A/N: I love how all of my fellow Richonners understand these two adorable idiots so much! They really are out of sync here because the promise of that one more day with a chance; they both want that one more day with each other, but are not on the same page.
Does anyone actually hate Morgan in this? LOL he's annoying, right? Ha! I adore him and I love Lennie (check him out in this series called Jericho from a few years ago. It's one of my faves and he is amazing in it!). Michonne has some things in common with Morgan with losing a child and having their significant other turn; Rick doesn't really know what that's like. Lori was just gone.
As for Richonne, I think they agreed not to dwell on the past, but the questions are still there. Now, Michonne respects the fact that Morgan saved Rick's life in the beginning and she genuinely finds relief in talking to him. As for her and Rick, Michonne admitted to Rick that she had feelings for him. He hasn't even acknowledged it as yet. While I love how they just get each other and they don't even need to speak, it's not gonna cut it when it comes to matters of the heart. CodeName-M.e explained it perfectly; Rick has communication problems. He can't handle how easy it is for Michonne to open up now and all he is used to is being effective at giving orders. KK I'm sorry for upsetting you! Yari you are right; Michonne is one of the only people Morgan can talk to as Rick is hostile towards him lately.
Rick just killed a lot of people so he's still a little wound up from that and the disagreement with Michonne! Starting where we left off…
"Are you okay?" Morgan asked as he and Michonne walked at a rapid pace in the direction of his new home.
She nodded yes but did not say anything; they continued on in silence a small while.
"Is Rick okay?" Morgan queried.
Michonne stopped and glared at the man.
"I don't know," she snapped, surprising herself. "Maybe you should go and ask him."
He could tell she was not in any mood to be talking about Rick after having just stormed out on him.
"You know what? I think I'm gonna take a raincheck on dinner. I need to be alone," said Michonne with an apologetic look.
She did not wait for a response, but instead walked away.
"Michonne?" called Morgan in an attempt to get her to stop, but to no avail.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she responded without turning around.
xXxXx
Carl sat on the porch of one of his new friend's house spending a rare moment doing nothing at all.
"There's your stepmom," said Enid as Carl looked up to see Michonne walking with her head down.
She ambled slowly with a slouch and seemed despondent. Concerned, Carl stood, stepped forward and called to her.
"Michonne!"
Shaken from her reverie and troubled thoughts by the sound of the boy's voice, she immediately ceased her aimless stroll and searched the area until her eyes fell on Carl. He then jogged over to meet her.
"Hey, are you alright? You look lost," he said with worry etched across his youthful features.
He took note that she was rubbing her upper arm, something she did on occasion when she was upset and thought nobody was watching. Michonne tried to mask her downcast mood with a weak smile, but her eyes betrayed her.
"I'm just tired," she said; a half-truth.
Carl sighed, seeing through the façade.
"Is it 'cause of my dad?" he asked and Michonne felt her throat grow dry.
The boy was more observant than they gave him credit for; she shrugged.
"You all think I don't notice things, but I do. I know the two of you haven't been getting along that much lately. Did Dad say something to upset you?"
"Maybe, but it happens when you spend so much time with someone; you're bound to annoy each other. And besides, you don't have to worry about us," Michonne did her best to explain.
Carl nodded and continued with giving voice to his thoughts.
"I noticed that Morgan's been around a lot when you're at home. I don't think my dad likes it. I mean, I know they're friends and all, but it's mainly just been us for a while now and Dad's used to it that way," the teenager said.
Michonne nodded.
"You're such a smart kid, Carl. I think you're right. Your dad likes things how he likes them; he's so stubborn," she said with a genuine smile this time.
Carl grinned at her.
"Can I ask you something?" he queried.
"Of course," Michonne answered.
"Well, speaking of 'likes', do you like Morgan?"
"Yeah. He's a decent guy. Can handle himself. He's Rick's friend," replied Michonne. "Do you like him?"
"Yeah. He saved my dad's life," Carl started. "But do you like him like him? Like more than a friend?"
"No," Michonne said immediately and in earnest. "I only like him as a friend."
"You like my dad better, right?" he prodded.
"Of course," Michonne answered wondering where this line of questioning was headed.
"Does my dad know that? 'Cause I think he might be a little jealous of you spending so much time with Morgan, but don't tell him I said that!" said Carl.
Michonne could not help but chuckle.
"I don't know about all o' that," she said.
"Michonne, I'm a guy and I know how we think," he stated as she smiled at his adorableness.
"Just tell Dad you like him better than Morgan and I'm sure everything will be okay," Carl said with a smile. "Even though my dad sometimes does things that makes it hard for you to like him; don't tell him I said that either!"
Michonne laughed and so did Carl; she felt a little better now. The boy always had an innate way of drawing happiness to her surface.
"C'mere," she said as she drew Carl into a hug. "I reckon I like you and Judy best."
They chortled and then pulled apart.
"So, you'll talk to my dad and get this sorted out? I don't like seeing you both upset with each other," Carl offered.
"Yeah, I'll talk to him; just not at this minute though because I've decided to go kill some walkers," Michonne said with a straight face.
"Can I come?" Carl asked excitedly.
"I don't think so, buddy. While Rick can't tell me what to do, he's still got a say in what you do," she said with a smile as Carl rolled his eyes playfully.
…..
After convincing Carl to stay with his friends, Michonne made her way home in order to collect her katana. She was planning on going outside of the walls and dispatching a few stragglers to relieve some of the tension that had built up from being at odds with Rick.
She entered the house quietly, hoping not to attract the attention of Rick in case he wanted to share words with her; she was not in much of a talking mood, well, at least not with him.
He was in the kitchen with Judith and, of course, noticed Michonne right away. He called out to her.
"Not now, Rick," was her reply.
She grabbed her sword from where it was leaning against the wall. Rick, annoyed by her response, left his daughter in her highchair and walked into the living room to have a word with Michonne.
"Can we just talk for a minute?" he asked, hands on his hips and head tilted to the side.
"Yes, but not right now. I need to be somewhere," Michonne replied, staring into his eyes.
His steely gaze reflecting the irritation that was quickly building inside of him.
"Right. Sorry. I forgot you can't even stand to talk to me now since I'm on your shit list," Rick said disdainfully.
Michonne sighed.
"God, Rick. Just leave it out," she pleaded.
"I will leave it out. Have fun runnin' away from me yet again," he said as he turned to go back into the kitchen.
"I'm not running away. I just need some time alone," she said to the back of his head.
Now Rick turned to face her; throwing her an incredulous look.
"Oh, okay," he said sarcastically. "Time alone, uh? Except you're not gonna be alone, are you? What you mean is time away from me."
Michonne crossed her arms.
"God, he was right. You are jealous," Michonne said as she turned to leave.
"Hey, don't fuckin' turn your back on me again," Rick said as he grabbed Michonne's arm.
"Get your hands off me, Rick!" Michonne said firmly; not taking her eyes off of his.
Both were angry now.
"You wanna say that to me again?" He asked as he let go of Michonne.
"You're jealous of me spending time with Morgan," she spat.
"Bullshit!"
"No. Of course not. Why would you be? Because that would mean you actually, I don't know, felt some kind o' way about me, right?"
Silence.
Rick took a step backwards unintentionally. Michonne noticed.
"You're so full of shit, Rick Grimes! I'm not the group. I'm not the people here. You can't lord over me and tell me what I can and can't do, who I can and can't see…"
"So you're seein' him?"
"What? I didn't mean it that way…"
"Are you seein' him?" Steady. Low. Full of ire.
"No, I'm not; but even if I was, you don't have any rights to tell me that I shouldn't if you can't even tell me how you feel about me!"
More silence.
"I don't need you to tell me what to do, Rick. I need you to tell me how you feel about me," she said, quietly this time.
Rick could not put the words together. She was finally asking him for some kind of confirmation of what she really meant to him. He could tell twenty people how to fight to protect a community; he could order a small group to slaughter other people as they slept in the dead of the night, but he could not tell one woman that he loved her. And he did love her, yet he was afraid. He was afraid because saying it out loud made it a reality. For Rick, reality was something that had presented him with so much heartache. The people he loved always went away. If he admitted it now, he was opening himself to the possibility of more heartache. She meant more to him than he could say, so he said nothing at all.
More. Deafening. Silence.
Michonne threw up her hands in defeat.
"I'm so done with you," she said as she looked at him with such pain in her eyes that it made his heart sink.
She turned to leave while Rick reached in vain for her arm once more; then Judith began to cry.
