Timeless: Part I

He felt seventeen again as he stood in his old high school's gymnasium. He was sporting his usual party attire; his baby blue button-down shirt, paired with his dark-wash, slim-fitting jeans, and his scuffed up brown cowboy boots that he loved so much.

Glenn, Daryl, Shane, Tyreese, Abe, and Morgan, they were all there; the King's Gang was finally back together again. Rick's cousin, Maggie, however, had taken most of the attention, as many were crowding around her, admiring her baby-bump.

But the person he was looking forward to seeing the most, had yet to make an appearance. He scanned the gym every five minutes or so to be sure he wouldn't miss her entrance.

Rick sipped his cherry punch, as Shane yapped on and on, telling the story to the guys as if they had never heard it before.

"We had em', but that one mother-fucker came from out of nowhere and shot Rick from behind! I kid you not, that was one of the scariest days of my life. Rick was in that coma damn near a month, and everyone was sure he was going to die," told Shane, rubbing his head in a circular motion. Rick got shot over ten years ago, but the way Shane recounted it, it was as if the shooting happened yesterday.

Michonne sashayed down the hallway towards the gym, her black heels clicking on the tiled floor. She came to a halt when she made it to the open doors, listening to the various chatter from every angle of the gym. She nervously tugged on the spaghetti straps of her dress before slowly entering into the reunion.

Michonne took in the sight of the crowded gymnasium. She saw lots of familiar faces and lots of faces that had changed over time. She suddenly felt overdressed, as she noticed most of the men were wearing blue jeans and tees, and the ladies had on casual sundresses and sandals. However, it wasn't that big of a shock to her. She knew that's how they got down in King County; they were unapologetically themselves, always.

"Well, I'll be damned...look at that," Shane said, in a tone that was well-known to Rick.

Rick knew Shane was leering at a woman, probably his ex-wife, Andrea Banks. They've been divorced for three years now, but Rick didn't understand why. Shane and Andrea were still screwing around, and everyone knew it.

"I'm either seeing shit, or fine-ass Michonne Hawthorne just walked in. Goddamn, you could crack a walnut with that ass."

Rick turned his head so quickly he felt like he tore a blood vessel in his neck. It was her; it was his high school best friend - and crush, Michonne Hawthorne. She was a sight for sore eyes and didn't look a day over twenty; she had aged with such grace.

His heart began to beat erratically in his chest, to the point he thought it was going to explode; the butterflies danced in his belly, as they did the first day he laid eyes on her. And she was even more beautiful than he remembered. She was wearing a skin-tight red dress that stopped just below her knee, a slit down her right thigh, and her locs were wavy and hanging down her back.

She didn't come to the last three class reunions, but she showed for the lucky number twenty.

Not wanting to come off as desperate — even though he was — Rick played it cool, taking a deep breath and dusted the imaginary fuzz from his shirt. He took one step forward before he stopped in his tracks, for Maggie was whisking towards her.

"Michonne!"

Michonne turned her head in the direction of the southern voice she knew to be Maggie Rhee. The green-eyed beauty was beaming and glowing from within; she had on an off-white, flutter sleeve skater dress, and her wavy brunette hair was pulled back out of her face with white hair clips.

"It's me," smiled Michonne sweetly when they were face to face. "Look at you!"

"Look at me? Look at you! Oh my, you're aging backward, darling," Maggie complimented, going in for a hug. "Life is treating you well, I assume? I haven't spoken to you since the shower."

"Work has been a pain in my ass," Michonne rolled her eyes and put her arms back at her side. "Other than that, I can't complain. How's life treating you?" she politely asked in return.

"Well, I'm celebrating twenty years since I graduated high school tonight, and tomorrow, I'll be celebrating eighteen years of marriage with that goofball over there." Maggie pointed to Glenn, who was conversing with Abe over by the snack table.

"Wow!" exclaimed Michonne, "Eighteen years!?" Maggie and Glenn were soulmates; there was no denying that. "And how's the rest of the Greene Clan? I can't believe Hershey's graduating next year."

"Isn't it crazy? And to think I'm about to do it all over again. It's freakin' insane and beautiful at the same time! Anyway, Annette and Beth are doing just fine. They were talking about us and our shenanigans the other day," she laughed.

"Oh God," Michonne joined in her laughter. "When is little miss coming?" she gestured to Maggie's round belly. "It feels like you've been pregnant forever."

"I'm a week overdue!" Maggie let out a harsh sigh. "If she's not here by Thursday, I'll be getting a cesarean. Baby girl is already stubborn."

"I wonder who she gets that from?" Michonne raised a brow.

"From her daddy."

"Riiightt," Michonne smiled, chuckling. "That is all you, Mrs. Rhee."

Rick looked on at the two of them, with a scowl plastered on his face. He's waited twenty long years to see her again, and there Maggie was, selfishly hogging all of his time, waltzing Michonne around the gym, making sure everyone knew her best friend was there. At this rate, he would never have a moment to speak to her alone.

Glenn slowly approached Rick, noticing his glare. "You okay, Grimes?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Because you look like you wanna kill my wife," Glenn replied, patting Rick's shoulder. "What's up?"

Before Rick could respond, he saw Michonne excuse herself from Maggie and exit out of the gym, with a troubled expression on her face and her phone pressed to her ear.

Rick then hastened over to Maggie and bombarded her with questions. "Where's Chonne going? Is she leaving? Is she alright?"

"Whoa, whoa," Maggie held up her hands. "She went somewhere quiet to speak with one of her clients."

Rick sighed of relief and nodded.

"Rick?"

"I'll be right back," he said. And without hesitation, he scurried out of the gym and went to find Michonne.

"Everything will work out, Mrs. Peletier. You have a good night, okay? Bye."

Michonne ended her call, checked herself out in the restroom mirror, and was headed back to the gymnasium when she was greeted by the silhouette of him in the dimly lit hallway, leaning against the wall waiting for her.

"Hey," he spoke, almost instinctively.

Michonne relaxed her shoulders. "Rick...?" she asked, gazing at him intently, even though she knew it was him. There was something about that deep southern drawl she'd never forget, and those blue eyes she could never resist; those captivating blue orbs were fathoms deep, yet filled with such warmth. "Rick Grimes?"

He smiled, loving the way she said his name in that sultry tone of hers; he always found it so alluring, so sexy. "Yeah, it's me." He started towards her with his bowlegged strut and opened his arms wide. "It's good to see you."

"You too," she gave him a coy smile. She leaned into his embrace, feeling wave after wave of nostalgia, as he held her tightly. Oh, how she missed his hugs. The safest she ever felt was in this man's arms. His scent was unfamiliar, more mature, a spice of some kind, she wasn't sure, but she liked it; she liked it a lot.

Rick didn't want to let her go. Twenty years since he touched her, held her, yet it felt like no time had passed. He traced his hands along her bare arms, enjoying the silkiness of her skin against his calloused palms. "You look amazing, Chonne."

Chonne, he still calls me Chonne, she thought to herself. It sounded so good rolling off his tongue. And he looked damn good, too; salt and pepper beard, his hickory, dark curls were freshly cut; he had aged like fine wine, no man would ever compare to his stunningly good looks.

"Chonne... Chonne-"

"Huh?" she managed to ask after her momentary trance, feeling a burning sensation arise in her chest, creeping up her neck to her cheeks. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I asked if we could step outside for a minute and talk?" he replied.

"Uhh, yeah, sure," Michonne nodded, and the two of them walked down the long corridor to the front doors.

They sat on the first bench, just a few paces away from the school, as Michonne caught her breath. She was thankful for the evening breeze.

"So, how are you, Chonne?"

"I'm-I'm well," she answered, anxiously rubbing the back of her neck. "How are you, Rick?"

He chuckled at her vague response. "I've had my share of ups and downs, but I've been alright overall." He admired the side of her beautiful face, amazed by how perfect her skin was. Her makeup was simple, not over the top, which he loved. She's always been naturally gorgeous, but there was just something so special about the way she looked in the evening light. He chuckled, recalling the day she told him: black don't crack; that was now a proven fact.

"Good, I'm glad," she nodded, avoiding his gaze. Whenever she looked at him, her skin felt like it was on fire.

"Are we- we were on good terms when you left, correct?"

"To the best of my recollection," Michonne frowned, not sure why he was asking her that. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, since when are you so... unassertive? The Chonne I know loves to talk. I mean, you're not even going to brag about how successful you've been? Your self-effacing demeanor is baffling, to be honest."

Michonne sighed, "I guess I was trying hard not to make things awkward, which is only making things more-"

"Awkward," Rick chuckled, finishing her sentence. "Look, it doesn't have to be. Just think of it as old friends catching up." He didn't know where his sudden boost in confidence and enthusiasm was coming from, but he rolled with it.

Michonne settled against the back of the bench, crossing her right leg over her left. She finally met his gaze, with her puzzled expression, studying his face to see if he was serious; he was. "What about the reunion?"

"What about it?" Rick shrugged nonchalantly. "I wanna know what the real Michonne Hawthorne has been up to all these years." He propped up his arm, so that is was casually draped behind her. "Why don't we head down the street to Dale's? It's still the best Icecream in town. We can even sit in our old booth, for old times sake."

Michonne's eyes bored into his before she briefly looked away. Glancing at the school and then back at Rick, Michonne slowly nodded in agreement. "Okay, only because I've had my heart set on one of Dale's caramel waffle cones. And maybe I'm a little curious to know what The Famous Rick Grimes has been up to all these years."

Rick's lips curved into a satisfied grin. "No one's called me The Famous Rick Grimes since graduation."

He stood and eyed Michonne, noting what she was wearing. "Hold on, let me grab something from my truck. I'll be right back." Rick jogged over to his black Titan on the other side of the street.

He returned momentarily with his wallet and a jacket, which he draped around Michonne's shoulders. "It's breezy tonight."

Michonne flashed him the most dazzling smile. "Thank you." For as long as she's known Rick, he's always been a gentleman.

"Of course, shall we?" He held out his arm, and Michonne accepted.

The two old friends sauntered down the sidewalk, both stealing glances at one another along the way, chatting about the town they grew up in, how the scenery remained the same, frozen in time. Soon, they approached the retro diner, Dale's.

A/N: Sorry for any mistakes!