A/N: Richonne fic for the Michonnefanfluff tag on Tumblr. I love Richonne and country music so I'm always inspired by songs. This one is based on Garth Brooks' The Dance. Enjoy!

"Looking back on the memory of the dance we shared, 'neath the stars above…"

That's how it had begun for Rick Grimes and Michonne, what she jokingly called their epic love story; much to his chagrin. It started with the two of them sharing a dance under the clear night sky that was embellished with stars and a bright moon. Rick thought he would never dance with someone again, after his wife was gone, after the world had ended, but human resilience is a wondrous thing. Expressions of human happiness are equally as amazing. And so, Rick Grimes, in a wave of relief and levity, coupled with the slightest hint of southern charm, held his calloused hand out to Michonne and asked:

"May I have this dance?"

Maybe it was the beauty of the night sky, the romanticized cover over head, the general happiness that filled the group of survivors; it could have been any one of those things that influenced her answer and made her feel completely swept up in the moment.

"You may," she replied coyly, almost in a whisper, as she ever so gracefully took his hand and allowed him to draw her body close to his.

She placed her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes as they moved just a little too slowly for the music that wafted through the security of the Safe Zone. It was a festive time, a time to celebrate survival and the gift of life. Rick was relieved that his people were safe; that his family was safe. This place provided them with sanctuary from the dangers and terrors of the outside world; they could come back, they could return and once again hold on to a semblance of what they used to be before, however tiny it might have seemed.

He smiled to himself as his hand came to rest at the small of her back. A sincere tingling sensation thrilled her senses because of their nearness; he felt it too as he inhaled deeply and exhaled all of his reservations and worries. She lifted her head, looked into his eyes and beamed at him before placing her head back to where it had been. He noted that her smile was as bright as the moon and rivalled the beauty and power of the stars themselves.

For most of the next day, after the festivities, Rick was reminded of how Michonne had felt pressed so closely to him. How the warmth radiating from her body ignited his desires, as well as his overwhelming sense of affection that had gradually developed for her. It was a nice change of pace, not having to be in a constant battle for survival, not having to be continually looking over your shoulder and fearing the worst. There, in that location and at that interval, they could let their guard down and enjoy each other's company.

Rick had every intention of behaving like a southern gentleman when he asked Michonne to accompany him to a secluded area in the Safe Zone; he had every intention of getting her away from the others so that they could talk, and so that he could offer his gratitude to her for all that she had done for him and his children. He brought a blanket which he spread on the soft ground and motioned for her to sit next to him. She sat close and looked at him shyly. They just weren't used to the intimacy that a safe dwelling promised, but they were glad of it all the same.

Rick cleared his throat.

"I just wanted to say thank you," he started. "For bein' there for me, Carl and Judith. You didn't have to stick with us, I know that, but we sure are happy that you did."

She offered him one of her radiant smiles.

"It's okay, Rick. You don't have to thank me. It's what you do, isn't it? When you care about people; you stick by their side."

Rick nodded, the corner of his mouth turned into a little grin.

"We care about you too," he stated, looking off into the distance, then back to her face.

It wasn't a proclamation of his undying and deep love for her, but she would take it. Expressing his feelings did not come easily for Rick Grimes; she happily accepted any part of him that he offered. And then, he whispered, as softly as a dying breeze:

"I care about you."

With that, they gazed intently into the depths of each other's eyes. He leaned toward her and pressed his lips to hers…The gentle, languid kiss that followed was equally as soft as a light breeze and caused a wave of relief to wash over them both.

They then exchanged small smiles and remained quiet a short while. Michonne held Rick's gaze while noticing something that danced in his eyes in the moonlight; it was happiness that twirled like a warm flame. Rick, in that moment, seemed as happy and content as Michonne was. Right then, they were just pleased to be alive and to have found one another. They would hold on to that moment for as long as they could.

There was something about looking out into the night sky could make a person feel so small; like all of their worries, loves and hopes were so tiny. Rick felt the juxtaposition between the enormity of the intimate moment that he was sharing with Michonne, and how small their existence must have seemed in the wider scheme of things. Neither knew that in the years to come, as their bond would grow stronger and their love would flourish, when they looked back on that memory how small they really were under that night sky. They made a silent commitment right then and there that to them, was larger than the heavens themselves.

After many full moons had lit many night skies, and Rick and Michonne had shared many different dances; they both still felt the same as they did when they first danced all of those years ago, under the starlit sky.

A/N: Might expand on this idea, but for now, this is a one-shot. Thanks for reading!