The Sovereign
Chapter 1-The Do-Over
The crew were all standing at the gates of Alexandria hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. It had been a rough road since the prison, Between the rapist claimers and the cannibal terminates, they were all constantly on guard. Trusting no one and ready to kill or be killed. And they almost were killed. At one desperate point, had there not been some, what Maggie called, divine intervention, it would have been fatal for them all. When they arrived at the barn, they were tired, hungry, thirsty, and confused about what exactly happened in the middle of that field. They tried to discuss it, but what could they say? They had no clue what the blue light was and besides, they had much more important things to worry about. None said it out loud, but despite the mysterious object and the other two strange beings that saved them, they thought maybe it was all for naught. They believed the barn just might be the end of their road. Until Aaron.
"You ready?" Asked Michonne darting her eyes around Rick's face worried what his response would be. They had been on the road for a while and received a few weird, hard to explain, very fantastical breaks to get them to where they were now. Michonne said that had to be a sign that they were on the right path. Rick wished it to be true but was not so sure. Rick was always skeptical about everything, but that skepticism is what kept him and his crew alive.
Rick looked at Michonne and opened his mouth to respond when everything went very still inside Rick's mind. Rick's head started to tingle, as if a headache were coming on and he felt a strong urge to shut his eyes tight, which he did. Then, all of a sudden, a rush of yet to be had memories flooded his head. It happed so fast that in the span of just a few seconds, Rick saw it all. How everything would play out in Alexandra over the course of the first few months. It was like an out of body experience. A very sad one.
Rick saw himself plan a coup with Carol and a reluctant Darryl within a day of arrival. He watched himself at a party where he allowed a plain blond woman to kiss him on the cheek. He also witnessed Michonne's face fall when she saw it happen. Recognizing the hurt manifest on her face, and knowing it was caused by him, wounded Rick to the core. He observed himself go straight crazy, a mental break so deep and dangerous that it caused him to rant like a lunatic in the middle of the street. He viewed himself push his own son down and Michonne hitting him over the head and knocking him unconscious in an effort to stop his humiliating ravings. He viewed himself sitting in a jail cell and awaiting a decision from the leader that could have caused him and his family to be kicked of out Alexandria to struggle once again back on the open road. He observed how Michonne helped to save his family from that fate of living and struggling in a constant state of unrest despite all the ugliness that he caused, especially towards her. He observed a meeting occur where he was surely about to be exiled had it not been for Carol letting in a few walkers to prove the point that if Rick and crew left, Alexandria would die sooner rather than later. Rick also watched in horror as a husband was so full of hate for him, that he made an attempt on his life, but instead that furious spouse erroneously took the life of an innocent and good man. Rick witnessed as he shot the man point blank, then form an ill-conceived and highly inappropriate relationship with the man's wife, whom he soon realized he never really wanted in the first place. His want of the blond was a byproduct of the craziness in his head. But by then, it was too late. The damage had been done.
He foresaw Carl lose an eye as a direct result of his actions. He saw the woman he truly loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with, Michonne, kill the child that caused his son to almost die because of his father's lack of morals and common decency. The son of the blond was the shooter who hated Rick for what he did to his family. Rick glimpsed all of his family suffer consequences because of his lack of control. In one the worst parts of the vision he experienced, he saw and felt his heartbreak when he lost Michonne to another man, because in his irrational state, he chose the blond. Had Rick been rational, he would have realized from the start that it was always Michonne. The blond, who he figured out much too late meant nothing to him, was slowly killing him on the inside. He observed as Michonne moved on to form an intimate relationship with a King no less from a neighboring community. That one hurt him to his core. Rick felt depth of his love and his loss for Michonne in those few seconds, it felt like his heart stopped and it would never beat again as vengeance for the love that he destroyed. His insanity caused blinders and he knew he would never recover.
He saw his son and daughter eventually leave the community with Michonne to live with her and the king. Not at first. Carl and Judith stayed with him and his blond for a while causing Carl to grow bitter. Over the course of a few weeks, the bitterness grew to hate, because he ran Michonne away. That was his mother and Carl would be damned if his father ruined his relationship with her like he ruined everything else. So Rick watched his son drive off unable to say a word as he choked back his tears. He saw his daughter follow shortly after, inconsolable at the loss of her brother and mother, Rick had to let her go too.
He saw his friend and brother, Darryl, choose to live in the woods instead of inside the gates watching his friend crumble and his crew fall apart. He saw Carol die at the hands of a group of wolves, her body ravaged in the middle of the street. He saw Glenn and Maggie leave to a neighboring community, not out of want, but of the desperate necessity to get away from him. Rick noticed how Darryl quickly came out of the woods and made Maggie and Glenn's community his home, confirmation for Rick that Darryl left Alexandria because of him. The loss of both his best friends and his brothers caused another break in his already fragile psyche.
Then he had a glimpse into his own home and saw what he used to have with Lori, a miserable life with a woman that that he had to protect day-in and day-out. The constant arguing and fighting draining him until he one day just sat there and took her abuse. He hated her and he hated himself. He witnessed himself trying but failing to help her raise her remaining child, while his kids were being raised by someone else. Carl was a huge casualty of his insanity and he refused to even speak to his father after he left Alexandria, refused to lay eyes on him if he could help it. Carl was ashamed of the chaos and mess his father created. Ashamed of the man his father became. Rick saw his family fractured. He saw friendships lost. Saw his only loves gone. Saw himself broken. Rick was horrified.
Rick blinked and he was back at the gate. He turned around and saw his family all gathered and intact. He saw his son looking up smiling confidently at him by his side holding his baby sister. And he saw Michonne. His Michonne. She was still there with him. She stood there, staring at him with such love and adoration for him, unbelievably just for him, and that made his heart melt. He felt ten feet tall in that moment. Rick knew that with her by his side, there was nothing that they could not accomplish and overcome. Rick grabbed her hand and stared at her with certainty and assurance. With passion and dedication.
"I'm ready," Rick replied as he took a step closer to Michonne and in front of God and all his family, kissed her deeply and with such a level a fervor that it nearly knocked her off her feet. Some of the crew clapped, others shouted "it's about time!" Rick's face turned red with the mocking, but he did not care one single bit. Michonne was his and he was grateful to whomever gave him that lifesaving vision.
Michonne was at first perplexed, but then smiled brightly instilling Rick with a level of self-confidence that made him weak in the knees. Darryl smiled as if he knew something too and nodded to himself as he breathed a sigh of relief.
When Aaron called for the gatekeeper to open the gates, they all walked into their new home, Alexandria, none knowing what Rick already knew, that not only would they survive, but Rick would make sure they all would thrive. And with his newfound knowledge, they would all live. They would all love. And most importantly, they would all stay together. A family.
Rick did not know how those images got into his head, or if they were even real, but once he walked into Alexandra and recognized everything and everyone, Rick knew for certain that it was indeed true. This was just another in a list of bizarre incidents that Rick and his crew experienced over the course of the last few weeks. Yet another question that he feared would never have an answer but was grateful for all of it just the same. Rick was determined to learn from his previous mistakes that he was yet to even make. His and his family's future was his to make great and he was going to make damn sure it was a happy one that was worth fighting and living for.
Rick drew a strong and deep breath of relief; this new life was gonna be a breeze. Well he hoped so, but by the looks of the visions, it only went so far into the future. Seemed it was just enough to make sure they had a good beginning. There were some parts that were very clear, like with Michonne and Carl and the blond. But some parts were hints and pieces. A puzzle that he would have to put together himself. Like the other two communities. He knew they existed, and that they were good people, but that was it. That was high on his list to find out, but the first thing on his agenda once they got settled was to make things official with Michonne. No, not once they got settled, immediately. He needed her to know that he meant that kiss as a promise that he was hers and she was his. He tripped over his two feet walking into Alexandria just thinking about it.
This was not the first time Rick and his crew experienced something out of the ordinary, even for a zombie apocalypse. Just a week before they got to Alexandria, they experienced something that was quite extraordinary. They ran into a herd that, had it not been for the intervention of two people and a strange blue light, they would have all perished that day. There was no way even one of them could have survived.
Rick and the crew were aware they were about to fight their last battle. They were encircled by at least six hundred walkers and they were about to meet their final end. They were outnumbered by the rotting corpses who viewed them as food and had a vicious and primitive need to eat their flesh. Always to eat.
They had unknowingly walked into a herd of walkers on their way to a barn that they saw in the distance. It seemed like a clear path, but before they knew it, they were surrounded. They were so exhausted and so hungry that they were paying more attention to their bodies breaking down than to what was around them. It is hard to be vigilant when your stomach is rumbling from extreme hunger and thirst, and your head and body aches from exhaustion. Rick could not believe he did not notice the herd. His tunnel vision only looking at the barn. Looking at shelter.
They each tearfully looked at each other, grabbed hands and vowed to fight until their last breath. Rick looked at his son and then down at his daughter whom he was holding in his arms, then at Michonne and shed a tear for the end of each of their lives. Having been out on the road since the collapse of the prison, they were exhausted, and although they mentally remained savage, their bodies were worn down and tired. They could not handle the herd. With the mass of walkers approaching on every side, they closed their eyes, and prayed for a quick end. With Katana, Colt, Knife, Crossbow, Gun, and every other weapon they owned in position, they took what they thought was their last stand.
Rick was the first to notice a flicker of blue light in the sky, just a glint and nothing more. Then he heard a growl. They all did. Then saw blue lightening accompanying the animalistic sound. Rick's attention to the blue light was halted when he saw what they all had just heard, lions ripping and tearing the walkers to shreds with a male seemingly controlling each one just inside their circle at the front. Rick rubbed his eyes, he thought he had died because how could this be happening? Rick and crew looked away from one implausible sight to another and observed a woman, elevated about six feet above the ground, reigning lightening from through dozens of walker heads with one hand while simultaneously sweeping others with a strong wind with the other. It was unbelievably spectacular.
One they created some distance between the group and walkers, one of the two, what could only be called super humans, the woman, began to speak out loud, but not to the other, rather seemingly to someone that was not there.
"Any day now, we need some help, there are too many of them to handle without possibly causing injury to the group," said the woman who had lightening sparks flashing from her hands and would use it when a walker came too close.
"OK, I'm coming, hold your horses, but I am coming in hot," said a voice telepathically inside the heads of the other two, not out loud for the crew to hear.
"Show off," said he male also telepathically, so that only the being who had yet to be seen and the other woman could hear.
"You should see me in about five seconds," said the voice again only inside the heads of the other two beings.
"Ok, but after this, all talking even telepathically counts," said the one with the lightening out loud and Rick saw the male smack his lips and roll his eyes in distaste of the comment.
Rick and crew were confused about the conversation the woman seemed to be having with herself. Rick thought about asking who she was talking to, when a bright blue flash came ripping through the atmosphere, it caught everyone's attention. It looked like whatever was in the sky was completely encased in a blue flame and it was heading directly toward the crew as they watched in awe.
The crew all thought it was a meteor, maybe and asteroid, hurdling towards them and if the walkers did not kill them, that flaming hunk of whatever would. As it shot from the sky, they noticed it swiftly cut though the herd of walkers tearing them to shreds and setting them on fire at the same time. It was moving with intention. It was not a something but rather a someone. The fire that surrounded the being was so hot, it turned the walkers to ash almost instantly. They watched the flaming figure fly around and around until that last of the walkers were dispatched and then the figure just flew away, back the way it came. They were all stunned, but happy that they got to live another day. They turned and watched as the other two walked inside a portal with it closing behind them and then all three were gone just as fast as they arrived.
With the shock of what just happened, the camouflage of blue light hiding the identity of the being, and the crew looking from one thing to another trying to take it all in, none of them got a good look at any of them. But to Rick and Michonne, it was something familiar about what happened. They could not quite put their finger on why, they just felt like they experienced this before. Like de ja vu. Known them before. It made no sense. The crew did not have the time to sit and discuss it right then, they needed to find shelter, food, and water before dark.
They made their way to the barn and collapsed. They managed to find the shelter, but their lack of food and water was becoming a huge issue. They had not eaten in a while and finished the last of the water before the herd. They did not say it out loud, but rather quietly and to themselves, that what the herd did not do, thirst and hunger would. They were too tired to even go out and look for food and water. They just wanted to rest.
"What do you think that was?" Asked Glenn, the first to speak on the strange occurrence and trying to take their minds off of their dry parched throats and empty stomachs.
''Hell if I know, but God bless it," replied Carol.
"Yea, I ain't never seen nothing like that," grunted Darryl.
Just as Rick was about to speak, all of a sudden, the weather went from hot, dry, and clear, not a cloud in the sky, to wet. It was raining. And not a sprinkle, but a hard downpour. They all jumped and ran out to fill any and every container they carried, many filling up their bottles while tilting their heads directly catching the rain in their mouths. It was another lucky break. Or so they thought. They could not have possibly noticed but hiding behind the only cloud in the sky within miles, was a being causing the rain. The same one that caused the lightening. Then just as quickly as it started, it stopped just as their containers were filled to the brim, and then it was hot, humid, and clear again. Not a single cloud to block the scorching sun.
"There is not a cloud anywhere to be seen anymore," Carol said now anxious to know exactly what was happening.
"I don't know, but I can only be thankful for it," Rick responded looking up and around the barn. "We can go a bit without food, but not too long without water. We needed this. This was everythang."
They all nodded thankful for what was given and began to settle in for the night when the robust voice of Abe boomed through the silence and he talked to the sky.
"If you could see fit, whoever you are, to rain down some cheeseburgers and fries right now it would be much appreciated!" Abe smiled back at the group but secretly hoping against hope that meat, buns, and potatoes would fall like the rain.
Truth be told, they all held their breath and looked up. Then after a minute or two, burst with laughter at the silliness of their wish. With a final look, they closed the barn door, rolled out their meager blankets and settled in. As the groups naturally formed like they usually did, Glenn and Maggie huddled together, Abe and Rosita with Eugene not too far away from the two, Carol and Darryl, Sasha to herself after her devastating double loss, Noah, and Tara, and off to himself, the cowardly priest Gabriel. Lastly, Rick, Michonne, Carl, and Judith shared a space. Judith and Carl huddled closer to Michonne, while Rick was never too far away of course from his kids, but mostly from her. They all tried to sleep as best they could on stomachs only filled with rainwater, while, unbeknownst to the group, a person, who was formerly shrouded in blue, watched for any dangers as she sat atop the roof.
The next morning, figuring the group needed more rest, Rick and Darryl decided to go scout for food while the others kept watch. As they opened the barn door, there sat a barrel of apples, five live chickens tied down, some matches, and dry firewood. They were about to fest for breakfast, but they were also on high alert. While Darryl prepared the chickens and Rick built the spit to cook them, Michonne fed Judith bits of apple while the rest gorged. Rick was outside watching. Waiting for the other shoe to drop. The being on the roof had to chuckle out loud at the negativity of Rick Grimes, always so skeptical. Could never just look a gift horse in the mouth. Rick heard the slight giggle and pulled his colt and stepped out far enough to look on the roof where he was sure the sound came from.
"Who's out there?" Rick called nervous at who might respond.
No answer. Rick walked around the entire barn vigilant and primed for an attack. When he made a full circle and came back to the front, Michonne was outside waiting for him and she saw the troubled look on Rick's face.
"What's wrong?" Asked Michonne also looking around sharp-eyed. "I heard you calling for someone." The rest of the group were too busy smacking happily on apples or plucking chickens to notice Rick was alarmed.
"You mean besides the apples and chickens that came out of nowhere. You think we should be eating that?" Inquired Rick always looking for the advice and support of his right hand.
"Well, we could eat it, get full and die of poison. Eat it, get full and survive because it's not poisoned, or not eat it and surely die of hunger. So it was a pretty easy decision," Michonne smiled as she handed Rick an apple causing him to calm a little and even smile. She always had that effect on him.
"I suppose so, but I heard someone laugh out here, actually up there," said Rick pointing to the top of the barn causing Michonne to quickly step out and look up but seeing nothing.
"Well Rick, these came from somewhere, let's just hope that wherever it did, whomever brought them, they are friendly and willing to share some more, come on back inside. They are putting the chickens on the spit." Said Michonne trying to be calm and ushering Rick inside but still looking back over her shoulder for the slightest clue to danger.
Michonne trusted Rick's instincts and she knew deep down Rick heard what he heard but causing a panic would do them more harm than good. The crew were happy for a change and she wanted them to hang on to that brief bit of cheer for as long as they could. 'Rick and I would just have to be vigilant and keep a close watch,' Michonne thought as she headed back in the barn to finish feeding Judith. Once inside, she asked Abraham to take watch until the food was ready. She wanted Rick to relax before he went savage on whatever stranger set foot near the barn. Watching that would be much more bearable on a full stomach, Michonne mused.
After the food was ready, they feasted. The chicken had no seasoning, was burnt in a few places, and dry in others, but it was the best tasting chicken that any of them had ever tasted in their life. When Rosita caught a feather, they treated it like the baby in the Mardi Gras King Cake and celebrated her good luck. They finished the chicken because with no refrigeration, and the heat, it would spoil and that was a waste of perfectly good food. By the end of the meal however, there were no leftovers. Just bones picked clean of any meat. They even ate the gristle. Michonne watched as Abe comically pretended to eat the bone. She was not so sure he was playing around though, but it was funny, and Abe made them all laugh at his Shenanigans. It was a nice sound to hear. They did make sure to keep enough apples to last them a while until they had enough strength to move on and beyond.
Two days later, once they had their strength up and were rested a bit, they prepared to move on and when they opened the barn door, there was jug of water and some baby food and beef jerky sitting out front. It was not chicken, but the jerky was a welcome respite from the apples and Judith ate the baby food with vigor. Then fifteen minutes later Aaron showed up. Rick immediately went on the defensive and pulled out his colt python and aimed it at the man. Michonne had to give him some major side eye for him to stop, but instead he took the nonverbal eye contact to mean knock the man out. Michonne shook her head at Rick, she knew he was being defiant.
"What?" Rick exclaimed as he shrugged his shoulders at Michonne.
"Don't what me Rick, you knew exactly what I meant and don't deny it," Michonne said daring him to lie. Rick cut eye contact with her immediately and Michonne smirked at his scaredy-cat move.
"You think he is the one that gave us all that food?" Asked Rosita.
"I guess so," Rick said, and then wondered if he was also the one that he heard laughing on the roof. His gut told him no. It sounded like a woman. He had been wondering if it was the same woman that saved him from the heard with the sparks coming out of her hands.
Once they got Aaron up, and somewhat in better shape than after the knockout Rick unnecessarily delivered to his now sore cheek, they almost all unanimously voted to give the community Aaron talked about a try. Rick was the hold-out of course, but majority rules, and that being said, the only majority that counted to him was Michonne. If she did not want to go, they would not have, no matter if everyone else wanted to. Rick really did not know why he felt that way, being on the road and only thinking about survival, he had no time to think about anything along the lines of like, or love, like he did back at the prison when he first saw her. At that point, in that barn, Rick just knew he wanted to give Michonne what she asked for, everything she asked for. So, Rick begrudgingly packed up everything and got on the road to Alexandria, which lead him to come to have that vision at the gate. They never asked if Aaron was the one that provided the food, matches, and wood. They just assumed it was him, but had they asked, they would have seen a very confused look on his face indicating he had no clue what they were talking about.