- This is it, guys. Final chapter. -

Chapter 25: Will Be

"Eugene and his team are conducting some tests on the childrens' blood...the ones born after everything went bad. They don't have the technology that was at the CDC so they're struggling, but Eugene says there have been some discoveries that support your theory. The children very well may be immune."

Michonne listened to Rick while watching Judith toddle over to her on her small legs. "That's good news," Michonne said with a smile.

"It is," Rick said. "And the fact that we're even this close to having hope for the future is all because of you."

Judith, having reached her goal, wrapped her arms around Michonne's leg and Michonne bent down to pick her up as a reward.

"Are you okay?" Rick asked. "No more soreness?" He had been keeping his eye on Michonne lately and she was no longer wincing with small movements. That was good. He could see that her face was healed but he knew her ribs had been bruised and giving her trouble.

"I'm all better," Michonne said. "I think I'm...actually ready to get a job now. I'm ready to start being a part of this community."

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On one of her first just-for-leisure treks around the community, Michonne decided to visit Sasha in the tower where she always stood on sniper duty. She brought a couple of sandwiches that they could eat while they were there.

"It smells like mold up here," Michonne stated as they began to eat. Sasha was welcome to the idea of a break.

"Yeah, well...It's not too bad," Sasha said with a shrug.

"Do you not get bored up here by yourself?" Michonne asked.

"Not usually," Sasha answered. "I like it. Being alone."

Michonne nodded. She could understand that. For a year, that was all she thought she wanted to do. Be alone. "...I'm sorry about Tyreese..." Michonne said.

Sasha released a heavy sigh. "I'm over it," she said in a clipped, guarded tone.

"No, you're not," Michonne replied. "You don't get over that."

Sasha turned to look at Michonne, upset that she was right. "You'd think we would get over it," she said. "Now that death is always so present."

"You'd think..." Michonne agreed. "But I'm glad that's not the reality. I think we need to feel it. The pain. Once we stop feeling it, that's when we're really in trouble."

Sasha stared over at Michonne, equally curious and in awe of her. "What kind of shit did you go through out there?" she couldn't help but to ask.

Michonne answered. She was done hiding from it. She had found that talking about it with Rick helped. To release the pain by sharing it instead of keeping it bottled up inside. "Rick and I were expecting before I got separated from the group," Michonne said. "Neither of us knew it." She didn't meet Sasha's eyes; it was still hard to speak about. "I had the child out there...And I lost him..."

A mournful silence hung in the air. Sasha had nothing to say. Michonne didn't expect her to have anything to say. There was just a shared sadness and that was all Michonne needed.

"I don't know if I would've been able to keep going," Sasha said. "I probably would have stopped fighting. Hell, after Tyreese...if we wouldn't have found this place...who knows?"

"There were times out there...I wondered why I kept going too. But now, looking at Carl, Judith. And Rick. To be able to see them. I know why."

Sasha nodded. "You're lucky. That you have a family to go home too."

"You have a family too," Michonne said. "The group is your family."

"I know," Sasha said. "But it's not like you got. Maggie and Glenn have their newborn and each other. Rosita and Abe have each other and Eugene." Michonne couldn't help but to chuckle at that. "Carol and Daryl have a close knit thing going on...I don't have anyone left."

"...Father Gabriel's free..."

Sasha looked at Michonne like she had two heads. Michonne's lips began to pull into a smile and Sasha's followed until they both laughed a little.

"Fuck you," Sasha said. "I was being so serious."

"I'm sorry," Michonne said, a smile still tugging at her lips. "I couldn't help it."

A silence passed. "I was thinking there was something kind of ruggedly sexy about Morgan though..." Sasha said, glancing in Michonne's direction.

Michonne raised her eyebrows. "You want me to introduce you two?"

"No, girl. I'll introduce myself."

Michonne raised her hands. "Okay," she said. They shared another laugh.

"So you and Rick, huh?" Sasha said. "I always knew there was something, but I didn't know, you know?"

Michonne nodded.

"Who started it? Him or you?"

"He did," Michonne answered. "He just sort of...cornered me one day. While we were out on a run."

"That sounds hot," Sasha said. "How is he in bed? That's something I've always wondered-"

"I'll take that as my cue to leave," Michonne said, standing up with a disbelieving smile on her face.

"Wha-? Come on!" Sasha called after her as she left the tower.

"Bye!"

"I thought we were having girl talk!" Sasha's words were answered with the closing of the door and she laughed to herself. "Thanks for coming to check on me, girl..." She leaned against the wall of the tower. She had spent so much time up here, alone. It had become kind of a comfort. Maybe it was time that she became uncomfortable again. 'I'll go introuce myself to Morgan tomorrow,' she thought. 'And we'll see.'

Michonne ran into Abraham on her way back from the lookout tower.

"Oh. Hey," Abraham said as they approached each other. He looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Hey," Michonne replied. She kept walking.

"I...never thought you were gonna make it back," Abraham said. "Sorry about that."

"I know you didn't you son-of-a-bitch," Michonne said good-naturedly as she passed him. She didn't fault him for it. And she always enjoyed the man's bluntness and honesty. "Sorry for proving you wrong."

"No. Thank you," Abraham called after her. "I'm glad you're back Michonne. You and your pretty ass."

Michonne shook her head. That man was never going to change. She made her way back home.

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"Judith! Stop it! Judith. Stop."

Carl was reprimanding Judith in his most serious voice as she continued to pull on his comic book while he tried to read. But she only giggled in response. Carl finally gave up. "Michonne!" he called. "Tell Judith to stop."

Michonne came out of the kitchen with her hair pulled up and an apron on. She wore a long-sleeved pink shirt and jeans. The smell of cooking food followed after her. She picked up Judith and carried her back to the kitchen with her. "Is Carl being mean to you?" she asked the little girl. "He won't let you read his comics?"

"Hey!" Carl protested. Betrayed.

Rick came in to see Carl snapping his comic closed in annoyance. "What's wrong?" he asked. The smell of cooking food lifted his spirits in the first second of his entrance.

"Nothing," Carl said. "Judith keeps acting up and making Michonne coddle her. And she won't listen to anybody besides Michonne these days. She's becoming a little brat."

Rick couldn't keep a bemused smile from crossing his face. "Are you being kicked out of the club now too?" he asked.

"What?" Carl asked.

"Nothing," Rick said. "Go upstairs and we'll call you down when dinner's ready."

Carl made his way upstairs and Rick shook his head, an amused smile still on his face. His son was jealous that he was no longer getting all of Michonne's attention.

He went into the kitchen to find Michonne wielding a cooking spoon in one hand and holding his daughter on the other hip. To see such a strong woman in such a domestic atmosphere was one of the most arousing things he had ever seen. He groaned, knowing he wanted her but couldn't have her in that way. Not until she was ready.

She turned around at the sound of his groan. "Oh, hey," she said. "Can you taste this?" She heaped some of whatever she was cooking onto the spoon and held it out to him. He walked forward and sampled it.

"It's good," he said. "What is it?"

Michonne shrugged. "A little bit of this and a little bit of that. I had to get creative because I forgot to go pick up our supply of produce from Olivia this morning."

Rick nodded. "I trust you." He gently took his daughter from Michonne's arms so that she could focus on one task at a time. Judith immediately began to fuss. "Stop that," he said to his little girl. She didn't stop. She kicked her feet. "Stop it, Judith." Rick warned.

Judith stopped kicking her feet but pouted fiercely.

"I'm going to read her a book and put her in her crib," Rick said. "Hopefully she can doze off after that."

Michonne smiled. "You're always trying to put her to sleep," she said lightly.

"Don't know any other way to deal with her," Rick said as he left the room to do what he said he was going to do. "Maybe when she's five..."

Michonne laughed. Father and daughter were a cute pair.

She could tell the minute Rick managed to get Judith to go to sleep. Toddler language and coos stopped. Silence filled the house. Then Rick's footsteps came back into the kitchen.

"You managed to get her to sleep," Michonne said without turning around. "Congratulations."

She was slightly surprised when Rick reached her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Burying his face in her neck and peppering her with soft kisses he asked, "So what job you thinkin' about?"

"I noticed there's an up-and-coming blacksmith-"

"Yeah, Clyde," Rick answered, still kissing her neck. He brushed her hair over her shoulder so that he could reach the apron string around her neck and untie it.

"Since more people will start being supplied with daggers and swords in the near future, I was thinking I could maybe train some of the people in how to use them. What do you think?"

"I think that's a great idea," Rick said. He untied the apron string at her waist next and it went falling to the floor.

Michonne felt Rick's arousal pressing against her backside and his kisses growing more fervent. She turned the heat down on her food, realizing that she would have to turn her attention to something else for a moment.

She was about to turn around but Rick took her hands and gently placed them out in front of her, bending her over the counter. Michonne released a breath and gripped the outer edge of the counter surface with her fingers. Her heartbeat was accelerating in her chest as she wondered what Rick was going to do next.

There were times in the past couple of weeks when she marveled at the restraint and patience Rick had shown when it came to her hang-ups in bed. They hadn't made love since she had found her way back to him again. That worried her on some level. She knew that Rick would never demand anything of her. And he would never blame her. But if, in the midst of building passion, Rick were to ask. To say "Michonne, please". She knew she wouldn't deny him. Even if it was uncomfortable. Even if it hurt. She was going to endure it so that he could have pleasure. Maybe today, now...was the moment when he would ask her.

Michonne spread her legs as Rick's hand found her center. And that spark ignited.

The lead-in was always good. She always felt ready when he rubbed at her, fondled her. But whenever he tried to go further...or include intercourse...

Michonne moved her hips against Rick's hardness as he leaned over her. His chest laid against her back and his hand moved expertly between her thighs. He knew what she liked. What made her feel good.

"I love you," he whispered, his breath fanning her ear.

Michonne gripped the counter tighter and she moved her hips in circles, trying to feel all of the warmth from the palm of his hand.

Rick stood and rolled his hips against hers a couple of times before he picked her up from the counter and turned her toward him.

He nipped at her lips and then kissed her passionately. Lovingly. Michonne was still melting into the kiss when she felt him descend. Her hooded eyes followed him to the floor as he knelt and pressed her against the counter.

His mouth covered her center, through her jeans, and Michonne's head fell back. She sucked air between her teeth as she began to push against his mouth.

Rick could smell her aroused scent through her clothing. It fueled him.

He scraped his teeth against her and Michonne let out an "Ah!" of pleasure.

He got to his feet again and gave Michonne another passionate kiss. His bulge was close to bursting out of his pants now. Michonne rubbed her palm against his proof of passion and Rick groaned deep in his throat. He brushed her hand aside and lifted her feet from the floor.

She wrapped her legs around him and Rick pressed her gently against the counter as he began to thrust. The sound of fabric rubbing together and heavy breathing is all that could be heard in the room.

Michonne kissed Rick deeply as he pushed against her. The friction felt fantastic. She broke away from the kiss and held onto Rick's shoulders as she increased the pace of her hips. His bulge was hard and satisfying against her aching center of need. "Uh! Yes, Rick," she whispered.

Rick's lust-filled gaze stayed on Michonne's face as he bucked against her. Harder and faster. Michonne wrapped her arms around Rick's neck and he pulled her away from the counter. They only had each other for support. Their hips moved together in a frenzy of want and need.

Rick gripped her hips and stilled, needing to take a breather. He sat in a chair near the kitchen table with Michonne now on top of him. She grinded against him, taking up all of the work. She didn't mind. She was feeling hot and close to exploding.

She leaned back, resting her hands on his knees and rotated her waist, moving her hips in a circular motion.

"Oh, god," Rick groaned.

His hand fell on her stomach and the other rested on her thigh. She began to increase her speed.

"I want you inside of me, Rick," she breathed.

"Dad! Michonne! Is dinner ready yet?"

Michonne flew off of Rick's lap just in time for Carl to come around the corner.

"It's almost ready," Michonne said, walking to the stove and turning the heat back up. Rick could only feel cheated. They had been so close to making a breakthrough.

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And Michonne was the one left feeling cheated after dinner. She had planned on picking up where they left off right after but Rick was called away on official business. Something about whether school business or church business was more important. Blah blah blah. She didn't care. She just wanted to get Rick into bed.

And after four hours had passed and he wasn't back yet, she crawled under the sheets alone and frustrated.

She had fallen asleep for she didn't know how long when she woke up, feeling Rick climb into the bed beside her. She ignored her drowsiness and sat up, pulling her shirt over her head.

"What are you doing?" Rick asked, his voice groggy with exhaustion.

"Let's finish what we started," Michonne said. She peeled her underwear down over her legs (she had already taken her pants off before climbing into bed) and she unhooked her bra and discarded it somewhere in the room. She was naked in no time.

Rick sat up. Michonne was glad to see that he was already bare-chested. He must have taken his shirt off before coming to bed. "Are you sure?" he asked. "We can wait until morning."

"I don't want to wait."

"...Okay..." Rick ignored his own exhaustion and peeled his pants off. Then his boxers.

Michonne smiled, findng his willingness to do what she wanted through obvious exhaustion cute. "Here," she said, handing him a condom. He tore it open and dragged it onto his length.

Michonne tied her hair back and turned over onto her side.

Greeted by her back, Rick paused in confusion. "What's going on? I thought we were going to-"

"I want you to take me like this," Michonne said.

"Oh..."

Rick scooted in behind Michonne, touching her soft, naked skin immediately caused his member to harden. He kissed her shoulder blade and carefully lined himself up at the entrance of her womanhood. Michonne gasped when she felt his tip hit her opening.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rick asked again. "Are you ready?"

Michonne nodded. "I'm ready."

Rick placed another kiss on her shoulder and then reached around to dip his hand between her thighs. Michonne drew in another shaky breath. Rick felt that she was, indeed, wet. He entered a finger into her, readying her. And then two.

Michonne licked her lips. "Get inside of me, Rick," she breathed.

Rick replaced his fingers with his manhood. He pushed the tip in and he felt Michonne tense. He moved the pads of his fingers gently against her clitoris and Michonne became more ready for him. She moved her hips and Rick entered her deeper.

"Oh," Michonne moaned. She gripped her pillow. "Put your hand on my breast, Rick."

Rick did as instructed, abandoning her clitoris for a moment to fondle her breasts. Michonne sighed and pushed her hips against him, taking all of him inside.

Rick's eyes rolled closed and his grip involuntarily tightened on her breast. He allowed her to control the rhythm, her voluptuous backside pushing into him at a slow pace as his member was pushed in and out of her heat.

"Oh god, Michonne," he whispered. "I love you so much."

Michonne lifted her leg to allow him better access and grabbed his hand, moving it between her legs again.

Rick began to push into her, meeting her hips with his pelvis. He grasped the inside of her thigh to help her keep her leg aloft.

Michonne pushed her face into her pillow as Rick began to thrust deeper. With more passion.

"Michonne," he rasped out.

He had been wanting this for so long. He had been missing this for so long. Those days without her had been agony compared to now when he had her in his bed. In his life. In his family.

Rick pushed into her again and again, making Michonne feel immeasurable pleasure with each thrust.

Rick gripped her waist and began to push into her faster. Michonne was being pushed onto her stomach. With no inhibitions, Rick went ahead and straddled her hips. She was now completely on her stomach beneath him. His member was squeezed tight between her walls. "Is this okay?" he asked. He had never taken a woman like this before.

"Yeah," Michonne said, breathing heavily. "Take me, Rick."

Rick thrust into her.

"Oh, god!" Michonne groaned. She had never felt so great a pleasure between her thighs. She gripped the side of the headboard.

Rick moved his hips gently. Riding her as if he was bobbing on the waves of a calm ocean. He looked between their bodies to stare at her well-rounded, naked hips. He liked the feel of her ass. He placed his reached down to grip her hips as he continued to push into her. When he could no longer maintain a slow rhythm, he closed his eyes and began to go faster.

"Oh, Rick. Yeah." Michonne grasped the sheets beneath her fingers and she held on as Rick thrust into her again and again. His breathing became grunts and his grunts became groans. The sounds coming from his throat drove her crazy. When he paused to catch his breath and draw out their love making, Michonne moved her hips in a circle to keep the friction going. She wanted him to fill her and keep filling her.

Rick raised himself up onto his knees and Michonne followed him, unwilling to let him escape her walls; she was now on her hands and knees in front of him. Rick released an aroused, guttural sigh. He couldn't believe how sexy his woman was. He placed his hand on her back, allowing it to run across the smooth, dark plane. Michonne pushed against him. Rick pushed back, his length enveloped in her warmth.

It didn't take them long to start in on a faster rhythm. Rick gripped her hips and pushed into her, strands of his hair falling loose against his face.

Michonne breathed heavily and gave as good as she got. Rick was transfixed, watching the muscles in her back work as she moved back and forth against him.

He reached around to that bundle of nerves between her legs again and began to massage it as he thrust into her from behind.

Michonne fell to her elbows, her hips in the air. "Ohh!" she moaned.

Rick felt himself about to release but he wasn't done yet. He didn't want to be done yet. He stopped.

"Let- let me on top," Michonne gasped out.

Rick removed himself from the warm wetness of Michonne's body and fell to the side. He laid on his back, waiting for her. Michonne straddled him and grabbed the base of his penis, guiding it back to her well of pleasure.

Rick bucked involuntarily as she slid down onto him. He wasn't going to last much longer.

Michonne must have sensed it. She didn't tease or go slow. She lowered herself and rode him wildly. She was close to the end herself.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," Michonne repeated as she moved on top of him.

Rick kept his eyes closed shut tight.

Towards the end, he flipped her over to her back and took up the final stretch. He gripped her bucking hips and held her close as his pelvis met hers in a frantic dance of need and want. "God!" he groaned. He buried himself fully into her and his entire body tensed. At the same moment he felt Michonne's walls clench around him, pulling every bit of desire he had in him from his body.

The two lovers were frozen in a state of immense pleasure for a moment until they both collapsed. Breathing heavily. They lay wrapped around each other as they allowed the last tremors of pleasure to run its course through their bodies.

"That...was great..." Michonne said, her naked chest heaving against Rick's.

"Yeah..." Rick said. He couldn't make his mind work enough to say anything else.

He finally gathered enough energy to fall over to the side. Michonne turned to curl against him, laying her head against his chest. She listened to his breathing and heartbeat as they slowed down, became steady, and returned to normal. She smiled. She really was home. She really was going to be okay. There really was a future.

"Rick?"

"...Mm?"

"I love you..."

Michonne's words were greeted with a light snore. She chuckled. Not sure if he had heard her. "I'll tell you again in the morning," she whispered.

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In the middle of the night she got up, got dressed, and went for a glass of water. She ran into Carl who had apparently been suffering from a dry throat himself. "Hey," she said. "You wanna practice knife throwing with me and Maya tomorrow?"

"...Can it just be you and me?" Carl asked.

"...I'm not as good as Maya..." Michonne answered.

"Still..." Carl said with a shrug.

"Okay..." Michonne said with a smile. "We can do that. Just you and me."

A satisfied smile touched Carl's face. He loved the inclusion of Michonne into his family. But he was also happy that he could still simply have one-on-one time with his best friend. "Cool," he said. "Good night."

"Good night, Carl."

He disappeared upstairs and Michonne got her glass of water. She was about to head back to bed but stopped when she heard Judith speaking her toddler language from her crib. Michonne walked over to see the little girl sitting up and playing with her toy.

"Awake, huh?" Michonne asked with a smile. "That's what your father gets for putting you to sleep all hours of the day."

"...Ma-ma..." Judith said.

Michonne froze. "What was that?" she asked.

"Mama..." Judith repeated.

Michonne felt her eyes immediately fill with tears. "Are you talking to me?" she asked.

Judith giggled.

"Yeah...you're talking to me..." Michonne set her glass of water aside and picked Judith up from her crib. "I will- Mama...will sit with you until you can go to sleep again, how about that?"

Judith giggled again.

Michonne released a breath. Thanking whoever...whatever...that she had been able to make it back to this. Her home. Her family.

THE END

- Thank you to those of you who stuck it out through to the end! Thanks to those of you who pointed out when I made mistakes! Thanks to those of you who were happy to read silently! Thank you, thank you, thank you. Review and let me know what kind of story you want me to write next. -