A/N: A happier tale than the last for a different version of our favorite couple. Rick has something special planned for his love a year after "Say Yes."

I hope you enjoy!


The sun was not yet up when Rick slipped out of bed, carefully detangling himself from his lover. She sighed when he moved away but did not roll over, instead choosing to snuggle more deeply into their cocoon of bedding.

"Do you have watch?" she questioned breathily, her eyes fluttering open sleepily.

He bent to kiss her forehead, cursing his inability to move silently enough to not rouse her. "I'll be back before you wake up," he assured her, unable to resist running his fingers over the exposed skin of her arm. "Go back to sleep."

She complied, drifting back to dreamland with a small smile gracing her lips. Rick collected his pants and shirt from where they had been discarded the night before, sneaking out of his bedroom and down the stairs, pulling the layers on as he went.

Alexandria was quiet as he traipsed up the street, the chill of the air biting lightly at him. Still, he kept his pace even, enjoying a rare walk where no one was clamoring after him, demanding that he attend to some critical task. He rubbed his hands together to stimulate warmth as he continued onward.

"Good morning, Rick," Father Gabriel's gentle tone startled him. He spun on his heel, locating the priest on the porch outside of his church.

"Father," he nodded at him.

"Are you all ready to go?" the dark-skinned priest smiled serenely at him, tugging lightly at his sweater.

"Not yet. I will be," Rick paused briefly in his steps.

"Let me know if I can help," Gabriel offered.

"Will do," Rick continued forward, speeding up slightly. The sun was rising faster than he anticipated.

Rosita was already in the pantry, perusing the shelves, clipboard in hand.

"Your stuff is in the corner," she didn't even glance up as Rick located her. "Tara and I will take care of the rest."

"Are you sure?" Rick questioned, his nerves jumping.

"Go," Rosita rolled her eyes. "We got this."

Rick seized the cardboard box from the shelf in front of him, spinning on his heels and retreating up the street towards the church once more. Father Gabriel directed him to the rectory. Piece by piece, Rick pulled on his new clothing, marveling at Carol's ability to tailor an outfit with minimal supplies. His duds were on loan from Ezekiel; the Kingdom still had use for things like this, luxuries Rick thought to be superfluous in this new world. Even so, today he would make an exception.

He resisted the urge to inspect the remaining outfit in the box, instead adjusting his jacket.

"Are you ready?" Father Gabriel was back, dressed in his work clothes.

Rick glanced at the clock. "She should be up now."

"Then I'll see you shortly," Gabriel nodded, smiling widely.

Every eye was on him as Rick headed home. He kept his eyes straight ahead, struggling to ignore the wolf whistles and cat calls coloring his cheeks. The closer he got to his home, the more attention he attracted. The front door was unlocked, Michonne standing behind it, looking confused.

"Rick?" she was fully awake now, her hair damp from a recent shower, hanging loosely around her head. She looked equal parts amused and befuddled as he approached. "Why are you wearing a suit?"

He stopped at her feet, clutching the box nervously. "It's been a year," he began, his voice sounding too loud to his ears. "A year since we had our little road trip."

Michonne grinned fondly at the memory. "That was a good time," she assured him.

"It was," he agreed, his heart hammering against his ribcage. "We talked about some things. About a future for me and you. About doing this together," he gestured over his shoulder to the town behind him, inwardly cursing when he realized that most of its occupants were gathered around watching.

"We did," Michonne kept her eyes on Rick, her fingers running over the woodgrain of the front door.

"I thought we'd make it official," Rick swallowed, extending the box outward to her. "If you'll have me."

"What are you asking?" Michonne accepted the gift, gingerly peaking beneath the lid. Her brown eyes widened immediately.

"I'm asking you to marry me," Rick moved to get on one knee, setting off a fresh wave of hooting and hollering from the captive audience. Michonne looked at him, her chest heaving beneath her suddenly labored breaths. "What do you say?" Rick asked her, reaching for her hand. "You and me?"

"I say yes," he'd scarcely finished his question before she answered, putting the box down to rush forward towards him. He caught her deftly, dropping a chaste kiss on her lips.

"Then change into your gift, and I'll see you at the church." From behind his wife-to-be's head, Rick caught a glance of his son grinning at him. "Carl, you know what to do," he directed at him.

"I got it," Carl smiled widely from beneath his hair.

An hour stretched into ions as Rick waited inside the church, watching it slowly fill up. Ezekiel arrived in his usual cloud of splendor, Shiva on a chain before him, his people dressed in their finest. They interspersed effortlessly with the Alexandrians. Maggie arrived with much less of a flourish, baby Hershel on her hip, the Hilltoppers flanking her. She sat in the front row with Carol, Morgan and Daryl, smiling at him brightly. The crowd increased until it was standing room only, until it overflowed through the double wide doors of the church.

Despite the crowd, Rick's eyes went to Michonne immediately.

There was no grand piano to play her down the aisle, no long train dusting behind her, no veil to hide her face. Judith scattered dandelions in front of her, running too quickly towards her father. Carl walked proudly by Michonne's side, grinning widely at Rick the whole time. But it was the love of his life who stole the show.

It was a simple dress really, a cream colored, floor length number that certainly would not have passed as formal in the world before this one. She managed to make it look regal, her bronze shoulders and arms glowing in the early morning light streaming through the windows. She was smiling the smile that normally only Rick was lucky enough to see, her teeth sparkling brilliantly as she made her way to the front of the church.

Rick took her hands immediately when she was within reach, lacing their digits together almost painfully tightly.

"Happy Anniversary," he whispered quietly to her.

She had no time to respond as Father Gabriel began his words. It didn't matter. Her next words were the only ones Rick had been waiting for.

"I do."