Mending Fences – Chapter 19: "Surface"

Five years ago…

For the past couple of days, Michonne tried not to focus on Rick wanting to go undercover. However, it was difficult. She expressed her concerns to him, that she was scared and didn't think it was a good idea. People died because of this case, the innocent and the guilty.

Although she trust Rick's instincts and his ability as cop, she can't ignore her own. She finished making the sandwiches and placed them infront of her three eldest children, Carl, Sophia and Andre who was waiting anxiously for their breakfast at the table.

She heard the squeals and laughter of the two youngest Grimes upstairs and a smile warmed her face. She is so blessed. She had a loving husband, a brood of happy, healthy children with possibly more to come. They are stable financially. It was everything she could ask for. Because of all these blessings, she decided to approach him on the subject once more. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rick had just finished bathing and dressing Judith and Logan and he was playing with them on the bed. He was tickling them and their joyous laughter echoed warmly throughout the house. He knows his wife very very well.

For the past couple days since telling her of his decision to go undercover, she have been extremely quiet, instead focusing all her attention on their children, more specifically their two youngest.

She has not been ignoring her wifely duties towards him but he knew that presently, she was just more inside of her head, her mind and thoughts racing. She didn't want him to do this…go undercover. That much is clear but she wouldn't go to extreme lengths to stop him either.

As a cop, he have seen the effects of what drugs can do and this new drug 'Lady X' that Murray-Jarrett was pushing out on the streets is nothing like what he has seen in the past. It is a killer. They have gotten reports from fellow districts about the damage it was doing to entire communities and families.

The drug had now found its way into schools and eleven teenagers from three different cities are now dead. Their deaths have been attributed to Lady X. He has five children. Three presently in school and directly in harm's way should Lady X finds its way into Atlanta and two more children who would be in school on a few years' time.

No one knows how long it would take Lady X to reach Atlanta. He expressed these concerns to Michonne and she assured him that she understood. As a nurse, she has seen the effects of what drugs can do. Lady X has not arrived in Atlanta but she has heard about it.

She just doesn't understand why he has to be the one to do this. He saw Logan look over at the bedroom door and looked up. Michonne was leaning against the door smiling at him.

"Hey."

"Hey."

"Can we talk?"

Rick patted the side of the bed and Michonne joined him. Judith and Logan started climbing and moving all over and around them, playing with each other. Michonne looked at him, with her mouth opened to speak but she didn't. She had tears in her eyes and he saw her fear.

Rick already knows what she wants to say. He pulled her into his arms and down on the bed with him. He cupped her face. Judith and Logan were now at the foot of the bed playing with each other completely ignoring their parents.

"I know what you want to say Michonne."

He kissed her lips.

"I promise that I will be careful and that the slightest hint of trouble I will end the operation immediately. No hesitation."

Michonne said nothing as she buried her face in his chest...nodding quietly.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Eleven months later…

The past eleven months have been hard for both Rick and Michonne. The night before he began his undercover sting, Rick took her for a romantic dinner. Carol offered to take the kids for the night which they readily accepted.

After dinner, they came home and made love like it was their last day on earth. As the morning sun crept into their bedroom, Rick presented her with an upgraded version of her wedding ring. On the inside it read: "I am forever yours…Love Rick"

Michonne started crying.

"Oh Rick!"

They made love again.~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Once Rick went in, he could only make contact with his Captain and his family via phone once every two weeks and once everything was ok, Rick could see his family one week after that. It was hard for Michonne receiving messages from Rick through the Captain only twice per month and only being able to see him once per month.

Since they have married Michonne has never been alone…ever. After delicately explaining Rick's scarcity around the house to Carl, Sophia and Andre, they were doing their best to adjust but that wasn't the case for Judith and Logan. They needed their father, especially at such a young age.

They cried for their father every night for the first two weeks of Rick's absence and were elated when he came home briefly in the third week. They began crying again when he had to leave. Michonne herself cried as they screamed for their father to stay. It was one of the worst days in her life.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Being away from his wife and children was slowly killing Rick. The past 11 months was literal hell. He and Michonne have never been this far away from each other and it felt wholly unnatural. It also didn't help matters that his time away from his family wasn't yielding any results.

He has not been able to find anything that could help them in their case against Murray and Jarrett. It was as if everything dried up. With the year time limit he had almost at an end, he was only able to alternate between a scout driver and a low level foot soldier within the organisation.

None of these positions brought him within reach of any valuable Intel and if he tried it would almost instantly raise suspicions. One thing that was very clear though was that everyone was playing their cards very close to their chests.

In two days' time he was due to report to the Captain. He knows that he along with the rest of the department was disappointed that he was unsuccessful. Although that was the case he was happy to be going home.

He had missed all his kids' birthdays, Michonne's birthday and his twelfth year wedding anniversary. When he last saw Michonne she was beyond excited of him coming home to her and the children. Rick looked at his phone as a text came through. It was from Sonny, a low level lieutenant in the Murray-Jarrett operation. He sighed and walked out the door.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Two days later…

"I'm sorry Cap."

"You have nothing to be sorry about Rick. You did your best."

Rick said nothing as he sat in the dark room in a rat infested, dilapidated factory. It was about half an hour drive to this location and they always change locations for their telephone calls.

"So what are we going to do now?"

"Well since you only have one more week in until we pull you out so spend it gathering whatever you can. What we have will just have to do for now."

"But it isn't much and circumstantial at best."

"Let's hope that it will be enough to atleast get us a warrant to search for what we need."

"With DA Richards?" Rick scoffed. "We both know that isn't going to fly. He isn't going to take a chance and bet his reputation on this kind of evidence…especially on a case like this. It's too important and glamorous. Richards wants to make a killing on this in the grandest and splashiest way possible."

"Don't worry about that Rick. I'll talk to him…try to get him to see reason."

"Ok."

He was about to hang up the phone when the Captain spoke again.

"And Rick… be careful. I know you are disappointed. You sacrificed a year of your life…your family's life and it all came down to nothing. Don't do anything reckless or stupid to try to savage this. It's over…atleast for now. You are coming home to a very happy wife and children."

"Don't worry Captain. I am looking forward to putting this whole thing behind me. I miss my family. I want to go home to them."

"Good. See you in a week's time."

Rick ended the call and cautiously walked out of the building.~*~*~*~*~*~*~

One week later…..

While standing in the courtyard at one of their warehouses Rick tried not to show how relaxed he was. He was smiling today alittle more than usual. He was happy. All he had to do wait out the rest of the day.

He managed to gather a few other documents but nothing of substantial worth. There was alittle activity over the past week as well but it didn't raise any alarm bells for Rick.

"Going to take a leak." Rick told the man next to him.

The man shrugged his shoulders and Rick walked off. On his way back he passed by one of the offices and heard talking. Glancing around and making sure the coast was clear Rick pressed his ear against the door. He recognized the voices in the room, one of them being that if Scott, the lieutenant that replaced Nathan. Rick listened to the conversation.

"He has to go to the meeting. He can't afford not to go. This is a big shipment with a very important client. Murray is out of the country dealing with another client. Jarrett has to go."

"You know Jarrett never go to these drops."

"Yeah…but this client is a paranoid f*ck! He demanded that Jarrett be there or else this deal is off."

"You told Jarrett that? What did he say?"

"I told him but Jarrett didn't seem too concerned. It's not like the organisation is in a poor financial state. It is solid and growing steadily. However, having this client under our belt would be a major blow for our competitors."

"You think Jarrett will go?"

"I really don't know but I am to keep in touch with the client for the next couple days until the meeting next week."

A phone began ringing in the room.

"F*ck! It's the client."

Rick pulled off around the corner when he heard footsteps coming towards the door. Soon the door opened and Nelly, the other man in the room came out and walked in the opposite direction. When he disappeared from sight, Rick pressed his ear next to the door again and listened intently as Scott repeated an address over the phone.

"Ok. Got it."

There was a pause.

"I cannot guarantee if Mr Jarrett will be present at the drop but I will relay your strong request that his presence will be most appreciated."

By the time Scott exited the room, Rick had disappeared.~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rick found a safe spot as soon as possible to call the Captain. He had to relay this message as soon as possible. He did entertain this as a possible set up to again lure any possible moles within the Murray-Jarrett operation. The timing is suspect…he isn't that stupid to think otherwise.

He also couldn't dismiss it as well. He had to all see this also as the only possible shot of catching atleast one head of this drug operation. The Captain would have to make the call of whether to pursue this lead or not. If he has to stay one more week undercover to see it through he would have a very pissed off wife to deal with.~*~*~*~*~*~*~