A/N: Thank you all for reading, leaving a review and following.

The quaint little café was a short walk from where the meeting was held so Michonne and her two companions decided to make their way there on foot. Morgan walked in stride with her and Rick stayed behind; he discreetly let his eyes fall to her perfectly round backside as he admired the enticing sway of her hips. Somehow, he liked the way her heels tapped against the sidewalk; the sound reminded him of something from his past, a female teacher he had a crush on, perhaps.

"You don't usually get your coffee from here, do you, Rick?" Michonne asked.

Rick was shaken from his daydream; his stare torn away from her behind.

"Sorry?" he asked, hoping she had not caught him ogling her.

"This café, you don't frequent it? You go to the diner, right? Andrea and I saw you there one morning," she said with a smile.

"Yeah that's right; they have better service and it's got a real country town feel to it," he explained. "I take my coffee black with one sugar; I don't need anything fancy."

"Rick here's a real cowboy; raised on beans, sour coffee and guts. Ain't that right?" asked Morgan as he looked back at Rick with a grin.

"Yes, sir," said Rick with a chuckle. "Nothin' fancy."

"Well if I don't get my double chocolate chip crème Frappuccino at least once a week I'm liable to choke someone out," Michonne said with a serious face and neither man could tell if she was joking or not.

…..

The three associates sat at a small window table and sipped on their beverages; Morgan did most of the talking, Rick was happy to sit and listen. He felt slightly awkward now that the three of them were there, though he did not know why he should feel that way; it was just coffee with people he knew from work. One was a friend of his he had known for a very long time and the other was the beautiful woman whom he nearly went on a date with. Now, as he watched Morgan make Michonne smile and laugh, he wished that they could have had a moment alone. She was so smart and interesting and Rick was regretting that he did not get to know her months ago.

He wanted to jump into the conversation, but by the time he thought of something half-intelligent to say, the subject changed. Rick sighed discreetly and sipped from his coffee again. Upon noticing that Rick was being left out, Michonne spoke directly to him.

"So, Deputy, I decided that you're idea was a pretty good one," she said, offering him a coy smile.

Rick looked up at her and could barely hold back his own grin.

"Glad to hear. Which idea was that?" he replied eagerly.

"About changing the name of the Program. You were right; it does sound too negative as it stands," she offered.

He smiled and his bright blue eyes lit up; Michonne almost lost her train of thought.

"What did you come up with?" asked Morgan, breaking their concentration on one another.

"Ah, nothing that I felt fits yet. Maybe Rick could think of something since it was he who pointed it out," she said, raising her eyebrows at Rick and dipping her head slightly.

He could not help but think to himself that she was very adorable.

"Right. Yeah, I can give it some thought," he said with a grin.

Morgan looked between the two as they spoke; they were completely engaged in one another. They were talking about something as mundane as choosing a name for the Program, yet the spark between the two of them was undeniable. Morgan soon felt like a third wheel.

"I'm happy to mull a few ideas over as well," said Morgan.

Michonne turned her head in his direction.

"Great. I'm sure the two of you can come up with something amazing," she offered amicably before her phone began to ring.

"Excuse me a moment, gentlemen," she said before answering it.

She spoke quietly and briefly before ending the call.

"I'm sorry, I have to get going now," Michonne said as she looked from Morgan to Rick.

Both men stood as she did.

"Thanks for your input today," she offered, her eyes lingering on Rick.

"It's no trouble at all," said Morgan while Rick smiled.

"I'll be in touch," she said as they all bid each other goodbye.

Rick and Morgan watched Michonne walk away before they sat back down to finish off their beverages.

"She's somethin' else," said Morgan with a wide smile and a shake of his head.

Rick nodded.

"She sure is," he replied.

"Can I ask you somethin', Rick?" said Morgan with a seriousness to his tone.

"Of course," Rick replied.

"Do you think it would be unprofessional of me to ask Michonne out? I mean, we don't work for the same organizations, but we are workin' together. What do you think?" Morgan asked as he rested his elbows on the table and interlocked his fingers.

Rick raised his eyebrows and furrowed his brow; he folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"I don't know," was all he could say.

"Come on, man. Just tell me what you're thinkin'," Morgan chuckled and then drank from his cup.

Rick wanted to tell his friend that it was a terrible idea; he wanted to say that Morgan had no business asking Michonne out and that it would only make their working together awkward. He wanted to say that they were not well suited, though they probably were very compatible. He wanted to tell Morgan that he should focus on work though he himself would sometimes forget why they were sitting in a meeting when Michonne's deep, brown eyes locked on to his blue ones. He knew he would not say any of those things because it meant that he would have to address the reasons why he would respond in such a manner. Rick was not ready to admit that he was attracted to Michonne himself, and advising his friend not to ask her out without good reason would mean he just might have to say it out loud; he was attracted to her and he did not know what to do about it. He somehow felt that he had missed his chance with her.

"She's great," Rick said. "You should go for it."

Morgan nodded and Rick smiled weakly as his shoulders slouched; he drank the last of his coffee which now, for some reason, tasted sour.

xXxXx

"You don't think it's all moving a little fast?" asked Michonne as she and Andrea sat down on the latter's bed.

"Maybe, I don't know. I just know it feels right for us," Andrea responded.

"Moving in with someone is a huge deal so if it's right for you, then I'm happy for you," Michonne said with a smile.

"Thanks, doll," said Andrea jauntily.

"I have one concern though," Michonne started.

"What? That Rick's gonna be here all the time?" Andrea laughed.

"No. Look, he's actually okay…"

"What now?" asked Andrea a little surprised.

"Rick, he's an okay guy. I know I thought working with him was going to be a nightmare, but he's actually a really nice person who's serious about his job," Michonne said in earnest.

"Look at you! You couldn't wait to start talkin' about him, could you!" Andrea said excitedly.

"No! Ain't even like that!" Michonne denied, though it was somewhat true.

"Okay, whatever. I told you he was a good guy. It's not like I'd try to fix you up with some asshole. Besides, now that Shane's moving in and Rick will be here more often and you're here all the time, maybe the two of you can become friends too. You know, on top of being colleagues. And who knows what after that," she offered.

"Friends is good," said Michonne sincerely.

Andrea gave her a knowing smile.

"So, what was it that you're concerned about?" she asked.

"Oh. Right. I'm concerned about how Shane's ugly ass furniture is gonna clash with your décor," Michonne offered as both women fell into laughter.

xXxXx

"Why the fuck did you go and say that, asshole?" Shane asked in amazement.

"Shit. I don't know," replied Rick.

"You basically gave Morgan the go ahead to ask Michonne out when we all know you like her. Why didn't you tell him some bullshit that it was unprofessional?" asked Shane.

"What? And then go and do the same thing myself?" Rick asked.

"So you are admitting that you're interested now?" asked Shane.

Rick shrugged.

"I guess I am," he said as he slumped into the seat next to Shane. "But what's the point? Morgan's a great guy. She's gonna take him up on his offer and they'll end up married with a shitload of babies."

Shane rolled his eyes.

"Don't be so fuckin' dramatic. You're a great guy too, buddy. You deserve to be happy. I'm thinkin' you should just go for it and ask her out," said Shane.

"Knowing that my friend is already into her? That seems a little sleazy," said Rick.

"Yeah, most likely, but that's all the advice I got," Shane said.

The two men went quiet a moment.

"Look, man, she might not even say yes to him," Shane offered.

Rick sighed.

"I just feel like a complete dickhead. It's like I missed a great opportunity with Michonne. You were right; she's an amazing lady," Rick said sadly.

xXxXx

The serenity of the early Sunday morning was broken by the noisy V8 engine in Shane's truck as it came to a steady halt at the front of Andrea's place. He and Rick were moving his recliner; it was the only piece of furniture he was bringing with him, much to his girlfriend's relief.

"Whose car is that?" asked Rick as they both existed the vehicle.

"Michonne's," replied Shane. "I can tell you right now that there are two hungover ladies inside this house sleepin' off a night of drinkin' fancy fuckin' wine."

Rick smiled and shook his head.

"Why we here so early then?" he asked.

Shane just shrugged and winked at his friend; they each went to the back of the truck and grabbed a box before making their way towards the door.

…..

Andrea opened one eye as she heard the front door unlock; she saw Shane step inside and place a box to the floor. Empty wine bottles littered the coffee table and her mouth felt dry. She glanced over to the other sofa to ensure Michonne was still sleeping soundly after their night of merriment; her friend was still out for the count.

"Rise and shine!" said Shane in an obnoxiously loud voice.

Andrea groaned and tossed a cushion in his general direction; Michonne stirred and then used a cushion to cover her head.

"Come on girls," he added. "Is this what I'm movin' in to?"

"Ugh! Keep yellin' and you won't be movin' in at all," said Andrea as she clenched her eyes closed.

Shane tossed the cushion back at Andrea playfully.

"Michonne, you up yet?" Shane asked.

"Go away, Shane," Michonne answered groggily. "It's too early for this."

"It's eight-thirty and me and my buddy gotta move this chair inside," he offered.

Michonne's eyes opened at the mention of Shane's buddy; that buddy had to be Rick Grimes. When he spoke, Michonne felt her face grow warm.

"Sorry, ladies. My partner here said we should get an early start," said Rick as he took in the scene.

Michonne and Andrea had obviously had one too many the previous night and decided to sleep it off in the lounge room. It did not escape Rick's notice that Michonne was wearing very little clothing at the present moment; though she had covered her head with a couch cushion, he could see that she had slept in a small tank top and short shorts.

Andrea had begun to move around so Michonne groaned and sat as well; she straightened her clothing, squinted her eyes and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. She did not look at Rick though she could feel his eyes on her. She was certain her make-up was smudged and she looked a mess; Rick thought she looked cute even when she was hungover.

"This is too early, asshole," said Andrea as Shane tackled her to the sofa and tried to kiss her.

"Get off!" she squealed. "I have wine breath."

Shane just laughed and kissed her anyways.

"I got the perfect thing to fix that hangover y'all got buildin'," offered Shane. "Let us get my shit inside and we'll run to the store to grab some stuff for breakfast."

…..

The smell of bacon and eggs wafted through the kitchen when Michonne finished showering and made her way down stairs. The cold water helped to wake her up a little and she was happy a headache had not set in. She smiled a little when she stepped into the kitchen to see Rick cooking.

"I take it you do a lot of hangover cooking for your partner," Michonne pointed out to Rick.

He laughed as he turned to look at her.

"Yes ma'am," was his reply. "Always use a special ingredient."

"If you say love, I will hurl," Michonne offered as she took a seat at the kitchen table.

Rick laughed even louder this time.

"No, I meant greasy cooking oil. Lots of greasy oil," he said with a wide grin; Michonne smiled at him.

"Would you like some coffee?" Rick asked as he placed the frying pan to the back burner.

He took note that she had put on a t-shirt but still wore short shorts; Rick had to remind himself to not get caught checking her out.

"Yes, thank you. That'd be great," said Michonne as Andrea and Shane came into the room.

"Smells delicious," said Andrea.

"It'll make you feel better to, babe," said Shane. "Ain't that right?"

"Sure will," offered Rick. "And it's just about ready."

…..

The four of them sat out in the backyard eating their breakfast; the fresh air did wonders to make Michonne and Andrea liven up. The food Rick had prepared helped as well.

"So, what was the occasion?" Shane asked of their drinking session.

"Oh. We decided to have a few glasses to celebrate you moving in…"

"Actually, it was more like mourning your freedom, Andrea," Michonne interjected jokingly causing everyone to laugh.

"Right. That's exactly what it was. So we broke out a couple of bottles. Then it turned into like a crate of bottles," said Andrea.

"But this is really nice, Rick," said Michonne of the food. "Thanks."

"No trouble at all," he replied with a smile.

…..

Michonne was about to leave when Shane clapped Rick on the back and asked Michonne a question.

"You mind givin' this handsome devil a ride home? I brought him over here and now I don't feel much like takin' him back," he said with a laugh.

Michonne looked at Rick who was wearing a coy smile.

"Sure. That's fine," she said.

They bid their friends farewell and walked outside to Michonne's car.

"Are you sure you're okay to drive?" Rick asked. "If I had the squad car, I'd give you a breath test."

"Maybe you could drive to your place, and then I'll take over from there? I still feel a little shaky," Michonne said and Rick agreed that would be fine.

"Okay, sounds like a plan," he offered as they made their way along.

Michonne discreetly checked Rick out; she thought he looked much different in jeans and a t-shirt than his usual uniformed self. She could see his defined physique better now that he was not so covered up by his loose fitting police attire. His wavy hair was a little messy and she liked the way that one stray curl sat at his temple. He seemed relaxed as they drove in comfortable silence.

Rick did not live too far from Michonne as they were on the same side of town. They pulled up at his house and Rick sat behind the wheel not moving as he thought of what to say. Michonne watched him expectantly before he turned to look at her.

"Did you wanna come inside for some coffee?" Rick asked before he could argue with himself and not ask at all.

Michonne gave him a smile.

"Can I give it a raincheck?" she asked. "I think I need to get home and go back to bed."

Rick felt his stomach drop a little.

"Of course. I understand," he offered; the disappointment obvious in his expression.

Michonne felt slightly bad for turning down such a friendly gesture.

"Definitely another time though," she said quickly. "And thanks for breakfast and everything else."

"Really, I didn't mind. Just glad to help where I can," he said with a smile as they both did not make an effort to move.

"Before I forget, I didn't get the chance last week because we were busy with meetings, but I wanted to apologize to you," said Michonne in earnest.

Rick looked at her a little confused.

"For what?" he asked.

"For being such a bitch towards you," she said.

Rick shook his head.

"No, you don't have to apologize at all," he offered. "You weren't bein' any type of way with me. I'm the one who should say sorry. I was a bit of a dick myself."

Michonne shook her head.

"No way. You were just defending yourself from me and my stubbornness," she countered.

"Well, let's agree that we were both a little unfriendly without reason and we're sorry?" asked Rick.

Michonne smiled and nodded.

"Okay. Agreed," she said cheerfully.

Just then her phone began to ring; the display read Morgan Jones.

"Excuse me a sec," she said before answering.

"Hi Morgan," she said.

Rick sighed and hopped out of the car; he waited outside for Michonne to finish her conversation which was really short as she advised Morgan she would need to call him back. She opened the door, which Rick held for her and stepped out.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'll give him a call back when I get home," she offered.

Rick felt a slight sense of discouragement.

"Thanks again Rick. I should get going," she offered as they stood staring at each other.

"You're welcome," he replied as he moved to the other side of the car to get the door for her.

She gave him a sweet smile and got behind the wheel.

"I'll see you soon," Michonne offered.

Rick beamed brightly at her.

"Yeah, see you," he replied.

Rick stood on the sidewalk and watched as she drove away; oblivious to the fact that she was looking at him in her rear view mirror.

A/N: I wonder what Morgan wants?

Should Rick make a move?