"So, it's been a month, what's the verdict, I was right, wasn't I?"

"I think I made a really good choice moving here. The boys are making new friends and keeping me busy, the job's fun...most of the time," Michonne laughed at the sound her sister made on the other end of the phone, since she didn't give her credit for their move. They had been talking for nearly two hours, Sasha was catching up her little sister on what she had been missing since she'd moved. Although it was February and colder than she was used to, the temperature, in the 50's, was mild enough for her sit out on her porch and gossip like old times. The fleece blanket, portable heater that Sasha had sent as a housewarming gift and the spiked hot cocoa, helped too.

"You made the choice? More like I kicked you out and pointed your ass in the direction of King County."

"Whatever." Michonne took a sip of her hot chocolate before pouring more from the thermos that sat on the table beside her.

"Met any interesting people?" Sasha asked hopeful. "Beside the people you work with. Please tell me you've ventured out more than you did here."

"Who has time for all that?" Michonne blew out a breath preparing for the lecture that was about to happen. "I spend all day with 12 and 14 year olds who barely know what hormones are, let alone how to deal with them. Carl and Andre have homework like you wouldn't believe and neither of them want me to tell them how I was taught to do math. Do you know what third grade math looks like these days, Sasha? Then they only want to tell me how Ms. Gilroy teaches them, because apparently that's the only way to figure it out. Sash, I swear my head hurts after homework with them, I don't have time for anything else." Michonne heard shuffling and keyboard tapping through the phone. "What's that noise?"

"I'm about to start a profile for you on some dating site. Do you have a preference? It doesn't matter, I'll surprise you." There was more tapping and then it stopped. "I'll use that picture from Halloween when you were a sexy cat."

"I was just a cat and I will drive the 21 hours it takes to get to your house and fight you if you do Sasha, I swear I will. You know I'm not ready."

"You've been saying that for forever Michonne. It's been like five years since you last had sex. It's time to dust it off."

"How do you know it's been five years?"

"Because I know all your tales of a good lay, even a bad one, and I haven't seen it for that long."

"Whatever," Michonne said quietly. She'd never been good at keeping the sated smile off her face the morning after.

"You get a certain glow to your face and a guilty look, like you think everyone can tell how nasty you just got." Sasha laughed loudly knowing Michonne was blushing and fuming at the same time. Michonne held the phone from her ear, to lessen the volume and rolled her eyes wishing her sister could see her doing it.

"Oh my god Sasha, really?"

"I'm not judging, sis. I love when you have that look. It means that you've been taken care of," Sasha took a deep breath then blew it out slowly. "But your husband died five years ago and you haven't let anyone up in there since. I want that look back."

"Why are you so vulgar?" Michonne looked to her left and right to see if anyone on the dark deserted street had heard what Sasha said.

"Cause I'm grown, and you know exactly what I'm talking about. Shit, Michonne, I'mma send you some videos, just in case you forgot how to do things. I don't think it's like riding a bike like they say...unless your bike has a penis and you move up and down on it." Sasha's laughter crescendoed through the phone, growing louder the longer Michonne stayed silent, stunned by what her sister had just said. It was a full eight minutes before the laughing stopped. "Come on, you know that was funny."

"I'm hanging up now." Michonne said annoyed.

"No, don't hang up, I'm kidding Michonne…. mostly."

"If you weren't my sister…"

"What?" Sasha chuckled quickly and then exhaled. "You'd still be my best friend and we'd talk all the time. I'd still tell you the same shit, Michonne. You know I love you... I just want you to be happy and meet someone who makes you happy. It's way past time for you to get back out there. And don't give me that bullshit about the boys needing you and taking up all of your time; that excuse doesn't fly anymore." Michonne's mind understood what was being said to her, but her heart hadn't made the connection yet. How do you start to give your heart to someone when the million pieces it was broken into, is still being held together by pieces of tape and rubber bands that seem to pop off and break every time thoughts of her husband came to her mind?

"Hey neighbor," a voice came from the darkness. Michonne smiled when the face came into view.

"Hello Deputy Rick." Michonne responded, happy to see him, forgetting she still had the phone to her ear.

"Who is that?" Sasha asked of the deep male voice that she heard.

"No one for you to worry about. I'll talk to you later alright."

"Don't you dare hang up on me." Sasha hurriedly said.

"Bye Sash," Michonne hung up and immediately turned off her phone knowing Sasha would be calling back and then texting when she didn't answer.

"I'm not interrupting am I?" Rick walked closer and placed a booted foot on the bottom step.

"No, it was just my sister checking up on me."

"Hope you gave her a good report." He leaned against the railing and gave Michonne a hopeful smile.

"I did, but she won't be satisfied until…," she didn't think it would be appropriate to tell him about the bike reference. "It doesn't matter. What brings you by?"

"I saw you sitting out here when I pulled up, figured I'd come say hi. See how you been doing since the last time I saw you... you and the boys."

"We're all doing good. Thanks for asking"

"Settling in alright?"

"As well as can be expected," she motioned with her hand to the chair beside her. "You wanna have a seat?"

"Sure," Rick took the two more steps quietly, unsure if Andre and Carl were asleep or not. "You know February isn't really a porch sitting kinda month around these parts." He sat down with a sigh, happy to be able to relax for a while, noticing her purple paisley fleece throw that she had wrapped around her.

"It's not too cold, plus…" Michonne motioned with her foot to the portable heater that was sitting in front of her. "I've got somethings to help with the cold."

"Nice."

"My sister sent it to me as a housewarming gift. She's extremely jealous that I have a front porch that's big enough for a few rocking chairs."

"A lot better than what I got when we moved in; a lawn mower. It was useful, but I would have preferred a big grill or a coffee maker. You know as well as I do, that raising babies by yourself is exhausting. There was a couple weeks that Judith only slept when the sun was out. I was so sleep deprived, I almost took her to Dr. Greene to find out if she was part owl."

"You did not," Michonne laughed hard and then covered her mouth to quiet herself. She met Dr. Greene last week when he came by to see his daughter Maggie, the nurse at the elementary school.

"I was real close. That coffee maker would have come in handy back then."

"So you don't like mowing?"

"I think of it as something that I have to do, not something that I enjoy. The process sucks, but the results are worth it, I guess. You like mowing?"

"I've never had a yard before, so I've never done it." Rick quirked his eyebrows in surprise and looked out at her large front lawn and guessed the backyard was even bigger. "I'm excited for spring though. Planting flowers and adding lots of color, learning how to work a lawn mower,after I buy one."

"I can show you how. It's really all in the legs, the pushing… of the lawn mower." Rick shook his head discreetly as images of Michonne's legs in her swimsuit popped into his mind. He hoped changing the subject would keep them at bay, at least for now. "That little thing sure does give off quite a bit of heat," he rubbed his hands together and held his palms near the heater. "The boys asleep?"

"Yes, finally. Seems like I had to wrestle them into bed tonight. Light's finally went out at ten."

"They excited about something?"

"Both of them got 100's on their spelling tests, and I promised comic books for their hard work. I should say our hard work. We practiced all week before bed and on the way to school every morning. I think I had a dream about a spelling bee last night," Rick laughed, understanding the process. "The comic book store was our first stop after school today."

Well let em know I'm proud of them...all three of you."

"They'll be happy to hear that." His genuine smile showed that he was being absolutely honest and it warmed Michonne's heart. "Um... I didn't think they would ever decide on one," she continued. "It's such a long process with those two. We were in that store for what seemed like hours."

"Let me guess, they each have to agree on what the other one gets, so they can trade when they're done."

"Is it a boy thing? Is Judith like that?"

"Her being an only child, I can only speak for myself," he placed a hand to his chest. "When I say that she usually just tells me what to get, with no intention of sharing." He watched her laugh and shake her head at his expense.

"Smart girl. Where is she tonight?"

"Sleepover," he brought his right foot up to rest on his left knee and brushed some dirt off of the side of his boot. "I've had a crazy schedule this week so she's been shuffled around a bit more than I'd like her to be, but this sleepover has been in the works for a few weeks. It's all she talked about this morning. She was so excited to take her sleeping bag."

"Tell her she's welcome over whenever she'd like."

"She'll be happy to hear that. She enjoys seeing you at school when you drop by. She always mentions it."

"Seems like I'm always there to see Miss Stevens. Lesson plans, supply swaps. If you ever need me to pick her up after school when I get the boys, it's no problem."

"I might have to take you up on that."

"So, how's the county? Everything quiet in these parts?"

"Quiet enough, nothing to worry about."

"I'm sure if there was, I would have heard about it by now. Apparently this town doesn't believe in secrets." The teachers lounge was just one of the places where she could catch up on everyone's business.

"No, it doesn't. Hope that doesn't run you off."

"Oh not at all. Besides my sister would just drop me back off if I did." She wrapped her blanket tighter around her shoulders. She wasn't cold, just wanted to be a little warmer. "You ever think people see your life totally different than it actually is?"

"All the time."

"She thinks I'm not living my life to the fullest... or something like that," she looked down at the wide wooden planks beneath her feet and continued. "My husband died when the boys were just two and I haven't been brave enough to put myself back out there. She's got a big problem with that."

"Is it too much to ask how he died? You don't have to answer if it is." He had wondered since she mentioned she was a single mom last month, but wasn't sure how to broach the subject.

"It's...it's okay, car accident. It was one of those mornings where you linger in bed a little too long trying to hold onto the last few moments of a good sleep. He was rushing to get to work and so was the another guy. They collided on the freeway. He fought for as long as he could at the hospital, but his injuries were too much, then the machines took over. Taking him off, was the hardest decision I've ever had to make. Sasha was there for me the entire time. She's seen me at my lowest and even lower than that, so I understand where she's coming from. Her problem is with my slow restart...I guess you can call it that."

"Is it a problem for you? Do you feel like anything is missing from your life?"

"I'm sure if I let myself sit and think about it for long enough, I would agree with her, but I've got my boys to think about. Dating and the... things that come with it," she whispered. "Just haven't been on the forefront for me." She bit her bottom lip and scrunched up her nose. "I can't believe I just told you that."

"That's alright. I hear...the things that come with it, are an important part of dating."

"You heard that huh?" She could see him start to blush. "You want a drink or something? I've got some hot chocolate here. It's got alcohol in it."

"How can I pass up alcohol?" Rick turned towards her, hoping his face had returned to normal coloring. "Hopefully it'll help me relax after the week I've had."

"I won't let you make it a habit."

"What, having shitty weeks?"

"Drinking your stress away. You should try boxing or something, exercise is good for that." Michonne handed handed him the thermos lid full of hot chocolate and he took a sip, smiling his approval.

"And mess up this pretty face?" His hand touched his cheek and he winked. "Nah, I like the range."

"The shooting range?" Michonne shook her head.

"Yeah, ever tried it?"

"No. I've never had a reason to. I've never even touched a gun."

"It's not as scary as it seems. You should know how to protect yourself," he took another sip of his drink. "I don't mind teaching you, if you want to learn. I'm sure you have stress too."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time some 14 year old calls me anything other than Ms. Bowers, or all my pencils turn up missing. I'm convinced they eat them."

"Got a few troublemakers in your classes?"

"A few, but the mother in me doesn't know whether or not to give them a much needed hug or send them to the office."

"Sounds like the life of a Deputy Sheriff sometimes. The line is very thin most days." He raised his glass to her. "This is good."

"It's an old family recipe," Michonne tried to hide her smile.

"No it's not." Rick countered.

"Am I that bad of a liar?"

"I don't know about all that, but I do know Baileys when I taste it. Plus I get paid to be able to know what the truth is."

"Busted," she laughed. "Hot chocolate and a little Irish cream. Helps cut the chill in the air."

"By the size of that thermos, I'd say it'll help you sleep good tonight too."

"Let's hope it helps me sleep in tomorrow morning. I swear Monday thru Friday, I have to pry the boys out of bed, but come Saturday and Sunday they're up before the sun. I have to get up or the kitchen will end up looking like a war zone. "We just wanted to make you breakfast mom." She imitated Carl and Andre, having heard those words countless time.

"I hate to admit that that's how our kitchen looks on our Sunday Spaghetti Nights."

"You have a whole night for spaghetti?"

"We do.," he nodded his head yes. "With all the shuffling around she does because of my schedule, I just want Judith to have one night where she knows what to expect. We make homemade sauce and slather bread with too much garlic butter."

"That sounds nice."

"As long as we've been doing it, I still haven't figured out the precise amount of noodles for two people, so I end up eating spaghetti three times a week for lunch." Michonne offered up more of the hot chocolate from the thermos and Rick happily accepted and took a few sips. "How bout you and the boys come by this Sunday."

"For spaghetti night?"

"Yeah. We'd love the company. Judith has Valentine's cupcakes planned this week. If you don't mind pink and red frosting, we'll need help eating all of them." Michonne thought for a while as she sipped and pretended Rick wasn't staring at her, waiting for an answer.

"I think we'd like that. We'll raid the game shelf and bring something to play." Rick nodded his head, pleased that she had accepted his invitation. The porch went quiet, both of them looking over the neighborhood, listening to the faint rustling of the wind through the evergreen trees that were scattered along the street. Rick was the first to speak again, picking the conversation back up with questions about her art and hobbies. They went back and forth, learning about each other and opening up little by little, something neither of them had done for a very long time, but seemed quite easy sitting out on her porch in the late hours of the night. When there was another lull in the talking, Rick checked his watch and saw that it was just after two in the morning.

"Well, now that I'm good and slightly buzzed, I think I'll be getting home."

"I didn't mean to get you drunk," Rick placed the thermos lid on the table and stood up.

"Slightly buzzed," he corrected. "Takes a little more than that lightweight drink to get me drunk." He started walking down the steps and turned around when he was at the bottom.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," Michonne stood and walked to the edge of the porch. "I'll just watch and make sure you get home alright."

"You do that," his slight buzz was making him flirt a little bit.

"Oh my god Rick, that's not what I meant." She put her hand to her forehead and tried to rub the embarrassment away, but her smile betrayed her.

"Good night Michonne. I'll see y'all Sunday around 5:30." He turned around and walked towards his house, his boots clicking along the pavement with every step. She watched and studied his bow legged gait, no wobbles or miss steps, steady as can be. Rick got to his front door and opened it, waved, then waited until Michonne was inside to shut his door.

"See ya then," she whispered to herself as she locked the door behind her.