A/N: This is an AU set in King County; Michonne is a high school teacher and Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes has been invited to be a guest at the school's Careers Expo. How will their paths cross and what will happen?
A bit of fluffy fun for us to help deal with the hiatus.
Dedicated to my fellow teachers who might be having a rough day. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead
Rated M for language and adult situations
"We didn't even want her to take this class," said Mr Grayling as he looked over at his wife.
"That's right. She's gonna go ahead and be a nurse like me," his wife added. "She don't need to take no psychology class for that, so if she needs to drop it, we're just wonderin' is it too late now?"
Michonne took a deep breath, placed her pen down on the desk where she rested her elbows and leaned her chin on her hands.
"Mr and Mrs Grayling, Donna is actually doin' pretty well in this class. I've called y'all in today to talk to you about her taking extensions as she's been excelling with the standard curriculum. Mrs Grayling, having taken some psych courses can help if she wants to be a nurse practitioner after completing her nursing degree. I've spoken to her about it a little, but wanted to let you all know as well."
"Oh, really?" Asked Mr Grayling. "That's actually great news."
"Yes, it is. I've been working with her for the better part of a semester now, and I know that she has a promising future ahead of her. You've got a good kid who's willing to give it a go," Michonne said.
The couple seated before her smiled and nodded as Michonne handed over a few pamphlets.
"Here's some more info. If you have any questions or need anything clarified, please give me a call," she proffered with a smile as she let the couple out of her office.
Michonne had been a school teacher now for almost ten years; her area of expertise was psychology and she was relatively new at the school she was presently working at, King County High School. The School Board had wanted to expand the curriculum to add a psychology course to it and when Michonne applied for the position, she was successful; she was also employed as the guidance counsellor for two days a week when she was not teaching.
Michonne needed to leave her past behind her and start fresh now that she was finally ready to move on after her messy break-up; a small town school was just what she needed and it was a bonus that her best friend Andrea Harrison worked at the school there too. She took a sip from her bottled water, checked the time on her watch and opened her top drawer. She still had fifteen minutes before her next appointment arrived so retrieved the bag of plain M&Ms she kept in there for when she had a quiet moment alone.
xXxXx
"Thanks for passin' the message on for me, Sandra. Lucky my kid saved it to my calendar in my phone or I'd have missed it again. I really shouldn't be too long, but thanks again. See ya later," said Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes as he ended the call to his workplace on his cell phone.
He had almost forgotten that he was meant to meet with his son Carl's teacher at the school. Rick had missed the last appointment because he was called away to some incident or another; he had promised both his son and his son's teacher that he would make it this time. The squad car came to a halt at the front of the school as Rick checked his watch once more before hurriedly making his way towards the reception area. He noticed a car parked illegally that would have to wait for his return before he could write up the ticket.
xXxXx
Michonne quickly closed her drawer to hide the M&Ms as she heard the light tapping on her door; through the small, square window that was high, but not high enough that she could not see that it was her next parent. She took another sip of her water and called out: "Come on in."
She stood and held her hand out to greet the parent who was standing before her; he looked at her hand and did not shake it as he took a seat without being offered. Michonne cleared her throat.
"Hello, Mr Dixon. How are you?" she said with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes.
She did not enjoy having to talk to Merle Dixon; he was not particularly pleasant at the best of times on account of his awful attitude that was amplified by his documented substance misuse, and Michonne had a feeling that he had some backwards, racist views that he harboured. She eyed him as he slouched in the chair in front of her desk.
"I been better," he replied with a look of contempt. "What you call me down her for?"
Michonne discreetly took a deep breath, feeling her face already grow warm knowing he was probably going to be as uncooperative as he usually was.
"I wanted to talk to you about Jase," Michonne explained, referring to Dixon's sixteen year old son.
"What about him?" Dixon asked as he sat up straighter; his eyes narrow.
"I'm just worried about him because…"
"You don't need to be worried about him. Ain't nothin' wrong with my boy," he spat.
"Mr Dixon, I know there's nothing wrong with Jase, but it is my job to worry; he hasn't expressed any interest in setting out a learning plan or any career pathways goals. He doesn't seem to be interested in his future or what he can do after he finishes high school."
Michonne tried to speak as evenly and calmly as she could. Her friend from college and fellow teacher Andrea, who had been filling the position until Michonne arrived, had told her about some of the more difficult parents she would be dealing with. It was common knowledge that Merle Dixon was trouble while his son Jase was mostly a withdrawn and unenthusiastic student. All Michonne wanted was for all of her students to be afforded the best opportunities and Jase was no different.
"Well, Missy; have you looked 'round this shit hole lately? Ain't really that much for the kids to be doin'. I know you like to sit there and act like you know what's best for my kid, but you don't. You're just another uppity teacher from the city who think their shit don't stink…"
"Excuse me? Mr Dixon, can you please not use that type of language…"
"The fuck? You don't tell me what to do! I ain't one of these fuckin' teenagers here who gotta raise my hand to talk!" Said Dixon as his voice rose and he stood from his seat.
xXxXx
"Thanks for comin' down, Deputy Grimes," Andrea said. "I'm glad we got this sorted out. Carl's a good kid and I think he can really go far with his writing."
Rick nodded his head and smiled a little at Andrea.
"Thanks for takin' the time to see me," he said coyly as the two of them walked the hallway.
"Oh, no; thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. I'm just glad we finally got to have the meeting. You know, you should come along to the Careers Expo next week. It'd be great to see you again." She said flirtatiously as they both stopped walking.
"I won't be able to, way too busy next week, but thanks for the offer," Rick said.
Andrea went to speak when suddenly the sound of a man's voice boomed from behind one of the closed doors. He sounded angry as he shouted profanities; Rick looked at Andrea who seemed overly concerned as her eyes grew wide.
"Shit! Michonne!" She said as she rushed towards the door and pushed it open.
Michonne's head turned quickly as her friend and a police officer stood in her doorway while Merle Dixon was curled up on her floor surrounded by a bunch of pens and pencils and in the foetal position, holding his crotch.
"What happened?" Andrea asked as she stepped over the whimpering man and drew Michonne into a hug.
"He…ah, he was getting loud and I asked him to leave. He knocked my pencil holder over so I went for the door and he tried to grab me. So I kicked him in the balls," Michonne explained shakily as she looked at the police officer.
"Shit. Am I in trouble? I'm in trouble, aren't I?"
xXxXx
Michonne postponed her other appointments for the day while she finished up talking to her principal as well as her union representative. They had supported her and her official incident report that stated she was acting in self-defence when she struck Merle Dixon, a parent of one of her students. Deputy Grimes had escorted him from the premises whereby his partner Deputy Shane Walsh had taken the parent to the station; neither he nor Michonne were going to be pressing charges. She just wanted the whole nightmare of a day to be finished as she stayed back to get the paperwork in to her superiors. She sighed as she had a sad feeling that she was not going to get the chance to work with Jase anymore; Michonne just wanted to cry; she took another handful of M&Ms and shoved them into her mouth.
"Hey, girl. You nearly ready?" Asked Andrea as she stuck her head around the door.
"You didn't have to wait for me," she offered with a smile.
"I wasn't gonna let you walk to the parking lot on your own, especially since that psycho isn't locked up," Andrea said as Michonne locked the door to her office and they walked down the corridor.
"How do you know that?" Michonne queried.
Andrea smiled.
"Let's just say I checked with that hot ass cop and single daddy Rick Grimes what was happening," Andrea smirked.
"You have no shame!" Michonne laughed. "Using me assaulting that asshole to get that Deputy's number."
"Firstly, you did not assault that prick, he tried to attack you; secondly, he offered his cell number; and thirdly, I may have said you were a little nervous to leave from here on your own tonight, so Deputy Sexy Pants might be waiting outside for us. Oh, would you look at that; he sent a text. He is waiting outside."
"Andrea! That is blatant misuse of the County's resources having that man come back here!" Michonne said incredulously. "And, excuse me, but aren't you seeing a certain someone from the science department?"
Andrea shrugged.
"Yeah, I am and Eugene and I are having a great time so don't go gettin' the wrong idea about this; besides, I think Deputy Stud Muffin likes you!" Andrea wriggled her eyes brows.
"Oh please!" Said Michonne, though she could not hide her small smile.
"You know it's true!" Andrea exclaimed.
"He was just taking my statement," Michonne said.
"He didn't need to be all gentle and rubbing your arm and trying to calm you down and all that; giving you fuckin' heart eyes and shit! He wants it! You should ask him out!" Andrea suggested.
"I am not tryin' to get involved with no single daddy of one of our students, thank you!"
"Whatever! Why you got your happy face on then, uh?" Andrea teased as they both burst out laughing.
"Good evenin', ladies," greeted Rick as he tipped his hat to Michonne and Andrea.
Andrea nodded and Michonne offered a sweet: "Hello."
She then added: "You didn't need to come all the way back over here, Deputy. My friend here was just being over cautious."
Rick smiled as he held the door open for both women.
"No trouble at all, ma'am. I'm happy to help however I can," he said with a crooked grin that Michonne found to be adorable.
Andrea drew Michonne into a hug and said: "I'll call you later, gotta go. I parked out front…"
"Yeah, where you're not supposed to," Michonne laughed.
"Hey, hush now; not in front of the law man. I wouldn't want a ticket. See you guys later," said Andrea as she sprinted over to her car.
"Uh, maybe we should walk quickly," Rick said as he glanced over at the blonde woman.
"Why?" Asked Michonne, slightly confused.
"Ah, I did leave a ticket on her car," Rick said, causing the attractive woman next to him to burst out in laughter.
He marvelled at the way her smile lit up her whole face.
"Serves her right for parking in the emergency vehicle zone!"
xXxXx
Michonne placed the key into her front door, switched on her light and then gestured for Rick to enter.
"You really don't have to do this, Deputy." She said as she watched him step inside.
"It's fine. Best to check the area in case Dixon got some funny ideas. Which way to your back door? I'll check it over," Rick said as he placed his hands in his pocket.
The fact was, he did not really have to do that for Michonne, but there was something about her that he could not help but want to protect her. It seemed odd, but he could not help how he felt. Michonne showed him through her kitchen and into her laundry room. Rick checked the door over and then they walked back to the living room.
"Honestly, you don't think he's gonna do something, do you Deputy?" Michonne asked, looking a little worried.
Rick could sense the change in her as he stepped closer.
"Please, call me Rick. And honestly, I don't know. You can never tell when people are on those types of drugs; they can be unpredictable. But you just make sure if you hear or see anything to give us a call. You have my cell number, so call me direct," he said with a smile.
"Oh, I don't have your number. Andrea does. I guess I could just get it from her," Michonne rambled absently while Rick took out a piece of paper and scribbled his number down.
"Here ya go, call me anytime. Okay?" He said with a grin as he handed over the paper; their fingers lightly touching.
Michonne smiled back at him.
"Okay. And thanks again, Rick."
Rick hesitantly turned to leave when Michonne asked: "Will you be available to come to the Career Expo next week? It's just that I'm organizing it and we haven't secured anyone from the Sheriff's Department yet. I mean, you don't have to if you're too busy… "
"No, that's fine. I can be there. Just text me the details and what you need me to do," Rick answered quickly.
"Thanks, Rick. That's wonderful. So, I'll, um, see you soon," Michonne said as she let him out of the front door.
"Don't mention it and yeah, I'll be seein' you," he turned and said. "Goodnight, Michonne."
"Goodnight, Rick." She replied.
When Michonne closed the door, she leaned against it and smiled widely; the day did not turn out so bad after all.
A/N: Thanks for checking this one out.
More to come!
