Deception (Chapter 6)
Morgan can't believe the mass of people at Michonne's apartment building. Between the police, the bomb squad, hotel security, and the paparazzi, the entire block was congested. It was the best decision to move her to Deanna's place, but he is getting anxious. The team is split and he is more than sure that is not a good idea. He left Shane at the hospital with Maggie, Rick is with Michonne, T-Dog is being interrogated by the police, and he is trying to get some intel about what happened.
He sees T-Dog with two detectives and walks toward them. They exchange short pleasantries and one of the detectives lets him know they would need to question him and the others as soon as possible. They were awaiting a call from the hospital as soon as Maggie was able to answer some questions. Morgan requests to be interrogated immediately but asks if they can transport Michonne to the station the next day.
"We'd rather not sit on this. The little info we've gotten from the bomb squad tells us this was a detonation, maybe homemade. Even the security cameras were tampered with. We need to get statements as soon as possible."
Morgan agrees and submits to their questions, promising to get the others to the station as soon as they are available.
Meanwhile, Rick is on his cell with Shane, trying to get an update on Maggie. Michonne waits anxiously by his side, praying that Maggie would be ok. Shane relays that the surgery was successful. She had injuries to her head and leg that had to be repaired. Deanna was making arrangements for her parents to fly in to New York that day.
A slight relief floods through Michonne as she realizes that everything is going to be fine. Maggie would recover from this. She waits patiently for Rick to complete his conversation and once he hangs up, she says, "I have to see her. Please say we can go to the hospital."
Rick drops his head, knowing the possible consequences but seeing her anguish, realizing he can't deny her. "Where are the keys to Deanna's cars?" She opens her mouth but he cuts her off as he knows what she is about to suggest. "No drivers. Not right now. I'll get you there unseen. You're gonna have to do something different with your hair, we need to disguise you as best as we can."
She looks down at her outfit, the spandex pants, matching jacket, and running shoes. "I can't go in there like this."
"That's exactly how you're going in there. People are gonna be looking for a celebrity and you're not giving them that. Not today."
She doesn't argue but can't think of what to do with her hair so she rummages through Deanna's closet and retrieves a knit cap. She pulls it over her head, pushing her hair into it as best as she is able, lifts her jacket hood, and grabs a pair of shades. "Will this do?"
"It'll have to."
Rick is frustrated as all he has is one gun for protection. He tells himself it will have to do as they retrieve keys and make their way to the parking garage. He holds her hand as they walk, feeling her apprehension at being in another parking garage, trying not to relive what just happened. They find the car and slip inside quietly. He tells her to lean down as soon as they are cleared by security and exit onto the street.
Thirty minutes later, they are in the elevator at the hospital on their way to the 10th floor. Shane meets them in the hallway and leads them to Maggie's side. A blaring white bandage covers her friend's head as she continues to sleep. Michonne tries to contain her emotions as she has never seen Maggie like this. She takes the chair by the bed and holds her hand, her throat so tight she knows she won't be able to utter a word. She does the only thing she knows to do in a moment like this. Something her mom and dad taught her, something she has never forgotten. She prays.
A male nurse comes in to check Maggie's vitals and introduces himself as Glenn. He assures them that he will take good care of his patient and that she is in the best hands. Michonne is not sure why but his words actually aid her in feeling better.
Rick gets a call from Morgan and an hour later, he and Michonne are in the hospital's empty chapel answering questions from the detectives assigned to investigate the incident. Shane is questioned as well. The detectives give their customary assurances, promising to remain in contact as the investigation progresses. Neither of them seemed convinced that Michonne's stalker had followed her from one coast to the other but Rick and Morgan were adamant about it.
Maggie's parents arrived before nightfall and Michonne wanted so badly to tell them everything but Rick advised her against it. News about the stalker had not hit the public and he wanted it to stay that way. Morgan stepped in and relayed a plausible story to Mr. and Mrs. Greene, promising to take care of all the expenses.
Rick, Michonne, and Shane return to Deanna's after making a quick stop at a couple of stores to purchase a few needed items. The former hopes they will be able to return to her place on tomorrow if only to retrieve some clothes and other necessities. T-Dog remains at the hospital, watching over Maggie as a precaution. Morgan keeps Deanna abreast of everything, working with her to procure another bodyguard and discuss Michonne's lack of a personal assistant.
The next morning, Rick and Michonne are alone again as Morgan and Shane travel to the hospital to relieve T-Dog and to check on Maggie and her parents. They sit in Deanna's kitchen, Rick devouring an omelet while Michonne picks at hers. The security alarm starts chirping and they both freeze before sharing a panicked look and making their way to the front entrance. They both start to relax when the sound ends as the gentleman at the door punches in a code.
"Spencer?" Michonne questions as the dark haired guy at the door turns to face them.
"Hey. I didn't know you'd be here," he returns.
"I didn't know you were back in the states. Weren't you in Jamaica somewhere?"
"I'm back earlier than expected. I'll surprise Mom later this week." He looks to Rick curiously. "Who's this?"
"This is Rick. He's my bo….."
"Bodyguard," Rick supplies hurriedly. "I'm the bodyguard. Rick Grimes."
Spencer nods. "Nice to meet you. Spencer Monroe."
Michonne tries to ignore Rick's interruption but can't help wondering…..what did he think I was about to say? She lets out a slight yelp as Spencer takes her by surprise and wraps her in a tight hug. She immediately starts to push him away then thinks better of it and returns his hug. Her relief is evident as he lets go of her with a smile.
"It's just been so long since I've seen you. I almost forgot just how beautiful you are," Spencer admits.
Michonne clears her throat, stealing a quick look at Rick. "Thank you Spencer. We uh…we were having breakfast. Are you hungry?"
"Thanks but no. I'm going to unpack and call Mom. I'll come find you later."
They watch as he moves toward the stairs, carrying a couple of large duffle bags. Rick finds it strange that he doesn't have any regular luggage. He turns his attention to Michonne with raised eyebrows.
"Something tells me there's a story there. You mind sharing?"
Michonne takes a deep sigh, questioning the reveal of every little detail of her life. "We went out on a date once but I didn't feel comfortable with him. He's Deanna's son. He seemed more like a brother to me."
"Does he know that?"
"Rick, that was years ago. Believe me. Spencer has moved on."
They return to their breakfast, but Rick can't shake the feeling that something may be off with Spencer.
XXXXXXXXXX
They are at Michonne's apartment with Spencer in tow. He learned of Michonne's dilemma through his mother and wanted to help in any way he could. Rick wanted to protest, but left things as they were. Morgan trusts him and obviously Michonne does too. They were gathering enough items to be at Deanna's for a couple of weeks.
They were able to sneak in undetected but didn't know how long that would last as the paparazzi continues to hang around in hopes of catching a glimpse of the starlet.
Michonne can't help looking around her place and wondering if it will ever feel secure again. She can only hope so and prays this nightmare will end soon. She wants Maggie to be ok so they can take that vacation they've been postponing. Maybe she could reach out to her parents again. It's been way too long and they have to forgive her eventually. Then there's Rick. She questions if they will ever have a chance at a real relationship. She scoffs as she realizes those were all personal goals. For the first time in a long time, it wasn't her career that she thought of first.
Hours later, they are back at Deanna's after having visited Maggie at the hospital. Michonne wants to take her mind off of the obvious so she decides to prepare dinner. That always makes her feel better. Spencer and Rick were in the kitchen with her while she was prepping her meal. The former offers his advice on how to handle the stalker and Rick listens, trying to be attentive.
Michonne can tell he is a bit irritated with Spencer but continues to hold his tongue. The doorbell chimes and Michonne is relieved, knowing it must be Shane and T-Dog returning. Morgan would remain at the hospital.
Spencer goes to answer the door while Rick and Michonne share a certain look in his absence. The slight amusement they were enjoying was nullified as Shane, T-Dog, and Spencer enter the kitchen with panicked expressions. Shane hands over a large envelope with some black and white photos to Rick.
"We gotta get her outta here, man," T-Dog states.
Rick knows without a doubt that T-Dog is right. He holds in expletive after expletive as he looks at the pictures of himself, Michonne, Shane, and Maggie in the parking garage before, during, and after the explosion. He fires off question after question as he takes Michonne by the arm and they rush to grab the few things she brought from her apartment.
She only caught a glimpse of the photos but knew not to question anything at this point. All she can do is follow Rick's instructions. Shane and Spencer go to the hospital to inform Morgan of what happened while Rick, Michonne and T-Dog take another car and leave for a destination unknown. Rick realizes that he can't share her whereabouts with anyone at this point. Sending the photos was just the stalker's way of letting them know he was close by and he knew where they were. He was getting closer and closer which means he was going to make another move soon.
Michonne feels like she is in a true spy movie with all the secrecy, the black clothing, using untraceable phones for communication, and they are once again checked into a hotel. If not for all of the activity and anxiety, she probably would've broken down by now.
4:05 am finds them leaving the hotel and traveling on the highway. Rick hasn't said a word about where they're going. Only that it should be safe. All she knows at this point is that Maggie and her family are being taken care of and will be moved out of the city the next day. She can't help but feel apprehensive about it and questions if this is good for her friend's recovery. She shakes her head and tells herself that Maggie could be in just as much danger as she is so it was best for them to be proactive and take precautions.
She rests her head against the seat in the rear of the car, looking from the back of Rick's head to the back of T-Dog's, asking yet again what did I do to deserve this?
A little over twenty hours later, they arrive in King County, Georgia in another vehicle minus T-Dog. They met someone named Daryl Dixon right outside of Florida. He and T-Dog left in Deanna's car while Rick and Michonne hopped into the truck Daryl was driving and made their way to Georgia. She can't wait to get a decent meal and take a long hot bath.
She looks over at Rick and can't help but notice how tense he is. She swallows nervously, wishing she could relieve his anxiety somehow. Those feelings of guilt are trying hard to resurface and she can't help but wonder if this is what her parents were always warning her against. Not necessarily that fame would lead to something like this but maybe that fame came with a price she might not be willing to pay.
They pull into a neighborhood that looks almost familiar to her. Darkness shrouds the houses as it is still in the wee hours of the morning, but what little she can make out appears nice and tranquil. Rick parks the truck on the street and takes a look around cautiously. He retrieves their bags from the rear cab and says, "Let's go."
Their walk is short as he moves up to a house and kneels down to grab a key holder hidden near the steps. He takes the key and unlocks the door, ushering her inside quietly. The minute he closes the door, he questions his lucidity in bringing her here but what choice did I have? He looks around as a dim light from a nearby lamp was left on. His mother has been taking care of the place like always as he notices how organized everything is.
He glances at Michonne. "Take a load off. I'll see if there is anything salvageable in the kitchen."
She surmises that he doesn't have to tell her twice as she plops down in the nearest chair and looks around curiously. She frowns as she notices some framed photos on a book shelf and immediately moves over to inspect. She smiles as she recognizes Rick with an older man and woman who must be his parents. She holds in a gasp as she realizes this must be his house. Her eyes dart from left to right as she turns around to take in the furniture, the wall art, the entertainment system. She has a million questions but knows she will have to quell her curiosity for now.
He returns with some granola bars and pop tarts. "I know, I know. I didn't plan well for this. I'll just go to the grocery store when it opens."
"This is your house?"
"Yeah. This is the one place I thought of, a place where you could be safe. But we won't be here long. Morgan will find another place and a way to get us there undetected," Rick assures her.
"But for how long? I mean, what if we never catch this guy? Am I supposed to live like this indefinitely?" She wonders.
"We'll catch him, Michonne. Everybody slips up every now and again and this guy will slip up."
"Ok." She looks around again. "Can you show me to the bathroom? I really need a bath right about now."
"Come on." He leads her upstairs, her bag in tow and shows her where everything is. She thanks him and closes the door as he exits.
Rick stands in the hallway, staring at the closed door, wondering how he is going to make things right for her again. He takes a deep breath and moves off to the guest bedroom, making sure that the room is clean. He can't thank his mother enough for looking out for him especially while he is gone.
Thirty minutes later, they are bidding each other good night. Michonne wants so badly to regale him with question after question about his life here but she sees how tired he is and knows he should get some sleep. On the journey here, he would drive while T-Dog napped and then they'd switch places but she knows that isn't nearly as good as getting a good night's rest.
On impulse, she leans toward him and kisses his cheek gently. "Thank you."
"Everything's gonna be ok. I promise." He hugs her to him and kisses her soundly on the mouth. It was his intent to pull away, but he can taste the mint on her lips and decides he wants to taste more. He leads with his tongue, coaxing her to open up. She welcomes him as she tilts her head and offers her tongue as well. The exchange grows heated quickly as Rick can feel his body responding. He places his hands at her hips and steps back a fraction, breaking their kiss.
He clears his throat. "I uh….I'm gonna let you get some sleep now."
All she can do is nod, but she is sure to kiss him one last time before he steps into the hallway. She closes the door of the guest bedroom, turns out the lamp and stares at the ceiling as she lies back in bed. She feels wide awake, remembering what they just shared but slowly drifts off to sleep before she knows it.
Meanwhile, Rick is in the shower in his bedroom, trying to calm down as his mind races with thoughts of what their next move should be and his loins ache with the knowledge that the object of his desire is in a room down the hall. He will wait to hear from Morgan, but knows he will need a plan B just in case. He is expecting Daryl and T-Dog back sometime tomorrow and hopefully Shane can join them later in the week once Maggie and her family are settled. As for his other problem, he drops his hand slowly and wheedles himself into an unsatisfying release.
Several minutes later, he is in bed but sleep eludes him. His thoughts are constantly of Michonne and how this has been his most challenging assignment to date. Hopefully, they could get in a couple of uneventful days here at home, just enough time to get a report back from the bombing. There had to be some clues somewhere. He finds it is better to concentrate on the true assignment than anything else.
The next morning, Michonne is awakened by the mouthwatering aroma of bacon and fresh coffee. She smiles, wondering how Rick ever made himself leave her alone long enough to make a trip to the grocery store. She makes her way down the stairs and frowns as she draws closer to the kitchen and can clearly detect another voice besides Rick's…..a female voice. She enters the kitchen slowly to see Rick seated at the table while an older woman stands at the stove, talking and laughing as she cooks.
Rick sees her and makes his way to her side. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Michonne."
