The Reveal…

They were sitting in Lucille's Diner in a little booth facing each other. Amy, the young waitress asked for their orders with a peaceful smile. Rick had been to the diner so many times before that he already knew what he wanted and recommended that Michonne try their wonderful peach cobbler for desert. Rick assured her that it was simply delicious. It didn't win multiple blue ribbons every year at the town's annual fair for no reason.

The Diner is where Rick and Carl had many dinners and sometimes lunches after the death of his wife almost two years ago. It was a tragic car accident one stormy evening. Lori left a sleeping Carl in the care of Beth Greene, a local and caring teen babysitter. Lori decided to get milk and other groceries at around 10 o'clock which was uncharacteristic, but it was also during a time that everything in their marriage seemed uncharacteristic. Rick had been promoted to a Deputy Sherriff at a very young age and his new position required more time at the job and less time at home. Rick reached an important goal, but that also led to him to distance from his wife. They hardly spoke anymore and did what was routine for the home and for Carl. On the night of her death, what was supposed to be a simple car ride to the local store ended in a tragic car accident that would forever scare Rick. Rick had also become a young widow raising his son.

Michonne asked for a grilled chicken salad and water and Rick ordered his usual fried chicken and mash potatoes with a side of green beans and lemonade. When Amy, the waitress took their orders and left to put it in. Michonne refocused her gaze on Rick.

"So, what is it that you want to ask me?" Michonne asked in a soft tone, but with true intrigue.

"Well, Ma'am, you did kinda left me curious about some thangs." Rick said as he looked her in the eyes.

"Michonne." She says with a smile.

"Wha..what?" He asked with a puzzle look.

"Call me Michonne, it's OK. I know the whole Ma'am thing and it is cute, but you can call me Michonne if you'd like." She said.

"Oh, OK…. Michonne…it is then." Rick replied with a very warm and handsome smile.

Michonne found herself liking the ways his eyes looked as the bright sunlight snuck its way into the diner and bounced off his face. She noticed his features and how shy and slightly uncomfortable he would appear when she watched him longer than she should. She could also feel that as she looked at him there was something special about him and it was readable. He wanted to ask her something or things, and his curiosity was actually becoming endearing for Michonne instead of uncomfortable.

"Do you want to know, how I know?" Michonne asked with a slight smirk to the right side of her mouth.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Rick asked as he tilted his head slightly to the right.

"You want to know, how I know my aunt's "accident" was actually murder." She said with a look that only said she was sure with her statement.

"Well you never answered my question. How do you know this?" Rick asked as he leaned in a little closer towards Michonne over the table. "If there is evidence that I missed I need to know so I can help you and you wouldn't have to do the investigation alone out there."

"It might be difficult for you to believe me. I promise you." Michonne said as she slowly looked away.

"Try me." Rick responded with confidence in his voice.

Michonne looked at Rick was a concerned expression. Just as she was about to tell him about her special gift, the door of the dinner opened and simultaneously the bell above the door rang to alert the waitress that a patron had entered. It was an African American woman with short hair. She walked in and sat alone at a booth.

"Jacqui knows everything! Everything!" A ghostly voice said and only Michonne hears it. She looks up towards the lady's direction and gets up from her chair. Rick is looking at Michonne who seems to be occupied with something suddenly and leaves their table to go towards Jacqui.

"Ma'am…I mean Michonne, where are you..." Rick said as he continued to sit at the booth, but followed her with his head.

"Keep practicing my name, you're doing well. I'll be back in a few." Michonne responded without looking back and walking towards Jacqui.

"Hi, I am Michonne. You must be Jacqui." Michonne said to the lady as she extended her right hand.

"Sorry, do I know you?" Jacqui asked as she looked up from where she was sitting with confusion.

"No, you don't know me, but you knew my aunt Melanie and…" Before Michonne can complete what she wanted to say Jacqui abruptly stood from where she was sitting and pushed herself past Michonne to leave the diner.

"Why don't you want to talk to me!" Michonne exclaimed as she followed behind Jacqui.

Rick stood from his seat and followed Michonne and stood in front of her.

"Ma'am.. Dammit! I mean Michonne, What are you doing? If she doesn't want to speak with you, you can't force her. Now, that can become harassment." Rick said as he looked at Michonne with concern on his face.

"She knows something." Michonne looked up at Rick and their eyes met, but this time he saw sadness in them and it touched him deeply. She is usually so confident, direct, at times sarcastic (which he found to be cute), but when she looked sad it touched him deeply for some strange reason. It's not like he knew her, she's only been in town for a few days, but there was just something about her.

"Michonne, if she doesn't want to talk to you what can I do?" Rick said softly.

"Help me…" She replied with the same softness.

They were in Rick's squad car on the way to Jacqui's house.

"So, you said my name." Michonne said as she looked forward with a smile. "Back in the diner and I didn't have to correct you."

"Well, it is an unusual name. It's hard to forget, just like you." Rick said as he drove and took a quick glance towards Michonne who sat in the passenger side.

Michonne felt her heart beat a little faster than usual as she wondered if he thought about her. Well he did show up unexpectedly when she was meeting with Ms. Pearl and asked her to have lunch.

"Well, it was just lunch, right? It's not like I was asked to dinner or something. He's a single dad who's main focus is his son. Besides, a good-looking guy like him has to have many ladies fighting for his attention and…" Michonne was taken out of her train of thought with Rick's voice.

"Hey, you OK? I was talking to you, but you seem to be somewhere else like at the diner." Rick said as he looked towards her and the road leading to Jacqui's house.

"We are here, now, let me ask her the questions." Rick said as they sat in the car parked near Jacqui's residence. "Wait, what am I supposed to ask anyway?"

"She knows something about my aunt. And maybe that can lead us on the right path to what really happened." Michonne replied as she sat sideways in the passenger side of the car to face Rick.

"You never did tell me how you know this. How are you so certain? You want me to help you and I will, but you got to let me in." Rick pleaded. Feeling for Michonne, but also feeling she might be taking him down a wild goose chase.

"OK!" Michonne answered. She slightly closed her eyes and took a deep breath and opened them to look at Rick's beautiful blue ones. He was alert and eager to hear what she had to say. "OK, here it goes. Now I want you to have an open mind…Now, remember, open mind…OK, here it goes, hmmm…"

"Michonne, just spit it out for God sake!" Rick exclaimed.

"She told me herself!" Michonne blurt out in one breath.

"Who, Jacqui? Then let's go talk to…" Rick was about to open the door.

"No…not Jacqui, Melanie, she told me that she was murdered and that is why I am here." Michonne said as she looked at Rick with some regret and hoping he wouldn't laugh or maybe even tell her to get out of the car and walk back on her own.

"So…let me get this right. You spoke to your deceased aunt and that is why we are here? Are you supposed to be a psychic or something like she was?" He said with a little sarcasm in his voice. "Because I am sorry, but Melanie was nice to me, but I didn't believe in that… I just couldn't and now this."

"I am not a psychic; I cannot tell you anything about the future. I can only at times communicate with those that have passed on." Michonne replied with a little anger and defense in her voice.

Michonne was feeling sadden and a bit angry with Rick's reaction, but understood that what she shared was hard for anybody to accept. It was even hard for her when she found out what she can do. She turned from Rick and proceeded to open the car door to exit. Rick looked down and pinched the bridge of his nose due to feeling bad for his reaction, but didn't know what else to say or do. He decided to exit the car and meet her at the passenger side. He was just about to ask her to get back in so he can drive her to her car when…

BOOM! CRUSH!

Jacqui's house blew up. Rick jumped and covered Michonne in case debris from the explosion came their way. He helped her up and both just stared at the fire and smoke in disbelief. What was left was fire and smoke where a house once stood and where Jacqui had entered some minutes earlier.