Before I begin, I just want to thank Vegaslover for the nickname Jessie is given in this chapter.

Also, I've been very sick all week, and reading everyones kind reviews has really raised my spirits. Thank you!

And now, enjoy...


Michonne's eyes shot open. She wasn't sure what the appropriate response was. She decided to go the playful route, and stuck her tongue out at the boy, causing a deep laugh to exit from Carl. A single eyebrow raised upon Michonne's forehead as she listened to the boy's chuckle. He was getting so big. The entire exchange left a grin on Rick's face. He squeezed his lady's hand, assuring her she handled the awkward situation properly.

Just as the scene was winding down, Jessie turned and headed for the door without another word. "Did you have something you needed to say?" Rick asked, stopping her in her tracks.

"What?" she turned around, eyes intentionally big, attempting at the puppydog face that Rick himself had mastered.

"You didn't just show up here for no reason, did j'ya?"

"Oh, uhm…I just wanted to tell you Deanna's ready for you…a-and to wish you good luck on your first day. We're really lucky to have you here to watch ove-"

"And Michonne too, right?"

"O-of course." She fumbled over her own words as she felt her face get hot. Pretending the woman on the staircase with Rick didn't exist was proving harder than she'd anticipated. She let out a frustrated sigh before waving goodbye with a defeated smile on her face.

"Bye Mrs. Anderson!" Carl let out

"Later, Messie." Michonne mumbled. Carl chuckled silently.


Michonne and Rick caught up with Deanna, who briefed them on their duties as Alexandria's police officers, and gave them their uniforms. The two decided to head home to get ready, so they could check up Carl and Judith before heading out for the day.

Michonne showered, and then Rick. As he stepped out of their bathroom, he walked in on her buttoning the last of her collared shirt. He stood in the doorway as she slid on her jacket and examined the fit. It was a little baggy in places, yet still managed to hug her body where she wanted it to. She shivered. This was going to take some getting used to. Wearing a uniform and having a real job wasn't exactly something that came often in this world. As she looked over her reflection, she caught a glimpse of the man looking in on her. "How long you been standin' there?"

"A little while." he said, taking this as his opportunity to approach her. In a matter of seconds, he was in front of her, sliding his hands into her back pockets, pulling her closer to him. They mutually brought each other into a kiss, long, slow, and passionate. "This is gonna be good." He said, not talking about the job. At this, a smile blossomed on her face.

"I bet this feels so normal to you."

"Doesn't it feel normal to you?" he pouted his lips as he spoke. Michonne let out a low, but soft giggle that Rick found absolutely irresistible. She poked his stomach gently.

"I meant the job. The uniform. The whole deal." Laughter echoed every word quietly.

"That too." He smirked. Michonne took the opportunity to take him in entirely. The way his uniform fit, the way he stood pressed against her, his smile, his blue eyes that looked as welcoming as the sky, but that had also seen just as much terror as the sky above them had. She breathed in deeply.

"But this…" Her arms motioned out at her sides. "This feels more natural than anything else I've ever known." With that, he slid his right hand out of her pocket, and brought it to the back of her head. He tangled his fingers with her dreads as he brought her into one final kiss.

"You ready to go, constable?" Michonne asked, finally separating from him.

"After you, officer."


The two had a very slow first day, a good reflection of what most days would be like here. There wasn't much crime in Alexandria. Everyone had more important things to do. So they walked around, patrolling, chatting, and keeping an eye on things.

"So this place… its home?" Michonne asked, already starting to appreciate the conversation time they would be getting together every day.

"For now." He nodded. "These people. They can't protect themselves. If something happens…"

"We wont let that happen."

"We try not to. We try. But we, you, me, Carl, Judith and the others. We're our number one priority. If this place goes downhill, we're not going down with them." He finished. Michonne eyes narrowed, but she nodded in agreement.

Time passed and the two chatted and patrolled. Their conversations lightened up, and they even found themselves laughing. They both favored the other's laugh over all other sounds. Their conversations ended at once as they heard a high shriek coming from one of the houses. Without hesitation, they ran to the direction the sound came from.

They arrived at an open garage. Their first sight was Jessie, staring down at the ground in horror, her hand covering her open mouth. Rick and Michonne rushed closer, both reaching for their gone.

"What's going on?" He demanded, his head tilted and his voice low.

"S-someone…."

"Spit it out." He grew impatient. He eyes beginning to water and his heart racing.

"Someone got in and…" She was horrified. She could barley breathe as she spoke. Finally, Michonne used her shoulder to push past the woman to see what had happened. Her eyes focused in on a mess of scattered metal parts cascading over in a pile on the ground.

"What is all this?" She asked, already pissed that it didn't seem to be as serious as she made it seem.

"M-my kids and I were building this sculpture…I-its an owl...It symbolizes…"

"Get to the point." Rick spat.

"Someone destroyed it…look at this mess.." She cried. Michonne rolled her eyes and sighed, lifting her shoulders as she turned around.

"Lets go."

"Wait! Aren't you going to do something? Isn't that your job?" Jessie begged.

"Our job is to keep this place safe. Not to fix your macaroni art." She felt guilty being so rude to the woman, but after everything she had seen, everything she had been through…everyone she had lost… to see the look on Jessie's face, proving that was the worst the apocalypse had brought her and her family in a long time, pissed Michonne off to her core.

"I- I…"

"We'll look into it. No promises, though." Rick said, only feeling pitty towards the lack of strength the woman had built up.

"Th-thank you." Jessie sniffled, and let a sweet smile towards Rick. He nodded and turned away.


Michonne moaned as she flopped down on Rick's bed. "Good to be home."

"It is." Rick said, shutting the door behind him.

"Yanno, I actually could get used to days like this." She said, looking up at the man, who was now unbuttoning his shirt.

"Me too…just don't get to comfortable. You never know when things could-" He was cut off by Michonne giggling. "What?"

"You never just let yourself live. You never let yourself fully appreciate what's good." She bit her lip. Rick looked back down after, his shirt now completely discarded onto a pile on the floor.

"Now that's just not true." His voice low and smooth. He headed towards the bed, and that kneeled on the edge. "I appreciate Judith. I appreciate Carl…" He crawled over her body, his mouth now directly above her neck. He brought his lips just above her skin before making eye contact with her. "I appreciate you."

She whispered back to him, pure love in her tone. "I appreciate you too." It was almost silent, but he was close enough to hear. He brought a deep, wet kiss to her neck.

"Now, lets get you out of that uniform, constable."