Thank you for reading. (Trigger warning blood, drug usage, r*pe).

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"He's married Andrea!" Michonne hissed quietly from the other side of the table.

Andrea gave a fake smile at the rich elderly couple who passed their table before giving Michonne a dirty look. A political fundraiser hosted by Georgia's most elite was a bad place to confront your best friend about being the other woman. But in Michonne's defense, a political fundraiser hosted by Georgia's most elitere was also a bad place to catch said best friend and The Governor fooling around by the bathrooms.

"You don't understand," Andrea harshly whispered.

"Then enlighten me!"

"He's going to leave her,"

"Dre you've got to be kidding me," Michonne said.

"I know how it sounds but this is different. He's different," Andera sighed, "He's not like any other man I've ever met. He's kind and decent. He's not just some politician - he actually cares about this state and the people in it. He's going to change the world Michonne."

"He's sleeping with you, his chief of staff, while he does speeches about family values with his wife by his side. That doesn't strike you as odd?"

"He's going to leave her Michonne. I helped him draw up the divorce papers myself. Then it will be me and Philip, changing the world together," Andrea said leaning back in her chair.

"I don't know Dre," Michonne said, turning around and looking at The Governor. He was shaking hands with a few people and smiling widely, "Something about him just doesn't feel right. Something is off."

The room suddenly goes completely quiet. The Governor turns to look right at Michonne, his creepy politician grin still plastered on his face. The rest of the room follows, each of their faces seemingly pinned up and frozen into a fake smile. A chill runs down Michonne's spine.

"M-Mich-"

Michonne turns to Andrea; Her face contorts in abject horror.

Blood is slowly pouring from Andrea's eyes, ears and mouth.

Michonne grabs the napkin that's on her lap and frantically tries to stop the flow of blood.

Terrified tears are running down Michonne's face, "Dre-Andrea-hold on. Please hold on."

Andrea slowly turns her head to Michonne, blood spilling from her mouth as she croaks, "Why didn't you save me Michonne? Why didn't you save me?"

Michonne continues to wipe Andrea's blood - it's all over the table and making puddles on the floor.

"I'm trying! I'm trying to save you! Just stay with me," Michonne cries.

Andrea's hands halt Michonne's busy work; she whispers something Michonne can't hear.

Michonne leans in, tears spilling from her eyes, faster than she can control. She's close enough to see Andrea's blood stained teeth stretch into a manically grin.

"He's married, Mimi."

Michonne wakes up in a cold sweat, breathing heavily and completely unaware of her surroundings. She sighed, remembering the events of only a few hours ago - She was at Rick's apartment.

She'd had that dream several times before but - He's married Mimi. Michonne brought the covers closer to her body and wiped her face. She was not surprised to feel that her face was wet with tears.

She screwed her eyes shut and took a shaky breath in and a shaky breath out, "Don't worry Dre, I'm going to make this right."

XXXXXXXxXX

Rick woke with a start with Michonne's name on his lips. He kicks back the covers and grabs a nearby shirt. He thinks of the look she gave him as she gestured to his ring. She probably left at dawn.

Rick swings the door open and Michonne jerks up from her spot at the kitchen table. She's surprised at the hasty entrance but even more surprised at Rick only in a pair of pajamas pants. She looked back down at her laptop in fear of staring at his naked torso for too long.

Rick threw his shirt on before muttering, "Sorry about that."

Michonne looked back up at him when she was sure that it's safe, "There's no need to apologize, I'm your guest Rick."

Rick opens and closes his mouth without saying anything. He knows the voice she's using. It's the same he heard at court.

"Michonne-"

"Rick, we should talk,"

Rick shook his head, already knowing where this was going, "I'm going to head back to your apartment and do a sweep then clean. Then you, me and Daryl are going to debrief."

Michonne just nods, grateful that they are steamrolling past the awkward part.

"It's Saturday so Carl shouldn't be up before I'm back."

"I'll keep an eye on him," Michonne just nods.

"Good, Thank you," Rick says standing up and walking back towards his bedroom door but not before turning around and saying, "I know yesterday was….a lot. But I'd like to explain everything to you. Whenever you're ready."

Michonne took a deep breath and nodded, not ready to say anything but, "Thank you."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Michonne!"

She looked up at Carl in pajamas beaming at her from the other side of the kitchen table, "Hey Carl."

"Me and my dad were just talking about you the other night."

Michonne bit back a full body flush, she just nodded, "You're up early for a Saturday."

Carl just shrugged, "I couldn't stay asleep and I finished all the comics I have."

Michonne shut her laptop and smiled, "I'm the same way. But I wish I could wake up with comics on my side table."

"I'll lend you some," Carl said simply, "Where's my dad?"

"He had to go pick up some things."

Carl just nodded, "Well hopefully he's coming back with some breakfast sandwiches."

Michonne laughed standing up from the table, "You boys don't have any breakfast supplies?"

"Dad's not that good at cooking and I'm out of cereal."

Michonne opened the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs and milk and then searched the nearby cabinets for flour.

Carl leaned on the counter watching Michonne move around their cluttered kitchen, "What are you going to make?"

"Ha!" Michonne exclaimed, lifting a box of flour up above her head.

She turned to Carl, "You mean what are we going to make," Michonne pulled her hair back, "Find me the thinnest flattest pan you guys have."

Carl smiled and ran towards the lower cabinets.

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Rick pushed the door open with his hip. Both he and Daryl were carrying enough things in their hands that they didn't realize that the kitchen was teeming with energy.

"Dad! Dad!" Carl yelled from the kitchen counter. He was standing on a chair and drizzling chocolate syrup on a plate, "Hey Daryl!"

"Carl it's like 8 in the morning, what are you doing up already?"

Rick put everything he was holding down and took in the scene before him. Michonne was still facing the stove.

"You always complain about me sleeping in too much now you don't like it when I'm up early?"

Dayl snickered behind Rick.

"Alright smart ass," Rick replied, dropping the bags near the couch, "What are you making."

"Michonne taught me how to make creeps!"

Michonne turned around and laughed, "They're crepes Carl."

Carl just shrugged, "Creeps, crepes, whatever, they're fancy french pancakes."

Michonne chuckled again and put some more 'creeps' onto a plate. Her eyes slid to Rick's who was giving her an indescribable look. She looked away quickly, knowing just how dangerous it is to fall into those blue eyes.

"Come on dad you have to try them!"

Rick takes his eyes off of Michonne, "Sure thing bud, why don't you put some non-pajama clothes on, brush those teeth and then we'll eat."

Carl nodded and ran into his room. Rick turned back to Michonne, "Thanks for this, I don't think I've seen Carl this excited in a while."

"Well, you've got the makings of a real celebrity chef on your hands," Michone said sincerely, pushing her locs back.

A stripe of flour appeared on her face and before Rick could stop himself his thumb found its way to Michonne's cheek to wipe it off.

Michonne was startled but didn't move as his thumb lingered.

Daryl clears his throat and Rick drops his hand as if it's on fire.

"Michonne, this is Daryl, my PI friend. I figured today would be a good day for a proper introduction."

Michonne walked over to Daryl and shook his hand, "Daryl, thank you for yesterday."

Daryl just nods, "I hear you're the person to talk to about my rate."

Michonne smirks taking in Daryl's wrinkled shirt and leather vest, "I am. But you don't exactly strike me as a guy that's ever filled out a W4."

Daryl smirks and walks over to the kitchen table, sitting down at a chair backwards.

"We've got some things we need to share with you."

"Me too, I met with one of my witnesses yesterday,"

Rick's eyebrows scrunched down in anger, "Michonne!"

"I know, I know. I won't do it again," She said, putting her hands up, "It was a last minute thing and I didn't feel like fighting."

"Guys, our fancy pancakes are getting cold!" Carl came running into the room before Rick and Michonne could launch into an argument.

"Saved by the bell," Michonne muttered before walking towards the kitchen to grab the crepes.

"Are you guys talking about how to beat Thanos?" Carl asked, grabbing the mape and chocolate.

Rick and Daryl exchanged serious looks, not really sure how to respond.

"We are, but it's not exactly fancy pancake conversation," Michonne answered warmly, "How about you bring your plate over to the TV, I'll write down my Disney+ Password for you."

Carl nodded eagerly and took his plate over to the TV.

Michonne grabbed her notepad and scribbled out her email and password for Carl.

"Thank you," Rick said quietly when Michonne returned to the table.

"So let's get to it," Daryl said gruffly, stuffing crepes into his mouth.

XXXXXXX

"So you're Merle Dixon's younger brother," Michonne asked, her eyebrow cocked in suspicion.

"Is that all you got from that whole story?" Daryl asked incredulously after telling Michonne the story he told Rick a few days ago.

"It's not all I heard but it's a pretty big part. You're too close to this."

"And you're not?" Daryl asks crossing his arms, "I did some digging on you. Andrea was your best friend wasn't she?"

Michonne crossed her arms and glared daggers at Daryl but he continued, "Hell even Rick's got a lil' personal skin in this game."

"Daryl enough," Rick snapped.

"Tell her, who we saw last night."

Michonne turned to Rick, "Who?"

It was Rick's turn to glare at Daryl, "We were staking out the junkyard where The Governor switches his pickup truck for a Bently and we saw my ex partner from the force, Shane Walsh."

Daryl raised his eyebrow at Rick, waiting for him to tell the rest of the story.

"I'm sorry Rick, that's tough," Michonne said sympathetically.

"You have no idea," Daryl muttered under his breath. Rick kicked Daryl under the table.

"Look," Daryl said, rubbing his leg, "As far as I can see it, If it wasn't personal, I don't think we could go through with this. We all have a good reason to shut this bastard down."

Michonne sighed but nodded, Daryl was right, "Well. I met with Amy yesterday. She is, or was, Andrea's younger sister. She was a party girl when we hit undergrad but by the time Dre and I reached law school her partying turned into some really rough stuff."

"How did she get mixed up with The Governor?"

Michonne remembers the look in Amy's eyes when she stormed into the office demanding money from Andrea two years ago. She reeked of whiskey and her hair was a stringy oily mess. The Governor had to step in the middle of the two sisters so that Amy couldn't throw another swing.

Michonne sighed, "That man is like a goddamn shark. If he smells blood in the water, he'll go after it. And that's what he did to Amy. Using her addiction as a way to weasel his way closer to Andrea. All while giving Amy money for drugs so that she could point out pimps and traffickers."

Rick squinted, "And how do you know we can trust her?"

"We can't. I don't believe in coincidences either. Going to see her while my apartment was being trashed wasn't just bad luck."

"So why keep going back to talk to her if she can't be trusted."

Michonne answered back quietly, "There's got to be a way to get through to her. It's what Andrea would have wanted."

Rick almost wanted to reach his hand out to hers - he could feel the sadness and regret roll off of her.

Michonne straightened her spine, "But even a wrong clock is right twice. Sometimes, Amy is sober enough to lead me in the correct direction. Or she's with another girl who's willing to share. That's how I found both of my star witnesses."

"So you guys are double crossing each other," Daryl asked flatly.

"That's one way to look at it. She didn't tell me much yesterday but she was wired. Going on about a new batch of girls."

Rick cringed, "A new batch of girls?"

Michonne nodded, "The Governor has this warehouse. Guns, girls, drugs, you name it. It's basically a playpen for bad guys. And based on what Daryl said about Merle - he uses it to blackmail everyone who steps foot in there."

Daryl thinks of Merle's face turning ghost white when he opened his phone.

"Obviously that's the big ticket get. Trying to pin The Governor to every crime syndicate in the state of Georgia would be nice but he's too smart for that. My witnesses have never seen him there or heard his name mentioned. But we've managed to trace some of his cohorts' shell companies to brothels. And some of these poor girls are nowhere near legal."

"Why not use that?" Daryl said.

"It's not that easy. These people operate in every part of government and in every part of the shadows. You know how quickly a shell company can shutter and a brothel can move?"

"So you need more hard evidence," Rick said.

"Exactly. But I don't have a lot of time,"

"Why's that?"

"Because, I'm taking this thing public,"

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Thank you for reading. I leaned into the thriller/mystery elements of the story in this chapter. But hopefully, the sprinkling of fluff will hold everyone over. Reviews are always appreciated.