A/N: Hi all. Sorry for the wait; I had this all handwritten and couldn't be fluffed typing it hehehe I just wanted to address how Rick dealt with John. I know a few readers wanted to see an all-out blood bath, but I needed to consider Rick in all of that. He has so much weighing on him with the things he has done and the people of the Settlement already had preconceptions of him being unhinged and bad. If he is going to step up as their leader, he needs to show them that he is strong, fair and ultimately good. They need to see that in him; dealing with John quickly and efficiently was a way for them to get to know Rick. No one responds well to a maniac waving a gun around calling for peace!
mobettasway: welcome! This is my obsession as well. Ha!
focusedOnProsperity & cakebythepound: thanks for the compliments.
KK: Nothing gets past you, ever! You're right; Rick doesn't know about André…
Thanks to all of you, dear readers. This is a filler and much slower than the last few chapters. It's setting up what's to come.
The pounding that was inside of Rick's head just did not want to cease as he sat on a plastic crate near the main entrance to the Settlement. He glanced at his wristwatch and then rubbed his rough hands together. He was waiting for the rest of his people to arrive. Abe, Sasha, Bob and the others had agreed to take care of those who they had rescued; Maggie and Beth were inseparable; while Michonne and Carl were watching out for each other, Judith, Jahnee and Valarie. Glenn had made the short trek to let them know it was safe to return as John had been taken care of. Rick glanced up the road and stood when he saw the two vehicles approaching; he signalled for the young man who was working the gate to unlock it to allow his family and the newcomers access.
His group piled out of the vehicles followed by the people they had rescued; Rick searched the small crowd until his eyes fell on Michonne and the children. Carl led Judith over as their smiling father drew them both into a hug; kissing them on top of their heads. As Michonne got closer, Rick's smile grew wider; she draped her arms over his shoulders and he caught hold of her waist as they shared a languid kiss. Rick then rested his forehead against Michonne's while they stood in silence, both glad that the other was safe.
"What happens now?" She finally asked as they walked along; her arm looped through his.
"We're having a meeting shortly in the Council rooms. Let everyone have a say in what they want to do now that there's a shift in leadership. And we gotta talk about defences too." Said Rick.
"I might go and see Doctor Buckley to make sure everything's alright." Michonne said and Rick immediately looked at her with concern.
"Talk to me." He said as he stopped walking.
"It's nothing in particular. I just want the Doc to check me over. Make sure everything's fine with the baby." Michonne offered reassuringly.
"Alright." Rick agreed. "You want me to come with you?"
"No. I got it. Go to the meeting, I'll find you later."
xXxXx
"Thanks for takin' the time to come together." Said Melanie. "I know it's been a pretty tiring day for a lot of us already, so we should get this started. I'll hand over to Peter now."
"I know y'all have a lot of questions, but we need to get a few things sorted. Firstly, the people who've just joined us. Please follow my wife Valarie and head on over to the Infirmary. We have a doctor who's available to give you a once over or treat any injuries you have. Thank you." Said Peter as the group from the farmhouse left, including Beth, Noah and his small brother Briley.
"Okay, so what's going on now?" Someone asked of Peter.
"Now, we have a lot of things to think about." He offered as Rick stood beside him.
"This place has been standing because of the deals that John made with some bad people. We've taken care of most of those people, but according to some of the people we saved, there were a few who were not at their base of operations when we hit it. They could figure out that we attacked and come for us."
"And why did we attack in the first place?" someone else asked.
"Because they had our people." Rick snapped. "Look. We don't know if they'll even figure it was us, but we did take in a girl who was working with them."
"What about the other people who we just let in…?"
"How can we be sure they ain't dangerous…?"
"What the fuck…?"
"Quieten down." Said Peter as he tried to get the residents to calm down. "Listen up, people. Come on."
"Be quiet!" Yelled Rick as he banged his fist on the table. "We're gonna answer your questions, but y'all gotta let us fuckin' talk."
The room fell silent.
"First of all, tonight we need everyone to sleep inside of the gym. No exceptions. Everyone needs to be in a central location and accounted for. That includes the new people. Second, we're gonna spend time talkin' to the newcomers." Said Rick.
"We need as much information as we can get." Added Peter when some of the residents looked at each other questioningly.
"Everyone's gonna have to pitch in and help with other duties they may not have done before, and everybody is starting weapons and defence training today; no exceptions. We don't know who else is out there. Which other groups left us alone because of these sick arrangements. We've gotta be prepared. Those who have weapons experience see Peter to take some extra sentry duties; those who need some training, see me afterwards." Rick explained.
"What do you say, Melanie?" asked someone in the crowd.
"I say do whatever it is Peter and Rick ask of us. There are bad people out there and we need to protect what we have, they know how we can do that best." She answered.
"Okay, so those who need training, meet me at the ball courts in ten minutes. Those who can take up extra watch duties, wait here with Peter. Everyone else, start moving what you need into the gym." With that, Rick patted Peter on the back and walked over to his children.
"I wanna help with the training, Dad." Said Carl with certainty.
"Alright then. Let's go."
xXxXx
"How are you?" Rick asked Michonne once they had returned to their home to gather up their mattresses to shift to the gym; he settled in next to her as she sat waiting for him on the couch and pressed his hand to her head gently, examining her injuries.
Michonne winced from where she had been struck when she was abducted.
"Sorry." he said, while grabbing her hand and pressing a kiss to it.
"It's fine. I'm good, just tired and a little sore. Doc said everything looks good," she said with a weak smile.
Rick looked relieved as the corner of his lips turned up into a small grin; he reached over and rubbed her abdomen where their baby was growing. He considered his next question carefully before plucking up the nerve to ask.
"When you were taken, besides those bumps to the head, did anything else happen to you?" Queried Rick as he sat waiting for Michonne to answer.
He was not sure how he would take it if it turned out that she had been sexually assaulted.
"No. Nobody touched me like that." She replied reassuringly, knowing what Rick was asking even though he did not say the words.
"And Carl?" Rick strained to ask.
"I spoke to him; he's fine. He said nothing happened. Something almost happened to Jahnee, but they both killed the guy who attacked her. She's still shaken, but I think she'll be okay. Carl's gonna be okay but I knew he would be, and I hate the fact that he's, I dunno, built for this world. Know what I mean?"
Rick nodded.
"Sometimes I forget that he knew the world before everything changed; but everything he's seen and done since, he really is up to the task of surviving here and now." He proffered sadly.
"He did so well, Rick. He kept that little girl alive. He's so strong and good." Michonne offered, finding herself get choked up a little.
Rick noticed the shakiness in her voice and the glassiness of her eyes; he draped his arm over her shoulder and pulled her close. He did not say anything.
"I wish things were different for him. He should have been finding his feet in high school; sending text messages to cute girls like Jahnee, not having to save them from monsters in this nightmare."
Michonne sighed: "No matter how things turn out, he's gonna be okay. You did a great job with him, Rick. You kept him safe. You protected him. You taught him how to get by. He's gonna make it. Judy's gonna make it and this baby's gonna be fine."
She offered as she wiped a tear from her eye.
"You alright?" Rick looked at Michonne concerned, noticing there was something deeper; something she was not saying.
She stared into his eyes and smiled weakly.
"Yeah. I think I am. Damn these hormones." Michonne joked as she nestled into Rick's arms and wished she had known him in her previous life; maybe then her precious son André would still be alive.
A/N: Sorry this was short and boring! Don't like posting fillers after I've left an update this long, but they have to be done. More exciting things to come!