Song bird…

A month before the ZA happened….

Michonne is looking into the bathroom mirror in her penthouse apartment. It is nine in the evening and she is preparing herself to go to sleep. She pours some lotion in to the palm of her right hand and then massages it in both. She begins to spread it on her arms, shoulders and her mind wanders in deep thoughts about her day and her family. She smiles as she thinks about Andre and how energetic and adventurous he is for a toddler. Her smiles and thoughts lead her to humming his favorite lullaby. A soothing lullaby that was sung to her by her own mother when she was a small child. Her humming slowly converts into a low tone song.

"Song bird, sing for me, sing for hope, sing for peace.

Song bird, spread your wings, take my dreams as I sleep

Song bird, I won't cry, I'll close my eyes, don't say good-bye

Song bird, take my love, as you go up above

Song bird, I will wait in my sleep, don't be late.

Song bird, I will wake when I hear that you're near…."

"Mommy?" A small voice stops Michonne from continuing her song. She turns to see Andre at the doorway holding on to his light blue blanket that he had since he was an infant. He greets his mother with a huge smile and she answers him with one of her own.

"Andre?... Why is my little peanut still up?" She scoops him off the floor and holds him in a warm embrace. Michonne semi-parts the embrace to look at her small child, as she speaks to him. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"No." The toddler answers. Michonne walks towards the child's bedroom as she keeps him in her loving arms and opens the door. She walks over to his toddler bed with Mickey Mouse covers.

"No?... What if mommy tickled and kissed you?" Michonne places Andre on the bed and begins to kiss and tickle the boy's belly. They both laugh. Michonne stops and brings the covers up to the boy's chest and rests next to him and begins to sing as she gently caresses his head.

"Song bird, sing for me, sing for hope, sing for peace.

Song bird, spread your wings, take my dreams as I sleep

Song bird, I won't cry, I'll close my eyes, don't say good-bye

Song bird, take my love, as you go up above

Song bird, I will wait in my sleep, don't be late.

Song bird, I will wake when I hear that you're near."

Andre begins to yawn and by the time Michonne finishes singing the lullaby the third time, he is in a deep slumber.

"Good night baby, see you tomorrow." Michonne whispers and then places a gentle kiss on his forehead.

_0_

After the attack on Michonne and Mike's camp….

Michonne walks up to the fire that she had created near her tent. She begins to place items in the flame. She stands in a daze as she slowly put papers, books, men's clothing, men's shoes and other items in the consuming flame. She stands and watched as Mike's property becomes ash. Despite the power of the flame, her skin cannot feel the heat. Despite the tears on her face, she cannot feel how moist her cheeks had become. Despite the moans coming from a few feet away she cannot hear their sounds. She is completely locked away in her torment. All was lost and her child was gone. She bends down to grab the final item to burn and without notice she was about to regretfully fling something she did not intend to, into the welcoming flame, but abruptly stops when she discerns what she has in her hand. It is Andre's small blue blanket that he held on to as she sang him to sleep every night. The vision of holding her son's blanket takes her out of her robotic stance and brings her to the reality of her pain. She is able to feel the heat of the flames, hear the moans of her zombified loved ones and feel the unrelenting tears cover her face, but all she can do is hold her son's blanket tightly and cry out loudly into the night.

Hours pass as Michonne sits on a log facing the diminishing fire. She can hear footsteps walking behind her, but she doesn't care to turn around and look.

"Michonne… Many of us are packing what we have left, so we can leave this place." It is Mack, a survivor in his twenties. He was one of the people with Michonne when they went on their run as the camp was under attack. Michonne simply shrugs her shoulders. Mack crouches down to where Michonne sits. "It isn't safe here… You should leave… With us." Mack insists in a gentle tone.

Michonne never turns to face him. She simply continues facing the consuming flame. "I have nothing left… I have no where I want to be." Is her answer to the young man.

"Michonne…"

"Let me be!" Michonne interrupts Mack. She converts her lifeless stare to a stern glance and slightly turns to face Mack. Mack receives the message loud and clear. He nods and stands up. Mack walks away and meets with the other waiting survivors. He shakes his head and receives shocked faces from the others. He urges them to follow him and they comply.

There are three others survivors watching from far. They are two men and a woman. They watch as the group leave and Michonne sits motionless.

"That woman is one stupid ass bitch!" One of the men says as he packs the back of his truck. He is in his early fifties and as racists as he is mean. His name is Steve and he was never friendly to anyone, especially Michonne and her family, but despite never wanting to associate or talk with Michonne or her companions he liked looking at her. A little too much for Mike's liking, but nothing was ever said to keep peace at the camp. He watches her as she sits on the log. He then looks over at his friend Jake.

"Hey Jake?... Ya think she has supplies we can use?" Steve asks as he watches Michonne and smirks.

"Huh?... Yeah, I reckon she may have some things we may need. I've seen her leave a few times with the others and return with a lot of shit." Jake replies as he also watches Michonne. Jake laughs and spits out saliva from his chewing tobacco, on the ground.

"She doesn't seem to be all there either." Marissa chimes into the conversation. She gives each of the men the same high eyebrow look with a sinister smirk.

"Go and see what you can get from her stash and I'll keep an eye on the crazy bitch." Steve orders as he looks at Michonne while a smile comes over his lips.

Jake and Marissa quickly walk towards Michonne's tent and hear growls and moaning coming from within. Jake tells Marissa to go to the back of the tent and make noise as she hits it with a stick that they found on the ground. He wants her to distract the creatures at one end of the tent as he unzips the front opening so he can go inside and retrieves whatever he deems they can use. Jake and Marissa do as planned and Steve watches a stoic Michonne who simply sits on the log watching the dying fire. Steve looks at his two companions and conspirators and sees that they are very busy. He then once again looks over at Michonne and sees something that peeks his interests lying next to her on the ground. It is her sheathed katana. Steve licks his lips and then rubs his chin as he contemplates his next move. He nods to himself and takes out a switch blade from his back pocket. He walks up to Michonne and stands in front of her as he displays his weapon.

"So… The mighty Black bitch that can do it all is now nothing more than a sorry excuse on this here dirt floor." Steve mocks as he kicks dirt at Michonne's direction. Michonne does not look up at him or acknowledges his insults in any fashion. Steve takes in a deep breath and gets closer. "So, this is what we're gonna do crazy lady… You're gonna give me that there sweet sword and I'm gonna leave you watching whatever the shit you're watching." Steve bends down to retrieve the weapon that lay on Michhonne's left side; unexpectedly Michonne's left hand quickly covers it. Her action infuriates Steve. Steve shows Michonne his knife once again, but she does not take her hand off her katana so Steve decides to kick her and his boot lands on her left shoulder sending her backwards and off the log. Steve is far from done especially since he feels that Michonne is defying him. So he proceeds to kick her twice more, once in her stomach and when she turns in pain he kicks her in the back. The pain is so excruciating that she screams out in agony and that alerts Jake. He can see Michonne on the ground holding her mid-section in a fetal position as Steve is hovering over her.

"Steve!... What the hell are ya doing?" Jake yells out as he was exiting the tent and looking at Steve.

"Jake… keep it down!" Marissa shouts as she notices that the walkers in the tent were no longer at the end where she is.

"I just wanted your shit, but now I'm gonna teach you a lesson you uppity stupid bitch!... I'm gonna have fun with you." Steve taunts as he stands over an agonizing Michonne. Steve starts to grab at her shirt and begin to tear at it. Michonne holds on tightly to her clothes as much as she can. In the struggle Steve sees that under her is a small blue blanket. He grabs it. Michonne reaches for it and screams for him to return it. Steve laughs and hurls it behind him and it lands in the flame. Michonne's eyes open wide and she screams loudly, but yet she cannot hear herself. Steve swings a punch to stop her from screaming, but she continues as she sees what is left of her son's memory burning in the fire.

"If you don't shut up… I swear I'm going to…" Steve brandishes his weapon to subdue Michonne.

"Aaaaaaaarrrrrrrr!" Steve's attention is taken from Michonne as his gaze turns to the screams, which also stops him from proceeding with hurting or trying to take advantage of Michonne. He recognizes the familiar voice or screams. It is Jake and he is being bitten on the arm by Mike and on the shoulder by Terry, both are walkers. They were the walkers in Michonne's tent. Marissa starts to hit the walkers with a stick. Suddenly, Jake is able to push them off him and runs with Marissa to their car.

"Wait!... Where are you going?!" Steve yells as he runs towards the car but stops when he sees Mike and Terry walking towards him. He begins to walk backwards slowly. He then hears the distinctive sound of a sword being unsheathed. When he turns slowly he sees a standing Michonne. She has blood dripping from her mouth and nose. She holds in one hand what remains of the burnt blue blanket as smoke comes out of it and travels up to the dark night. She has her sword in the other. Michonne is looking down and then she looks up at Steve and holds the katana handle tightly in her grasp.

"Please…" Steve pleads with a hand towards her and then turns his head the other direction to look at the approaching walkers. He has his weapon, but is too afraid to fight the undead. "Don't let them eat me… Keep those monsters away from me." Steve looks over at the approaching Mike and Terry and decides to run towards Michonne, but is stopped short when he feels a sharp and painful intrusion in his stomach. He looks down to see Michonne's sword coming out, covered in his blood. Michonne turns and pulls it out in one quick movement. Steve covers his abdomen and stares at Michonne as she walks back slowly and sits down on the log and watches him standing as the blood flows out of his body. He is swiftly pounced on by a hungry Mike and Terry. Michonne watches and hears the unsettling screams.

She looks down and places the blanket on her lap and lightly caresses it and then looks away. "The thing is Steve… We're all monsters now…" Michonne stands up and walks towards the flame, she looks at the burned blanket one last time before tossing it in. She hears the growling, she takes a deep breath and walks towards the feasting walkers with her weapon ready.

_0_

Present day….

Rick is walking alongside Abraham and Glenn as they inspect the walls. Rick has had some concerns due to past attacks by the living and large herds of the dead. The task of completing the wall on the western part of Alexandria was left in the care of some of the construction workers under the direction of Abraham. Todd and Kevin are young and eager to please the leaders of ASZ, such as Rick and the others. They worked on the walls for weeks and wait with anticipation to get approval from Rick and Abraham.

"So, this is secured?... Strong against invaders of any kind?" Rick asks as he looks at what the young men did.

"Yes Sir." Kevin states with certainty as he looks over at Todd and nods with a smile.

"It looks to be… Oh wait… Shit!" Abraham exclaims as he notices something. I remember telling ya to use more cement in this section here and wire over there." Abraham points to two separate areas.

The two young men look at each other and then look down with disappointment. Kevin crosses his arms and kicks dirt with his right foot.

"You can get all the hissy fits you want, but you ain't leaving this wall 'til you do it right!" Abraham states with a stern stare.

"But Sir., tonight's the welcome gathering for the new members." Todd shares with pleading eyes.

"Listen, I know you want to be there, but we have to keep this place safe, for everyone… New and old and the entire wall must be secured." Rick stats to settle the situation. Everyone is silent after Rick spoke and the discussion is complete with a nod from Rick and a stern look from Abraham.

Abraham looks over at Rick as they walk side by side. "Them boys just want to meet the new comers because among them there's a few young girls." Abraham chuckles and Rick shakes his head and smiles.

"Yeah, but like you said, we need that done." Glenn reiterates and the three men walk away to their other focuses in Alexandria.

Kevin and Todd stare at the wall. "This is going to take all night and maybe even most of tomorrow." Kevin says as he sighs loudly.

"Then we do it tomorrow." Todd insists.

"Wait… What do you mean?" Kevin questions.

"Come on man… When was the last time we had any kind of security breach?... The last time walkers came in here?" Todd asks with a growing smile.

"Not too long ago but…"

"But nothing!" Todd interrupts Kevin. "We are fine and that wall is fine too. Big Abe is just being a big asshole!...If walkers or anyone else comes in here, we can handle them… We've done it before… Listen, I don't know about you, but I want to meet those pretty girls that came in here the other day… Besides, we have another job to do."

"Which is?" Kevin asks as he looks at Todd with a side glare.

"To repopulate the earth… come on man!" Todd laughs and puts his hand on Kevin's right shoulder to encourage him. Although, somewhat reluctantly, Kevin agrees with Todd and they decide to return early the following morning to work on the wall.

_0_

It is later in the day and Rick returns home to see that Michonne is preparing dinner in the kitchen. Rick finds it strange since he knew that the entire community is going to the meet and greet event for the new comers and there will be food served there.

"Babe… Why are you cooking?" Rick inquires as he walks in and wraps his arms around Michonne's waist. She sighs deeply and lays her head back and rests it on his chest. "What is it?"

"I don't know if I want to go… I see those people and I don't know what I want to say to them. Part of me wants to thank them and part of me wants to take my katana…" Michonne grew silent for a moment. Rick slowly turns her around and gives her soft kisses on her forehead, then her nose and finally placing a soft one on her lips. She separates from him slightly to look at him. They share a gentle stare. "I see him… My Andre and I want to just pick him up and bring him home… Her with us… I know what Denise said and I know he went through a lot and his lack of memory can be linked to his trauma, but he's my son, Rick…. And I want to hug him and hold him close… This is a second chance… But I feel like I'm losing him all over again." Her eyes fill with tears. Rick embraces her and holds her in a warm tight hug.

"I know what you're feeling… And yes, this is a second chance…. Go see him Michonne and let him see you. I believe he will remember one day." Rick says with a smile. Michonne pulls away from the embrace to look at Rick once again.

"You think one day he'll remember me and I'll get my boy back?" Michonne asks with tears falling down her cheeks.

"Yes and no… Or maybe." Rick answers. Michonne tilts her head.

"What?" Michonne queries.

"Because, you already got your boy back and that is the best part… And if he never remembers." Michonne looks down with Rick's words. Rick places a soft hand under her chin. "And if he never remembers, we can make new memories with him." Rick's words warm Michonne's heart and she can't help but kiss him. The kissing becomes a lingering connection as their mouths open and their tongues meet and connect as well.

"Get a room." Says a passing Carl who opens the refrigerator door, gets bottled water while reading a comic book. Michonne and Rick disconnect from their kiss, but still hold each other as they watch the teen boy exit the kitchen without looking up from the comic book. Rick and Michonne stare at each other and laugh.

_0_

Michonne is standing next to Rick. Judith is holding her hand as she embraces a doll in her other arm. A little girl around Judith's age walks up to her. She asks her if she would like to play. The little girl is Lilly, she is part of the group of survivors that Aaron and Daryl recently found. Judith is shy and looks up at Michonne. Michonne squats down next to Judith.

"Hey baby girl, why don't you show Lilly your dolly. It's ok." Judith slowly lets go of Michonne's hand and walks a few feet away to play with Lilly. Michonne looks at them and smiles.

The atmosphere is positive and energetic. It is a far cry from the party Rick and his people experienced when they first came to Alexandria. Michonne and Rick walk around talking and greeting people. The party is being held in the Monroe's home, because Spencer insisted. He wanted it there to honor his parents. His mother was a politician and she loved reaching out to the community and making people feel welcomed. Rick and Michonne agreed.

Michonne is talking with Maggie when she hears the door open and it is Lois, Cliff and Mikey. Michonne breathes in deeply and Maggie can see Michonne's chest tightening.

"You're gonna be ok?" Maggie asks with concern in her eyes. Michonne nods and smiles.

Rick is on the other side of the room talking to guests when he sees Michonne and the family that just entered. He ends his conversations and walks up to Lois and Cliff and shakes their hands. He looks over at Mikey and shakes his hand as well and Mikey looks at Rick and greet him with a wide smile. Rick looks over at Michonne who walks over slowly as Maggie places a caring hand on her back to comfort her. Michonne reaches Rick and greets the couple with a smile and handshakes. Michonne looks at Mikey as he extends his hand to her and she gently takes it. He looks at her and smiles. She stares at him with glassy eyes and a huge smile. Lois looks at Cliff and he smiles, but she doesn't reciprocate the same. She looks away and walks towards some appetizers and drinks on a table.

Judith suddenly walks up to Michonne and Mickey and introduces herself and shows him her dolly. Mikey doesn't like playing with dolls but he smiles at Judith and likes being around another child. Carl also comes up and begins to talk to Michonne, his dad, Mikey and Judith. Lois watches from far and takes a drink, then a couple more. Cliff watches her closely.

"She's his mother Lois." Cliff says. His words pierce through Lois' chest. She looks at Cliff straight in his eyes as she takes a quick gulp of her drink and storms off to the porch. Cliff hangs his head and waits a few minutes before he follows her.

Rick, Michonne and the kids all sit on the oversize sofa at the party. They talk and laugh. Spencer decides to bring out board games and Judith asks for Candyland. After many hours of playing board games and laughing, Rick can see that all of the kids are tired and Judith was already asleep with her head on Michonne's lap.

"I think we should get going." Rick suggests as he picks up Judith to carry her home.

"Yeah, you're right." Michonne agrees with a smile and a small sigh.

"Ahhh… You're going?" Mikey pouts.

"Yes, you little peanut…" Michonne catches herself and swallows hard. "I mean, yes Mikey, we need to leave. It's past their bedtime and yours."

"Yeah, we are leaving too." Cliff says as he walks over to the Grimes family. "I think we all need to rest." Cliff looks over to a visibly drunk Lois.

"Need help?... You sure she'll be ok?" Rick asks as he sees the semi-conscious woman holding herself against a wall.

Michonne sees Lois and feels a pain in her chest. She understands her agony, but she will not give up on her son. She looks over at Mikey and then glare at Lois from far once again.

"Don't worry ma'am, Lois is not an angry person when she's drunk and she hardly gets this way, so the boy is fine." Cliff says in a low tone noticing her concern look as she watches a drunken Lois.

Michonne, Rick and the kids leave and Cliff, Lois and Mikey follow behind. Mikey watches the Grimes family walk to their house. Michonne walks and stops briefly to turn as Cliff and his family is walking the opposite direction. Mikey turns at the same time, smiles and waves at Michonne.

"New memories…" Michonne whispers.

_0_

The following morning Rick is drinking coffee and getting ready to prepare a group of five people that will be going on a run for some needed supplies. Judith is playing with her new dolly she named Janet. Tara found it on a recent run and brought it to Judith. Judith is fussing with her doll because she is insisting on putting clothes that only fit another much smaller doll. She asked Rick to help her, but he obviously couldn't and he tried to explain, but she did not want to listen and walked off in a huff. She continues to try to do it her way and the dress rips. Judith begins to cry and Rick tries to console her but to no avail. Michonne comes downstairs and sees a distraught Judith and an annoyed Rick. Michonne shakes her head and smiles as she tells Rick to leave that she will take care of it.

Michonne picks up a dramatic Judith and hugs her. She gets some cut up peaches from the kitchen and they walk out to the porch. She sits on her rocking chair with Judith on her lap and gives the crying child peaches. Judith wipes her tears and takes a piece. She begins to eat it and looks at Michonne.

"Mommy?"

"Yes baby?" Michonne asks Judith.

"Sing to me." Judith requests.

A quiet Judith places her head on Michonne's chest as she goes back and forth on the rocker. Michonne begins to sing.

"Song bird, sing for me, sing for hope, sing for peace.

Song bird, spread your wings, take my dreams as I sleep

Song bird, I won't cry, I'll close my eyes, don't say good-bye

Song bird, take my love, as you go up above

Song bird, I will wait in my sleep, don't be late…." Michonne suddenly stops when she hears another voice singing with her.

"Song bird, I will wake when I hear that you're near…." It is Mikey. He walks up the short stairs to the porch and stands in front of Michonne and Judith. "I know that song… I remember hearing it."

"Mommy sings it to me all the time." Judith says with a smile. Michonne looks at Mikey with wide eyes as she breathes heavy.

"My mother taught me that song." Michonne explains. "She wrote and sang it for me… Now, I sing it to my children… to Judy… and…I sang it to you… Andre."

Mikey (Andre) walks up to Michonne and Judith.

"Ahhhhhh….Help!...Help!" There is screaming and someone yelling for help. Michonne looks beyond her porch to see people running chaotically on Alexandria's streets while walkers follow close behind.

_0_

I guess that darn wall wasn't so secured after all… Let's see what happens next.

Thanks for reading