A/N : Hey guys, sorry for the wait with this update. Thanks to those who still follow this story. Yes Michonne's memory is finally trickling in, it's a relief to me as much as it is you. I know the road hasn't been easy but I appreciate your constant support so much. You guys have no idea how hearing from you motivates and makes me happy. As I bring this story to a close, (three more chapters to go) I thought it would be nice to ask you guys if there are any particular flash backs you may want to see before the story ends. Feel free to PM me here or on Tumblr if you have any suggestions or you can leave it in the review box. It would be my gift to you to pen something of your choosing for this story.

Happy reading!

Sophia


March 2018

"Dre? Carl? I'm home." Rick called out, entering the kitchen through the back door. He had missed dinner again but he wisened up on his way home, with what his wife would call an impulse purchase and had come bearing gifts. It was his hope it would give him some kind of pass even though things had been beyond his control. He didn't try to make it a habit, being at home in time for dinner and helping the boys with their nighttime routine was important to him as it were to his family, but Sheriff demands were absorbing him these days and he found himself apologizing more for his absence than enjoying the times he could be present with the kids and Michonne.

It was part of the job, being on call and accessible to the people of King County at some inopportune times. He and Michonne had discussed the critical aspects of their jobs and how much they were going to try to not let their demanding careers infringe on family time but there were times when they had to make contingencies.

Carl came bolstering down the stairs, "Dad!" Clad in his pajamas he latched onto Rick's leg, he ruffled his son's brown hair. "Where's your brother?" He expected to see Andre, who had been Carl's shadow the past couple months right behind him.

"Daddy!" Andre's little voice filled the tidy kitchen, swinging his mother's hand as they descended the staircase in a slow strut.

"Hey buddy." Rick reached for him, he slipped out of his mother's grasp at the sight of his father.

"Hey babe." Rick said, presenting a vibrant bouquet of roses, as a peace offering for missing dinner the second time for the week. He pressed his lips to her cheek, unable to tear his eyes away from her comfortable home wear; an acid wash denim cutoffs that showed off her toned legs and purple tank top.

Michonne inhaled the sweet scent of the flowers and lifted an eyebrow in her husband's direction, "Flowers?"

"I'm sorry. For missing dinner."

"Mmmm." She mumbled and turned around, searching for a vase to place the pretty roses but still not giving him the satisfaction that all was forgiven. She missed him and having family time without him left everyone gloomy. She had to concede though, she understood the constraints he was working under; two of his men were down from injuries on the job and some were on leave and there was so much slack to pick up Rick had to step in and tighten the ropes. She wanted his request for new staff to come through so he wouldn't have to carry the weight of the deficit on his shoulders for much longer. She did feel a great measure of pride in him despite his absence, Rick was the truest definition of a leader: selfless, honest and empowering but the heart of his commitment to his people lay in his ability to serve and help others.

"How was the evening?"

"It was okay. The boys did their homework and then I spent half hour on the phone talking with Andie about this divorce party she's thinking about having." She still had hope Andrea and Shane would get their act together soon. Rick kissed her on her forehead knowing how much she was hurting for their friends.

"So I have a surprise for you boys." He stooped down to Dre and Carl's eye levels.

Michonne leaned against the counter observing the three most important men in her life interact; one of her favorite past times.

"Told ya!" Carl said nudging his brother with a know-it-all smirk.

Andre stuck out his hand and closed his eyes, waiting for said surprise to land in his upturned palm. Rick snuck outside. On tip toes she saw through the window pane, he was bending over something. Her interest was sparked by the purchase that hadn't been discussed between them before, she was just as curious as their sons.

He stepped back inside, a huge grin on his face, highlighting all of his handsome features, a small cage carrying a furry grey and white hamster peeking out of a blue tube in the small pen in his hand.

"Are you kidding me?" Michonne exclaimed, cringing at the sight of the small but creepy looking rodent.

"Babe…" Rick said slowly, not wanting to have to justify why he bought the hamster while Carl and Andre were still taking in the surprise. Michonne folded her hands and waited for his probably watered down excuse on why the purchase was necessary.

Carl and Andre were too shocked to speak, they stared at the furball, their hands itching to reach inside the cage to touch their new pet.

"This is for us?" Carl asked, his voice in a high pitch of excitement.

"Yeah buddy. It's all yours."

"Can I pet him Daddy?" Andre asked, looking up at Rick with superhero appreciation.

"He, is a she son. And she needs time to adjust to us, so how about we pick out a name first?"

He placed the silver cage on the table, the boys pulled out a chair each and sat with their elbows on the table, admiring the critter with a devotion Rick hadn't seen before. Between the two of them they were throwing out names, testing out which one suited their new friend best. With the boys entranced by their new pet hamster Rick approached his closed off but still very beautiful wife thinking of ways to seduce her into permitting their new house guest to stay.

"Don't even start with that look!" She said forcefully, trying her best to keep the serious tone in her voice.

"What look?" He wasn't sure if feigning innocence with a lawyer was a good idea but it was all he had at the moment.

"The look that always makes me say yes! You know I don't do rodents Rick!"

She folded her arms again and his hands rubbed over her toned ones, loving the feel of her smooth skin under his calloused hands. "She's a cute little hamster, look at her cute little face silently judging your hamster hate." He loved to tease her like this. She glared at him with renewed focus.

"Just hear me out ok. I feel guilty for not being around as much. At least when I'm not here I'll know they have something fun to do."

"Oh so I'm not fun?" She acted hurt. "Rick. You know I don't. Do. Rodents."

He craned his neck, his eyebrow raised, "This from the woman who snatched the last tub of ice cream from the lady with a million piercings at the grocery store two weeks ago? You're scared of a hamster!?" He ignored her side eye, seeing her struggle to control the hint of a smile that had been tugging at her lips filled him with innocent pleasure.

"That tub had my name on it, Piercy Mc Piercing just didn't know it. And I'm not afraid of a hamster!" It was the truth, she wasn't afraid of the hamster she was absolutely petrified of the thing and had been ever since she was a teenager.

"Come touch it. You'll see there's nothing to fear." He tried to move her over to the dining room table where the boys sat but her feet were planted firmly on the tile in front the sink.

"We didn't discuss this Rick." Had they discussed it she would've shut the impulsive idea down and bought the boys a goldfish instead.

"Yeah I know but I couldn't leave her in the store, she was calling me with her eyes. Besides this is gonna teach Dre and Carl to be a little more responsible."

He wasn't sure if she chuckled or groaned, "Responsible!? I know how this is gonna go Rick. I'm gonna have to feed her, clean up after her and do everything else that entails taking care of a hamster Rick! Then knowing this family she's gonna show up missing or dead and I'll have to intervene again but somehow you'll be the parent that gets the praise."

"Are we fighting?" He said, his tone light. He knew her intonation along with every facial twitch that she displayed the rare times they didn't see eye to eye, this wasn't one of those times.

"Mommy do you know that hamsters come alive at night?" Dre said, giving some unsolicited information to his mother.

"Great! Great!" She said throwing her hands in the air, turning to the cupboard to get a mug, hoping some chai tea might give her some calm.

"And hamsters can only see in the colors yellow and green!" Andre added, giggling with said hamster darted about the pen.

"What is he, The Learning Channel?" Michonne couldn't help but laugh at the random hamster facts, Andre had a penchant for learning odd tidbits of random things and regurgitating what he'd learnt at odd times. Rick laughed at his son's genius but snaked an arm around Michonne's waist, bringing her close to him, her back touching his chest. "You're not really mad are you babe?" He kissed her cheek, and then kissed her ear knowing the response the kiss would elicit from her.

"Yes. I am." She was mad at herself that her head had tilted slightly of its own volition to give Rick better access to her neck.

"I don't wanna fight about this. Think about it, it'll be good practice for all of us for when the baby comes." He whispered in her ear, not wanting the boys to hear about their latest project. He rubbed her belly under her top, hoping the next test they took would be a positive one.

"There's no baby there yet Rick."

"There will be. Soon." It was their biggest hope and dream.

"Promise?" she asked, side tracked buy his effortless ability to make her jello in his arms but still pondering on how happy she would be knowing she was carrying Rick's baby.

"Have I ever broken a promise to you before?" She shook her head. His lips descended to her shoulder, his focus had shifted, all he wanted to do now was take his wife to bed.

She poured the hot water from the kettle into the red tea mug and allowed her indian chai tea bag to steep, trying to distract herself from thinking about Rick's hands roaming over her body.

"Boys, take the hamster upstairs to your room. Carl, don't take her out of the cage." Rick said sternly knowing the two boys could be stubborn at times.

"K' dad. C'mon Dre. Let's go." Carl lead the way up the staircase, he held the cage in his hand like it was precious cargo and Andre shadowed him still calling out random names for selection. When the boys were out of sight she wiggled out of his hold and pointed her finger at him. "No more sidetracking mister! Your furry companion has got to go. Take her to the farm and the boys can visit her anytime."

"You would do that to our sons?" He step back and Michonne knew he was about to bring the extraness. "They love her already."

She folded her arms, not budging from her resolve.

"Baby? We're really fighting over this?"

"Yes." She had turned toward the sink again, she looked at him over her shoulder, washing the spoon she had mixed her tea with. He snuck behind her back again, this time his hand didn't find her waist but snuck below the waistband of her shorts, arriving at the juncture of her thighs with ease. He found her already wet for his touch and he felt her body weaken in his arms.

"You're so wet already Michonne." He kissed her shoulder, his finger making a path on her outer lips.

Struggling to not give in she managed to speak, "I want a fight Rick, a big one where I win and that hamster is out of my house."

They never fought and it was why they could joke about it so easily. Still if she wanted the thrill of a fight he'd give her one but he knew he would be the one to come out on top, in more ways than one.

"You sure you wanna fight with me right now over a hamster Chonne?" He found her slit and passed his middle finger over it, he was certain he heard her hiss. "I mean I can think of a few ways to better spend our time don't you think babe?" His voice was deep and sexy in her ear while he dipped his index and middle finger inside her heat. She gripped the edges of the sink, and had slightly bent her body into him, giving him better access to the place he loved to devour.

Willing to accept defeat for a sexier pay off she managed to say, "Okay, we can save this fight. But you owe me a big one." She said leaning over for him to kiss her neck again.

"I'll give you a big one I promise." The double entendre didn't go unnoticed, just as he started to rub her nub Carl yelled from the top of the staircase; his voice sounded too concerned for their comfort.

"Shit!" Rick said and they both rushed up the steps forgetting the mischief they were about to indulge in. Arriving on the threshold of Carl's room her motherly instincts went into overdrive, "What's wrong?" she questioned, Carl and Andre both wore guilty expressions. She and Rick stood in the doorway of the super hero detailed room waiting for an answer.

"I took Penny out of her cage and she umm..she slipped outta' my hand." Carl was looking on the ground, Andre's eyes danced all over the room unable to look his parents in their eyes as he shouldered his brother's guilt too.

"Didn't I tell you not to do that Carl?" Rick said dropping on the ground to search for Penny, he assumed the boys eventually came up with the name.

"I knew this was going to happen." Michonne said, in this instance she hated that her foresight was always so on point. Knowing the critter was loose in their home made her blood crawl. Rick looked at her with just as much guilt as their sons. He was unable to blanket the fine mess they found themselves in, repentance all over his pinched face.

She climbed on top of Andre's white kiddie chair, not wanting the hamster to crawl across her feet.

Rick searched under the bed, he dug inside and around Carl's toy chest, then under Carl's homework station but found nothing. Carl and Andre were at his side, searching in silence. His back was already aching from bending over so much. He got up and was surprised to see his wife on top of the small white chair with her arms folded looking pissed and pretty, yet again.

"Really babe? The girl who took fencing lessons for two years is scared of an itty bitty hamster?" She was being ridiculous, cute but still ridiculous.

"Hey! In an apocalypse we'll be safe but right now you need to get that hamster outta my house!" Rick placed his hand on his hips and she mimicked him, both in a stare off of epic proportions. She didn't know it but her speech patterns mimicked his when she was upset and he thought it was absolutely adorable.

Michonne saw a grey ball of fluff dash across the doorway and rushed across the hall. Damn penny moved fast!

"Rick! It's behind you!"

He turned in time to see Penny enter their bedroom. "Oh Shit!" He said loudly, if Michonne saw where Penny went she was gonna bring fire down on the whole house, he might end up on the evening news. Husband attacked by wife for making a bad decision. Hamster still on the loose.

"Did that thing just go into my bedroom!?" Michonne questioned unable to reduce the irritation in her tone.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Rick said again, wondering if he should call in reinforcements.

"Mother F-"

"Andre!" Rick and Michonne cut off Andre who was about to utter a curse.

"That's a bad word son." Rick said, looking at Michonne and shaking his head. "That's the last time Sasha and Abe babysit my kid." he said unimpressed by Abraham and Sasha's inability to filter.

"The rat Rick! The rat!" She danced on the chair but stored a reminder to have a serious chat with Sasha about using bad words around the boys.

"She's a hamster Mom!" Carl called out, following his father and Andre into the hallway.

"You guys go help Daddy find Penny honey. Mommy will stay on top of this chair, far away from the hallway doing some….. surveillance."

She heard Rick mocking her with an uproar of laughter from in the hallway.

...

After two hours of turning the master bedroom upside down looking for the tiny creature that had caused such large scale chaos, Rick had given up. Their bedroom looked like it had been struck by a natural disaster; clothes were scattered everywhere, the bed had been rumpled, the drapes had been torn down; Rick thought he saw Penny hiding behind the curtains and in his hyperbole fashion had grabbed the drapes a bit too forcefully. The alleged Penny he thought he saw was a rolled up pair of his running socks.

Michonne lay on Carl's bed with a sleeping Andre tucked under her arm and Carl at the side of him, they had given up the fight an hour ago.

He walked in the room defeated, it didn't help that Michonne was right, again.

"I'll call Daryl in the morning and see if he can help. Somehow he's good with those things."

Her sigh was audible, Carl's bed wasn't large, so when Rick stretched his body out on the other end with Carl sandwiched between them he wondered if the family of four could actually get some sleep tonight. There were two other bedrooms down the hall but the excitement of the night made him realize how much he was missing out on his family and he just wanted to be close to them.

Michonne reached behind her and took off the light, Rick adjusted the cover over them and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry," He said, feeling for her hand in the dark. "I love you."

"I know." She said latching onto to his hand. With a hamster loose in her sanctuary and she, Rick, Carl and Andre smooshed together on one bed she realized this was the best part of her week and better than any planned family time. Rick held her hands in the dark while thoughts of a baby girl to add to their party lingered in her head, she realized she had never felt so full of love before.

"Next time call your wife and tell her you're about to make a not so smart decision."

He chuckled at her shade.

"And just so you know, flowers say I'm sorry but jewellery says I won't do it again."

Her voice soothed him in the darkness like it always had, like it always would. "Noted."

"Good."

"You still love me?" He may not have made all the right decisions tonight but as promised they had made another memory in their home.

Rick's heart was the purest thing about him. Michonne smiled and she felt him smile back, even through the darkness. Somehow she knew she would love him every day, over and over again, she would love him forever.

"Always."


Ducky: I'm having the toughest time make the toughest decision right now.

Michonne: You're in a bar drinking beers and watching a game, what's so hard?

Ducky: Thinkin' of where I'm gonna make you cum tonight. So many choices…..

Michonne: You're thinking about that right now?

Ducky: Been thinkin' about it all day. These are your options - the bed, the patio, the pottery room. PR is my personal favorite. :) You pick.

"Hello! Earth to Michonne? Girl where are you right now?"

She was about to give a sexy, flirtatious response to her insatiable husband, but although caught red-handed she was still unable to conceal the silly grin that plastered her face the minute she received another message from Rick, She tried her best to face her sister with a pinch of seriousness.

"I'm here."

Rosita leaned over on the long white sofa she was lounging on, peeping over her friend's shoulder, her eyes narrowing on the iPhone resting in Michonne's manicured hand.

"Oh God! She's sexting Ducky!" She covered her eyes with her hand, leaving a slit specific for peeking.

Sasha's mouth extended, her hands sat akimbo while her pretty brown eyes glared at her distracted sister. "Really? On my day!?"

"Look at her! She can't even stop blushing!" Rosita observed. Michonne wasn't even trying to hide it anymore. She wanted everybody to know how in love she was with her husband.

"That's what orgasm therapy does for you." Rosita teased again, slapping her on her thigh as Michonne gave into the wild laughter she had been stifling.

Sasha laughed too, happy her sister was so happy. "Okay but...my day." She reminded.

"Technically Sasha, it's our day." Maggie said waddling onto Abraham's heavily decorated patio with a tray of treats in her hand. Maggie and Sasha's baby shower and bachelorette party had started and ended with a bang. The after party with the core circle of friends had begun which meant more food and more alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages for the likes of Michonne and Maggie.

Maggie didn't have a clue they had thrown her shower into the melee and had been pleasantly surprised when she saw the presents and baby decorations that filled the living room. She was happy she decided to dress up for the event, the purple, peep shoulder maxi dress had been another surprise from Glenn, it was appreciated because there was nothing appealing to her in her closet now that her stomach had started protruding around corners.

Abraham's contemporary styled home was large enough to have two separate areas for each soiree. For now, they had settled on the patio; the gray hardwood floors and covering added to the monochrome beauty of the outdoor setup. The surrounding green shrubs enclosed the two sectional black and white sofas making it appear less festive but more intimate as the daylight slipped out and dusk snuck in. There were patio stones that made its own patterns from leftover materials from Abraham's previous renovations that Sasha found were too unique to discard. Abraham gave her carte blanche to do as she pleased to blend their individual tastes in an attempt to make his house, their home.

Sasha fist bumped Maggie in passing while sipping her mojito from her penis shaped straw. To add to the festivities of her Vegas themed bachelorette party Sasha wore a navy blue tank with bridin dirty marked in bright gold across her chest, it glittered under the white outside lights everytime she moved.

"I was not sexting!" Michonne exclaimed feigning innocence, truth was she couldn't get enough of Rick and if it weren't for Maggie and her sister celebrating two special occasions today she could think of a couple other interesting things she could be doing with Rick.

"Ok ladies gather 'round, I have one more joke and there are some games we haven't played yet." Rosita took centre stage, the official mistress of ceremonies for the day, she took her role seriously and had a slew of activities, both raunchy and baby approved prepared for the day. Sasha's and Maggie's friends enjoyed the evening and took part in the various activities planned, but the memorable evening had come to an end and while the other guests' had left the girls' weren't ready to part company.

It had been a while since they had all been together in one place, even Andrea who had been reserved with her communication while she was recovering had come out of her retreat and was washing up dishes in the kitchen with Deanna. Michonne was happy her friend showed up, everything had been ripped apart the night of the accident, their group dynamic had shifted somewhat but she had hope that like her relationship with Rick things could be mended for her friend, including her heart.

Aside from the unspoken pain that may not ever be forgotten, given all that had transpired two months ago, there was an air of joy and happiness in the atmosphere and it was a bright contrast to the tragedy that was that fateful night that had started with a gathering similar to the one they were hosting.

Michonne scooted around, making room for Maggie while Sasha opted to sit opposite them, the long glass table dividing the two oval sofas.

"Why do men name their penises?" Rosita dived right in, waiting to hear the horrible responses from her friends.

"Because they're idiots?" Sasha shrugged.

"Can you at least try?" Rosita gestured to Michonne to answer next.

"I got nothing."

"Because they want to be on a first name basis with the person who makes all their decisions!" Rosita answered begrudgingly.

Sasha laughed and shook her head. "Abraham named his own Hercules. I think it's sexy."

Maggie's forehead creased and Rosita lifted an eyebrow, "Somehow I think that was an overshare."

"I'm sorry I didn't realize you two had the power to judge me! I didn't know God was hiring?" She snapped back at them.

"Sis that was TMI!" Michonne chortled, holding her belly from the walking comedy show that was her sister.

"What? like Rick hasn't named his dick?" The words tumbled out of Sasha's mouth in a quick retort.

"Uhhh guys are we forgetting Ducky here?" Rosita threw in, thinking the blush on Michonne's face was enough of a giveaway to the question at hand.

Saved by the appearance of Andrea, the pretty blonde joined them having finished assisting in tidying up.

"What's so funny?" she asked, entering on the tale end of the joke, "Everything has been washed up, the leftovers have been labeled in the refrigerator and the kitchen is sparkling. Sasha, Deanna said she's catching up on some emails upstairs. She said save her a glass of wine." Andrea chose to stand despite the vacant space on the inviting sofa.

"Yeah emails…. she is so watching Golden Girls reruns again. She's hooked even though she claims she's years away from joining that crew." Sasha laughed, knowing her stepmom too well, she wasn't as slick as she thought she was.

"The guys are still hanging out? I was thinking of heading home." Andrea walked behind the seating, looking on at the girls feeling like a kid looking through the glass of a candy store. She wore a stylish beige cropped pants and maroon ankle boots with a pretty deep red cashmere sweater, the outfit was supposed to give her some confidence.

"The guys are gonna milk this one. They're free to do whatever they want tonight and it's Friday. We're not seeing them until tomorrow. Sit with us." Maggie patted the vacant spot next to her pouring Andrea a glass of the strongest grape juice she had found in Abe's kitchen. The uncertainty on Andrea's face was visible as she wrestled with wanting to sit at the table and feeling ambivalent of how much she was necessary to the girl time. She wanted to be wanted but given her behavior over the last few months she wasn't sure she deserved a temporary respite from the four women she cared about most in her life. She needed to show it more than say it, maybe this was a good start, maybe it wasn't.

As she was about to offer some invalid excuse for not staying, Michonne stood and held out her hand to her sending her reluctance. Andrea saw the gesture as a sign for her to finally seek clemency from her inner circle; for allowing her sensibilities to overpower her insecurities for far too long. As much as she had gotten it from Shane, in order for her heart to function effectively again she needed it from her girls too. She was choosing her words and actions carefully these days; once words were spoken they could only be forgiven, not forgotten and she was done hurting people who cared about her in such a callous manner.

She sat, still grasping Michonne's hand, knowing how much her best friend, if she still had the privilege of calling her that, had overcome since the hospital, gave her strength to believe her healing miracle was just around the corner even if a part of her still felt like she didn't deserve much of anything, including happiness. Rosita took her tray filled with games to play off the table, despite the competitive nature of the women around her she was ready to have some fun now that their circle was complete again.

They had shared in enough pain recently, being silly together had always been their best therapy. Michonne understood Rosita's tactics to retrieve the missed synergy among them. Her mind drifted to the divorce party that was the catalyst to it all and how difficult it had been to see Andrea's misguided pain morphe into a celebration of her hurts and the subsequent ruin of her marriage.

This time they were commemorating life and love and not the loss of a broken relationship. Maybe they were celebrating some kind of delayed victory in spite of that broken relationship and the cataclysmic chain of events it had set off in its wake. Her memory may have been severed in the chaos, what could've followed was the demise of her own relationship with Rick but love triumphed over the fragments of pain that scattered over them like a blast from a bomb.

Her heart rose above the anguish and self doubt and saw Rick, who while she had been looking for answers everywhere else had never stopped looking at her. He saw her and if love spoke, Rick was loving her loudly.

She wanted that for Andrea, even if Shane turned out to not be the one, she wanted her to understand the heights and depths of the beauty of real love and how healing it could be for one's soul.

"Great. We're all here now." Maggie said clapping her hands, feeling excited that her gang of misfits were together again. She rubbed her rounded belly, settling in on the cushy sofa, preparing herself to relax and enjoy the rest of their time together.

"We are, so it's only right that we do The Oath." Sasha said pouring everyone drinks in the empty, long stemmed wine glasses.

"The Oath? We haven't done that in ages!" Rosita said.

Sasha cleared her throat, ignoring Rosita knowing how into the antics she was, "Let the meeting of the Fussy Posse begin." Sasha, self appointed leader of said posse slammed her pretend gavel in the air. "We will now begin by saying our pledge." She pointed to Rosita who normally initiated the unique set of promises the group was binded by.

"Ok. We're doing this." Rosita sat up straighter in her seat and lifted her palm halfway, "I Rosita promise to save you from any hideous lapse of judgement when it comes to men."

Sasha handed her a glass of Pinot noir as a reward for her compliance and she took it gladly.

Maggie groaned but on the inside she was happy to be next, "I promise to crop out all muffin tops in any pictures we take together." She took her grape juice from Sasha but on last minute decided to drink from the bottle instead of the glass.

Sasha pointed to herself, surprised everyone so far remembered their part, "I promise to never let buyer's remorse be a condition you suffer from."

She handed Andrea a glass of wine but she begged for some of Maggie's grape juice instead, much to everyone's surprise. Everyone knew how much Andrea loved her alcoholic concoctions, the fact that she chose juice over the wine was a sign that there was one less thing in her life controlling her behavior. Michonne was so proud of her friend.

"I promise to always be your lesbian lover if a jerk comes onto you in a bar."

The level of greedy anticipation for their cherished memory blinded them to the fact Michonne wouldn't have any recall on their pledge as it was something they had designed when Michonne and Maggie were away at school and the distance had put a strain on their friendship with weekly group messages counting as valid forms of communication.

With Michonne's amnesia the cognizance would be non existent.

Sasha was about to interrupt with an apology when Michonne stood up, mesmerizing all of them when she said, "I promise to love you four no matter what, to be with you through the good and the bad. To silently hold your hand when life gets too loud….and….."

She waited for them to finish the not so forgotten ritual together like they usually did.

"To always remember being best friends is a promise, not a label." They said in chorus.

Maggie placed her glass on the table, stunned but not too stunned to speak, "You remembered?"

"Michonne how did you….? Oh my God. This is incredible!" Her sister said looking around for leftover napkins as her eyes began to pool.

Michonne herself was astonished by the words that flowed out of her mouth unprompted, even as the girls began to speak in round robin fashion she didn't put much thought to it or the script she had to verbalize to bring the pledge to a close.

Her mind and heart were free and amnesia was the thing being put into shackles, no longer having control in her life. Her heart was full, she had another memory. She didn't want to believe everything would all come back to her because she'd been given so many gifts already but now there was a yearning, a certain level of expectation that her memory would return.

Her demons had turned into art, her fears transformed into fuel and despite the flames that burned the consciousness of her treasured recollections she rose above the ashes notably stronger than when she came out of the hospital bed.

"I didn't want to say anything, it happened before with Rick." He had built her a room to allow her to practice and develop a skill that was supposed to aid her memory in returning. It was a simple room with a door and two windows and a lock but Rick had always been her key. "It's a trickle here and there but I remembered and it's the best feeling ever." She didn't realize tears were falling until she saw Maggie and Sasha dab at their eyes too. She had their support from the get go, their friendship was characterized by truth, strength and love.

"I'm so happy for you." Maggie reached across the table and hugged her, then it was a chain reaction.

"Thanks for turning my party into a cryfest."

"Our party Sasha." Maggie bragged.

"Your part of the day is over, you're not getting married on Sunday are you?" She teased.

Maggie stuck her tongue out and they all laughed at her childish behavior.

Breaking the cheerful atmosphere that had been created by the resurgence of their camaraderie Andrea spoke in a quiet tone, trying to control her topsy turvy emotions seeing for herself that all was not lost.

"Can I just say something." Her voice had a quiver to it but her pride kept her back from showcasing how she was really feeling for too long. She couldn't let it dictate her behavior any longer.

"Of course." Rosita said, even she had grown somber with the valued interruption from Andrea.

"I um...I owe the four of you an apology."

Sasha held her hand up, willing to forgive and forget the past but in order for Andrea to heal, to grow, she had to face her shortcomings and who better to be completely vulnerable with than her inner circle.

"No Sash, I need to do this."

Sasha nodded in solidarity.

"I uh..I haven't been the most considerate person for…." Andrea let loose a dry laugh, unable to trace back to a date stamp when being hurt had become more important to her than healing, "...quite some time now. And I've been struggling with facing you guys after some of the things I've done." She let out a deep breath, not ready to cry her way through what she knew was an overdue but hopefully not too late apology.

She looked at Michonne and her softened face, she felt encouraged to continue despite the slight tremble in her hands. "I'm sorry it took our accident and your memory loss for me to see things clearly Michonne but I do see the error of my ways now and I'm sorry. It's easy to be blind to your own actions when you've been wired to thrive on dysfunction."

Michonne nodded feeling the power in her words, to herself she couldn't be mad anymore if her accident brought healing all around. It was significant for the wounds that predated the accident. She was trying to view her memory loss as less of a mistake and more of a miracle.

Andrea wiped her face finding strength by the receptive faces in front of her, "I'm done making excuses for myself. Shane and I suffered through a miscarriage separately and I didn't know what to do with his pain or mine for that matter. I didn't want him to blame me for it. So I intentionally pushed him away, I couldn't take seeing him look at me with so much hurt. I began questioning if he was the right man for me until I convinced myself he wasn't. I substituted material things as a way to numb the pain but it never went away. Hiding pain doesn't make it heal." She cried not because of where she'd been but for the bend in the road that had catapulted her to face her demons head on. "Shane is a good man, even when I had nothing more to sustain myself with he stepped in and I don't know if I'd be standing here today if it wasn't for his help after the accident."

Sasha moved next to Andrea, giving her a halfway hug, helping her to lean on her to continue on in her verbal catharsis. Andrea pressed her head against Sasha's own thanking the heavens that friends were the family she got to choose.

"He loves me and it's not the kind of love I expected but it's the kind of love I needed and I've learnt that you don't ever have to tell the right man how to love you. He already knows what you deserve." She understood there was no surplus when you're owing, she knew she didn't deserve Shane but she would do her endeavor best to show him how much she appreciated him and all that he'd done for her. "Even if we don't end up together I want him to know that. I want y'all to know it to." Her sentence trickled off, it was followed by a few seconds of silence as everything resonated deeply in their minds. The ventilation was necessary for Andrea and her shoulders didn't feel so heavy anymore.

Rosita handed out napkins, there wasn't a dry eye among them as Andrea's words ebbed and flowed between them. Knowing Andrea was an emotional G.I. Joe, usually saving her emotions for combat, they saw it took real strength for her to come forward with the weight that was sinking her slowly.

"Dammit I hate you guys for making me cry." Rosita said dabbing the corners of her darkened lashes, her thug status temporarily on hiatus.

"I didn't mean to bring the evening down it's just my therapist says that it's important to express what I'm feeling and I've been holding out on you guys because I didn't think I should be here with you anymore." After numbing herself to pain for all that time, allowing herself to finally feel things, to feel pain had delivered its own ounce of cure.

"With us? Andrea….. honey. No, don't you ever think that. You heard the oath…." Maggie reminded, knowing that without Andrea they would be missing a limb.

"Yeah, c'mon, we're a family, that's why we work. You guys get on my nerves but I love you."

"Thanks Rosita." Andrea knew how important family was, she had learned that much, the valuable lesson wasn't taught by her own parents but by this amazing group of women who somehow still wanted her around.

Everybody came with baggage but people who really loved you helped you to unpack it.

"Let's make a toast." Michonne said refilling her, Maggie and Andrea's glasses with the remnant of grape juice, too happy to let tears overtake their togetherness.

"Yes can I do it?" Sasha requested.

"Have at it."

They all lifted their glasses, waiting on Sasha to gather her words.

"To us, we're not perfect, we're a little crazy...okay...very crazy but….gloriously real and even though I'm marrying an idiot tomorrow who I'll love with my very last breath, you four will always be my soulmates."

"Cheers!" Everybody was in complete agreement


"Wanna know the difference between a pregnant woman and a terrorist? You can negotiate with a terrorist." Glenn chugged the end of his beer as the fellas commiserated with his misery. He wasn't complaining but Maggie had arrived to the part of her pregnancy where reason and rationale was difficult to come by. She wasn't slowing down, if anything, he gathered she was speeding up as her pregnancy progressed, at this rate she could wage war on a whole army.

"Trust me, she'll slow down soon enough. Don't worry about it." Rick said taking a pull of his beer too. He knew his sister and he knew what drove her, he also had been a part of two pregnancies thus far and he knew the slowing down time almost, always came. He couldn't wait to do it with Michonne again, the image of his gorgeous wife rounded with his baby was something he anticipated.

"Maggie was always that girl man." Daryl said grabbing the glass bowl of nuts from the bar counter and throwing a few back.

Abraham's bachelor night was a simple one, taking place at Ren's, a popular bar downtown that catered to avid pool players and avid sports fans alike with their slew of enormous flat screen tv's that catered to every game that was seasonally trending.

Their patrons appreciated they could settle down for a pint and catch up on their favorite game too. Rick, Glenn and Daryl were on stools that lined the bar that had just been cleared from a rowdy crew. Shane and Abe were having a tense game of pool, neither alpha wanted to admit defeat so they were prepared to go all night. They had already done the guy talk bit from predicting the final game scores to talking shit about each other, to Abe giving an awkward sex story from his past, Rick was still cringing at the memory. Listening to Shane talk in an incessant stream of TV and movie quotes was torture enough. It was sad that there were movie lines already written to deliver the full gamut felt by his friend.

As much as Rick enjoyed hanging out with them he wanted to get back to his wife, who had recently re-attached her hip to his and being close to her was the best feeling. Something stronger than the two of them was always pulling them together, a powerful magnetic force that even if he didn't comprehend the magnitude of it, he certainly couldn't deny the power it yielded. It was bigger than him, bigger than the both of them, bigger than amnesia. He knew there was nothing they couldn't face together but the significance of their bond had been tried, tested and proven.

Their hearts spoke; seven billion people in the world and she chose him, twice.

He was a lucky man and he couldn't wait to get home to demonstrate how lucky he felt.

"That my friend is what you call whoop ass!" Abraham said, joining them at the bar with a cocky grin on his face while Shane followed behind, crawling to the bar, requesting a rum and coke to soothe his bruised ego.

Abraham's hat that read, By me a beer, the end is near said it all about what they were celebrating tonight. If people didn't get it the ball and chain below the text would help them come to the correct conclusion.

"Yeah yeah man! You win!" The loud music, bar food and the hubbub of indistinct voices was a nice way to close out the Friday night. Even the guy in the corner pouring out his heartache to a stranger didn't seem out of place among the enthusiastic chatter.

Sunday was a big day for all, Sasha and Abe's wedding day had finally arrived, anticipation of the big day was in the air.

"You ready man?" Daryl asked, the thought of marriage and babies plagued him these days, he wondered if he would make Rosita a good husband or if they ever had kids if he'd be a good father like Rick.

"I don't think you're ever ready for marriage really." Abe shrugged, "I just know I'm ready for this adventure with Sasha to go to the next level. I'm not sure I know what to expect."

Rick nodded in agreement, "He's right, marriage is taking her hand and jumping. No matter what happens try not to let go."

"Sometimes you don't wanna let go man, but you gotta." Shane said sadly, feeling the brunt of his words more than anybody. He had let go of Andrea's hands when they divorced but her accident shed a light on how much she needed him even if she couldn't say it. He was relieved there was finally something she needed that he could provide. If she observed the love in his eyes when he helped her do things she couldn't do for herself before, then the sacrifices his heart made for her weren't in vain, but only time would tell.

"Things'll get better man." Daryl said, "Sometimes those girls gotta go their own way for a bit."

"Ain't that the truth." Rick hadn't been in agreement when Michonne moved out for those five days that had been full of anguish for him but he couldn't predict if they'd be in the place they were now if she hadn't. Sometimes a Damascus road was necessary to find one's way, more so when the mind was the battlefield. "Doesn't mean she doesn't love you though, just don't stop shining the light. Hopefully it's the thing that makes her come home."

"We'll see." Shane remained hopeful.

"You know the missus told me no strippers tonight." Abe said, still in amazement that he was marrying someone even bossier than he was.

"Maggie said she was gonna make me sleep in the barn if she heard there were strippers." Glenn said.

"C'mon stop complainin', this rounds is on me." Shane said handing out beers to their small crew.

"Sasha and I butt heads on those type of things now and again. Last week she told me take the night off for myself. So I went to the gun range, you know….let off some steam but the ten missed calls I had determined her offering was a lie."

They knocked their bottles together and pulled the first sip, "So you married fellas gonna give me some advice on how to control that?" Abraham said referring to Sasha's often bullheaded determination.

Rick focused his eyes on Abe, his head tilted, "Control her what? Her attitude?" He laughed heartily, "I'm married to a lawyer that doesn't apply to me." Rick smirked knowing control and Michonne couldn't be in the same sentence. She was rightfully opinionated, it was one of the reasons why he loved her.

"Maggie is definitely her own woman too, I just try to understand the code she speaks in." the veterinarian added, knowing his wife was a force in her own right.

"Don't confuse attitude with being strong. It's two different things. If she's the latter and I mean this is Sasha, so she is, you better thank your lucky stars she chose you."

"I am a lucky bastard aren't I." Abe said folding his arms as he dwelled on the fact.

"Here's some good marriage advice though, when she asks you to take the chicken out of the freezer, do yourself a favor and do it right away." Rick had to share the sage advice with Abraham. He'd learned the hard way the severity of the command.

"Yeah and when in doubt, ask. We like to think we have all the answers but we don't." The chasm of Daryl Dixon dishing out sound relationship advice was a tell to the maturity he had experienced being with the eccentric Rosita Espinosa for the past couple of months. Everybody was impressed and heckled him enough to redden his face.

As they evening was getting later the music shifted; Rascal Flats were crooning their latest love ballad through the overhead speakers. Rick's phone buzzed and he unlocked his phone to see the dirty message sent by his wife, already turned on by her lingo alone, combined with the few beers he'd downed he was ready to go home to her.

"Rick! Fancy meeting you here!" Jessie snuck up behind him, her manicured hand rested on his shoulder and a bright smile sat on her face.

"Jessie? What are you doing here?" He was surprised to see the blonde in the downtown bar. He didn't know she knew about the place but there was a lot about Jessie he didn't know, of his own choosing.

She pointed to two other women in another sectioned off area in the bar, "Yeah we've been here for a while. I saw when you guys walked in. I guess you didn't see me." She smoothed her darkened tresses, subtly trying to fix the red mini dress that had hiked up on her thighs, while being scrutinized by the four men who were hanging out with Rick.

"I really didn't notice you." He said in earnest, happy that she had removed her hand from his arm.

She stood in awkward silence after her nervous laugh dissipated.

"Umm...you know Abe and Shane right? This is my brother-in-law Glenn and one of my best friends, Daryl."

To be polite, Glenn and Daryl stretched over in their formed circle to shake Jessie's hand who came across a bit too eager to do the same.

Abraham cleared his throat, unable to bear the awkwardness Jessie brought with her arrival. Glenn's eyes were on the floor, fixated on the neatly done hardwood. Shane stared straight at Jessie and Daryl observed Rick's oblivious behavior.

"Well umm...I guess I'll see you at the office Rick. Everything is ready for our Gala Dinner next week. All the months of our hard labor is finally gonna pay off." She was rambling now, knowing she should leave but still wanting to let Rick know she was glad she got the opportunity to work with him on the drug campaign.

"Yeah I'm lookin' forward to it. You worked your butt of Jessie." He was being true, her efforts didn't go unnoticed by the Mayor.

"I couldn't have done any of it without you Rick." Her less than familiar hand had returned on the sleeve of his midnight blue polo. He didn't shake it off because he didn't want to embarrass her, he had pretty much set up a professional zone with Jessie.

"Well...umm.. you boys enjoy the evening. Catch you later Rick." She walked off and before she could return to the pool table area she had come from, Abraham who was nothing if he wasn't ill timed, especially with words, spoke first.

"Is it just me or does Blondie have a crush on the Sheriff?"

"Ever since Rick helped her that one time when Pete was harassing her, she latched onto him like a lost puppy." Daryl said in a low grumble.

"I did what any of y'all would've done. Jessie doesn't have a crush on me. She's been through a lot, cut her some slack." Rick said, not wanting to store what Daryl said as truth.

He remembered the night she came to his home requesting the flash drive that held all their work, he was in the middle of a tense conversation with Michonne and she grew concerned with Jessie's arrival when she had never been insecure about it before. He didn't want to think he just turned a blind eye to Jessie's subtle, unwanted advances.

"And here I thought without strippers nothing exciting was gonna happen tonight." Abe said, appreciating the skeptical interval.

"There isn't anything there so let's all move on." Rick shrugged not wanting to dwell on it.

"Alright man." Shane said. "Although I'm out of the drinking game. Unlike the actual movie I don't want to be hungover this weekend."

"Man! Either were getting old or…."

"We're afraid of our women." Glenn answered Daryl's questions and made them all laugh.

People said bachelor parties weren't really for the groom, they were for the uncommitted but everybody present had made some form of commitment to the women in their lives, so no one had any desire to over indulge in the typical stag nite rituals.

Abraham was glad he got a night out with his buddies. He signaled to the bartender, who pulled a small box from below the bar and handed it to him.

"My gift to all." Abraham opened the box that laid several custom made cigars and shared it around his pals. Shane passed one under his nose, the rich scent giving away the cost and possible location of origin.

Taking out a lighter from his sports coat Abe lit his cigar and passed it around.

"Well boys!" Abraham began, always ready to give the most mundane of words some classical delivery. "Sunday I'm gonna fail my bachelor's degree and Sasha, God bless her is gonna get her Master's, I appreciate you all watching that shit go down." He pulled the cigarette, letting the puff of smoke roll out at the side of his mouth.

Shaking his head but still wanting to mark the moment Shane lifted his beer towards the groom, "To Abe. Today you have a conscience but by Sunday you'll have a wife. Congrats!"

"To the life we live and the women who make it possible." Rick added thinking of the many ways he needed to express to Michonne how much he cherished the wonderful life they'd built. If given another chance he'd do it all over again, that's how much he loved her.

"Cheers!" They all said.