"What!"

"Why you gotta be so loud Sasha?" MIchonne exhaled and looked around the room. The house was empty, but her sister's voice being on speaker reverberated through the walls.

"Because your ass just said that he almost kissed you. Almost?... What happened?" Sasha kept pausing after each sentence giving Michonne the impression that she was going to let her answer, but every time she opened her mouth to respond, Sasha asked another question. "You didn't turn away did you?...Was it onion breath?"

"Are you gonna let me answer?"

"Go ahead. I'm listening."

"For one, I don't have onion breath. And we were... interrupted...by Judith."

"Whoa. Baby girl for the block." Sasha chuckled in that way she has that's more contrite and less amused.

"She was just excited to show him her new comic book." Michonne shook her head slightly at the memory from a few weeks ago that had Rick zeroing in on her lips as he leaned into her on her front porch.

"So y'all kissed the next day, right?"

"No."

"Next night?"

"We haven't kissed at all... ever, okay. It's never the right time."

"If you wait for the right time, it'll never happen." Michonne imaged her sister staring at the ceiling a hand in the air saying a silent prayer to the heavens for her to get her shit together. "He didn't even try when he was teaching you how to shoot that night? I know he was all up on you making sure your form was right."

"No, not even then." The shooting range from a couple weeks ago, was fun. More fun than she expected actually. Rick was a great teacher, making sure she was comfortable holding her firearm before she even stepped up to aim. With his gentle hands guiding hers to the right spot, elbows in and fingers relaxed, she pulled the trigger and watched as the rapidly moving bullet sailed through the air and tore through the paper target. It was scary and exhilarating and by the end of the night she was hooked and they'd made another "date" for a few weeks from now. "I was trying to learn to shoot, not be distracted by him kissing me."

"You would've been kissing him back. I'm so disappointed right now."

"Stop being so dramatic. It's only been like a month."

"He's got pretty lips don't he? I know you've looked." Sasha laughed again. Lately it was either laugh or sigh out her frustrations when it came to Michonne. "You're a bit of a prude now, but you're not dead. Are they pretty?"

"They're….nice." Michonne had looked. Whenever Rick talked, she paid extra close attention to what he was saying, watching his mouth move as it opened and closed with each word and sound. It was like she couldn't help it, they were perfectly framed by that greying beard that made him look so distinguished and sexy.

"You're thinking about them right now aren't you?" Sasha asked, interrupting Michonne's memory of the last thing Rick said to her a few hours ago. She still hadn't figured out how her sister knew her so well.

"Shut up."

"So where is everyone?" Sasha asked, giving Michonne a break for a bit. "It's too quiet to be 11 in the morning there. Are the boys already playing that Xbox?"

"No." Michonne walked out of the kitchen and to the front window, moving the curtain back to see her driveway. "Rick took the kids with him to get lawn bags and gas for the lawn mower. Can you believe I own a mower?" Michonne was so excited for the warm spring day, and her first mow of the season.

"The kids?" Sasha's voice had gone up an octave with the question. "Do you hear yourself? Rick took the kids. Oh I see how it is now."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't even separate them." Michonne looked to her right and found a spot on the wall that she hoped would help her understand what the hell her sister was talking about. "The kids are the kids."

"What else am I supposed to say. Rick took the kids…"

"See there." Sasha cut her off. "The kids. Y'all are just one big happy family."

"Sasha... Really?"

"Yes really." Michonne could see Sasha's neck roll in her mind. "It's kind of cute though."

"You're kind of dramatic about all of this."

"Oh you haven't seen dramatic yet." Michonne could hear movement on the other end like Sasha was pacing, then she took a deep breath. "Let that man kiss you." Michonne rolled her eyes. "And make sure he grabs the booty and you'll get an Oscar worthy performance."

"You are unreal."

"I'll be expecting the play by play the next time we talk. How soft those lips are, if he's a lip biter and you better tell me if he used one hand or two on your ass."

"You know what Sasha... I gotta go." She was relieved to see Rick's truck pull up.

"What? Things were just getting good."

"They're back, I gotta go Sasha."

"Oh no you don't, I want to talk to my nephews please."

"Fine, but they're not giving you any intel on me."

"I'm not trying to press them for info. You haven't even kissed the man and it's been 4 months. What the hell are they gonna tell me. I just want to say hi."

"Fine. Hold on." Michonne held the phone down at her side and then picked it back up. "And behave." She opened the screen door and stepped out just as the doors of the truck opened.

"Look mom," Carl ran up to her excited, holding a ball. "We got a new soccer ball." Judith and Andre followed behind him equally excited.

"I told them they can play in the back while we mow the front yard." Rick, in his grey tee shirt and worn faded jeans stood behind them, adjusting his cap to shade his face from the beaming sun.

"Good idea." She held her phone out to Carl and Andre. "Boys, your aunt Sasha wants to talk to you."

"Hey Aunt Sasha." They both said as they walked into the house. Michonne tried to listen, but they walked out of earshot and she couldn't hear anything. She looked down in front of her and saw Judith looking up at her smiling.

"You playing soccer too Judith?" She asked her, noticing the sparkly purple tennis shoes she wore with her pale blue dress.

"Yeah, I'm gonna kick their butts."

"Judith." Rick warned.

"Sorry." She looked back at Rick who gave her that faux threatening look that everyone could see through. Judith turned back to Michonne with a smile. "Can I go get something to drink?"

"Sure sweetie. There's some lemonade in the fridge." Judith started walking to the front door, Michonne turned to watch her go. "You need some help?"

"No, I got it."

"So we all set?" Michonne asked Rick, turning back around to him.

"Looks like it. I think everyone had the same idea that we did." He adjusted his hat, to give his hands something to do. "I was able to snag the last two packages of lawn bags that they had at the hardware store." He smiled at Michonne proudly. "And I got you a rake."

"We need one of those too?"

"Yeah." Rick chuckled and motioned with his head. "Come on. I'll get the gas can and you can meet your new rake." She couldn't tell when he handed it to her, but she guessed by the weight that it was top of the line. She was just about to ask how much she owed him for it when the boys came bounding out of the house with her phone.

"Mom, Aunt Sasha said that she'll call you in a few days." Andre handed her the phone and Carl reached for the rake.

"Okay." Michonne said holding the rake out of his reach, she wasn't done admiring it yet.

"She said to tell Rick that you need the mountain bike experience." Michonne let go of the rake in shock, but it was caught mid drop by Carl who was happy to get his hands on it. "What does that mean?" He asked trying to twirl the rake with his hands.

"I means that I'm gonna kill your Aunt Sasha." She took a deep breath and blew it out in a quick huff. "I hope you two know that that was the last time you'll hear her voice."

"Okay." They both shrugged. "We'll be in the back." Carl handed the rake back to her and then ran back to the house, Andre matching his steps to get to the backyard.

"Mountain bike?" Rick asked her confused, knowing he had never seen any type of bike in her garage.

"It's…. an inside joke thing. She thinks she's a comedian."

"Okay." Rick let it go. "You ready to get started on this lawn?"

"Yes."

"Alright." Rick rolled the new lawn mower to the edge of the yard and filled it with gas while Michonne watched. She paid special attention to the way his biceps flexed as he screwed the cap back on. She didn't notice that he had turned to look at her. "You want to pull the starter pretty hard to start the mower, then you'll squeeze the bar here and push."

"What was that?"

"The starter, right here." He touched the black plastic handle to show her. " Pull it to start the mower, then squeeze here and start pushing. Michonne nodded her head in understanding and stood behind the lawn mower, ready to go. Rick took a step back and watched her to see if she was paying attention. Her right hand reached for the handle, grabbing it, she jerked it back but nothing happened. She looked at Rick with a frown.

"Try it again a little harder." He gave her a reassuring smile and she tried again. It took her three more pulls before she pulled hard enough to get the lawn mower to roar to a start. With both hands she squeezed the the bar under her fingers and started to push forward. She was so excited that she was doing it, she let go of the bar to jump up and down.

"I did it!" The silence of the mower concerned her. "Oh no. What happened?" Rick laughed at her quick change of emotions.

"You gotta keep squeezing it or it shuts off."

"Oh." Michonne said scrunching up her face, wondering why she didn't know that.

"Try again, but this time, don't let go." Michonne nodded her head again, determined to do it right the second time. "Just walk to the end of the yard and turn it around and go back in the other direction until you're done."

"Alright."

"I'll start with the edger while you do that."

It took about an hour for Michonne to finish mowing, and then the clean up began. Rick and the kids helped with raking, sweeping and bagging up the cut grass. When they were done the kids ran into the house to pick a movie and Rick stood with Michonne as she admired their work. She was so proud about what they'd done and he was proud of her for doing it.

"I mowed a lawn Rick." She looked to her left and he was right there, smiling and agreeing with her.

"You did. It looks good." His hand caressed her back and settled on her hip. Michonne's eyes widened at the placement of his hand. Then with a quick couple of taps he ushered her into the house for lunch.

"I can't believe how sore my hands are." Michonne stood with her back leaning against the kitchen counter and opened and closed her hands to try to get the soreness out of them.

"You'll get used to it." Rick stood on the other side of the kitchen drinking a glass of lemonade, watching her flex and straighten her hands. "It'll be a regular thing now that it's spring. They'll stop hurting."

Michonne smiled and hoped it was soon. After they came into the house, everyone washed up and ate lunch. With full bellies and revived energy, Carl, Andre and Judith challenged Michonne and Rick to a game of soccer. One game turned into four and then a tie breaking fifth. By the time they were done, it was almost dinner time. Rick took Judith home so they could grab quick showers while Michonne and the boys did the same. When everyone was clean and smelling fresh, they reconvened back at Michonne's house for movies and nachos. Two movies in and all three of the kids were knocked out on the living room couches.

"Thanks, for teaching me how."

"It's no problem." He took another sip of his drink. "Besides I owe you big time for the painting you're gonna help me do next month."

"She's gonna be so surprised when she sees it."

"Yeah she will. I'm giving you all the credit for picking out the paint colors."

"I'm sure she will know you didn't." Michonne was now rubbing one hand with the other, finding no relief from what she was doing before. "Did you ever find a bookcase for her?"

"I've narrowed it down to two. The boys keep giving her comics, so I'm not sure if I should go tall and narrow or short and wide."

"You have a picture of them?"

"No. I'm going by the store tomorrow to make a decision so it's ready by the time we finish her room."

"Send me pictures tomorrow and I'll help you make a decision."

"Alright." Rick turned his head to the sound of a soft snore trying to determine which child was making it. "We should do yard work all the time. They're really out in there."

"Soccer and bagging grass really wore them out, huh?"

"Don't forget the nachos with all the fixins."

"How could I? There's no other way to have them." Rick saw that Michonne was still trying to work out the soreness in her hands. He set his drink on the counter and wiped his hands on his jeans.

"Your hands are really sore huh?"

"Yeah. I used muscles today that I've never used before."

"Come here." He watched her slowly make her way to where he was standing. Taking her hands in his, he started to knead the rarely worked muscles. "Like I said you'll get used to it. How's that feel?"

"Really good." She whispered with her eyes closed. He dropped her left hand to concentrate on just her right hand.

"Michonne." Rick waited for her eyes to open before continuing. "We never talked about what happened before."

"What?" She knew what he was talking about. He could only be talking about one thing.

"I tried to kiss you."

"Oh that." She tried to play it off, but he knew better.

"I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable." His eyes never left hers.

"Not a bit."

"I just want you to know that I like being with you, and I'd really like to get that kiss tonight." He'd stopped kneading her hand and just held it in his.

"Rick." Michonne wasn't sure what words would be best to say right now, but his name seemed like the right choice.

"But, I'm not gonna do anything you don't want." She felt him let go of her hand. "So I'll leave it up to you." Her hand felt too light and foreign without him touching it. She grabbed for his hand to make things right again and without thinking, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. She could feel him smile against her and she saw it when she pulled back, matching his smile before he leaned in for another one.

The soft pecks and nibbles turned into something deeper when mouths opened and tongues danced. Michonne no longer worried about her hands, wrapped her arms around Rick's neck and moved closer to him, positioning herself flush against his body, Sasha's words flashed in her mind and in an attempt to be brave, she grabbed his left hand and placed it on her right ass cheek. She heard him moan at the same time that she felt him squeeze causing her to moan too. Then his lips were on her neck and his legs were moving further apart to get her to closer to him. He stopped and look in her eyes to make sure he wasn't going too far.

"I'll stop if you want me to." The sight of her kiss swollen lips was almost more than he could handle and he silently prayed that she said the words he hoped for.

"Please don't." And with a second handful he didn't. Sasha would be so proud.