Richonne (Short Love Stories) Baby Can I Hold You

A/N: At the request of a Guest reviewer. This is inspired by the song Baby Can I Hold You by Tracy Chapman. Hope you enjoy it.

Scenario I

Rick and Michonne are returning to the prison after a much needed supply run. He puts the truck in park, kills the engine and they both exit to greet everyone. The others are more than happy to see them back safe and sound.

"Everything go ok out there?" Carl inquires.

"We had a pretty good run. A little trouble, but nothing we couldn't handle," Rick states.

Michonne agrees as she grabs her backpack and starts to walk inside. "I'll be right back to help upload."

Rick detains her momentarily. "Hey, I got it. I'll help them unload then I'll be in. Wait for me?"

She agrees and walks inside to her cell.

An hour later, the two of them are in the bathroom, waiting anxiously.

"How long now? " Michonne asks.

"It's only been a minute and a half. Didn't it say 5 minutes?" Rick returns.

She sighs with a little impatience. "I'm going to work on the fence today. The build-up looks pretty big since last week."

"You might want to get some sleep. I know you haven't been sleeping well, so why not just take this time to wind down?" he suggests.

She looks at him pointedly but decides not to argue as she walks over to the counter to check the test.

Rick walks up behind her as she lifts it for the two of them to read. One pink line equals not pregnant.

Michonne brings a hand up to her face, exhaling with extreme relief. She can see that Rick is equally relieved. She tosses the test in the trash, then grabs his hand with a squeeze. "Thank goodness that's over. We'll have to be a lot more careful from now on. I made sure to get another supply of condoms while we were out."

"The condom broke, remember? That's why we just had to take a pregnancy test," Rick seems a little irritated.

Michonne moves closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Well, what would you suggest then? I can try to find some birth control pills, but I told you how sick they made me before, so I had to stop taking them."

Rick grasps her wrists softly, removing her arms from his waist. "I…I told you what happened to Lori. I can't…I won't go through that again, so we might need to scale it down a bit."

"Scale it down? What does that mean?" Michonne steps further back, searching his eyes.

He averts his eyes, unable to meet her gaze as he knows she won't like what he has to say. "It means I think we shouldn't have sex for a while."

She scoffs. "Rick, we're adults. We can handle this. So we had a little scare, but it's fine. You don't have to do this."

The silence grows as he contemplates her words and she waits for his answer. "We'll just talk about it later, ok?"

"Fine. I'll be at the fence," she grabs her katana and brushes past him on her way out.

Rick pinches the bridge of his nose, knowing that he probably just made a mistake but he can't take the risk of getting her pregnant. It was too much for him to manage.

That night, he went to her cell as he normally does, wondering if she would even welcome him after what he said to her earlier. She watches him closely as he makes his way inside, leaning against the wall opposite of her.

"We need to talk," he tells her.

Michonne slowly peels her body from the lower bunk and moves to stand in front of him. "But what if I don't want to talk?" She steps closer to him, reaching up to pull his collar away from his neck. She leans in with a soft kiss to his exposed skin while simultaneously moving her hand down to cup him.

Rick gasps loudly and reaches for her hand to stop her. "I said we need to talk."

"And I said I don't want to." She places her hand at the nape of his neck, pulling his head down to bring his lips to hers, kissing him passionately.

Rick fights with himself for control. A part of him wants to give in so badly, but he remembers the fear he felt with the possibility of Michonne being pregnant and he knows he can't yield. He grabs her hips, almost pulling her to him, but quickly pushes her away, breaking their kiss. "No!" He steps around her and exits the cell.

They last all of two days ignoring each other. It's obvious to everyone around them that they're both miserable.

Rick is wide awake, lying flat on his back in his bunk. He throws an arm across his eyes, trying to summon sleep, but it just won't come. All he can conjure up are images of Michonne…..the way her eyes light up when she smiles, the smoothness of her skin, the perfection that is her body. Shit. He rises from his bunk, pacing the small unit with agitation. His hands start to twitch as if they're aching to touch her. I can't take this anymore.

He slowly exits his cell, making his way to hers. He pushes the curtain aside as he steps in, noticing her sit up immediately at his approach, wiping her cheeks hurriedly. She's been crying. He tries to find the right words, but I'm sorry doesn't seem to be enough. All he knows is that he needs her and he can't be without her. He moves to stand in front of her, his eyes searching hers. "I….I need to hold you."

She doesn't hesitate. She stands up and throws her arms around his neck, relief flooding her body when she feels his arms snake around her waist, holding her tightly. She breathes him in like she has been lacking the oxygen she needs to survive. Being in his arms made everything alright. She hasn't slept for the past two days, worrying that she had lost her best friend, her lover, her confidante. Whatever he wants, I'll do. I just can't be away from him anymore.

Rick doesn't want to let her go….ever. He knows he won't be able to endure another two days like they just had ever again. He realizes that nothing is the same without her. He can't remember ever being this miserable when in a spat or whatever it was they were going through. Whatever she wants. I need to make her happy.

Michonne speaks softly against his neck as she says, "There are other ways to pleasure each other. We don't have to have sex."

"We'll figure it out," he assures her.

"We will," she returns.

Scenario II

The group is holed up in an old barn temporarily safe from the threat of the outside world of walkers and the coming storm. Rick and Michonne are sitting in front of a small fire, watching Carl and Judith as they sleep. They share a knowing look, assuring each other that they made the right decision and the group will be ok.

Soon, they are joined by Daryl, Carol, and Glenn. Carol observes Rick checking on his kids. "He's going to be ok. He bounces back…more than any of us do." She speaks almost proudly of Carl.

"I used to feel sorry for kids who have to grow up now…in this," Rick begins. "But I think I got it wrong. Growing up is getting used to the world. It's easier for them."

Michonne eyes Rick as she says, "This isn't the world. This isn't it."

Glenn looks over at Maggie who is sleeping a short distance from them, then back to Michonne. "It might be. Might."

"That's giving up," Michonne returns.

"It's reality," Glenn tells her.

Rick recognizes her tone and interjects before she can say more. "Until we see otherwise…." They share a deep look….."this is what we have to live with."

Michonne sighs deeply and moves away from the fire. She needs a moment alone, so she finds a corner in the barn and sits with her back to the wall, contemplating the situation she and her family are currently in.

Rick watches with concern as she walks off. He quickly averts his eyes as Carol, Daryl, and Glenn observe him too closely for his comfort. He slowly continues to encourage them despite their dire circumstances.

Michonne brings her knees up and hugs them to her chest. She sighs deeply as her thoughts run rampant and she tries desperately to hold on to her belief. This is much harder than I thought it was going to be and it's so different. Being out there alone, I was fine. I guess because I was by myself for so long. Seeing Carl so listless, seeing Judy sweating so profusely her little hair plastered to her head…it's just too much. We have to find food. We need water. How much more of this will we be able to withstand? I'll just have to go further out tomorrow. By myself if I have to. I know I can find something.

Her thoughts are interrupted as she notices Rick making his way to her. She looks up at him, trying to gauge his mood. He looks vulnerable, unsure of what to say or do.

"I'm not angry if that's what you're thinking," she assures him. "They just can't give up. Not now."

"I know. I had a talk with them. We'll be ok. Are you ok?" He looks at her with concern in his eyes.

"I have to be," she returns.

Rick moves to sit beside her. As soon as he's settled, his arm brushes hers and they instinctively shift as the contact affects both of them. He looks over at her, seeing the vulnerability and he wants so bad to make everything alright for her. He tries to think of something to say, but the words get all jumbled up and he knows they won't come out right.

"Hey, can I…..can I hold you?" Rick's voice is a deep whisper.

Michonne doesn't hesitate as she wraps her arms around his waist, burrowing her head against his chest.

Rick wraps his arms around her, relishing in the feel of her in his embrace. They remain like that for a while before they start to witness their family hurrying and rushing to the entrance of the barn. The two immediately follow them only to find everyone pressed against the entryway, fighting to keep a herd of walkers out. Rick and Michonne pile in to add their strength in keeping the threat at bay.

The next day, a newcomer arrives with good news he says. Michonne is hopeful.

Scenario III

"You shoved Carl! I saw you! How could you do that?" Michonne demands of Rick as he lounges on an old mattress on the floor of the house where Deana asked her to place him after his street fight with Pete.

Rick is speechless. Michonne has hardly ever raised her voice to him. It is apparent how upset she is and he is the cause of it.

"Waving a gun around, yelling…..was all that necessary?" She asks. "And now, Glenn thinks you may be exiled. He's checking with Maggie about this meeting Deana has arranged. What are we supposed to do?"

"These people…..they don't know. They don't know what they're doing. I….I had to make a play for this place, take it over if need be, to make it safe for us. You wanted this place, so I had to make it right…for you, for us."

"And this is the solution? Threatening them? We can talk to them, Rick," Michonne suggests.

I….I couldn't tell you about the gun," he admits.

"No, you couldn't," she returns.

"Look, I hit my limit. I screwed up, but I'll talk to them. I will," he assures her.

She sighs heavily as she reaches for her jacket.

"Where are you going?" He asks with concern.

"I need to see what this meeting is about," she returns.

"I thought Glenn was handling that." He stands up quickly to block her exit.

"Well, I'm going to help him." She starts to put the jacket on as Rick reaches for her arm. The contact throws her off balance and she falls against him, taking them both to the mattress.

His arms automatically encase her, holding her and before she knows it, he has flipped her over. She is now flat on her back, cradling Rick between her thighs. He doesn't give her a chance to respond as he tosses her jacket to the side and swoops in to kiss her.

She tries to resist at first, but he thrusts himself against her, eliciting a gasp from her which allows him to delve into her mouth with his tongue. With a groan, she returns the kiss, wrapping her arms around him.

Allowing his desire to rule him, Rick reaches up and cups one of her breasts, giving it a gentle squeeze. He kisses a path from her lips to her cheek to her neck, sucking the skin as he rocks his hips against hers. "I'm sorry," he whispers against her neck. "I'll fix it. I'll make it right."

"You better. Otherwise, I'm gonna hit your ass over the head again," she promises.