A/N: Sorry it has been a while. There was a death in my family, and writing has been hard because I am sad and tired a lot of the time. This is short; I'm sorry. We are picking up where we left off.


The lively music from the party sounded as if it were miles away from where Rick and Michonne sat. They stole away from their friends, and perched themselves on the front step of his home. No one made a fuss about his or her absence; still content with the revelry to celebrate Rick's seventeenth birthday, though the guest of honor was not there. He was waiting with his girlfriend. Her grandfather was scheduled to pick her up from the party at eleven-thirty; the young lovers had around thirty minutes to themselves. While this was an approximation, Rick and Michonne were determined to take full advantage of their time alone.

"Do the mints help?" asked Rick sheepishly, as he chewed another of the small, rounded candies.

"A little," Michonne replied, while sitting beside her beau. "You're just lucky I like kissing you, beer breath an' all."

This caused him to laugh, as he leaned closer to her, and ran his hand up and down her back. They shared a smile before Rick pressed his lips to her bare shoulder. He then whispered close to her ear, "If you don't want me to kiss your mouth, I'll kiss you everywhere else."

Michonne let out a little giggle as her face grew warm. Rick's lips soon met the flushed skin of her neck, and she closed her eyes. After a moment of lapping, he brought his mouth back to her ear, and said, "I want to kiss you all over."

She turned to face him, and their lips met. The kiss quickly grew passionate, as both Rick and Michonne relished in their growing excitement. She pulled back first, but his lips descended to her collarbone; he craved the contact with her. His hand snaked slowly up to her breast, before he asked, "Is this okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered in reply. He wasted no time in capturing her mouth with his, and exploring the soft skin under her clothing.

After some time of delighting in the feeling of deep kisses and willing, searching fingers, Michonne breathlessly drew away from Rick. Her lips were swollen, and her chest was heaving. She rested both hands on his shoulders, before offering him a reassuring smile.

"You all right?" he asked; concerned that his eager hands had touched her in some way that she did not like. He withdrew his hold on her, and pulled away. "You want me to stop?"

"No," she answered. "I'm okay. It's just…what if someone sees us?"

Rick glanced around, squinting into the porchlight. Their attentions to each other had become heated quickly; they were all wandering hands and fervent lips. Her concerns were realistic; someone could stumble upon them. He did not want their friends witnessing a private moment; he wanted his girlfriend to feel comfortable, always.

"You want me to turn the front light off?" asked Rick, keen to do whatever he could to please Michonne.

"Nah," she replied. "My Grandpa will most likely need it to find his way."

Rick pouted as he remembered why they were sitting there away from the party in the first place.

"I don't want you to go," he said.

"I know," she offered, equally as pouty. "So let's make the most of it."

Michonne stood, and took hold of Rick's hands, before leading him away from the front porch, and around the corner of his house. The light did not reach the darkened area, as the pair came to stop near the wall. They shared a shrouded smile, as Rick's hands found Michonne's waist; he walked her backwards to the wall, and kissed her once more.

Her fingers threaded through his curls, as he deepened the kiss and pressed his body against hers. Her mind wandered a moment, as she thought about how perfect the night was, and how a writer might describe it. Bright stars danced overhead as the boy she loved held her in his arms, and made her world spin.

She vaguely wondered if Rick's body was alight, just like her was. A steady thrumming set in between her legs, as his hand trailed up underneath her top as he cupped her breast.

"Is that okay?" he questioned.

"Hmm mm," she nodded.

Rick kissed her clavicle while he massaged the rise of her chest, and then whispered, "You can touch me, too, if you like."

He thrust his hips gently forward, and she felt his arousal press against her. Michonne's mind flashed back to the moment they shared in the hut. She briefly thought about how surprised, yet aroused she was when she first touched Rick in an intimate way. The way that his body responded to hers; how she enjoyed their proximity. Emboldened by his consenting words, and the way his lips worked over her neck, she brought her hands downwards, both resting at his belt. She ran her palm over his belt buckle, before trailing it over the telling swell in Rick's boxer shorts just below.

"Shit, hold up; hold up," said Rick as he pulled away. Michonne opened her eyes.

"Sorry, I thought you said…"

"It's not you," said Rick, quickly fixing her clothing, as the beam from the headlights drew nearer. "I think your granddaddy's here."

xXxXx

"Where the hell did y'all get to, eh?" asked Shane, as he leaned on Andrea.

"I was waitin' with Michonne until her granddaddy picked her up," Rick replied, as he helped with some final clean-up.

"Enough time to get an extra birthday gift," said Shane.

Rick rolled his eyes, and Andrea slapped his chest.

"Don't mind him," she said. "You know he's a perv."

Just then, Abraham staggered over and draped his arms over both Shane's and Andrea's shoulders.

"So, we ready?" Abraham asked.

"For what?" Rick questioned.

"To go back to my place and keep partyin'," he replied.

"I dunno, man," Rick answered.

"I already asked your mama," said Shane. "Not about partyin', but about a 'sleepover'. She said it's okay. Your daddy, too. She's gon' give us a ride over there."

"Liar," Rick said.

"Don't believe me?"

"No," Rick answered.

"Well, here comes your daddy now: Ask him."

…..

The light from the small lamp cast shadows in Michonne's bedroom. The hour was well past midnight, but she could not sleep. She was still thinking about Rick, and how far they had come in their relationship: They loved one another. They had spoken the words. She felt as if she were floating. She could not believe that after so much heartbreak, her heart could feel full once more. Rick had come into her life and was helping her to heal.

There was another thought in the back of her mind, faint, yet persistent, like the steady, secret pulsing that she felt: If they had not been interrupted, she may have gone further with Rick. She was safe with him. She could trust him. She realized that she wanted to be with him in every way. Smiling happily to herself, Michonne opened her journal, placed it on her pillow, and began to scrawl over and over again: Michonne loves Rick.

…..

The Ford residence was lacking in any adult presence. The small group of friends sat around the living room and listened to music, while drinking the rest of the alcohol Abraham's older cousin had procured for them. Glenn and Maggie had gone home shortly after Michonne did, and Lori had shown up at the same time as they had left. The after party was in full swing and the hour was growing late.

"Abe," Shane started. "I was just thinkin', how come you ain't never got any parental supervision?"

"Yeah," Sasha chimed in. "Where are your folks?"

"They're busy," Abraham answered. "Now shut y'all asses up and pass that damn bottle. Gotta save some for the birthday boy."

"Where is he?" asked Tyreese.

"Drainin' the lizard," Abraham supplied.

"I'll go get him," said Lori, as she stood and made her way to the bathroom.

Sasha looked at her brother and then shook her head as the tipsy brunette traipsed off to find Rick. Soon thereafter, there was a gentle knocking on the door as Rick washed his hands.

"Comin'," he called out, just as the door opened, and Lori stepped inside.

"Sorry," she said, swaying slightly.

"It's okay," said Rick, trying to step around her. "I'm done in here, now anyhow. Look, I even put the seat down."

Lori let out a giggle, and then slapped his arm playfully.

"You're such a good guy," she offered with a smile; Rick nodded, and then shifted toward the door.

"Wait," said Lori, as she grasped his wrist firmly, but gently. "I didn't get the chance to say it earlier, but happy birthday."

Rick smiled and said, "Thanks."

Lori beamed at him, and stepped closer. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek, before whispering near his ear, "I bet you made a wish. Did you get everything you wished for?"