Her eyes fluttered open, and she was met with complete darkness, so much so that she blinked several times to make sure that she had actually opened her eyes and wasn't just dreaming. Her heart started to race, and the feeling of disorientation set in as she sat up in bed. There were no windows in the small, narrow room, and no familiar decorations or landmarks that helped make sense of her surroundings. She was in a bed pushed against a bare brick wall, still dressed in her own clothes, with a light sheet thrown over her legs. She uncovered herself, and moved to get up when it finally clicked. She lowered herself back into bed, and turned onto her side.
"Rick," she whispered as she grazed the back of his head with her hand.
His shoulders rose sharply as she startled him out of his sleep with her touch. He sat on the the floor with his legs extended in front of him, his back against the side of the bed, and his head leaned back against it. After taking a moment to come to, he turned to to face her.
"What are you doing down there?"
He brought his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes with his thumb and forefinger then pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Fell asleep while we were talking, I guess."
"I was lost when I woke up. Thought I was back at the prison for a minute…"
He chuckled to himself as he looked around the small, confined, no frills space. The living quarters at Hilltop didn't come close to the promise of the grand building's exterior and main lobby area, so he could understand her confusion.
"Well, I can think of worse places to be."
"True…" she agreed, her voice still hushed even though they were the only ones in the room. Despite living in a cell, she had nothing but fond memories of that place until the end. It was the first place she had called home in a long time thanks to the man sitting in front of her.
"Come on," she said patting the bed. He looked at her with genuine surprise on his face then stalled. "Then you take the bed for the rest of the night, and I'll take the floor," she said, noting his hesitation.
She propped herself up on her elbow, and began to move before he stopped her.
"It's fine. I'm good here, you stay put."
"Rick…"
"Really," he assured her, and he truly didn't mind having slept in less ideal places or just forgoing sleep all together.
She nodded her head, and lowered herself onto her back feeling slightly awkward with his reaction. They were nothing if not practical people. Two people, one room, one double bed; sharing made sense, but she wondered if there was confusion about her intentions. Earlier that evening, they had shared parts of themselves that they hadn't before and allowed themselves to connect with each other in new ways, and perhaps he was keeping his distance for a reason.
She lifted one arm over her head and laid it across the pillow, while the other rested on her belly then closed her eyes again, and tried to get back to sleep, but found it difficult. She started to drift off after a few minutes, only to be roused by the feel of a dip in the mattress beside her and the creaking sound of the springs. She opened her eyes, but didn't look over to see her new sleeping partner. She could feel him ease the entire length of his body onto the mattress as he extended his legs and folded his hands across his belly. He sighed quietly as he rested his head on the pillow beside her.
"Better?" she whispered, still on her back with her eyes closed.
"Much," he answered, surprised that she wasn't asleep yet. "I think it's more comfortable than my bed, actually."
"Really? Not mine. I have one of those down mattress toppers, I figured all of the beds in the house did."
"Nope. You got the fanciest room in the house, maybe even the world."
"Guess so," she said followed by a small chuckle.
"What?" he asked. He wanted to turn to face her, but he was acutely aware of her close proximity and stayed as is, each of them focused on the ceiling.
"Nothing..."
"Don't do that," he chided in his ragged-edge drawl.
"I was going to say that it's like sleeping on a cloud...but I didn't want to rub it in," she said as she bit her lip in guilt.
"You thought right," he agreed dryly.
"I know. I'm sorry. Forget I ever said anything..."
He turned his head on his pillow, unable to keep himself from looking over at her to see the face that matched the playfulness in her voice. He took in her profile: eyes squinted shut in quiet laughter, then down the slope of her nose to her lush lips framing her lovely smile.
"Well, how am I supposed to do that now that I know what I'm missing out on?"
She turned her head at his question to find him looking at her, his blue eyes boring into hers and a serious expression that caused her cheeks to warm and pulse to quicken. She watched him for a moment, unsure of whether he was issuing a challenge or just trying to get a rise out of her as he'd been inclined to do lately. The more distressing part, though, was how she wanted to answer regardless of what his intentions were. She couldn't deny how good it felt to be in his arms earlier that evening and how dangerous it felt to be laying this close to him now that he was actually here. It seemed like the most natural, yet unnatural, thing to just place her hand on his cheek, close the small distance between them, and press her lips to his. It was a desire that she'd never felt for him until the past few days, and it was quickly becoming difficult to ignore. As she finally opened her mouth to answer him, she saw the corner of his lips begin to lift in an inscrutable smile.
"I'm willing to share…" she responded in a hushed voice, matching his vague answer with one of her own, one she wasn't even sure she understood.
His smile faded, and he exhaled a stacatto breath that might have even been a laugh. His gaze never wavered, though, as he gave a short nod while considering her offer. They were venturing into unknown territory with each other, speaking and behaving in ways they never had before, and she could feel that tension, that urge to go further, but she couldn't take that step, and wasn't sure whether his own reluctance was out of fear or disinterest, but either way, it was over for tonight.
"What time is it?" she asked as he eyes travelled down to where his hands rested in his belly.
He lifted his left wrist in front of his face, and squinted to read the time.
"Half past three."
"We need to get some sleep."
"Yeah."
"Night, Rick."
"Good night, Michonne."
He turned his head facing forward again, and returned his hand to his belly, this time interlocking his fingers in a tight grip with each other before shutting his eyes. She turned her head, as well, and pulled the sheet tighter around her before closing her eyes to get a few more hours of sleep before the sun came up and a new day began.
xxxx
One Week Later
"Hey Lady."
Michonne looked up from slicing a bunch of radishes that had been included in their haul from Hilltop the week before to find Rosita standing at her side.
"Hey."
"How's it going?" she asked as she took a sip of her drink while watching Michonne slice thin discs from the radishes.
"It's going...just replenishing the veggie tray. How about with you?"
"Just enjoying myself..." she answered in her typical laconic way. "This party's much more my speed than the last one."
Michonne paused for a moment to look out beyond her kitchen island at the party taking place in her home. It was the first gathering in the community since their welcome party, and ironically enough, it was a going away party for two of their own. It all looked the same to her as she'd followed Deanna's model to a T. Low music played in the background, there was a buffet table with food, a stocked bar table, and people were mingling about her living and dining room.
"Really? I can't tell," she said as she resumed slicing the radishes.
"Well, the music's better," Rosita noted with a shrug.
"Yeah, I had nothing to do with that," she said with a grin. "Carl and Tara put together the playlist."
"My man," Rosita said with a proud smile. "I'll have to let him know..."
She sought him out in the crowd, finding him seated at the dining table with Tara, Dev, Eugene, and Enid where they were dealing cards for a game, likely poker knowing her friends. She smiled at seeing Carl interact with them since she'd gotten to know him a bit better after his injury. She had shared long shifts with Denise while he was unconscious, then saw him at least a couple times a week thereafter for his follow up visits and wound checks.
"Isn't it funny how much things have changed since we got here?" she asked as she returned her attention to Michonne. "I think I said all of two words to you and Carl out on the road."
"I'd say that everything we just went through brought us closer together, but it's not any different than what we faced together out on the road."
"I think it's this place. Having a home, seeing each other as friends and neighbors instead of just fellow warriors."
Michonne finished her task and looked up at Rosita, giving her a warm smile.
"I think you're right."
She looked out at the room, as she thought of what Rosita said. She could name every person in the room unlike at the last party. There was, unfortunately, far fewer of them, but the sense of community was real for her now. This was home, and they were all her people. Her eyes drifted to the group gathered around her coffee table; Glenn and Maggie shared the oversized upholstered chair that was adjacent to the couch where Rick sat with Judith in his lap.
"Ugh, I'm gonna miss them," Rosita announced, apparently focused on the same group of people.
"Me too."
"Glenn brought us into the fold, and Maggie...she's become one of my best friends."
"I feel like she's everyone's best friend," Michonne said with a small laugh. Outside of the Grimes boys, Maggie had been her closest friend. She just had that warmth and openness with everyone around her; she was a rock for the group in her own quiet way.
"Yeah, well, she's gonna leave a huge void, and there's only so much girl talk Tara can take before she shuts down on me," Rosita said as she turned to face Michonne, leaning her hip against the counter. "So if I'm knocking at your door more often, I'm sorry."
She and Michonne shared a laugh, and Michonne shook her head.
"Fine by me."
"Speaking of," she said as she pulled a small brown bag out of the inside pocket of her blazer. "Abe said you might need these."
Michonne cautiously accepted the bag from her, unfolded it, and opened it to find several unmistakable small shiny, metallic packages in it. She wrapped the bag back up and clutched it in her hand, out of everyone else's view.
"What the hell is this?" she whispered harshly.
Rosita's face fell, feeling like she'd overstepped her bounds, though, she was only trying to be helpful by snagging a small supply from the clinic.
"He said you and Rick shared a room when you were at Hilltop, and showed up to breakfast together the next morning," she explained.
"Did he also tell you there were only three rooms?" Michonne asked as she softened her tone. "And that Glenn and Maggie took one leaving me to room with either Rick, Daryl, or him?"
"No, he did not…" she muttered as she found him on the crowd and shot daggers at the back of his head. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine," Michonne said, now genuinely amused by the situation since no harm was meant or done. "By his logic, though, you may want to ask what's up with him and Daryl," she added with a mischievous grin.
"I'll do that," she said as she turned to head back into the party.
Michonne picked up the bowl of radishes, and left the kitchen to drop them off at the buffet table. On her way there, she noticed that she was going to pass right by the meddlesome ginger, and couldn't pass up the opportunity to pay him back. She tucked her middle finger behind her thumb and lifted it above his shoulder as she passed then let it rip, flicking the back of his ear.
"You old biddy… " she mumbled under her breath as she walked by.
"What'd you do that for?" he called after her as he lifted his glass of whiskey on the rocks to his stinging ear.
"You know," she said without looking at him while she placed bowl on the buffet table then kept on walking.
"I'm only lookin' out for you, sweetheart," he called after her with a chuckle.
She rolled her eyes and smiled as she went off to say hi to some of the guests who had trickled in while she was in the kitchen.
xxxx
"Not to talk shop, but what time do you want to head out tomorrow?" Rick asked as he set his plate of crackers and raw vegetables down on the coffee table then released the wriggling toddler from his lap and stood her on the floor in front of him.
"First light? Same as last time?" Maggie suggested as she looked to Glenn who nodded in agreement.
"Works for me. I'll let Daryl and Carol know."
He would be dropping them off for good at Hilltop the following day. Daryl was coming along as back up, and Carol was joining them since she'd missed out on the first trip.
He glanced down at his daughter who was edging around the coffee table, banging her open palms against it as she walked around it. He smiled as she happily went about her business then looked up at Glenn and Maggie who were doing the same.
"This will be you soon," he said with a grin.
"Looking forward to it," Glenn said with a smile.
Just as soon as he said it, though, Judith's hand hit Rick's plate sending it flying and its contents scattering across the floor. She looked up at him, eyes wide knowing she'd made a mess, but he smiled back and she carried on. Rick shook his head at his daughter's impeccable timing and looked up at them as he gathered the food off the floor.
"Still?"
"Still," Maggie said as she rubbed her hand against her non-existent belly and beamed.
He set the plate back in the middle of the table and grabbed his drink before leaning back into his couch.
"Hey! There she is!"
Rick looked up at Maggie's exclamation to find Michonne walking up to join them.
"You've been so busy, I didn't think we were ever going to get to see you," she said.
Michonne eased herself into the couch just next to Rick and smiled.
"I've been trying to make my way over to you all night, just kept getting distracted," she apologized.
"Well, thank you for doing this," Glenn said to Michonne before looking at Rick, as well. "Both of you. It means a lot to have everyone together one last time."
"Of course. We wouldn't have it any other way," she assured him.
"Glenn! Maggie!"
They looked up to find Tara calling them over to the table. The group had grown from just her, Eugene, Carl, Dev, and Enid to now include Rosita, Abraham, Aaron, Eric, and Heath.
"One last game before you go!" she called out as she held up the cards.
With all of those faces looking at them, they had no choice but to say yes, so they apologized to their hosts and joined the large group in the dining room.
Michonne leaned forward to steal a carrot stick from his plate, but froze when he nudged her knee with his hand.
"Those have been on the floor," he warned her.
"We're not past that?" she asked since they'd eaten far worse in their time together.
"I can't not tell you. Do what you want, I won't judge."
She slowly returned the carrot stick to the plate and sunk back into the couch next to him.
He offered her his drink in exchange, and she gladly accepted it, taking a sip of the sweet tea in his glass before returning it.
"You need help with anything else?"
"No. Everything's out, so if it goes, that's it," she said with a shrug.
Their food supplies were back up thanks to their first offering from Hilltop, so they could spare enough for a modest celebration, but no more than that.
"You figure out what time you're leaving tomorrow?" she asked.
"Sun up, so I'll need to get the RV in order after the party clears out."
"You can head out early, I'm sure everyone would understand."
He looked down to find his daughter pulling on his pant leg, and reached down to pull her into his lap.
"Nah, I want to stay and hang out since I'll be away for a few days," he said as he pressed a kiss on top of his daughter's head.
Michonne smiled at him and Judith, enjoying the quiet moment in the midst of the party.
"I didn't get a chance to tell you how nice you look tonight," he said quietly as he nodded at the simple black dress she wore.
Michonne tilted her head and paused for a moment, feeling her cheeks flush slightly. She was surprised at how much she liked hearing those words coming out of his mouth.
"Thanks," she said as she looked down and smoothed her hand over the dress where it draped across her legs.
"You OK?" Rick asked looking over her shoulder.
She turned to see Carl standing there with a grimace on his face.
"I just had to walk away. All the noise over there was giving me a headache."
"You wanna sit over here with us for a bit?" she asked knowing that he was still sensitive to sound and light, and prone to migraines since his accident. "You can go upstairs, too, if you need to."
"I'll just stay here," he said as he walked over to the chair Maggie and Glenn had vacated, and sat down. His focus remained on the game, though, from afar.
"How was it going over there?" his father asked.
"I had a straight when I left. I was gonna ask Abe to play my hand until I came back, but then I gave them to Dev. I just had a funny feeling about Abe."
"You're right to," Michonne scoffed. "Dev will play fair," she assured him.
Silence fell over the group as Carl watched Dev like a hawk from his spot. Michonne looked down to see Judith nodding off in Rick's lap despite all of the noise and smiled, then she glanced up at Rick to let him know by mouthing She's out. He grinned back and smoothed his hand over his daughter's golden curls as he joined his son in spectating the lively poker game.
Even without talking or doing anything in particular, this was a perfect moment. These three in front of her were her heart, and these were the moments worth living for.
xxxx
"Hey."
Rick looked up from the place where he was kneeling in the cab of the RV to see Michonne closing the door behind her and stepping up into the middle of the living area. He closed the glovebox and stood to greet her.
"Hey."
"I just wanted to check in on you. See if you needed any help," she said as she looked around to see cabinets open and supplies sitting on the empty seats waiting to be placed in them.
"Nah, I'm almost set," he said as he rested his forearm on the headrest of the driver's seat and leaned against it.
"You sure? It's late and you've got a long day ahead of you tomorrow."
"I'm sure," he said immediately with a grateful grin. He looked at her, still dressed in her black party dress, but now with a grey shawl wrapped around her shoulders that she was clutching with both hands to keep it in place and shield her from the night chill. He hesitated for a moment before changing his mind. "I'll tell you what, though, you can sit right there and keep me company," he said nodding toward the table in the middle of the RV which was the only empty space available.
"I can do that."
The house was already cleaned up and the kids were in bed, so she gladly walked over to the table and turned around, placed both hands on the edge, then hopped onto it, leaving her hands in place and her legs dangling over the edge.
"I cleared a little space up front here for your chickens," he said with a grin as he pointed to the empty floorboard in front of the passenger's seat.
"They're the community's chickens, not mine," she reminded him with slight annoyance, though the thought of the two chickens Hilltop had agreed to give them riding back in the front seat with Rick tickled her beyond belief.
He shrugged, unconvinced that was actually the case considering how invested she was in these animals, then walked towards the center of the RV to join her and work on putting the supplies away.
"When we're having omelettes and scrambled eggs regularly," she said to his back as he turned to place some canned goods in the small kitchen cabinet. "I doubt you'll still be calling them my chickens."
"Maybe so." He closed the cabinet and walked to the bench seat beside her to gather the next handful of canned goods. "Anything else you can think of that we need while I'm there?" he asked looking up at her before he turned away.
"I think we're all set."
"Any messages you need me to pass on to Jesus? Better yet, should I just bring him back for you?" he asked with a smirk.
"Yes, please…" she purred as she looked him dead in the eye, giving as good as she got. He huffed out a laugh, shook his head, and walked away. "Hey, you asked."
"You're obsessed with that guy," he said while rearranging the cabinet in front of her.
"Because he's awesome. You know it, too."
Jesus had quickly earned her trust and admiration in their short trip to Hilltop which wasn't an easy feat. He was smart, fair, and motivated to create a working relationship that would benefit both communities equally. The fact that this all came by way of a handsome man with a quirky sense of humor made it impossible not to like him.
"You know, I've been thinking about getting one of those things, too," he said as he rubbed his hand over the back of his head while he turned around.
She tilted her head and looked at him rubbing his head, absolutely perplexed by what he was referring to.
"What?"
"One of those things," he reiterated while pointing to the back of his head again with more emphasis.
Her face contorted in confusion as she thought back to the first time she met Jesus with his full beard and long straight brown hair which was covered with a blue knit cap.
"A beanie?" she guessed as she started to laugh at the absurdity of this conversation.
"No," he groaned with growing exasperation which only made her start to laugh harder, "like a…"
He trailed off as the word eluded him, then made a fist and planted it at the back of his head.
"What are you…" She continued laughing as she searched her memory again before it finally hit her. The morning they left, Jesus had worn his long hair in a knot high on his head. "A bun?"
"Yeah," he said with a grin, genuinely pleased that they'd found the right word, but even more so with her reaction as she wiped at her eyes and her chest heaved with laughter.
"Oh my god, I can't breath," she managed to get out as she gasped for breaths during her laughing fit. "Rick…"
"What?" he asked with feigned cluelessness as he stepped in front of where she sat.
Her laughing slowed, and she tilted her head as she took in the face in front of her. He was still dressed in the clean, light blue button down he'd worn to the party which happened to compliment his impossibly blue eyes. His face was relaxed, and his smile was wide. He looked as handsome as he ever had to her in that moment.
"It's a good look on Jesus, but I don't know if it's right for you…"
"We'll see…"
"You've got a look," she said with a grin. He furrowed his brow and rolled his eyes at her claim. "You do...those unruly curls that you try to keep tucked behind your ears, this scruffy mess," she continued as she reached up and stroked his bearded chin between her thumb and forefinger, "your button down shirts…" She let her hand fall to his shoulder and tugged at the collar of his shirt. "It's all very Rick Grimes," she finished with a smile.
He glanced down at her hand resting on his shoulder then back up at her smiling face, feeling a little dazed receiving this kind of attention from her.
"I thought you didn't care for the beard…" he said almost shyly as he looked back up at her.
"Turns out I do," she said with a slight shrug. "Very much so…" she added as she continued to toy with his collar.
As she stared back at him with a soft smile on her face, he lifted his left hand to her face and cradled it, letting his thumb graze gently along her smooth, high cheek bone. He leaned in and pressed a slow, gentle kiss onto her closed, but supple lips then pulled away and opened his eyes to find her looking back at him. Her soft smile returned, much to his relief, then she moved the hand resting on his shoulder up the back of his neck, letting it rest at the nape. She gently pulled him toward her as she moved her face towards his then pressed her lips to his, this time with more intensity. He brought his other hand to her face, steadying their heads as their kisses grew deeper and more passionate until they broke away, resting their foreheads against each other as they took a moment to let their minds catch up with their bodies.
"So it's not just me?" he asked breathlessly.
"No…"
He turned his head and lowered it into the crook of her neck, letting it rest there as he reeled from her answer. Everything he'd been feeling for her lately, she felt, too. He could feel her hands moving along his shoulders to his back then encircling him in a tight embrace. He nuzzled into into her neck more, his nose landing in the hollow just above her collarbone, and inhaled deeply. Her clean scent and the faint trace of perfume still lingering from earlier that evening filled his senses, making him feel headier than he already did.
He kissed her collarbone then turned his face into her and pressed his lips to the base of her neck. She tilted her neck to give him greater access, and he took her suggestion as he began slowly moving up her neck, leaving a trail of kisses until he finally found his way back to her lips. By the time he did, she was overwhelmed by the urge to be closer to him, to be completely consumed with him. Their kisses were hurried and passionate, and she pulled him as close to her as possible, drawing him tighter into her embrace as she parted her legs so that he could move into the space flush against the table.
She ran her hands down his back then to his sides where they rested for a moment before she found herself clutching at the material of his shirt, untucking it from his jeans then letting her hands run under the material along the ridges of his toned stomach.
His hands wandered her body, as well, falling from her face to her shoulders then trailing over the slopes of her breasts, and along the lithe lines of her chest into the narrowing of her waist, and down to the tops of her thighs. Emboldened by the feel of her hands running over his bare skin, he allowed his hands to slide under her little black dress and along the tops of her thighs causing her to moan into his mouth when he grasped her hips in his hands, his thumbs pressed into her hip bones, and pulled her closer into him.
They were at the threshold of crossing the line, and as much as he wanted to, he slowed their kiss and bowed his head for a moment before looking up to meet her eyes. They were hooded with desire, but clear. She looked toward the back of the RV to the foot of the bed that could be seen through the open door. He followed her eyes, and came to the same conclusion.
"I've got the only set of keys," he whispered into her ear before letting his lips brush against her cheek while he pulled back to look at her.
She gave him a slight grin and nodded in agreement as she let her hand drop to the back pockets of his jeans where she fished out said keys. She kept her eyes locked with his and she bought her hand in between them. He took the keys from her, and she watched as he walked up to the cab to make sure the doors were locked then pulled the curtains to block the view of anyone walking past. He then walked over to the door nearest to them on the middle of the RV and slid the latch across and locked the deadbolt before turning to find her still sitting on the table watching his every move quietly.
He walked over to her and reached around her to place the keys on the table then took her hands in his and helped her off of the table. They quietly walked back to the small bedroom and shut the door behind them. His desire for her hadn't subsided at all, but after the short break in their action, as he stood face to face with her, he was struck by the significance of what they were about to do. It was the first time in a long time for both of them, the first time since being with their respective significant others, and their first time. It was a moment that would change their relationship forever, but he wasn't afraid; instead he only wanted to ensure that they cherish this moment.
He gave her a small smile as he stroked her cheek with the back of his hand before reaching behind her to pull her dreads to one side letting them cascade over her shoulder. As he sought out the zipper on the back of her dress, she began to slowly unbutton his shirt, starting at his chest and working her way down.
He took the straps of her dress in his hands, and slowly began to strip it from her body revealing her ample breasts encased by a black lace bra then her firm stomach, matching black panties, and her toned, athletic thighs. He was kneeling before her, holding the dress that was now pooled around her ankles, so that she could step out of it. He then stood slowly with the dress in his hand, taking in the view in reverse now. He stepped away to drape her dress across the chair behind him, and took his place in front of her again. She wasted no time in slipping his unbuttoned off of his shoulders and letting her hands run down his muscular arms as she pushed it off of him. Then hooked her finger into the front of his jeans and backed up to the foot of the bed where she sat at the edge, eye level with his waist, and began to unbutton his jeans then lower the zipper. She placed her hands at the sides, and began to push his jeans down, along with his light blue boxers, getting them to his knees before placed his hands on her shoulders as he finished stepping out of them himself. He gently pushed her back on the bed as he climbed on, coming to rest on his bent knees while straddling her waist. He lowered himself onto her nearly naked body and captured her mouth in his, once again, with a deep, languid kiss.
With the luxury of time and privacy on their side, they slowly explored each other; eyes, hands, and lips becoming acquainted with the parts of each other they'd never seen before he finally entered her. They worked in unison, focusing on each other and their mounting pleasure, until she came closely followed by him. It was slow, tender, and almost reverent, in a way, as their respect and adoration for each other manifested itself in this physical act.
They quietly laid face to face afterwards, sharing one pillow, as their bodies were pressed together. Rick reached down to bring the blanket over them; they certainly couldn't spend the night there, but he was hoping for at least a little more time with her before they had to go home. He draped his arm over her waist, leaving his fingers to trace lazy circles over the small of her back.
"I don't think I'll ever be able to look at this thing the same way again," she said with a moony grin, and absolutely no remorse.
"No kidding. And you don't even have to spend all day in it tomorrow."
"It's not a bad little place, though…" she said as she allowed her eyes to glance around the space. It was an RV, sure, but they were on a bed, in a room with a door. She could think of worse places to be.
"About as private as it gets around here. We should keep it in mind...if, you know…" He cut himself off, feeling awkward for presuming that they would be doing this again without explicitly knowing her feelings on the matter. She picked up on his hesitance and smiled warmly.
"I've loved spending time with you the past couple of weeks. Working together, laughing together, just talking, getting closer," she assured him as she brought her hand up to his cheek.
"So have I," he said as he exhaled slightly, relieved to hear her confirm what he'd been feeling, as well. "I've been happy, for the first time in a long time. I can't imagine life being this way-"
"But it is this way. All of these things we're doing and feeling, they're real."
"This is what life looks like now," he repeated as her words began to resonate with him.
"It is," she whispered with a small smile. "And it's everything that I could want."
"It's more," he said with a nod as he stared into her eyes. "It's more than I thought I could ever have again, or even deserved, but it's what I want, too."
She smiled widely at his admission and acceptance of their future. Their life would never be without struggle, but they would be united, and provide each other the support to carry on, and the love and happiness that made it worth it.
The End.
A/N: I wanted to let you all know that this was my final fic-I'm stepping away from writing (quitting just sounds bad even if it is true). Thank you to those readers who were there for my first fic, those of you here for my last, and everyone in between. It's been a great year, and I've enjoyed becoming a part of this community. I look forward to sitting back, relaxing, and enjoying 6B and beyond. This is our year. :)
Also, anyone looking for a great spot to interact with fellow Richonners, I highly recommend checking out tellittothedead dot com. You're very likely to run into some familiar faces there...