A/N: Hi all! This one is a bit of a filler. Now, some responses because you are all so lovely:

impvme: They are definitely a little shy, but liking the whole journey of getting to know one another.

dirtiebertie17: I's so glad they're coming off as adorkable lol that was my aim.

sleepywitchysamurai: You know, I totally smile the whole time I am writing it…

itscalledkarma: Yay! Adorakable Rick is one of my favourite Ricks to write.

simple1234: Naw it makes me smile knowing that you're smiling!

Zeejack: I am so glad you mentioned that this story can stand alone without the graphics. I love writing it and sharing it on Tumblr, but I do know a lot of my readers here would enjoy reading it as well. Just happy it worked out. Thank you!

Literaturechick: Thank you so much! I always appreciate you taking the time to leave me such wonderful feedback.

K1k1-Wr1tes: Thanks for your feedback; I would update more regularly, but I have a friend creating the graphics for Tumblr and have to find time to tell her exactly what I need before posting it there and then here. I am happy that you're enjoying this though!

ShunnieIsFine: Richonne smiling = me smiling = you smiling! We're all smiling and it's so much fun. Thank you!

The ceiling fan of the small diner spun quickly; a faint ticking sound was released with each revolution. Rick sipped from the blue straw that led from his lips to the glass of homemade lemonade as he listened to Shane speaking about what he was going to be doing on the weekend. Rick was not really paying close attention to his partner and best friend because the stories always started and ended the same: Shane always had some 'hot date' with an unsuspecting young woman he had just met and by Monday morning, he would have a new conquest to tell Rick about.

Rick had learned not to ask any questions as Shane was already quite adept at giving him details that he had not wanted to know in the first instance. There was a lull in the conversation just as Rick heard his phone's message alert sound. He retrieved it from his pocket and smiled widely when he saw who it was from. Shane watched on quite amused to see his friend light up; he let him text a few times knowing that it was this mysterious Michonne who had brought some delight into Rick's life.

Michonne: Hey. It's Michonne. I thought I should text. Hope that's okay.

Rick: Hey. That OK. I'm glad to hear from you.

Rick: *That's

Michonne: You're so cute. I wanted to ask: If I call you tonight, will you answer?

Rick: Are you serious? Of course I'd answer you! I can't wait to hear your voice.

"Michonne, uh?" asked Shane as Rick placed the phone down after he sent his last response.

"Yeah," he offered with a wide beam. "She wanted to know if she could give me a call later."

"The two of you haven't had phone sex yet?" asked Shane with a smile of his own.

Rick rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, asshole. We haven't even spoken yet," Rick explained.

"But you traded numbers almost a week ago," Shane replied incredulously.

"Yeah, well we've only been chatting, haven't gotten around to phone calls yet," Rick countered.

"Why didn't you just call her?" asked Shane. "You a grown ass man, she's a grown ass woman."

Rick sighed.

"You really wanna know why?" he asked as Shane nodded his head. "I was worried about how the kids might react. You know, me talkin' to someone. A woman. Carl will tell his grandparents and I'll end up bombarded with questions about who she is and how we met and what my intentions are."

Shane leaned back in his seat and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Buddy, I'm gonna be completely honest with you right now. Whoever you're talkin' to in your spare time got nothin' to do with anyone else. You take care of them kids on your own and do a damn good job of it. You're allowed to have other relationships; you're allowed to have a little time to yourself. Carl's a good kid. He'll understand when the time comes. Judy just wants to see her daddy smile more often," Shane said in earnest.

"You know what? You're actually right," Rick said as he looked at his phone screen once again. "You are right."

xXxXx

The work day had become busy for Rick in what seemed like no time and he was ready to go home. Having just gotten off the phone to Carl who had picked Judith up from school, Rick thought to check his text messages.

He was a little worried when Michonne did not respond to the last message he had sent. He agonized for a while over what he had said when he stated that he was eager to hear her voice. He asked Shane if it sounded creepy, and his friend said it was fine, although Rick did not readily trust his best friend's judgement on such things, he was trying.

A smile crossed his face when he saw that he had received a message from Michonne:

Michonne: I'm so sorry about earlier. I received a call just as I was texting you and had to make a mad dash. I'll call you later. I can't wait to hear your voice too x

He quickly typed in his response, smiled once more and hit the send button.

…..

Rick walked down stairs in his blue pajama bottoms and old brown shirt. He had just finished reading to Judith and settling her into bed and was now checking on Carl; he held his mobile in his hand so as not to miss Michonne's call.

"I'm gonna turn in early, Son," said Rick to Carl as he stood at the foot of the staircase.

"Okay. I'm just gonna finish watching this," Carl offered, not taking his eyes off the television screen. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Don't stay up too late. Goodnight, Son," said Rick as he made his way to his bedroom.

Once inside, Rick set his phone down on the nightstand and picked up the book he had been reading. He found that he had read the same sentence three times as his gaze kept finding the phone; there was a fluttering in his stomach as he anticipated her call. He tried to resume reading, but was still unable to focus out of excitement.

"Calm down, Grimes," he said to himself just as his phone rang and Michonne's name flashed on his screen.

Rick took a deep breath and then accepted the call with a softly spoken hello.

"Rick? Hi, it's Michonne…"