A/N: To start off, I want to thank all of you who have followed/favorited/reviewed on this story even though its still in its infancy. You all are my inspiration to continue on. Since I've had a significant amount of reviews come in, there will be a section at the end of the chapter where I will try to respond to all of them, but I thought it was important to start off the chapter correctly. A writer's greatest joy is the their reader's interest and enjoyment. I hope this chapter is only a continuation of that.

Enjoy!

In the past, I've heard it said that love will sneak up on you at the most unexpected time.

I have an addition to that.

Love not only sneaks up on you at an unexpected time, but the location, as well as the person themself is a total shock. A week ago, I would've never believed that I would run into a kid my age, in the middle of this hell of a world, and actually develop feelings for him. The him part was also a total surprise to me. Before shit hit the fan, and the world collapsed, I was the type of kid that avoided romantic involvement with anyone like the plague. For one, I didn't think it was possible for anyone to like me. And that was still a fear of mine. I was the dweeby kid in my school, even if my physical appearance wouldn't suggest it. And so, with that mentality, came inexperience. I didn't know what, or whom, I would be interested in. My parents, being the staunch Southern traditionalists that they were, pressured me towards getting a girlfriend many times in high school, but it just wasn't something I felt... right with. After the world went to shit, I had given up on love altogether. The desire to survive took over completely.

But now. Two days after I had held Carl, while he wept into my shoulder, eventually falling asleep in my arms, even I had to admit that I was completely, totally, love struck.

Some people would call it Cupid's Bow, but my pride simply wouldn't allow me to call it that. And I hadn't admitted it to Carl, either. Perhaps I never would. Only time would tell.

After his breakdown, Carl had told me everything. About the original Atlanta camp he had been in, about the farm, and then, finally, about the prison - which I knew something about. As he filled in the blanks of what little I knew about him, I finally began to comprehend why he was initially so distrustful of me. He had nearly burst into tears a second time when he told me about his mother and then his little sister, both of whom had met rather gruesome ends at the prison, albeit at different times. Of course, this didn't put an end to his often cold behavior, but I at least now knew that he trusted me enough to let me in on occasion.

I had begun believe I really had a chance as long I stuck with Carl.

But I should know better than to get comfortable in this new world. Today the dynamics would shift again... In a way I should've expected by this point:

####

Carl and I found ourselves in the kitchen when we first heard the noises coming from the living room. Neither of us was saying anything. Instead, we were simply eating our afternoon meal in peace. Carl had heard the first noise, a grunt, which drew his attention. Then I had heard the same. We both glanced at each other with bewildered expressions and then darted from our spot at the table to the living room, where Rick was laying. As I was beginning to suspect, Rick was finally awakening from his several-day-long coma. My initial reaction was happiness. Not exactly because Rick was waking up, but because the look on Carl's face, full of hope and relief that his Dad was finally coming out of his slumber, warmed my insides. I should've, however, been preparing for Rick's reaction to seeing a stranger in the house.

"Carl," he snarled, still adjusting to being awake. "Who is this? Why is he here?"

Rick's voice was full of defensiveness. I understood him to a degree. He was a father and Carl was all he had left. I was a newcomer. A threat. I was just lucky that he didn't have his gun on him or this might end badly. In fact, it still might.

"Dad," Carl said, his voice soft yet gruff - something that was more appealing to me than I had originally thought. "You've been out for five days. Tanner helped me while you were asleep."

"Helped you?" Rick is clearly not satisfied with that answer. He throws an inquisitive glare at me, before returning his gaze to Carl.

Carl glanced back at me, as if to look for support, and then opened his mouth to speak, but I intervened.

"Your son went looking for supplies while you were out. Seems like you were running low. Some walkers surprised him and cornered him, so I gave him a hand in dealing with them." I explained truthfully. I then nodded in the direction of my large backpack, which was propped up against the coffee table nearby. "As it turns out, I have quite a bit of supplies myself. I figured I'd help Carl out while you were out."

Rick's eyes dart between myself and Carl. Carl's expression softens and he nods at his father to confirm that my words are the truth. At first he doesn't say anything, bowing his head as if in deep thought, and then he looked up, staring at me with narrowed eyes. The look he gave me took me back a little bit, because it was the same kind of hard, inquisitive glares Carl gave me whenever he really wanted to figure out something about me. Like father, like son, I suppose.

"And what do you plan to do now that I'm awake?"

Even at only seventeen years old, I'm not blind. The question is a test. Rick's way of learning whether my intentions are self-serving or beneficial to himself and his son. Carl looks at me, clearly intrigued himself. I offer him a soft smile before returning my gaze to Rick.

"With your permission, sir," I throw that word in for added politeness. Though, in reality, its a word I very rarely used. "I'd like to stick around if you'll have me. Its been awhile since I've been around people. Carl and I get along pretty well, and I'm good at scavenging, so I promise not to be a burden."

Rick quickly glances at Carl, and then back to me: "That's a place you'll have to earn."

I'm prepared to accept that. If I can prove myself to Carl, then I should eventually be able to prove myself to Rick too. But Carl doesn't let it drop there. Instead, he takes a step forward, garnering his father's gaze once more. And the words that come out of his mouth both surprise me and make me very happy at the same time.

"Dad," he says simply. "He saved my life. He's earned his place already."

####

I wasn't expecting Rick to accept me immediately.

Hell, it had taken Carl a few days to get used to me being around. But the man seemed increasingly aggravated, so I kept my distance.

He and Carl seemed to be on good terms, though. Carl filled his father in on the events of the past couple of days, including the losing of his shoe, which is when he had originally met me. He re-explained what I already had, about the walkers that had cornered him in the woods, and how I had came to his aid right before a walker could make a meal out of him. Rick didn't react to the story as I expected; simply nodding as Carl told it. Afterwords, Carl indicated to his father that we were going to step outside and get some fresh air, but that we wouldn't go far. Rick responded by glaring at me, rather menacingly, before accepting. And believe me when I say that I'm glad to be out of there. So much so that I exhale a sigh of relief once we're finally outside the house.

"Sorry about that," he says, slipping his hands into his pockets. "He's not really a bad guy. It's just..."

Suddenly, I become aware at how insensitive I've been. The tension I've been feeling hasn't just been felt by me, but it seems that it has affected Carl. I sigh and offer a smile to him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Its fine." I reply. "To be honest, I'd be a little concerned if he didn't react this way to me."

Carl flashes me one of his signature inquisitive stares, so I elaborate.

"You know the answer already. The way the world is now, its kill or be killed. I'm a stranger and therefore pose a pretty significant threat. Your dad is just looking out for you. I'd expect it."

"But you came to my aid in the woods. We both told him that. It should be enough."

Carl's stubbornness on the matter is almost cute. A few day ago, he wouldn't have given a rat's ass if his dad accepted me or not, so his sudden determination to have me accepted by his father is heartwarming to some extent.

"He'll understand eventually." I reply. "Just give him some time."

Carl seems to accept this answer, though he doesn't seem to happy about it. The truth was, I was in no hurry to be accepted by Rick. I was happy to just give him the space and the time he needed. Its not like I suddenly lost my independence over the past few days, so even if I had to distance myself from both he and Carl for a time, I knew it'd eventually pay off. Of course, surprises come in clusters these days, and another one was about to pay us a visit. We had gone back indoors after about half an hour of idle chattering outside between each other. Rick seemed to have cooled down a little, which I passed off as just having woken up a bit more than he was earlier. He and Carl were sitting against the sofa that had been Rick's bed, eating their share of dinner. I was leaned up against a nearby wall doing the same. None of us talked, but occasionally Carl would glance over at me, almost like he wanted to make sure I was still there. We were all jolted out of our peaceful thoughts when there was a loud knock on the door.

On instinct, Carl had drawn his gun, pointing it at the door. I had also grabbed the longer of my two weapons, though I hadn't drawn it yet. Rick surveyed the room once before crawling onto the sofa and peeking through the view hole in the door. Both Carl and I shot each other curious glances, however, when Rick began to chuckle and then collapse onto the couch. Carl turned his questioning gaze on his father, who offered him yet another smile.

"Its for you."

####

((Carl's P.o.V.))

When I untied the cords I had wrapped as a makeshift lock around the front door, the last person I expected to see what Michonne.

And yet, upon pulling the door open, there she was. Whatever my initial reaction was going to be was lost in the tears that suddenly burst from my eyes. I nearly knocked her down as I flung my arms around her in a tight embrace. One she returned with equal vigor. Tears seemed to be in her eyes too and that only made me cry harder. After all this time, I was beginning to think Dad and I were truly the only survivors of the prison incident, and yet, here was Michonne; alive and well. It brought sudden and extreme relief to my heart, the likes of which I thought I'd never feel again. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we released each other and I let her enter the house, shutting the door behind us. At first, she just looked around, I guess to see where we were staying now. She then looked at Dad and wrapped him in a hug, which, to my surprise, he returned almost as strongly as I had.

"We didn't see you in the wreckage." Dad began to explain to her. "If we had known you had survived we would've..."

"You did the right thing." she interjected, her voice soft, yet firm as always. "You had other priorities to worry about."

That's when she took notice of Tanner, who had remained at the back of the room, observing us silently. She said nothing to him, and he nothing to her. Dad seemed to catch on and was quick to explain:

"This is a friend of Carl's. Tanner."

She regarded him with a nod and he returned the gesture. In a way, I felt really awful for Tanner. For us, this was a reunion of family. Michonne may not have been related in anyway to us, nor had she been a member of our group very long, but to me she was just like a member of my family. And I believe Dad felt the same. Tanner, on the other hand, had no one. He'd been on his own this entire time. I imagine seeing a reunion like this was probably awkward for him, so I shot him a soft smile, hoping it'd raise his spirits somewhat.

"Where have you been all this time?" Dad finally broke the silence, regarding Michonne again.

"Went back." she replied, obviously referring to the prison. "Nothing left of the place but smoke and walkers."

Dad nodded solemnly. In a way, the prison's fall was his greatest defeat. It was his crowning achievement as the group's leader: having found them a safe place to stay. Free of anxiety and the fear of losing their loved ones again. By letting the Governor escape after the first attempt, only to return and destroy that safe haven, damaged Dad in ways I don't think I'll ever truly understand.

"I imagine you're hungry." Dad said, changing the subject. "Come on. Carl and his friend helped bring us some food while I was out cold. Let's eat and then we can talk some more."

####

((Tanner's P.o.V.))

Another day passed.

With the sudden return of Michonne, Rick was more occupied with catching up with her than worrying about my addition to this slowly growing group. In a way, I was happy that the attention was off me. Less pressure. But luckily, I had Carl to keep me company. I hated to admit it, but I was beginning to really enjoy being around him. To the point where, when he was away, either talking to Michonne, or doing something for his dad, I missed him. The feelings still confused me, but I was beginning to accept them. On this particular day, however, Carl was doing a task for Rick; something involving fortifying the front yard; and so, rather than distract him, I decided to lay myself out in the backyard and enjoy the cool Georgian afternoon. Which is why it surprised me when Michonne finally decided to take an interest in me, coming out and sitting near me in the grass.

"Where's Rick?" I ask, curious as to why she'd all of the sudden bother with me.

"Sleeping." she replied. I'd begun to notice that she wasn't a woman of many words, but what she said was short and to the point. "He's still not feeling good."

I nod. Its to be expected I guess.

We sit in silence for a few moments before she breaks it once more.

"You and Carl," she begins, causing me to tilt my head so that I can see her better. "Seems you two get along pretty well."

"Yeah, he's coming around." I reply. "At first, he was as happy about me being here as Rick seems to be. But we've ironed a few things out. He's a pretty neat kid."

"Rick is a lot more thankful of you than he lets you believe." she informs me, which shocks me a bit. "He told me how you protected Carl from those walkers. So yeah, he may not show it, but he is thankful to you."

I snort a short laugh, "They're both hard to read sometimes."

She chuckles a tad herself, which makes the first time I've heard her laugh, "Yeah, they can be like that."

I suddenly begin to understand why Carl had gotten close to Michonne. She comes across as the strong-silent type, but she's actually quite perceptive. I can easily see how the two of them can be friends, despite the age difference.

"Just be good to him, whatever you do." Again her words cause me a little bit of alarm, as I'm not sure exactly what she's talking about. "Carl." she clarifies. "He's been through a lot. Lost a lot. Friends and family. I've seen the way you look at him. Its obvious you care. He needs a friend his own age and gender. So be good to him."

I suppose I had never realized Michonne would be that perceptive. So she had even been watching the way I looked at Carl and deduced my budding feelings for him all on her own. If I was being that obvious, I would need to work on my cover a bit better. Still, it was a nice sentiment, her looking out for Carl, while accepting our budding friendship at the same time. Its almost funny that she would accept me before Rick did, but I wasn't complaining. Carl eventually finished his task and came around back to join us. I was happy he was around. As nice as Michonne had just been to me, I felt more comfortable around him than either of the other two. He seemed to share my sentiment, because he sat down next to me, rather than Michonne.

"So, did you know Tanner uses swords too?" he says out of nowhere, directing the question at Michonne.

"Does he now?" she replies, grinning at me. "He any good?"

Carl nods with a grin of his own, "He's decent. Better than you'd think." Carl's tone is obviously joking and I'm really enjoying this more playful side of him. Michonne's return has really brightened his mood.

"I suppose I'll have to be the judge of that." she says. Another joke.

And suddenly, they're both chuckling. I realize its because my cheeks are on fire, which must mean I'm blushing, though whether from flattery of embarrassment, I'm not sure. But whatever the case, their laughter becomes contagious, and, for the first time in a year and a half, I let myself laugh along with them...

A/N: Okay, this one was shorter than the others, but mainly because it is a transition chapter. Expect the next one to be quite lengthy. Though because of this, it may not come out until Saturday or Sunday. I've already started on it, but its crucial I get it right, so I apologize if it takes a little bit longer than the others. Also, I realize this one was a bit slower compared to the others, but again, the goal here was to bring Michonne into the picture. I hope I did decent with this ;-;

Now, as promised, reviews:

Stewee:

Thank you! Plenty more is on the way! :)

Youngblood:

I'm glad you're sticking with this story and that you enjoy it so much! The way you described Michonne's role is pretty much how I'm going to go with her. Still, she'll get a couple of cool scenes of her own. She's my favorite character in the series, next to Carl, so I think I'll enjoy having her finally be part of the story. And thanks for the advice! Thanks to you, I've decided to give the smut a shot, though it'll be a little later on. Like I said, I want it to happen naturally. But the good news is, the romance part of the story should finally be kicking into full gear after this chapter, so look forward to that :) I look forward to your continued reviews and hope you continue to enjoy!

Sophie:

Thank you for your review! And I agree with you. Carl has lacked male friends through much of his young life, so its interesting getting inside his head and seeing how he'd react to one. It definitely sets this story apart from some of the others drifting around out there. I will definitely keep them coming and thanks for reading!

Wow. Thank you guys so much. Again, even the simple reviews are encouragement and I really enjoy reading what you have to say. Like I said, expect the next one around Saturday or Sunday; Monday at the very latest. I'll be working on it very diligently to make it as best as I possibly can.

Until the next one! Later!