Thanks again for the reviews, I love how possessive you all are over Rick lol. Hopefully, this chapter feeds you.

Warning: Sexual content

The Line

July 25th, 1996

Michonne has spent less time fulfilling her checklist of freedom and more time with a certain Deputy of King County.

Michonne would have fun, but still, she felt the split between the truth that Rick is just a friend and that this is not a thing.

But Rick is also a married man in love with her.

She battled this perception internally, she didn't know love. She couldn't know it she'd tell herself but his blue eyes would always tell her something different whenever she spent time with him.

All of July is about their friendship. It's about twice a week that he takes her out to the nearby towns.

Rick takes her roller-skating their first hang out. A rodeo show in Peachtree City, one that he had to drag her to but she had fun in the end. A drive-in show the 3rd time.

Rick worked 12-hour shifts, but he always made time to see her afterward.

Michonne's parents are in some sort of disagreement about it. She could hear whispered conversations, her mother asked her father if he's noticed anything different about his daughter.

But Michonne's father waves and tells her to be careful whenever she runs out of the home and walks a few blocks to Rick's truck. Before Michonne would leave she would tell her mother her whereabouts would be with Maggie or Sasha that evening or that she's picked up some tutoring shifts to widen her resume.

Nyasha's eyes linger as her daughter ran out the door. Each time she failed to say something. Michonne knew she wanted to, but she keeps her distance from her mother. She would leave in a hurry and come back in late-night, she no longer had a curfew since she was of age. Though her mother still wanted to permit the curfew, her father was on her side. They could trust her he would remind Nyasha.

Maybe it was the mother's strong intuition, but with reserve she kept her mouth shut, wanting to respect the male of the household's opinions.

Nyasha watched her daughter tonight, she was in the kitchen hurriedly making sandwiches and putting them in a wicker picnic basket amongst snacks and desserts. It was one of the only times Nyasha would find Michonne laying a finger in the kitchen.

Michonne waved, her father said his usual 'be carefuls' and Nyasha watched her daughter prance a few blocks down into the summer night, arm swinging the basket as she turned the corner and out of mother's view.

Rick took her to a campground with a creek about 20 miles out from King County. It was one of Michonne's favorite sort of hangouts with Rick, it felt like time didn't exist on these sorts of nights.

He made the bed of his pick-up truck a spot for leisure, grabbed blankets, and spread them across.

After they ate the dinner she made, they sat facing the creek to stare at the mat of stars in the dark sky.

"So the plan is Princeton?" Rick asked after he listened to the literature classes she wanted to take the first semester.

Michonne gave a nod as she held one of her braids between her fingers. "Always has been."

"You mean you knew since what, the fifth grade you were going to an Ivy league?" There was a playfulness in his voice and Michonne looked over her shoulder.

Rick stared at her back, eyes half-lidded from the full meal. One hand propped under his head, the other on his chest, the blue plaid blanket underneath his body.

"Eighth grade. My mother always talked about it. It was just always part of the plan."

Silence has become a comfortable part of their friendship, she knows when Rick is quiet he's simply just taking in what she said.

"Plans…" He repeats.

Michonne laughed, "You know what they say, you got a plan and God laughs right?"

"Do you believe in God?" He asked.

"I wonder that every day. Stories I listened to all my life, now I find it silly watchin' my mother and father squirm over what exactly?"

"So why do you have that list?"

Michonne told Rick of her summer list a few weeks ago, and he listened with a slight expression of amusement.

"I don't know. Guess I'm wondering if God is going to show up any moment."

"Be careful what you wish for..." His voice trailed into the night.

"Do you believe in God?"

"No."

She gave a nod, she wished she could have that ultimate resolution for such an intense being that hung over her. An invisible force that caused her own anxiousness when she regarded her own way to go about her life. No matter how much she rebelled against it, God was always a loitering shadow.

"Why New Jersey?" He asked.

"Something different and it's near New York. I think I could be a city girl, don't you think?"

"Nothing wrong with the country, it always loves you back."

"Says the white man…" She replied and Rick let out a pleasing laugh.

"Touche."

They laughed again before they settled into stillness. "People are too comfortable here if you ask me.'

Rick considered her words, "You always wanted to be a lawyer?"

Michonne countered, "You always wanted to be a cop?"

Rick shrugged, "I wonder that lately. Could have been a farmer. Still got time to join the army. I'm a good shot."

"Shut up," She reached around playfully hit his chest. Rick grabbed her hand. He held it for a long moment. He bit the inside of his lip and blue eyes wandered along her face. Michonne snatched her hand away and looked out at the night sky.

Michonne hated when Rick did that. When he would touch her and just stare at her, seeing if she could feel it.

They never discussed that night in May. They would move forward as friends they promised. Or she promised while he left it open. That night on the 4th of July, she could see his need for her in his life, and she felt that same longing. Michonne could settle for friendship. She told herself.

"How's Lori? Michonne asked. She heard him take a sharp inhale.

"She's good. She started cooking so the house is a mess."

Rick's voice was without inflection when he answered. Every meeting they had she'd ask about Lori. A reminder of a line to be drawn. It was passive-aggressive but Rick went with it.

Michonne looked over her shoulder and he was watching her like he always did. Face controlled but blue eyes lively.

"Michonne.."

She grudgingly answered, "What…"

The silence stretched between them.

"I don't want to be friends with you."

This was the conservation she was waiting for. Sure they had fun this month, but there was always a line. A line Rick knew about just from the looks he would give her. Their relationship was treading on an ice pond, waiting for the other to fall through.

"I tried." Rick started. " And I know it's stupid because you're leaving soon and there's no point when it's going to cost me whatever it is I'm trying to rebuild with Lori. But I want you in my life."

"I am in your life," Michonne affirmed as Rick stared at her, so intensely she could look away.

"You could move to New Jersey with me," Michonne suggested it was something she didn't really believe as soon as it left her lips.

He smiled. "You want me to uproot with you?"

"Why not?"

There was sadness in his eyes as he took a breath, "I can't hold you back. But I can't hold this back either. It gets harder each time. To know I can't touch you and I shouldn't touch you."

'Rick-"

"I want to make love to you. Each time I see you it feels damn near impossible to hold it back…And I think about it every day-"

"Shut up." This time she was serious and he obeyed. Rick sat up and mirrored her own position, his arms rested on the top of his knees, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Lori tells me all the time. Speak. Just when I do it always backfires, huh?" He lets out a sad laugh.

"Lori says she's pregnant." He confessed, "Or she thinks she is... I guess."

"Congratulations."

He nods and looks away at the creek, the only noise was the stream before them.

"I thought you wanted a family," Michonne said, as she tried to ignore the disappointment she heard in his voice.

Michonne looked down, playing with the thread in his blanket, just for something to hold and distract herself from such a heavy conversation. "So now what?"

Rick was still looking away, he shook his head.

She knew what he meant through his silence. What he wanted. And she knows she should quickly turn it down. But she still remembers how his body felt on top of hers.

"You stay here, just a little longer, while I figure out what we could have. You and me."

Michonne should her head, attempts to ignore the look of irritation on his face. "I mean what now with Lori, Rick...I wasn't talking about us-"

"Well, I was."

"Rick, this isn't-"

"A thing. So you say."

"What if we regret it?" She asks and she already knows her decision from that question.

"I'll regret it more if we leave it like this, and I don't get to see you again." He answers.

She gave a nod and rocked slightly, still battling her will.

"My mother always says you can't eat your cake and have it too. Sounds like Rick Grimes wants to do just that."

Rick turned to Michonne a small smile graces his lips. "It's not the cake I want."

His lips matched the expression in his blue depths, stoic look on his face.

They hold their stares and Rick is the first to break.

"I thought…" Rick shook his head, "I thought I wanted a family with Lori and I did at one time."

"So why are you still with her?"

Rick shrugs, "I don't know. Pity. Obligation. Because she can give me what I need... you're too young to get that part."

"I'm old enough to know bullshit," Michonne replied and Rick's let out a laugh, he always laughed at the rare profanity she would use.

"You scare me, Rick."

He only gave her a small nod, as if he understood.

But he couldn't understand, not when he has someone else, not when he already knows what he wants.

"I could drive you home and never see you again. Move on. But this…this is a rare thing, Michonne."

"How am I supposed to make a choice after you said that?" Michonne shook her head, "This wasn't a part of the plan, you know."

"It never is."

Michonne -looked to the other side of her, brought her knees closer to her chest as she curled into herself. She attempted to control the tear that rolls down her cheek.

But rather, Rick's hand grasped her arm as he takes her away from comforting herself. He turned Michonne towards him as his hand softly wiped the tears.

Rick held the other side of the face and she held his wrists and looked into his eyes before he placed his mouth against her lips.

The ice pond. And she just fell through it, Michonne thought as she reached and grabbed his collar to pull him closer.

Their decision lead them inside his truck.

The engine of his truck still ran.
Rick kissed her, hands swept along her face and through her braids.

She pressed her mouth against his lips. kissed him one of many times that night, put his bottom lip between her teeth.

Michonne moved her hair away and she gazed into his blue eyes, darkened by the night.

His tongue explored her, and her kisses become more desperate. Michonne's eyes closed and her heartbeat quickened. Fingernails dug into his seat as she opened her legs and quickly straddled his hips and he responds to that with a low groan that came from the back of his throat.

Rick stopped then, parted their mouths, looked up at her, "That night. Tell me what you thought about." He whispered softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Tell me what you liked." He answered and pressed his lips against her collarbone.

"My hands? My mouth?" He continued.

"Both" She replied, "Just you touching me…"

Their whispers carried throughout the night, soft as if someone would grab their words.

His hand went in her tank top. Fingertips brushed along her sides and the flat of her stomach. His hands trailed along the waistband of her jeans.

"I can't stop touching you." Rick declared.

"Take these off" He demanded and she obeyed. She parted from him for a moment as nimble fingers opened her light blue jeans, her back briefly brushed the roof of the car as she took off her jeans.

"I think about it all the time." He whispered his fingers moved along her panty line, his lips against her neck as he nipped and kissed, before he whispered in her ear so softly, so quietly to pull her in.

"How wet you were for me. I can't stop thinking about you, Michonne." He takes off her shirt and painted the base of his spine with his fingertips. Sweat collects there from the July haze and it's almost like he's possessed her because she swore she could feel just what he's felt. He inhaled against her skin as he held in her scent, hands warm as the humid night.

Rick's short nails bit into her thighs, he held her hips and guided her with precision to move against him. Through their clothes, she could feel how hard he was.

The scent of the creek and the soil of the earth surround his truck, windows slightly open. The stream and nocturnal creatures of the darkness just a faint sound, the loudest being their labored breaths between each other as they continued their touches.

Rick pulled her bra down and sucked. He kissed her between her chest, right by her heart. His hands and mouth remained busy.

He reached between her thighs, slid the seat of her panties to the side so his fingers can feel her, it's not gentle like that night they shared in May. It's hurried but the passion still danced between them.

She closed her eyes, can feel his gaze on hers as he held every reaction she could give.

His index and middle finger inside her, curled, thrust, the heel of his hand bumped against her clit as he matched the rhythm of her hips.

Michonne fell apart and her muscles clenched his fingers. Relentlessly. He grabbed the nape of her neck and brought her mouth down, muffled her scream with his lips.

His kiss was hungry as he gripped at her mouth, his fingers go to a slow halt as he pulled out.

And she watched the sweetest view when he tasted her on his fingers.

Rick moved his hand to his own jeans, unbuttoned, and steered her on top of his lap.

Michonne sucked in a breath when he was inside. He brought her hips closer to his until he reached the hilt of her.

Rick doesn't rush he's still like the first time. Eyes glued to her face.

This position feels different than the first time, she noticed. Her mouth formed an O as she got used to him for the second time.

"Feels different?" His voice was hoarse.

Michonne closed her eyes, could only nod at the question.

"It's deeper." He replied, "Do you feel it?"

"Yeah." Her voice, she doesn't recognize it, it's brittle between them and Rick's hands grab her backside.

"Go as slow as you want" He croaks and conducted her hips towards his before directing her towards the dashboard and back towards him again, the rhythm is sharp and short at times as the fire builds inside her when she felt the friction of her clit rub against his stomach. Michonne's eyes are on him as he nudges his head in approval. Like she just possessed him too and he can feel the pleasure she felt.

He stopped his instructions and gave her the lead. She goes slow at first and he grits his teeth.

Rick's palms clutched her thighs and hips like it's his lifeline.

Instincts took over as she increased her own pleasure, maybe it was due to the lack of space in the truck that made her feel just about everything going on between their thighs.

But it feels so sinful and sharp.

So this was rapture. Michonne thought when she rotated and bucked against him, causing heavy breaths to fall from his lips, his hands grabbed the back of her bra and held tightly while she brought them both to that same high she felt in her body.

Sweetly he kissed her shoulder when she cried out and came around him, it's a surprising climax that tightened up her whole frame. Michonne could feel the pulse between her thighs. Through her own haze, there's a palpable soft moan against her shoulder and Rick's own body stiffened for a moment.

They caught their breath, and he held her body closer. Lips still kissing whatever skin he could reach.

It's been maybe four years since I've written some Richonne smut. I was so nervous to release this bit.