A/N: My apologies for the long wait in between updates. Thank you for your support!

"In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed."

-Khalil Gibran

xXxXx

Rick woke with a start in the early hours of the morning, shaken from his reverie by the same dark figure that haunted his nightmares before; the dream ended differently this time. It did not drag away someone that Rick had loved, nor did it threaten his life; instead, it drew closer to where he was standing. Where he was frozen in place by fear or some unknown power. Its eyes peered deep into Rick's and what Rick saw was an endless, dark abyss before he awoke covered in a small sheen of sweat and panting quickly.

His bedroom was still relatively void of light which meant it was not yet time to rise; he then recalled that Michonne and Judith were still in the bed with him. He could hear their soft breathing as he smiled to himself. He silently yearned for the break of day so that he might look upon them in the soft morning light.

xXxXx

The gentle giggling drew Rick from his slumber when the daylight finally came. He looked to his right and smiled at the display before him; Michonne, lying on her back, held Judith high above her before slowly bringing the child down and kissing her tummy. Judith giggled again and tried to cover herself with her tiny hands from Michonne's onslaught. They were both so enthralled with their playtime that neither noticed that Rick was finally awake until he reached over and gently stroked his daughter's face.

Michonne sat the small child on her own stomach and turned her head to Rick.

"Good morning," she offered with a smile.

"Mornin'," Rick replied in kind.

"Sorry, did we wake you?" she asked.

"Yeah, but it's a lovely sight to wake up to," he offered as he shifted to his side.

Judith crawled over towards Rick and began to clamber all over him; he and Michonne shared a laugh.

"How do you feel? Did you sleep well?" asked Michonne.

"I woke up a couple o' times, but other than that, I was fine. Gettin' these stitches out today so that's somethin' to be hopeful about," he said quietly.

"There's always hope, Rick," Michonne said as she covered his hand with hers.

He smiled genuinely and then stared deeply into her eyes.

"I only have to look at the two of you and I know that's true," he offered softly.

Michonne felt her heart swell in that moment; the adoration in his gaze was almost overwhelming. She shifted her position and then leaned in to Rick as she kissed him softly and unhurriedly. He reached his hand up to cup her face and to deepen the kiss. Rick only stopped when he felt Judith's little hand trying to pry his away from Michonne; the child wanted their undivided attention. He chortled and then looked at his daughter who had now wriggled her way in between the two of them. She opted to lie down and twirl Michonne's hair between her fingers, happy that the two adults that she cared for most were with her.

Rick smiled as he watched them again; he did not tell Michonne that he had remembered what transpired before and up until Judith had come to be in his life. Those painful memories of Lori and Shane he would rather keep buried for only him to contemplate.

xXxXx

Rick barely flinched as Dr Cloyd removed his sutures and checked his wound.

"It's healed nicely," she said as she put away her equipment and cleaned her hands again.

"Thanks for everything you've done," said Rick as he stood to leave.

"You're welcome. Take care of yourself," Dr Cloyd said as she pushed her glasses back up her nose. "This community needs you."

Rick nodded and then exited the infirmary; he glanced around the community and felt a sense of familiarity that he had not felt since he had woken up. He recalled some aspects of what life was like on the outside of the walls; what it was like to be on the road. How difficult it was to protect those you cared about. In a sudden flash, Rick began to remember more of the dangerous existence he had endured since the world ended. The realization was staggering to him; when he became aware of just how perilous it had all been, he felt as if the air was forced from his body. It seemed he had had a tough time; but the only thing that had been steadfast was the support of his friends and family.

The people he had grown to call his family were with him every step of the way. They went hungry when he did; they fought and bled and survived like he had; they felt the heaviness weighing on their hearts as he had; they were there. She was there. As memories of his time with Michonne flooded his mind, Rick felt a confounding feeling of understanding. He recognized in that moment exactly why he felt so connected with and drawn to her; for all that they had endured together; for the way that she never doubted him; for the way that she stood beside him; he knew why he loved her. She made him want to strive for better; for their family, for himself.

A small smile graced Rick's face as he thought of Michonne in that moment; he wanted nothing more than to return to their home and spend the rest of the day, the rest of their lives remembering her and getting to know her better. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of two men arguing; Rick took notice of their altercation and instinctively walked in their direction.

"What's the problem here?" Rick asked as he stopped a few feet away from them.

"The problem is that this asshole stole my rations. I set them down and went to help someone and when I came back, he had his grubby paws all over my food," said the older man.

"Is that true?" asked Rick as he looked at the young blonde man.

"Ain't nobody even sure if he owns this stuff. They were just lying in the street," he explained.

"So you just helped yourself then?" said Rick.

"Hell yes I helped myself. Times are tough and supplies are low," he said, still clutching the bag.

"Look, just hand the food back over and go get your own," said suggested.

"Man, no one has been on a supply run for lord knows how long and they're tightening up at pantry. No offence, Grimes, but you're supposed to be our fearless fuckin' leader but I don't see any leadin' gettin' done 'round here so I guess it should be a free-for-all," he stated bluntly.

Rick felt the white hot rage gurgling in the pit of his stomach; he pinched the bridge of his nose and took a step closer to the man.

"What's your name, son?" he asked quietly.

"Harrison," the blonde man replied.

Rick tilted his head to the side.

"Is that your Christian name?" asked Rick.

The man nodded.

"Well, Harrison, let me tell you somethin'," said Rick as he pointed a finger to Harrison's chest. "I am the leader here and since you're so fuckin' perceptive you may have noticed I haven't been in the best of health. But don't let that worry you none 'cause I'm back now and things are gonna start changing around here for the better. So give the man back his food before I kick your sorry ass up and down these display homes. You understand me, boy?"

"I'm not scared o' you," said Harrison unconvincingly.

"Since you obviously haven't heard, here's some advice: you damn well should be," Rick said as he leaned in so his face was inches from the young man's.

Harrison's chest was heaving even though he tried to hold his breath to calm his nerves. Rick's steely gaze bore into his eyes and the younger of the two men backed away slightly.

"Fuck all o' y'all," he said as he tossed the bag back to the owner.

Harrison, though farther away, still stood and stared Rick down out of bravado or stupidity; not wanting to move himself, Rick wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and glared at the younger man.

"You should leave," said Rick evenly.

Rick placed his to Harrison's shoulder in an attempt to get him to move; the younger man swatted Rick's hand away roughly. Out of reflex, and without giving it much thought, Rick balled his right hand into a fist and then swung it at Harrison; the impact when it connected caused him to fall to the ground.

Rick split his knuckle on Harrison's tooth but went to kneel down and strike the young man once more. Out of nowhere, Glenn came running and caught Rick around the upper body with his arm to hold him back.

"What's goin' on here?" Glenn asked of the man lying in the street shaken.

"H-he's fuckin' crazy," said Harrison as he was helped to his feet by a bystander.

"It's the same old shit as before," said someone from the growing crowd. "He's attacking people again."

Rick listened to their claims and felt the pounding in his head grow louder; he worked himself free of Glenn's grasp and walked away.

xXxXx

The solitude was not as effective as Rick thought it would be as he sat trying to gather his thoughts; he wanted to know what those people meant when they accused him of being insane. It was becoming difficult to understand his place in the world when he did not fully know who he was; it was going to be even more difficult as his need to interact with others returned. His instincts were still intact and he was quick to grow angry at the earlier situation. Is that the person he was? Michonne had told him he was dangerous, but that he needed to be; he could understand that. But what about being crazy? Where did that fit with who he was? Rick mulled over these questions for a long while. He was interrupted from his thoughts when he sensed Michonne standing at the door of his bedroom.

"Are you alright?" she asked, leaning against the jamb.

Rick looked at her with a heavy weariness; he sighed before answering in a gravelly, low tone,

"No."

Michonne's brow furrowed as she walked towards him.

"Rick," she started.

She took up a seat next to Rick on his bed and waited for him to say something more.

"I don't know," he amended.

"Glenn told me about what happened earlier," she offered, searching his face.

Rick tilted his head to the side.

"Apparently it ain't the first time I've done somethin' like that," he said as he looked down at his hands.

Michonne's eyes followed his gaze and she noticed his damaged knuckles; she gently took hold of his hand and examined the wound. Rick's gaze then found her face once more. There was so much he wanted to ask her; so much he wanted to say. Her presence calmed him and there was not one trace of the ire that had engulfed him previously. She was good for him, he realized and he wanted more.

Michonne ran her thumb gently over Rick's knuckles before she looked into his eyes.

"I need to ask you somethin'," he said in his slow drawl.

"Ask away," Michonne replied, still holding his hand.

"Will you spend the night with me?" he queried, a serious expression on his face. "Just the two of us?"