Chapter 11: "Trust"

Rick have been sitting in his car for the past 20 minutes, staring at the picture. He didn't know what to think. Michonne and Negan. How is this possible? He focused his attention on Michonne. She was smiling. Although they are divorced now, there was a time when she was happy…with him. Rick stared outside as rain drops gently tapped on the window. Negan doesn't seem like the type of person Michonne would be into.

His mind began to wonder about their first meeting and how someone like him could snag someone like her. Then he cheated and raped her. Rick felt himself getting angry that Michonne has had to deal with this animal and worse yet…they share a child. She is permanently attached to him…he will always be in her life. Suddenly, he remembers the one person he should be really mad with. Rick turned the key in the ignition and pulled out of his driveway. ******************

Captain Ford woke up to the loud banging on his door. He reached for his clock…..1am. Sluggishly, he put on a t-shirt and went downstairs. On reaching the door, he peered through the peephole and exhaled. He opened the door and before he could say anything, Rick barged in fuming.

"You knew…didn't you?"

"Do you know what time it is?"

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

The Captain looked him confused.

"Tell you what?"

Rick pulled out his cellphone and shoved it in the Captain's face. He recognized the photo of Negan, Michonne and a young Sydney from the Mental Health Gala from a few years back. The Captain looked up and saw Rick glaring at him. He calmly walked into the kitchen and putting on the light, reached into the fridge for a cold beer. He offered same to Rick but he refused. Instead he stood there, hands on hips waiting for an explanation. He watched irritated as the Captain took a few sips from the cold beverage.

"Why did you send me to her?"

"Because she is good at what she does and she can help you!" He paused looking a Rick. "And maybe as a last f*ck you to Negan."

"You sent me to the ex-wife of the man we are supposed to be gunning for? The man who we believe is responsible for Daryl's death?"

The Captain put down his beer on the counter.

"Firstly…we don't know for an absolute certainty that Negan is responsible for Daryl's death!...directly or indirectly."

Rick was about to refute that statement when the captain put up his hand to stop him. Rick clenched his fist.

"I've warned you about making those statements in public. What we know and what we can prove are two entirely different things. You're a cop. You know this. Since you are too busy making hospital visits, you don't have time to go through the goldmine of possible clues Daryl left us in the box."

"That isn't fair!" Rick weakly protested as he looked away. "I was busy looking for Rosita too!"

"Secondly, what does Michonne being Negan's wife have to do with you?!"

Rick's head snapped around to the Captain in building rage.

"She's not his wife! She's his ex-wife! Ex!" Rick said angrily.

The Captain leaned forward and stared into Rick's eyes. Then it widen.

"What the… Are you two sleeping together?!"

"No!"

The Captain folded his arm across his chest.

"No! We are not sleeping together."

"I know. She's not that kind of person."

The Captain saw a glimmer in Rick's eyes.

"But you like her…don't you?"

Rick said nothing as he walked away towards the living room and plopped himself down on the sofa. The Captain followed.

"Jesus Christ Rick! You have only known her for what? A few days? You are going to her for your own issues…not to add hers to your own. You can't get emotionally involved with her!"

"I already am." Rick said quietly.

"Rick, you can't do this to yourself again. Remember your last romantic work relationship? That didn't end so well."

"Candice was a mistake."

"You didn't feel that way about her then and you two worked together."

"This is different. Michonne is different. I can feel it."

"Maybe, but she has a lot on her plate with Negan and now with Sydney being in the hospital."

The Captain took another swipe at his beer. He saw Rick looking at it so he retrieve one for him quickly. Rick took two big gulps.

"What do you know about Negan and Michonne? Their relationship?"

"Just what I've heard. He's a bastard. Cheated on her, blew up their 7 year marriage. She left his ass 5 years ago."

"He did more than just cheated on her." Rick grumbled under his breath but the Captain heard him.

"Is there something you want to tell me?"

"No."

"She still has to deal with him on account of Sydney. It's a known fact that he still loves her. He wants her back."

Rick scoffs at the statement.

"He doesn't love her. He wants to possess and control her and he's using their daughter!"

The Captain took note of the Passion in Rick's voice when he talks about Michonne. He shook his head.

"She was a fast rising star in her field when they met. He was just a paper pushing agent in the FBI. Her status gave him a legitimate shot at being in the running for Director of the FBI. He attended all the right parties with her and rubbed shoulders with the right people as well. She got him noticed. He made it as far as Deputy Director but suddenly the Director was met with an accident that everyone found was strange."

Rick's interest was peaked and the captain saw it. He smiled.

"Strange how?"

"Well…it was known fact that Mr Phelps, the Director at the time was a classic car fanatic. He would spend hours polishing and repairing his collection. Somehow, while on a drive to the country his brakes supposedly failed and he crashed into a semi- trailer truck. The official report is that the brake belt was eroded and when he pressed the brake pedal it snapped. We supposed to believe that a well-known car enthusiast's like Mr Phelps who wouldn't let even a speck of dust settle on the hood of his car would allow his brakes to get corroded."

"Well what happened to the investigate?"

"Nothing. It was ruled an accident so it didn't go any further."

"Let me guess. Negan was appointed Director almost immediately after."

"Exactly one week after Phelps's death Negan was sitting in the guy's chair. It was disgusting."

Neither men said anything for ten minutes. Rick looked at the time. It was 2 am.

"I better get home. I'm tired."

"Thank you for waking me up from my sleep so that you can now get yours."

"I'm sorry."

The captain walked Rick to the door.

"Look. I know it's a lost cause but please please please….Don't get involved with Michonne. Don't make things harder for her than what it already is." The Captain laughed. "Besides….she's your psychiatrist. It's a little bit cliché."

Rick said nothing as he walked to his car with the captain watching him. After a minute, Rick pulled out of the driveway and the captain closed his door.****************

"What?!"

Maggie stared at Rosita in disbelief at what she was hearing. She looked at Sasha then back at Rosita again. Rosita was nursing 3 day old DJ.

"You're kidding right?!"

She looked at Sasha again.

"She's kidding right?!"

"She does have a point Maggie."

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Look. I don't have any children and it wasn't me who was kidnapped but I was scared ok. Really scared. I can't even begin to imagine how Rosita was feeling at the time."

Maggie threw her hands in the air in frustration. Sasha continued.

"Now that DJ is born…he should be her first priority now."

"I can't believe this? You're agreeing with her? You were one of the biggest supporters for finding Daryl's killers!"

"Yeah! I was. But that was before the kidnapping and the putting DJ at risk. Nothing is worth that much. Nothing! Can't you see Maggie? These people are mortally dangerous! They had no qualms about taking a pregnant woman in a crowded f*cking mall. As good as our intentions are…we can't compete with that. We can't fight that. I'm sorry."

Rosita had just finished nursing her son and soon after a nurse came in the room to take him to the nursery. Before the nurse left, Rosita plastered gentle, loving kisses all over his tiny face. He cooed causing Rosita to blush. When the nurse left the room, Rosita turned her guns on Maggie.

"What is the issue here Maggie? I don't want to jeopardize my life and that of my child. Is that so hard to comprehend? You out of all people should understand! You have children!"

"That's right! It is because I have children is the reason why I say you should continue to fight! What are you going to tell little DJ about his father's death?! That you didn't find his daddy's killer because you were too much of a coward and used his birth as an excuse?! Do you want to put that burden on your son?!"

"Maggie!" Sasha shouted.

Sasha couldn't believe those words just came out of her mouth. Maggie herself couldn't believe it either...what she just said to one of her oldest and dearest friends. The room was deafening silent. Rosita, glaring at Maggie, slowly got off the bed and walked towards her. Her eyes were brimming with tears. Then suddenly, she slapped Maggie hard across the face. Sasha gasped loudly and then covered her mouth. Rosita pointed a stern finger in Maggie's face angrily. Her hands were shaking.

"Don't you dare call me a coward!"

Rosita's voice was low and trembling.

"Don't you dare!"

Maggie's eyes glistened with tears. She knew what she said was so so wrong and she saw the hurt in Rosita's eyes. She wished that she could take it back. Rosita was crying openly now.

"It was my neck he had his hands around! It was my throat that he was squeezing! It was my life and the life of my unborn child that was slipping through his fingers! YOU…WEREN'T…THERE!"

Tears now streamed down the faces of all three ladies.

"You weren't there!" Rosita cried as she dropped to her knees. Maggie followed and hugged Rosita tightly.

"I'm sorry Ro! I shouldn't have said that!"

Rosita held on to her and they both cried into each other. Sasha soon joined the fray.

"I thought I was going to die!"

Maggie wiped her friend's tears.

"I am just so angry! Daryl's gone and these people are going to get away with it!"

"I have to focus on DJ! I have to stay alive for him!"

"I know…I know!" Maggie conceded.

They hugged again.

"Daryl would understand. He wouldn't want you risking your life or his son's life. Not even for him. Please forgive me!"

A minute later, the nurse brought in a fussy DJ and handed him to his mother.

"It looks like he doesn't want to sleep."

Rosita cuddled her son in her arms while Maggie and Sasha crowded around her. Sasha caressed his cheeks and he yawned. He closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.****************

Negan looked at the time. It was 4 am. He looked at Michonne who was asleep on a cot on the opposite side of the room. He had seen her taken a light sedative when she returned from her walk. She always does that whenever she can't sleep due to excess worrying. He glimpse her handbag and then Sydney. He reached for it and began rummaging through it. He saw nothing out of the ordinary…purse, appointment book, toothbrush, perfume etc. He took her cell phone and he now noticed something different.

It needed a password. He was taken aback. In all the years during their marriage Michonne never had a password to her phone. Even during their divorce and immediately after he would randomly search her phone under the pretense that he was there to visit Sydney. He visited regularly back then. He wonders…what does she have to hide now? Is she seeing someone else? Is she having sex with someone else? When he last visited Sydney eight months ago, he checked her cell phone although he almost got caught. It wasn't locked then.

Putting the phone back in her bag, he walked over and stood over her. She wore a semi low riding jeans with a waist length tank top. The clothing hugged her in all the right places. She looks good. She always looked good. She was 85% laying on her back. He pulled a nearby chair and positioned it between the bed and the cot. He watched as her chest rise and fall with her steady breathing, her breast like perfect rounded mountains, followed suit.

He observed the contours of her face, her lips, cheeks, chin….everything. It has been awhile since he tasted her. He longed to nibble on her lips..stuff his tongue down her throat and feel his cock between her legs. He knows that this will not happen on its own. Michonne will never let him near her or inside of her again. He was itching to steal a kiss from her luscious lips.

He looked over his shoulders and smiled. Sydney is the key to getting her back in his bed, willingly or unwillingly. That's for her to decide. He leaned over and inhaled her scent. He can't get enough of it. He heard a slight stirring in the back of him and when he turned back around he felt stinging pain to his face.

Whack!

He held his cheeks and saw Michonne wide awake, glaring at him. She had slapped…hard. He was surprisingly stunned.

"What the hell was that for?" He roared waking up Sydney. She stared at her parents.

"For whatever you were thinking about doing just now!"

A small smile escaped his lips. Michonne knows him all too well. When he got up and turned around, he saw Dr Carrington at the door staring at them.****************

Dr Carrington does his morning checks on Sydney. He glanced up at Michonne several times. Although she and Negan were only inches apart, the distance between them couldn't be any wider. What he witnessed earlier really disturbed him. Five minutes later, he was done.

"So?" Michonne asked.

"Sydney is in good health. If this keeps up, she could be going home in a couple of days."

"Be more specific." Negan growled.

The doctor glanced at him slightly then focused back on Michonne.

"Two or three days."

Negan looked over that his daughter.

"You hear that?! We'll be going home very soon…" He looked pointedly at Michonne. "All three of us."

Michonne looked at Sydney's joy at her father's statement. She forced a smile on her face while her heart went through a string of emotions all at once…happy that her little girl is making a full recovery, worried that Negan will use this as a ploy to pull her back into his life and heartbroken that Sydney is in for a major disappointment. She hugged Dr Carrington.

"Thank you so much!" for everything!"

"No need to thank him. He's doing what he's being paid to do …his job."

Both Michonne and the doctor ignored him.

"You are most welcomed." He left the room.

Without even looking at Negan, Michonne walked over to Sydney and kissed her on her forehead.

"I'm going to the office to rearrange some of my appointments and tie up some other things. I will be back as soon as I can. A couple of hours tops."

"Ok mummy."

Michonne picked up her handbag and walked out of the door. Soon after, Negan kissed Sydney and followed her out.*************

When Negan finally caught up with Michonne, she was by the water cooler having a drink.

"What do you want?"

"What time will you be back?'

"I wouldn't be long."

"What time?" He asked forcefully.

"When I'm done."

She walked off and he followed. Five minutes later they were out by her car.

"Don't take too long."

Michonne faced him.

"Excuse me?"

"Be back by noon. I want us to have lunch like a family."

"We are her parents but we are not a family! Atleast not the family you want! What you are doing is going to hurt our daughter. You hurting and abusing me is one thing but I will not let you hurt Sydney!?"

Negan grabbed her arm and pulled her close. He held her there, their bodies flush together.

"Let me go!" Michonne cursed at Negan, trying to push him off. He grabbed her hair, pulled her head back and began forcefully kissing her. Michonne knows physically she can't fight Negan so she did the one thing she could do. Negan felt a sharp pain and he pulled away his lips from Michonne's. He tasted blood.

"Did you just…."

"Next time it will be your tongue."

Negan smiled and slowly released her. He watched as she got into her vehicle and drove off.***************

A man sat in a heavily tinted black SUV parked across the street from the hospital parking lot. His eyes was fixed on the surveillance feed on his Ipad of the interaction between Negan and his ex. He looked outside as Michonne's car passed his on the corner. He smiled to himself as he watched Negan walk back into the hospital.**************

After greeting a few people who gently enquired about her daughter, Michonne quietly slipped into her office and closed the door. She walked over and dropped herself on the chair. She punched in the password for her phone and closed her eyes. Seconds later, the familiar sound of messages coming in began to sing. She looked at the phone screen…Rick. She slowly looked through the messages.

2:15 am

'Hey. I know we just saw each other a few hours ago. Just wanted to check in.'

2:34 am

'I hope everything is alright. Call or text me.'

Michonne saw two other messages but didn't bother to read them. She decided to just call him instead. Right now…she really needs a friend.************

Rick groaned as the phone rang for the third time. He looked at the time. It was 6:30 am. He lazily reached for the phone with squinting eyes. Michonne. His eyes widen with excitement but before he could press the answer button, the call ended. Rick jumped off the bed and fumbled to press the redial button. Rick gripped the phone hard as the the phone rings. Please answer. After the sixth ring he got his wish.

"Hello?"

Rick tried to calm the excitement in his voice.

"Hey."

"Hey."

There was silence.

"Sorry I didn't answer earlier."

"It's ok."

"How are you? How's Sydney?"

"She's doing great. Her father's with her."

Rick sulked.

"Where are you?"

"In the office. Just came to clear up a few things and rearrange some schedules. Was just about to get some breakfast and head back to the hospital."

"Do you have to go back now?"

Suddenly, Rick felt selfish. Of course she has to go back. He quickly apologized."

"I'm sorry. Your daughter is still there."

"Well actually….I don't have to go back so soon as I just left there."

Rick felt a jolt in his heart.

"Ok. I like breakfast. So maybe we could meet up?"

"I would really like that. To see a friendly face."

"Where do you want to meet?"

"Can you pick me up by the office? If it's not too much trouble."

"No…it's not."

"Great! I'll be out front waiting."

"Give me thirty minutes."

"Ok."

Rick scampered for the bathroom.**************

When Rick pulled up across the street from the building, he saw her and couldn't catch his breath. The 7 am morning sun caressed her perfect skin. Her hair hung loosely in a ponytail and her hands gesturing in the air as she talked to some people around her. That smile though. That smile would make the Grinch love christmas. The conversation he had earlier with the captain played in his mind. He warned him about getting sucked in. But he wanted to get sucked in…as far as he can.

She doesn't look as tense as she was the other night. The captain can't compare Candice to Michonne. He worked with Candice…not Michonne. Candice was needy and petty jealous…Michonne is not. Candice was just sex…he wants more from Michonne. However, the captain is right. Michonne's life is complicated. Rosita doesn't want to pursue the case anymore because of her son which he perfectly understands.

He just can't let it go. He will feel like he's betraying Daryl if he doesn't see this through, but if he does, he will be going after the father of Michonne's child. He personally suspects that Michonne wouldn't mind but it will severely affect Sydney. He honked his horn as he drove over to her. She got in.

"Hi."

"Hi." They smiled at each other.**************

They had only driven for about ten minutes when they came upon a nice breakfast café. They went in and in 15 minutes time, they were digging in into a hearty breakfast of eggs, waffles with strawberry cream. Rick glanced up at her and smiled. She caught him.

"What? Is there something on my face?"

Unfortunately, there wasn't but Rick needed a reason to touch her…so he lied.

"Yeah." He moisten his thumb with his tongue and gently wiped off the imaginary food particle from the corner of her plump lips. "There."

"Thanks."

They continued eating and ten minutes later the waitress was clearing their table.

"You know…we really need to get started on your therapy session. Captain Ford will want a report soon."

"We're heading back to your office?"

Michonne looked around.

"No. Here will do."

"It's alittle crowded and too public… don't you think?'

Behind Rick, Michonne spotted a more secluded accommodation. She got up and Rick followed her. They settled in. Michonne could see that Rick was still abit reluctant to open up. She attempted to ease his fears. Leaning forward she spoke in hushed tones.

"Did you kill someone in the line of duty?"

"No."

"Did you break any laws?"

"No."

She reached out and touched his hand, smiling at him reassuringly. Rick turned his hand up so that his palm faced hers. He held her hand firmly.

"Then you have nothing to worry about."

Rick savoured the contact. After a minute, he reluctantly released it.

"Talk to me Rick."

Rick nodded.

"I went on a rampage seeking revenge for my partner's death. In the process..I stepped on a few toes."

"How long have you and your partner been together?"

"Daryl and I grew up together. We joined the police force at the same time too and we became partners ever since."

"How did they say he died?"

"An accident but I don't believe it. Neither does his wife."

"He was married."

"Yeah. That friend I told you about…the one who gave birth the other day."

Michonne nodded.

"I'm sorry."

"She's doing good. Has a great support system."

"That's good. Who said it was an accident?"

"The FBI."

"Ok. And who do you think is responsible for his death?"

Rick swallowed hard.

"The FBI."

Rick watched carefully as Michonne digest the information. Her eyes became squinty..focused. After a few minutes, she gestured for them to go outside. They did so quickly. Upon getting into Rick's car, Michonne faced him.

"Who conducted the investigation into Daryl's death.

"The FBI."

"Then you have a problem."

"I am aware of that."

Rick could literally see the intelligence wheel turning in Michonne's head…her eyes being the window. A couple of minutes passed.

"Do you have a suspect in mind?"

Rick didn't how to answer that question. He couldn't exactly tell her truth until he knew more himself. And if it is infact Negan who bugged her home…giving this information will only shake her resolve. So he lied.

"No."

"Hmmm. How did you try to get revenge?"

"I beat up one of the FBI's informants."

"Did you get what you were looking for?"

"Partially."

"How did it feel?"

Rick didn't want her to think him a savage but he trust her and need to tell her the truth…atleast this truth.

"It felt good."