Unspoken Boundaries

Chapter 10

The next couple of days were easier, brighter somehow. Rick had continued to work beside Michonne, patrolling the quiet neighbourhood like they always did. Running out of things to do and people to see. Chatting about nothing in particular, enjoying each other's company like they were the last two people on earth.

Rick was starting to grow fond of these lazy days with Michonne. There hadn't been much for them to investigate or sort out as it were, but the walk alone, just having Michonne by his side was enough for Rick to get dressed in his uniform.

They hadn't really addressed their relationship status either. Rick was hopeful they were just in a holding pattern, that eventually Michonne would come round to his way of thinking once more. God he missed the feel of her skin on his so much. He knew he didn't deserve her and probably never would, but he was determined to wait this phase out and prove to her that she was all he needed.

He found himself stealing glances at her every so often and he was doing it now. The way her body moved with cat like elegance, a silent pace that was so deadly and alive that he couldn't look away. He watched a smile form on her lips as she met his eyes.

"What?" she asked, looking to the ground playfully.

"Nothin'" Rick answered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. He was never very good at hiding his attraction, especially when it came to Michonne.

"Rick" Michonne suddenly stopped walking.

Rick slowed his pace, his bow legs coming to a stop as he watched her stare down the street.

"You need to speak to Jessie" She looked up to the house a few yards away and frowned. All that business with Jessie seemed like ages ago to Rick, but Michonne was right he needed to put things straight between them.

He had practically used her as a way of dealing with his grief, subconsciously unaware what his actions meant until his emotional conversation with Michonne.

He shallowed hard.

"What can I say?"

Michonne shrugged, her brows knotted.

"You need to put things right between you. Explain yourself to her, she must be confused Rick"

"Yeah your right... damn it your always right" Rick said with a playful annoyance.

Michonne just grinned sarcastically at him, revealing her perfectly white teeth.

"It's nearly lunch time anyway, I'll meet you back at the house?" She asked.

"You trust me to go in there and.."

Michonne rolled her eyes "Rick what you choose to do with Jessie is your businesss. We're not a couple are we?"

That statement stung, Rick didn't need reminding of that.

"Talk bout kickin a man when he's down" Rick joked, feeling inadequate somehow.

Michonne grinned "Rick...We've been through this"

"Yep. I hear ya"

"So I'll meet you back at the house for lunch?" She asked once more.

"Yeah"

Rick watched as Michonne turned and headed towards the other side of the town.

"I only want you" He said under his breath, wishing that just his words alone were enough to prove that to her. He knew they never would be though and that thought tore him up inside. So he turned and strolled towards Jessie's, prepared to put at least one thing right in this whole complicated mess.

When Jessie answered the door a look of relief and anger flashed upon her face in unison as she stared at the man before her.

Rick looked lighter somehow. His sharp eyes were relaxed, the anguish no longer pooling at the surface.

"Can I come in?"

"Yeah"

Once inside Rick stood face to face with her, about to speak when Jessie cut him short.

"I thought you'd come sooner" her voice was shaky with diappointmentent.

Rick looked to the ground. "I needed time to get my head straight. Jessie I'm sorry...for everything. That night I wanted to thank you for putting up with my... meltdown"

"It's the least I could of done. I mean what you did for me and my boys with Pete"

Rick nodded, unsure how to say the next words.

"Thing is...that night we shouldn't have, I shouldn't have kissed you. I was somewhere else"

Jessie looked hurt, her eyes squinting in disbelief.

"So what...your saying is you don't want to be with me"

Rick nodded, his eyes looking to the floor.

"I knew that Rick" Jessie said in a condescending tone.

"You need time to grieve for your wife"

Rick looked up and met her hazel eyes. "I just wanted to come by and make sure you were OK?"

Jessie shrugged then held her arms in a comforting pose. "I'm fine...We're fine" She lied.

Rick could tell it was an act but didn't want to press her anymore, he'd put her through enough already.

"Pete left you alone?" He asked.

She only nodded, still concerned with what she witnessed that night when Rick had stopped Pete. She had seen Rick repeatedly hitting him, his eyes lifeless, dead.

"Glad he's finally getting the message. I need to get to work, take care Jessie" He placed an arm on her shoulder and squeezed as he turned to leave.

When the door closed shut behind him Jessie wiped a stray tear from her cheek, cursing the day she ever met Rick Grimes. In a way this was progress she thought. He had come to her in his moment of weakness, maybe he would again in time.

Rick opened the front door to his home, calling out into the silence.

"I'm back"

"In here" Michonne responded from the kitchen.

Rick was hoping to see Judith in her high chair eating lunch alongside Michonne but she wasn't there.

"Where's Judy?" He asked.

"Carol's taken her to the park"

"Carl?"

"His in school Rick" Michonne said raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yeah"

Michonne laughed, almost chocking on her sandwich.

"I still can't get used to these things" Rick admitted and school was one of them.

"How was Jessie?"

"Understanding" He said.

"You weren't there very long" Michonne stated, wondering what was actually said between them.

"I was there long enough to tell her I'm sorry"

Michonne went back to eating her sandwich, she didn't want to know the fine details. She felt sorry for Jessie after all, in a way Rick had made a fool of them both.

"So she's OK with what happened?"

"She said she was. I told her it shouldn't of happened...that kiss"

Michonne knew that cruel feeling of rejection all too well from Rick. He had a way of keeping you wanting more by giving then pulling away. Michonne wondered if anything Rick had told her these past weeks were actually true. She had to remind herself of the turmoil he had had gone through. What he'd done to keep her and his family alive. Maybe Rick was too far gone for truth now.

That thought quickly left her mind. She didn't want to believe Rick had become so cold, he couldn't have?

"Is this mine?" He asked, referring to the sandwich infront of him on the table.

Michonne nodded as he took a seat opposite her.

She decided to ask him, now was a good time as any, she was ready for his answer.

"That night, after the first fight with Pete, we're you being honest with me or did you just say want I wanted to hear to keep me on your side?

Rick looked up from his sandwich, shocked at her sudden question. This only confirmed that Michonne was still hurting from all this mess and who could blame her.

"What? When I said I loved you?" Rick replied.

Michonne winced. Just to hear those three words again was enough to break her heart.

Rick studied her body language and knew the answer to the question she was seeking.

"I meant it" Rick said with conviction, the words noble.

Michonne couldn't look him in the eye, she felt a sudden anger developing from his words. She understood Rick's grief and she understood his behaviour wasn't intentional, that he needed to explore the possibilities in order to successfully move on from Lori. However, Michonne was bitterly angry that he could use those words so heavily, yet still kiss another woman.

"Michonne?"

She looked up from her sandwich, all of a sudden she had lost her appetite.

"I just...don't understand how you could of meant it after you kissed Jessie that night"

Rick moved his chair to sit directly next to her, his face inches from hers as he stared into her dark eyes.

"We had broke up Chonne. I was weak...stupid and weak. A lot was playing on my mind with Lori and things. I needed to do it, I told you why that night. You understood, but I meant it and I still do, I love you so much".

Michonne looked to the floor as Rick cupped her chin, bringing her head up to look into those soulful eyes.

"Please believe me" He said desperately.

Michonne abruptly stood up, anything to avoid Rick's touch.

"We should get back to work" She said, her words rushed.

"Oh and this came through the letterbox this morning. It's an invitation from Deanna. She's hosting a barbecue tomorrow afternoon and she wants us all there"

Rick slowly nodded. He was deep in thought, trying to think of a way of proving himself to this incredible woman. Part of him was torn into believing that the damage was already done, that he had pushed her too far. That she would be there for him but not in the way that they both wanted.

"What time?"

"From three" Michonne answered.

Deanna had picked the perfect day for a barbecue. The sun was out and the weather was incredibly warm. Rick was feeling anxious to say the least. He wasn't exactly looking forward to spending too long in Jessie's company after what happened between them and Pete was another matter entirely.

Michonne was wearing a summer dress she had found in the wardrobe upstairs from her room. It clung to her body in all the right places. Only emphasising the heavy swell of her breasts, small waist and generous ass. Rick was mesmerised as he watched her bounce around the space of their kitchen, holding Judith close to her chest as she danced to a song in her head.

"God Rick, put your tounge away" Carol mocked, smirking.

Rick's cheeks flushed a vibrant red, Carol could only laugh in response.

When they arrived Deanna had welcomed them with open arms. Pushing Rick in the direction of the food and complimenting Michonne on her dress.

Rick stood by a long table which boasted a various spread of food. He helped himself to a burger, almost in disbelief at what he was eating.

He lost himself for a moment, chewing the meat like it was a slice of heaven.

"That good?" Michonne asked, grabbing his attention as he brushed the crumbs from his lips.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to spoil this moment between you and the burger" She smiled warmly.

"I thought I'd ever get to taste one of these again

"I can see that, looked like you were feeling quite amorous towards it" She chuckled.

Rick laughed Boyishly. He was feeling amorous for a different reason entirely and that reason was standing before him now

"You gonna have some food?" He asked her

"Yeah. I was going to make a plate up for Judith first"

"Carl will do that" Rick said.

"Have some food" He added, revealing a line of straight teeth.

"Alright. If you insist. I think I'll try the burger first, seeing as you couldn't get enough" She smiled playfully, helping herself to the bun then the meat.

"There's a bottle of red there" Rick observed on the far end of the table.

Michonne looked up with a mouth full of burger. "Oh no Rick. Not after what happened last time" She joked but the humour faded as quickly as the words left her mouth.

Rick stepped closer to her, his chest inches from hers as he tilted his head in her direction.

"I don't regret it. I never did" He said softy, trying to meet her eyes.

Michonne just stared blankly ahead, annoyed at herself for even mentioning that night. So much had happened snice then and she wasn't prepared to relive the heartache.

"Let's not do this now Rick" She warned, her eyes bold.

"When will we do this then? We need to talk about this Chonne. I miss you so much"

He moved closer so his lips brushed her ear as he said the words.

"Don't" She said, stepping back.

"Please...just give me a chance to prove it"

"How many chances do you need Rick? It's too soon, we both need time. Especially you after your breakdown the other night"

Rick stepped away, placing his hands on his hips. He knew she was right

"Alright" He nodded slowly.

"I'm going to go check on Carl and Judith" Michonne said as she left the table. A pathetic excuse, she knew but anything to get away from Rick.

As she turned to leave she heard Rick's name being called loudly from the house. She looked over her shoulder and Pete was suddenly next to her, spit flying from his mouth as he continued to yell.

People turned to look in their direction as Deanna and her husband Reg suddenly appeared.

"He doesn't belong here!" Pete screamed. "They don't belong here!"

Reg rushed over holding out his arms, calmly gesturing for Pete to stop.

"You don't need to do this Pete. Just calm down" unfortunately those were Reg's last words. The town's people watched as Pete pulled Michonne's katana from behind his back. Yielding the blade in Rick's direction just as Reg stepped in to stop him. The blade connected with Reg's throat and in one clear swipe his throat was cut, blood spitting relentlessly from the wound as Reg chocked and gasped for breath.

Deanna wailed at the sight, running to her husband and cradling him in her disbelieving arms as she sobbed uncontrollably. Repeating his name over and over until his eyes closed shut, the gush of blood coming to an aburpt end.

"No!" She cried, her body shaking from the shock. Pete then lunged towards Rick, swinging the katana in the air just as Michonne stepped in. She grabbed Pete's arms and pined them behind his back but she couldn't hold him for long. Pete had twisted, then turned in rage, grabbing Michonne by her arm and shoved her violently to the paved ground. Her body hit the stone with a hard thud. She felt her insides rattle, along with a profound snap which she was certain was her left arm breaking.

Rick acted fast. He grabbed Pete and threw him to the floor, holding him captive until he was told what to do.

Pete struggled, but couldn't get up, he was trapped.

"Carl!" Rick bellowed into the crowd.

Carl rushed to his dad's side. "Check Michonne's OK" his father ordered.

Rick suddenly pulled a handgun from the back of his jeans and dug the end of the pistol harshly into Pete's skull.

Deanna finally raised her head, looking around her garden at the many faces of horror, shock and disbelief. Jessie stood feet away with her boys, tears streaming from her eyes as she watched the brutal display.

Deanna then turned to Rick, her face wet from tears and the blood of her husband.. A silent exchange was made between the pair as she met Rick's eyes. She understood now what Rick had been trying to tell her all this time.

She noticed the handgun held firmly in Rick's grasp but wasn't angry at his betrayal, she was glad of it.

"Rick...do it"

That was all Rick needed. He cooked his gun and pulled the trigger. One bullet, bang into the back of Pete's skull and the killer was dead.

Deanna turned away and continued to sob as she held on to her husband's lifeless body.

"Dad"

Rick looked over to his son whose eyes were heavy with worry.

"She's bleeding"