A/N

I saw the Richonne Halloween Challenge on tumblr and I said to myself I must do this. Granted it was a 250 word challenge and I can't do those so I came up with this instead. This was so much fun to write and I hope you enjoy it.

A heartfelt shout out and thank you to Siancore for always beta/proofreading my ff – Thank you!

You're Invited

The invitations arrive in the mail at the same time and it seems everyone in the small town was invited. The place was abuzz with excitement as they spoke of the black, five by seven card stock paper. From the coffee shop to the bakery everyone was showing each other their invites. On the front was the outline of the grim reaper the wording missing but a thin paper attached with instructions to view under a black light.

Pumpkins * Scarecrows * Goblins & Ghouls

Join us & Have fun * Dress the part; creepy or sweet for you have been summon

If you are strong and brave hold the railing and beware of the terror and fright

**Date, time & address on the back**

It seems Michonne and Carl had really over done it this year, what Rick thought was to be a small party clearly wasn't. He'd voiced his opinions to both quick replies: 'It will be the party of the century' over and over again. They've been planning since August and at this point Rick couldn't even recognize his own home or the back yard. It took a lot of debating, disagreement and compromise over costume ideas. Twins Zoe and Jaida wanted, in fact insisted on being purple and pink fairies and Rick went along with whatever costume Michonne would put him in and so it was settled a few weeks later; Carl was going as Deadpool, Rick as Wolverine and Michonne as Storm.

There was a slight chill in the air on the day of the party; Michonne was outside with the caterers, a slip of paper in her hand check marking off each trays of delicious food with some really horrible name. With her hair piled high above her head, Michonne had dress warmly in long sleeve shirt black tights and boots over wooly socks, she had on one of Rick's coats; it was one of her favorites because she loved the feel of it and it smelled just like him. Wanting to give off an ominous tone they tested out different places to set up the fog machine and black lights and decided to place them in the dining room and bathroom.

Heading out the door himself, Rick was on a mission to pick up more candy, not wanting to point fingers; Michonne, Carl practically ate them all and more pumpkins and apples since the millions they had weren't enough. He leans down and give his wife a light but meaningful kiss. He then pulls away from Michonne only to have her take hold of his shirt and pull him back in for another one, Rick chuckles obliging her and kisses his wife again. The owner of the catering company Tara watches the whole thing unfold and smiles feeling a tiny bit of envy as she wanted to be on the giving end of the kiss. Sensing privacy she excuses herself to help her staff to finish unloading the vans.

Pulling away slightly Rick looks deeply into her brown eyes, "Are you going to let me go?"

"Do you want to be let go?" Michonne ask teasingly.

"Never. I can understand picking up more chocolate and candy but we really don't need any more pumpkins and apples. We could just go back upstairs and continue what you started last night and this morning."

"If I can recall correctly it was you who started getting real fresh with me last night and this morning."

Rick smiles, "You knew exactly what you were doing when you wore my shirt."

"I love that brown shirt, it's comfortable," Michonne answered him so innocently in the matter.

Rick then thought about the thin lace panties she had on too and got excited all over again, "Right, all stretched out cat like in our bed, in that underwear I'm sure that was comfortable too."

Michonne felt him harden and she smiled.

A horn went off and they both turn to the unnecessary distraction on their playful banter. It was Daryl and a few of his employees as they pull up to unload their trucks. They were there to put the final touches on the maze in the back. They hired his construction company to build a maze in their backyard and it really lookedgood.

"Well if you hurry back I'll put that shirt back on and stretch in front of you."

Rick was just leaving the farmers market with a truck full of pumpkins and bushels of apples when his phone rang. Pulling the phone out and glances at the id then flips the phone open.

Hello Lori.

Hi Rick – just want to make sure that it was okay for Duane and Ron to spend the night after the party.

Yeah, it should be fine with us.

Okay great then we'll see you guys tonight.

Yeah, see you guys later.

Driving off Rick thought how he could be so lucky. He never knew co-parenting would be easy but it has been. Granted he's been waiting for the ball to drop the day he introduced Michonne to his ex wife Lori but it never did. During the drive up the long gravel driveway he could make out his family in the distance he could see Michonne, Carl and the twins already dressed up in their fairy costumes with a wagonfull of decorated pumpkins. He parked and got out the truck to take a look at their masterpiece and was amazed by the gore amidst the funny ones too.

"You like it Daddy?" ask the twins in unison.

They were dancing and throwing glitter around him; their wings going this way and that as they giggle.

"I told them they could throw the glitter out here and not inside the house," Michonne said as she removes the mailbox and replaces it with a pumpkin that looks like it had eaten the box.

Rick nods his head, "Good idea. Hey Carl, you want to park the truck?"

"Does a vampire drink blood?" Carl responded. Taking the key from his dad he ran to the truck shouting thanks over his shoulder. Seeing the bags on chocolate on the passenger seat he did not waste any time in helping himself to a piece of chocolate.

"Just about finished," Michonne said as she stood back with her held tilted to one side as she looks over their work.

"Looks good doesn't it?"

Rick nods his head for the second time, "Looks really good. Okay girls get in the wagon and I'll pull you back."

"Did you get the candy?"

"I would never forget the candy; I made sure to grab three bags of your favorite too." Rick said.

Michonne smiled.

Carl drove by with his hand on the horn a silly grin on his face, his dad and Michonne wave to him.

"Lori called; looks like more teenagers will be spending the night," Rick said

It seems their home was the new teenager hot spot, with Carl growing up, driving, getting facial hair, having that 'talk' over and over again and a girlfriend too. The time – where is the time going?

Michonne linked her arm through Rick's as they make their way back, "Oh yeah, I'm okay with it, are you?"

Rick quickly does the math in his head and frown slightly, "I think that's eight teenagers in all."

They stop short and the twins got out and ran off ahead to help Carl unload the pumpkins from the truck.

Facing the man she loved the minute she saw him six years ago she reaches up and adjusts his collar which really didn't need to be fixed. She let her hand rest on his shoulders and stares into his intense blue eyes

"Oh that's not so bad."

Rick laughs and pulls his wife closer to him and plants a kiss on her nose, "How did I get so lucky?"

His stubble grazes her face and Michonne inhale deeply.

"I allowed you to get lucky."

"Right, keep telling yourself that. Now about that brown shirt…" he whispers in her ear before planting a kiss on her neck. Michonne instantly wraps her arms around his neck running her fingers through his slightly graying hair in need of a trimming. Michonne playfully coils his curls through her fingers as she tries to tell him, and herself, to hold off until after the party.

Someone cleared their throat loudly breaking the two out of their trance; it was Daryl smirking at them.

"Aren't you guys a little too old to be doing all that PDA stuff?"

Michonne picks up some of the pumpkins pulp and threw it playfully at Daryl, with perfect aim she got it all over his chest and pants.

"Old? Speak for yourself."

Daryl and his crew had completed the maze and he wanted to let the Grimes know this. The three walk it together and Daryl took care to points out where they hid the wires on the plans for the ghoulish surprises and Michonne couldn't contain her excitement. They exit the maze and spoke logistics for a bit before Daryl and his crew left to get ready for the party.

The party was in full swing as the speaker plays a music mix of everything and everyone was having a great time. The doorbell chime was a chilling scream as each guest were greeted with a Polaroid picture that was immediately tacked on the board by the door.

"Michonne! Yo Rick –Man, How are my two favorite people?" Shane said, dressed up as a greaser.

He was two sheets to the wind drunk as he gives his best friend and wife another hug. Rick was half drunk himself wondering what Michonne truly put in that Witches Brew.

"What a great party, nearly wet myself walking that maze man,"Shane then smirks giving Michonne an eyeful and nudge Rick enthusiastically, "Michonne you are really working that dominatrix thing."

Michonne shook her head as she corrected him again for the fourth time that night, "It's not a dominatrix outfit, I'm dressed as Storm, you know from the X-Men."

Shane nods his head, "Right, right! Storm indeed." Then turns to face Rick again. "So who are you supposed to be?"

Stepping back to take in Rick's costume, he knows that they match but he was confused by the leather, it was hot looking and they both looked good in it.

"You know this must be the third time you asked me this," said Rick.

"I did?" Shane was truly confused and looks down in his drink, "Lady what the fuck did you put in this drink?"

Rick wanted to know this too but all Michonne did was shrug and reply ominously that she'll never tell a soul.

Shane takes another gulp of the drink in his hand emptying his cup thinking whatever the concoction was, it really was good.

"Hey! hey, shh –shhhh. Hold on a second," Shane places his hand over Rick mouth, "Who is that?"

He points to a roomful of costumes.

"I don't know man; you need to be a little bit more specific."

"What?" Shane looks to his brother and frowns pulling him closer and points, "Right there, the woman in green leaves man, standing next to Jesus."

Standing next to Paul in a Jesus costume (who ironically is called Jesus by the whole town) was his ex-wife Lori and Jesse in a half clad green outfit, said she was Eve looking for her Adam.

"That's Ron's mother, she came with Lori, and we introduced you to her a few hours ago."

"Holy shit, did you really?" Shane looks down at his empty cup, "Christ, I am done with this drink and sticking to beer and good ole whiskey."

He hands his empty cup to Michonne, "You know, she looks different, divorce must have changed her."

The twins were busy running around taking Polaroids and had at that moment snapped a picture of their parents and Uncle Shane.

"I should go over there and say hello…I'll catch you guys later," said Shane after giving the couple another hug and leaving the two standing there.

Rick shakes his head and took another sip from the plastic cup in his hand, "Seriously Chonne what did you put in the drink?"

"Only the best premium liquor but looking at Shane I'm going to circle the crowd and see if I should tap some out."

"It is the responsible thing."

"Watch me walk away?"

"I do it all the time," Rick said.

His eyes fixed on her amazing ass as he watches her walk away from him.

Rick mingles with a few of the guests while searching the room; his eyes falls on Carl with his friends, he had his arm around his girlfriend Enid and hers was around his waist. They were laughing at something one of their friends had said.

"Wolverine!" Abe bellows as he plants a kiss on both his cheeks, "My favorite X-Men, where is Storm?"

Abe dressed as a plug and his special friend Holly the outlet. Not even bothering to wait for a response Abe went on a tangent on his ex Rosita bringing the Mayor sons Aidan and Spencer as her date to the party because she couldn't decide.

"Rick could you believe it? She couldn't decide," Abe took another swig from his beer and waits for Rick to say something.

Rick glances quickly at Holly wanting to apologize for Abe but the girl looks uninterested in the conversation, she was busy sipping from her cup slightly dancing and mouthing the words to the music. He then saw Michonne talking with Sasha, Glenn and Maggie.

"Speaking of Storm, there she is talking with Princess Leia, Alice and the Mad Hatter"

In that moment Holly spoke up, "I really like your costume Rick."

Taking in the leather jacket and dark jeans she wanted to trace the X on his belt buckle so bad but something told her the katana over the mantle wasn't just for show.

"Where is the adamantium?" she used air quotes.

"Addy what?" Abe ask confusingly

"You know Wolverine's metal claws," Holly responded, surprised Abe didn't know that.

Rick shrugs his shoulder, "I thought what I had on is enough."

"It sure is," Holly smirks as she takes another sip from her cup giving Rick an eyeful as she sways to the music.

The air around the three of them got uncomfortable; quickly Rick clears his throat and hurriedly excuses himself before nearly colliding into Daryl dressed as Tarzan and his date Carol the kindergarten teacher as Jane. Leaving nothing to imagine if not for the loincloth Daryl was practically naked, Carol's dress was ripped showing off some serious skin and legs. Eugene had then walked up dressed in everyday wear but he had assembled a 'dead' man over his shoulder explaining that the dead walks with the living which led into a heavy debate with him and Carol.

"Where's your truck keys? " Rick asks Daryl.

"Ha ha, not like I haven't heard that one before. Where are your claws, afraid you'll cut yourself?"

"Or someone..." Rick quickly fires back.

Daryl been nursing the same bottle of beer for the majority of the time, "I hear you but I'm not really paying attention. Listen, you walk the maze yet?"

Rick shakes his head, "Been trying for the most part of the evening."

"Whatever man, you're just scared, I'll go withcha, hold your hand if you like," Daryl said to tease Rick.

Rick laughs, "I plan on walking it maybe after I had a chance to walk the room."

"Where you walking off too?" he hears familiar voices behind him ask.

Michonne lovingly caresses Rick's arm before linking her arm through his. She had walked up with Glenn and Maggie.

"Here we go with some more PDA action from our hostesses," Daryl said playfully.

He does this only to get a rise out of Michonne.

"And just for that…" Michonne plants a kiss on Rick's cheek.

"That's it!" Daryl rolls his eyes, "Man I've seen far more than that."

"Oh hush Daryl," Carol said surprising Daryl with a kiss on his lips.

Longer than expected as this is the first time Carol has openly kiss him in public he moan when she felt her tongue too.

Maggie fans herself, "Oh my…"

"Now whose showing who some PDA?" Michonne asks.

Daryl's face turns bright red and instead of responding he politely excuses Carol and himself away.

The group laughs at Daryl's hasty exit.

Michonne faces Rick, "In case you missed it Zoe and Jaida are no longer taking pictures.I found them asleep on the living room couch; Lori helped me carry the girls to bed. Now I don't know which one found the glitter but it's all over the place."

"Glitter is by far worse than play dough," Maggie said while she rubs her pregnant belly.

"I still don't get the big deal," Glenn said.

"Don't worry you will," Michonne pats his arm reassuringly.

"I think I need to walk the maze before I miss out. Want to walk the maze with me?" Rick asks Michonne

"I haven't walked it yet." Glenn said

"Oh God I did and I think I was in there for eternity. I nearly lost my dead man while running for my life…The rooms was just…" Eugene piped in. "You go ahead I'll look out for Maggie."

Glenn scowls at that suggestion and Maggie voices her own looking out for herself waving to Rosita she kiss her husband on the cheek.

"Don't die from fright, okay," she said teasingly.

Glenn scowls again and Maggie laughs and gives him another kiss before walking over to say hi to Rosita.

The trail was lined with walkway lights and carved pumpkins Glenn pushed on the wire gate and they were welcomed with a loud screech and fog. Rick took lead and opens the door. Already familiar with the schematic he immediately walks right and they were welcome with a dead end.

He was confused and saw Michonne smile, "Did you make change?"

She shakes her head, "No, I told Daryl to make them and not tell us."

"So we're walking in this blindly?"

"Yes to heighten the mood even more."

The three turn back around and make their way to the left and were welcomed by even more fog and a narrow walking space. His finger had brush something on the wall that was sticky. He heard Glenn behind Michonne ask her what was on the wall and Michonne didn't know. Turning right they made it to a much bigger room with a table and on the table sat an old fashion phone. Behind the table are two doors. Once all three were completely in the room the phone rang.

"Oh this is rich," Rick chuckle as he naturally went to pick it up, "Hello."

There was nothing on the other line then finally a giggle the voice on the other line child like "Watch your back."

The line then disconnects.

"What did it say?" Michonne ask

"Sound like Zoe telling us to watch our backs."

"I say we keep going," she said.

Glenn was already feeling on edge, the fog and barely able to see what's in front or behind him and Rick and Michonne were all calm and shit. He adjusts the mad hatter hat on his head.

Looking at the two doors, Michonne motions left and the group follows her. Opening the door they walk single file,Glenn last and the door slams behind him and they lost what was left of the natural light from the moon. They were boxed in and the hallway was not only narrow but shorter having to get on all four and crawl the rest of the way into webbing and soil. It was thick and the soil soft they were busy trying to crawl and remove the webbing from their face

Michonne felt something crawl down her back and she shrieked, "Fuck, I hope that wasn't a spider."

Rick and Glenn felt it too; it took Rick by surprise and it startled Glenn. Finally making it out of the room to a dead end Michonne heavily sigh she picked the wrong door. They retrace their steps back to the room with the table and phone. The phone rang again and this time Michonne picked it up.

The voice on the other line told her to go back and the line disconnect.

"What'd it say?" Glenn asks

"Go back," she said as she opens the door on the right.

Glenn caught Rick's eye and he shrugs his shoulders and then follows his wife.

"Man I thought I'd have an advantage going with you guys but now I know better," Glenn chuckles more so to calm his nerves.

They entered a closed off room with only one door.

"Thank God, at least we won't mess this one up," Michonne said; the men agreed and they follow her inside.

"What the hell?" Rick whispers under his breath.

They were inside the dead end room. Rick circles the room and Michonne crosses her arm and her senses heighten; she was loving this but for how long.

"Go back," Glenn said to no one in particular.

Michonne looks up and found a cord. Nudging Rick she points up. Rick chuckles and pull the cord and an attic ladder slides down. Rick climb up followed by Michonne then Glenn.

The place was trash, newspaper clippings on the wall and floor. They could barely make out what it said, but Glenn stoops to pick up a few that were on the floor and tries to read the clipping. It was a clipping of him adjusting his mad hatter hat. The headline read Missing in bold black letters. The others were of Rick and Michonne. The headline What happened to the Sheriff and his attorney wife?

It was of Rick answering the phone on the table and Michonne standing beside him.

"How are they able to take a picture of us in all this fog and darkness?" Glenn asks as he shows the two the picture. Before either could say anything the room was erupted in another set of giggles; the voice in the room stopped laughing before it bellows for them to run. Glenn looks at his friend confusingly but before he could say anything the echo of a bat crack, from the shadow a figure wielding a barb wire bat approach them and took a swing at them.

"Holy…" Rick shouts pushing Michonne out of the way as he and Glenn duck.

Taking his wife's hand the three ran to the only door in the room. The floor drops to them taking a slide down into more cobwebs and soft soil. Rick rolls off so he doesn't hit his wife or Glenn and quickly lifts his wife up so her face doesn't connect to Glenn shoes.

"Damn that was intense," Rick said.

"I feel like I've been in this maze far too long," Glenn said.

Michonne chuckled but she was on edge herself, "we just started."

"You mean, there's more?" Glenn was already exasperated.

"I think a door or two more and we should be good," Rick himself was ready to get out.

They were welcomed with three doors in the room they were in each facing the door in front of them. Glenn sighs while Rick and Michonne laugh.

"Of course it wasn't supposed to be easy but I say we take the door in the center. We've been taking left and right so why not a center one," Glenn said.

Rick and Michonne could see nothing wrong with that and follow Glenn through the door in the center. They were met by a chain link fences on both sides and the natural light of the moon, they were at the end of the maze and Glenn sighs in relief.

"I wonder what were in the other two doors." Michonne wonders out loud.

"Want to go back and check?" Rick asks her.

"Not really, I'm sort of ready to go back inside.

Now that they were back inside with their friends, neighbors and guests they were finally able to relax. Michonne glancing at the clock; it was midnight and the party looks nowhere near of ending.

"I need a drink," Glenn said.

They unanimously agreed and follow him to the drink station and pour them a cup of Michonne Witches' Brew which was just as good.

Glenn turns to face his friends, "I really don't know how you guys do it. Your Halloween party get's better each year."

Rick gives his wife a bow, "This is all hers and Carl's doing. Speaking of Carl, that maze made me lose track of time. I'm going to go see what he's up too."

Michonne nods her head as she was going to check on the girls. She gave Glenn another reassuring pat on his arm and left Glenn at the punch bowl.

She walk pass Martinez who was dancing with Holly, Abe's date, and wonder how that happened. She was stopped by Maggie asking how'd it go.

"It was exactly what everyone said."

"That good huh? I am seriously missing out" Maggie pouted.

"Next year," Michonne said

"Yeah but then you'll come up with something else."

Michonne nods her head and thought for a moment, "Daryl really did a great job. Glenn is over by the punch bowl."

The party finally winds down around four when the last of the food was eaten. Michonne changed the music to French horns and organ music as it was a natural party killer. One by one their guest slowly exited their home taking a pumpkin with them. It was going to take days to clean up the mess but she wasn't the least bit upset over it. Carl and his friends were cleaning up the family room as that would be the room they'd be sleeping in.

She tells them to have a good night she was about to give Carl a kiss on his forehead but she saw that slight shake of his head and she raise her hands up as to back up, of course he's with his friends and he wants to be all grown up and yet having a sleepover. She made her way up the stairs only to be stopped by Carl behind her.

"Great party tonight. You -" he said.

"We did great," she said correcting him.

Carl smiled, "Yeah we did."

He approaches her and gives her a tight hug, "Night Michonne."

"Night Carl," Michonne kiss the top of his head.

He then let her go and went back to his friends. She turns around to walk back up the stairs to see Rick at the top of the stairs he saw the whole thing. Sometimes Carl can surprise even him one minute he could be so sullen and full of angst and the next minute an amazing son and brother.

Already dressed for bed, pajama pants on and shirtless; he was really antsy to get her ready for bed too.

She follows him to the bedroom and on the middle of the bed was Rick brown shirt.

Michonne chuckles, "You know we have to be up in less than five hours our tiny tots alarm clock will be banging on our door to get us up before charging in here, and let's not forget feeding those teens breakfast and we have to at least make an appearance at work. We'll be cranky and miserable."

"The price I am willing to take," Rick then picks up the shirt and hands it to her.

Michonne looks down at it before taking it, "You're too much."

***End***