You know me…

The Coroner and his assistant placed Henry's lifeless wrapped body in their assigned van. Lori's mother sat at the kitchen table talking to an officer. Lori sat on the couch talking with Rick.

"That's all I remember Rick… It was just so sad. I thought he was asleep. I hope he went peacefully" She sat next to Rick. She looked down with tears in her eyes and whispered, but loud enough for Rick to hear. "I wish I could have said good-bye to my daddy."

"I'm so sorry this happened Lori." Said Rick as he reached out for her to pull her into an embrace. She rested her head on his chest and proceeded to cry some more. "I know how tough this is. Cry all you want. I'm here"

"Rick, thank you so much for being here.. You know, with me. I know we haven't been like we use to." Lori looked up at Rick.

"Lori…"

"Rick, I mean, like friends. We were best friends once and I really miss that." She placed her head once again on his chest.

"Lori, I know. A lot has happened. Don't think about that right now." Rick stated as he held her close.

"I'm just glad you are here now. I don't know what I would have done if you didn't want to be here."

"Lori…"

"I know Rick. I know you have a new family now. I understand that, I just want my friend back and to be in your life another way. I want to be your friend again. Just like Shane."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you continue to be his friend and he has a friendship with Michonne."

"What do you mean Michonne?" Rick asked as he gently pulled her from the embrace to look at her with confusion.

"Well, I know you and Shane are still close, not just cause you both work in the same department, but because he is now close to Michonne."

"What do you mean close to Michonne?"

"I assume that he comes over a lot. I called him a few times and he would tell me that he couldn't talk at the moment and I could hear Michonne in the back ground." Lori can see Rick's look turn from confusion to a stirring anger. She could see her plans forming right before her eyes. "Oh, and I could hear your adorable little baby too. How old is she now?"

"Rick, I think we got enough information." Said Deputy Mills who accompanied Rick to the residence. "Rick!."

"…Uhm… Yeah, we can go now…" Said Rick as he stood from where he sat. He did not look at Mills or Lori or anything at all. The only thing he could do was hear over and over again what Lori had just told him about Shane visiting his home and knowing very well he was not there and never told of the unannounced visits.

Rick finally looked toward Lori. "Lori, I guess we will be leaving. Call me if anything. I know you and your mother will be making funeral arrangements."

"Yes Rick. And thank you so much." Lori said as she wiped tears.

Rick nodded and walked out of the home followed by Mills.

"Rick, tell Michonne I said, 'Hi." Lori said from the doorway. Once the squad car was out of sight, she walked back and closed the door and smiled.

"Does he even know who you really are?" Lori turned towards the voice behind her. It was her mother in her robe with a very depressed look on her face as she shook her head.

Lori walked up close to her mother. Looked her straight in her sad eyes. Lori laughed and shook her head as she scanned her mother from head to toe. "Momma, you don't even know who I am."

Lori picked up her purse walked to the door. "I gotta go. I gotta get a dress for a funeral, my daddy just died." Opened the door and walked out.

XXXXXXX

"Jacqui, this is my friend Andrea. She is also very skilled in what we spoke about." Michonne introduced Andrea who shakes Jacqui's hand and smiled warmly.

"It's great to have you here with us. Ever since Michonne brought this idea to me I couldn't wait to start. I truly believe it would be a great benefit for the women and children here." Said an excited Jacqui as she looked at Andrea and back to Michonne.

"Well Jacqui, I know that learning self-defense is a great thing, especially for victim survivors. And the most important aspect is that they can learn to regain control and their voice back!" Said Andrea as she nodded and look towards Michonne for affirmation.

"Where should we start?" Inquired Michonne.

"Go to the large room where we have big gatherings for the holidays. I'll get the women and children." Jacqui pointed towards the room and left to gather the others.

"This means a lot, Andrea. Thank you very much."

"Mich, how can I not help you? You helped me see that my relationship with Phillip wasn't a healthy one. You never gave up on me even though I pushed you away, countless times." Andrea turned to Michonne and pulled her in an embrace. "I'm here for you for whatever you need."

There were some women and children that gathered in the room as they were being escorted by Jacqui. The room had many tables and chairs and a small kitchen in the corner. The room had very high ceilings. Michonne and Andrea pushed the tables and chairs to the far side of the room to make sufficient space for everyone and what they were going to teach them. Andrea and Michonne stood at the far end of the room where everyone can see them. Michonne and Andrea were prepared to teach self-defense courses, due to the fact that they both acquired black-belts together many years ago. They were dressed in comfortable loose t-shirts and loose fitting sweat pants. Andrea asked everyone to take a seat on the floor as she explained the purpose of the twelve weeks course and how they would personally benefit in many ways. Michonne sat next to Andrea, but can see from far Carol peeking in through the door. Michonne walked up to the shy woman.

"Hey, like to come in and just check it out? No obligations." Said Michonne softly.

"I… Don't think it would do me any good. The last thing I want to do is go around beating people up… I'm tired of violence, actually" Carol stated as she looked down and then proceeded to leave.

"Wait!" Pleaded Michonne and walked quickly behind the woman. Carol stopped, but didn't turn around. "This isn't about beating up people or violence. This is about getting back what was taken from you and never letting that happen again." Carol turned to look at Michonne through her bruised eyes. Michonne cautiously reached for her hand. "Carol, you are not weak, you were never weak and you will see that. You will."

Michonne turned to return to the room and Carol followed.

XXXXXXX

Carl sat next to the receptionist area at the entrance of the women's shelter, reading a comic book. Lori entered quickly to inform Jacqui that she will not be coming in for a few days due to her step-father's funeral arrangements. Behind her entered Dan and Ellie Sutton. Carl looked up, began to tremble and quickly tried to hide under the receptionist desk. Lori noticed what he did. She looked at where the boy was hiding. He shook his head indicating for her not to reveal his whereabouts.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Sutton. We are Carl's foster parents. We came to pick him up." Said the heavy set unkempt Caucasian man, who came wearing a t-shirt, dirty jeans with long balding hair. Mrs. Sutton was a petite quiet woman whose appearance was also not very clean or flattering.

"And you are? Well, I don't know where he can be. Maybe come another time?" Said Lori as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Listen, he's our boy and we want him home, now!" Demanded Dan.

Lori could see something in him that just wasn't right and the fear the boy displayed was too similar to ignore. It caused a fury in Lori. "Well, you listen! I said, he isn't here and no one can help you at the moment so leave!"

"It's OK Dan, we'll… We'll just come back tomorrow." Begged Ms. Sutton as she tugged at his t-shirt. Dan stared at Lori with an attempt to intimidate her, but she wasn't a child anymore and people like him can't terrorize her any longer and she knew that very well.

The couple left and Carl emerged from his hiding place. "Thank you ma'am."

Lori nodded and the boy walked back to his room. Lori heard the boy speak to someone and the voice was all too familiar and uninviting. Lori tried to leave before the person appeared.

"Hi Lori, I'm so sorry for your loss." Said Michonne.

Lori did not want to look at her. She just nodded. "Do you know where's Jacqui?"

"Yes, she is in her office. I was just there … Lori, I know we are not… If there is anything I can do?"

Lori snickered lightly to herself and shook her head. "Help me Michonne?" Lori was about to walk to Jacqui's office, but stopped and looked at Michonne for the first time since she was there. "If you really want to help someone, help that kid. There is something not right with the Sutton's and that boy shouldn't be forced to go there. So, if you want to play Mother Teresa, then actually help Carl." With that Lori left and didn't say another word.

XXXXXXX

Rick entered his home and walked to the kitchen looking for Michonne. "Mich, I'm home. I gotta go back out to…"

"OK, we'll talk later." Michonne was on the phone and abruptly ends the call. "Hey, honey." She reached for a kiss, but Rick pulled back.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Uhm… It's really nothing Rick." Said a guilty looking Michonne. She hated having to lie to Rick and actually found it to be very silly. All she was doing was providing legal services, but the hiding and lying made it seem like much more. She knew that Rick and Shane were good friends for many years and that despite being embarrassed about his illegal involvements; she assumed that Rick would eventually forgive him and probably help him anyway.

Rick gave her a side glare. "What's goin' on Mich? I know you are hiding something. Is it something to do with Shane?"

Michonne sighed and nodded. She looked at Rick and smiled, but then her smile slowly wiped off her face when she noticed that he didn't smile back and appeared to get angry.

"And you couldn't tell me!" Rick yelled.

"Wait, it's actually all really silly, when you think about it. What happened was…"

"You couldn't tell me that you were secretly seeing Shane and he was coming here when I wasn't home?" Rick took a few steps closer and tilted his head and looked at her with anger and disdain.

"OK, Rick, I should have told you from the beginning when he asked for my help, but he begged me not to on the count of feeling embarrassed over what he was into. That is all, but there is nothing more." Michonned implored. "Rick, you know me!"

Rick stepped back and chuckled with contempt and shook his head as she looked away. "Yeah, do I? Mich… Do I really know you? I thought we had the kind of relationship that we didn't keep secrets from each other. Not anymore… Remember? I guess I'm wrong!"

"Rick, it's not a big deal. I know it was silly… No stupid, not to tell you, but I did it to help your friend. What is wrong with you?"

"Me? Wow, you are something else. You lie to me. Sneak around and now I'm the one with issues!" Rick yelled even louder.

"Rick, please keep it down. You're going to wake the baby."

"How many times?"

"How many times what?"

"Was he here?"

"Rick, it was a few times. If you want, just call him and ask him to come here and I have no problem…"

Rick's cell began to ring. It was the Sherriff's Department. There was an emergency and they needed him to come in ASAP. Rick looked over at Michonne, clenched his jaw and left without saying another word. She stayed standing in the middle of the kitchen floor shaking her head and in tears.

_0_

It was a short chapter, but I just wanted to highlight how something so innocent and simple can be the seed needed to grow into something more. There is yet more to come and Lori's plan is set into motion. Will Richonne's love be strong enough to combat what Lori has planned or will Rick's jealousy blind him and not allow him to see what is really happening?

We will see…

Thanks for reading!