Summary: Takes place after "The Same Boat," but pre- "Twice As Far." I've wanted to focus on the fun side of Richonne, as well as attempt to cover the 24xs theory... Some of which I've already addressed in other parts of my The Inbetweeners series. Anyway, this has been on my mind.

Aaron: "'Audition' makes it sound like we're some kind of a dance troupe. That's only on Friday nights."

Sometimes, there's the occasional shindig in Alexandria...


The Temptations' "I Can't Get Next To You," blasted on the stereo as Aaron and Sasha sang along with them on the karaoke machine. Drinks were poured and cocktail sausages served. They were celebrating-the deal with Hilltop and their win against the Saviors...all without any of their people getting hurt or worse.

Michonne had abandoned her seat on his knee to get some fresh air. Rick kept staring back, glancing at his watch, drumming his fingers impatiently on the linen table top in Aaron's living room. She had been gone for three minutes.

"I wish Tara was here," Denise said to him over the music. "Having a party without her, or Heath... It's weird."

Rick nodded. "Yeah."

"So, how much longer will it be?" she asked.

Rick frowned. "How much longer for what?"

"Before you go out back after her?' she stated more than asked, a knowing smile on her face. "If Tara was here for this celebration, we'd be tethered as the libations flowed."

Rick laughed as Denise handed him the rest of a bottle of merlot.

"Bye," she said, waving him off.


"I'll be back," he said, taking the bottle by the neck, rising up in one, fluid motion. As he stepped onto the back porch, he closed the glass door behind him. The music and the laughter could still be heard from outside.

He stared at Michonne, as she swayed softly to Al Green's "You Ought To Be With Me." With a quirk of his lips, he walked up behind her, wrapping one arm across her abdomen, the other just over her clavicle, bottle still in hand, mouth at her ear as he swayed with her.

"Took you long enough," she said.

"Brought you a fresh one," he murmured.

"Hmm. The bottle's open, so not that fresh," she joked, still swaying, although a bit more intimately against him.

Rick groaned low in his throat. "Still. It'll do the trick."

Michonne chuckled, taking the bottle out of his hand, swigging from it. Rick dipped his head, nipping at her neck as he ground against her.

"Didn't think I'd see you in a dress again," he said, playing with the hem of it.

"It's a party. Girls wear dresses at parties," she replied.

"My girl does." He caressed the side of her face, bringing her lips to his, kissing her, tasting the wine off of her. As the kiss deepened, she ground against him more, harder, with Rick pushing back in kind. He placed his hand on her inner thigh, slowly moving it upward under her dress until he reached her cotton panties. Her damp, cotton panties. He rubbed her through the thin fabric for a beat before slipping his index finger past the elastic hem, groaning in delight at what he found there.

Breathless, a fist full of curls, she pulled back from his mouth and said, "Someone might see."

From beneath heavily hooded lids, Rick just stared at her. "Yeah." He let her dress down, released her, took the bottle from her, placing it on the railing, then grabbed her hand, leading her down the porch steps to the side of the house. "They won't see here," he said, backing her against the aluminum siding. She wrapped her arms around him as he hoisted her leg up with one hand, the other working at his belt buckle. He just couldn't keep his hands off of her; couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

Even though they were outside, the voices of their family and friends carrying from within, he slid in slow, savoring every bit of her. Mouth slightly parted, he stared into her eyes and thought, if he got lost in her, that would be okay with him.