Thank you to all who are continuing to hang with me. I know some have dropped off due to the relentless angst. It's disappointing, but I understand.

However, I do want to let you all know that things are about to get a whole hell of a lot better.

Anyway, I finished edits on this part sooner than expected.

Part II of Chapter 24, which is really just Chapter 25. :/

Chapter Twenty-five

For a moment Rick was dumbfounded by the statement, silently questioning how Carl knew of Michonne. He'd told him he'd met someone else, a friend, but he'd never given him details about who she was, where she lived, Rick thought before concluding what he should've from the start, that Lori must've have told him more.

"How do you know about Michonne?" Rick measuredly asked when he found his tongue, trying hard to stay his anger at what he was certain Lori had done.

"Mom told me she's why you're here in Atlanta and then I saw her outside your door."

"Michonne was here?" Rick calmly asked, even as worry and wanting raced through him, wondering if her walking around was a good sign, if the baby was alright. He hoped so. He desperately thought.

"Yes but she's probably gone now." His son replied, the disquiet now having returned to his face.

"Why do you say that?" Rick questioned with alarm, but his son didn't answer, instead awkwardly looking away. "Carl?" He pressed, his tone authoritative, prompting his son to suddenly yelled a response…

"Because you being hurt is her fault and I told her so!"

"What?!" Rick exclaimed, instantly furious. "Why would you do that when you know it's a lie?"

"To make her leave!" Carl justified. "I don't want her here!"

"That's not your decision to make." His father seethed. "I want her here." He admitted to his pouting son.

"She broke up you and mom and if it weren't for her..."

"That is not true!" Rick roared, stopping his son mid-sentence, scaring him a little. Rick then sighed in chargrin, briefly dropping his head, shaking it, while taking a breath to still his anger. "Your mother and I were over long before I met Michonne. We've talked about this, many times" He reminded his son. "So why the change in thought?"

"I don't know." The boy broodingly shrugged. "I…just think mom wouldn't have been with Uncle Shane and you wouldn't have been hurt by him if you'd taken her back."

"And what does that have to do with Michonne?" Rick honestly asked his son, who took a long moment to answer, thinking.

"Nothing." The boy dejectedly admitted.

"That's right." Rick concurred, pleased and relieved that his son was applying the logic he'd taught him to this situation, no longer allowing his frustration with all that had happened to dictate untruthful conclusions. "Remember what I told you about blame?"

"That it can be a way to deflect responsibility for ones own choices." Carl recited what Rick's father had instilled in him as a child.

"No matter the circumstances we all made choices, me, your mom, Shane and those choices were made of our own free will and the consequences of those choices are to be blamed on no one but ourselves." He said. "Do you get what I'm saying?" He asked his son who appeared to be genuinely listening, taking his words to heart.

"Yes." Carl nodded in understanding, his sullen demeanor almost completely faded. "It…I don't know…" He sighed then ceased to speak, looking down at his feet, indicating his reluctance to resume, but when Rick urged him to say what was on his mind he continued. "It…it just…feel like it's too soon, for you to replace mom." The boy cautiously declared.

"Carl, no matter who I date, your mom will always be apart of your life. She will always be your mother."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know what you meant." Rick let his son know. "But…after a separation like what me and your mother have gone through, people…move forward with their lives. Fall in love again, find a new happiness." He carefully explained. "Sometimes it's right away, sometimes its years down the line." He said. "But they do move on."

"Have you, moved on?" Carl boldly asked, looking him in the eyes.

"I have." He honestly told him.

"With Michonne?"

"Yes." Rick admitted, then nervously asked. "How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know." Carl answered, his expression hard to read.

"Well that's ok. You don't have to feel anything right now." Rick assured. "All I ask is that you be respectful."

"I can do that." The boy quietly affirmed.

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." Carl answered with more confidence.

Michonne walked into the waiting room that was down the hall, around the corner and thankfully empty save for her friend.

"How did it go?" Sasha stood upon seeing her, and the tears that were festering just beneath the surface, nearly overtook her with an uncontrollable cry.

"His wife and son are here?" She revealed with strength.

"What?!" Sasha exclaimed. "What are they doing here?"

"I don't know." Michonne sighed as she took a seat in the nearest chair and briefly brought a hand to her eyes, still severely fighting the tears that were pressing on her.

"Do I even need to ask how that went, meeting his wife and son?" Sasha asked, taking a seat next to her.

"Not good." She shook her head, closing her eyes.

"So I take it you didn't get to see him?" Michonne remained quiet unable to answer her friend's question due to the emotion she felt, seemingly becoming close to overflowing.

"I'm sorry." Sasha compassionately uttered.

"Don't be, because I'm staying." She then determinedly spoke, opening her eyes to stare at the cheap art work that graced the wall ahead.

"What? Why?!"

"I have to see him Sasha." Michonne stated, her voice breaking for a moment, revealing the struggle she was fighting within. "I have to tell him what happened." She continued, now looking at her friend who met her eyes. "To resolve this once and for all."

"Chonne I'm all for you talking this out with him but you're exhausted." Sasha argued. "You need to go home and rest. You can speak with him in the morning."

"No." She rejected. "I have to speak with him now."

"Chonne"

"If you have to go I understand. I know you have to get the kids..."

"The kids are with with Sheila and Tyrese." Sasha declared. "I just don't think you should do this, not after all you've been through today."

"I have to." Michonne stiffly said what she had before.

"Chon…"

"Sasha please!" She nearly exploded, her expressed irritation, almost freeing the tears that were on the brink of pouring. "Don't fight me on this." She stated with less severity.

"Ok." Her friend hesitantly conceded, while shaking her head in staunch disagreement. "I'm here with you, as long as it takes."

"Thank you."

Rick knew he shouldn't be doing this, pushing himself this way after being diagnosed with a concussion, but after everything that had happened, hours after the fact, he'd still not spoken with Michonne and had no idea how she was. The nurse had told him she was okay, and from Carl's account about seeing her in the hallway, she'd obviously come to see him. Therefore, she was likely fine, but he needed to see for himself, to make sure she was okay, to make sure the baby she was carrying, their baby was fine. Rick moved to get out of bed, wincing at the pain that was progressively returning due to the meds beginning to wear off. His thoughts, for a moment, turning to his son. How the attack by Shane had seemed to reignite Carl's confusion about the divorce.

However, his relationship with his son, the weeks that they'd spent living together and bonding, with minimal effect by outside influences, had paid off. He now shared an understanding with Carl that fostered a deep trust and respect between them. Thus, his ability to talk him off the ledge earlier that evening. Carl was still a ten year old, who'd continue to have moments of immaturity and misguidance, but he would be there to help him through it, and because of their bond that was now stronger than ever, Carl would allow his guidance. Rick felt good about his son, where they'd left things before he and Lori had got back on the road, gently smiling at the memory of Carl having text him several times since they left. Rick put a hand to his head, feeling a hint of dizziness and a faint headache. Everything was going to be alright with Carl. He knew, but Michonne was something different. His thoughts shifted, love and need, once more propelling his determination to see her…

Michonne stood outside the door to the room, the room she'd been waiting to enter for what seemed like hours. Now here she was, the time finally coming after she spotted Carl and Lori, dressed with coats and hats for the weather outside and got on the elevator, obviously leaving for the night. She'd sat for a while with Sasha at her side, not moving, allowing her head to again debate with her heart whether this was the right time, when she'd gathered her courage, reeled in her emotions then made her way to his room. Michonne closed her eyes, took a few calming breathes, when she heard an announcement over the PA, that visiting hours would be over in 15 minutes. The announcement inspired her to proceed, promptly knock on the door, to which a request was made, right away, for her to enter. Michonne cautiously pushed open the door and immediately saw him, Rick Grimes, sitting on the side of the bed, his hand bandaged and his right temple sporting a scar. Her breath caught in her throat, when his eyes met hers, tender with relief, igniting a contented warmth within her.

"Hey." She softly uttered.

"Hey." He quietly responded as he left his seat on the side of the bed and came to join her in the middle of the room. .

"You're okay." She sighed, her heart in that moment feeling full with happiness, driving a stray tear to flow, which he gently wiped away, causing her to close her eyes at the keen feelings his touch stirred.

"I'm okay." He confirmed, his voice uneven due to the joy he felt at finally seeing her, touching her once more. "But you're not…" He emotionally deduced from the hurt that emanated from her stare. "The baby?" He inaudibly asked. Michonne briefly dropped her eyes, then lifted her tearful gaze to his, and he knew. Pain ripped through him, shattering his hope, what he knew was fated, them raising a family together, devastating him. Rick took her in his arms, holding her close, unleashing the flood of tears that she'd been smothering. They remained in the embrace, for a long while, quiet and emotional, grieving over what might've been, what they'd lost, until the intensity of their sadness began to slightly calm.

"What happened?" Rick shakily asked, after they'd slowly ended the embrace and he slipped his un-bandaged hand around hers. For an instant, Michonne closed her eyes, savoring the power in his touch, while contemplating the question she'd asked herself a million times since it happened, then answered…

"I don't know." She faintly stated, her eyes still down. "The pregnancy was high risk from the start…I had a subchorionic hemorrhage, and when I heard the baby's heart rate…"

"You heard the heart rate?" Rick woefully interjected.

"Yes. This morning." Michonne replied with fragility as she lifted her gaze and was touched, yet torn by the loving grief in his stare.

"How long had you known?" He then asked, looking down as he sniffled away a tear, still grasping tightly to her hand, comforting them both.

"Two weeks." She sighed.

"Two weeks?" He uttered with hurt, his eyes again meeting hers reflecting the emotion in his voice. "Why didn't you tell me?" His question was followed by a long silence, heavy with uncertainty and sorrow as Michonne tried to organize the feelings and reasoning behind her choice not to tell him right off about the pregnancy.

"Shock, fear, uncertainty…" She then finally answered when it seemed like she wouldn't. "Until this morning…I didn't even know if I wanted…the pregnancy." She confessed and watched in pain as Rick's eyes reflected agony and shock.

"But then you heard the baby's heartbeat…and called me." He guessed aloud, in a hushed tone.

"Yes."

"Would you have told me had you…made another choice?" He had to ask, driving Michonne to pull her hand from his, to turn away and put some space between them, deepening his anguish, as she recalled her thoughts during that time, her resentment and confusion, her desire to not even be pregnant and her uncertainty about telling Rick everything.

"I planned to tell you, no matter my decision." She declared, brushing away a tear that drifted to her cheek. "But honestly I don't know if I would've." She revealed as she faced him again. "You were married. You're still married and living, with your wi…" She began to explain when the door to the room suddenly opened and the doctor entered, frustrating them with the interruption.

"What is going on here?" The doctor asked. " you should be in bed."

"Doctor…"

"In bed, now!" The man ordered. "You should be resting, your body and your mind, especially with that concussion." He continued to scold as an aggravated Rick got back into bed.

"You have a concussion?" Michonne questioned with grave concern.

"I'll be fine." Rick assured, doing little to ease her worry.

"He will be, if he rests." The doctor seriously reiterated as he now checked Rick's pulse and inquired about how he was feeling, when there was an announced over the Hospital PA that visiting hours were over. "Which that announcement will allow you to do." He added.

"Doctor please, I need to finish this." Rick vehemently protested as Michonne looked on, wanting desperately to finish this too, but needing more for Rick to take care of himself and get better.

"On the contrary. You need to rest." The man strongly countered.

"That's the last thing I need."

"Do you want to risk prolonged headaches, seizures, vision disturbances…"

"He's right. I should go." Michonne interjected before the doctor could fully list the potential adverse affects of not taking care of himself.

"No." Rick firmly rejected, needing her to stay, for fear that if she left some unforeseen circumstance would hinder them working through all that had gone on.

"Mr. Grimes. She can't stay." The doctor said once more, forcing Rick to accept what didn't want to.

"You need your rest." Michonne echoed the doctor's words as she held his gaze that was brimming with so many things unsaid, just about undoing her. "We'll finish this tomorrow."Shepromised. Rick barely nodded, begrudgingly accepting her vow, then watch in heartache as she left his room without another word.

An Hour Later...

Michonne walked into her empty condo, closing the door behind her, feeling lonely and sad. After leaving the hospital she'd had Sasha take her by her office building so she could pick up her car. Her friend had been emphatically against it. Stating that she'd been through too much, that she was exhausted and needed to just go home and rest, but Michonne had firmly pushed back. She didn't want to be concerned with getting her car the following day and didn't want to bother Sasha and Bob, which would lead to them upsetting their schedules, as they'd done before, to make sure her car was brought home. It didn't make sense. She'd told her friend, when they were driving right by the office building in route to her condo. Sasha didn't like it, but had ultimately conceded, taking her to retrieve her car, then planned to follow her home. However, Michonne had stopped that too.

She'd "lost the baby, but that doesn't mean I need a caregiver. I don't need you to follow me home." She'd told her friend, which Sasha had countered that she shouldn't be alone right now, that it was too much to handle on her own. "I'll be alright." She'd strongly insisted. She understood what Sasha was trying to do, and she really did appreciate her unconditional support, but she just needed to be alone. Michonne could see that Sasha wanted to fight that sentiment, but she'd reluctantly let it go, knowing that she would only make things worse if she forced the issue. "Promise me if you need anything, even just someone to come over in the middle of the night to talk, you'll call me." Sasha had said. "I will." Michonne had honestly replied. Sasha had then vowed to come by the following day to check on her, before giving her a comforting hug.

Michonne walked through the dark condo guided by the light of the moonlight and beautifully lit skyline just out the window. She placed her bag on the couch and made her way to the large window, and stared out, feeling as empty as the streets below, helpless replaying the horrors and heartache of the day through her mind, wondering if she and Rick would ever find their way back to that brief time of happiness weeks ago, when there was no confusion or misunderstandings, where they could just enjoy being together. Maybe they just weren't meant to be. Her heart hurt at the thought. Maybe that's why all the obstacles they'd faced had happened - the fire which drew his wife and child back into his home, delaying the divorce. Why she'd lost the baby.

A deep, sharp sadness, grew in her heart, inciting tears, that were trapped within her, for the time unable to flow. Exhausted, Michonne moved from the window and was making her way to the master bedroom, planning to get a warm shower before attempting to try and sleep, when came a ring at the door, startling her. Sasha must've decided to come by anyway. She tiredly sighed to herself. She was grateful to her friend for everything she'd done for her, but she truly did not want to see anyone, when she went to the door, worn and not thinking, and unwisely opened it without checking the peephole...

"Rick" She gasped at the sight of him outside her door, looking just as exhausted as her. Yet his eyes were full of fervor and amour.

"I can't wait for tomorrow. I love you." He uttered with passion, releasing the emotions that moments before seemed buried within her, never to be unleashed again."I love you." He whispered, once more his voice breaking in tenderness as he gently caressed her cheek. "And I'm not letting you walk out of my life again." He avowed, causing Michonne to break down into a fury of tears, driving him to take her in his arms and hold her tight, knowing in his heart that they'd never be separated again.