Keep it Between Us
"Promise to love you, and to cherish, and to nurture. And when the time is right we can take it further. Long as I know that you're here to stay." - Kelly Rowland, Keep it Between Us
"So...how'd you enjoy today?" Michonne asks as Rick hands her a beer and they sit on the back deck of his childhood home.
Rick takes a second to savor the bitter hoppy taste swirling around in his mouth as he tries to compile the thoughts swirling around in his mind. He wasn't lying to himself when he thought today was a dream he didn't know he had. Being back home on his old stomping grounds with his old love. As great as the day was, the revelations were very overwhelming for him. Now, he has to determine the best course of action to make these dreams a reality.
"Today was perfect Chonne, truly. I never really appreciated home, but I guess it's just what the doctor ordered." He joked.
Understanding his joke she joins in with his gentle laughter. As hard as it has been, being back home, back in this space with Rick, Michonne is grateful that it has been beneficial for him. The mental ramifications of an injury to a professional athlete, one that also happens to be the franchise player, can be just as impactful as the injury itself. Seeing him smile today, and relax since they've reunited has been refreshing for her to witness. She found herself having to snap herself out of dazes wondering 'what if'. As nostalgic as the past two days have been, she can't forget all the years of pain, and even if she could, so much time has passed. She and Rick are not the same teenagers who fell in love and thought love could conquer all.
Oh, and Patrick...she can't forget about him. He was less than pleased with her impromptu visit home with her ex. So much so that every effort she has made to reach out to him to absolve him of his concerns has been received with curt responses. Being so early on in the relationship, this doesn't look promising. The last thing she needs while she's dealing with her current conflicting feelings is her boyfriend pushing her away. But maybe, just maybe him pushing her away is a good thing? She's grown enough to realize jumping into a relationship when Rick was thrusted back into her life likely wasn't the best decision. She's strong, but she's not that strong.
"Well then mission accomplished" Michonne responded. "Do you think you'll be ready to get back to the field...mentally, I mean?"
"The age old question at this point, huh?" Rick jokes as he takes a calming breath. "I think I'm ready. I've been playing this game for as long as I can remember, it's like breathing for me at this point. I dunno, maybe my hesitation isn't about the injury anymore, maybe…".
"Maybe what Rick?" Michonne asks.
"It's just you know there's got to be a cutoff at some point right? I'm getting older, and I think this injury was a wakeup call that maybe I need to stop putting so much of my life in the game and invest my time and energy in other things, invest in my future."
"Hmm" is all Michonne can muster at Rick's confession. It's a real reality, but just as Rick, Michonne has never known him to not be 'Rick the baseball player' it's just who he is. But as he said, the game won't last forever, nothing ever does.
"Hmm? That's all you've got", Rick cheekily responds.
"I dunno, I mean you are right, there is a cutoff. I just have never thought about a life where you aren't playing ball."
"Well there are other ways for me to remain involved with the game. You know I can never fully walk away, but I do need to start thinkin' about the possibilities that the future holds."
Hearing this from Rick gives Michonne pause. After witnessing Rick today with the high school kids, she absolutely could see him paying it forward and teaching younger generations to be the next best in the game of baseball. It's not a far-fetched idea. What also gives her pause is the idea that Rick has a future that Michonne likely won't be a part of. Yeah, they are back in one another's lives right now, but what happens when her contract with the team ends? Will she be pushed off to the side again to watch Rick grow into the man she's always known he would turn out to be from a distance? Maybe that's not a reality she's willing to live through again, watching from the sidelines.
"Just promise me something?" She begins.
"Anything." He replies earnestly.
"Promise me that whatever you do next, you give it as much heart as you've given playing baseball."
"Absolutely."
"Also, promise me that you'll give the rest of this season everything you've got. Don't let it hold you back. We've worked so hard, you owe it to yourself to see this through until the end."
"You've got my word Chonne. Can't put all your hard work to waste." He jokes to break some of the tension in the air from her words.
The two continue to enjoy the night breeze both lost in their own thoughts about what the future will hold. It's a little while later that Rick decides to break the silence.
"Since it's our last night home, we should do something for old times sake" Rick suggests.
"Rickkkk…" Michonne responds nervously, her mind races with a hundred different scenarios that could fall under 'old times sake'.
"Relax Chonne, I was just gonna suggest that we should play a game." He smirks.
"Fine, what game?" She relents.
"Two truths and a lie."
Michonne can't help the laughter that bursts through her. She and Rick used to play this game all the time when they were younger as a competition to see who knew the other best. Now that they are older and so much time has passed between them, it could be good for her to get a better understanding of who Rick is now.
"Okay Rick, I'll bite. You go first."
"Alright, let's see," he begins as he sits up straighter in his lounge seat to face Michonne head on. "I purchased a house on the coast, I have presented another charity foundation to my manager, and I've been in talks with other teams."
Michonne is taken aback from his first confession. See, when they were younger they always spoke about having a house on the coast, a place where they could both escape from the demands of their hectic jobs. A place that when they accomplished everything they set out to do, they could retire to. If Rick purchased this home, is it something that he shared with Lori? Michonne's mind can't help but think that maybe he did share another moment meant for them with her.
"Um...the lie is, you've been in talks with other teams." Michonne musters up a little bit of confidence with her answer. For as long as she's known Rick all he's ever wanted was to be a Brave, he's living out his dream.
"I guess you still know me pretty well, huh?" Rick smirks.
"An Atlanta Brave through and through." She replies in an attempt to keep the jovial vibes going, but the thought of him purchasing a home on the coast…
"It was going to be a graduation present for you," Michonne is shocked at his declaration, "custom built just how you and I talked about it being when we were younger. After you and I...well I spent the entire off-season out there by myself. In a weird way it made me feel closer to you."
"Rick…" Michonne says breathlessly.
"I guess I still know you pretty well too. I could see the question written all over your face. Figured I'd take you out of your misery." He chuckles.
"Okay funny guy, we'll see."
The pair continue their game for a little while longer, realizing that simply based on the history that they shared they could easily detect the lies about the other, while also gaining some knowledge of what they had missed in one another's lives over the years.
Rick can see that Michonne is getting tired, but he can't let the night end, not quite yet.
"Okay, one more round and then I'll let you go to bed" he promises.
"Please, we've got an early drive back to Atlanta in the morning," she replies with a yawn.
Rick isn't sure what emboldens him to take this leap, but what's he got to lose at this point.
"Alright, I want three kids, I'd like to retire in Georgia and I am still madly in love with you."
That instantly woke Michonne up, like being doused with ice cold water.
"Before you try to refute it, just know we've always talked about 3 kids, and you already know about the house." He says moving closer to her as she stares at him in shock of his declaration.
"Rick, I-I, what? What am I supposed to do with this information" she asks, still not fully believing this is something he just admitted to.
"Whatever you want to do with it," he declares with confidence while reaching for her trembling hands and intertwining their fingers. "I have never stopped loving you, and not a day goes by that I wish I could go back and erase my mistakes so that we didn't miss out on any time with one another. Maybe it's being back here with you, maybe it's being forced to think about my future, I'm not sure. But what I am sure about is my feelings for you."
All Michonne can do is look down at their intertwined fingers as Rick rubs soothing circles on hers to assist with getting her to calm down. How is she supposed to respond to this when she doesn't know what she feels?
"You don't have to say anything, in fact I don't want you to respond." He states, causing her to look at him confused. Chuckling he stands and pulls her up with him bringing their bodies closer together. Releasing her hands in exchange for her waist. "I want you to take the time to think about what I've said. I know you have a boyfriend, and if he truly makes you happy, then I'll walk away and we can pretend I never said a word. I love you so much that I'd be willing to walk away."
"And once I've taken the time to think about it?" she replies meekly.
"Then you'll agree to go on a date with me. I'm not going to give you a timeframe because I want you to truly take the time and think about this, about us. Okay?" He responds gently.
"Okay."
"Good girl." He says against her forehead before he lays his lips there to leave a gentle yet firm kiss. "I'll see you in the morning."
"Okay."
"Goodnight Chonne."
"Night Rick."
A/N: Anyone still out there? I'm sorry lol that's all I've got at this point. I'll try to be better with this story! In the meantime let me know what you thought!