Michonne

"It's stuck," Michonne announced while surveying the contents of the van, noting the katana posted between her and Rick's seats. Spinning around, her eyes scanned the surrounding land for something, anything to fend off the dead. A few feet before her lay a large, pointed branch. She trudged towards it just as a walker emerged from the brush, lunging its body full speed en route to her. Managing to ground herself, she assaulted the walker with the heel of her boot. With all of her might, she managed to push it a few yards away. Instantly it collapsed to the ground as Daryl emerged from the rear of their van, his crossbow at eye level. Michonne snatched the arrow from the walker's maggot encased skull and stabbed another walker lagging a few feet ahead in the face.

Carl hopped out the van through the door Michonne couldn't open, slicing the head of a walker ambling towards Michonne with her katana. She whirled on her heels to find Carl in mid swing as another walker limped towards him. After taking it out, he holstered her sword, hollered her name and tossed it to her. Removing his hunting knife from the case on his thigh, he ran up towards Noah, struggling to take down a walker twice his size.

"Michonne," Rick growled, his red handled machete covered in walker guts, as he made his way to the other side of the van towards her. "Behind ya!"

In one swish of the sword, Michonne simultaneously unsheathed and severed the torso of a walker behind her, brought it back and staked a walker in the face directly behind Rick, her sword inches from Rick's ear.

"Shit," he mumbled, staring at the walker tumbling to the ground.

"I got you," she whispered before retrieving her katana.

"You alright," Rick asked as he approached her.

She only nodded in response as she slid her sword back into its scabbard and draped the strap across her chest. Rick stared in her direction, attempting to make eye contact but she couldn't bring herself to look at him just yet. She needed to catch her breath and clear her thoughts. Tilting her head back, she inhaled deeply, taking in the pungent odor of decaying flesh. After years of this, she was still not used to the smell and maybe that was because she didn't want to get used to it. She couldn't count how many times she'd awaken thinking all of this was a mere nightmare, only to face the fact that this was indeed their existence. She'd thought she'd be used to it by now but alas here they were, in a constant state of fight or flight from the dead and the living. It was never ending. Just when they'd settled, just when a moment of serenity was upon them, the reality that was this wretched world in which they had to co-exist with living and dead monsters reared its ugly head.

"'Chonne," he began, his voice low and gentle in that tone he allotted for use with her solely. He moved his body close to hers and spoke once more. "We're gonna be alright."

She sighed, finally looking him in the eyes. With an affirmative shake of her head she replied, "I know."

"We're gonna take a look around. Might be a good place to stay… rest. It's worth lookin' into now that we're here. We'll be ready for whatev-"

"Hello," a female voice boomed from afar as a large linear mob of people approached them toting heavy artillery.

Rick swiped the python from its holster and aimed it towards the mass, all while moving forward, signaling Michonne to follow suit with her katana in tow. Daryl came to their side, as did Glenn, Tyreese, Sasha, Maggie, Noah and Carl, all armed and ready for whatever would arise.

"We don't want any trouble," Rick declared. "Just stumbled across this place and thought we'd take a look around but we'll leave. Peacefully."

The woman speaking stopped, turned towards her group, her arms outstretched as if to halt them. She returned to face Rick and Michonne, standing quite still for a moment before her feet began to approach the group, a young teenage girl to the left side of her.

She came face to face with Michonne and offered her hand. She was a petite fair skinned black woman with short dark hair and freckles. "I'm Grace Asari and this is my daughter Danielle." Her eyes left the group and fell on the beautiful young lady to her left. The girl was slightly taller than her mother with almond shaped brown eyes.

Michonne didn't know what had come over her but she immediately took hold of Grace's hand and shook it. There was a peace she hadn't felt in some time as she stared at the woman and her daughter; something good and right about them. Even after what happened to them at Terminus, she instantly felt she could trust this woman Grace and her daughter Danielle. Perhaps they were really prepared to take them in. All of them. Maybe there were still people willing to help and lend a hand. After all, they were those people once. Maybe they can be those people again.

Grace smiled at Michonne before releasing her grasp. "We don't want any trouble either. We've been looking for a lot like you."

"What do you mean," Rick spoke through gritted teeth. Michonne could tell he was still on high alert after what they'd just experienced with seemingly friendly people but this just felt different. Her gut was screaming this was good. They could make something in this place with these people.

"The dead ones were a trap," Grace confessed. "We keep scouts along the highway in shifts so we were anticipating your arrival. The dead ones help us gauge what type of people we want to take in or those we need to fight off and keep away."

"And where do we fall on your scale," Michonne asked.

"You're a tough group. Handled the dead ones like a well oiled machine but more than that you took care of each other. That's what we need. A united front of people who actually give a shit about the person standing next to them. Numbers keep a group strong and we can use people like you here."

Michonne looked to Rick who was clenching his jaw. He wasn't buying Grace's spiel and maybe they shouldn't but they needed to do something. Living on the road, out here wasn't going to cut it. They won't make it. They needed a place to settle and they needed to settle quickly.

"You keep the walkers someplace," Rick asked, his tone a bit smug and skeptical. "That's dangerous."

"We don't use them all the time. We have a few other tricks up our sleeves but the… what did you call them… walkers?"

"Yeah," Rick announced, staring at the petite woman before him.

"The… walkers… really aid us in determining the character of the people we've encountered. You can tell a lot about a person with how the take out the dead ones and how they help the alive people with them. I've seen some brutal shit. The world goes to hell and you see the demon unleashed in some people. "

"How many folks have come through here?"

"It's been a good two months since we had a group of men come through here. Ruthless bastards."

"And how'd you get rid of 'em?"

"We had more numbers, so we decided to confront and assault. Face to face. They backed off pretty quickly. We couldn't let them take this from us. We wouldn't."

"There's a lot of us," Michonne reported. "Five women, six men and a baby." Michonne cut her eyes to Rick who looked like he was about to lose his shit. "You can accommodate all of us?"

"Michonne," Rick called to her. She could tell he was beyond agitated but she didn't believe his feelings or his reaction to these people were warranted. This was do or die and their odds were more than stellar in this situation. It was a chance she was willing to take. Lifting a finger to excuse herself from conversing with Grace, Michonne made her way towards Rick, who guided her towards the van, his hand on her lower back.

"What are you doin'," Rick inquired, tilting his head the way he always did when he was puzzled, though his voice was soft, composed even. "You can't trust what she's sayin'."

"We can't NOT trust her either, Rick," Michonne interjected shaking her head. "We can't go on like this. We have to take chances on people. We have to."

"We did and look what happened," Rick stated calmly. "Those people were gonna fuckin' eat us, Michonne. They seemed friendly and they took us in and the sons of bitches were gonna cook us for dinner."

"So will everyone we encounter want to eat us or kill us and take our shit, huh," Michonne countered. She stared into his eyes a moment trying to reason with him. "I get it. We were well on our way out of this world but we're still here. Now. Alive. We survived. You can't get through this without people Rick. You simply cannot."

"We got people, Michonne," Rick argued. "And we don't know them."

"You didn't know me," Michonne returned. "You didn't know Tyreese or Sasha or Glenn or Maggie or Noah and yet, here we all are with you. We've done exactly what Grace is extending to us. We took in people when they needed us. I have a good feeling about this and I think we should take her up on her offer."

"I don't know, 'Chonne?"

"We're doing this." She paused for a moment, letting the words she just spoke sink into Rick's mind. "We, you and I, are doing this. We are going into this group as leaders of this united group. We'll negotiate with her to let us all reside in close quarters and keep our weapons. We'll offer to pull our weight in whatever capacity they need us to. We've done it all. And we can do this."

Rick grimaced, the muscle in his jaw jerking away at the thought of this going south. Michonne could feel the apprehension radiating off of him. He stared into her eyes a long while, studying her face. He looked forward towards Carl, then panned his eyes to Beth in the van with Judith before returning his gaze to Michonne. "I trust you, with my life, with the life of the kids. If you feel that strongly 'bout it, then we'll do it but I'm not lettin' my guard down. I see any signs of bullshit and I'm pullin' us outta here."

"That's fair," Michonne agreed. "That's fair."

Rick

Making their way back to Grace and the group, Rick and Michonne carefully approached Grace once more. Michonne extended her hand towards Grace, awaiting a mutual handshake, while Rick stood in wake. He just couldn't stop his mind from reeling in all the possible ways this could go to shit. Everything was a crapshoot. The odds were not in their favor and there wasn't any assurance in this gamble. But Michonne was so sure, so unwavering in her feelings about this woman, these strangers and this place. He'd do it for her if nothing more and keep his caution and skepticism on standby if things don't go as planned. She was right, he'd have to learn to trust again and at the moment all his trust was on her. She'd never steered him wrong before and a huge part of him knew she wouldn't now, even through his uncertainty.

"Thank you," Michonne offered as Grace took her hand in a firm shake. "You won't regret taking us in."

"I know," Grace answered, her tone honest and assured.

"We'd like to ask you for a few things," Rick began. "If you don't mind. Some agreement on our living arrangements and our duties as members of this place."

"Of course," Grace agreed, with a nod. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

"We want to all be in close quarters," Michonne stated. "I'm sure it didn't go unnoticed but we're a pretty tight knit group and would like to keep it that way."

"We have a wing that will accommodate you all nicely."

"And we keep our weapons," Rick announced with authority. "That's non-negotiable."

"Look," Grace offered. "I get it. You don't want to get too comfortable. Don't want the ground to fall from beneath your feet and there's no such thing as too aware, now is it?"

"No ma'am," Rick replied with certainty.

"Were you in law enforcement before the turn," Grace questioned with a slight smile."

"Sheriff's deputy," Rick answered.

"I'm an army vet," Grace admitted. "To protect and serve is written all over your face. Have you killed a person since the turn?"

Rick hesitated before responding. "Who hasn't?"

"Why'd you do it," Grace queried once more.

"They were trying to kill me or hurt someone I care about."

"Would you kill for a stranger? Protect someone you don't know like you protect your family?"

"We took people in once, just like you," Rick offered. "And then a son of a bitch took it all from us. We've been where you are and it backfired. How is your operation any different? What's going to keep assholes from coming in here and taking this place from you? How do you know that we won't try it?"

"I don't," Grace's tone was poignant and yet blunt. She sighed and shook her head. "But none of us will make it out of this thing alive if we don't start to lean on each other. We have to learn to trust again. And frankly, I need people like you. Fearless, decisive, tough, smart."

Rick stared at the petite woman before averting his eyes towards Michonne who inhaled deeply and nodded her approval.

"You can keep your weapons," Grace affirmed. "But if anyone in your group attacks a member of this community, you're all out."

"That sounds just," Rick voiced.

"And more than fair," Michonne added.

"So," Grace lingered on the word a bit. "This means you're in, right?"

Rick looked to Michonne once more, then back to his family. The people he vowed to serve and protect. They deserved this; an opportunity to be a part of something again and just be. A place to rest. A place to breath. They needed this. He needed this.

"Yeah," Rick drawled. "We're in."


He couldn't remember the last time he was in a school and certainly never a boarding school. This is the type of institution they would have loved to put Carl in but not much could be afforded on a sheriff's deputy salary. But that dream was long gone, a mere figment of his imagination. Little did he know that life had more dismal plans in the form of walking corpses and an even worse brood of humanity than he was accustomed to.

They traipsed down the narrow hallway, past glassed encased displays occupied with trophies and panoramic photographs of students who once trekked these halls in pursuit of academic rewards and an opportunity to better themselves, becoming a normal functioning member of society… a society that no longer existed. The irony of it all was not lost on Rick. The fact that they ended up here of all places, a "safe" place of sorts, was interesting to say the least. Schools were a construct built, not just for educating people, but to build community. Maybe there really was something to Michonne's gut telling her they could make this place home.

Mahogany wainscoting lined the lower walls as they moved forward, the same stained wood floor creaked a symphony as they trudged along. The space was surprisingly quite warm and inviting Rick found, much to his uncertainty. He'd agree to this because Michonne was adamant, unrelenting to his trepidation about it all. If it weren't for her, he'd have moved on without a second thought. She wanted this, so he yielded.

They came to a slow halt as they neared what appeared to be an exit door. Grace came to stand before him and Michonne.

"The sleeping quarters are all downstairs in the basement of the school," Grace began. "One way in and one way out. There are six wings. Your group can occupy one of them. There are six rooms available in the last wing. Two of you to a room, if that's what you want. There are two other groups in that wing, about fifteen of them total. There's a communal bathroom at the front of the hallway but the last four rooms have their own bathroom."

"Thank you again," Michonne offered with a slight smile. "We appreciate you allowing us to be in close quarters and not splitting us up."

"You're a family," Grace replied with a nod of her head. "I get it."

She spun around and started down the hallway once more. "At the end of this long hallway is the mess hall. Any of you cook? We can use the hands and expertise."

A few eyes found their way to Carol, who looked both appalled and flattered at the accusation. "It's not all I'm good for."

"Can we go ahead and get settled," Rick interrupted the casual conversation. "We'd appreciate a chance to check out the wing."

"By all means," Grace obliged. "We'll have supper around six."

"You keep time here," Glenn asked as Grace began her departure.

"Its little things like keeping up with time and the days that give us a sense of normalcy. Reminds us that we're still here. Alive and kickin'," Grace answered before disappearing into the large double doors that lead to the mess hall.

Michonne approached Rick, her eyes scanning his face in an attempt to read his thoughts. She was doing it more often than ever and most of the time she was able to decipher his thoughts by the look he wore on his face. "Still not convinced?"

"It's just," Rick hesitated, "it seems too good to be true. Can we really trust these folks?"

"They didn't ask us to surrender our weapons," Michonne returned, her voice soft and airy. "I'd say they are the ones that are too trusting. We could've taken this place. Easy."

Rick cocked his head to the side and scanned the rest of his family, all eyes on him and Michonne. How could he possibly trust anyone after what they've been through with the Governor and the people at Terminus? How? And why was Michonne so gung ho about staying here? What was it that she sensed that he just couldn't wrap his mind around?

"I want us to be on a lookout rotation for the next couple of days," Rick replied. "We'll rotate four shifts of two people for the next couple of weeks. Just in case."

Michonne inhaled deeply before nodding in agreement.

"I trust you," Rick stated quite frankly, staring into her dark eyes. "If you think this'll work, we'll give it a shot but let's not get too relaxed. We need to feel everything and every person out."

"Of course," she agreed. "I wouldn't want to have it any other way."


Author's Note: I'll be responding to reviews soon (those who signed in, didn't and anon guest reviews as well. It's been forever and a day since I've updated this fic. I have the story all flushed out and more than half of this update was written several months ago. I've just been having an extremely difficult time actually sitting down to write. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm trying to fight and push through my writing slump. Wish me luck! Many, many thanks to all of you who have started following, added this story to your faves and left me reviews. I really appreciate that some of you are still interested considering I haven't updated this fic in an extremely long time. XOXO! :)

Additional Note: Excuse any grammatical errors. I did not edit this chapter like I've done some of the others. :/

Anon & Guest Review Responses: Coming Soon!