Intrigue Part III

The pizza making was an absolute hit with everyone. Andre and Michonne were more than happy to share their ritual and Rick, Carl, and Judith didn't realize cooking could be so much fun. Andre couldn't resist stirring up a little trouble with the flour so they all ended up with white splotches on their faces and in their hair.

Their side dishes included garden salad for the adults and pasta for the kids. The meal was enjoyed by all and they just did have enough room for the gourmet desserts Rick brought. Afterwards, they all watched Shrek and didn't realize the time until Judith started nodding off.

Rick notices and says, "I guess I better get these two home. We do have an early morning with the car wash and all."

Michonne agrees as she gathers Judith's ballet flats that she kicked off sometime during the movie. It warms her heart that she felt so comfortable in her home. She watches as Rick stands and then lifts Judith into his arms as they prepare to leave.

Carl thanks Michonne and Andre for the pizza and says, "I hope we can do it again real soon."

"Me too. That was a lot of fun," Andre returns.

Rick walks to the door then turns to Michonne. "Thanks for everything. This was really nice."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She opens the door, switching on an outdoor light as they exit. She and Andre watch from the open doorway as Rick deposits Judith into the back seat then takes the driver's seat as Carl climbs into the back as well. They wave as the car drives away.

The next morning, the car wash gets underway early. Several parents show up as well as students and Rick was nice enough to dedicate two hours to the fund raiser and then he had other officers to show up for two hour shifts as well. The community came out to show their support and at the end of the day they had raised well over $300 dollars. Michonne thinks that's a very good start and makes a mental note to open a bank account on Monday, plan for their next fund raiser, and begin the registration process for the tournaments.

The next several weeks are routine and seem to fly by quickly. Rick and Michonne's friendship has flourished as he continues to attend his kids' classes and assist her with the fund raisers. Their Friday nights are spent together as well as the kids look forward to the pizza making. Rick tried to be courteous and tell Michonne that she and Andre could have a couple of Fridays to themselves but she couldn't dream of disappointing Carl and Judith so she didn't. There were a few of those Fridays that Rick had to work late but asked his parents to get the kids to Michonne's house.

She was beyond nervous the first time Rick's parents came to her home to drop Carl and Judith off. She invited them in and offered them something to drink. They actually sat down to visit for a while as they were enthralled to finally meet Ms. Michonne and Andre. Rick's mother, Gladys, relayed how much her son and her grandkids talked about them and how happy she was to finally meet them.

All too soon, the dynamics changed with the end of the school year. It was Memorial Day weekend and Michonne has just returned from a trip to Atlanta. She took Andre to the city as he would be spending the summer with his dad. She knew Rick had to put Carl and Judith on a plane to their mom in Virginia and they would be away for the summer as well.

She sighs heavily as she pulls into her driveway and parks in the garage. Part of her was looking forward to a little solitude but the more she thinks about it, the more depressed she becomes. She gave up her career as a lawyer and decided to work in the school system just so she could spend more time with Andre after the divorce. She has made him her top priority and now that he isn't there, she doesn't know what to do with herself.

She realizes she doesn't want to be alone so she grabs her phone and texts Rick. Two hours later, she arrives at his house with a bottle of wine, popcorn and a movie. What was supposed to be a nice, relaxing night turns into a confession hour. Rick is her friend so she relays to him exactly what she is feeling.

"He's only been away for a few hours and I already miss him." She takes a deep breath and laughs. "Guess I need to adopt some new hobbies huh?"

"You'll be fine. He'll be back before you know it."

"It's just that….well this is the first summer he'll be gone the entire time. A month and a half with his dad, two weeks with Mike's parents in Maryland and then a little over a week with my parents in Columbus." She looks up at Rick. "I shouldn't be so selfish, but I can't help it." Before she knows it, her eyes start to shine with unshed tears and she drops her head sadly.

Rick reaches over and lifts her chin. "Hey. It's gonna be ok. I promise." He leans in and kisses her forehead affectionately. That brief moment of contact has them staring into each other's eyes intently as his gaze drops to her lips. Her eyes find his lips as well and before they know it, their mouths are connected and he is wrapping his arms around her waist. She brings her arms up and wraps them around his neck as they open their mouths simultaneously and delve inside with their tongues.

Michonne pulls back slightly, wondering if this is the path she should take.

Rick takes her hesitation for regret. "I….I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that."

"No. That was…..that was quite nice." She smiles at him as she inches closer and places her lips on his, hoping for the same feeling of excitement as before. It's there. Of course, it's there. She moves a hand up to his chest and notes the erractic beat of his heart, a beat that matches her own.

A knock at the door and the chime of the doorbell has them pulling apart suddenly. Rick groans as his eyes roll heavenward. This better not be freaking Shane. He looks to Michonne and says, "I'll be right back."

She nods as he lifts himself from the couch and walks to the door. He looks through the peephole and sighs. He contemplates not answering it but knows his best friend and partner won't go away if he doesn't. He pulls the door open. "Yeah?"

Shane pushes his way in. "Hey. Just got off work and thought we could down a couple of brewskies." He moves into the living area, "You…..ga….." He trails off as he notices Michonne. He looks from her to Rick and back again. "Hi. I'm Shane Walsh, Rick's partner. I don't know if you remember me. I dropped Carl and Judith off a couple of times for um…karate and gym class."

"Right. I remember. Nice to officially meet you."

"You too. You too. The kids talk about you all the time." He looks over at Rick, trying his best to hide his smile. "Well, I guess I'll be heading on home now. Ummm…..good night."

"Good night," Michonne returns.

Shane walks to the door and slams the bag of beer into Rick's belly with a wide grin. He watches as his friend grabs the bag with a frown. He then proceeds to give Rick a double thumbs up as he walks backward out of the house.

Rick shakes his head as he closes and locks the door. He tosses the bag of beer into the refrigerator hurriedly and makes his way back to Michonne. She looks vulnerable to him in that moment and he realizes that he wouldn't do anything to compromise their friendship. He will follow her lead whatever that may be.

She returns his stare as she asks herself if she wants him. The answer is a resounding yes and she can only hope that he feels the exact same way.

A/N: All I got is…..part IV coming soon. Thanks.