"No!"
Not skipping a beat, Michonne held tight to Rick's hand and continued her march into the hospital, ignoring Sybil's directive to stop and hoping her repeated 'no' to the woman would finally sink in. After the phone call with the news that Mike had awakened, nothing was stopping Michonne from seeing him, although his sister was using every trick in the book to slow her down.
Why Sybil insisted on wasting her breath was understandable. It wasn't a stretch to believe Mike would be irate when he found out about her move to take Andre, and Sybil knew it. Dispatching the officers so readily after the call made that clear, but it wasn't enough. She should've never made the decision to rip Andre away, and now she would have to live with all of the ramifications. No one deserved it more than Sybil.
High heels clacking rapidly on the pavement, Sybil raced ahead of Rick and Michonne, blocking their path to the hospital entrance. If she wasn't so annoyed, Michonne would've been impressed with the tall woman's ability to run in stilettos without breaking her neck.
Sybil held out her hands. "Please. Mike doesn't need this right now."
Rick grunted. "I think you should've thought of that before you decided to rip Andre from Michonne and put us through the hell of wondering where he'd be spending the night."
"I didn't take Andre."
"Because we made a point of not having him home," Michonne said. "If that call hadn't happened, Rick and I would be sitting in jail cells right now. You started this ball rolling, and now it has turned around and is coming right for you."
Walking around Sybil, Rick and Michonne continued into the hospital. When the doors of the elevator opened to Mike's floor and they stepped out of the car, Mike's father, George, rushed over.
"You gotta be kiddin' me," Rick grumbled.
"It's okay," Michonne said. She wasn't surprised by this. George doted on his daughter, and in his mind she could do no wrong. That was the blinders that got installed when people became parents. Their children were perfect, even when they weren't. The only exceptions were Andre and Carl.
"Sybil called and said you two were coming up, but I think it's best you go on back," he said.
The tall, wide George was much better at blocking than Sybil, but Michonne wouldn't be deterred. With Rick standing before George, arms crossed and unfazed, neither was he. "I've been here every day. Praying for Mike, waiting for him to wake up. Now that he has, I'm going to see him, George." She touched Rick's arm. "We are. You can make every attempt to stop us, but we're not leaving here until we do."
"It's okay," said Ellen Connor, making her way over. "Michael has been asking for her."
"But Sybil…" George's words trailed.
"It's what Michael wants, and over the last few days we haven't done that." Ellen tapped George's arm. "Let's sit down," she said, walking toward the waiting room across the way. Michonne glanced over at Rick. He shrugged. The elevator bell dinged and out walked Sybil. Ellen waved her over. "Come, Sybil, sit with your father and me."
"Are doctors and nurses checking on Mike?" Sybil asked.
"No, they've already done that. I didn't call you until the doctors saw him, and he came to right after you left."
Sybil checked her watch. "That's been a couple of hours."
"Yes. And he wants to see Michonne, so that's what he's going to do."
"But Mama."
Ellen held up her hand. "Sybil, sit down with us. Come on." Huffing, Sybil walked toward the waiting room. No one could argue with Ellen. "Michonne, you and your friend go in and see Michael."
"How - how is Mike doing, Ellen?" Michonne asked, feeling happy about seeing Mike but slightly nervous considering what she had to tell him, and she didn't want any setbacks after so many days of worry.
"Weak, he's weak and very sore, but he's awake. It's going to take a while for him to be strong again, lots of rehab, but the doctor said he's out of the woods. We all," she said, stressing the word as she looked at her daughter, "have to find a way to move forward. Today is that day."
Rick squeezed Michonne's hand. "Let's go."
"Knock-knock," Michonne said with a soft rap to Mike's door before sticking her head inside the room.
"Mishy, hey," Mike said, his words slow, voice a little raspy. "Come in."
Michonne motioned for Rick and made her way to the bed, kissing Mike's cheek. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired, achy, confused." Various machines continued to monitor, whir, and beep in the background, while dispensing fluids, medication, and oxygen. "Who is that man with you?"
Michonne's heart stopped. "What?"
Mike laughed and then groaned, clutching the pillow on his chest. "I'm kidding, Michonne. I just - just wanted you to know I'm still here."
"Ha-ha," Michonne quipped, sarcastically, making the wise choice not to whack him.
"Sorry. You okay, Rick? You looked a little pale there for a second."
"Better now, yeah. Your wit is still sharp as ever," Rick said, joining Michonne at Mike's bedside. "It's great to see you awake."
"I'm grateful to be awake. Seeing that truck -" He moaned softly. "Wait. How's Lori?"
"Lori?" Rick said, sharing a look with Michonne. "Uh… You don't - you don't know?"
"Know what?"
"You do remember the accident, right?" Michonne said.
"I remember seeing the truck coming at us. Lori was…" Mike's eyes glazed with tears. "Is she?"
"Yeah." Rick shook his head. "She didn't make it."
Mike groaned, covering his face. "I - I told her to stop. I was driving and she…"
"Yeah, we know what she did," Michonne said, suppressing an eye roll. "You mentioned some of this at the scene."
"I did? You were there?"
"When we couldn't reach you or Lori we packed up the boys to drop them off. We encountered the accident."
"I don't remember any of that. The boys saw…"
"It was obvious there'd been an accident, but it was dark and traffic was too backed up for them to see anything other than squad cars and the chopper landing," Rick explained. "Michonne and I left the car to investigate, and that's when we found out it was you and Lori."
"God. I should've just pulled over. She told me to pull over, and I didn't want to. I didn't want that. I told her and she wouldn't stop. I'm sorry, Rick."
"No, no." Rick touched Mike's shoulder, shaking his head. "This wasn't your fault. We all know how Lori is...was. It's terrible she's gone, but this is not your fault, and you shouldn't take responsibility for it."
"I was driving."
"And Lori knew that. No didn't mean a lot to her. The trucker, he'd had a heart attack and you both crossed the center. It was a terrible accident, made worse by Lori's actions."
"I don't feel any better." Mike sighed, wincing. "How's Carl?"
Michonne reached for Rick's hand. "He's heartbroken," she said. "But he's surrounded by love and Rick's folks are here, so we're going to help him through."
"And our boy?"
"He's been worried about his daddy. Asking a lot of questions."
"I want to see him. I'm still banged up, groggy from this pain medicine, but I need to see him."
"Of course, yes." Michonne nodded. "But there is something we need to discuss in regard to Andre first."
The door flew open. "What has she been telling you, Mike?" said Sybil, bursting into the room. "I didn't take Andre."
"Take Andre?" Mike grunted and held his pillow closer. "What are you talking about?"
Michonne shook her head. For a smart woman, Sybil was so stupid. She'd wanted to use tact to tell Mike, but Sybil had literally flung the door wide open.
"What?" Sybil said, her face all but cracked.
"I hadn't told him yet," Michonne said, "but you go on and keep talking." She crossed her arms and held Sybil's gaze. "Tell Mike how you toiled to take care of our son during this tragic time in our lives."
"You made it tragic."
"Stop!" Mike grunted and groaned softly. "Somebody tell me what this is about."
"It's about them, Mike," Sybil raged, pointing. "Michonne, breaking your heart when she turned to this man. The two of them in your house with your son."
"Michonne's son. Our son, in her house," Mike clarified. "The house she and Rick bought and are living in together. What did you do, Syb?"
"You were in a coma, and I have your power of attorney. We haven't seen Andre since we've been here. He should be with us."
"I don't hear an answer."
"She got a judge to sign an order taking Andre from me," Michonne disclosed, her heart racing and face burning with the thought of it all. "Apparently, Rick is a danger, and Andre shouldn't be around him. She brought officers to the house to take him away."
"He wasn't there," Sybil said, as though that made it okay.
"You didn't know that," Rick replied. "But that didn't stop you from bringing deputies over to carry out this order."
"No." Mike closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Tell me you didn't do that."
"I was thinking of you," Sybil answered.
"What you were thinking of was hurting me!" Michonne fired, readily drawing a breath and lowering her voice with the stroke of Rick's hand. They were in the ICU, blowing her stack would do Mike little good and get her and Rick thrown out. "This was never about seeing Andre. Mike, if Ellen hadn't called with the news that you were awake, Rick and I would be behind bars when Andre and Carl needed us most. If you cared about Andre, you wouldn't have done what you did."
Sybil shrugged. "I could apologize, but I'm not sorry. Yes, I wanted you to hurt, Michonne." She glared at Rick. "Both of you." She walked to Mike and cupped his cheek. "You're my little brother, and you were hurting. Then you got into an accident and were hurting more. I lost it. Maybe I was wrong, but I'm not sorry. Her hurt, theirs, was deserved."
"'Deserved'?" Mike repeated.
"Yes. You can be angry, Mike, but I did it for you. I did what you couldn't. What you wouldn't. I'll always be your sister, and I will always love you." Sybil kissed Mike's forehead. "I couldn't stand seeing you hurt."
"For whatever reason you did this, you were wrong, Sybil, dead wrong. But I know you and how you feel about me. I can - I can find a way to forgive you."
Michonne scoffed. "What?" she blasted as Sybil smiled smugly.
Rick rubbed her back, shushing her to calm.
"I'm not excusing what she did, Michonne, but she's my sister."
"She's a bitter…"
"Big sister who lashed out in anger. The way you wanted me to when you told me about Rick, remember?"
Michonne could say nothing. She remembered quite vividly. Mike's pain had killed her, and she'd wanted him to unleash his anger to assuage the tremendous guilt and hurt she felt. The fact he loved her too much to hurt her hurt more, because she loved him too much to lie. She was in love with Rick, and her life and future was with him.
"Yeah, I couldn't hurt you," Mike said, "and Sybil shouldn't have. Her emotions got the better of her. It wasn't right, but I can't turn my back on her." Mike drew a shaky breath, grimacing and clutching his medication dispenser. "Something these last few weeks have taught me is there are a lot of things I don't have to particularly like that I have to find a way to accept. Sybil, I want you to draw up papers, an addendum to my power of attorney with respect to Andre. If anything happens to me, Michonne will make any and all decisions for him. What you did won't ever happen again, you understand? Now go. I can't look at you right now."
Sybil's smug smile disappeared. "Mike…"
"Uh-uh." Mike grunted. "I can forgive you, but I'm not there yet. You have something to take care of, Syb, and it better be exact, because Michonne will be the approving party. Now go."
"And she is never to be with Andre alone," Michonne added. "I mean it, Mike. I don't ever want her alone with him again."
"It's done," he said.
Sybil recoiled. "Mike?" she rebuked, her eyes wide.
"You did this, and you are getting off easy in ever getting to see Andre at all. Leave."
Michonne's glare followed Sybil until the bitter woman was on the other side of the door. "What you did is reassuring, Mike. I would've been a little more demonstrative, but thank you."
"Don't thank me. I won't let anyone use Andre to hurt you." His eyes drifted closed.
"You're tired." Michonne touched Mike's hand. "Rick and I will leave now. You need your rest."
Mike's eyes opened. "I'm tired and the morphine has me a little droopy," he said, lifting the push-button dispenser, "but I need to see Andre. Just for a minute or two."
"He's with my parents and Carl." Rick squeezed Michonne's shoulders. "I'll call and have them bring him over. They're in town, so it shouldn't be too long."
"Michonne, you do that. I want a word with Rick."
"Yeah, yeah, okay. I'll be back when Andre's here." Michonne pecked Rick's lips and left the two men alone.
"You've only been conscious a couple of hours, and you shouldn't over tire yourself," Rick said. "You've already been hit with a lot."
"Like an eighteen wheeler?" Mike cracked.
"Right." Rick laughed. Mike's body was broken, but his personality hadn't changed. "Really, though, maybe whatever this is can wait."
"I don't know if it can. Time has taken on new meaning for me. I don't know what will happen tomorrow."
"The same thing that's happening now." Rick pulled up the nearby stool and sat. "You'll get stronger, and go home."
"Home. That's what this is about, me going home."
"What?" Rick blurted, hoping Mike wasn't saying what it sounded like.
"No, not that home," Mike said. "I have a battle ahead, but I'm winning the war."
"Okay. So why are you talking like this? It's not guilt about Lori, is it?"
"I'm still processing that, but no. Just thinking about time. It's precious." Mike's drowsy eyes closed. After several seconds, he shuddered, blinking. "Sorry, this medicine."
"It's okay."
"When Michonne told me about you, I was shocked and so hurt, angry. I didn't take it out on her, because I didn't believe she wouldn't come back to me. Then, I realized she wasn't. That there was something you gave her that I never could. It hurt, it still hurts, but I do know you're a good man, and you love my son as much as you love his mother, and that's a whole lot. It matters."
"They mean the world to me." Rick had watched Mike press the dispenser for his pain medicine several times since he'd entered the room. The man was battered, bruised, and broken. His reconstructed knee and ankle held together with pins and his leg hoisted inches above the bed in traction. Mike was in pain, and perhaps that and the drugs in his system made him so reflective. As unlikely as it was, Rick thought of Mike as a friend, and would help him in whatever way he could. "Do you need me to do something for you?"
"Yes. Start your life with Michonne. The first time we met, in that restaurant, you said you wanted to marry her. Have you proposed yet?"
Rick wished he could say yes. "A lot has been going on." He shook his head, thinking of the ring he had for her, and everything that had happened since he got it. "The right time hasn't..."
"Now is the right time. There's been so much tragedy, it's time for something positive. Some happiness. I want you and Michonne to have that, and it would be good for Andre and Carl to have you two start your married life together. I'm going to California, my home state, with my doctor's okay. Recuperate there and maybe look into the division position at the label. Andre having some more happiness, some normalcy, will be good."
"Should you be flying across the country right now?"
"I was going to before the accident." Mike nodded. "Yeah, I should. The doc wants to monitor my lung function for a few days, but he said I could be transported. I asked about where I could go in L.A., and he recommended a clinic. I can afford personal, specialized care. I want it."
"Okay," Rick said, waiting for the rest of the reason for this move and why to L.A. and not Sacramento near his family.
"You're a good guy and you make Michonne happy, but I'm only human, Rick. You know how special she is."
"I do."
"Can you imagine trying to get over her?"
Rick shook his head. The idea hurt to think about. "No."
"It's really tough, but I've got to do it, and I can't do it here." Mike grunted, gripping the pillow covering his chest. "The pain meds help, but my body hurts. Laid up like this, I can't even take a piss without help. I'm a proud man who loves his son, I can't have Andre seeing me go through what I have to go through or have my mother and other family smothering me while I'm still dealing with the sting of a broken heart. The next few months are going to be hard for me, but with you in Andre's life, I don't have to worry about him. And I need that. For him to see a good man being good to his mother and to him. Just keep my seat warm in the dad department for a little while."
"I'll always be available for Andre, but you don't need a seat warmer. You're his father, and no one can stand in for you. Not in his eyes."
"Can you see to it that he can spend some time with Terry while I'm away? That's important, too."
"Sure." Rick nodded. "Look, Mike, I can't say I'm sorry I fell in love with Michonne, but I'm very sorry our love hurt you. It wasn't personal."
"I know. It doesn't really help me, but…" Mike smirked.
Rick chuckled. "That's what I mean. How is it you're so forgiving? I don't think I would be if the situation was reversed. I'd like to believe I would, but I doubt it."
"Anger and carrying a grudge is easy, but it takes a toll, and not on the person you're holding the grudge against. Our sons will be raised as brothers, and I think Carl is a great kid. We're going to be in each other's lives, Rick, there's no getting around it. Why make it harder than it needs to be?"
"Yeah." Rick thought of his talk with Shane. It was Mike's example that prompted him to listen to Shane at the cemetery and try to find a way to co-exist. The situations weren't exactly the same, but the method worked. "You're right."
"With Sybil." Mike drew a shaky hiss of a breath. "I'm disappointed, but not really surprised. Michonne lost cool points with her the first time she declined my proposal. Sybil's always been bossy and very protective of me. She takes her big sister role to heart." Mike shook his head, his disgust obvious. "She was wrong, but I love her, even when I'm disappointed. If Andre had known about any of this, my reaction would be very different."
"That would be true for all of us. A lot happened today. This trouble with Sybil, Lori's funeral." Rick shrugged. "But it's starting to look up now." Proposing to Michonne, perhaps today, seemed very appealing. "Maybe this day could end a whole lot better than it started."
"The boys are still sound asleep," Michonne said, removing her robe and crawling under the covers, nestling in Rick's arms.
Rick kissed her forehead, breathing in her tropical-scented skin. "Told you." After showering and getting dressed for bed, Michonne had insisted on looking in on the boys again. It was the mother in her. Rick found it endearing.
"Yes, you told me, but I'm glad I checked." She sighed, resting her head on his chest. "After days of restlessness, they are both so peaceful tonight. I just sat by their beds and watched them for a few minutes. It's like the breath everyone was holding got released. We're settling into our new normal."
"Yeah, we are," he said, toying with the strap of her short satin nightgown, the striking yellow color like sunshine against her gorgeous skin.
"I think tonight we might finally be able to get some real sleep, too. If I kick you during the night, you can blame it on Sybil springing to mind." Michonne grunted. "I still can't believe her."
"Thanks to Mike, you don't have to worry about her anymore, and even Andrea was able to block the order. No one is ever taking Andre from you. Forever is sealed."
Forever.
Rick drew a deep breath. He was ready for more forever. Since the day he met Michonne, he'd dreamed of marrying her. One look into those brown eyes and he knew he'd found his home. That she made him whole. For a few frightening moments today, he thought it would remain a dream, and he'd join Mike in trying to live his life without her. But favor had shined on him like it had the day they met. Time was precious, and it was time to make his dream a reality.
The sudden ripple in his stomach caught Rick by surprise. He and Michonne were in love, living together in their home with their boys, this step was just the tie that would bind them under the law. There was no need for nervousness, but he couldn't deny the gravity of this monumental moment.
He believed she would say yes, but he couldn't take for granted that she would. Thanks to her parents, marriage had been a sore spot for Michonne for years. Sliding his hand in the pocket of his pajama bottoms, Rick fingered the heirloom ring he tucked there when Michonne had checked on the boys.
"Your heart is pounding." Michonne propped her chin on his chest, looking into his eyes. "Are you okay?"
"I'm in love with the most beautiful woman in the world." Rick stroked her locs. "This is what you do to me."
Her face brightened with a smile. "That's sweet, but when we're in bed, it usually takes a little more than you being in love with me to get your heart racing like this."
"Are you propositioning me?"
"Maybe," she said with a coy grin.
That smile and her coquettish humor sealed it for Rick. He needed that, her, like he needed breath. This was the moment. "I'd like to proposition you," he said.
"Hmm." Michonne rolled on top of him, straddling his hips, evoking a deep groan from him as his hand settled on her hip. This is what he wanted for his life. "What do you have in mind, Deputy Grimes?"
"A lifetime of Christmases, going to sleep and waking up with you in my arms every day, and raising our boys and perhaps a little girl together. I'm proposing forever."
"Rick?"
He sat up with her and pulled out the ring. Her eyes widened and a soft gasp fell from her lips. "On their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, my great-great-grandfather gave this to his bride. I want to give it to you tonight to make you my bride."
Michonne pressed a shaky hand to her chest, tears streamed down her cheeks. "Rick."
"That's me, Rick Grimes, and I want to give you my name, because you already have my heart." He caressed her cheek. "You know I love you with all of it. I'm ready for our forever. I've been ready. Michonne Rameau, like cow say moo, will you have me as your husband? Will you marry me?"
Author's Note: To all the readers and reviewers,and guest reviewers, I thank you. The interest and support of this story is incredibly inspiring. We're coming towards the end of this journey, but there are still a few more miles to go.
~Thanks for reading!
More to come!
