Thank you for your patience everyone. I like to update with lengthy chapters so there will be more time between each chapter as a result.

For clarification sake - the fundraiser/ballroom sequence at the beginning of the previous chapter was a dream Michonne was having. That is not how Andrea died - that will be reviled soon enough.

Thank you for reading.

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Rick watched Carl run towards the baseball diamond in the park ten minutes from their house. He smiled and shook his head proudly - how could one kid have so much energy? He snuck a look at Michonne (Something he'd been doing all day) to see that she was doing the same thing. Only her smile was wider and more beautiful.

Her eyes drifted to his and he looked away like he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

He cleared his throat, keep it professional Rick, "You sure about going public?"

"Getting in the public eye will hopefully prevent any other attempts on my life." Michonne said quietly as they got closer to Carl, "You and Daryl will grab more intel by following Amy, heading back to the Junkyard and at Merle's bar. Then we'll announce at the press conference next Wednesday."

Rick nods.

"Plus, I can't stay at your place forever."

Rick thinks back to her long legs peeking out of those satin shorts and mentally begs to differ, "This is a new kind of target that's going to be put on your back. You know that right?"

Michonne nods solemnly, "I know, but I'm prepared for whatever goes down. I've had a good career. I've helped a lot of good people. I've probably helped more not so good people but this will settle the score."

Rick places his hand on her shoulder, "You're a good person Michonne. You don't have to prove it."

Michonne looked down at his large tan hand then up at his eyes, she wanted to ignore the ripple of energy that coursed through her and landed square between her legs but she couldn't.

"Thanks, Rick," She said softly, wanting to cover his hand with hers and almost did if it wasn't for Carl yelling.

"Come on you slowpokes! Let's play some baseball!"

Rick and Michonne took a giant step away from each other and exhaled.

Michonne beamed and trotted over to Carl, "Who you calling slowpoke? You're looking at Madison Highschool's softball champion three years running."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Carl responded from the pitcher's mound..

"Oh really, care to make a wager?" Michonne asked hands on her hips.

"You're on!"

Rick chuckled, once again finding himself on the outside of Carl and Michonne's discussions. He puts the baseball bag down, "I don't know if Michonne is really the kind of woman you want to be betting against son."

"Your dad might be onto something, kid," Michonne said, grabbing the bat from the bag.

Carl just laughed, "My dad and I have been practicing every weekend since we moved here."

"Ok then. I'm wagering a Marvel movie marathon. You hit a home run, you pick the order we watch. I hit a home run, I pick the order."

"Deal!" Carl agreed, slamming the ball into his mitt.

"Wait what do I get?" Rick asked.

"Well, what do you want?" Michonne asked, focused on the grip of the bat and not on the weight of her words.

Rick, however, was focused on her ass in the black pair of leggings she had on. He started to reply when his phone buzzed, "Hold that thought!"

He turned around and answered his phone without looking, "Hello?"

The line was silent for a bit, "Hi-Rick...hi. Wow, I'm just surprised you picked up."

Rick closed his eyes slowly in frustration, "What do you want Lori?"

"I'm coming up to Atlanta on Monday,"

"The hell you are," Rick said between gritted teeth.

"Rick," Lori snapped but then lowered her voice, "I fucked up ok? I know that. But you can't keep Carl away from me forever. I'm his mother."

"Funny how that matters now." Rick bit out.

"It's almost been three months since I've seen him, Rick. Please don't do this. I miss my son," Rick could basically hear the tears forming in her eyes.

Rick pulls at his hair in frustration, he doesn't respond at first.

"Rick?"

"Give me a second to think, damn!"

He turns around and looks at Carl - he was giggling at whatever Michonne said.

"I'll ask Carl if he wants to see you. That's the best I can do"

"Rick-"

"Lori. I said I will ask him. He's doing real good. He hasn't had a panic attack in over a month. So I'm not going to ruin that because you want to win some mother of the year award."

Lori is silent before answering, "Fine." Then hanging up.

Rick shoves his phone in his pocket, closing his eyes at the migraine that was forming - "Fuck."

XXXXXXXX

"Alright, I'm going to run to the bathroom, and then we'll get started! Detective, you're on popcorn duty and I'll order some take out." Michonne said teasingly.

Rick and Carl shared almost identical grins as Michonne made her way to his room.

"Hey bud, hang back for a second," Rick said quietly as they walked back into the apartment.

"What's up dad?" Carl asked, eager to get started on their Marvel movie marathon in the incorrect order if you ask him but he was trying not to be a sore loser.

Rick scratched his head awkwardly and waited for Michonne to be out of earshot before he continued, "I talked to your mom today."

Carl looked down at his shoes; Rick hesitated but kept going.

"She's coming up to the city and wants to see you. But only if you want to see her. I told her that it's completely up to you."

He could see Carl's face getting red, "I-I'll tell her not to come. I'll text her right-"

Carl looked up at his father, "No! No, it's fine. She can come."

Rick searched Carl's face, experiencing genuine confusion, "A-are you sure?"

Carl nodded, looking back down at his shoes, "Only if you're alright with it. I want you to be alright."

The concern in Carl's voice stung, "I-of course bud. This is about you and mom. Not me and mom."

Carl nods quickly, "Ok cool. Yeah, she can come."

"I'll let her know. Now go wash up before we start the movie."

Carl shuffles to his room right when Michonne leaves Rick's.

The energy in the room was different and Michonne could feel it, "Is everything ok?"

Rick rubbed at the stubble on his chin, "Yeah, everything is fine."

He could feel Michonne's eyes searching his face for a better explanation but she left it alone.

Carl came out and sat on the couch without a word. Michonne looked between them and wondered what happened in the time it took for her to use the bathroom.

She cleared her throat and walked over to the couch, "So after much consideration, I've decided that there might be some merit in your Marvel Movie marathon order."

Carl perked up and turned around, "Really?!"

Michonne nodded with faux-reverence, "I can admit when I'm wrong."

Rick scoffed from behind her, earning him a glare from Michonne and a giggle from Carl.

"As I was saying," Michonne continued, "We're going to do it your way. But that means I get to pick what food we order."

"Deal! I don't care if it's a plate of worms, I'll eat it!"

Michonne laughed, "I wouldn't order a plate of worms Carl. We're going to order from my favorite Malaysian take out spot."

"Malaysian? Where's that?"

Michonne grabbed her phone to order, "I'm going to order, and in the meantime, Rick please give your son your phone so he can look up where Malaysia is on a map."

Carl sprung off the couch and grabbed Rick's phone from him. Rick looked up at Michonne and smiled, but looked over Carl's shoulder, not super sure where Malaysia was either or if the food was going to be good.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Surrounded by empty take-out containers and basking in the blue light of the TV, Carl's quiet snores were a good indication of a stopping point in their marathon. They made it through a good portion of the third film (Thor) before Carl began to doze off on the floor, surrounded by pillows and a blanket Michonne threw over him at the beginning of the film.

Rick, who usually fell asleep minute five of these movies was still awake. He blamed the woman next to him with the most adorable, expressive face he'd ever come across. Watching her react to the movie was ten times better than whatever was on the screen.

"How much do I owe you for the take out?" Rick asks quietly.

"Don't worry about it. Consider it my boarding payment," Michonne replies, still looking at the screen.

Rick chuckled, "Alright, then. Well, write down the name of the restaurant. I'm surprised Carl liked it. He's usually more of a picky eater."

Michonne smiled softly looking down at Carl, "I would've never guessed. He's got an adventurous spirit."

Rick nodded, "Yeah, he's the kind of kid who ain't afraid of a dare."

Michonne laughed, "Something is telling me he got that from you."

Rick grinned and shrugged, "I like to think of it as a Grimes family trait."

Michonne laughed again, shaking her head.

Here, on the couch, for the second night in a row, she was being charmed by Rick's natural charisma. She gripped the water in her hand to stay focused.

"I noticed earlier, when I got out of the bathroom, that it was a little tense between you and Carl. Is everything ok?"

Rick clenched his jaw and looked down.

"Sorry, I'm completely overstepping - you don't have to answer that-"

"Carl's mother, Lori. She's coming to visit on Monday after he gets out of school."

Michonne's heart dropped. There was nothing like hearing his wife's name to snap her back to reality.

Rick can basically feel her becoming rigid with awkwardness but continues, "It's been about three months since she's seen him - or me actually."

Michonne remained quiet, unsure of how to react.

Rick turned to her, eyes reflecting his now ice-cold demeanor, "You know, he's the one who caught them."

X_ three months ago_X

Carl lept off of his bike and discarded it half-hazardly on the front lawn. He was just so excited. He'd been thinking about his new Black Panther comics since the homeroom bell rang.

Today was perfect. He aced his math test, he got out of soccer practice a full hour early and the four new issues of Black Panther were probably waiting for him on the kitchen counter.

He opened the door and ran towards the side table where his comics were neatly placed. He grabbed it and immediately started reading, mindlessly kicking off his sneakers.

He peered up when he got to the kitchen table and noticed a gun and a badge. Carl cocked his head to the side in confusion. His dad never left his gun out.

That's when he noticed the sounds coming from upstairs; it was muffled but he could hear his mom's voice - she sounded distressed.

The comic book still in hand, Carl quickly and quietly made his way up the stairs. The muffled sounds only became more clear with the addition of angry grunts.

He froze when he reached the top of the stairs. Through a crack in the door to his parent's room, he watched his Uncle Shane tilt his hips back only to collide them forward towards his mother's backside.

The early afternoon sun reflected off of their naked, sweaty bodies.

The comic book slipped from his hands as he looked away quickly; embarrassed and ashamed. He made his way back down the stairs as quietly as he came, his heart rate increasing with every step.

He closed the front door behind him and sat on the front porch. He looked around - praying for an answer to the problem he just witnessed.

He began to cry.

X _ X

Michonne blinked, her eyes oscillating between a tense Rick and a sleeping Carl. She grabbed Rick's hand, "Oh RIck-"

He snatched his hand back and sneered, "I don't need the whole pity act. I get plenty of that from just about everyone I know."

Michonne recaptured his hand forcefully and said firmly, "Then good thing I'm not pitying you, Detective."

Rick looked at the damn near glare she was giving him and kept his hands intertwined with his,
"I'm sorry, It's just-" he let out a long sigh, "There's no telling what would've gone down if it happened any other way. But to have your kid discover your wife and your best friend screwing. I didn't take it well."

XXXXX Three Months Ago XXXXXXXX

Rick checked the time on his dashboard and grinned. 3:45 pm, he was going to be home early from work for the first time in months.

He looked at the new baseball mitt he brought for Carl and the box of chocolates that he picked up for Lori. It wouldn't make up for months of not being around but maybe it was a start.

He pulled into the driveway, noticing Carl's bike on the front lawn. Soccer practice must've ended early.

It wasn't until he was parked and out of the car that he noticed Carl hunched over on the front porch.

Concern washed over him immediately, "Carl, bud? What happened? Is everything ok?"

Carl looked up, beat red with tears running down his round cheeks, "Dad," he stuttered and hiccuped, "Dad don't go in-"

Rick went to open the door with his right hand on his gun, fully unsure as to what to expect, "Carl, stand beh-"

The door opened and on the other side stood Shane Walsh, his uniform half-buttoned, and his belt buckle undone.

Rick dropped his hand from his gun. He didn't process the stupid look Shane was giving him until he saw Lori on the stairs tightening her robe. A copy of his son's comic book lay near her feet.

Rick doesn't remember anything other than the sound of sirens, the salty taste of tears, and someone (he later learns it was Tyrese) pulling him off of an unconscious Shane. His knuckles were swollen and the coppery taste of blood covered his lips. A vision of him headbutting Shane surfaces; he must've broken his nose in the act.

Sirens blare in his ears as he turns to the left to look for Carl. He's wailing but no sound is coming out. Carl heaves and heaves but nothing comes out. His small hands are clawing at his throat.

"Stop fucking holding me down and call a fucking ambulance for my boy!" Rick snarls.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Michonne grips Rick's hands, thumbs unconsciously running over his knuckles, "Rick-"

"Needless to say we were the talk of the town," Rick says sardonically.

Michonne opened then closed her mouth; truly unsure as to what to say or what to ask.

She opted for something simple, "So that's why you left the force."

Rick nodded, "It didn't matter that Shane moved districts. I just couldn't do it anymore. The whole force knew about it."

"And that's how you came to me," Michonne said quietly.

Rick brought up his other hand to engulf hers, "Yeah, that's how I came to you."

Carl's snores filled the silent room again.

Michonne sighed, heavy from the weight of this knowledge but happy to fully understand where Rick was coming from, but she had one more pressing question.

"So," She thought of a way to craft the words but then settled for something blunt, "What's going to happen with you and your wife."

It was Rick's turn to sigh, "I grew up with just my mama, on the account of my daddy being a real angry son of a bitch who drank himself to death. I didn't want that for Carl. I wanted to give him the childhood I didn't get. The fence, the dog, the whole thing. So I thought maybe after some time and counseling maybe Lori and I would work it out, for Carl"

Michonne tried to gently slide her hand back to her lap, but Rick captured her hand again.

"But then I met you, and I knew that it wasn't going to happen."

Michonne blinked, she was sure her hand was getting sweaty in his, "Rick-"

"We had issues before she cheated. She was my high school sweetheart and I was some dumb kid trying to prove myself with a badge and a gun. We just didn't get each other. And we knew that. But then Carl came and I wanted to make it work. I wanted to be a good man and I wanted to be a good father so bad."

"And you are," Michonne said softly, "One of the first things Carl told me was that you were the right guy to have in my corner. He thinks you're Captain freaking America."

Rick gave a sad smile, feeling fully unworthy of the compliment, "He's the best thing I've ever done. And there's nothing I wouldn't do for him; there's nothing I wasn't willing to give up for him. And for a while, I guess that meant even my happiness."

"Rick-" Michonne sighed, "I don't know what to say."

"Well, that's a first."

Michonne chuckled darkly and rolled her eyes.

Rick smiled before sobering, "I know that I haven't known you for long but something about this feels, I don't know….right. It's a gut feeling."

Michonne just nodded, it's like he took the words from her heart - she gripped his hand warmly.

She opened her mouth to reply but the memory of her dream surfaced before her words could get out.

He's married, Mimi.

Michonne blanched. She looked up into his eyes. They were hesitant yet still full of warmth and lo-

For the first time in two years, sitting on Rick's cozy couch with their palms connected, she finally understood Andrea. Why she did the things she did. How she fell for it.

Michonne slowly took her hand back.

"You don't believe me," Rick said quietly, basically reading her mind.

Michonne let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding, "I can't go off a gut feeling Rick. I've seen what that does to women, where it leads them. At the end of the day, you are married and you do work for me. No matter how we feel, this is just-"

"Bad timing,"

"To say the least."

They sat in silence for a moment. Figuratively, looking at all the cards they left on the table but not sure of where exactly to go from here.

Michonne drew her knees to her chest. She felt Rick shuffle next to her and then his warm hand on her shoulder.

Michonne turns to face him slowly, her eyes catching on the silver wedding band that Rick pinched between his fingers.

"I'm going to chuck this in the river on my way into the office on Monday. Then, I'm gonna go to Maggie on the fifth floor and get divorce papers written up. And then we're going to lock The Governor up for every piece of shit thing he's ever done."

Michonne hated that her heart was racing, but it was.

"And then, I'm going to take you on a proper date. To one of those fancy restaurants downtown with the bite-sized food, I don't know how to eat. But you'll dress up because you always do and you always look unbelievable. I'll be nervous and wait until we get to your doorstep to kiss you. And if I continue to be the lucky bastard that got to kiss you last night, I'll keep kissing you, all over. And literally never let you go."

Michonne gulped; Looking back and forth from Rick's wedding band (still pinched between his fingers) and his lips.

"I know that you don't believe me. But I'll show you."

Michonne blinked a few times, damn near stupified before asking.

"Promise?"

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Thank you for reading. Reviews are always appreciated.