So I was definitely crying as I wrote this chapter. Enjoy.

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Rick looked down at Michonne in total despair. She could see it in his eyes. He knew she would die now. His expression broke her heart. She wished that she could change something, do something, to make this not happen. She reached up and ran her hand down his cheek, wiping away some of the tears that were falling.

As long as Rick is with me, I'll be ok.

He leaned down and rubbed his forehead against her increasingly warm one. "Baby I'm so sorry" he whispered. She reached up and ran her fingers through his curls. "You have nothing to be sorry about. It's not your fault." "I shouldn't have grabbed you, I distracted you. If I hadn't..." Michonne quickly pulled Rick's eyes to her own. "No!" she said forcefully "You're not going to sit here and blame yourself. You didn't do anything wrong. I didn't do anything wrong. It happened, and that's the way it is. I'm not going to spend my last hours listening to the man I love beat himself up over something he couldn't change". The look in her eyes made Rick stop.

"Ok" he nodded. "There's a house a little bit up the way. The sun will be setting soon, I'm gonna carry you up there".

"I can walk" she answered harshly. When she realized how harsh it sounded she softened her voice. "I'm sorry. I... let me walk while I still can".

He nodded again and helped her out the car. He put his arm around her waist as he guided her to the house. As she walked, the cool breeze felt good on her warming skin. The sun was beaming on her back. It was a beautiful day. Her thoughts wandered to Carl and Judith. She wondered what they were doing now, probably sitting outside on their porch swing, with no idea that she'd never come home to them.

As they approached the house she noticed wildflowers growing in the front yard. Someone had tied a swing to the tree in the front and the swing was rocking slightly in the breeze. The house was beautiful, it looked like it was well maintained when people had actually lived there.

Rick walked Michonne over to the tree swing. "Wait here until I clear it" he said. She sat on the swing as he pulled out his gun and went into the house. As she waited, trying to ignore the pain in her shoulder, she rocked back and forth on the swing. Soon she was flying up in the air, kicking up her legs to lift herself higher. She hadn't been on a swing in years and she forgot how good it felt to have the wind rush past her. Especially now that her fever was rising.

When Rick came back outside, the sight of her swinging on the tree swing with a smile on her face made him want to laugh and cry at the same time. As he approached her in awe she gave him a playful look and said "Push me Rick". He laughed and pushed her higher every time she swung back towards him. He pushed her for a few more minutes until she stopped laughing. She was starting to get dizzy again.

He noticed and gently stopped the swing. She reached out to him, and this time he completely lifted her in his arms and carried her into the house. The inside of the house was more beautiful than the outside. Besides the layer of dust on the surfaces, and the remains of long rotten fruit in the fruit bowl, it looked exactly as it must have before everything turned.

"It's so nice in here" Michonne murmured as Rick put her down. "I know" Rick said "this place must've cost a fortune." Michonne plopped down onto the extremely comfortable couch. "I don't know how you're feeling, but the master bathroom has a huge whirlpool tub. I turned the knob and hot water came out. They must have propane heating and a separate water system. Would you be up for taking a bath?" He asked.

She realized that that was just what she needed. Her skin was getting hotter by the minute, and she was starting to get chills, but she knew the water would calm her, and hopefully wash off some of the blood that was still soaking though her clothes. She nodded "Yes Rick, I'd like that". He propped her up on the pillows to make her more comfortable, and then left to run the bath.

As she waited, she finally let it sink in that this was probably her last night alive. She sat here in a beautiful house, about to have a bath with the man she loved more than anything, and she thought it could be worse. The only thing she regretted was never seeing her children again. Carl and Judith were as much hers as they were Rick's and she wanted to explain to them how much they meant to her. She looked over and saw a notebook and a pen that was left on the coffee table nearby. She reached out and decided she was going to write a letter to Carl.

As she took the pen and opened the book, she tried to figure out what to say. How to start. But she realized that the best thing to do was to say what was on her heart. Especially to Carl. She had to be honest with him.

Dear Carl,

I'm sitting here on a couch in a strange house, thinking about you. As you know now, I've been bitten by a walker, and I don't have too long. We made a promise once, to always be honest with each other, so I have to admit to you that I'm scared. I'm scared for me, but I'm more scared for you, and your dad, and Judy. I don't want you guys to hurt, I don't want you to be sad, I don't want you to miss me.

If I could take away all the pain you're going to feel, I would do it gladly. I wish I was able to get home to you and hug you, and show you that I'll be alright, but I can't. But please know, that wherever we go when we die, if we go anywhere, I'll always be thinking about you. Always.

I'm not alone, I have your dad here with me. But when I'm gone, he's going to be hurting. He's going to need you to show him how to be happy again. He's going to need you Carl. He'll try to be strong, but you and I both know that inside he'll be a mess. He'll blame himself for what happened to me, but I want to tell you now, it wasn't his fault. These things happen without warning. That's why life is so precious.

I want to tell you that I'm so proud of the man you're becoming. You are strong, and brave, smart and kind. You are everything that I wanted Andre to be, and I feel like you're my son and my best friend. Your mom Lori would be so proud of you too.

I want you to have my Katana. I think if you practice you could get really good at it, and it will make you look pretty cool for Enid. Wink wink. Also, I have a stash of candy bars in the bottom of the closet in your dad's room, help yourself. And I have a confession to make, last night when we were discussing whether Spiderman or Batman would win in a fight and I said I was team Spiderman, I wasn't being completely truthful. I just wanted to make you upset. You're right, Batman would kick Spiderman's behind any day.

Finally, I know I don't have to tell you this, but take care of Judy. She is going to have a hard life, and she needs a great big brother like you to guide her. She loves you more than anything, I can see it in her smile when you walk into the room.

P.S. I love you.

Michonne

As soon as Michonne put down the pen she started to sob. She had poured her heart out on to the page and her heart was breaking for her children who would lose their mother twice. She cried because it wasn't fair that after finally finding love and happiness it would end because of a walker's bite. She cried because she knew that after she died, Rick would be all alone in this house with her body, and he still had to bring her back to Alexandria. She knew he was living out his worst nightmare and she couldn't help him through it because she was living out hers as well.

Rick, hearing her cry, walked back into the room. He silently kneeled down in front of her as she sat on the couch, and hugged her around the waist, resting his head on her thighs. Her tears were falling on his cheeks and neck, but he didn't move. His tears ran down his face as well.

They stayed that way for a while, just enjoying the warmth of each other's touch. She broke the silence.

"I wrote a letter to Carl, because I can't say goodbye to him. Can you give this to him?" She asked, folding the letter and handing it to Rick.

"Of course baby" Rick said.

"Ok, I'm ready for a bath now" she said, wiping her eyes. He got up and gently pulled her up from the couch. He put his arm around her waist as he led her into the bathroom. He was right, this tub was huge. It seemed big enough for four people to fit in. Her heart swelled when she noticed that Rick had relit the candles they had used earlier in the day and surrounded the tub with them. He was trying to be sweet, even in a time like this.

Rick helped her undress, trying to avoid her wounded shoulder. "I still have Tylenol in my bag" he said "let me give it to you, it'll help with the pain, it may even bring the fever down a little". She shook her head. "Someone in Alexandria may need it more than I do". He didn't press her, he knew she didn't want to waste the medicine on herself.

He took a towel and gently wiped the excess blood off her arms, trying to avoid the actual bite which caused her serious pain when touched. He could feel her arm and her whole body was hot to the touch.

He then removed his own clothes as she patiently waited. She took the opportunity to watch his body. His chiseled chest, his flat muscular belly, his tight thighs, and then she moved back up to his face. His beautiful face. She would miss him so much.

He stepped into the tub and then reached out a hand to her. She shakily lifted her legs into the tub. He sat down first, and then slowly lowered her onto his lap, so that she was sitting between his legs with her back to him.

She exhaled and leaned back into him completely. He felt so nice, so safe. He gently cupped water over her shoulder and rubbed water down her arms. He took water and rubbed it across her forehead, trying to cool her a little. She sighed in contentment. He leaned down and kissed her neck and her good shoulder, nuzzling himself into her, smelling her, then opening his mouth and gently tasting her. He didn't want to ever forget this. Her smell, her touch, her taste.

"I know you're scared Rick" she whispered "but don't be scared. I've accepted this. I was lucky enough to get so many wonderful things at the end of the world. More than most people. The only regret I have is leaving you and the kids. But I know that you'll be ok, because you're a survivor. You'll get through this".

He rested his head on her neck. "I don't know how to get through this again. You helped me the first time. I'm a weak man. You're my strength". She grabbed both of his hands and held them. "You're not weak. You're the strongest man I know, and you can do this. Carl will help you through it, and so will Judith. And all of our family will help. That's what we do". He nodded slowly into her neck. She closed her eyes and just felt his arms around her, and him breathing into her back.

"This was one of the best days Rick. One of the best days of my life. You did well Grimes" she said, turning around to kiss him. He kissed her back hungrily, as if his life depended on her lips.

They sat in silence in the tub, holding each other, crying silently, searing this moment into each of their memories. After a while she started shivering, and she was pulled back to reality. He noticed and helped her out of the tub, getting another towel to wrap her in. He helped her dry off and then brought her a large men's dress shirt and suit pants he found in one of the closets.

She looked at the outfit skeptically. "Not the most fashionable outfit" she joked. He managed a half smile and then helped her get dressed. By now she was shaking pretty badly and sweat was forming on her forehead. He helped her to the king sized bed in the master bedroom. He pulled back the sheets so she could get underneath, then he slipped in beside her and snuggled up to her trying to keep her as warm as possible.

She was shivering as if she was freezing, but her body was so hot she was radiating heat out towards him. He lay holding her for a few minutes until he realized she had fallen asleep. He put his head on her back and listened to her heart beat.

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"Andre... come to mommy... Carl... get your brother" Michonne was whispering in her sleep. Rick just listened, crying hysterically. She was dreaming about Carl and Andre being brothers. He nuzzled himself into her back which was now so hot it was almost painful. He loved this woman so much he didn't know how he'd survive without her.

His movements made her stir. "Andre?" she whispered, still half asleep. "No baby, it's Rick" he cried, moving her locks from her face. "Rick" she repeated. She opened her eyes and looked at him. Her eyes were red and bloodshot, and she was sweating through the sheets. "Rick" she said again, a little more clearly "I'm ready".