Inconvenience Chapter 2, a walking dead fanfic

Thank you for the review and follow, so the update took forever but I had a clinical skills competition and a five stations exam.

However, here it is.

I do not own the walking dead.

Please, review and let me here your theories.

Chapter I: The memory lane.

"Richard." His grandfather tries to chastise him.

"No, and even less with her." He replies with a glint of fury.

Suddenly, Michonne warmth is no longer grounding. Rick walks away from her, and he cannot help the depreciative laugh. He stares at her, and his fury increases to a new high. The anger is so strong that he can taste the bitterness of regurgitated bile on his tongue. In an attempt to recover a sort of balance, he looks away from Michonne, and he focuses on his grandfather.

If they knew the history between him and their precious Michonne, they will never ask something so ludicrous. He glances at the young woman because he can't prevent it, and his stares continue to be intense. He continues to pick detail with every glance. She is physically different, and as a girl, she was lanky. AS a teenager, her body was curvier. As a woman, he can't prevent the stare at her body. Through different phase of her life, her beauty is a constant.

Michonne is extremely beautiful, and his hatred for her cannot make him deny such fact. However, she is the same brat, who ruined his life. Rick's anger with the young woman overpowers the unavoidable masculine interest for a beautiful woman. His interest for her beauty appears to be a source of discomfort, and it is a source of confusion. A confused and angry mind is a vicious one, and so Rick picks every word with the intent to be hurtful. It is also a coward attempt to cover an unexpected interest for a pretty visage.

"Can it be cleared for me?" Michonne asks.

The young woman looks between the men in the room, and the expressions on their face are grave enough to provoke a change in her heart rate. The young woman draws a deep breath, and she attempts to fight her anxiety. However, Michonne is prone to anxiety crisis. When one of the men in the room hates her, it is enough to stress her.

"You're inheritance comes with A few conditions." Morgan offers and Rick laughs.

"I think a marriage of convenience is more than a few conditions." Rick's venom and anger latch on every word.

Michonne's reaction is not immediate, and the deep breath, which she takes, is useless. She stares at Rick, and the words, which he says, don't matter. However, the tone and the vicious anger laced between those words sting to the point where her chest constricts. The young woman searches inside her pockets for a packet of cigarette and her hand recovers a broken cigarette. For a second, she forgets that she is in a presence of her grandfather, and she needs some of the nicotine to take the edge of her anger. Although, when Rick adds more to his previous statement, she forgets about the lone cigarette in the left pocket of her jeans. The young woman offers Rick her undivided attention.

…

The sudden anguish and the amount of stress, Michonne's head starts to spin. The young woman needs to breathe, but his words continue to ring in her head. No one appears to notice her lack of motion. Michonne doesn't know how to deal with criticism. With her lifestyle, it is a serious problem. Rick's words start to echo louder in her mind, and she wants to shut herself out of this conversation.

For the last minutes, she stared at Rick, while he continued his vicious rant on the reason why he can't marry her. The young woman develops a selective hearing, and Rick's words are the only thing, which she hears and understands. There are virulent attacks on her personality, and she hasn't met or spoken to him for ten years. Nothing that he says is true nor has been true, but she can't prevent the hurt.

"Do you have no idea of what or who she is?" His voice continues to rise higher, and it overpowers the other two voices inside the room.

The statement is enough to snap Michonne out of her initial shock. Hands still in her pocket, she crushes her last cigarette until the paper, which contains the tobacco leaves, ruptures. Her sole source of relief disappears, and her frustration threatens to swallow her. Ultimately, she stands from the spot, which she previously took on Rick's bed. Michonne closes the distance between her and Rick, and she invades his personal space. Although, he manages to hurt her more with a quick judgmental glance at her. It shouldn't hurt because he doesn't intimately know her. However, her mind refuses to resonate.

"And you do have an idea of who I'm." She punctuates her statement with an uncertain chuckle, which perfectly displays her disbelief.

"You?" Her chuckles become more hysteric, and Rick continues to refuse to acknowledge her.

It is more than hatred, and they both know it. Michonne doesn't understand why, but she senses the animosity. It hasn't always been this bad or this vicious. Once upon on the time, she uses to inspire a bit of annoyance, but she was a teen with a crush on him. The young woman can't pinpoint the source of his sudden hatred. However, the hatred exists, and it consumes Rick.

In truth, she doesn't remember much of their common past. Michonne can talk about the butterflies in her stomach when he used to glance in her directions. When she was a blossoming young woman, he was the big brother of her best friend. Rick was also the man, who she loved since she was thirteen because he saved her from bullies. She has no memory of when he hates her. With his eyes on her, she recognizes one emotion in those darkening blue orbs, hatred.

She remembers the alcohol and a family extravagant party. She remembers staring in his electrifying eyes too long, and she remembers the warmth of Maggie's arms when she consoled her after what happened. Perhaps, she saw a glimpse of that hatred during the fatidical night. Michonne will never forget those eyes, and she will continue to experience a sort of pain. Surely, it started that night.

It happened ten years ago, and it happened on a festive night. The next morning they were shouts and cries in the Grimes' ranch. Michonne doesn't remember the reason for the party, and she doesn't remember what people said. From the fatidical night, very little memory stood the test of time. However, she remembers the morning when he grabbed her by the elbow and shoved her in a wall. However, the last morning she saw him there wasn't so much hatred in his eyes, and it must have festered over the years.

There is a kiss, which never disappeared from her memory. The butterflies sometimes return at the thought of it. Now, she remembers why he kissed her, a mistletoe. It was Christmas Eve, and when he left, it was Christmas morning.

….

…

….

The rush of past memories confuses Michonne. Suddenly, she is thirteen years old, and he appears too tall while he pushes her behind him. She cries with her head resting on his stomach, and her fat tears drench his denim shirt. The young woman doesn't know why that specific memory resurfaces, but it is vivid. She attempts to find a refuge in her mind. Michonne needs to hide from Rick's hatred, and that singular memory refuses to disappear.

I will be back, and you sit tight. His voice will never carry such softness, and Michonne raises her head to face the grown version of her childhood love. Those feelings dissolved with time like many other things related to king county, but the little girl who idolater Rick Grimes, has to take down her hero from a pedestal.

What did you do?

Her mind refuses to reconcile this Rick Grimes with his younger self. Michonne's thoughts continue to explore the warmest memories of Rick Grimes, which she possesses. She remembers staring at the boys, who bullied her while he scolded them until they were in tears. For years, she saw Rick Grimes as her personal hero. Although, it didn't fall until tonight. Michonne attempts to understand, and she searches her mind. Did he always hate her? Did he start to hate her that Christmas morning? The fury in eyes when he shoved her into that wall, and she has an answer. It started that morning, and she wouldn't be able to say why.

I told them that if one of them ever pulled your braids again, I would make sure they pay for it. So if this happens again, you just have to tell me.

Confused and unexplainably hurt, Michonne stares at Rick, and she wonders why she thought that he had the warmest smile on earth. Now, he faces her and she wishes that she could disappear. There is only anger for her, and she passes her hand in her hair. Fourteen years ago, they were hardly past her neck, which is why those boys started to pick on her. Now, her hair caresses her small back, and her childhood saviour has become the bully.

These are locks.

My bad, they're very pretty.

Ultimately, she succeeds to banish that memory, and she tries to face reality. Rick Grimes hates her, and she doesn't know why. Michonne ceases to stare at his eyes, and she needs the distance between them back. However, she continues to stands too close to him, and she wonders what she wants to say. How does one face ten years of fueled hatred?

"You hate me?" The intonation easily makes it sound like a question, but Michonne only expresses disbelief.

Hatred, not annoyance, nor irritation like the one Rick felt ten years ago. He hates her and she doesn't know the reason why. Michonne inhales as much air as she can. When he glances at her, the young woman has her rhetorical question answered. It is sudden and instinctive, and she moves the furthest away from Rick

"Richard doesn't hate you, baby. He is being a stubborn idiot and we know words of an idiot are meaningless." Richard senior intervenes after Rick's silent answer.

"It isn't the words…" She counters, and she wishes they could see what stares at her in his eyes.

"I don't really think you can convince Rick Grimes to enter a marriage of convenience with me. He hates me and I would want to marry a man who hates over some million dollar company." Michonne attempts to regain countenance.

The young woman just wants to leave this room, and she discovers a claustrophobia. When Rick's eyes follow every one of her movements, it is hard to stand in this room. Michonne shoves her hand in the pocket, and her frustration only increases. Why did she not think to have another packet of cigarettes? Her grandfather, she has to pretend around him. She inhales more her, and she pretends.

"Billions of dollar, but it isn't enough to force me to marry you. You know what they say about the association with a junky." Rick corrects her and the last comment has the expected effect.

"Richard?" Richard senior attempts to diffuse the situation while he stares at Morgan apologetically.

The other older man simply shakes his head, and he glances at his granddaughter. Morgan does not ignore his granddaughter's latest scandal, and he intends to address it in due time. Consequently, he decides to overlook Rick's statement.

"Oh, are we pretending we don't know she does in those Hollywood parties? There is a flattering picture out there…" A slap interrupts Rick's rant.

Michonne's fingers press his cheek, and her anger matches his. For a second, Rick's hand covers her, and he does not know how to react. Blue collides with brown, and the other two occupants of the room consider the next course of action. The intensity of the silent exchange between the pair starts to provoke discomfort in the room. Rick's hand totally engulfs Michonne's one, and he pulls her hand away from his face. For unknown reasons, the young man continues to hold Michonne's hand. He stares at it in search of the perfect reaction to her slap.

"Perhaps, you both need to breathe and talk when the air is less tense." Morgan's voice echoes in the room.

It is enough to remind the pair of their present predicament. Rick lets go of Michonne's hand as if it is hot charcoal, and he walks out of his room.

Two hours later and after thirty minutes spent in a bath, Michonne continue to overthink her exchange with Rick. Her mind has turned the question and studied every angle of it. However, there is no reason for his hatred. Her anger with him returns, and the words, which he said in that room, start to haunt her. She does not want to marry him. She is in an approximately happy relationship, and she loves Philip.

Her anger should have subdued, but her mind refuses to let go of Rick Grimes' words. Michonne goes to her cupboard, and she tries to locate a packet of cigarette. The new paper may have painted her as a drug addict, but her only addiction is smoking. The cocaine was a mistake and wrongfully placed enthusiasm. The young woman snorted a line because Philip begged her to try, and he coerced her into it. Now, there are pictures on magazine covers, and men like Rick Grimes decided that she could not be a good wife.

Michonne sighs with frustration, and she taps on temples. Perhaps, it will push out thoughts of Rick. Two hours and a thirty-minute bath have not helped her to calm down. The young woman picks her phone up, and she calls the person, which she wants to comfort her. The first call to Philip goes straight to the voicemail, and she places a second call.

"Pick up…pick-up." She whispers while the phone endlessly rings.

It may be her tenth call, and Michonne cannot tell. Her anger has become fury, and she needs a way to release the pent-up energy. She decides to change her methods to reach her boyfriend. Michonne places another call, and she hopes it will go through. She inhales while she waits for an answer. It is her night of fortune, and the call goes through.

"Hey?" Michonne hesitantly starts, and she knows how her friend will react.

"Michonne?" Her friend questions half-asleep while she rechecks the caller id.

It is late at night or early in the morning, and the young woman hopes there is no emergency. For the Last year eight years, she was Michonne's assistance. However, things have changed over the years. When Michonne started to date Philip, things became chaotic. Now, Michonne's night calls are causes of worry for her assistant.

"Sorry to call so late, but I need your help, Sasha. Do you have an idea on why Philips is not answering his call?" Michonne forgets about her hesitation, but the shame in her voice is easily recognizable.

On the other side of the phone, Sasha hisses. If there is a person, who hates Michonne's boyfriend, it is Sasha Williams.

"Forget about it." She answers abrasively, and she intends to hang up when Michonne's statement stops her.

"You work for me." Frustrated, Michonne attempts to threaten Sasha.

However, Michonne's voice betrays her lack of confidence. For a long minute, her assistant laughs at the threat. It is a gleeful laugh, which frustrates Michonne. Now, the young woman regrets calling Sasha. Two years from now, Michonne started dating her agent Philip Blake, and never once, Sasha has missed an opportunity to remind her of Philip's flaws.

"Are you going to fire your cousin? You know where he is, and you don't want to do something about it." Her laugh increases, but Michonne knows she cannot ignore the last statement.

The young woman knows where and why her boyfriend is not picking his phone. Another Hollywood party or what he calls networking. Although, Michonne's career started to become stagnant. Before the scandal, she slowly started to fall into irrelevancy, but Philip was networking. The only reason why the young woman was at a party where the paparazzi took those compromising pictures was her growing jealousy. There are many rumours circulating about Michonne's boyfriend, and there are fuelling Sasha frustration with Philip.

"I will call Andrea then she may be helpful..." Frustrated by her cousin's reaction, Michonne spits the words with a little venom.

Another laugh from Sasha punctuates the statement before Michonne can add more. If Sasha could not tolerate Philip, Andrea hated the man or at least she appeared to detest him.

"Go ahead and do that." Sasha answers.

"I need to talk to someone, and you're not willing to listen." Michonne gives up, and she decides to control her frustration.

"Another crap about Philip, that isn't a conversation because you don't listen. Scandal after scandal, what is there to..." The woman on the other side of the phone suddenly becomes passionate, but Michonne interrupts.

"Not tonight, please just tell him to call me when you see him." Michonne finishes with a hopeless sigh.

"I won't. It is your boyfriend, you should expect a call." Sasha continues with her frankness, and she wishes Michonne a goodnight

…

Hours later, Philip has not returned her calls. She has not to sleep the entire night. A succession of dreams kept her awake. Her mind refuses to allow the mystery to remain unsolved. Why does he hate her? She has to explore a past life in search of an answer. Her attempts to find a reason for his hatred are futile, but she appears to be unable to stop. It is painful to explore her time of innocence while searching for a reason to justify Rick's hatred.

Facing the ceiling of her room, Michonne fails to recover her usual peace of mind. The young woman turns on her side to face the clock on her nightstand, and it is 5 a.m.

Behind the thick black curtains, the sun must have risen, but her room continues to bask in darkness. It is her first night back to king county, and she already goes through an emotional turmoil. She hates this uneventful small town.

The heat in her room becomes unbearable, and she decides to step onto the balcony for some fresh air. It may help with her loud thoughts. The young woman walks out of her room, and to her surprise, the sky is dark. The outside air is humid, and she suffocates under the assault of the thick Georgian's heat. The sweat piles on her hairline and upper lip, Michonne wipes it. The young woman regrets her last cigarette. For the past five hours, she has lived in constant stress.

She watches at her phone, and there is no calls or messages. It is typical of Philip, and it is strange that she continues to expect a change in character. However, she is the one, who has changed over the years with him. The young woman started to pick some of his bad habits, and it may cost Michonne her career. From America sweetheart to the headlines of gossip outlets. When she made her tenth cover for another drunken night, Michonne ceased to count the scandals. When she drinks, many of her demons resurface.

In the last two years, her alcohol consumption has increased. Philip has coerced her to go to every Hollywood party, and so he can build his network. Michonne has yet to see the result of his networking. During those parties, what she sees is her boyfriend heavily flirting with any moving skirt. He claims that she is insecure, and she started to believe him. Michonne never had the time to correct her youth insecurities, and living under the world scrutiny worsens those insecurities.

The young woman sighs, and she continues to stare at her phone. Eventually, he will remember that she exists. The neglect is the reason why she drinks at those parties, and the need for attention is the reason why she allows Philip to convince her to do stupid things. Now, her career is at risk, and she has to survive this family reunion. Michonne takes a deep breath, and she silences her thoughts. When she starts to be introspective about Philip, the young woman always censures her mind. They are truths, which Michonne refuses to face. Hollywood is a lonely place, and the loneliness scares her.

…

Afraid to explore the topic of her love life, Michonne's mind retreats to thoughts of Rick Grimes. Her anger returns with a vengeance, and she marches to his room. Once she stands in front of his door, she questions her motives. Misfortune follows her, and her hands start to hammer his door against her better judgement.

When he opens the door half-asleep and dishevelled curly hair covers half of his visage, Michonne's first intake of air is painful. In truth, her fury left her unprepared for what she intended to do.

Rick leans on the side of his doorframe, and he attempts to wake up. For a minute, they silently face the other. Michonne forgets the long monologue, and Rick doesn't recognize the woman, who stands at his door. Ultimately, he recognizes Michonne and groans.

"Can I escape you?" He sighs with frustration, and he starts to push his door forward.

His action and the disdain in voice are enough to snap Michonne out of her reverie. Confidently, the young woman blocks the door, which he attempts to close, and she steps into his room. Inside the lion's den, she feels as if Rick is about to chew her alive. His jaws are tense, and he pinches the bridge of his nose. The young man defiantly crosses his arm, and he silently stares at her. It is easy to drown in the agitated ocean, which inhabits Rick's eyes, and when Michonne looks up, his irises imprisoned her.

The young woman squirms under Rick's intense stares. Why is she exploring the memory lane? Why does she feel as if she was thirteen years old yesterday? Why does she remember Rick's warm smiles, who rarely directed to her, but she was by Maggie's side? Michonne shakes her head, and she attempts to rid her mind of an old and dead fondness for Rick Grimes.

"Whatever I have done to you, you deserve it." She blurs out with frustrations, and she feels lighter after the counterproductive statement.

Will she be able to sleep now that she has returned his rudeness? Michonne attempts to walk out of Rick's room, but he stops her with a hold on her elbow. Furious, he presses her against the door, and Michonne's weight closes the door. She glances at the man, who towers above her. It was a mistake to walk inside his room.

Through his fury, Rick forgets that he hates being in her nearness. Now, he closes the distance between their bodies. There are very little clothes between the pair, and his bare skin meets her bare flesh. Rick wears pyjama pants and nothing else. Michonne wears a lace bodysuit. In her moment of bravery, the young woman forgot her negligee in her room. When she attempts to pull her as a shielding layer, she remembers the absence of it. Rick looms over her, and she has to stop him. Michonne presses her hand to his chiselled abdomen to keep him away.

The warmth of her skin on his abdomen appears to steer his thoughts away from his anger, and Rick looks down to her hands. For a second, his strange interest for Michonne unexpectedly soars, and he pries her hands away from his skin. Rick takes two steps back, but he cannot bring himself to leave the comfortable warmth, which her body appears to possess. Accordingly, the young man stands close enough to feel her warmth, but far enough not to sense the peculiar effect it has on him.

"I had a plan, and I would take over my grandfather. I went to a prestigious university for it, and my life was perfectly aligning itself until you came along." He hisses, and his fury echoes through every word.

However, Rick is also furious with himself. He cannot prevent the glances at Michonne's toned legs, which he steals. Fortunately, his anger and resentment overpower his primal instincts. Only primal and basic instincts can force his mind to take in every detail of her body. Rick takes a deep breath, but he has no reason to be breathless. Two steps back are not enough, and so he decides not to face her.

Although, Michonne grows tired of his antics, and she grabs his arm to force him to turn and face her. She will not let him ignore her, and she may project part of her frustration with Philip ignoring her onto Rick. Defiantly, she crosses her and leans on the door. The young woman's attitude quells Rick's unexpected interest, and the young man hatred for Michonne return with vigour.

"On Christmas, I was in the streets with a bag on my back. I lost my family because you couldn't keep your mouth shut." It is strange how the words are whispers, and Michonne will prefer shouts.

"I didn't throw you out of the house, and I never…" She attempts to explain herself, but an unexpected sob swallows the rest of her word.

The look in his eyes becomes enough to push her from the edge. The emotions of the day pile up on her mind. From Richard's senior health to the hatred, which she discovered Rick held, and it is overwhelming. Michonne is angry, but she lacks the proper words to express her anger. Frustration has morphed into tears, and the lack of sleep has allowed her tears to turn into sobs. She needs a cigarette, and she needs to stay away from Rick Grimes.

"Those are pretty tears, but it doesn't matter. Whatever I will do to you, you will deserve it too." He says while his hands frame Michonne's face, and he wipes her tears with his thumbs.

Rick accomplishes the second act against his will, and he does not understand why he wipes her tears. His words contradict the softness and tenderness of his thumbs against her cheek. However, Michonne does not care much for his actions, but his words ring loud in the recess of her mind. The young woman slaps Rick's hands away from her face, and her thumbs replace his. It feels different, and it angers her that she notices the difference between his touch and hers.

Michonne draws a deep breath and wills the tears away. She glances back at Rick and opens the door. She needs to escape this man. Why does she feel like a helpless teenager in his presence? Is she unable to reciprocate the hatred that he gives? Slowly, she steps out of the room and refuses to peers above her shoulder. The starlet refuses to endure his hatred, but she cannot control her interest. She turns to face him, and words are on the tip of her tongue. An apology for what she does not remember doing to him sits on her tongue. When he speaks, Michonne is on the verge to say it.

"You may no longer have a perfect life to destroy, but there is still something to destroy. Stay away from me, Miss Hollywood." He warns her, and she closes the door on everything, which concerns Rick Grimes.

Rick does not feel comfortable inside the Grimes' ranch. At every sound, he jumps and worries about who he will have to face. He hates to hear the laughs, which resonate in the other rooms of the house. How can joy continue to exist in this place? Memories of the past continue to haunt him, and his guilt refuses to relinquish its hold on his mind. As for now, Rick hides inside the kitchen, but he will have to face the visages, which awaken his demon.

The young man hears steps coming, and he tenses. After his early altercation with Michonne, he doesn't want to face the svelte woman. However, Rick must avoid two other people in the house. Why did he return to this hell? How could his grandfather think about such a horrid thing? He hates Michonne with a passion, which rivals the heat of a burning sun. It does not matter that the soft brown of her eyes has not left his mind. Hatred can be obsessive.

Rick remembers almost nothing from the Christmas Eve, but the brown of her eyes is an engraved memory. During the fatidical night, he held on her eyes like a lifeline, and in the morning, the brown of her eyes took a new meaning. The door opens, and Rick has to step away from his mind. The young man recognizes the perfume, which fills the air. Escape his demons in a crowded place is hard. Rick hopes the young woman will have the decency to ignore him, and so he hides his face behind his cup of coffee.

The fates are not on his side, and something continues to be the same. She places her hand on his shoulder, and Rick's reaction is visceral. He grabs her hand and throws it away from him. He hates this place and the stories, which ooze from the silent walls. He hates this woman and the history, which links her to him.

"Never touch me again, Jessica." He warns her with a tone, which promises chaos if she disobeys his order.

Rick expects her to leave the room, but he hears the sound of the chair, which she pulls by his side. The young man does not turn to face her, and he does not allow his mind to explore the past. He drinks more of his coffee. When the hot liquid burns his tongue and throat, he does not care. The young man refuses to face Jessie's visage, and he refuses to investigate blurry memories. The memories, which are clear, continue to bring more pain to him.

"It shouldn't be like this…" His stepmother attempts to clear the air, but the hesitation in her tone echoes against every wall of the room.

Rick cannot understand the woman's audacity. He questions how she expects the interaction between two exes to go when one became the other stepmother. There is so much more to their past. He refuses to brush the memories of the Christmas Eve, but he remembers very little from that night. It is blurry, and the alcohol may have been the reason why he does not remember everything. However, he remembers the glistening brown eyes, and he held on those brown eyes like a lifeline.

"Everyone in this house is full of crap." A bitter laugh follows his statement, and he continues to avoid her face.

The pain disappeared ten years ago, and vicious anger replaced it. He recovered from Jessie's betrayal, and he accepted his defeat when his father came home with a new fiancé. How strange, the fiancé was his girlfriend. However, Rick swallowed his resentment and smiled when his father gushed about Jessie. He was over the pain after a few months, and Christmas Eve happened. From that night, he discovered a new sort of pain.

"We were friends and we…" Audaciously, she dares to suggest, but when she covers his hand with hers, she commits a bigger offence.

Rick loses his control, and his brusque movement causes the fall of his coffee cup. The hot liquid pours and infiltrates the thread of the white tablecloth. The couple in the room does not care much for the damaged tablecloth while the tension between them thickens.

"We were nothing to each other, and don't you dare talk to me." Rick hisses, and he attempts to leave the room.

Jessie grabs his arm, and she ignores his previous demand. Rick stares at the alabaster hand on his skin, and he slaps it away. He forgets about his previous decision to avoid conflicts, and so he lashes out. With steam, words pour out of his mouth, but the blonde woman catches every word. Each word crushes Jessie's spirit. Ten years passed, and he continues to affect her. Ten years, her love for Rick has not subdued.

"You fucking won...You wanted the money, and my father has plenty of it. Y'all are a happy family. Congratulation on the children, they look exactly like you and nothing like him. Enjoy your money and fucking choke on it." The venom, which coats his words, does not burn his tongue.

However, it does poison Jessie's mind. From sheer memories, he remembers her to be a frail and fragile woman. Consequently, Rick does not escape her tears, but he could care less for her pain. He does not feel the desire to wipe her tears, and so he watches as hot tears drench the woman's pale face. Through his statement, he has made some accusations, but a day in a small town is enough to hear the rumour.

"It was never like that." She denies his accusation, but her denial lacks vigour and sounds hollow.

Denying the truth is hard. At the sight of Rick Grimes, Jessie cannot prevent the reaction of her heart. In truth, she married his father because it was an assurance on the Grimes fortune. However, her love for Rick refuses to die, and she refused to allow it to do so. He was the best lover she had. Ten years ago, she attempted to make him understand. Everything went to hell in that Christmas Eve, and she lost him for ten years. Now, Jessie faces the man, who she was unable to forget, and he dashes her hopes.

"I guess it was like that." Rick counters and he walks to the door without a glance for a sobbing Jessie.

New sounds of steps echo closer to the kitchen. Instinctively, they both school their expression. Quickly, she wipes her tears, but the redness of her scleras betrays the truth. The poured coffee will raise questions, and so she takes a wipe and starts to dab it on the dark liquid.

"Richard?" The tone is full of disdain.

Rick stands straighter while he faces his father.

"Carlton, I was leaving anyway." He answers with equal disdain.

Rick's father stares at his wife, and the questions harden his look. Jessie takes a minute to collect herself, and she waits for the tremor in her voice to decrease. He discovered his wife and son's past during a heated moment, and the consequences continue to complicate his life. Carlton forgave her, but his relationship with his son was never the same.

"I hoped he was over it...Me and his unrequited love." She boldly lies while she walks to her husband and closes her arms around his waist.

Rick's room appears to be the best place to hide from the world. With a lock on his door, the young man can escape the intrusion of his family. Few more days, he will be able to leave with a peaceful conscience. Rick will survive this family's reunion, and he will return to his world.

He hates this town, and more than anything, he hates this ranch. Rick grabs his computer and his phone. His work may help to cleanse his mind. He wants to silence his thoughts and to forget the day's altercation. To be specific, he wants to forget about his altercation with Michonne. Although, his exchange with Jessie was more virulent.

However, Michonne Jones besieges his mind. Hatred must be an obsession. Rick does hate Jessie, but she does not haunt him. Frustrated by the same thought for an hour, Rick closes his laptop.

For a long time, he stares at his childhood room, and he makes his decision. His sanity is a priority, and in this house, the chances to lose it are high. The young man walks to his closet and picks the bag, which he brought for the weekend. Rick starts to pack, but a knock at his door interrupts him.

"Rick, can I come in?" Morgan asks from the other side of the door.

The young man silently curses, and he shoves his bag below his bed. Rick has not prepared for a conversation with his grandfather, and he does not know how many lectures he can endure tonight.

"Obviously grandfather Morgan." He replies with a voice, which carries his anguish.

"Are you feeling better?" Morgan asks while he joins Rick and takes a seat on his bed.

"Can we not?" Rick refuses to have this conversation.

He knows how his Grandfathers and he assumes that Richard senior may attempt to have a conversation with Michonne as they speak. Due to their similarities, Rick and his grandfather can hardly avoid an argument if their opinions differ, and so Morgan always intervenes. The older man can compromise with Rick. Morgan's patience manages to convince Rick to be cooperative in most situation. However, Rick will not fall for the old tricks.

"Can we not do what?" Morgan does not lose his calm, and it is the reason why he stands here instead of Richard senior.

"Beat around the bush, you always speak your mind, grandpa." His tone is borderline abrasive.

"You don't want to listen, and so I'm trying to let you find a point, where you want to be an adult. I don't like shouting contexts like Richard and you." Morgan refuses to allow Rick to derail the conversation.

He knows the young man, and argumentation is Rick's defence mechanism. If the conversation is reasonable, Morgan can reach the young Grimes. Consequently, the old man takes a deep breath every time Rick attempts to start an argument.

"There is nothing to talk about. I won't change my mind about marrying her." Confidently, he says, and he refuses to say Michonne's name.

Morgan continues to be unfazed by Rick's statement. The Grimes men are stubborn, but it never stopped him before.

"Nothing changed, and you continue to be too stubborn to hear anyone. However, I have dealt with your grandfather my entire life, and he will not give up too." Morgan counters the young man's statement.

He arranges his posture to find some comfort, and it shows his dedication to having a conversation with Rick.

…

"Richard and I have known each other so long that I don't remember when we started being friends. It is hard to know that Soon, he will leave this world, and I feel guilty. I feel so guilty to survive him, and maybe it is why I let him get away with murder. I have been harder on him than anyone else has. When he told me his crazy idea to marry you and Michonne, I said no. It was another of Richard's eccentricity." Morgan overlooks Rick's antics, and he starts to explain the reason behind their decisions to request a marriage between their grandchildren.

"Grandpa Morgan, it isn't happening." Rick stops Morgan before he can deepen his explanations.

Michonne occupies his mind, and he does not want to spend an hour talking about her. Now, he wants to leave this cursed place before every secret comes to light. He wants to return to New York, and he needs to stay away from the people, which bring the worst out of him.

"Well, I'm a sceptical too, but your grandfather has a way to present his argument. He sells them to you until they become your dreams." Rick's words do not stop Morgan, and so he decides to continue with his tales.

"Richard has three babies, and he doesn't want the world to destroy them. He has failed Michonne and you, or so he thinks. Ten years later, he continues to question what happened to you. There is no day when he does not question what Carlton did to you, but we know his wicked wife is partly responsible. He failed you, and he doesn't want to take that guilt with him." Morgan's voice becomes softer, and Rick remembers why he could easily sway his conviction.

"Marrying me with her will not help anything." Rick refuses to accept his grandfather eccentric decision.

If they knew Michonne caused what happened during Christmas morning, their tune will be different. Many others deserve the blame. Despite knowing as much, Rick cannot tell why he feels so betrayed by Michonne. His attachment to her eyes is the reason why. How he held on to her the night prior may be the reason.

"You don't want to listen," Morgan tells him.

For the first time, he displays an ounce of frustration.

"I'm listening, but you said nothing worth my time." He counters

" Is it how they teach you to speak to your elder up north?" Morgan glares at Rick, and the young man knows to humble himself.

"I'm sorry, grandpa." He corrects his posture and retrieves his southern manners.

"I was saying it haunts your grandfather. He complains about your isolation, and he wants you to have no family. You cut every link with us, and you have no roots. However, you aren't Richard's seldom source of worries. I would not have let Michonne pursue her Hollywood carrier, and I was right. There are newspapers in King County, and Michonne is the only famous person from this town. We know about the scandals, and he feels guilty because he convinced me to let her go. When she returns home, she appears to be less of the woman, who left this place. Richard said we started to lose her after the Christmas when you left." Morgan continues where he stopped before Rick's attempt to rudeness.

"You're gone, and she is on her way. You're both his babies. She has no roots and nothing to ground her to this world. You have no family. He doesn't want to go until his babies are safe, and he believes you're the safest with each other. Do I believe him to be right? In a lifetime, he has never been wrong. She is slowly falling into a spiral, and I cannot do more than everything, which previously failed. It is much to ask, but I remember the days when you watched over her. Michonne was safest in your hands. Richard wants to ensure that there is someone watching over you and her." Morgan glances at Rick to watch the impact of his words, but the young man is impassive.

"When it comes to his third baby, Carlton has failed once. You know how we feel about Jessica. We worked our entire youth to build Grimes and Jones. You don't understand how hard it was for a farmer son and a black man to find success. Do you want the work of your grandfather to go into the hand of a gold digger and her puppet? We want our three babies safe, and it will be wise to give it a thought." He finishes explaining his best friend's motivations.

"If you knew Michonne and I's history, you wouldn't trust me with her nor would you want to submit me to such torture. What you have in mind is a past, which no longer exists. I used to rescue her from school bullies because she was Maggie's best friend and your granddaughter. I wasn't her protector, and if the people that I love didn't love her, I wouldn't care…" A knock on his door interrupts his statement.

It is fortunate because he cannot proceed to make a more hurtful statement about Michonne. The subject of the conversation stands at his door, and the expression on her visage stops the beating of his heart. He does not know why he is so reactive to her pain, and he was always too reactive to her pain. It is the reason why he jumped between bullies and her. Now, he hates her. Strangely, his heart continues to stop a second to acknowledge her pain, but his mind refuses to care for it.

"Baby, what is wrong?" Morgan questions when he faces a crying Michonne.

The young woman looks beyond her grandfather, and she apologetically stares at Rick. He remembers those glistening brown eyes, and it never announces anything good. For a second, he stares back at her, and he remembers why her eyes were his lifeline during that Christmas Eve. The brown in those round eyes can be so soft and warm, and it is almost a source of comfort. Their silent conversation is loud enough for Morgan to catch glimpse of it. Morgan squeezes Rick's shoulder, and he draws a deep breath.

"The ambulance is on its way, Grandpa Richard…" Michonne does not finish her statement because she must follow her grandfather and Rick.

Both men have dashed out of the room to run by Richard senior's side.