With Arms Wide Open (Chapter 21)

A/N: Request by zeejack based on captions from a gif set of Rick and Michonne and an impending pregnancy. Also, the title is a song by Creed that I absolutely love.

They stand in the kitchen of their newly acquired home, having another one of their infamous stare downs. Carl recognized the stare down for what it was and quickly grabbed Judith and headed to Maggie and Glenn's place. They had arrived in the Safe Zone only days ago and are trying their best to get settled in and acclimated to their new environment.

"You're free to say whatever's on your mind," Rick offers.

"I told you what was on my mind a couple of weeks ago, but you clearly chose to ignore me or maybe what I want and my opinions don't matter to you anymore," she counters.

"You know that's not true. I did what I did for us and I don't understand why you can't see that. This is important and why should we continue to ignore the situation? You can't keep denying that this is happening," he tells her.

"I haven't been denying it. We just needed to concentrate on other things….like finding our next meal, finding a home, surviving out there."

"We did all those things and more. We're here now and we're safe….so far. I don't see the issue you're having." He watches her cautiously, wondering if he'll be able to get his point of view across.

"The issue I'm having is that it should've been my decision to share that information. This is happening to me. I'm the one who's pregnant."

"Well, damn. I think I had a little something to do with putting you in that condition. Women getting pregnant by themselves nowadays?" Rick's sarcasm is thick. "We're pregnant."

"Ok. We're pregnant. Isn't that our business? You didn't have to go telling all of these new people about it."

"They have an infirmary with a doctor. You need to be examined and checked out as soon as possible. They may even have some vitamins that pregnant women need to take," Rick proffers. "I just want you to be ok. I want the baby to be ok. Is that a bad thing?"

She sighs. "Of course not, Rick. I just thought I had a little more time before the questions started. Those people are already curious about us and you just made it worse with your big announcement."

He gives her a slight smile. "I couldn't help it. I haven't been this happy in a long time. We're having a baby and I want the entire world to know it."

She can't help the happiness that swells within as she returns his smile. "Well, I'm still mad at you."

"Just tell me what I need to do to get back into your good graces and it's done," he suggests. He walks toward her, taking her hands into his and placing them at his waist. He cups her face and kisses her lightly. "I can't wait to see how your body changes with our baby. I can't imagine you glowing more than you already do, but I know you will." He kisses her cheek and talks closely by her ear. "Your boobs are gonna get even bigger if I'm lucky."

She laughs and taps his backside. "If you're lucky, huh?"

He nods. "And your belly getting so big it looks like it's gonna pop. I'm looking forward to all of that, but most of all I'm looking forward to whoever that little person growing inside of you is going to be, what he or she will look like. Will he have your brown eyes or my blue ones? Will she have your pert nose or mine? If he'll sleep through the night or keep us up."

Michonne hugs him tightly as she detects the love Rick already has for their unborn child. How can she stay mad at him as he just wants to share what he believes is the best news ever. "I guess I'm being too much of a prude, aren't I?"

"Just a little bit." They both laugh as they continue to hug each other.

She gasps as Rick slides his hand down to her center, caressing her through her pants.

"Now, how can I make it up to you?" He asks right before he moves in for a salacious kiss.

Several months later, Michonne waddles into the baby's newly completed nursery, seeking her husband. The house is quiet as Carl and Judith retired as soon as their dad allowed it. The three of them were putting the finishing touches on the baby's room as he or she would be arriving any day now.

She finds Rick on his knees and assumes that he peddling with something else he procured on several of the runs he has organized in the last few weeks. She frowns when she hears sniffles and grows concerned immediately. "Rick?"

He pops up slightly and glances at her quickly, wiping at his cheeks. "I'm fine. Go back to bed."

She finds it slightly difficult, but she drops to her knees by his side, placing a hand on his back. "Babe, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. I promise."

"Rick, please. Don't do that. If something's wrong, I…" She trails off as he shakes his head.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just doing something I haven't done in a long time, but I felt compelled for some reason tonight, so….." He looks over at her, knowing he'd see curiosity in her eyes. He smiles and wipes his face again. "I….I was praying. I had given up on believing, thinking maybe he had forgotten about us. Putting the nursery together with the kids, realizing that our baby is about to arrive and he or she will be sleeping in a crib, not a padded down mail carrier box….I guess I got a little overwhelmed."

Michonne smiles and wonders if it's possible to love her husband more than she already does. "You are such a good man, Rick Grimes. I love you so much."

Rick almost blushes with his wife's praise. "I love you, too."

She grasps his hand closest to her with her free one and asks, "Can I pray with you?"