Chapter 29: Home Truths

A/N: Thanks for the feedback! I hope you're all looking forward to some more Richonne Grimes Family domesticity. Let's see what our faves are up to…


"Oh, Rick," Michonne cried as she dug her nails into his bare shoulder; the other hand threaded through his wet curls. The steady stream of the warm shower washed over their nakedness and muffled her pleasured moans. Rick worked his deft lips over her sex while he held her in place with strong arms; her leg draped over his shoulder while he kneeled down to consume her.

They did not have much time; their family needed them. There was much to do. Rick's lips and tongue vigorously lap at her womanhood. He could feel her body stiffen as her she reached her orgasm. He held her tighter, still; her climax, coupled with the steam, caused her to grow lightheaded. Her deep inhalations hoping to right her composure.

Rick leaned against the tiled wall to assist him in standing. His erection stood boldly, grazing against Michonne's thigh. Their mouths came together in a messy, heated kiss; his chest firmly pressed to her pert breasts. He wanted to be closer to her; he wanted there to be no space between them at all. His lips moved from her mouth to her neck; he sucked the skin hard, using his teeth. She moaned once more, before taking hold of his manhood and stroking him. He growled at the contact.

"I don't wanna, but we gotta be quick," he breathed, his eyes rolling shut as she thumbed the small opening at the tip of his sex.

"Be quick," she replied, as she stopped her stoking. "I'm good, babe. Do what you need to do."

She pressed another kiss to his lips, before turning her back to him and leaning her arm against the wall. She eased backwards and rubbed her ass against his stiffness. He took hold of her slender waist and drew her back so that she had more bend to her stance. He then kissed her neck, and slid his thick member into her sweet center. The water ran down their bodies as he pumped into her; his movements were frantic, hurried, and full of need. Their wet skin slapped together as Rick drove his length into Michonne again and yet again. His labored breathing was intermittently overtaken by primal grunts each time his plunged sex deeper into hers.

The running shower stifled her whimpers as he struck at her core and hit her spot. She clenched her eyes shut, and let him strive to find his release. He was close. His thrusts hastened; he was less gentle with his attentions. She could hear him curse loudly as he spilled his seed inside of her. He held her close as they both panted; his length still throbbing between her folds. Hesitantly, Rick withdrew himself; he kissed Michonne's shoulder and then nuzzled into her neck.

"I'll take care of you better, later," he promised, speaking close to her ear.

"It's okay," she replied, before turning to face her husband. "You always take care of me."

\m/o.o\m/

Carl wolfed down his lunch hastily before standing at the table.

"You goin' somewhere?" asked Rick, as he poured some lemonade for his wife.

"They're already training the newcomers," Carl explained. "I'm gonna go help out."

"Son, we're havin' family time today," Rick stated. "Everyone knows that. They understand we're not gonna be helpin' out today."

"I know, but this is important," said Carl.

"So is family," said Rick sternly.

"Dad, I know that," Carl answered. "I won't be gone very long; plus, I can catch up with Mom later."

Rick and Carl both looked at Michonne; she shrugged. "It's fine by me," she offered honestly. "We'll spend some time together after his work is done."

"I'll keep Mama company," André interjected with a wide, bright smile that was not dissimilar to his mother's.

"See, Dad," Carl offered before patting his little brother on the head. "It's okay. Mom, I'll see you later."

With that, the young man drank the last of his lemonade, kissed his mother's cheek, and rushed out of the dining area. Michonne turned to her husband and said, with a smile, "He's just like you; dutiful."

…..

"I know we're near the ocean and get to see water all the time, but this is nice," she said, glancing across the pond. "Are there any fish in it?"

"I don't know," André replied. "Daddy doesn't let me go down near the water. I'm not really allowed to go anywhere without Carl. But I know it's to keep me safe."

"That's right," Michonne offered. "We live in a dangerous world, even inside of these walls. Everything your Daddy does is to keep you safe. So, you and your brother get to spend a lot of time together?"

"Yeah," André smiled. "I do school lessons in the morning, and then I get to hang out with Carl while he does training with the new folks and other kids."

"Do you like school and training?"

"I like training, but school is kind o' boring," said André, with his adorable little face scrunched up; Michonne mirrored his action.

"Really?"

"Really," he answered.

"Well, you must like some part of it," said Michonne, as they took a seat on the grass; the afternoon sun warm on their backs.

"Hmmm, hangin' out with the other kids," said André. "There ain't a lot of kids left around here."

Michonne noticed the plaintive expression that washed over her son; she sidled up closer to him.

"But there's heaps at Oceanside," he added, his eyes growing brighter.

"Yeah," Michonne said. "There are."

"And now that Judy and Richie are here, we've got two more."

"That's right," she supplied with a smile.

"Our communities are gonna be friends, right?" asked André, staring up into his mother's eyes.

"Of course," she replied gleefully.

"So, that means I'll have a bunch of other kids to be friends with?"

"Yes, baby," Michonne grinned. "Tons of other kids."

André smiled and said, "That's good."

"So, what do kids do for fun around here?" Michonne queried as she gestured to the surrounding area with outstretched arms.

"Well, there's one house on our street that has a bunch of toys and games in it," André offered excitedly. "After lessons and training, we all go over there and play."

"Ooh, that sounds great," said Michonne. "What kinds of games does it have?"

"Lots of different ones," André offered. "There's board games, sports stuff like footballs and basketballs; video games, but we don't get to play them very much. There's a pool table and dartboards for older kids, and toys and stuff for little kids."

"Wow," Michonne said, thoroughly impressed with the setup. "That's pretty cool. We don't have anything like that at Oceanside. It's a pretty good place here, isn't it?"

"Yep," he answered. "Judy and Richie are gonna love it here, Mama."

"I know, honey," she replied. "Anywhere with you, your Daddy, and your brother is the best place in the world."

The little boy smiled at his mother, and then leaned his head against her shoulder. She wrapped her arm around him.

"I'm happy y'all are here with us," he said softly.

"I'm happy we're all here together, too," she smiled. "Hey, I have an idea!"

André lifted his head and faced his mother; anticipation written all over him.

"What is it?" he queried.

"Let's go to the games house and get somethin' to play with," Michonne offered.

…..

There was the distinct sound of the basketball hitting the pavement, coupled with breathless giggles. Michonne and André were manoeuvring around one another in the driveway of the games house. The boy had the ball, and was trying to get by his mother so that he could take his shot; there was a surprisingly well-kept hoop fixed to the top of the garage. Michonne was a little rusty, and had not played for a long time before the turn; but she was keeping up with her agile son. André had obviously had time to practice. It was evident in how he spun and stepped around his rival, before taking his jump-shot; the ball flew through the air, and then swished through the hoop. André did a little dance and then skipped around in front of his mother.

"I'm too good!" he announced, as Michonne feigned annoyance with him.

"Well, you just take after me so much," she offered, holding her hand up to give him a high five. They smacked their palms together and shared a smile. "You're really good, baby."

"Thanks, Mama," he said proudly. "Andrea usually plays with me when Carl's busy."

Michonne knit her brow at the information. "Really?"

"Yeah," said the boy as he bounced the ball once more. "She's always doin' fun things with me."

"That's nice," Michonne offered; happy that the woman was at least decent to her children. "What other things do you do together?"

"She helps look after us when Daddy's busy," André explained.

"I'm glad she's there for you," Michonne offered honestly.

"Everyone's real good with us," the boy continued. "We're like a big family."

Michonne smiled, "That makes me so happy to hear that. You have a lot of people here who care about you."

She stepped forward and wrapped her arm around her son's shoulder, before kissing the top of his head.

"That's what Andrea always says," André stated. "She cares so much about me and Carl, and Daddy, too. I was so sad when she moved out of our house."

"She was staying with y'all?"

"Yeah," said André nonchalantly. "When we first got here. But she moved out. I was real sad. But she didn't move far away."

"You really care about her, uh?"

"Yep," he answered.

"So, what else do you wanna do today?" asked Michonne, after clearing her throat; she was still embracing André.

"Um, do you think we'll be able to go and watch Carl train the new people?" he queried, with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Sure," Michonne replied. "We can do that."

…..

The area near one of the high walls served as the spot where weapons and hand-to-hand combat training occurred. A few people were scattered about, engaging in what appeared to be self-defence techniques. Others, who really needed it, were working on their target practice with bows, and getting used to firing guns.

From what she could glean, this training was for people who had not had very much exposure to life on the outside. While munitions were scarce for the Alexandrians, they were still given the opportunity to learn how to defend themselves. Michonne smiled when she saw Carl helping an older woman with her knife fighting skills. She was also pleased to see the Oceanside residents the had brought with her; when her eyes met Cyndie's, the two shared a grin before the younger of them approached. André gave the pretty girl a coy smile and sat beside his mother on the grass.

"Hey," said Michonne. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Cyndie replied, before squatting down.

"I'm sorry about before. Were you assigned somewhere to stay yet?" Michonne prodded.

"Yes," she answered. "There's a few empty houses. They said we could stay in one of them. Everything good with you? What happened before?"

"Baby," Michonne said to André. "Why don't you go and see if your brother needs some help."

"All right," said André, as he stood and ambled towards Carl.

"Andrea, the woman who met us at the gate," Michonne explained. "She made a mistake. We were never meant to be processed."

"I figured that when Mr. Grimes came in," Cyndie stated. "He looked pissed."

"He was," Michonne offered in response. "But you were treated with respect by the people he sent to get you situated?"

"Yeah, they were fine," said Cyndie. "Someone mentioned that we could help out here, or brush up a little, so I made the decision for us to come over."

"That's good," Michonne nodded. "They listen to you. You're a fine leader, Cyndie. I always knew that about you."

The younger of the pair smiled at the woman she had grown to respect and admire greatly.

"Thanks," she said humbly. "Everyone's been really welcoming, I mean, apart from that Andrea chick. Carl's pretty cool."

Michonne looked over at her two sons; Carl was helping André load an arrow into a small crossbow. She felt a familiar warmth swirl around in her chest at the sight of her boys.

"He is," she replied. "And I don't know what Andrea's deal is, but I'm going to find out. Hey, come by our place later for dinner?"

"Okay," said Cyndie. "That sounds nice."

…..

"This is kind o' weird, right?" asked Carl, as he and Michonne sat in the armory and cleaned weapons. "Not really the type of mother-son quality time you had in mind?"

Michonne lifted her gaze from the pistol in her hand, before offering her son a smile.

"Any time spent with you is well-spent, Carl," she proffered. "Even if it isn't normal. Besides, it's quiet in here. We can talk, or just get this done in silence; as long as we're together."

He beamed at his mother and nodded, "Right," he said. "What did you and Dré get up to today?"

"We hung out for a little bit," she said. "He explained how overprotective your Dad still is, which is understandable. Oh, and we shot some hoops, which is somethin' I never thought I'd get to do again. And he told me a little about Andrea helpin' your Dad out with the two of you."

Carl sighed audibly; Michonne noticed.

"What is it?" she questioned, placing the pistol and cleaning implement down on the benchtop.

"It's nothin'," said Carl.

"Come on," Michonne pressed. "You can tell me."

"It's just, I appreciate everything Andrea's done for us, but…"

"But what?"

Carl sighed again.

"She isn't you," the young man explained. "And I kind o' sort o' feel like she was trying to be you."

"What do you mean?" Michonne asked, finding it interesting that both of her sons had a different outlook on the woman in question.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "She was just always there. And that's cool. Dré needed that after we lost you. But I didn't. And Dad…well, you'll have to talk to Dad about that."

Michonne nodded her head.

"You know she was just doin' the right thing by bein' there for you, for your brother, and your Dad?" she asked.

"Yeah," he answered. "I know. I guess I was worried that André wouldn't remember you. Like she was going to replace your memory."

"Carl," Michonne started. "No one can ever replace or erase what we have. We're all just tryin' to survive, somehow. That's what she was doing. Please, don't resent Andrea for getting close to your brother and your Dad, okay?"

"Okay," he replied. "I'll try not to."

…..

"You've got a nice collection here," said Michonne, as she searched through the stacks of comic books; each was individually packed in its own polypropylene bag and sealed for safe-keeping. She smiled at the care that was given to the books, just like she had shown Carl when he was younger.

"Found a few on runs," said Carl proudly. "But there were some already here when we arrived and cleared a couple of the houses. I taught André how to take care of 'em."

Michonne beamed at her two sons, before saying, quite animatedly, "Excellent. Do you read them together?"

"Sometimes," said André, as he edged up next to his mother where she sat on the floor of their shared bedroom. "But Carl's been busy lately."

"Right. He's such a busy bee," Michonne offered. "How about, you choose one now, and we can read it together later, before bedtime? Would you like that?"

The small boy's face lit up; his bright smile, that mirrored Michonne's exactly, reached his dark brown eyes.

"Yes, please!" André offered excitedly. "I'd love that."

\m/o.o\m/

"Thanks again for the spaghetti, Mr. Grimes," said Cyndie, while wiping her mouth with a napkin.

"You can call me Rick," he replied amicably.

"Yeah, of course," she answered. "Thanks, Rick. We eat so much seafood, which is good, but I sometimes miss the taste of other flavors."

Michonne and Rick nodded their head. She could not have been that much older than Carl. She was lucky to have her grandmother, but had lost her parents to this world. She was tough; Michonne felt an affinity towards her.

"I'm not complaining," she added. "There are people worse off than us; I'm just sayin' that sometimes it's nice to have a change."

"I hear you," said Michonne. "And Rick has turned out to be a pretty decent cook."

"Yeah well, I had some help from Judy," said Rick; the little girl smiled over at her father. "ain't that right, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Daddy," she replied jovially.

Michonne felt a feeling of warmth spread through her entire body. Eating a meal with her family, in a nicely furnished, well-lit home, reminded her of life before. A pang of sadness struck at her chest when she thought about how much they had suffered; how this was the world that their children would grow up in. Then, as she glanced around the table, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. Regardless of how dangerous the world had become, she was lucky enough to have her husband and children with her; she had friends who were just like family. That was all she could really ask for. Others were more alone than she could ever fathom.

She brought her focus back to the table; Cyndie, standing up, was about to leave.

"Thanks again," she proffered. "I better get goin'."

"Don't mention it," said Rick with a smile. "You're always welcome here."

"Mom, Dad," said Carl. "I'll walk Cyndie home."

Michonne raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, okay," she said. "I see what you're up to, mister."

Carl's face dropped; he looked slightly mortified as he glanced at his father, then Shane. "Uh?" he asked, his eyes then darting from his mother to his father.

"You're tryin' to get out of doin' the dishes," she teased. "I know your form, buddy. And guess what?"

"What?" asked Carl, more relieved that a moment ago.

"Your Dad and Uncle Shane can take care of it," she smiled. "Cyndie, we'll see you tomorrow. If you need anything through the night, you know where to find me."

The young woman wished the Grimes family, Sara, and Shane goodnight, as she and Carl headed towards the door.

"I like her," said Rick. "She seems like a good kid."

"She is," said Michonne. "Now, about these dishes…"

…..

"They're asleep?" asked Michonne, referring Richie and Judith, as she looked up at Rick.

"Finally," Rick replied, as he sauntered over to the couch where his wife was sitting. "How was story-time with Dré?"

"It was great," she answered, letting out a happy sigh. "I missed this so much."

Rick slid onto the sofa next to Michonne; he took hold of her hand, before kissing it.

"Me too," Rick offered. "Which book did he choose?"

"Amazing Spider-Man comic book," said Michonne with a wide grin. "He loved it. Knew all the words. What story did you tell Judy Pie?"

"About our first date," Rick relayed to Michonne; she laughed.

"Really?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Last night I told her about the first time we met."

"Oh, god," Michonne groaned. "I hope you left out the part where I threatened you and called you an asshole?"

Rick let out a laugh of his own, as he recalled what Michonne had said to him over the phone.

"I did," he said in response. A somberness enveloped them as Michonne thought briefly of her younger sister, Shiri. She breathed deeply, and continued her line of questioning.

"How was the rest of your day?" she asked.

"Was fine," he smiled. "Uneventful. Good."

Michonne sighed wistfully. "Like before all o' this?"

"Yeah, somethin' like that," said Rick.

"So," said Michonne, as she straightened up. "I haven't forgotten about what we agreed to talk about."

"Yeah," Rick answered. "I thought as much."

"All right then," she offered, as she turned to face her husband. "You wanna tell me what's the deal with Andrea?"

\m/o.o\m/

Two years ago…

"I'm here for anything you need," Andrea whispered, as she stepped closer and leaned forward; her lips pressed tentatively against his, and Rick froze in place. She reached up and cupped his face as she deepened the kiss; her tongue parting his lips as she sought entrance. The kiss felt different to Rick; after years of having no human contact from anyone, other than his children, the kiss felt foreign. It felt strange. Their tongues met and he finally closed his eyes. As Andrea pressed her body flush against Rick's, that dull thrumming in his temples went away.

His body felt ignited. He wrapped his strong arms around her waist and drew her nearer to him. A small moan escaped his lips as she pressed her crotch forward, grinding against his growing arousal. Suddenly, he drew away from her slightly, breaking their kiss.

"Rick?" she breathed, closing the distance between them once more; her lips kissed at his neck. She sucked the skin vigorously, her hands fumbling with his belt buckle.

"Andrea…"

"It's okay," she whispered, rubbing his ever-stiffening erection through his jeans. "I'll take care of you."

Rick grabbed hold of her wrist, and stopped her ministrations. He walked her backwards to the wall, and pressed her up against it. Their breathing was labored; Rick tried to steady his almost frantic inhalations. He rested his forehead against Andrea's and closed his eyes, before saying, "I can't do this; this isn't gonna happen."


A/N: That was difficult to write, and sorry that it was a flashback. You, Dear Readers, will get to hear it from his mouth (but it was too much in one dose, so next chapter it is lol). In the next instalment, we hear what Michonne has to say; is that all that Rick has to say?

Thanks!