A/N: I'm pretty proud of this chapter. I'm not sure if it came out the way i wanted it to, but I sure as hell had fun writing it. Even if it take me a bit. I planned on doing flashback chapters, mainly of the trio Shane, Michonne and Rick throughout the story. I couldn't exactly figure out the age I wanted to start them at when they first met. I was originally going to have them meet around 13/14, but changed my mine. Hopefully I was able to capture the three at the youthful age of 10 and I hope you all enjoy...

Chapter 3

28 Years Ago

Heat burning skin and humidity suffocated the congregations that came out for the annual Fayetteville Christian Festival during the the summer day . It was mainly just the churches in the county coming together to celebrate the 4th of July with music, games and food, but it was anticipated every year, but the small town folks in the area.

Ten year old Michonne walking along side her grandma in the grass with her yellow sundress, two afro puffs and her fresh Chuck Taylors. She didn't really want to be out there in the first place, but if her grandma wanted her to wear a dress, they had to come to a compromise on the the footwear and neither church shoes and old ratty sneakers were making an appearance.

They were late, which means the crowd was already out and about in the field by the church. A church band was playing their sets of music. Husbands were eating their food and discussing college football starting up in a couple of months. Women gossiped while their children gave them mini heart attacks gave them mini heart attacks as they ran around playing tag. She spotted two boys around her age.

"Well, if it isn't Mrs. Patty." A older white man approached. He sported a full on graying beard and looked a bit ragged. "I was hoping you'd be around here today."

"I would have gotten here sooner if it weren't for my grandbaby." Grandma Patty tapped Michonne back to make her stop slouching. "How's that baby of yours?"

He smiled fondly and looked over to his beautiful wife showing off her one year old baby walking and talking. "Keeping me up at night. But ever since my Margret was born, haven't had a drop of the Jack. Truly been a blessing."

She palmed her hand over one of his larger ones, trying to transfer some strength over to man. "Well, I certainly prayed for you every night. God's done his work and shall continue to bless. Yes, he will."

"Amen."

"Excuse me," Michonne she was smart enough to not rudely interrupt when grown folks were talking, "can I go play?"

Patty looked down at her for a few moments, making a decision. "You may. But you get that dress dirty, you gone get that switch, ya hear me?"

Michonne tried not to frown in embarrassment at being scolded in front of a stranger. "Yes ma'am."

She carefully walked over to the two boys she saw earlier. They stopped tossing the ball for the moment and was talking. She observed them. One was lanky with blue eyes, curly, brown hair and ears like the Spock guy on that Star Trek show she watched sometimes. The other one was a little taller, chunky, brown and had ears that stuck out like Dumbo. They definitely looked goofy, but she felt even more silly in her sundress while they stood in their t-shirt and shorts. "Can I play?"

Dumbo looked over at her and scoffed as he looked up and down. "Don't know. Can ya?" His friend laughed a little at the joke.

She was offended at the smart remark. She had dealt with jerks like that before. boys always telling what she can't do. "Pretty sure I can throw it better than you."

Dumbo smirked, tossing the ball in the air and catching it all cocky. "Pretty sure you can't."

Had enough, Michonne snatches the ball away when when he tossed it in the air again and stomped a few yards away. She knew they were watching her and she was perfectly fine with that. She'd show them.

She took her stance, threw an almost perfect throw towards them and watched as Dumbo bumped Spock for the catch. She felt proud of herself. She wanted to make an impression and she knew she made it, judging by the look on their face as she jogged back.

Dumbo tried to remain collected, but he couldn't that his jaw hung a little in shock. "Cool. Ya don't throw like a girl." He reverted back to his cocky smirk though."Still not better than me though."

She rolled her eyes. She knew she was good and if the boys didn't want to acknowledge it, well, it didn't make it any less of a fact. "Whatever."

Spock finally spoke up, scratching the back of his curly head. "So, do ya wanna to play?"

Duh. "That's why I came over here."

He nervously smiled at her. "'Right then." She watched as Dumbo looked at him, as if he just betrayed some sort of code. Spock shrugged in response. "I mean, she's got a good arm."

Dumbo knew he was right. The offer was already out and it couldn't be taken back. "Fine."

Spock extended his hand towards her. "I'm Rick and that's Shane."

She looked at it for a second before taking it her own hand and shaking it. She noticed it was a little clammy. "Michonne."

Without thinking, "That's a pretty name."

She stared at him, taken aback from the unexpected, compliment. She smiled as he blushed and avoided eye contact.

Shane, displeased at his best friend's sudden transformation into a puppy, rolled his eyes now at the lack of game as well. "Are we gonna play or what?"

After tossing the ball for about an hour filled with trash talking, laughter, jokes cheering between the three, they found themselves together for the rest of the day. They ate, played together, dance to both Christian rock bands as well as soulful gospel. Now, as the sun a setting, Rick and Shane dragged Michonne along to hangout by the in the woods. Michonne didn't expect to have as much fun as did that day. Gaining two friends in the process was a bonus.

She sat in between them as the three of them sat on a log, tossing rocks into the steady stream. The breeze coming off the water combined the sunset felt good against their skin after getting beaten by the Georgia summer heat.

Rick glanced that pretty girl sitting next to him when she wasn't looking and chewed the inside of his lip. If he was being honest, he being sneaking glances and catching himself staring all day. "So are ya new around here?"

She shrugged , swirling a stick in the dirt by her feet. "I'm spending the summer with my grandma." To be honest, she was missing home.

He squinted at her, noticing a hint of sadness in her face. "Who's ya grandma?"

"Patty Bell."

Shane chimed in, trying to get the rock "That singing lady?"

Her eyes rolled. Is he serious? "That's Patti LaBelle."

Rick chuckled at his friend and seeing Michonne's slightly annoyed expression. It was cute. "He's kidding. We know Mrs. Patty."

Shane dreamily smiled, thinking about his favorite restaurant. "Sure do. Darn good cookin'. My family goes to the Dinner Bell to eat sometimes."

Rick sighed with a smile. "The ice tea is the best. And that gumbo?"

Dumbo Shane nodded in agreement. His mouth watering at the thought. "Yup. They made the food here right?"

Feeling pride by her new friend's words. What they didn't know was that she helped with the food the night before. She didn't actually cook but she helped prep it. "Yeah. My grandpa brought it all over this morning."

He knew it. He knew the taste of that food anywhere. "Well, I'm takin' some home for sure." He patty his chubby stomach, already imagining his next plate.

Rick stared at Michonne, who stared at Shane. When she turned back towards his direction, his gaze averted back to the stream hoping he didn't get caught. "Where ya from?"

She thought about it. It was awkward answering that question, being a Marine brat. "All over, but I live in New Orleans. My grandpa is from down there."

Shane perked up at the city's name, suddenly excited. "Ain't that where the girls show their boobies for beads?"

Boobies for beads? "What?" Rick's eyes widened at the thought. He was only ten, so he hadn't seen much, besides the naughty magazine pictures that Shane would sneak and they check them out together. But women showing boobs for some beads? That sounded made up made up to him for sure. Wouldn't have been the first time his friend was talking crazy.

Shane looked past Michonne, ready to school his friend with his so called knowledge like he always did "I'm tellin' ya, it's a thang."

Michonne understood exactly what he was talking about. "You thinkin' of Mardi Gras."

"See, I told ya." His voice and face all smug.

"But," she responded, ready to bring him down a notch, "you don't have to do that. I think that's just a thing drunk girls do. I've got a whole pile a beads and kept my clothes on."

Shane furrowed his eyebrows with that information before looking her up and down with a smirk. "But it'd be more fun if girls did that."

Rick threw a rock at his friend. Not enough to injure him, but hard enough to know that was serious. "Come on Shane. Cut it out."

Michonne shrugged at Dumbo trying to be nasty. He wasn't the first one she ever encountered. "It's okay. I know a hog when I see one."

"Oh yeah?" Slow on the retort, he had to fall back on the one he already used. "We'll, I still can throw better than you."

She smiled, knowing she one that one. "Sure you can."

"Richard Grimes!" An older country male voice furiously called out, startling the three preteens. "You and Shane better bring y'all tails over here before y'all get taken out to the woodshed!"

"Shit." Shane hoped to his feet, his swearing catching Michonne off gaurd, ready for take off until he realized he couldn't leave. He reached down to help Michonne up, with Rick's help so they could get the hell out of there. He led the way out, followed by Michonne.

Rick looked down at the bottom of Michonne yellow dress. He remembered her saying that she had to be careful not to get it dirty and when he saw some dirt from the log they sat on, without thinking, her started to wipe the dirty off with his hand. When Michonne froze up, he realized that he was touching on her butt and panic had set in.

"Sorry! I was trying to fix ya dress! Sorry!" He babbled and blushed deep red, already embarassed that his father was looking for them, and hoped that she didn't look back at him. Luckily she didn't a resumed her walking. Well, jogging to catch up with Shane.

When they reached the man, Michonne figured he was Rick's dad. He didn't have his blue eyes, she saw that come from his mother when she met her earlier, but he definitely had the lanky but slightly muscled frame and was bowlegged. He was handsome for sure with curly, dirty blond hair and a short groomed beard, dressed in a brown cop uniform.

He glared at the two boys in his firm stance. "Ya know better than bring some girl in the woods like that boys. Especially without telling anyone where ya at."

They both bowed their heads, looking guilty. "Yes sir."

He nodded his head, ready to deal with them later. His eyes softened when he looked at Michonne. She wasn't one of his, but he did worry for her safety. A young black girl in the woods in wood could mean bad things, even death sometimes, around those parts. "Come on. Mrs. Patty's looking for ya."

When they made it back to the festival, Sheriff Grimes made the boys head back over to their mothers, while he took Michonne back over to her grandmother.

Michonne felt someone staring at her while she was walking away. She looked back to see Rick looking at her as the gap between them grew more and more as they walked in opposite directions. She caught the sad look on his face before he looked away from her and the sadness crept into her as well. She didn't know if she was every going to see him again, but she only hoped.

"See ya."

A/N: There's a character I slipped in there(well two technically) that I hope you all caught it. Let me know what you think of this chapter. The next one will be back in the present but there's still more flashback chapters to come...