The Charge – Chapter 14

The air was feeling chilly and Michonne pulled her knees up towards her chest under the cover that was over her to keep warm. It seemed to be working until a strong gust of wind blew over her. Stretching out to turn around for a warmer spot, she crashed to the floor…hard.

It knocked the wind out or her. She opened her eyes disoriented. Her surroundings were dark and it took her a couple of minutes for the realization to hit her. She was still at the building. She pulled out her phone from her back pocket to check the time. It was 3am.

"Jesus Christ!"

She scrambled to her feet, using the light from her cell phone to guide her way. The top floor of the building was being rewired so her cell phone was her only way to see. She only took three steps before bumping into something large on the floor.

She fell over, sending her phone flying from her hand. Frantically she started feeling out infront of her trying to locate it. Suddenly someone grabbed her foot and started pulling her back. In pure reflex, she twisted her body and stamped hard, connecting.

"F*CK!"

She stamped again and the person cried out for a second time.

"Jesus Christ Michonne! It's me! STOP KICKING!"

She gasped.

"Rick?!"

He groaned and she began crawling in his direction.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry. It was a reflex!"

The groaning continued as she felt her way back. Soon, she found him and his hand pulled her over him. She straddled him and began feeling around.

"Are you hurt? I can't see and I dropped my phone when I fell over you."

"One second."

Abruptly, a burst of light blinded her. Rick had his cell phone on. She took it from him to see the damage she had done. She was mortified as she looked down at Rick cradling his bloody nose. She covered her own mouth in disbelief.

"What did I do?!"

"I don't think it's broken."

"Sit up and let me see."

He complied. He supported himself on his arms and held his head back so she could examine him. He couldn't help but feel aroused with her sitting across his lap. However, the pain help keep him from adequately responding. Blood slowly trickled down his face. She wiped it away with her hands.

"I have to stop the bleeding and its going to hurt...really bad."

She propped up the cell phone facing them on some debris so that the light will shine on them. Then she held his nose between her thumb and index finger.

"I think we should take you want to the hospital"

Before he could answer, Michonne twist her fingers and snapped his nose back in place.

"AHHHHHHHHH!"

Rick's eyes instantly reddened and tears ran down. He blinked rapidly at her. He stammered to speak through the pain.

"I..I thought…I thought we were going to the hospital!"

He was gasping painfully.

"I never said that we were going to the hospital. I just suggested it."

Rick's eyes bulged when he realized that he was tricked and Michonne went into a serious fit of laughter.

"You tricked me!"

"I'm sorry!"

She tried to suppress her laughter.

"I can't believe you tricked me!"

Michonne laughed again.

"Awww! Don't be such a baby!"

"It hurts."

Rick was pouting at her and she blushed.

"I'm sorry. I should have warned you about what I was planning to do."

He found himself almost reaching out to caress her.

"It's ok. It's better for you if there isn't any record to our visit to the hospital."

Michonne looked at him confused.

"Why?"

Rick grind his jaw. He didn't mean to expose what he knew of her situation with the Director and how he is looking for any excuse to get rid of her. If Maggie finds out that he slipped up, she's going to kill him.

"Nothing. It's the pain talking. It's making me babble."

She eyed him suspiciously as she reached for his phone. She got up and he was disappointed by their broken body contact. She extended her hand and pulled him up.

"I have to find my phone."

He stood in the dark holding nose as she used his phone to find hers.

"Shit!"

He went over as she picked up the phone. It was split in two.

"It's busted."

"It's fine. It's my personal phone. I can buy another one. I'm just grateful it's not my duty phone."

Rick looked at her concerned with her statement.

"What would have happened if it was your duty phone?"

"I would have a lot of explaining to do."

"Over a phone?"

Michonne didn't like the directions Rick's question were leading. They were probing. He didn't know about the conflict between herself and Director Thomas and he doesn't need to.

"It's nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

She looked at the phone.

"It's almost 4am. We both should be getting home."

They walked out of the dark room, down the steps. The other floors had light. Once outside, the street was quiet.

"I need to bandage your nose."

"The bleeding stopped."

"Yeah but it still gets a bandage."

She popped her trunk and pulled out a first aid kit. He leaned the hood of her car. He enjoyed immensely the close body contact they were having at the moment and it took every ounce of him not to grab and kiss her. So for now, he has to contend with only her scent. He smelt a trace of strawberry and he inhaled deep sniffs...letting it filled his lungs. The street light above them gave ample light and he took in the curves of her neck. Ohhhhh how he wanted to nibbled on them. She was finished a few minutes later.

"All done."

He raised his hand to touch it.

"Don't!"

she put back the first aid kit in the trunk...then closed it.

"Get in. I'm taking you home."

"I can call the driver."

"You were here on my personal business so I should make sure you get home."

Rick didn't want to argue. He got in.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Ummmm. Dr Douglas told me to let you sleep and you looked tired. You know you didn't move a muscle until I fell asleep."

"You were watching me sleep? That's a bit creepy."

"I'm sorry. There was nothing much I could do in the dark since that floor doesn't have electricity."

There was a pause.

"Thanks anyway…for letting me sleep. I needed it."

"Sure."

They drove along in silence and Rick desperately wanted to stop talking about work and get more personal. He didn't know how to approach it without sounding nosey so he decided to go slow and asked about the basics.

"If I may ask…do you have any siblings?"

Michonne glanced over at him and let sometime pass before answering him.

"I had an older brother."

"Had?"

"Yeah. My mom said he died when I was three."

Rick said nothing. He didn't want to ask how but he hoping that she would continue talking.~*~*~*~*~*

From the corner of her eye, she could see Rick anticipation for more from her…an explanation on her brother's death. Quite frankly, she doesn't remember any of it and only knows what her mother told her.

"We were playing hide and seek in the backyard and it was my turn to hide. Apparently Levi was looking for me when he got an asthma attack. After awhile of hiding, I went to look for him. My mom said she heard me screaming and when she ran outside, she saw me holding his pumped to his lips with one hand and using the other to press on his chest. She took over trying to revive him and told me to call 911. I did but by the time the paramedics arrived and got him to the hospital, he died."

Rick didn't know what to say. His heart sank to the pit of his stomach. He tried reading her face but he got nothing.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I don't remember it. My mom told me what happened." She glanced at him. "But thank you." She smiled alittle.

They pulled up at the gates of the Grimes Estate. A few guards were making their rounds. Rick got out and punched in the code to the gate and it opened. He walked over to her.

"Thanks for the ride."

"It's my duty to get you home safely."

"When you're on duty which you are not."

Michonne chuckled.

"True. You're welcome then."

"Call or text me when you reach home ok."

"I'm a big girl. I can get home by myself."

"I know that but please. Do it for my peace of mind."

Michonne picked up the sense of concern and caring in his voice.

"Ok. I will."

"Promise?"

She laughed.

"Promise."

He watched as Michonne made a U-Turn in the driveway and disappeared down the street. He closed the gate and as he was walking up to the house, Maggie's bedroom light came on and she was in the window looking down at him. When she folded her arms across her chest, he knew he was in for 21 questions the first chance she got.~*~*~*~*~*

It was lunch time and Rick was anxious. Maggie hadn't breath one word to him about Michonne. In fact she talked to him like normal, like she hadn't seen them last night. The psychological torture was killing him and he needed to know what's up. He walked into the kitchen as she was preparing lunch.

"You haven't said anything to me."

"About what?"

"About Michonne. You haven't asked any questions."

"Why would I do that?"

Rick peered into Maggie's eyes firmly.

"What?!"

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?"

Maggie laughed as she put down the knife.

"Look. You are my big brother and I love you. I know also that you like Michonne a lot. Given all that you know about her situation with Director Thomas, I am choosing to believe and trust that you will not do anything to jeopardize her career. That's why I didn't say anything to you."

He stared at her and she him.

"Well! Aren't you going to ask me about my nose? About what happened to it?"

"I am also choosing to believe that you got abit frisky with Michonne and she had to teach you some manners hence the bloody nose."

Maggie winked at Rick and he eyed her suspiciously.

"I want the old Maggie back." He pouted.

"Don't worry. She'll come out when she really needs to."~*~*~*~*~*

Cecily slipped off the bed to go to the bathroom. She walked down the corridor pass Karen's bedroom. The door was slightly opened so she looked in. Rocky was sleeping alone on the bed.

"Karen?"

No response. She continued walking down the corridor and that's when she saw the bathroom light on. She pushed the door but it wouldn't open.

"Karen? Are you in there?"

"Go away!"

"Open the door!"

"I said to go away!"

Cecily took two steps back and kicked the door open. Karen was sitting on the floor, with a syringe in her hand and a white powdery substance in a small clear plastic bag on the floor. She couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing.

"I can't believe this! Your son is sleeping ten feet away from you and you're doing this?!"

"Rocky is none of your concern! I can do whatever I want!"

"Not in my house!"

Suddenly, Karen shot to her feet and slammed the door in Cecily's face.

"Stay the f*ck out of my life!"~*~*~*~*~*

Tyrese was by the copying machine when Officer Michaels came up behind him.

"There's a woman here to see you."

Tyrese went to the front desk and was stunned to see Cecily.

"Is everything alright?"

"I really need to talk to you. Please."

He ushered her into another room and closed the door behind them.

"I want to say that I appreciate everything you have done for me…letting me see the girls despite what Karen did but there is something that I need to ask from you."

"Ok."

"I know that you sent Karen divorce papers and is asking for sole custody of Chelsea and Ariel."

"Yes."

"I need you to file for custody of Rocky too."

Tyrese was stunned into silence.

"Why?"

"Because he's not safe with her!"

Tyrese could hear the desperation in her voice.

"What happen Cecily?"

She looked around before answering.

"I caught her shooting up in the bathroom this morning Tyrese. She's an addict!"

No one said anything for a long time.

"I can't do that Cecily. I can't take Rocky away from Karen, even if it is to protect him."

"But you're doing it with Chelsea and Ariel? You are protecting them from her."

"But they are MY kids! There's a big difference. I'm entitled to take them from Karen because she's an unfit mother."

"She still is!"

"Where is Rocky's father?"

"In jail."

Tyrese paced the room.

"We can't leave Rocky with her."

"Then you file for custody of him. He's your grandson."

"Rocky need a mother and father. I know what I'm asking is a lot and I have no right to ask this but I cannot provide for him in the way that he should be. He needs to be with family. He can get to know Chelsea and Ariel. They are his sisters."

"Don't try to force this on me! Karen makes her choices! Why do the rest of us have to live by the consequences? I'm sick of this! We can't keep covering for her! She has to take responsibility for herself and her son."

He opened the door to leave. Then he turned to Cecily.

"The next time Karen shoots up, call the police and Children's Services."~*~*~*~*~*

Andrea walked into the squad room and into Tyrese's office.

"I come bearing lunch."

Tyrese didn't respond as he was in deep thought.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

"Cecily was here. She caught Karen shooting up and now she wants me to file for custody of Rocky along with Chelsea and Ariel."

Tyrese spoke in one breath and looked at Andrea for a response.

"Say something."

"Cecily is worried about Rocky. She thinks that you could provide a stable home for him and Karen doing drugs is not a good thing. Rocky is in danger."

"I told Cecily to call the police and Children's Services if Karen shoots up again."

Andrea folded her arm across her chest.

"I'm trying to stay out of it Andrea. We are getting a divorce and I'm getting our girls and that's it! I just want to be over with Karen and done."

Andrea cocked her head to the side.

"Are you serious? You want us to consider adopting Rocky?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have too."

"Let me just look into something and get back to you."

"You can't really be considering this."

"Let's eat."~*~*~*~*~*

Later that evening….

Chelsea and Ariel ran into the station with Andrea following close behind them. They called out to their father when they saw him.

"Daddy!"

They ran into his arms and hugged him tightly. He carried them into his office and they started telling him all what they did in school. Andrea greeted him with a kiss and then she received a phone call. She stepped away to take it and he focused his attention on the girls. They were talking a mile a minute and he only smiled pleased at them. When he looked up, he saw Karen walking into the station.

"Girls…stay here."

He closed the blinds in the office and the door behind him. He walked up to her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I went by the school to see my daughters and they told me that their "mother" already picked them up."

"So?"

"I want to see them Tyrese! You can't keep them away from me forever!"

"You need to leave! Now!"

"Where are my babies?!"

She slapped Tyrese hard across the face.

"I'm not leaving without them!"

Tyrese could feel the eyes of the other officers on him and he saw Andrea run pass him to his office. Karen saw her and it enraged her further.

"Where are you going bitch?! Why don't you have your own kids instead of trying to steal someone else's!"

She slapped Tyrese again.

"You need to calm down Karen!"

"You can't tell me what to do!"

She raised her hand to slap him again.

"I want my children!"

As her hand descended, he grabbed it in mid air.

"Ok! That's it!"

Twisting her arm behind her back, he slammed her face down on the counter."

"You are under arrest for the assault of a police officer!"

"Get off me you bastard!"

She struggled against him but she was no match for him. He slapped on the cuffs on her.

"Stop struggling!" he commanded but she didn't heed his warning.

He squeezed the cuffs hard around her wrist and she cried out in pain. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Andrea taking the girls out through the back away from the commotion.

"Chelsea! Ariel! Mummy's here!"

Tyrese looked back and when Andrea and the girls disappeared from sight, her dragged Karen into an upright position.

"Maybe a night or two in the cells will sober you out."

"You can't do this to me! I'm their mother! Their real mother!"

She fought him as he began dragging her towards the cells. Another officer stepped forward to help him."

"I got this!"

"Are you sure?"

"I said I f*cking got this!"

The officer put up his hand defensively and backed away. He dragged her down and when he reached to the cell, in one swoop, he slid off the handcuffs and threw her into the cell. She landed hard on her side. He slammed the cell gate quickly and stared at Karen on the floor.

"What the f*ck is wrong with you?!"

She sprung to her feet and grabbed on the cell bars.

"I hate you! I hate you with every bone in my body!"

"The feeling is mutual! Trust and believe that!"

She looked crazed and Cecily's desperate plea came flooding back. He became angry.

"Are you using drugs?"

"Oh f*ck you! You would like that wouldn't you? So you could use it against me to take my children away from me!"

"That wasn't a no!"

"I'm not using drugs!"

In a rage, Tyrese yanked her arm violently through the bars.

"Let go of me!"

He yanked up her shirt arm, revealing fresh track marks in her arm.

"So what is this? Huh! What the f*ck is this?!"

Karen was shocked into silence at first then she flew into a rage again.

"My mom was here, wasn't she? That's why she left the house so early this morning. She came to snitch on me…her own daughter!"

"She's concern about Rocky!"

"My son is none of her business or yours for that matter! I took care of him since the day he was born and his father went to prison!"

Tyrese stared at Karen for a long time. This wasn't the woman he fell in love with and married so many years ago. Cecily was right. He didn't know if Karen was high on drugs or if it was just plain anger talking at this moment but one thing is certain…Rocky can't stay with her.