Accident – Part 3
Summary: Rick is suffering from a mild concussion and a broken nose. Michonne must find a way to keep him from falling asleep. In the late hours of the night, Rick and Michonne have a heart-to-heart and, maybe, something more. (not to give anything away, but this story is titled First Kisses…)
A/N: This is a story I've wanted to write for some time. I hope you like it!
…
That is an excellent question, Michonne. The man's nose is broken. How are you going to make that right?
"Easy. I'll distract you," Michonne said, "If you think about something else, you won't think about the pain."
Yes, but distract him with what, exactly?
Rick was watching her cautiously. He always seemed like he had more he wanted to say but wasn't sure if he should say it. Still, he's a lot more relaxed around me than he used to be.
"I know how you feel," Michonne found herself telling Rick, "There was an unfortunate soccer ball incident. Broke my nose in two places. I had to get stitches and wear this sort of plastic guard thing on my face for weeks."
"Seriously?" Rick asked, seemingly caught off guard by her personal story.
"Mhmm. It was awful," Michonne affirmed.
Rick leaned in very close to her.
"But your nose is perfect," he blurted out.
"Well, it was a long time ago," Michonne said, smiling a little, "It healed."
Rick thought about that for a moment, then blinked and realized how close he was and moved back out of her space.
"This will heal too," he said, his voice a little quiet.
She wasn't sure if he was talking about his own injury or something else.
"We've really come a long way, haven't we?" Michonne said thoughtfully.
Rick looked uncertain.
"I mean you and me," she explained, "It's been about a year and a half since I came here, that first day. Almost seems like a different life, so much has happened."
They were quiet for a bit, remembering all the challenges they'd faced together; the showdown with the Governor, letting new people in, dealing with the deadly sickness, herds of walkers constantly threatening the fences, and a myriad other disasters.
"I'm not the same person I was then," Michonne said in another rare moment of openness.
"Me neither," Rick agreed, staring into the distance.
"Do you still see her? Carl's mom?" Michonne asked and immediately thought better of it.
"Sorry," she apologized, "I shouldn't have brought that up."
"No, it's okay," Rick said, and for a long moment Michonne thought that was it. She got ready to change the subject.
"It's been a long time now…since I've seen her," Rick answered truthfully, "Sometimes I still feel…haunted, I guess, but things are better these days. Being around Judith helps."
Michonne smiled softly at that. Seeing how tender Rick was with his baby daughter was one of the things she loved most about him.
"Wait, where is she now?" Michonne suddenly realized that Judith was usually snug in her crib at the foot of Rick's bed at this time of night.
"She's with Daryl," Rick said, "He's got a real soft spot for her."
"If you're not careful, she's going to grow up thinking her name's Lil Asskicker," Michonne joked.
"Yeah," Rick said absently.
His mind seemed to be somewhere else. Michonne waited to see if he'd tell her where. She stretched out her feet and kicked off her boots. Each one made a nice thunk as they hit the floor.
"You're right. We have come a long way," Rick spoke again, "I'm sorry, you know. For how I treated you back then."
"Rick…" She hadn't meant to go digging up the past.
Yes, he had definitely treated her harshly in the beginning, but she could hardly blame him for not trusting a stranger. Besides, she could take care of herself. It hadn't been easy, earning Rick's trust, deciding that she even wanted to live at the prison, but she'd done it.
"I don't blame you for any of that. I was hardly the most trusting person either, remember. I understand what it was like," Michonne insisted. You carry so much guilt, please don't carry any more because of me.
"I know. You always understand," Rick said, "Still, I had to say it once."
"Either way, I think it's safe to say we're even now," Michonne teased, gesturing towards Rick's injured nose.
Rick's lips twitched a bit but then he was quiet again. So far, Plan Distract Rick was off to a rocky start. Michonne wasn't used to talking so much, but she was never one to back down from a challenge. She would cheer Rick up if it took all night.
"Carl was the first friend I made here," she told him, "At first he didn't want anything to do with me, of course, but I won him over."
Rick turned his head to look at her. She had his attention again.
"I have a fool-proof strategy for making friends. First, I find someone I like. Then I follow them around until they don't know what to do without me," Michonne said, grinning.
"Oh really?" Rick was amused.
"It's worked pretty well so far."
Rick pulled his feet up onto the bed to sit more comfortably before he started to talk again.
"The other day, Carl was playing with Patrick and the girls, Lizzie and Mika. They were play-sword fighting with sticks, knights or pirates or something, and the whole time I was out there in the garden, I could hear Carl bossing the other kids around. He kept telling them, 'no, this is how Michonne holds it' or 'Michonne does it like this'. Those poor girls got so mad at him…
"I'm glad he has you," Rick said, turning a little to face Michonne, "I can't be his best friend and his father. He needs you."
Michonne wasn't one to go begging for affirmation. She knew where she belonged. Even so, it felt unexpectedly good to hear those words from Rick, who seldom opened up like that. After wandering for so long…this is where I belong, by your side…
The distant sound of rain was steady and soothing.
"Uh, Michonne?" Rick spoke and she realized that she'd been staring at him but couldn't look away.
"Could you get me some water?" he asked.
"Yeah, no problem," she said and got up to fetch a water bottle, shaking off the calm mood that had settled over her.
As she watched Rick sip the water, more than once wincing in pain, she came up with an idea for passing the time.
"Hold on, I'll be right back," Michonne said, leaving to get the pile of comic books that Carl had left in her room the other day.
The two survivors settled in together. Michonne read comic after comic aloud to Rick, her voice low so as not to disturb anyone else trying to sleep. There was a mish-mash of Star Wars, X-men, Batman, the Avengers, and something about time travel, none of it in sequential order so the stories made very little sense.
Rick, for his part, didn't voice any objections and when he started to nod off, Michonne would pinch him on the arm. Then Rick would express mild annoyance and tell her to keep reading.
As time crept into the small hours of the morning, Michonne found that Rick had gradually shifted closer and closer to her so he was practically leaning against her. When he let his head rest on her shoulder, she realized that he was asleep again.
Stifling a yawn of her own, Michonne got ready to pinch Rick's arm. She hesitated. He looks so different in sleep. Gone were the worries and stresses of wakefulness. For several long minutes, Michonne didn't move. It was so tempting to stay still, to enjoy this peaceful moment together, and he so deserved a rest.
It has to be close to morning. If he's okay…he's probably okay…but Hershel said…
Michonne sighed. I promised Hershel after all. Can't give up now just because Rick looks so adorable sleeping…on my shoulder.
"Rick," she said softly, shaking his arm.
"Ugh…I'm 'wake…" he lifted his head reluctantly.
"Sorry," Michonne said, "Veterinarian's orders. Probably not much longer now."
Rick mumbled something, rubbing his eyes.
"What?"
"You read that one already," he said, indicating the comic book on Michonne's lap.
"I didn't think you were paying attention," she replied.
"I was…a little," Rick answered with a tired smile.
"How do you feel? Any changes?" Michonne asked, mostly to remind him that she was waking him up for his own good.
"Nah…still hurts," Rick said, his eyes getting heavy again.
We've read all the comics at least once. Time to think of something clever.
"If you stay awake a little longer, I'll give you a present," Michonne offered.
Rick considered this and quickly gave in, "What is it?"
"I'll give you three questions. You can ask me anything you want, anything at all, and I have to tell the truth," Michonne explained.
"Ahright," Rick agreed, intrigued.
"Make sure you choose carefully. This is a one-time only kind of thing," Michonne instructed.
Rick nodded seriously. He shifted so that he was facing her, thinking hard. He studied her face closely in the dim light.
As Rick measured what to ask, Michonne prepared herself for what she had started. Was she ready to talk about her past, to open herself to personal questions, to glimpse what Rick Grimes really thought of her?
"Okay, I've got one," Rick said, narrowing his eyes in concentration.
"Why do you always wear a headband?" he asked, completely serious.
"That's your question?" Michonne was surprised…That's it?
"Yeah. It's my question," Rick responded, "I've never seen you not wearing a headband. Why?"
"Because I like it," Michonne answered simply.
"Okay," Rick decided that was an acceptable answer.
"You have two more questions," she said.
This was certainly not the way she had expected her little 'Three Free Questions' game to go. There was a soft look in Rick's blue eyes. It was a look that she'd caught before, several times, but this time he didn't fidget or look away or change the subject before he said what he wanted to say.
"Can I touch your hair?" Rick asked hesitantly.
Michonne gave a small nod and Rick reached up and slowly ran his fingers along the length of one of her dreads. He let it fall back into place beside her cheek.
"Sorry," Rick said sheepishly, seeming to forget that she had in fact given him permission, "curiosity got the best of me."
"One more question," Michonne prompted him gently, trying not to get her hopes up too much.
"Michonne…" he looked into her eyes beseechingly, "Can I please go to sleep now?"
"No," she sighed, "Not yet." That was not going to be it. He has a concussion, sure, but seriously? How could he not pick up on the mood just now?
"Well, I don't know…what you can do to stop me …" Rick absently brushed his hair back from his face and moved to lie down.
She yanked on his arm and he turned back to her with a tired sigh.
"Michonne, please…I can't think of any more questions…or anything…" Rick mumbled, eyes half-closed.
It was then, late at night, with the rest of the world forgotten, that Michonne acted without thinking. She reached up and brushed her fingers through Rick's curls. An unfamiliar vulnerability, a soft pleasure, flitted across his face and Michonne knew she couldn't stop there.
"Told you I'd make you feel better…" she murmured.
Michonne let her hand rest at the nape of his neck, fingers still tangled in his hair. She tilted her head a little and kissed him softly on the lips, careful not to bump his nose.
It was a brief kiss, just enough to know that it was real, to plant the seed of hope for more.
Rick touched his forehead against Michonne's and for a second she thought he might kiss her but he seemed content with being so close together.
"You should rest," she said softly. It's time to rest now.
Rick gave a small nod but didn't move from his cozy spot leaning against Michonne, his hand warm on her arm.
"Will you stay for a little while?" he asked.
"Just a little while."
…
A/N: I might come back and write a short Part 4 for this one, what do you think?
Are you ready for the next episode tonight? I really like scenes where the characters are trying to comfort or encourage each other, even when everything looks hopeless. I hope we get more Maggie/Sasha friendship and, of course, more Michonne being awesome and taking care of her loves.
Richonne forever! Even Andrew Lincoln supports Richonne. I'm telling you, it's going to happen and it's going to be beautiful!