A/N: Hello again! First off, thank you so much for the positive feedback on the last chapter! As I said, I struggled, but we're through the election and I couldn't be happier with the outcome!

Anyway, I'm very happy with the reception of this story.

I have to shout out a few of you…

Trina-D: Your review was so thoughtful! I'm so happy you recognized how their pain manifested through their physical connection. That's exactly what I was going for.

Ringleader1010: I'm so happy you found this fic and that you're enjoying it!

Member00: Your reviews always give me life. Enough said.

Dillie60and Grimesallday: THANK YOU!

Guest who mentioned Tameka's painting: THANK YOU! I hope the message resonated with my readers. You really made me feel wonderful with your high praise!

To all of my readers: Thank you so much! You are the reason I'm putting my all into this! I appreciate all of you!

If you want to see what inspired the town of Tannon Falls, pics are pinned to my tumblr.

Now, enough rambling. This chapter features events happening simultaneously, so I noted whose perspective you are seeing. Trigger warning: mild drug use and self-harm.

We are picking up where we left off. I hope you enjoy how this is playing out!

Please review!

Chapter 7: Collide Part 2

Rick, Michonne, and Tim…

Rick Grimes was an honorable man. A man who vowed to serve and protect his community. A man who vowed to take care of his family. A man who would never harm another human being out of spite, hatred, or vengeance. He'd succeeded at all of these things…until he didn't.

The truth was, the moment Kaley Grimes' life came to an end on that lonely stretch of road, Rick Grimes was forever changed. The rage he felt in his heart for Timothy Taylor hadn't dissipated over the years. On the contrary, it grew deeper. Now, as he stood glaring at the young man, it bubbled to the surface and was ready to explode.

For a moment, Rick pictured himself wrapping his hands around Tim's throat and feeling the life drain from his limp body. He saw the whole scene play out in his head. His hands tingled as he debated making it a reality. However, he considered his surroundings and decided against it.

Tim remained frozen, too afraid to make a move and set off the wrath of the man standing before him. He wasn't quite sure how or why Deputy Grimes decided to make an appearance here and now, at a public event, but he knew whatever the reason, their meeting was sure to have an undesirable outcome.

Michonne watched as the two men locked eyes. Rick's face was completely flushed, his brow furrowed and jaw clenching. She trailed her eyes to his hands, which were twitching at his sides. She wanted to touch him, to calm him, but before she could do anything, he looked at her through angry eyes and abruptly turned and walked away. She was stunned, calling out to him as he stormed off.

Against his better judgment, Tim quickly followed behind Rick as he pushed through the crowd, finally making it to the front and exiting the building. He was eager to express his remorse to the deputy. He wanted this nightmare to be over, no matter how it ended.

Michonne glanced at the painting. Things finally began to come together in her mind. She recalled the picture Rick had shown her as he sat sobbing in the middle of her living room. The girl on that photo was slightly younger than the one in the painting, but there was no question, it was her.

She felt ill as all of the conversations between her and Tim flooded her thoughts. He told her he moved to Savannah from a small town, but he never named the town. He told her he caused a car accident that took a child's life, but he never fully elaborated, and she never asked for more details. She didn't want to know about the death of a child, when she was still grieving her own.

Now, it became clear, the child from Tim's past was the daughter of a man she deeply cared about. A man she would never betray. Yet, as she recalled the look on his eyes before he walked away, she knew he felt that is exactly what she had done. She suddenly remembered something else, Rick said he wanted to kill the man responsible for his daughter's death. He wanted to kill Tim. She couldn't let that happen. Anxiously, she pushed through the crowd, ready to stop whatever was about to unfold.


Tim finally caught up to Rick, just as he made it to his truck. "Deputy Grimes, please wait," he called out. Rick said nothing as he opened the door, so Tim continued, praying that he could get through to him. "I would give anything to change what happened that day. I'm so sorry for what I've done. I've suffered every day since…"

Rick grabbed Tim by the throat and slammed his body against the hood of his truck, rendering him speechless. "You have suffered?" he growled. "You don't know the meaning of the fucking word, but you're about to find out!"

Tim frantically tried to loosen Rick's hold around his neck as he writhed against the truck. "Please," he choked out.

Rick ignored his pleas, repeatedly slamming Tim's head into the vehicle. He was ready to get his colt and end it, but Michonne's voice halted his actions.

"Rick... stop. Please don't do this," she yelled, careful not to step too close to him for fear of setting him off even further. He was visibly disturbed in the moment. She didn't recognize the man standing before her. It was frightening how easily he could switch his demeanor and his actions. Just a little while earlier, he was using his hands to tenderly caress her. Now, those same hands were on the verge of snuffing out a man's life.

Rick stared at her, while maintaining his grip around Tim's neck. He recognized the fear and pleading in her eyes.

"Please," she repeated. "This isn't the way. Killing him won't change anything, it won't bring her back. It will only make things worse. Let him go and we'll go talk," she begged.

So much emotion was pouring through Rick's veins as he continued to choke the life out of Tim. The young man squirmed and clawed at Rick's hands while Michonne stood there and cried. Rick knew he couldn't do it. Not here…not now with Michonne bearing witness to his crime, bearing witness to the monster he wanted desperately to be free of, never having to feel its darkness overtake him again.

Rick slowly released his hold on Tim's neck. The young man immediately reached for his own throat, choking and gasping, urgently trying to regain his normal breathing.

Michonne rushed over to Rick, grabbing his arm. He pulled away, scowling at her.

"Rick…" she whimpered, as he got inside his truck, slammed the door, and peeled out of the parking lot.

Michonne wept as she proceeded to walk back inside and get her coat and purse. She needed to go after Rick and make him listen to what she had to say. Before she could leave, Tim clutched her arm.

"Michonne, wait a minute."

"Let go of me, Tim. I need to leave, now!"

"Hold on, I had no idea the man you were seeing was Rick Grimes. I'm sorry, I would have told you everything had I known."

Michonne snatched her arm from Tim's grip. "I said, I need to leave. I can't believe I didn't put it together sooner. He must think I did this on purpose," she murmured through her tears. "Tim, you have no idea how much pain he's in because of you! Because of what you did. I know it was an accident, but it doesn't matter. He lost his only child…a person may never come back from that. Trust me, I know."

Tim looked at her quizzically. "What do you mean you know?"

"I know because I lost my child!", she yelled. "I lost my son because of someone else's stupid fucking mistake, so I know that Rick is hurting, and he may never recover from this! You haven't suffered nearly as much as him. Don't you see that Tim? Kaley wasn't your child."

"Michonne, I'm so sorry. I didn't know," he said slowly, thinking back to their previous conversations about living with pain and regret. He knew she hadn't revealed everything from her past, but he wasn't expecting this.

"I don't know how to make this right. Tell me what I can do to make this right," he begged, his voice cracking.

Michonne shook her head, "I don't know…but I can't work with you anymore." With that, she turned and walked away.

Tim stayed there, brokenhearted as he watched her leave.


Michonne…

Michonne sat in her SUV, wiping the tears from her eyes. She cried the entire way home as she frantically tried to reach Rick. He wasn't answering her calls. Maggie and Tim both called multiple times, but she couldn't speak to either of them, anxious to make it home to Rick.

When she arrived home, she saw that his truck wasn't parked in front of the house. She was worried sick about where he could be. She got out and walked to the front door, instantly jarred by the loud blaring of her smoke alarm. "What the hell?" she mumbled out loud.

She shoved open the front door, entering the kitchen to find it filled with smoke. Gasping and covering her nose, she hurried over to the stove. The back burner was ignited with a scolding pot sitting on top of it. "Shit," she said, unsuccessfully fanning at the smoke with her hand. She turned the burner off, grabbed a potholder and placed the pot in the sink.

She was shaken as she tried to remember if she left the stove on before rushing out to the church earlier that afternoon. "No…I couldn't have," she concluded, shaking her head. A chill ran down her spine. Something didn't feel right. She gathered herself, not bothering to investigate the rest of her house. She walked over to Rick's house and let herself in with the spare key he had given her.

"Rick…" she called out, wishing he were there, but fully aware that he wasn't. She pulled out her phone and dialed the police.

"Tannon Falls Police Department. How can I direct your call?" the operator asked on the other end.

"My name is Michonne Jameson. I live at 143 Temple Lane. Um, I think someone may have broken into my house," she stammered.

"Are you in the home now, ma'am?"

"No, I'm at my…" she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to call Rick. "I'm next door at my friend's house. When I came home, my smoke alarm was going off and my stove was on. I've been gone for hours and things were fine when I left. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. I just need someone to come check it out, please."

"Ok, ma'am I'll send a couple of officers out. They'll be there shortly. In the meantime, don't go back into the house. Would you like for me to remain on the line with you?"

"No, that won't be necessary," Michonne said, disconnecting the call. She needed to reach Rick. She dialed his number praying he would answer. It went straight to voicemail. "Damn it, Rick! Please pick up! I need you to come home," she cried. "Something is going on here and I'm scared…just come home."

"Shit," she groaned, massaging her temples. She could feel a raging headache coming on as she racked her brain trying to figure out where Rick would go. He didn't have any friends in Tannon Falls, besides Glenn. In this moment, she wished she could reach his family and let them know what happened.

She walked into his bedroom, looking around for nothing in particular, but hoping to find something, anything that would give her a clue to his whereabouts. She came across his laptop on the desk and opened it. It was password protected. "Of course, it is," she muttered to herself. Not having the patience to guess the password, she slammed it shut.

She looked in his closet and noticed an open box on the floor. There were papers and a few photos spilling out of it. She picked up a photo and exhaled as she stared back at a petite redhead with green eyes. She immediately knew it was Melanie. The woman wore a soft smile on her face as she cradled a little girl who bore a striking resemblance to her.

Michonne's eyes were locked on the photo, trying to picture how the smiling faces staring back at her could possibly haunt Rick to the point of him having a breakdown. They seemed so innocent, so happy. "I'm sorry this happened to you," she whispered to them as if they could hear her. She felt so foolish for not realizing sooner that the girl in Tim's painting was Rick's daughter, but when Rick showed her the photo, she could barely focus, too consumed with worry at the time to really take in the girl's appearance.

Setting the photo aside, she continued to rummage through the box, not finding anything of interest until she noticed documents from a Dr. Denise Cloyd. It was a psychiatric evaluation report. Michonne held the papers in her hand, hesitating to read any further. She didn't want to invade Rick's privacy, but she needed any information she could get to help him.

She read through the report, terms like "depressive mood disorder", "anxiety", and "post-traumatic stress disorder" stood out. It wasn't different from what Rick told her, but somehow seeing the words made it more real. She was further alarmed by the detailed accounts of Rick's violent outbursts. Tears burned her eyes and she continued to read, her heart heavy thinking about everything he had endured. It wasn't fucking fair. He didn't deserve it.

Suddenly, she felt a small sliver of hope as she came across Rick's emergency contact information. She read the name out loud, "Shane Grimes." His number was listed. She retrieved her phone and dialed.


Rick…

Rick pulled his truck over to the side of an empty road on the edge of town. He'd been driving around aimlessly, trying to clear his head. His mind was racing thinking about his next move. Should he try and find Tim and finish what he'd started? Should he go home, pack his shit and head back to King County?

He looked down at his phone as it rang. It was Michonne calling again. He didn't know what to say to her, so he ignored it, again. He had so many questions for her, but he wasn't in the right mindset to ask them. He wanted to know when she met Tim and how much she knew about the man's past. Did she know Tim was responsible for Kaley's death? Did she know he was planning to reveal that painting at the showcase? Was this part of some elaborate plan to bring them face-to-face for a "kumbaya"?

He ran his hands through his hair, exacerbated and distraught that the evening had turned out so terribly wrong. Then he heard Melanie's voice. She was back, steering him toward the path of vengeance. "Rick, go back. You have to go back and finish it," she urged. He looked over to the passenger seat to see her sitting there, a stern look occupied her pale face.

"I can't…I won't," he sobbed, breathing heavy and shutting his eyes.

He opened them when his phone rang again. Melanie was gone and he saw that it was Shane calling. For once, he was grateful to see his brother's name flash across the screen.

"Shane," he answered, sounding completely despondent.

"Rick, oh thank god," Shane huffed. "The woman you're seein', Michonne…she called and said you're in some kinda trouble. Rick, I know you're in Tannon Falls. What are you doin' there? What's goin' on?"

"I'm sorry," Rick murmured. "I'm sorry"

"Hey, Rick it's okay. Just tell me what's goin' on. I want to help you," Shane pled.

"I came here to find Taylor. He lives not far in Savannah." Rick paused, knowing his next statement would alarm his brother. "I wanted to kill him, Shane…I wanted to end him," he cried. "I need this to be over…I can't fuckin' live like this anymore. Michonne, she knew him this whole time. How could she do that to me?"

"Rick, listen to me. You need to come home. I don't want you to do anything you can't come back from."

"No, I can't come back right now," Rick responded, running his hand over his face.

"Rick, please…" Shane persisted.

Suddenly, Rick was startled by his father's voice booming into the phone, "Rick, you listen to me son. You get your ass back here! You need help. I'm not taking no for an answer. If I have to drive there and drag you back myself, I will. This family has suffered enough, we can't lose you, too. Please son, come home."

Rick nodded to himself, as he disconnected the call. Wiping the tears from his face, he threw his truck into gear and slowly merged onto the main road.


Merle…

Merle closed the door behind him as he settled into the passenger seat of the black Sedan. He looked over to the middle-aged black man in the driver's seat.

"Howdy, officer. To what do I owe the pleasure of this little ren-dez-vous?" he grinned.

The man sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Look, Dixon…I got you the information you wanted on this Grimes fella, now I'm asking you to stick to our deal. I want you to leave my daughter alone. The drugs are making things worse."

"Hold on now, Jones. Don't go blamin' that on me. I'm only supplyin' what my customers want. They got money, I got what they need. It's as simple as that. I ain't turnin' away a payin' customer, it's un-American," he joked.

"Dixon, please. My daughter has mental health challenges. She has all of her life, even before her mother died. Now, she's finally starting to get her life back on track, she has a good job, she'll get fired if they find out what she's doing."

Merle threw his head back in laughter as if the man said something absolutely hilarious. Once he got his laughing under control, he looked the man in the eyes, his demeanor turning serious. "Well, Jones…that ain't my problem. However, I'm a reasonable man. Maybe if you gave me a little more information on Grimes, I'll think about cuttin' ties with your baby girl. Now, keep in mind, that don't mean she won't go to someone else. Addicts always find a way," he chuckled.

"I don't have anymore information, nothing interesting anyway. All I know is the guy had a wife who died from cancer, he was left with a little girl, who also died in a car crash. That's when he went looney tunes and nearly lost his job."

"Yeah, I know all of this Jones, anythang else?" Merle asked, growing impatient.

"The guy who caused the accident got put away for it, but he was recently released. Apparently, he lives not far from here in Savannah."

Merle's ears perked up. "Hold on now, that is interestin'. What are the chances that this guy ends up in Savannah and Grimes suddenly shows up in Tannon Falls? Seems like too much of a coincidence to me. Yeah, officer friendly ain't all there. I'll betcha dollars to doughnuts he came here to take the poor sap out."

Merle pondered the idea for a moment, before turning his attention back to the man sitting next to him. "Okay Jones…I appreciate the information…but you remember our little arrangement. You keep washin' my back, and I'll wash yours. If that ever changes, I can end your career, just like that," he snapped his fingers to emphasize his point. "And even worse, that pretty little daughter of yours might find herself takin' a long swim in the Savannah River, you got me?"

Merle knew his threat was all bark and no bite. He had never actually killed anyone. He'd done a lot of terrible things but had yet to cross that line. Still, he needed to strike fear in the man's heart. It was a tactic he'd learned from his abusive father and it seemed to work every time.

"Yeah, Dixon. I got you," the man retorted.

Merle exited the vehicle and walked over to the blue pickup truck on the other side of the empty parking lot. Simon grinned as Merle got inside the vehicle.

"So, what's the plan for dealing with Grimes?" Simon asked.

"Jones had a few little tidbits, but nothin' I can really use. It seems officer friendly might'a come here to plot a murder."

Simon raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Shit, you don't say?"

Merle laughed, "Yeah, the fucker's crazier than I thought. He's a loose cannon."

"Wait a minute, you ain't tellin' me you're gonna let him get away with the disrespect, are you?"

"Nah, that mutherfucker's been a thorn up my ass since the moment I met him…but I need to play this carefully. The best way to get to officer friendly is through his woman," he smirked.

"Yeah, he sure lost it over her that night at the bar," Simon noted.

"Damn right he did. He showed his cards and now I'm gonna have some fun. It's obvious he can't handle it when somethin' happens to somebody he cares about."

"Yeah, I get that," Simon interrupted. "But can you trust the cop?"

Merle snickered. "Yeah, I ain't worried about Morgan Jones. He knows the moment he talks about anythang, I'm goin' straight to TFPD and spillin' the beans on his little hooker habit," he laughed. "Yeah, catchin' Jones at that seedy motel with that hooker after she called to order a few goodies, was the best damn thang that coulda happened. I'm holdin' that shit over his head forever and he knows it. Plus, I got his daughter wrapped around my finger. He won't fuck up."

Simon joined in Merle's laugher. "You're fuckin' nuts, Dixon. Trusting Jones is one thing, but trusting a crazy addict is different. Addicts are notoriously unreliable. You know that. I say if you want to stick it to Grimes, leave his chick out of it and just take the son-of-a-bitch out."

"Simon, what the fuck are you sayin'? It's one thang to sell shit on the streets, dirty cops look the other way when it comes to that shit, but I can't have a body pinned on me. I ain't takin' that kinda heat." Merle shot back. "Nah, I'm gonna keep fuckin' with his little Nubian princess and drive both of them crazy. They ain't gonna see it comin'."


Michonne…

Michonne waited in the foyer for the officers to complete their sweep of the house. Her feet were uncomfortable from standing in heels all day, but she refused to change until she knew everything was alright. She still couldn't figure out how the stove was left on. She didn't recall blacking out, but she supposed she wouldn't. Still, it didn't make sense. Her blackouts occurred when she was in a darker place and that wasn't the case anymore.

She glanced at her phone and noticed two missed calls from Maggie and three from Tim. There were none from Rick and it made her both worried and furious.

"Well ma'am, it looks like nothing else is out of place. However, your back door was unlocked. You should really be more careful about that," the husky, redheaded officer cautioned her.

"I don't remember leaving it unlocked, but I'll certainly be more careful," Michonne responded, confused. "This is a quiet neighborhood officer. This all seems so strange."

The caramel-skinned, curly-haired female officer raised her eyebrows. "How do you mean ma'am? You said there was another incident with water? Is it possible someone is messing with you?"

Michonne contemplated the idea. "No…no one here knows me. I just moved here this past summer."

Michonne noticed the officers share a questionable look. She knew they didn't believe her. They probably thought she was crazy. She wasn't sure they were wrong.

The female officer continued, "Perhaps your stove has an electrical problem. You should get it checked out. It's also not a bad idea to invest in a good security system. You can't be too careful, even in a quiet little cul-de-sac like this. You have our cards, let us know if there is anymore trouble," she said, gently patting Michonne's shoulder.

"Thank you, Officers Ford and Williams. Hopefully, I won't be contacting you again," she smiled weakly.

"Good night Ms. Jameson," Officer Ford stated as he and his partner left.

Deciding it was pointless to try and reach Rick again, Michonne dialed Maggie's number.

"Michonne, thank goodness!" Maggie exclaimed. "What the hell happened? Where did you go?"

"I'm sorry, Maggie. I had to leave." Michonne replied. "It's a long story, but listen, I can't find Rick…"

"What do you mean you can't find Rick?" Maggie interjected. "Michonne what's going on?"

"Maggie, will you please listen to me. I'm afraid Rick is in trouble. Are you still with Glenn? Does he know of anywhere around town Rick may have gone?"

Maggie was unnerved hearing how frantic Michonne sounded. "Yeah, he's here. I'll ask him. Michonne, we're going to come over."

Michonne was relieved. Despite the officers not finding anything, she was still uneasy about being home alone. She had no idea where Rick had gone or when he would be back. She could feel herself falling apart and she badly needed a friend.

"Thank you. I'll explain everything when you get here. I'm going to go over to Rick's and wait."

She disconnected the call and walked to her bedroom, quickly changing into something more comfortable. She threw on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, tied her hair into a bun, grabbed her coat and walked back over to Rick's. She sat on his sofa and stared at her phone, as if willing it to ring. "Rick, where the hell are you?" she mumbled.


A short while later, Maggie and Glenn arrived at Rick's house. Michonne opened the door and it was apparent to them she had been crying. Maggie immediately engulfed her in a hug.

"Oh sweetie," she said, rubbing Michonne's back. "What's going on?"

Michonne broke out of Maggie's embrace and gestured for them to have a seat. "Um, I really don't know where to begin." Her voice was shaky, and her knees were threatening to buckle. She sat down on the loveseat opposite Glenn and Maggie.

"Rick has been struggling with a lot. He's lost a lot and it all came to a head tonight." She sighed, trying to make sense of it all. "A few years ago, his wife died from cancer, and he was left to raise their little girl."

"What?" Maggie gasped. Glenn gently touched Maggie's knee, beckoning for her to remain quiet. As much as he wanted to relay to Maggie what Rick had confided in him, he knew it wasn't his story to tell. He was grateful Michonne was telling it for him.

"Yes, he had a little girl. Her name was Kaley. There was a horrible car accident and she…she died," Michonne said quietly.

"Oh my god," Maggie squealed, covering her mouth with her hand.

Michonne continued, "The man responsible went to prison for a few years before being released early. By then, Rick had gone through an emotional breakdown. He was still angry and wanted to punish the man, so he tracked him down. It turns out that man is Tim Taylor."

Now both Maggie and Glenn were at a loss for words, stunned at what they were hearing. Glenn shook his head in disbelief. "Wait…your Tim is the same person who caused the accident that killed Rick's daughter? What the hell? When did you find this out Michonne?" he asked.

Michonne wiped fresh tears from her cheeks. "Rick told me about Kaley a few weeks ago, but I only made the connection between him and Tim tonight. They finally saw each other at the showcase, and it was horrible. If I hadn't found them in the parking lot, I'm not sure what would have happened," she cried.

In reality, she knew what would have happened. Rick would have killed Tim if she weren't there. Of that, she was certain.

"Oh no," Maggie whispered, still in shock.

"Rick took off after I convinced him not to hurt Tim. I was hoping to find him here. He won't answer any of my calls. I'm worried about him," Michonne sobbed. "I know what losing a child can do to you."

Maggie and Glenn were dumbfounded. There was so much about Rick and Michonne they didn't know.

"Michonne, what are you saying? You lost a child? Oh my god…I don't know what to say," Maggie responded, distraught.

"Michonne, I'm so sorry," Glenn added. "No wonder Rick confided in you."

"Yes, my son's name was Kyle. He died a year and a half ago. Rick has been there for me, helping me cope. I'm trying to do the same for him, but he's just so angry," she sobbed. "You should have seen the look in his eyes when he saw Tim. It was like he wasn't there anymore."

Maggie went over to Michonne, kneeling beside her and embracing her. "Sweetie, I'm sorry you had to see that. You should have told me about all of this. I would have been there for you."

"I couldn't. It's something I keep close to me."

Glenn interrupted, "Listen, I have to be honest…Rick told me about his daughter and some of his other issues," he confessed, hoping Maggie wouldn't be upset with him for keeping the information to himself, especially now that Rick was MIA.

"Glenn, why didn't you tell me?" Maggie asked, disappointment lacing her voice.

"It wasn't my place to tell you," he shrugged. "Rick confided in me as a friend. He told me in confidence."

Maggie was a bit frustrated for being the last to know this important information, but she understood. She simply nodded, not saying another word.

"Maggie, it's not that easy to share a loss like this. Rick and I kept the information to ourselves for a reason. When you lose a child, people look at you different, like you're broken. They don't know what to say, but somehow they always end up saying the wrong thing," Michonne exhaled.

Maggie rejoined Glenn on the sofa, eager to listen as her friend released her grief. She knew Michonne was in pain, that much was evident from the moment they met, but this was a pain she couldn't fathom. Her heart ached for both Michonne and Rick. She understood their connection to one another, now more than ever.

"It's like they pity you," Michonne continued, her voice trembling. "So, it's best when people don't know. That way, you're not walking around with a scarlet "V" on your forehead."

She noticed the confused expressions on Maggie and Glenn's faces. "Vilomah…that's what they call it, you know, when a parent loses a child, they become a Vilomah. It means 'against the natural order'…how fitting," she chuckled lightly through her sobs.

Maggie swiped at the tears pooling in the corners of her own eyes. "You're right, I don't have the right words…so, I'll just tell you I'm sorry. I had no idea what you and Rick were going through."

"I appreciate that Maggie…I appreciate you," Michonne sighed. "Rick came to Tannon Falls to do what he felt he needed to do…to kill Tim. He's probably furious with me, thinking I somehow knew Tim's identity, but I didn't. I admit, Tim told me about his past, but it didn't click for me. I feel so stupid!" She held her face in her hands, feeling completely overwhelmed.

"Hey, it's not your fault," Glenn reassured her. Rick will realize that too when he calms down. You don't have any idea where he could be?"

Michonne shook her head. "No, but I managed to find his brother Shane's number. I spoke with him and he's going to try and reach Rick. I just hope it's not too late. I hope Rick didn't go looking for Tim…shit, I need to call Tim," she realized, taking out her phone.

The phone rang a few times before he picked up. "Tim, where are you? Please tell me you're safe," she huffed.

"I'm okay, Michonne. I'm staying at my aunt and uncle's tonight, or at least until things blow over."

Michonne frowned, "blow over…Tim, what makes you think that's going to happen? Rick is furious! What do you think he would have done if I didn't talk him down?"

"I realize that, Michonne. I know Deputy Grimes hates me…I hate myself, but it was an accident! Michonne, I don't think you should be near him. I'm worried about you. He's clearly dangerous."

Michonne scoffed into the phone. "Don't you dare…don't you dare talk about Rick like you know him. He's in pain, but he wouldn't hurt me."

"How can you be so sure?" Tim questioned. "Michonne, I don't want to see you hurt…I love you."

Michonne nearly dropped the phone at his confession. "Tim you don't know what you're saying. You don't love me…you don't even know me. I have to go."

"Michonne, wait…" he pleaded, but it was too late as she'd already disconnected the call.

"It sounds like Rick hasn't gone after him," Glenn said, ignoring the mention of 'love' on Tim's part. "I'm gonna see if I can find him."

"Wait," Michonne insisted. "I didn't want to alarm you, but when I came home, my stove was on, there was smoke everywhere. I'm pretty sure I didn't leave it on."

Maggie and Glenn saw fear wash over Michonne's face. "That's weird," Maggie replied.

"Yeah, and a few weeks ago, I came home to find the faucet in my kitchen running. Water was all over the place. I'm pretty freaked out."

"Shit, Michonne," Glenn mumbled.

"What the hell? You're coming to stay at my place," Maggie insisted.

Michonne shook her head, "No…I have to be here if…when Rick comes home. I'm not leaving," she stated emphatically.

"Then we're staying with you," Maggie asserted. "Yeah, we'll hang out here," Glenn agreed.

"Thank you both. Rick probably just needed some time to cool off. He'll probably be back any minute," Michonne stated, hoping it was the truth.


Elaina…

Elaina sat on her bed, wearing a pink nightgown, tears running down her face, and her hair a mess on top of her head. She stared at Rick's photo as she clasped it in her hands. She ran her fingers over his handsome face, his eyes swallowing her up like the powerful waves of an ocean. She'd tried to fight it, tried to ignore it and tuck it away, but she couldn't.

That's how it always was for her. She would latch on to someone and wouldn't let go, not even when her affections weren't reciprocated. It started when she had her first crush as a teenager. An older neighbor named Brian, was the object of her affection. She would follow him around like a lost puppy, tracking his every move. Then he got a girlfriend, and it sent her into a spiral.

Her mother and father, Morgan and Jenny, were ill-equipped to help her, so they sought the help of a psychologist who rattled off a list of diagnoses and a psychiatrist after that, who prescribed several medications. Some of them worked and some didn't. She hated the side effects and stopped taking them on multiple occasions. Instead, she looked to street drugs to make her feel sane.

When she met Merle, she was off her meds again. He said he could help her get better and all she had to do was intercept a few packages that came through the post office. In exchange, he would give her everything she needed. She did as he asked, but now he wanted more.

She continued staring at the picture of the deputy. He had a commanding presence about him. He looked like he would keep you safe. She presumed he kept the people he loved close to his heart and protected them at any cost. She'd never had anyone in her life like that. She wanted him to be that person.

Her thoughts drifted to a couple of weeks ago. She was standing outside the bakery, watching him as he sat with that woman…Michonne. He looked at her with such adoration, as he caressed and kissed her.

Two weeks ago…

"Lookin' for me darlin'?"

Elaina turned to see Merle glaring at her as she watched Rick and Michonne through the bakery window.

"Shit, you scared me," she said, wrapping herself in her arms. He always had a way of making her feel uncomfortable. She hated his sly grin. It was like he was always plotting.

"Didn't mean to scare ya' suga', especially not when you're so caught up staring at officer friendly," he laughed, pointing toward the large window.

She ignored him as she cast her eyes back on Rick.

"But listen, that's why I wanted you to meet me. I'm checkin' in to make sure you're holdin' up to your end of our deal."

"You know I am Merle…but I don't want to hurt Rick. You promised me you wouldn't make me do anything to hurt him," she replied.

"Now calm down darlin'. I ain't got an issue with officer friendly," he lied. "Just the woman. Keep doin' what you're doin' and she might be out of the picture soon. Then you can have officer friendly all to yourself. How does that sound?" he asked, rubbing the side of her arm.

She flinched at his touch. "Yeah, I'll keep doing whatever you need me to do."

"Good girl," he quipped, handing her a small baggie, and walking away.

Elaina put the photo on the nightstand next to her bed and picked up the tiny razor blade. She ran the cool metal object against her thighs a few times before making a small incision. She winced at the pain and watched as a thin trail of blood pooled inside the cut. She made another one, closing her eyes as the pain released her constrained anxiety.

She thought about what happened earlier that evening, how she sat on Michonne's bed, running her hands along her silky sheets. She imagined Rick had been in that bed, making love to Michonne. It made her sick.

She walked around Michonne's bedroom, examining her things. She inhaled her perfumes and hair products. She rummaged through her drawers, pulling out her lingerie. She held up a red, lace teddy and wondered if Michonne had worn it for Rick? If so, had he liked it?

She made another incision on her inner thigh, as she remained trapped in her thoughts. The warm blood ran down her legs, but she didn't seem to notice.

In her mind, she pictured lying on Michonne's bed for what seemed like hours before walking into the kitchen, filling a large pot with water, placing it on the stove and turning the burner on high. She then discreetly exited through the back door.

As Elaina snapped out of her head, she overturned the small baggie onto the flat surface of the nightstand, spilling the contents. She wiped the razor blade on her nightgown and used it to form a few symmetrical lines through the powdery substance. Using a short straw, she sniffed the lines into her nose. After a few minutes, she felt a rush of euphoria as she closed her eyes and fell back onto the bed.


Michonne…

A week had passed since all hell broke loose the night of the showcase. Michonne had yet to hear from Rick, not even a text message to let her know he was okay. Thankfully, Shane reached out to her to let her know that Rick was back home in King County. No matter how heartbroken she was that he hadn't contacted her, she was grateful that he was safe with his family.

She laid across her bed and stared up at the ceiling fan, wishing that he were lying next to her. She'd grown accustomed to him being there, to seeing him when she woke up in the morning, to feeling his breath on her neck as he cuddled her, to smelling him as he embraced her after his morning shower. Her mind craved the sense of calm he brought just by listening to her speak about her past and present. Her body craved his sensual touch.

She now understood what her mother meant about getting involved with a man who was consumed by his own demons. She could feel herself slipping back into that dark place. She'd given Rick the power to lift her up and to drag her back down. Although he hadn't been solely responsible for the progress she'd made, his absence was responsible for stifling her continued recovery.

She hated herself for allowing him to sink under her skin. She hated that she wanted and needed him so badly when he clearly didn't need her. At least that's how she saw it, otherwise he wouldn't have run away. He would have trusted that she would never betray him and that she would be there to help him through anything he faced.

She felt the stinging in her sad brown eyes as she wiped away the evidence of her somberness. She picked up her phone, swiped to his name and pressed call. After a few rings, it went to voicemail…

"Rick," she sighed, feeling defeated. "Please call me. I'm sorry about everything that happened. I didn't know who Tim was to you. I swear, I didn't know. I just need to know that you're okay. Please call me back."

She disconnected the call and buried her face into her pillow. Maggie stood outside her door, watching her. She gently tapped her fingers on the door, before pushing it open further.

"Michonne," she said quietly. "I made some spaghetti if you want to eat."

Michonne quickly wiped her face and sat up straight, not wanting Maggie to see her sulking over Rick again.

"Oh, thanks. I'll be there in a minute," Michonne replied, not looking Maggie in the eyes.

Maggie came and sat beside her, running her fingers across Michonne's locs. "Sweetie, you've spent nearly everyday of this holiday break in bed. I know it hurts that Rick hasn't come home, but you have to take care of yourself."

Michonne stared into her lap. "I know, Maggie. I'm gonna get it together, I promise. Thank you for staying with me, but I'm sure you're anxious to get back to your own house. You can leave in the morning. I'll be fine." Michonne finally looked up at Maggie, hoping she sounded convincing.

Maggie shot her a knowing look. "Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"Both," Michonne replied.

Maggie sighed, "Michonne, I just heard you in here, once again, begging him to come home. This isn't right. I know he's upset, but that doesn't give him the right to put you through this. Bring up his number on your phone," she instructed.

Michonne looked confused. "What…why?"

"Just do it, please," Maggie requested.

Michonne unlocked her phone and brought up Rick's number. Maggie took the phone and completed the call. Not surprised, she rolled her eyes when she got his voicemail.

"Rick, this is Maggie. I really need you to get your ass home! Michonne is worrying herself sick because you're not here. That's not fair to her. You need to make this right!"

Michonne snatched the phone from Maggie's ear. "Maggie, why did you do that?"

"Because he's being an asshole, that's why," she quipped. "He has no right treating you this way, especially after you've been there for him."

Michonne sighed, "You don't understand. Rick has been chasing demons for a long time. It's not that easy to break through the pain. It's not easy to come back. He just needs time to process everything, that's all. Besides, it's best he left before he did something he would regret. Yes, I'm hurt, but I understand."

"Ok, Michonne. I don't pretend to know how any of this feels, but you're my friend and I hate to see you in pain," she smiled weakly, tears pooling in her large green eyes.

Michonne returned her friend's smile. "I'll be okay. Just give me some time."

"Okay," Maggie agreed, patting Michonne's hand. "I'll see you in a few minutes for dinner?" she asked as she made her way to the door.

Michonne nodded, "Yeah, see you in a minute."

As soon as Maggie left the bedroom, Michonne rolled over to see Kyle lying next to her. His brown eyes were full of sadness as he gazed back at her.

"Don't be sad, baby. Mommy is alright. I'm just worried about someone I care about, but don't you worry. I'm going to get myself together."

Kyle smiled at her before fading away. She reached out to touch where he lay just a moment ago. She hadn't seen him in weeks, and she knew he appeared because she had fallen again. Now, it was time to pick herself back up, no matter what lied ahead between her and Rick.


Rick…

Shane walked into his guest room to find his brother still sprawled across the bed. He sighed and ran his hands through his thick, dark hair. Clearing his throat, he called out to him, "Rick, it's two o'clock in the afternoon. You plannin' on gettin' up anytime soon?"

Rick rolled over to face his brother. "Shane, I'll get up when I feel like it, now if you'll excuse me, I need to rest."

"Nope, not gonna happen. Get your ass up. I've watched you lay in this damn bed for a week. Not anymore. You're goin' to see that shrink, if I have to drag your ass there by them damn curls of yours."

Rick groaned and rolled back over, shutting his eyes. "Shane go away."

"No, Rick," he said, folding his arms across his broad chest. "Andrea went and bought you a few more things to tide you over, but we can stop by your house later and grab more clothes or whatever you need…but first, I'm takin' you to see Dr. Cloyd."

"My house is being rented out, I'm not disturbing the tenants and I'm not going to see Dr. Cloyd. Just get the hell out of here and let me sleep!" Rick growled.

Shane finally gave in. "Alright man, I'll let you sleep a little longer. Come downstairs and eat when you wake up. We'll go see the doc in the mornin'."

"Shut the door on your way out," Rick called out to him.


Later that evening, Rick made his way downstairs. The aroma of pot roast engulfed him as soon as he walked into the kitchen. Shane, Andrea and his father, Richard, sat around the table eating.

"Well, look who decided to show up," Shane quipped.

Rick rolled his eyes, walking over to the stove to fix a plate. "Don't start, okay. I told you I needed to rest. I got a lot on my mind."

Shane sat up in his chair, prepared to square off with his brother. "Yeah, speakin' of that, you still haven't told us what the hell happened that night. I mean, I got the gist of it from Michonne, but I wanna hear it from you."

Rick sat down and silently started eating, ignoring his brother's request.

"Rick," Richard interjected. "You need to talk to us son. Now, it's obvious that you're in trouble. You need to get some help."

"I'm fine daddy," Rick said, stuffing his mouth with mashed potatoes.

"You ain't fine!" Shane shouted, fed up with his brother's aloofness. "Do you know that Michonne called me in a panic. She was so worried about you, she could barely speak. I already know you went after Taylor, so just cut the bullshit, Rick!"

"Shane's right," Andrea added. "Michonne obviously cares about you. She's worried and so are we."

Rick glared at the blue-eyed blonde. "Oh, Michonne is worried about me? She wasn't too worried when she was spending time with the man who killed my daughter."

"Rick, you're being unreasonable. Michonne says she didn't know who he was. Do you think she would lie about that? What would she gain from doing that?" Andrea asked sincerely.

"Rick, let us get you some help, then you can go back to Tannon Falls if you like. It sounds like you and this woman have gotten pretty serious," Richard suggested.

Rick looked to his father, an older version of himself, and shook his head. "I can't go back right now, daddy. I'm afraid of what I might do." Richard nodded in understanding.

Andrea sighed heavily, "Well…at least contact Michonne. It's not right that you left without speaking to her and it damn sure isn't right that you're not calling her back. Like it or not Rick, other people are involved in this."

Rick pondered everything his family was saying to him. He knew they were right. He'd allowed his hatred to fester long enough and now he had other people involved in his madness, namely, Michonne. He cared for her so much, he never meant to hurt her.

His rage and grief had clouded his judgement and allowed him to behave irrationally. Deep down, he knew she wouldn't knowingly do anything to hurt him. She was the only person who had truly been there for him these past few months as he wallowed in misery, haunted by the ghosts and demons from his past.

He placed his fork on the edge of his plate and ran his fingers over his weary face. "Okay," he said softly. "Okay, I'll go see the doctor."


Rick dried off from his shower and threw on a pair of sweatpants he'd borrowed from Shane. He laid across the bed and pulled out his phone. He clicked on his voicemail and began listening to her messages, each one sounding more sorrowful than the last. He felt like such an ass. How could he be so careless with her feelings? She'd trusted him and he let her down.

God, he wished he could go back to that night and handle things differently. The look in her eyes as she watched him choke Tim crushed him. Still, she'd seen the monster and she didn't run away. Instead she leaned in, desperately trying to bring out the man she knew he could be, the man he once was. He missed her comforting support. In fact, he missed everything about her; her smile, her laughter, her scent, her body…everything. His feelings for her terrified him. He was scared he would never be the man she deserved.

Unsure if she still wanted to hear from him, he typed a text instead of calling…I'm sorry for not reaching out to you sooner. I want you to know that I'm okay. I'm not ready to come home, but I'm okay. I'm getting some help and I hope when I return, things will be better. Please, just give me a little more time. I'll talk to you soon.


Michonne…

Michonne sat by the crackling fire, nursing her eggnog as she listened to Maggie's father Hershel and his wife Ellen embarrass Maggie with stories from her teenage years. Michonne smiled and giggled at the appropriate times, but she was dying inside.

When Maggie convinced her to spend Christmas in Tennessee, she initially hesitated, but relented knowing she was in no shape to spend the day in Atlanta. She thought the change in scenery would do her some good, maybe take her mind off of Kyle and Rick. Now, as she listened to Maggie's family, neither remained far from her thoughts.

"Would you like more Michonne?" Maggie's sister Beth asked, gesturing to Michonne's mug.

Michonne looked up at the petite, bubbly blonde. She liked her sweet nature. She supposed that's what she would want in a little sister if she had one.

"No thank you. I'm good," she responded. She felt her phone buzzing in her pocket and excused herself to the adjacent room to take the call.

"Hey, mommy…Merry Christmas!" she answered, trying her best to sound chipper.

"Hi honey, Merry Christmas. How's Tennessee?" Anna exclaimed.

"Um, it's good. Mr. Greene's farmhouse is so cozy, and his wife Ellen is an excellent cook. I'm enjoying it."

"I'm glad sweetheart, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish you would have come home. I miss you," Anna replied sadly.

Michonne felt a pang of guilt in her heart. She missed her mother as well. It had been six months since they'd seen one another.

"I'm sorry mom. I just couldn't be there right now…but you know you can come and visit me anytime. Maybe you can come for New Year's?"

"Yeah, sweetie. I'll see what I can do. Work has been pretty busy with the layoffs. They need the senior nurses on hand as much as possible. Anyhow, I'm surprised Rick didn't accompany you. How is he?"

Michonne cringed inside. She didn't want to discuss the situation with her mother. "Uh, he's good. He went back home to visit his family," she answered, hoping her mother wouldn't detect the sadness in her voice.

"Oh, it's good that he was able to spend some time with them."

"Mm-hmm," Michonne agreed, wishing he were there with her instead.


Rick…

Rick spied the lights and decorations as he drove down the street. A few of his neighbors were gathered outside, either welcoming or saying goodbye to family and friends. He felt envious as he watched them smile and laugh, happily enjoying the most wonderful day of the year. He pulled up to his home and immediately noticed Michonne's SUV was parked in her usual spot. However, her house was dark.

He wondered where she could be. Had she gone back to Atlanta for the holiday? He couldn't be sure since he hadn't spoken to her in two weeks. When she didn't return his text that night, he decided to give her space while he worked on himself.

He had a few sessions with Dr. Cloyd and agreed to do tele-therapy with her once he returned back to Tannon Falls. He felt better, not one hundred percent, but better. He was still furious with Tim, but he was doing his best to work through his rage. He knew recovery wouldn't happen overnight, but he hoped he could get there.

Right now, all he wanted to do was make amends with Michonne. He needed to explain that seeing Tim had catapulted him into a dreadful place. He left because he needed to leave, not because of anything she'd done. He entered his dark home and flicked on the lights. Exhausted from the long drive, he plopped on the sofa and retrieved his phone out of his pocket.


Michonne and Rick...

Michonne hung up the phone with her mother and immediately heard it ringing again. When she looked at the screen, her heart skipped a beat, shocked to see Rick calling.

"Hello," she answered flatly.

"Hi, it's me. Um, Merry Christmas," he said softly.

"Yeah, same to you. I'm surprised you called. I wasn't sure if I would ever hear from you again. I guess it was easy for you to walk away from me since the only reason you were in Tannon Falls was to commit murder." She knew that was an oversimplification, but she didn't care, too upset with him in that moment.

"Michonne, I'm sorry," he sighed.

"Don't be…you should do what you need to do for yourself Rick and I'll do the same," she huffed.

"It wasn't easy walking away from you, Michonne. I was in an ugly place, I needed to get help. You of all people should understand that."

"Don't do that Rick, don't try and use our shared grief as an excuse for you to throw me away without so much as a 'nice knowin' ya'."

"Michonne…"

"No, listen to me, Rick. I didn't realize your connection to Tim. He told me about the accident, but I had no idea the child he killed was your daughter! I'm not to blame for any of this. You left and I got one text from you…and it took you forever to send that! Look, I know you're in pain, but that doesn't give you the right to treat me that way. I can't allow you to hinder my recovery. I have to look out for myself. Maybe getting involved with you was a mistake. I should have let you end it that day in my kitchen."

She was furious now, thinking about how badly he'd hurt her and how she let him do it. She didn't want to walk away from the only happiness she'd known in so long, but perhaps it was for the best.

"Where are you?" Rick asked, bringing her back to the conversation.

"Huh, I'm in Tennessee with Maggie," she answered curtly.

"Come home," he responded.

"No, I'm staying here for a few more days."

"Michonne, please come home," he repeated.

She exhaled, perturbed with his audacity to think he could snap his fingers and she would come running just like that.

"Rick, why should I come home after the way you hurt me? You let go!"

"I need you to come home because I'm in love with you and I don't want to spend another second apart."

Michonne felt like she'd been hit with a jolt of lightning. Her heart rate sped up and her legs nearly gave out. She slid down to the floor, wondering if she'd heard him correctly.

"What did you say?" she whispered.

"I'm in love with you, Michonne. Please…come home to me."