Bonfire
Stepping out the room, she gently closes the door behind her. Carl is sleeping and according to Hershel, he's healing well. She starts down the hall on the search for her husband, her search ends sooner than expected. Hearing the familiar twang of his voice, she pauses at the crack bedroom door; peaking inside she sees him sitting alongside the pregnant woman bedside. They share a soft laugh before she smiles lovingly up at him as his hand caresses her round belly.
Something breaks within her. Her breathe becomes labor as she rushes outside. She runs into Beth and must force a smile before hustling away from the young girl. She rounds the house and gets away from any prying eyes. Bending over she tries to catch her breath waiting for the tears to overtake her.
The tears do not come, instead, a swell of anger overtake and paints her world a poisonous green. Standing straight only one thought presses against her mind, to end this thing between her husband and the pregnant woman. She starts back towards the house when she stops and sees him sitting in the passenger side of the SUV with the door open while cleaning his gun.
She changes the direction of her march and storms towards him. He looks up as she marches toward him. He takes in her determined stride and angry face.
"Hey, are you okay? Is something wrong with Carl?"
"Let's go!"
She gets into the driver's side and demands the keys from him. He tries to calm her down, but she repeats she needs the keys.
"What's wrong?" He asks in a soft voice.
"I need to get away. I need some fresh air."
He relents and gives her the keys to the vehicle. Starting the car, she shifts into gear and zooms down the gravel driveway. She catches Dale's wave as she races down the gravel road pass his RV. He sits calmly in the passenger side; she feels his eyes darting between the road and her. She ignores his stare and focuses on the road before her.
Miles away from the farm, she continues to race down empty country roads when she suddenly slams onto the breaks and comes to a stop.
"Please, talk to me. What's wrong? Tell me how I can help you?"
She looks at him and sees the scene she left behind her, she continues to wait for the tears but they don't come. Anger still holds her within its grip. A dark vengeance erupts within her. She leaps over the console and presses her lips against his. He returns her eager kiss but commonsense quickly pulls him away.
"Hey- we can't."
"Yes, we can. I need to feel-"
"We can't do this, I can't do this."
"Please, I need you. I need you."
She watches as his eyes soften at her request. He caresses her cheek and pushes her hair away from her face. She rubs her face against his hand, closing her eyes and reveling in his soft touches. In the darkness of her closed eyes the vision she left behind returns. The intimate moments of their quiet time; their shared smiles and his hand upon her extended belly.
Anger bubbles within her, she opens her eyes and pulls away from him. She doesn't want his soft touches. She doesn't want his pity or the gentleness that he reserves only for her. She wants cruel caresses and a hard fuck. Realization dawns upon his brown eyes; cracks of sadness appear in the waves of his brown iris before they morph into his own anger.
When she presses her lips upon his again, he returns the kiss with a fiery pressure of his anger. As her tongue seeks out his, their hands come alive and tear at each other's clothes. In a frantic rush, the pair moves from the front seat and shifts to back seat, where she lays beneath him. The kisses are sloppy. The touches rush. He removes her jeans and she pulls his dick free from the confine of his jeans. Spreading her legs apart, she grabs his harden member and pulls him into her. She releases hold of him, wrapping her legs around him. She thrust her hips up against him. She feels his hesitation for a second before he plunges deep into her.
"Yes!" She hisses in glee as he fucks her. As he replaces the plaguing images of Rick and Michonne, with new ones of their maddening fuck.
xXx000xXx
x-One Month Later-x
"But Mom…"
"Carl, I said no."
"Please!"
"Carl, she needs her rest."
"But Mom we always do story time."
"Maybe you can skip story time for today."
"But mom-"
"Lori," her soft smoky voice cuts Carl off.
"Michonne!" Carl says stepping around his mom towards the other woman, Lori looks over her shoulder at the doorway. Michonne stands just inside the room with the door ajar. Lori looks her over, her hair is piled high on her head, her skin glows with an internal light, and her belly seeming larger than before.
"Can I come in? Can we still do story time?" Carl asks excitedly.
"Michonne, I know you're tired. You don't have to entertain Carl."
"Mom!"
"It is fine, I love story time with Carl," Michonne says moving back a step and opening the door wide. Carl bypasses his mom and enters Michonne's room, he immediately hops on the bed. Michonne laughs turning toward the bed, slowly waddling into the room. She's about thirty-seven weeks now, nine months. According to Hershel the baby can come any day and it will be okay, but both she and Rick are holding out for a couple more weeks.
Carl moves over on the bed, piles up the pillows, and pats the empty space for Michonne to sit. She graciously accepts it, releasing a soft sigh when her back hits the pillow.
"What book are you reading me today?" Michonne asks.
"Today we're starting Moby Dick from Dale's collection," Carl says completely forgetting about Lori, "Glenn says it is a badass book."
Lori wants to reprimand Carl's language, but she already sees Michonne and Carl getting lost in their own world. She forces a smile as she closes the door slightly hiding the envious pit that continues to bloom within her. She hides it well but sometimes she feels as if it is written all over her face especially when Carl stares at Michonne with awe and adoration. She has given up holding onto Rick, but seeing Carl fall for the woman stirs her with an envious rage.
At first, Lori tried to hold onto Rick, she tried to fight what she now knows is inevitable. It was always there the connection, simmering beneath the surface between Rick and Michonne. Lori always noticed it: how Rick would go check on Michonne first, their shared inside jokes, and even their disagreement sparked an electric current between them. She first tried to ignore it.
Her envy grew when she noticed how easily she's able to make Rick smile and how he looks to her for ideas and advice on how to better lead the group. How he quickly applied her suggestions and place her ideas in action. Lori would watch as their eyes lock across the room and silent words would be exchanged, uniting their like minds without a word spoken.
When the connection between the two intensified after Michonne suddenly started bleeding a month ago, Lori tried to fight it. She tried to get between them, but she felt as if she was standing in front of a rushing freight train. After a heated argument, several weeks ago about his relationship with Michonne, Rick allowed distance to grow between he and the pregnant woman to soothe Lori. Even with the distance, Lori can still feel the tangible connection between the two. It presses against her, squeezing the breath from her lung and filling her with a quiet anguish.
Lori's spite grows as Carl fascination with the woman continues, after he was accidentally shot almost a month ago, Michonne would come and sit with him. When she did, she would read to him a book, it soon became their 'thing'. Carl looked forward to his time with Michonne. Lori tired it once but Carl didn't want her to, he said she didn't do the voices like Michonne. When Hershel put her on bedrest, it was Carl turn to nurse her with daily readings of books and comics.
Everyone respected and admired the woman, the warrior, and soon to be mother. She could even see the adoration on Shane's face. She tries to get a hold of her anger and be rational but each time she sees Rick smile due to Michonne or hears Carl's shared laugh with her it grates something deep within her.
Rick is out with a few of the others work on setting up a parameter since Hershel gave his blessing for the group to stay on his property Rick has been working non-stop to protect the farm and the people on it. Several people including Hershel, Patricia, and his daughters are out with Shane and Andrea at shooting practice. The house is mostly empty save for Carol, Lori, Michonne, and Carl.
Glancing out the window Lori peaks at Carol, checking to see if she still hanging up laundry. After checking on the woman, Lori moves to the bathroom and relieves herself. Once she finishes the flush the toilet and washes her hand catching a glimpse of her reflection. She turns off the faucet before she stares at her reflection.
Taking a step back she looks herself over and caresses her flat stomach. Even at nine months, Michonne is lean and tone save for her large stomach. Lori wonders if she'll look like that. She lifts her shirt and tries to remember how she looked when she was pregnant with Carl. She took a pregnancy a week ago that confirmed her suspicion, she was pregnant. And according to her last period she was about a month, give or take a couple of weeks and Rick was not the father of the growing child.
xXx000xXx
"I need your help," Lori whispers.
The man ignores her, she moves to his side and grips his forearm.
"Please, I need your help."
"Go away, Lori."
"Shane!" She pleads. It is late afternoon; Rick and a few others are still out setting defenses on the parameter of the farm. Shane and the others are back from their shooting practice.
"You ain't barely said but twenty words to me for the past month. You've been giving me the cold shoulders and now you want to talk to me? Now you got shit to say to me?"
"Shane, please."
"Fuck you, Lori," Shane says snatching his arm from her grasp. He stomps away but doesn't get far when Lori speaks again in a harsh whisper.
"I'm pregnant."
He doesn't move and for a split second, she doesn't think he heard her. When Shane slowly turns to face her, she sees the hope in his brown eyes. Her stomach churns and she has to actively stop herself from grimacing at the sight. She doesn't want to hurt him but there are no other options.
Lori knows his next words before he even speaks it. When he does, she fills her stomach drop but her heart hardening.
"Is it mine?"
"No. It's Rick," Lori lies staring straight into Shane's eyes.
"We fuck just a month ago and you're telling me, it is Rick?"
"At the CDC and when Rick first returned; the timing is right. The baby is Rick's." The truth is, Lori doesn't know if the baby is Rick or Shane's. The possibility of it being Shane is just as great as it of the child being Rick's, but deep within her she knows the child belongs to the man before her.
"Then why you're telling me? Why you're not talking to your husband, Lori?"
"Because I can't have this baby, Shane. I can't."
"Michon-"
"I ain't her!" Lori yells. She looks around spotting Carol, Dale, and Andrea eyes on them. Lori gives them a stiff smile before grabbing Shane's arm and pulling him around the back of the SUV. Once hidden by the big SUV and the side of the house, Lori lowers her voice and speaks again, "I ain't got her resolve. I ain't got her strength. Fuck, I ain't got a sword."
"You're strong Lori, you can-"
"Shane, if you ask me to do this, if you're asking me to have this child then you're asking me to die."
"Rick will not allow anything to happen to you."
"Rick is already preoccupied with Michonne and her child; fuck everybody is preoccupied with Michonne and her child. I can't do that to the others, two babies Shane? You remember how difficult being pregnant with Carl was for me and that was during the age of modern medicine. All that's gone now. I can't risk it."
"Rick will never forgive me if I do this."
"You once said you love me if that's even slightly-"
"Don't ever doubt my love for you!"
"If you love me then you will do this for me."
"I'll do anything for you Lori but- Fuck!"
"Fine! I'll do this myself!" Lori snaps marching away from Shane. She knows he will follow after her, she's counting on it. She's playing with his feelings for her, a small part of her stings with remorse for her actions. She's several steps away when Shane grabs her elbow and pull her to a stop.
"This could be my child! You're asking me to help you kill my child, Lori!"
"It is not!" Lori shakes off the suspicious glare Shane stares at her with.
"Do you understand what you're asking me to do? What will this cost me? Even if this isn't my kid, Rick will hate me for this."
"This is not about you or Rick! If I don't do it, it will cost me my life, Shane. My life! Carl will lose his mother. Is that what you want?"
She can see the tension sitting on his shoulders. She can see the inner turmoil living in his eyes. She can see his displeasure twisting his mouth. Lori knows not to continue to press Shane, but she needs him. She can fend off a walker or two, but she doesn't know how to handle a larger group of walkers or how to navigate the back roads as well as Shane.
"I will not let anything happen to you," Shane starts closing the distances between the two, "I'll take care of you and the baby."
The sincerity in his eyes causes her heart to flutter; he places his hand on her flat stomach and it rolls with nausea.
"I love you, Lori. We can be a family. We can leave and start fresh. I will not let anything happened to either of you," He says with one hand firmly on her stomach and the other caressing her cheek. A small part of her believes him; she knows Shane will do everything in his power to stand by his words. Yet, it is not enough.
Lori steps away from Shane's touches and shakes her head; her hair falls across her eyes, but she can still see the heartbreak in Shane's eyes. He drops his head to shield himself from her, to hide his distraught and sadness. They're quiet for a long moment. Shane stares at the ground while Lori stares at him. She waits for his reply, knowing he's folding to her will. Shane's shoulders slump in defeat; his hand once balled into fist now hangs limply at his side. When he speaks, his voice strains and she can hear the hurt with each spoken word.
"We leave tomorrow at first light."
She nods and sighs with relief, "I'll be ready."
Lori turns and starts to leave when he calls her name, a whisper of grief. Turning to face him, she's almost knock down by the fury burning in his brown eyes.
"After this Lori, I'm done. We're done."
xXx000xXx
It is a beautiful day. The sun sits high in the sky with wispy clouds as its companions. There's a soft breeze from the north that breaks up the heat of the south. Michonne inhales the fresh air and leans into the sun's rays. She feels a dull ache low in her abdomen but ignores it as she basks in the warmth of the late morning sun. She's been on bed restriction for the past month when she started bleeding heavily. She was only allowed out of bed to stretch her legs for a few minutes, use the bathroom, and to shower.
Michonne soaks in the sun and beautiful day when she spots the him, when she spots Rick Grimes. She misses him. She can't deny she misses him. He's her friend and she misses him. She misses talking to him. She misses teasing him. She misses laughing with him. She misses sitting in silence with him.
Michonne has been keeping her distance. Respecting Rick, Lori, and their marriage. She doesn't want to be the catalyst that ends their marriage. There was already enough pressure from old wounds, and the dynamic the between, Rick, Lori, and Shane. Michonne doesn't want to be another reason; so, she keeps her space and by doing so an ache grows within her from the lack of his presence.
She watches as he swaggers toward the front of the house coming from the barn, as he ascends the steps a smile splits her lips. Trying to suppress the smile but it only widens.
"Why are you up? Ain't you supposed to be in bed?"
"The bleeding and cramping stopped weeks ago, Rick."
He tilts his head and narrows his eyes in order to get a better look at her, "What did Hershel say?"
"I'm fine, Rick."
"Michonne."
"Rick Grimes!"
"Just yesterday you were having contractions."
"Braxton-Hicks. False contractions. I am fine."
"Michonne-"
"Rick, stop saying my name like that! It's not going to do you any good."
"I know, you're too stubborn to listen to good sense."
"And you're being overbearing!"
He softens his voice and shifts toward her, "I'm just worried. We're getting close, we just need another week or two for Jicama."
We what a powerful word. Michonne melts when Rick says 'we'. She would have thought after he found his wife and son, Rick would have to abandon Michonne and her son but he hasn't. Even though he keeps his distance out of respect for his vows and wife, he is still there for her. They are still a 'we'.
"Hershel says it's good to stretch my legs as long as it is not for an extended time and it helps with the back pain. Plus, I'm only fifty feet from the bed. I needed fresh air."
His head tilts further to the side and his eyes become slits, Rick is serious but his concerns are endearing to Michonne. She deeply missed him; she smiles wide.
"Rick, I am fine. Hershel gave me the thumbs up."
"What got you smiling so hard?"
"Nothing," She says staring up into his blue eyes, "Where is everyone? Being trapped in the house, I have no idea what's going on out here."
"Daryl and T-Dog are on watch. Beth, Hershel, Carl, and Carol are with Andrea at shooting practice."
"I thought Shane was leading that?"
Rick shakes his head and rubs the back of his neck, "Yeah, normally but Shane, Lori, Maggie, and Glenn went on a run."
Michonne's face contorts with confusion, "I thought Glenn, T-Dog, and Daryl already went on a run a few days earlier."
"Yeah, it was unexpected but with it getting cold soon, Shane brought up a good point to load up on medicine."
She nods and agrees, "It is good thinking, we will be living close quarters during the cold months. It will also be good for Peanut, if everyone stays healthy, there's less chance he'll get sick."
"He's going to be here soon."
"Yes," Michonne says with a wide smile on her lips while she rubs her belly.
He nods and releases his own smiles. His blue eyes twinkle with light and hope causing Michonne's heart to flutter from the sight. Rick starts toward the house but pauses when Michonne calls out his name with a soft smoky whisper.
"Rick?"
"Yea Michonne?"
"Sit with me, please."
He knows he should stay away. Rick knows he should continue to keep his distance but he misses his friend. Without a second thought, Rick turns toward her and the pair slowly make their way to the swing that sits in the corner of the porch. Rick helps Michonne sit on the wooden bench plush with pillows before he follows. Rick rocks the swing gently and allows the comfortable silence to wrap them in its familiar embrace.
Over an hour has passed before the silence is interrupted when Patricia comes out onto the porch in search of Michonne. She tells Michonne and Rick that lunch is just about ready and the others should be heading back from their shooting practice. Rick thanks the woman before she returns inside.
"What are you thinking?" Michonne whispers chasing their silence away.
"I miss this. I miss you."
"Me too," Michonne echoes. She reaches out for Rick's hand the same moment he reaches for her. Their hands interlock and squeeze the other. Michonne looks down at their interlock fingers before she lifts her eyes and immediately she falls into ocean blue pools. Her breathe catches in her throat as Rick leans in closer. Ocean pools drop from her eyes to her lips, she feels her tongue flickers out against her bottom lip for a taste of his breath. Baby blues flutter back to her own deep brown orbs, she sees the desire and the battle he wages with his morals.
With an exhale Rick closes the distances between them, Michonne readies her lips but at the last possible second Rick pulls up and plants a kiss on her forehead. Michonne exhale and accepts the kiss allowing her forehead to rest against his lips.
"I'm sorry," Rick whispers shifting away from Michonne, taking his hand out of her grasps.
"Don't be."
"You deserve better."
"Rick, you have given me more than I could ask for and all I need is your friendship."
"You have it Michonne, you have it."
xXx000xXx
Rapid gunfire erupts in the air and wakes Michonne from her fretful slumber. Michonne comes awake to sharp constricting pain low in her abdomen. The pain intensifies, she tries to cry out but the pain only doubles and steals her breath. Once it passes she able to inhale deeply and tries to slow her racing heart and steady her breathing. Before Michonne can do either, the sound of gunfire fills the air as another pain rips across her belly. Voices rise and fall throughout the house as gunfire continues to erupt against the usually still country night. She tries to focus on the words but everything is muddied by the pain radiating from her core.
Realization crashes against Michonne in waves of deafening fear. She's in labor. The farm is being attacked.
Every sound amplifies and competes with the roaring of her heart. As soon as the crippling pain subsides, Michonne holds her belly and rolls out of bed. She grabs her katana first then locates her boots. With her extended belly and trembling hands, she has a challenging time putting on the footwear. Michonne manages to put one foot in her boot before the door to her room violently rips open. Carl is first through the door followed by Patricia.
"Michonne!" The young boy exhales with relief. She notices his eyes wide with fear and the steady hold he has on the gun in his hand.
"Carl, what's going on?"
"Mom and the others are back," The young boy answers.
"And some trouble followed them back, along with a herd of walkers," Patricia finishes already on her knees in front of Michonne. She helps the pregnant woman put on her boots and with Carl help, they both aid Michonne to her feet.
As soon as she stands Michonne doubles over and howls in pain as another contraction seizes her.
"Oh good Lord, tell me you're not in labor!"
"O- okay, I wo- won't."
"The baby is coming now?" Carl asks. The stress causing his voice to raise an octave higher. Michonne grits her teeth and groans through the pain. It is the only answer Carl needs.
"Oh, Michonne!" Patricia says rubbing Michonne's back, "When did it start?"
"I woke up to it and the gunfire."
"We need to get you out of here!"
"Where's Rick?"
"I last saw dad by the barn but Ms. Patricia is right we need to get you someplace safe."
Michonne nods and with Patricia and Carl's help they leave the room and start down the hallway. The house is empty besides the three of them. Outside the room, the sound of gunfire and people shouting surrounds them. She feels it all around her, pressing against her and heightening the already crippling fear.
"We should stay in here!" Patricia says moving closer to the front door. Through the open curtains, Michonne can see the thickening swarm of walkers.
"We can't!' She breathes out.
"We'll be trapped in here," Carl finishes for her.
The scene outside if disheartening. Michonne wants to break down and cry. On the front lawn, Hershel stands his ground shouting at the dead as he fires his rifle at the creatures. Maggie tries to convince him to leave his family home while Glenn protects them from any approaching walkers. Night has settled over the farm, and not much else can be seen in the dark sea of farmland.
"HERSHEL!" Patricia shouts, but her yell is drown out by rapid gunfire.
She prays silently for all her friend and the people she grown to care about survive the night. She prays that her son remains in her womb until they're past the bulk of the danger.
"Shit!"
"What?" Carl asks turning towards her.
"The baby duffle, I forgot the baby's bag."
Carl lets go of Michonne and turns to Patricia, "Start towards one of the cars!"
"Carl, no! I don't need it!" Michonne calls after him but Carl is already inside the house. Patricia tugs on Michonne and the pair descends the front steps.
"HERSHEL!" Patricia calls out for the older man, but he's preoccupied with Maggie, Glenn, and walkers.
A loud explosion roars above the gunfire, people shouts, and walker moans. Flames erupt from the barn and light up the night; the scene before her causes Michonne heart to sink further. The swarm of walkers is thick and overwhelming, they could never fight them all and survive. Pain grips Michonne and she almost falls to her knees from it.
"HERSHEL! MAGGIE!" Patricia yells. Her yelling draws the attention of nearby walkers. She screams in fright, fighting through the pain Michonne gathers her strength and slice the head off two walkers before turning as quickly as possible to kill a third. She's winded by the time she turns to face Patricia.
"Watch out!" the woman warns her, Michonne twist out the clutch of one walker to stumble into the path of another; Patricia throws herself in front of Michonne. Michonne slices the head off one and turns to do the same with the walker Patricia is tussling with when the walker latches onto Patricia's neck. The woman's scream pierces the night air.
"GO! MICHONNE GO!" Patricia demands as another walker takes hold on her upper arm and a third walker attacks her from behind dragging her down. She wants to help the woman but her final yell to go propels her to move. Tears burst from her eyes and blurs her vision; Michonne reprimands herself, she doesn't have time to cry now. Patricia sacrifice her own life for Michonne and her child, if she would to die now, it would all be in vain. Wiping her tears and clearing her eyes, she follows the woman's command.
Moving towards one of their vehicles, a stumbling walker blocks her path, Michonne raises her katana and swings put loses her grip as another contraction rips through her. Her blade falls to the ground, fighting through the pain she pulls out her gun and fires at the approaching walker. She misses the shot and fires again clipping the walker's cheek. A shot rings out behind her and the walker falls, before Michonne can look to see who killed the walker Carl is beside her. He picks up her blade and hands it to her, before wrapping his arms around her waist and helping her walk. He fires his weapon at any nearing walker.
Michonne doubles over with pain, bringing Carl down with her. She hunches over on her knees, trying to fight through the painful contraction. More tears escape her eyes as she struggles to breathe all while fear grips her in a tight embrace. She releases her hold on the gun, using both hands to clutch her belly. She feels her son kicks and it only causes more pain to explode within her.
Carl releases his hold on her, he picks up her blade and stabs an approaching through the eyes. Pulling the blade free he turns and swings the sword with enough force to decapitate another walker. He wants to boast at his accomplishment but Michonne cries pull his attention. He shifts the baby duffle bag over his shoulder before he leans over to help Michonne back on her feet. She struggles to get up but she finds the strength to do so, leaning most of her weight against Carl. She pants, groans, and cries with each step they make.
"We're going to be okay. We're going to be okay," Carl repeats the words like a chant. He repeats the words like a prayer. Michonne repeats the words in her heard, unable to speak through the pain.
The first vehicle they come to is Shane's SUV. Carl only glances around but doesn't see Shane or any adults, he does notice the barn going up in flames. The bright flames draw many of the walkers toward it but many of the dead still mull around. Carl opens the back seat of the SUV and helps Michonne climb into.
"Carl!" She cries out and he whips around and fires a shot level at the head of the nearby walker. He shuts the back door and climbs into the driver side. Luck is on their side; the keys are in the ignition. Carl tries to remember what he has seen his parents and other adults do when they drive cars.
"Tu- turn the key in the ignition. When it- it ca- catches let it go."
Carl follows Michonne's breathy instructions.
"Ugghhh…aaaahhhhh. Hands on two and tennnnn."
He wants to turn and look at her, but he keeps his focus on trying to drive the car.
"Foot on the brake. It's- ahhhhhhhhhh shiiiiitttttt, it's the left pedal. The go pedal is the- ughhhh right."
"Michonne," Carl whimpers, peaking behind him. She holds up one finger as her right-hand squeezes the passenger seat.
"Ugh fuck, sorr- sorry. Foot on the brake. Hold down the side button and shift into drive. When you lift your leg from the brake the car will go. Pu-put it on the accelerator and it will go faster!" Michonne says in one long breath. He nods at her and directs his attention back to driving. He follows her instructions, he puts too much pressure on the accelerator and the car shoots forward.
xXx000xXx
"Rick we need to go!"
"I need to find Carl! Michonne!"
"Rick!" Daryl calls out as he fires his crossbow at the swarming herd. The fire they set at the barn helps draw the dead away, but their number is overwhelming. A scream pulls both men attention to a figure fighting off walkers by the burning barn.
"Fuck Carol!"
"Go get her! I'll find Michonne and Carl!"
Daryl hops on his bike and race towards the battling woman as Rick fights his way through the herd towards the house. Closer to the house, he sees Shane's SUV, jetting forward and stopping. He ignores the vehicle and focuses on the house, keeping watch for his son and Michonne. A line of five walkers close in on him, Rick quickly kills two before he has a chance to deal with the other three Shane's SUV barrels towards him, Rick leaps out the SUV's path as the driver swerves and mows down the remaining walker. Rick is on his feet, ready to kill Shane when the window rolls down and he stops in his track at the sight of his son.
"Carl?"
"Get in!" Carl says pushing open the driver's door.
"Where's your mother? I need to find Michonne."
"I don't know where mom is, I last saw her with Uncle Shane. Michonne is here," Carl says pointing to the back seat.
Rick quickly climbs into the vehicle and looks at the backseat. Immediately realization dawns on him at Michonne's withering feature.
"The baby is coming!" Carl states.
Rick is wasting time. He laps the overran farm twice looking for survivors but more so, Hershel. He starts to search for Patricia but Michonne informs him through her contractions about the older woman's death. He only sees the field full of dead. After his second lap around, he races off the property looking for a secluded spot to deliver Michonne's son. Her increase cries cause waves of panic to erupt within him. He pushes the fear away and tries to remain calm and brave like she has done for him in the past. He talks to her, reminding her to breathe and to hold on a little longer.
"Rick… he's coming!" Michonne gasps, "No more waiting! He's coming now!"
"Okay, Michonne, just hold on." Rick stops in the middle of the road and turns off the headlights.
"Carl!"
"Yea Dad?"
"I'm going to need your help," Rick says hopping out the driver's side and quickly moving to the back seat, "Open the duffle bag, there should be a silencer in the side inner pocket."
"When did you put a silencer in my baby duffle?" Michonne jokes between contractions.
A nervous chuckle is his reply as he helps Michonne sit up before he chides her, "Focus on breathing, Michonne!"
"Found it!" Carl calls out.
"Good, now put it on the barrel of the gun," Rick instructs. He pulls off her boots then starts working on her belt and jeans. Michonne grips his forearm, she digs her nails into his skin and as another contraction seizes her.
"I got it on, Dad! Now what?"
"Hand me those towels in the bag."
Rick pulls Michonne jeans off her toned legs. Carl appears over the seat with a hand full of towels, Rick tosses her jeans to the side and takes the towels from Carl. Just as another contraction starts Rick takes a towel and stuffs it in Michonne's mouth.
"Dad!" Carl shouts in surprise.
"Hand me the duffle bag!"
Carl disappears from the over the seat for several seconds before he reappears with the large bag in hand. Rick takes the bag and places it on the SUV floor beside Michonne. He opens the bag and rifles through it and pulls out a bottle of alcohol. He pours a generous amount on a towel and uses it to wipe his hands off.
"Carl, get out of the car. Stand behind me and watch my back. If any walkers get near us, kill them. Headshots only. Don't waste any bullets. Understand?"
"Yes, sir," Carl says scrambling out the car.
It's is all a blur, yet everything is in focus. A strange feeling that Rick can only describe as an out of body experience. His voice is calm and steady, cooing Michonne and softly directing her to breathe and remain calm. He recalls all the baby books Michonne read to him. He recalls the varying conversation with Hershel about childbirth. Rick knows if he panics, Michonne will panic, therefore he remains cool. He helps her remove her shirt and underwear, she's in the backseat in only her bra and tank top, bear from the waist down. All modesty is gone, yet there is no shame in the beauty of nature oldest and purest miracle, childbirth.
Michonne groans around the towel, he can see the tears forming in her eyes. He shushes her and starts to tell her a funny story about Carl when he was a baby. Rick pulls Michonne legs apart and readies himself between her legs. She's already crowning. Groans from the dead sound nearby but two soft pops quickly follow behind him. Rick knows Carl is taking his job as protector serious, he's proud of his son for standing guard and taking care of Michonne when he couldn't.
Michonne pulls the towel from her mouth and huffs out, "I feel like I have to poop!"
"That's it! I see his head! Michonne I need you to push!"
Michonne scoots up, gripping the backseat she bears down, Rick marvels at the birth as Jicama's head emerges first, he holds his head as Michonne take another deep breath and pushes again. Next is his shoulder followed by the rest of his body. The newborn is slippery, but Rick has a firm hold of him. With a clean towel, Rick wipes his face and clean out his airways, the newborn squawks, and whimpers. As soon as Michonne hears the sound of her son, she collapses from exhaustion and begins to weep. Rick shushes both mother and child, as he places the newborn on Michonne's chest.
xXx000xXx
Michonne can't take her eyes off her son. She can't believe he is here. She's madly in love with him. She has never felt this unconditional love and joy until the moment Rick placed him on her chest. It's been several hours and the four: Carl, Rick, her son and herself, were now hunker down for the night.
"What's his name?" Carl asks snuggling closer to Michonne. Rick is impress how Carl manages to fit himself next to Michonne on the narrow backseat.
"Carl, let Michonne rest," Rick replies.
He groans and mumbles under his breath as Michonne chuckles.
"I was thinking, Andre Richard Anthony."
"Richard? After my dad?"
Michonne nods and locks eyes with Rick, "I wouldn't be able to do this without you."
"I'm honored," Rick whispers.
"Thank you for everything Rick."
Carl leans closer to the newborn, "Welcome to the world, Andre Richard Anthony."
Author's Note:
Hello Lovelies!
I am sooooooooo sorry for such the long wait! I truly am. I try to treat my writing like a job, but when you actually have a job it gets hard. And life gets in the way. Please know even though, I am not posting the way I should be, I am always actively working on New Days, L4yers, & Vegas. I am so sorry, I made you all wait for such a long time for updates but I am truly THANKFUL that you all are still with me. Your supports mean so much to me. It gives me the courage to continue to write and share my stories.
About this chapter... I wanted to kind of follow the show with the Lori pregnancy story, but I don't think Lori would have gone through with the pregnancy especially seeing Rick and Michonne's relationship. Or maybe she would have in order to 'take back Rick'. What do you all think?
Also, that conversation between Lori and Shane, thought? Yea, Shane was batshit crazy on the show, but I believe Lori help drive him to that point. Or maybe I am wrong?
Sorry about the cliffhanger and the delay with updating the story but look ANDRE is finally here!
As always THANK YOU, THANK YOU, and THANK YOU for taking the time to read, comment, follow, and favorite this story. My the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU. I appreciate you all!
*Hugs and High Fives* - Fi
