she stood. He wanted to tease her. He wanted to take his time and overwhelm her with his love. He wanted to bring her to the edge over and over again, but not let her fall. He wanted to cover her body with his kisses, and leave his mark across every inch of her skin. But her hips were grinding against his mouth now, and she tasted like everything he'd ever wanted. He had to have her.

He tore his mouth away from her delicious wetness and licked his lips, savoring the taste of her. He moved his hands slightly to remove her panties, leaning forward to ease the wet fabric down her calves and off her legs. He kissed and licked his way up her smooth legs, noticing that she must have shaved recently. He was surprised that she took the time for such luxury. The skin of her inner thigh was soft, and he bit her gently, causing her to laugh above him. He lifted his head and looked into her eyes with a soft smile. She smiled back with a look of love written all over her face. He knew that he would never have to doubt her commitment to him, and to their family. This was real, this was special, it was right. He couldn't believe that it had taken him this long to see it, but now that he had, he was never going to let it go.

With his eyes still locked on hers, he slipped two fingers between her slick folds. "I didn't know it could be this good," he whispered against her skin. She whimpered a response and widened her stance to grant him access to her honeyed center. His fingers entered her wetness with ease, the tight channel gripping his fingers, pulling him deeper as she clenched around him. He leaned forward slightly and licked between her folds before sucking her clit into his mouth. He growled when he felt her hand slip inside his boxers and wrap around his rigid length. Her hand was warm and her fingers felt soft and strong. His dick throbbed and bounced as she ran her fingers across the thick vein along the underside. She ran her thumb over his head and used it to smear the precum that formed there over the tip as she gripped his shaft and began to pump. "Oh, fuck," he groaned momentarily distracted from the feast in front of him.

"You like that?"

She stepped away from his plunging fingers and kneeled in front of him, stroking his cock with a skilled touch. She used her free hand to pull his boxers off and he lifted his hips to accommodate her. Her hand kept a steady pace, stroking his length with a finesse that took his breath away. His balls tightened as she brought him close to the edge. His eyes closed and his head fell back, "Yes, I like it very much."

She giggled and he opened his eyes to look at her. Her mouth was just inches from his manhood. He could feel her hot breath as it danced across his skin. Her eyes lit up as her little pink tongue made it's way across her dark bottom lip, a mischievous smile on her face. She placed her flat tongue on his balls and ran it along the underside of his length until she reached the tip. She swirled her tongue around the tip and licked the sticky evidence of his desire that appeared there. Then he was engulfed in the wet heat of her mouth.

"'Chonne," he said her name with a low groan of satisfaction. His hand went instinctively to her hair, tangling his fingers in her thick locs. His hips pumped gently into her as she took him deeper, her tongue caressing him as she swallowed around him. Her mouth was hot and wet. He could feel the pressure inside him growing, threatening to break the dam that held back his release. "Stop," he gently pulled himself from her mouth, "baby, stop."

She brought her eyes to his and gave him a playful pout. "What, you don't like it?"

He cupped her cheek with his hand and rubbed his thumb across her smooth skin. "You're amazing. Too amazing. I'm embarrassed to say that if you keep it up, I'm not going to last much longer. There hasn't been anyone. Since Lori..." he chuckled at the seriousness of his confession and what it implied.

"Really?" Her eyebrows raised in surprise, "You mean that you and -"

"There hasn't been anyone." Rick knew what she was going to say and he cut her off. He didn't want this moment, their moment, to be ruined by something that never should have been. He didn't want Michonne to think that there was anyone who could matter as much as she mattered. "I didn't…" He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips. He kissed her fingers and placed her palm against his cheek. "I haven't been with anyone. Only you."

Michonne didn't say a word as she climbed into his lap and straddled him with her knees on the bed. Her fingers once again found themselves tangled in his silky curls, and his hands cupped her ass, kneading her flesh with a firm grip. Her center was posed right above his rigid length. She rolled her hips, sliding her wet, swollen lips against his cock. He groaned and grabbed her by the waist, then rolled her over so that she was on her back beneath him. She was surprised by the sudden shift of his weight on top of her. He gave her a knowing smile and pulled away slightly to look down at her. He cupped her breast and pinched her nipple gently, then trailed his fingertips down her body to the small patch of curls at the apex of her thighs. "Rick," she moaned, "now, please."

He scoffed and kissed her softly on the lips. "I don't think so. I told you downstairs what I wanted to do to you." He began to make his way down her body, across her clavicle, between her breasts, and over her stomach. "You think I forgot?"

He repositioned himself between her thighs and lifted one of her legs over his shoulder. She held her breath as she watch him lick his lips and inhale her scent, then his mouth was on her. He licked through her folds and around her clit before flicking his tongue against it. He took his time loving her, moving to dip his tongue into her velvety center then back to her clit, tonguing her into submission. And she was his. She opened herself to him; heart, body and soul. He made her feel things she thought she'd never feel again. He made her feel things she didn't think she'd ever felt before. She wanted him to feel it too. She needed him to be inside of her, feeling these things with her, together. "Rick please" she pleaded, " I want you now."

"No, not until you come for me."

He entered her with two long fingers. Her breath caught in her throat as he began to pump them in and out of her wetness. She opened her legs wider for him, her hips rising to meet his hand as he massaged her inner walls with his fingers. "Please," she begged again, more desperate than before, "I need you, Rick."

"Not until I find your spot. Is that it?" He curled his fingers inside of her and she jumped at the sensation. "No," he curled his fingers a little more, searching for that secret spot inside of her that would make her fall apart. "How about here?" Her whole body tightened and she clenched around his fingers as he tickled her g-spot. "There it is." He smiled and lowered his head to her wet heat, "Come for me, Michonne."

His lips found her clit and he sucked it into his mouth. Michonne lost herself in his caress. Her orgasm came over her quickly, tying her up in knots that broke apart with a force that left her shattered. Her back lifted off of the bed, her breasts thrust high into the air as she clutched at the sheets and called his name. Rick couldn't be stopped. He removed his hand from her pulsing center and lapped at her, desperate to feed his insatiable hunger for her. When it became too much, she pushed his head away and pulled him to her, crashing her lips against his in a searing kiss. She closed her eyes when she felt him position himself at her entrance, and waited to finally feel all of him inside of her.

"Michonne, look at me." His voice was quiet. "I should've brought this up sooner, but I don't have any condoms. I - "

"Shh," she smiled and ran her fingers over his lips to stop him, "it's ok. No matter what happens, I trust you."

He leaned forward and kissed her softly, "Are you sure?"

"Aren't you?"

Their eyes met, and for a second, neither one of them breathed. They were speaking without words, again. Their eyes communicated all of the promises they had yet to speak, all of the truths they had yet to confess. It was all there between them. The love, the pain, the struggle, the fear, the hope, the regret. But none of it mattered now. The only thing that mattered was this moment; the two of them, together. Two broken pieces of the same abandoned puzzle, coming together to make something new, something different. Something whole.

"Yes, I am."

He entered her slowly, sinking into her inch by agonizing inch, until he was buried to the hilt. He was long and thick, and Michonne gasped as he filled her completely. He was still above her for a moment, and then he started to move, sinking into her with slow, deep thrusts. Her hips moved in time with his, her inner walls squeezing him tightly every time his pelvis crashed against hers. He was heavy on top of her. His arms held her close as he whispered words of love in her ear.

"You're so beautiful."

Michonne felt beautiful. She felt worshiped, consumed, possessed. But it wasn't enough, she wanted more. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him in deeper. Her hips rose to meet his as he increased his pace and slammed into her with a delicious force that left her breathless.

"I'm close, baby," his pace was steady, but his arms shook with the effort of restraint.

She smiled, "Don't hold back."

"I want you to come with me."

He quickly turned over onto his back so that she was sitting on top of him. Her eyes widened and she shook her head, "You're so aggressive." He just smiled and brought his hand to her face. She kissed his palm and he moved to trace his thumb around the outline of her lips. She sucked his thumb into her mouth and began to move above him, rolling her hips as she took him deep inside. She placed her hands on his chest for leverage and increased her pace. He took his thumb from her mouth and placed it firmly against her clit, assaulting her button with delicious circles of friction as she bounced on top of him.

"I'm going to come, Michonne." Rick warned her, but she didn't care. She couldn't stop, it was too good. She slammed into him, crying out loud as he met her thrusts with equal fervor.

"Yes, Rick. Come for me." She was so close now, her body coiled tightly, like a spring, ready to release. He pinched her clit between his fingers and she fell apart. Her body splintered and she collapsed on top of him as she felt him explode inside of her. Her walls pulsed and clenched around him, and he groaned with his release, his hot seed filling her. She lifted her head to kiss him deeply. Their tongues rolling together with wet, languid strokes.

She rolled off of him and stretched out on her stomach with a deep, satisfied sigh. She was completely spent. Her breathing was ragged, and her mouth was dry. She silently cursed herself for not thinking to grab a glass of water before coming upstairs. But she hadn't really been able to think of anything other than him at the time.

She turned her head to look at the man beside her. He was sprawled out on his back with his arms bent at the elbows, breathing heavily. His eyes were closed and he wore the silliest grin she'd ever seen. She chuckled at the sight. He turn his head and opened one eye to glare at her.

"What's so funny?"

Michonne chuckled again, harder this time. "You."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Stop laughing at me."

"Stop being funny."

He scoffed lightly and turned his face back toward the ceiling with a smile. "Come 'ere."

"No," she whined.

He turned his head again to look at her, "Why not?"

"Because I'm hot."

"Do you want me to get you some water?"

She smiled a warm smile. He was always thinking of her. "No, Rick. I'm ok."

"Ok," he turned his head back to the ceiling with a tired yawn, "but I don't like you being so far away from me."

Michonne scooted closer to him and draped her arm around his torso, her leg snaking out to entwine with his. "Better?" She asked.

"Almost." She felt his hand travel across her lower back to rest possessively on her ass. "Perfect, he exhaled a sigh of contentment.

They laid there in silence. Michonne smiled to herself as she listened to his breathing even out. She never thought she'd love again. She never thought that she would allow herself to care about another person that way, ever again. She thought that love was lost to her, that life had taken from her all the love that she would ever have. But then loved showed up. Love came barreling into her life. Love led her to Andrea, who healed something that was broken inside of her. Love led her to this; this house, and these friends, this life, these children, this man. Her man.

"Baby?" He called, quietly.

"Yeah?"

He chuckled lightly, and she opened her eyes to give him a look of silent inquiry.

"I knew you liked it."

"Smartass." She tapped him lightly on his chest with her open palm. "What?"

"I love you, Michonne."

"I love you too, Rick."

A/N: Thanks again, guys!