The Ties that Bind
Sasha starts her day by checking his phone-no messages. She can breathe. The operation is officially over tomorrow. By Saturday he should be back safe and secure in her arms. She has a plan. All the food he loves and all the loving he can handle. She even ordered special lingerie to drive him to the point of madness and took Monday off as a personal day.
She is in the kitchen toasting a cinnamon raisin bagel when her phone rings, "Good Morning."
"Your daddy is a jackass," her mother greets. Lonette Williams is a simple woman with a keen intellect and she will not abide stupidity.
"What he do this time?" Sasha laughs.
"He went down to that Veteran's Hall playing poker and won a motorcycle and tried to drive the thing home. You and I both know good and hell well he don't know nothing about riding no motorcycle."
Sasha cannot stop laughing, "Is he hurt?"
"Of course he's hurt. Doc put him in a walking cast and gave his old ass a cane." From the background she can hear the deep bass voice of her father grumbling.
"Stop talking about me like I ain't here. It was a little accident and it wasn't my fault. Clarence…" At this point she is just the audience to their bickering.
"Didn't I tell you not to use his name in my house," Lonette demands.
"Look here Woman…I can say his name. I only agreed to keep him off our property until I get the okay from Doc," Harold Williams clarifies. Harry Williams as he prefers to be called is a simple man. He started working at the local plant at 18, married the prettiest girl in town and a built a life. He did not need much nor did he expect much-just respect and decency.
"Listen, as entertaining as all this is I need to get to work." Sasha breaks through the banter.
"Fine, you have a good day," Lonette responds.
"Kick some ass Baby Girl," Harry shouts.
Maggie is at her desk sorting files and creating task lists for her team. She picks up her phone, "Hey Daddy…you have plans tonight? I was going to come over and make Mama's fried chicken," she explains. Herschel Greene is a wise, gentle and grateful man. When he lost the love of his life all those years ago he did not know how he would manage, but the good Lord saw fit to keep her spirit alive through her daughter.
"You askin' if I want to spend the evening with a pretty girl that can cook? I ain't a fool," he chuckles. Herschel knew why she was coming. The Rhee boy had already been by doing the right thing but he would play along. Hell, he was getting another free meal.
Rick and Rosita were at their respective desks finishing paperwork from the graveyard shift as his phone rang, "Grimes."
"I found the most beautiful note under my pillow and I decided that you deserve a long, deep, lingering kiss that reflects how much I adore every part of you," Michonne delivers in a slow, lust filled voice. Rick has to place the back of his left hand against his mouth to stop the drool. Jesus, if my dick gets any harder I'm going to pull a groin muscle. "You get some sleep. By the way, I'm taking you on a date Friday night" The line goes dead. He peers around him trying to restore his body to basic function.
Rosita was not ready to settle down. She celebrated her friend's relationships but right now she wants a good banging with no history or strings attached. She's searching her mental dick rolodex when Abe Ford approaches holding out a wad of cash. "Hey, here's your cut from the arm wrestling over at the bar."
She sizes him up. He is her Mt. Everest. She would literally have to climb him just to ride his face. Plus, if God is a woman, as she truly believes, Abe has to be hung like a horse. "Can I speak to you outside?"
"Sure thing," he replies. They stroll out and down the front steps. Rosita hangs back a step or two above so they can face each other eye to eye.
"Listen, I'm a busy woman completely focused on being a good deputy."
"You are good no doubt about it," he confirms.
"Thanks. I need to fuck. No flowers and shit. Hot, mildly kinky fucking-you interested?"
Abe looks around. He is being 'punked' or this is some sexual harassment sting operation. There is no way this fine piece of ass means what she is saying. "Look, I don't like being made a fool of or entrapped or whatever is going on," he responds in annoyance.
"Whoa, I don't play games. This is straight up benefits only situation. You have my number and I hope you use it." Rosita turns jogs up the steps and re-enters the building.
Daryl wakes with a jolt. He blinks repeatedly taking in the room and the bright sun of the day. They had been up all night driving and delivering guns and ammunition to various militia outposts. Every stop he sent the coordinates to his FBI contact Agent Mills. The operation was finishing up with only one day left. He tried not to think about Sasha which was easy when he was Merle. A woman like her could not exist within that small mind. But when he first woke up he was Daryl and she was all he could think about.
After his shower he exited the room he occupied and looked around and every hair on the back of his neck stood at attention. This location was not an armory or an outpost-it was a compound. Women were doing laundry or carrying baskets of food. Children were playing in yards or riding bicycles. Daryl made his way carefully down the small dirt path toward the main square where the men seem to be gathering.
"Merle, glad you're up. We got trouble and you got skills," the mustached Boss greeted.
"How can I help?" Merle/Daryl needed information quick.
"Dwight's woman called. Said the Feds showed up at one of our early drops and hauled everyone and everything away."
"Wait, Dwight got a woman?" he replied to buy time to think. According to Agent Mills seize and arrest wasn't scheduled to begin until Saturday. Someone broke protocol. The laughter died down. "It seems to me we need to verify if this is a one time thing or some sort of coordinated attack."
"See, I told you he was smart. Now I think we should bunker down here 'til we know more."
Daryl had to think quickly on his feet. He sent coordinates last night. If the Feds show this group would fight to the death even if it meant the women and children. "Nah man, we make too big a target. Let's split up and occupy the smaller locations. Leave the women and kids out of the battle." Men started nodding in agreement.
"Our women are strong and we got to show the next generation what the government will do if they don't continue in the struggle." The tension between the two men was thick.
"How 'bout we secure the women and children so we can focus on the fight if it comes," Merle/Daryl scrambles out. The other men start agreeing loudly.
"Fine, if that's how you want to use your time."
Daryl uses the opportunity to gather as much intelligence as he can: number of women, children, teenage boys, men, number of buildings, entry and exit points, amount of weapons and ammunition, number of vehicles, stock pile of food. He is running out of daylight and he has no idea how much time he has left.
Dwight had been watching Merle for a long time and he did not like the man. First he was too quiet and he always came and went too easily; but when he took his spot as #2 to the Boss he knew he hated him. Today should have been Dwight's day, but Merle was now the hero keeping the women and children safe.
Today is Friday and Carl sits in statistics class pulling out his homework to review for the simulation quiz. There are only a handful of people in the room so he decides to indulge in his favorite guilty pleasure. He pulls out his phone and gazes at his picture of Justice.
"What are you looking at?" she chirps leaning over him. He freezes. "Hey, that's me."
"Uh, yeah…for my contacts…Is that alright?" Carl is in uncharted territory. This is beyond the safe zone of homework.
"Sure. Can I take one of you?" she's looking at him with those bright brown eyes.
I'm already wearing pants. Say yes. "I guess," he shrugs.
Justice leans down to retrieve her phone. When she sits upright her tiny hand moves to his face and pushes his hair away from his eyes. "Better-now smile just a little," she holds her thumb and index finger close together. Carl laughs. He cannot contain it because she is too cute and he cannot believe this is happening. She snaps the picture joining in the laughter. When she hands him the phone so he can see the updated contact he notices the name-Professor X.
"You listed me as Professor X?" his voice filled with curiosity.
"Yeah, is that alright?" she replies not looking at him.
"Do other people call me Professor X?" he's feeling more confident.
"Nope, just me," she's smiling but will not make eye contact.
"Good," Carl smiles.
Justice is light headed and tingling. What is wrong with me? "Let's review so all our hard work pays off."
Rick face- plants on his bed. He does not even attempt to remove his uniform. Each call from dispatch kept escalating in intensity and the assigned back up always managed to be late. Not late enough to require a third unit on the scene but late enough to make him and Rosita limit time, focus and energy. On the last call they lost sight of a suspect. Fortunately his experience worked to his advantage and he was able to pull Rosita against the wall before she was grazed by a bullet. Rick's instincts were ringing the alarm but his mind could not hold onto the idea that his old high school friend and former partner was 'slow walking' his response time.
Maybe he was over thinking the whole thing. The changes between them were gradual: first professional and then personal. When they started at the Academy Rick decided to take advantage of the community college 2-year Criminal Justice degree program. That was how he met Daryl. The real more significant change was a direct result of Shane's reckless tail chasing. Sure, Rick had his fun but that constant empty feeling after became too much. Once he stopped being available as designated wingman they did not have much in common anymore. No way would Shane put me or any officer at risk. No matter I need to sleep I got a hot date tonight.
Michonne is reviewing her upcoming calendar. She is back in court next Thursday and the assigned PD is Mike Owen and the case is on Judge Blake's docket. This is what she knows for sure about Rick Grimes. His mind is clear and focused and his instincts are deadly. He is possessive, passionate, loyal and determined. Further, he has made it abundantly clear, even to his mother, Michonne is his priority. She is not looking forward to this conversation at all. I hope both these men behave.
Aaron is watching Carl with an amused expression. He has been texting all afternoon. "You are extra happy today," he pushes.
"Good score on my quiz-shit!" Carl exclaims. He dials furiously chanting, "Pick up…pick up." No answer-Plan B. "Michonne," he calls rising and entering her office.
"What's up?" she looks up from her work.
"I normally call my uncle, but he isn't answering and this is urgent," he rushes out in one breath.
"Yeah, he's on graveyard this week-", she freezes.
Carl watches her stunned expression and his mind starts putting the puzzle pieces together, he did not give a name and all those extra Big Kats in her desk drawer. A slow sly smile spreads across his face. Michonne hides her face behind her hands. "This is very cool."
"Really?" she asks with hope and trepidation.
"Promise not to tell him I know." She crosses her heart. "Back to my problem-Justice is here!"
"How is that a problem?" Michonne voice is laced with confusion.
"What do I do or say? Do we allow visitors?"
"Yes, visitors are fine and invite her to see your office. Plus you look extra cute today. The Ivy-league tweed vest and collared shirt combination is working for you."
"Thanks." He exits the office and makes his way to the lobby.
Justice was sitting in the lobby holding two large Styrofoam cups of her favorite chocolate/fresh banana combination milkshake. School let out early after the chemistry teacher caused a small explosion during a lab demonstration. She went home changed into her favorite lilac-egg plant ombre dyed t-shirt with the collar cut out to showcase a small amount of shoulder and clavicle, light colored skinny jeans and butterscotch suede lace up wedges. She let her hair down and gave her whole head a light mist of hair oil and applied a thin layer of Careless Whisper mist to her wrist and neck. You can do this-whatever this is. She hears his voice.
"Dale, I got this," he flashes a badge. He looks all grown up with his buttoned down shirt, vest and blueberry suede oxfords. "Hey."
"I'm a woman of my word. I lost by 1 point so here is your reward," she hands him a cup and stands up.
He takes a long pull from the straw, "Wow, this is amazing. You want to see our office?"
"Do you even need to ask," she smirks.
They make their way to the elevator enjoying their milkshakes. Carl opens the door for her and is surprised to find Aaron missing and Michonne's door closed. "This is my desk, Aaron, the Executive Assistant, sits here and Michonne's office is right there."
"Impressive," her eyes take in all the details.
The phone rings and he flips into work mode, "Excuse me. Hey Maggie…yeah, court on Thursday. I sent all the 5th Circuit rulings about one hour ago. Have a great weekend." He hangs up.
"Listen, I better go but thanks for letting me visit."
"Let me take a picture. You can use it as evidence for your research paper," he grabs his phone. "Stand in front of Michonne's door and smile. He snaps a few shots quickly.
"You are going to send those to me-right?"
"Maybe," he drags the word out. I'm flirting.
Justice steps close to him looks up and bats her lashes, "Please," she drags her word out too. I'm tingling again.
He can only nod his head up and down. They walk to the elevator and ride down in silence enjoying the last of the milkshakes, replaying the day together in their heads.