Summary: Something has been growing between Rick and Michonne for a long time now but Michonne feels that, if she doesn't do something drastic, nothing will ever change.

A/N: In the comics Michonne is pretty forward when there's someone she's interested in. And considering Rick's staggering ineptitude when it comes to romance, she may just have to make the first move! I hope you like it!

…

The Seduction of Rick Grimes

The winter months took ahold of Alexandria with a brutal grip. There were already several inches of snow on the ground and the gray skies promised more to come. The longtime Virginia residents were taking it more or less in stride, but some in the group from Georgia were struggling to adapt.

"I think it's past your bedtime," Rick told a fussy Judith as he took her to his room.

Rick switched on the electric blanket lining Judith's crib, checked that her little knit hat was snug on her head, and draped another blanket over the top of the crib to keep the warmth from escaping too quickly. Soon Judith was sound asleep.

Satisfied that his daughter was safe, Rick removed his gun belt and set it on the bedside table. He kicked off his boots and climbed into bed. It was nice to have the whole bed all to himself, but it was a bit lonely.

With the thick comforter pulled up to his chin, Rick lay still and waited for sleep to come. The room was quiet. The whole house was quiet and, on nights like this, it was tempting to believe that the whole world was quiet, resting under a blanket of snow.

Eventually the worries of the day faded from his mind and Rick fell into a light sleep.

He was woken not long after by the sound of his bedroom door opening. Rick sat up in bed, ready for trouble.

Before he could say anything, a familiar voice called softly, "Rick?"

"I'm here," he answered in the dark.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Michonne said hesitantly, closing the door behind her.

Rick almost lied and said that he'd been awake anyway but knew that she would be able to tell.

"It's okay," he said, "What's going on?"

If there was an urgent problem, she would have said so immediately. Instead she sat at the foot of his bed, a fleece blanket bundled around her shoulders.

"I couldn't sleep," Michonne admitted, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Judith.

"Something on your mind?" Rick asked, growing worried.

The only light in the room came from a small battery powered nightlight that Rick kept beside Judith's crib. He could barely make out Michonne's expression in the dark room.

"No," she shrugged tiredly, "I think my bedroom window isn't sealed properly. It's freezing in there."

Rick sighed, relived that it was only the cold and not something more sinister that was bothering her. The cold he could at least do something about.

"Come here," Rick offered, scooting over and pulling back the corner of the comforter to make space for her.

Michonne spread her fleece blanket over the bed and quickly slid under the covers next to Rick.

"Is that better?" Rick asked softly once they were settled.

"Mhmm," Michonne answered, burrowing down so that the blanket almost covered her face.

The bed was large but they lay close together, their sides touching. It was hardly the first time that they had huddled together for warmth in the dark of night.

Rick closed his eyes and tried to tell himself that this was no different than all the times before when they had slept side by side on the rough ground in the middle of the woods, always keeping one eye open for walkers.

He had almost convinced himself when Michonne nudged him.

"I'm still cold," she whispered.

Rick shifted and moved his arm so that Michonne could snuggle in closer and rest her head on his shoulder, hoping to share some of his body heat.

"You shouldn't have stayed in there so long. You have to take care of yourself too," Rick said, upset that she'd let herself get that chilled.

During the day she kept active and rarely had a problem with the harsh weather, but if she let her body temperature drop too far then it could be difficult to warm up again.

"I know," Michonne said quietly.

Rick Grimes couldn't remember the last time that he'd laid in bed beside a woman he cared about. After being alone for so long, he'd almost forgotten how good it could feel.

Even if Michonne was only using him for his body heat, she could have chosen anyone in the house for that purpose. She could have gone down the hall to Daryl's room.

But she chose me, Rick thought, smiling to himself. He pulled the covers snug around them, determined not to let the smallest breath of cold air disturb the beautiful warrior woman beside him.

Michonne shifted a little and her hand moved under the edge of his shirt. Her fingertips grazed Rick's skin and all of his thoughts were immediately derailed.

For a breathless second Rick thought maybe that would be the end of it, and that she put her hand there by accident, but she didn't stop there. Her hand traveled underneath his shirt, moving up over his stomach.

"Michonne…" his voice caught in his throat, "what are you doing?"

Instead of answering, she continued to touch him, leisurely following the contours of his chest.

"Do you want me to stop?" Michonne whispered, her lips warm against his ear.

Her fingers brushed the small scar from his bullet wound and found their way to rest over his racing heart.

Rick closed his eyes and breathed, "No."

Michonne grinned, pleased that her plan was unfolding flawlessly.

She leaned over Rick so that her loose dreadlocks fell like a curtain on either side of his face and finally kissed him. The kiss was soft and electric and even better than she'd imagined.

Soon the icy chill of winter was nothing but a distant memory.