A/N: I wanted to post this at the same time that I updated my other fics but I needed a little more time to carve this out. I know that I have other fics to update (which I am currently doing so please don't send for me lol) and I probably shouldn't have posted this when I have a few to finish but I'm impulsive guys. Also, I should just let you all know that this will be so far from fluffy that I can't even, but still enjoy you angels!
Chapter One:
"How many?"
Michonne kept her back against the wall as she listened to the familiar sound of hungry growls. It had been a while since she heard that, maybe weeks but she wasn't sure. It was one of the bonuses of being out at sea; walkers couldn't swim.
She stuck her head around the corner and peered down the dark hallway. She could see movement, walkers mulling around, bumping into each other. There wasn't much light in the old building, and being in the basement only made matters worse. She was sure she saw five, maybe six, but she couldn't be sure as there were a row of doorways on each side. She wasn't sure if she could risk it, not while she wasn't alone.
"We need to find another way", She whispered once she leaned against the wall, tilting her head so the young boy beside her could hear, "Too dangerous"
"...We can't- the door, remember?", Fear was evident in his voice. She almost regretted bringing him with her. She could have made him wait somewhere while she cleared the floor on her own, but she had learnt rather early on that Mickey was not to be left alone if she could help it.
She dropped her head back against the wall with a soft thud as she quickly thought of a way to get them both out of there alive. Sadly, the idea that popped in her head wasn't the smartest option, but it would ensure his safety, "Wait here. Don't move until I say so"
It had been three years since the outbreak. Michonne was sure that was how long it had been because there had only been three winters. It was a strange way to keep track of time but it worked for her, and in that time she had learnt a lot about the dead. She knew how to sneak up on them, how to catch their attention and how to lose it. She had hidden herself in plain sight from them, and hidden herself within them, and while some would think she was crazy to run into a dark, narrow passageway with limited vision and only a katana for defence, she merely accepted that there were only two outcomes to that scenario; She'd either get lucky and take them all down, or she'd get swarmed. Considering she had a small companion to look after, she was trying to avoid the latter.
Her heart raced in her chest as she swung her sword one way or the other, using the faint glow from the end of the hall to find their silhouettes. There was a stage in her life when she could admit that killing walkers was somewhat therapeutic, but now it was just tiring. She'd been covered in blood and guts more times than she could even begin to count. Some faces stayed with her, haunting her, while others were just a blur. While she couldn't be more grateful that she had made it this far unscathed, she hoped the day would come when there were less walkers and more people again.
The last walking corpse hit the floor like a sack of bricks, landing against a tipped over filing cabinet. She kept still, listening for any further movement before hissing down the hallway, "Mickey!"
A pale face appeared at the end of the hall as the boy appeared, scurrying around the bodies to get to her. He held on tight to their backpack and machete, his big brown eyes wide and alert as he looked from left to right, "I'm here"
"Let's go".
The events that led to the duos survival and companionship were not something Michonne liked to think about, and she was sure he didn't either, but losing whole groups of people was not uncommon in the apocalypse. There was a point in time where she refused to form emotional bonds with anyone because she had lost sight of the reason behind it. She didn't want to lose anyone else, but having seen the great lengths the Mickey's father had gone through to protect his group ignited something in her. It reminded her of someone else she knew.
It only felt right for her to take the man's son under her wing after his death. She had to, her conscience wouldn't allow her to do otherwise. Soon enough their group dwindled down to just the two of them, which was one of the reasons why she felt it was time to return to land. Her self-imposed exile was over, and she had finally come to a conclusion after months of reflection. She was ready to return to the only place that she could call home.
"I had a girlfriend once. Her name was Penny"
Michonne smirked as she looked over at the teen on the opposite couch, "Oh?"
Mickey nodded, his dark curls bouncing around his head, "Yeah, but once she told me that she thought I was 'emotionally stunted'... I always wanted to know what that meant."
Michonne frowned at him from her place on the couch, "How old were you?"
"We were both thirteen..."
She nearly scoffed in shock. She couldn't even remember if she even knew such a term at thirteen. She frowned at him, "Why are your bringing this up now?"
Mickey proceeded to hold up the old and tatty teen magazine he'd been reading, "It says 'The five toxic personality types your boyfriend might have, and why you should dump him - and emotionally stunted is on here..."
Michonne bit her bottom lip as she felt the urge to giggle, "You think she read that?"
The teen chuckled quietly as he dropped the magazine back on the table, "It would make sense... I still don't understand what it means though"
"It just means that you haven't matured emotionally", She explained as she sat up, throwing her legs off the arm of the chair and feet firmly on the wooden floor, "Which you probably were at thirteen because that's pretty standard procedure for anyone at that age, but I think you've grown out of that"
Mickey slowly nodded as he began to smile, "Got it"
"Now if you're done playing slumber party-"
"Ha. Ha.", He breathed sarcastically as he snuggled up to the dated cushions.
"You need to get some rest. We need to be up early tomorrow so we can find a car that works", She looked at her katana on the coffee table, then at the door they had barricaded with a vending machine. She grabbed the weapon and stood up, heading towards one of the panel of windows, "We only have one more stretch to go..."
"Okay...", Michonne assumed that he was going to follow her instructions and go to sleep after his reply, but a few moments later she heard him utter quietly, "...What if it's not there anymore?"
She knew he'd eventually ask him such a question. She was waiting for it, so she looked back at him from over her shoulder, "Then we may have to look for them"
Mickey only nodded in agreement, swallowing any other worry he had. She knew he had doubts because they were written all over his face when she mentioned their destination. He was worried that their journey would end with an undesired outcome and she couldn't blame him for that. He only knew what she had told him about Alexandria and its inhabitants, so he would have to see for himself before he could make up his mind.
She was certain he'd like it there, if indeed it was still standing. She was sure that it was because Rick and the others were there. They were a family made up of some of the strongest survivors she had ever met so she truly believed that the community would be where she left it. That was not what fuelled her worry, and instead it was how she'd be received.
When the morning came they were out of the building within an hour of waking up. Mickey had cleared out every vending machine they passed and slung the garbage bag over her shoulder gleefully as they set off, "At least we won't go hungry again"
"...And we won't have any teeth either", She pointed out dryly as they crossed the deserted parking lot, "I'm sure there was a car out here last night..."
Mickey looked around as he trudged along beside her, "...Can't see anything"
Her guard immediately went up, her eyes darting from left to right as she wondered if they were truly alone. She was sure she saw a vehicle, a dark coloured SUV parked a few yards away from the back entrance to the building. She was certain because she planned to take it that morning.
"You think there's someone else here?", Mickey asked, using only one hand to hold the garbage bag, while the other pulled his machete free.
She scanned the fields that surrounded them. The grass was tall enough to hide in, and the trees had thick trunks that blocked their view, which only made Michonne even more uncomfortable, "Come on, we need to stick to the edge"
"Wait- look!", Mickey lowered his tone as he used his Machete to stop her going further.
She would have scolded him from using the sharp side of his weapon to try and block her path but her attentions were drawn to a vehicle appearing from the other side of the building; the dark SUV. She would have thought that it would be wise for them to make themselves scarce, but the car only drove to end of the drive before it came to a halt. They had been spotted.
"What should we do?", Mickey asked nervously, "Shouldn't we hide?"
They had only crossed three quarters of the parking lot, and were too far from the field to run away at that point. She tightened her grip on her katana, "It's too late for that"
She couldn't see who was driving the vehicle or how many people were inside, but she didn't have to wait long to find out, as a young dark haired girl appeared from the passenger side, her face lit up with joy, "Michonne!"
Relief swept over her as she recognised the girl, allowing her to breathe, "Thank God"
"Who is it?", Mickey quizzed in haste as he inched closer to his protector, "Is she one of them?"
"Yeah, she is.", Michonne put her hand on the teen's back to encourage him to walk towards the car, "Come on"
She knew they were getting closer to the safe-zone, but she didn't think they would cross paths with anyone so soon, but after seeing the large smile on Tara's face, Michonne couldn't be more pleased. The younger girl through her arms around her shoulders when she was close enough, "I can't believe you're here! What are you doing here? Are you coming back? You're coming back, right?"
"Tara...", Michonne was willing to answer the bunch of questions thrown that were thrown in her direction, but she had to introduce her companion first, "This is Mickey, and Mickey this is Tara"
Tara released her and turned to face the teen, her fist raised in greeting, "Hey"
Mickey began to smile as he looked to Michonne for reassurance, raising his fist to meet hers, "Hey"
"Oh, and this is Heath", Tara swung around to point at the dark skinned male that had popped out of the driver's seat, "Heath, this is Michonne and Mickey. Michonne was with us when we first got to Alexandra"
He furrowed his brows until they disappeared behind the rim of his glasses, "Oh, right"
"Heath was gone on a run when we got there so you didn't meet him but he's one of the originals", Tara went on to explain, adjusting a pair of yellow sunglasses on her head.
"Got it", Michonne nodded, turning her attentions to the car, "Are you heading back there?"
"We are but we have to make a stop at the Hilltop first"
It was Michonne's turn to frown, "The Hilltop?"
Tara blew out a breath as she looked her from head to toe, "Oh boy, do I have a lot to catch you up on. Come on, I'll tell you in the car"
Tara had always been on the friendly side, but placed next to someone like Heath, she seemed even sweeter. The male was quiet, observant and didn't say a word while Tara unearthed heaps of events that had happened in her time away, "...So we found their base and we killed them all. Me and Heath left right after to go on a long run... We have to go to the Hilltop first because of the trade, but we should get home before dark"
Michonne eyed Tara from the back seat, "You killed them all and that was it?"
'Yeah. We had to", The girl insisted, "Sasha, Abraham and Daryl had already ran into these guys and they made it clear what they want. It was only a matter of time before they turned up at the gates"
Michonne kept her gaze low as she thought about the situation, hoping that was where the tale would end. She snuck a peak at Mickey, who had helped himself to one of the many chocolate bars he carried, before she asked carefully, "And the Hilltop?"
"They're cool. Well, Jesus is", Tara shrugged, "Their leader seems like an asshole but I guess someone could say the same about Rick"
Michonne's brows sprang up in surprise, not expecting her to speak that way about the alpha male. She cleared her throat, "Well, I'm glad everyone's alright"
Tara nodded in agreement as she sat back in her seat, "Yeah. Me too"
Michonne gave Mickey a reassuring smile when she caught his eye, mostly for him but partly for herself. She wasn't surprised to learn that there were other communities as they had crossed paths with other people themselves, but the fact that they seemingly managed to get rid of the threat in one attempt left her feeling uneasy. She was sure Rick could remember some of their opponents from their past and the difficulties they faced. It was never as simple as they would have liked, but Rick was a strong man. Easily the strongest person she had ever met, and she was certain that it was because of him that they made it through anything.
Still, she remained quiet on the subject as Heath drove them silently to the place known as the Hilltop. She didn't have any idea what to expect but she trusted the members of her old group's judgement on others.
After spending a rather long stretch of time on the dirt roads of Virginia, Michonne was pleased to see what looked like tall, wooden walls, which were perched on the top of a hill. She noticed that Mickey had perked up, sitting forward in his seat so that he could look through the windshield, his eyes darting from one spot to another. Michonne couldn't explain why she felt even more protective over him when they faced new people, possibly because she knew what kind of threat walkers posed to them. With the undead she had to always question their intentions, whether they really wished to help or if they had ulterior motives. Though it would be easier for her to wrap the teen in cotton wool, she knew it would be near enough impossible to do so, but she would keep him close and hope he learned from her to always stay vigilant, regardless of how safe his surroundings seemed.
"Maggie's here?", Tara announced with a hint of confusion in her tone, her raven brows rising by a hair, "The rest of them must be here too.."
Michonne looked out of her own window, secretly wishing Tara was right, and she was about one thing; Maggie was there, looking over the wall with a rifle in her hands. She wore a cap low but Michonne knew it was her, she could recognize her brown hair and sharp jaw. Once the car had come to a rolling stop, Tara was the first to exit, then Heath, but Michonne hung back to check on the curious teen beside her, "You ready?"
He nodded easily, "Yeah, ready"
They took their turn to step outside and saw that Maggie was no longer there, but the large gates began to creek open, revealing to them a grand, stately home and several residents stood nearby, looking at them with the same sceptical expression that the duo wore. Only seconds later did Maggie reappear and unlike everyone else, she wore a stony expression as she stalked forward.
Michonne would have struggled to explain what happened next if someone had asked. It was as if she could see the brunette battling with herself, coming to a halt when she was only a few feet away. Her emerald green eyes crawled up and down the woman in front of her, her lips pressed together tightly, Michonne didn't move because she simply couldn't. She was too busy trying to figure out what could possibly be going through Maggie's mind.
The incident may have only lasted for a handful of seconds yet it felt like an eternity, but it was just as Michonne prepared to speak that Maggie moved forward once again, and before Michonne could say or do anything else she was wrapped in a tight, warm embrace. The kind of hug you only received when you were truly missed.
"It's good to see you", Maggie finally huffed, pulling away to look at her, "It's been a while"
"It has", She agreed, her eyes skimming over the brunettes face, "How are you?"
It was a general question, not meant to evoke so much emotion but Maggie hesitated to answer, "Come on, come with me"
That was all Michonne needed to hear to fill her with dread. She didn't know what she expected to hear but she knew it wouldn't be good news regardless.
She followed Maggie with Tara and Mickey in tow, partially paying attention to the Hilltop community. From what she could see, they were doing rather well for themselves, She could see farm yard animals, and what looked like a blacksmith station. Everyone looked clean and well kept, and healthy. She could see the appeal.
They were lead inside the stately home, which was even more grand than the exterior, and up a staircase onto the second floor, Michonne looked around in awe, trying to remember the last time she had ever been in such a place.
"This is cool…", Mickey hissed, tilting his head towards her, "Is Alexandria like this?"
Michonne nearly snorted at the insinuation, "No, but it is just as nice, not as fancy"
"In here, we'll get some privacy", Maggie declared, opening up a wooden door with a glossy finish, "It's my room"
Michonne found herself frowning again, and she had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last time,
"...So, where have you been?", Maggie queried lightly once they had all found somewhere to sit in the comfortable sized room, "Have you been back to Alexandria yet?"
"No, we were on our way there when we bumped into Tara", Michonne explained, crossing one leg over the other as she sat in a chair by a desk, "We've been sailing for a while now… checking out a few coasts, seeing what else was out there"
Maggie's eyes widened, "Yeah? And?"
She began to shake her head regretfully, "Pretty much all the same. Nothing new. We ran into a couple of other people who said the same thing wherever they went... deserted"
Maggie's eyes shrunk back to their previous size, "...Right"
"We decided to come back… give 'land' another try", She slowly inhaled as she prepared to ask her own question, "So what's been going on here?"
Maggie's mouth fell agape as she prepared to answer, but Tara briefly cut in, "I told them everything that happened with Negan"
Maggie appeared to wince as she dropped her gaze, "…Not everythan'..."
Michonne sat up straight and uncrossed her legs so she could rest her forearms on her knees, "Tell me Maggie?"
The woman pulled off her cap and threw it on the bed behind her, "Well… they got us. Looking back at it, I guess they set up a trap and we walked right into it. We thought we had killed them all but… we didn't even put a dent in their numbers… so he wanted to make it even"
Tara shifted uneasily against the dresser she was leaning against, "What?"
Maggie's chest ballooned as she took a jagged breath, "He killed Abraham, and he killed Glenn. Both of them… right there in front of us. In front of me. He just… took him right in front me"
Michonne snapped her eyes shut as she ran both hands over face, "No-"
"He did. They're here... Buried here… which is why we're here, me and Sasha", Maggie wiping a single tear away before it had a chance to fall, "And right now, we're all in debt to him. He comes and he takes half of everythan', from us- from Alexandria- the Kingdom… he's got us all backed against the wall and he can't… he can't get away with that. We can't let him"
Michonne hadn't lifted her gaze from the floor yet. She wanted to when she heard the break in Maggie's voice but she was trying to process everything she'd just heard. Her mind wanted to reject the news, not allowing her to accept it just yet. She shook her head in disbelief, "What- where is-"
"He's got Daryl. He took him that night", Maggie continued sombrely, "He's… taken a lot. More from us than I think we took from him, and he knows it, but we can't let it carry on like this. We can't let him win this. I won't"
Tara had sunken to the floor, dumbstruck. She didn't seem to be looking at anything in particular but yet she didn't look anywhere else either. Michonne forced her thoughts into order, and the first thing that came to her mind was to offer comfort to her friend. She reached out her hand and placed it on Maggie's knee as she whispered, "I'm so sorry, Maggie. I really am"
The brunette nodded hurriedly as her eyes glistened once again, "Thank you"
"...I'm with you, every step of the way", She promised, giving her knee a gentle squeeze, "I mean it"
Her earlier fears were confirmed, and news of the latest threat spurred Michonne into action. She didn't want to sit around and wait for something to happen for her to help, she wanted a plan of action made as soon as possible. Their survival depended on it.
Maggie took her time filling her in all the smaller details, and she listened intently, storing every piece of information away in the back of her mind. She wanted to know everything because she had to, she had to know what it was that they were up against, though she wasn't completely taken away by the idea that she could simply storm up to the others and begin making decisions.
There wasn't much concept of time left in the world, so often the days seemed longer, and even longer when you're separated from someone. She could accept that her disappearance could have very well have left some feeling jilted and in no position to want to receive her help in the first place, but she had to try. She could only hope that Rick would understand that because he always understood her; that was what made their friendship so special. They could work in unison with ease because they both prioritised the same things, and they both worked towards the same things. She liked to think that no matter how much time had passed, they would always connect.
In order to find out whether she was right she had to first get to Alexandria, so after spending a good part of the afternoon with Maggie, she insisted that they began their return. Tara was in no state to argue as the younger woman was still in shock, reduced to only nodding or shaking her head in response to any questions directed at her. Mickey seemed to be doing the same, but Michonne knew that it was because of the seriousness of the situation.
Soon enough, they were back on the old dirt roads and heading back to the safe-zone. Michonne spent a large part of the journey in her own mind, thinking about Glenn and Abraham, asking herself the question of the hour; would she have been able to save them if she stuck around? Judging by all that Maggie had told her, the man named Negan was out for blood regardless, and it seemed that he would have been rewarded anyway he could. That didn't stop her from feeling guilty though. Had she been there, she could have comforted her friends sooner.
Mickey kindly held out a KitKat bar to her when they neared their destination, which she accepted even though she had no appetite, It was his small way of initiating a conversation between the two, and possibly a chance to cheer her up the moment. She appreciated his gesture greatly, but their arrival at the old steel gates overshadowed the moment.
All of a sudden she was overcome with nerves. She was there, back behind the walls of the place she called home, but it didn't feel like home and instead she felt like a visiting stranger.
It was deafeningly quiet, the streets almost empty. They were greeted at the gate by the only man she knew who still sported a mullet. Eugene was friendly but noticeably reserved, although he was at Tara's side when he saw her.
"So… this is it?", Mickey uttered quietly as he placed himself in her shadow, "It is nice,,,"
"Yeah. It is", Michonne looked towards the row of homes on the street further away from them, "Come on, maybe one of the other kids can give you a tour while I look for a few "
Neither was surprised by the strange stares they received from the few residents that dotted the pavements. Most probably wouldn't even remember her and none of them had seen Mickey before. It didn't help they were under siege by a merciless group, so they had a right to be weary.
"Where did you live?", Mickey asked casually, still holding on to his garbage bag tightly, "Are you gonna' go back there?...Will you have room for me?"
She had to look at him to reply, "I didn't really live anywhere. When we first got here we all stayed in one house, and I left before we could pick our own place… So I will make sure that there is enough room for both of us wherever we go, okay?"
"Okay."
She eyed him with a mischievous grin, "Look at you getting spoilt, If I remember correctly we had to share a tiny room with four other people on a boat-"
The corner of his lips curled up to reveal a small smile, "Yeah but that was on a boat, we had no choice. If I get the chance to have my own room and not have your feet in my face, then I'll take it"
She gasped playfully at him, "Do you know how many people would die to have my feet in their face?"
"No, but I can guess how many people would die from having your feet in their face", He replied easily, "Everyone"
Michonne nudged the teen, causing him to snicker at his own joke while she snarled at him, "Just for that you're sleeping in the nearest closet"
They came up to the house she was looking for and she was struck with a funny little memory of Carl's reaction to the home the first time they set their sights on it. Rick's son was undoubtedly the only person that she could hardly wait to see. She didn't know who she'd find living there but hopefully it was another familiar face, or someone who could point them in the direction of someone she knew.
She climbed the porch steps and made her way towards the door, noticing that Mickey had stationed himself at the bottom of the stairs after she knocked. She was hit with a wave of anxiety as she waited patiently, which was only magnified by the time it took for someone to appear, but when the person did finally open the door, she was hit with another wave of dread.
Lori looked at her wide eyed as she leaned on the doorframe, releasing her name in a barely audible whisper, "Michonne?"
"Hey", Michonne took a small step back, "How are you?"
Lori smirked without a smile, "I should be the one asking you that- where- did you just-"
"Just got here", She answered for her, "We ran into Tara and.. Uh, Heath? They were coming back from their run…"
Lori nodded at a sloths pace as her brown eyes slid over Michonne's shoulder, "We?"
"That's Mickey", Michonne glanced back herself, and wasn't surprised to see that the teen was busy rifling through his garbage bag of junk, "I joined up with his group but it's just us now"
Lori's chest rose as she tore her gaze away from him, "I see…"
It was Michonne's turn to look over Lori's shoulder, "...We saw Maggie at the Hilltop, she told us what happened…"
The slender woman grew visibly tense, "Yeah… Well, at least you're up to date"
"I'm sorry", Michonne offered sincerely, locking eyes with Lori.
She pushed off the doorframe and adjusted the white blouse she wore, her eyes darting around aimlessly, "Thank you."
Michonne felt as uncomfortable as she looked, "...Where is everyone?"
Lori blew out a breath as she crossed her arms over her chest, "Well, uh… Rosita's here, we just found out that Carol's with Morgan at the Kingdom...you obviously saw Maggie and probably Sasha too-"
"Rick? Carl?", Michonne didn't mean to hurry the woman but she seemed to purposely take her time.
Lori dropped her gaze for a moment as she rolled her shoulders back, "Carl is here. He's in his room and Rick went out on run with Aaron.. If you remember who that is…"
Michonne huffed, ready to tackle the serious subject that loomed over their heads, "Yeah, I do... Well I talked to Maggie and Sasha and they think that something needs to be done, and I agree with them. I want to help you all-"
"Michonne, please just-", Lori held a hand up to stop her as her expression became strained, "Just hold on a minute, please? Can I just… get something off my chest?"
Michonne froze, remaining quiet so the woman could speak.
"I am glad to see that you're back and that you're okay, and I mean that because so many of us were worried about you", Lori insisted in a hoarse tone, "But you have to sit back and let Rick handle this. You were his right-hand woman and you were a great help, I have you to thank for so much but you also have a tendency to spark something in Rick that we don't need right now. We've lost so much, and now we're up against someone who… who could leave us with nothing and Rick- Rick needs to understand that we won't win every battle. We can't always win every battle. We have children and I don't want them to lose their father in vain, I don't want to lose anyone else in vein"
None of what Lori said came as a surprise to Michonne. She had always known that the woman would rather play it safe, at whatever cost, but she still felt the need to counter her argument, "Lori, I get it-"
"I feel like I've only just got my husband back", Lori pushed on as she dropped her hands to her side, "He's… he was so arrogant before, he thought he was unstoppable, invincible even! But the Rick I know, the Rick I married… he's here again. He's thinking about us and he's thinking about the others and I just don't… I don't want you to lead him back to where you left him. He's doing what he can to keep the peace and let us live another day, and he's our leader so we will follow his lead. If you're back for good then please just respect that"
Michonne had to swallow her argument, but not because she agreed with Lori, but because she knew it was pointless arguing with someone who had already made up their mind. She chose to move away from the topic, "Carl? Can I see him?"
Lori sighed as she looked back over her own shoulder, "Honestly, now's not a good time, but I'll let him know that you're back"
It was the last straw for Michonne, she began to back away, "Alright, thanks"
"I am glad you're back Michonne, I mean that", Lori added hurriedly, "But please remember what I said"
"Thanks.", Michonne nodded as she spun around, waiting until her back was facing the woman before she muttered, "For nothing".