A/N: Hello, Dear Readers. Sorry for the extended wait. I hope you enjoy this short interlude.

The relentless Georgian heat convinced Michonne that they should probably go for a swim at the river and not just dip their feet. She could easily get some flotation aides for André and let him enjoy the water just like she had in her youth.

She sent a message to Rick, after he had left, asking if they could have a swim followed by some afternoon refreshments. He thought it was a great idea and sounded quite keen, much to Michonne's amusement. It was almost time for them to all catch up, and Michonne realized she did not have a bathing suit. Luckily, Sasha was nearby and always willing to help out a friend.

"I feel like a teenager again," said Michonne as she rummaged through Sasha's collection of bathing suits.

"Didn't we have some fun times at that river?" said Sasha nostalgically.

"We sure did. But that was then, and this is now," Michonne offered as she held up the top of a two-piece suit to her chest.

"If you wear that, Rick will have a heart attack," Sasha teased.

"I'm not wearing this," Michonne replied. "I'm not even sure if I'm gonna swim now. I know I told him we should, but it'll probably just be us dipping our toes in while the kids swim. Ya know, just us hangin' out while they enjoy themselves."

"Right."

"Why do you say it like that?" asked Michonne.

"Like what?"

"Like you don't believe a damn word that I'm saying."

"Because I don't believe you."

"You really think I'm gonna dive into the river with Rick Grimes like I'm some teenager?"

"I know you're not getting your hair wet," Sasha said with a laugh. "What I meant was, you're not just dippin' your toes in with him, Michonne; or just hangin' out while the boys have fun. This feels like a date. You're going on a date with Rick. That's diving in, not dipping your toes."

Michonne gave her friend a playful roll of her eyes.

"I can't wait for this baby to arrive."

"Girl, me too."

"Then you'll be so busy that you'll stop getting these ideas in your head that aren't true."

Now Sasha rolled her eyes playfully.

"Whatever," she replied. "We'll see what's true and not."

…..

When Michonne and André had arrived at the river, Rick and Carl were already there. It hadn't changed much, Michonne mused, save for the fluctuating water levels. Though, it appeared to be a little lower than she remembered. Smaller, somehow. Maybe everything in her youth seemed larger and grander. Maybe now, in maturity, everything that her youthful eyes witnessed had paled.

Rick spoke and got her attention. She took in his profile as he squinted out across the water.

Hmm, she mused a beat. Rick certainly had not paled; his good looks had persisted and so had his gentle demeanor. She was drawn from her thoughts when he said her name.

"Michonne?"

"Yeah?"

"I said did you wanna set the blanket down here or closer to the water?" he asked, with a half-smile on his handsome face.

"Hmm, probably best not to sit too far away for safety reasons," she said. "Though, I'd say it really hasn't changed that much down here, so the boys should be okay to play around near the bank."

Rick laid out the blanker, and they took up a seat. Michonne took a deep breath and then added, "It still smells the same."

"Yeah," said Rick as he took in her features; she still looked so beautiful, he mused. "Smells like lazy summer afternoons – and youthful hope."

Michonne gave him a sweet smile, "Wow. I don't recall you being so poetic with your words."

"What?" he asked, with a grin and a tilt of his head. "I can't be articulate?"

He was joking, of course, but Michonne grew serious and replied, "I never said that. I always thought you were articulate, Rick. You've got this honest, down-to-earth eloquence that's hard to put into words. I've always liked that about you."

The pair held each other's gaze before Rick's lips turned up into a smile and he said, "I've always liked just about everything about you."

Michonne playfully shook her head, noting his flirtations just as André approached.

"Mama, Carl showed me the rope swing."

"Nuh ah," said Michonne. "No way you're goin' on that thing. You can hop in here and stay close to the bank."

André let out a huff and then turned to call out to Carl, "See, I told ya she wouldn't let me. I never get to do anything fun."

He pouted in her direction, mostly for show, but there was a hint of disappointment behind his big, brown eyes that hurt her heart. Michonne grasped her son around the waist and drew him down into a hug before she tickled his sides.

"You're too little," she said, as she peppered his face with kisses and continued to tickle him. The child let out bursts of giggles as he tried to free himself from his mother's hold.

"Hey," said Rick as he interjected. "What if Carl helped André up on the banks, and I waited in the water to catch him? Would you let him have a go then?"

André and Michonne stopped and looked at Rick; the boy was suddenly excited, his mother, a little apprehensive.

"Can we do that, Mama?" he asked. "Please?"

Michonne glanced at her son, then at Rick, before saying, "I don't think Rick has even brought a bathing suit."

"I got shorts in the car," Rick said with a crooked grin.

"Is it safe?"

"Safe enough under supervision," said Rick in earnest. "I used to do it for Carl all the time when he was André's age. Besides, it's best to let him have a go at it while we're here to watch out for him. What d'ya say?"

"Yeah, Mama," said André, thinking he really liked his mom's friend. "Can we do that?"

She looked at her son, then at Rick. They were both giving her puppy dog eyes and it was absolutely unfair of them.

Rick stared into her eyes, and then said, "Come on; you can trust me."

"Okay," said Michonne with a small nod of her head. "Okay."

…..

When André did a run-up and swung from the rope, Michonne felt like her heart was going to leap from her chest. It was like he was moving in slow motion, but also going too quickly. He did not get as much momentum as Carl did just moments prior, but it was high enough to make Michonne a little nervous.

Rick was right. She needed to let her son try things while she was there to supervise. That was a way of life out in rural Georgia: You let youngsters learn early on in life so that they'd be adept and safe later in life. There were so many things she would not even dream of letting her child do in New York. It just was not feasible or safe. Out there, beside the flowing river, with Rick and Carl helping to watch over André, she could allow him to do something that was fun.

She let out a small squeak as André let go of the rope and glided through the air toward the water and to Rick. Rick, making an expert judgement about trajectory and velocity that only a dad could make, backed up in the water. He held out his arms, while still giving the small boy room to land. André, giggling and whooping the whole time, hit the water with a splash. Michonne covered her mouth, stifling a laugh and some kind of concerned yelp at once. Immediately, Rick scooped André out of the water and lifted him up high.

"You okay, buddy?" Rick asked as the child wiped the water from his eyes and shot him a bright smile.

"Yup," he said, as he gripped onto Rick, before turning to look at his mother. "Mama! Did you see me go?"

Michonne placed her hands over her heart and smiled widely.

"Yes, Baby," she called out. "I saw you! You were great."

"Can I go again?" he asked, as Rick helped him back to the bank.

"Yeah," she said, while giving Rick a grateful grin. "Go again."

…..

As the sun hung low in the afternoon sky, and a soft breeze picked up, Michonne was now in the water. She watched while André sat up on Rick's shoulders as the two of them and Carl played a game with a ball. She hadn't seen her child laugh so much in so long. It was nice. Every so often, her eyes would find Rick's stare, and he would smile at her. Michonne could not deny that there was an ease to their interactions that felt so familial. The whole setting was so familial that it made her skin feel warm, even though the cool water was surrounding her.

"André," said Carl suddenly. "Wanna get somethin' to eat?"

The younger boy looked at his mother; she nodded, and he said, "Okay."

Rick lifted André from off of his shoulders, and then said, "Hop on Carl's back."

Once André was secure, Carl swam to the edge of the river and they both got out and made a beeline for the picnic basket. Michonne watched them with a contented smile; Rick watched Michonne. He floated closer to her, and then submerged himself under the water. When he popped back up, he was a little nearer to her. She did not seem to mind as they shared an easy grin.

"This is nice," said Rick as they each bobbed next to one another.

"It is," she replied. "I'm glad we did it."

"Me too," said Rick, before dipping his head under the water once more.

When he resurfaced, he was careful not to splash Michonne; he remembered how she did not like getting her hair wet. Even now, though her pretty locs were pulled up high and away from her face, she didn't submerge herself like he had.

Rick wiped his eyes and continued to tread water as they stared at one another silently. Suddenly, Michonne said, "Aw, look at your hair."

"Eh?"

"It's messed up. Come here," she said, gesturing for Rick to shift closer; he did not waste time and moved toward her. She reached her hands out of the water and brushed the wet curls away from his face, before fixing them back into place.

Rick had to fight the urge to close his eyes at the delightful feeling of Michonne's fingers threaded through his tresses. He missed her touch as soon as she withdrew her hands and said, "There. That's better."

Their eyes locked as they floated in front of one another. His bare knee brushed up against her thigh under the water; he maintained the contact. When she did not pull away from him, he inched closer. The afternoon sun shimmered on the river's surface and danced in Michonne's beautiful, brown eyes. When she gave Rick a small, coy smile, he felt like he was seventeen again.

He felt like it was a lazy summer afternoon full of youthful hope from their past. He felt like there was still something there between the two of them, even though so much time had passed. When Michonne's eyes fell to his lips, and she bit her own bottom lip lightly, he knew she at least felt some of what he was feeling. He returned her smile and leaned forward, pleased to see that she, too, was closing the distance between them. They were definitely having a moment, and Michonne was excited, and a little scare. Rick was just happy they were on the same page.

"Dad!" called Carl suddenly. "You said there were PB and J and there aren't any! Dad!"

"Damn it," said Rick under his breath. "At the bottom of the basket, Son!"

"Where?"

"Dig down to the bottom," said Rick. "I packed 'em. I know I did."

When he turned back to face Michonne, she was already floating away.

"We should get somethin' to eat, too," she said, her expression looking apologetic.

"Yeah," said Rick with a nod as he followed behind her; and just as quickly as it had come, the moment between them was gone.