A/N: Yall know I normally don't post on the weekends but I HAD TO! DANAI HAS BEEN CAST IN BLACK PANTHER. Yall. I feel like I'VE been cast in Black Panther. Marvel is already by favorite (way more so than DC Comics), Iron Man was Bae (AND THEY HAVE A DARK-SKINNED IRON [WO]MAN COMING OUT!) but now that BP is coming out I've been ecsatic. But to find out our beloved Queen DG has been cast… I mean… I just can't. I'm beyond excited. Life is effing good. So I thought I'd post something cus I haven't been this excited about something in WEEKS! Hope yall enjoy.


Was on the Tell it to the Dead site and I posted this, and it ended up becoming a thought that turned into a one-shot hahahaha. So this one comes from me: "Anybody else picture Michonne looking at the clock [in 6x10] like "Where IS he? How long does it take to get TOOTHPASTE? Can he do ANYTHING without me?" *front door opens, she pretends she calm, but then kinda snaps when she tells him to move*

And then it's "I don't see nothing wrongggggggggggggg wit a lil bump n grind" LMBO

Takes place during "The Next World."

WAITING UP

Rated T

Michonne said goodnight to Carl, kissing him softly on the forehead. Carl reached for Judith, kissed her, and handed her back to Michonne. He sent Michonne a soft smile and Michonne started to walk away but Carl grabbed her hand.

"I meant what I said tonight," Carl told her. "It wasn't the heat of the moment, or something to get me out of trouble. I would do it for you."

Michonne smiled softly at Carl. "I know."

"Good." Michonne headed towards the door. "And don't worry about my dad. He'll be home soon."

Michonne turned around, leaning against the doorframe. "Is it that obvious I'm worried?"

"A little," smiled Carl. "He's fine. We'd know if he wasn't." Michonne nodded and bid Carl goodnight for the final time. She walked down the hall to Judith's room.

"Now you're up way passed your bedtime, Little Bit." Judith grinned, as if that had been the plan all along. "We tried to wait up for Daddy, but he's not back yet, so we'll see him tomorrow, okay?" Judith clapped and Michonne placed her in her crib, turning on the bay monitor. "Sweet Dreams, Angel." Michonne bent down and kissed her and then headed to her own room, sighing.

Despite Carl's assurance that Rick was fine, Michonne was slightly worried. Daryl and him hadn't been out of the walls for a while now. Not that she was worried about them per say. They could handle themselves. It was just it was really getting late, and she was used to them being in the house when she went to sleep.

She just couldn't understand where they were. She found herself pacing her bedroom. How difficult was it to get some toothpaste? How far did they have to go to try and find food? She should have gone with them.

But if she had… she wouldn't have had her moment with Spencer today.

She didn't know why that moment kept sticking out to her. So they had found Deanna, and she was forced to think about that moment many weeks ago when Deanna had asked her what it is she wanted.

It was something she had told herself she didn't have time to think about, only now she did have time. The walls were rebuilt, they were looking at expanding, things had settled down.

They had finally been able to make this place home.

And home consisted of Daryl and Rick coming back from a run that had started hours ago.

Seriously, what was taking them so long? Had they driven back to Atlanta to try and find food? Their food situation wasn't so dire that Daryl and Rick didn't have to return if they didn't find anything. No one from Alexandria would be disappointed in them. They wouldn't have to come home and face the music.

They just needed to come home.

Michonne caught a glimpse of Judith moving around in her crib and walked up to the baby monitor, grabbing it from her nightstand and staring at it. Michonne smiled softly as she realized Judith was trying to turn over.

She was growing up. She'd be crawling soon, and eventually walking.

She was just a good baby. Beautiful, too.

At that moment Michonne heard the front door open. She stood up and headed towards the living room, her heart hammering.

He was home.

She found Rick lying on the couch, one hand over his face, the other hanging off the couch. He looked exhausted, she noted, but it didn't do much to calm her irritation, even though she was trying to check it.

He was home now, so the rest didn't matter.

Still, she couldn't stop herself from nudging him – not so nicely – and telling him to "Move." Just that tap alone made her feel better, and her frustration evaporated. He seemed surprised for a moment, until he glanced up at her, and sat up and she sat down next to him. "Look," she said, showing him the baby monitor as Judith flipped over. "She's practicing in her sleep."

Rick stared at the monitor for a few moments, smiling softly. "It's good to be home," stated Rick as he took of his shoes. Michonne reached over and placed the baby monitor on the side table.

"Yah, you're tellin' me," Michonne said gently. They both got a little more comfortable. "Where's Daryl?"

"Watchin' over a guy, 'til some other guy can take over."

Michonne blinked at him. "You found a guy?"

Rich sighed and shook his head. "Crazy day."

Concern flooded Michonne's brain as she stared at him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Nah, not right now," Rick admitted. "I jus' wanna turn my brain off for a minute." Michonne shifted in her seat. "Wanna tell me about your day?"

She shook her head, realizing she wouldn't even know where to begin to explain the day she had. "No. Same thing." She could feel Rick staring at her.

"What, you found a guy?"

"Not a guy."

Rick continued to stare at her for a few more moments, trying to gage her. She understood; he probably suddenly had a million questions he wanted to ask, but he pushed them all away. Michonne shifted again.

"Oh. Got you somethin'," he told her, and started digging in his back pocket. Michonne stared at him, confused, until he placed something in front of her face with a smile on his lips.

She stared at the pack of spearmint Lifesavers and laughed, snatching it playfully from his hand. "Is this instead of the toothpaste?" giggled Michonne.

"Mhmm. Oh and I do have a crate of toothpaste for you, by the way. It's just currently at the bottom of the lake."

"Oh so you had a day," Michonne concluded.

"Yeah. All on account of your dental hygiene." Michonne smiled and continued to look at the mints, slightly touched that he'd thought enough of her to bring her back something. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face, even as she placed her hand on the couch. "Have your mints," finished Rick, and he patted her hand.

The shift was instant. Something… otherworldly seemed to come over her in that instant. Michonne felt Rick manipulate his fingers so that they could hold hands, and Michonne felt her heart start to pound.

Michonne stared at their hands for a few seconds, and then slowly looked up to find Rick already looking at her.

So this is what Deanna had meant. She had seen it. Of course she had seen it. It made sense. They made sense. This was why she had been worried when he hadn't come home at a decent hour. It's why she waited up for him every single night. It's why they sat on this very couch every night and discussed their day with each other.

They went from waiting on each other to waiting up for each other.

So when their lips finally connected, she couldn't help but smile.