Chapter 13
Michonne could feel the sun on her face as she opened her eyes. She rolled over and stretched her arms and legs then relaxed again. As she lay there she stared at the pattern on the ceiling from the sun coming through the curtains. It felt like forever since she had a good night's sleep and could wake up without urgency. She could hear the faint voices of some Alexandrians coming from outside.
She made her way to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get ready for the day, a luxury that being in Alexandria afforded her. Walking down the stairs she noticed how quiet the house was. Everyone must have already left. She was surprised everyone was up so early, especially Carl, but thankful that she wouldn't have to face Rick yet. She grabbed a glass and filled it with water from the tap. She could still feel the tension in her left shoulder. She walked over to stand at the window sipping her water.
She could see Maggie, Tara, Daryl, and some other Alexandrians moving walker remains from the streets. Despite the fact that they were dragging smelly remains around, it looked like a community again. People were outside in the sun talking with one another and working together.
Michonne spotted Denise bringing water out to people and remembered that she wanted to talk to her about her shoulder. She put her glass in the sink and went back up stairs to grab Judith before heading out the door.
/
Rick had been working on the gate since he woke up at dawn. He spent most of the morning pacing up and down the walls thinking while he waited for the others to wake up. He kept having flashes of the late night conversation he had with Daryl and Carl. Had he really convinced them that he was in love with Michonne? They weren't even dating yet. Would they date? You can't exactly make reservations somewhere or go to a movie during the apocalypse. He could feel the slight anxiety beginning to make his heart beat faster when suddenly Carl walked up.
"Hey, how long you been out here?"
"A while. You're up early for you."
"Daryl woke me up with his annoyingly loud bike. He told me to tell you he was going hunting but he would be back soon to help."
Rick thought it was an odd time for Daryl to leave but then again he never new what was going on with Daryl. His attention went back to the huge gap in the wall where a couple panels were knocked down. He turned back to Carl, "You got any ideas?"
"Can't we just put it back together the same way? I mean what are the odds there's another mega herd close by?"
"I'd say they're pretty slim but I don't want to risk anything like this happening again. We need to make this place more secure."
"Okay well how do we do that?"
Rick had come up with several ideas while pacing back and forth but none that were very practical. One involved putting the panels back up and then parking the 18-wheeler that crashed into the tower against the inside.
"I've got some ideas. We'll talk about them at the meeting tonight."
"Am I invited?"
"I was thinking you would watch Judith." He hated that he always asked this of his son. Carl was basically Judith's mother and father but he never complained.
"Okay, but you have to fill me in after."
Rick smirked at Carl's desire to be involved with decisions. He was proud of how much he had matured since the prison, since Judy really. He was such a good brother. Lori would be so proud.
"Deal." He held out his hand and watched the smile spread across Carl's face as they shook on it.
/
Michonne walked out of Denise's office with Judith in her right hand and her prescribed drugs in the left. She turned to go back to the house and almost dropped her pills as she bumped into Rick.
"Hey… it's both my girls!"
She could see the look of fear flash across Rick's face as he realized what he just said. She decided to help him out and ignore it, "Well this girl just got some nice pain killers." She held up her bottle of pills.
He looked at the bottle then back at her, "Your shoulder?"
"Yeah, still kinda aches."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. It's more of an annoying pain. I'm still useful."
"I can see that", He looked at Judith who was playing with one of Michonne's dreads.
They both smiled as they looked at her. Rick reached out his hands to take Judith.
"Let me relieve you from your post."
"Thanks but I'm always happy to watch her." Michonne had grown to love Judith as if she were her own, Carl too.
Rick smiled at Michonne, "I know, it means a lot."
They were so focused on each other that they didn't even notice Daryl walk up until he cleared his throat very excessively. They both turn to see him looking back and forth between them with a smirk, "Sorry to interrupt a moment but Deanna's looking for you two."
Rick could feel the blush rushing to his cheeks, "She probably wants to talk about the meeting tonight. Can you take her?" Daryl reached for out his hands to take Judith, "Hey lil' ass-kicker."
Michonne gave Daryl a look of disapproval, "Maybe you shouldn't call her that anymore, we don't want her first words to be ass-kicker."
"Whatever, mom."
/
Michonne and Rick walked out of Deanna's house after the meeting. It was almost pitch black outside. The meeting had lasted a long time but they discussed a lot of options ultimately deciding on the parking the truck behind the walls to create more security. They walked back to the house in mostly silence until Michonne stopped when they reached their yard.
She wasn't altogether sure about this plan, "Are you sure this is going to work?"
Rick hesitated, "Well it might not be the best solution but it doesn't come without other benefits. We can put more people on top of the truck and use it as another lookout."
He could tell Michonne still wasn't convinced. He turned to face her, "Look, it's a quick fix, we'll keep thinking of other options but we need to do something now."
He saw her shoulders relax a little as she nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, makes since. It's just, if this place is going to last we are going to need to make it as safe as possible. Not just from walkers. I still believe in this place."
Rick placed his hand on her shoulder to reassure her, "I do too and it will. Trust me."
Michonne exhaled, "Trusting you is not the problem. I trust you with my life."
Rick felt his chest tighten in response. She stood there looking at him with the most sincere look on her face. He didn't know what to say, "Michonne…"
She grabbed his hand and pulled him up the steps and through the front door checking to see if anyone was awake. All the lights were off and Carl's door was closed. She pulled him into the kitchen and stopped abruptly turning to face him, "We need to talk about this. We have ignored it all day."
Rick was frozen in fear. This was the conversation he was anxiously waiting for. He swallowed, placing his hand on the counter to steady himself.
"Look, I know I've made things weird between us and I'm sorry for that but I don't regret any of it." He slowly lifted his head to see her face. It was unreadable.
She took a step forward and he jolted backwards.
"Rick…"
"It's okay if you don't feel the same way or you don't want to mess up the relationship we have now. I completely understand. We…" He was suddenly cut off by Michonne's lips on his. Her hands were in his hair as the force of the kiss pushed him against the counter. She grabbed his curls as she deepened the kiss. He placed one hand on her back and the other on her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. She moved in closer, pressing their bodies further together. Rick turned them, in response, so that she was against the counter.
Michonne pulled away placing her hands on his face to look in his eyes, "Does that answer your question?"
Rick cleared his throat and licked his lips, "Kinda."
Michonne raised her brows, "Kinda?"
She turned and took a few steps away from him letting a moment pass before she spoke. "I heard you guys last night," she said still facing the opposite direction.
Rick immediately knew what she meant. He exhaled slowly and looked up at her, "If that's too much for you…we can slow it down…"
He forgot what he was going to say as she turned back to face him, "I love you too."