Chapter 4
Thanks for sticking with it J
Michonne and Rick's gaze was broken by Daryl clearing his throat at the door of the RV. "One of y'all try to crank this thing." With one last look at Rick, Michonne stood up and walked over to the driver's seat and turned the key in the ignition. The engine sputtered for a few second then cranked. They all let out a collective sigh of relief. "Well I don't know what I did but it worked. Y'all head back home. I am gonna meet back up with Abraham and Sasha and help lead the rest of the heard away. The half that broke off seem to have scattered out in different directions far as I can tell." Michonne nodded in agreement, "Be safe." With a nod, Daryl got back on his bike and drove off. Michonne walked to the back to find Heath sitting next to an unconscious Scott. "He passed out. We need to get him back home quick." Heath looked in Rick's direction then at Michonne. "Is he going to be alright?" She sighed, "Yeah he'll be okay, he always is. He's just been through a lot. Let's get him home to his family."
Michonne sat down in the driver's seat and put it in gear. She thought about the moment that passed between her and Rick while she was tending to his hand. It had never occurred to her how little physical contact has happened between them until she was sitting so close to him with his hand in hers. The intensity of emotions she felt made her uneasy. She wondered if he noticed. The way he was looking at her in that moment would suggest that he felt something. A part of her wished these new feelings would go away. Her relationship with Rick meant a lot to her and she didn't want it to change or become awkward.
She heard Rick groan as he stood up and walked over to the passenger seat to sit down next to her. She turned to look at him only to catch him looking right back at her. He smiled slightly and began to speak, "Thanks for taking over. I just needed some time to deal." Michonne gave him a reassuring smirk, "Of course, I understand." They both turned to face the road ahead, the road that would lead them back to Alexandria and to their family.
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Rick sat on the floor, his every thought focusing on Carl and Judith. He doesn't consider himself to be a religious man but he prayed that his children and friends were safe. He thought about what Lori had said to him long ago, "Why do we want Carl to live in this world, to have this life? So that he can see more people torn apart in front of him? So that he'll run and run and run and even if he survives he ends up just another animal that doesn't know anything except survival." He knew that her heart would break if she knew what he and Carl and Judith had been through, the things they've seen and done. He had been thinking about her a lot since they got to Alexandria. He thought about how much she would love the idea of starting over in a safe place where Carl could have friends and be a normal kid every once in a while. He thought about her when they walked into the house for the first time. She would be happy that Carl finally had a home. He wished that she could see the way Carl is with Judith. He thought about Lori when he kissed Jessie's cheek, how he felt like he was cheating. He thought about her when Michonne was sitting next to him on the floor of the RV moments ago. He had been noticed his relationship with Michonne shifting recently. Anytime he looked in her eyes he felt safe. Carl and Judith are the only other people that make him feel safe like that. Michonne's presence always calmed him and when she was holding his hand he felt the worry become lighter. He knew that they had a different kind of connection. When he was around Michonne he didn't feel like a cheater the way he has with Jessie. He knew that Lori and Michonne would have been friends. He felt somehow that Lori would understand, maybe even approve if something were to develop between the two of them. This thought jerked him out of his state of shock and brought him back to reality.
He lifted his head and looked around the now moving RV. He heard Heath talking quietly to Scott in the back, telling him he was going to make it. He then looked ahead at the moving scenery and began to stand up. He slumped down into the passenger seat next to Michonne. As he looked at her he felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that she was in his life and for what she has done for him and his family. She turned to look at him. He smiled and decided to vocalize this feeling, "Thanks for taking over. I just needed some time to deal." He noticed a small smile appear on her face as she said, "Of course, I understand." She turned back to face the road and he followed her lead.
They were almost to Alexandria. His heart started pounding as he thought of Carl and Judith. Please God let them be okay. I don't think I could go on without them. He felt his eyes well up a bit as he noticed Michonne quickly look away. He then felt her hand on top of his and instantly started to calm down. If he thought too hard about what might be waiting for them at Alexandria he would panic. He twisted his hand and gripped hers tightly as her touch gave him the strength to believe everything was going to be okay.
Look out for Chapter 5 for their return to Alexandria!