"So, since you have me so figured out, let me do you."

She raised an eyebrow.

He held his hands up, "Didn't mean it like that. Get your mind off the gutter, I'm a married man."

"ha ha," Michonne rolled her eyes, like she actually cared and said nonchalantly, "fine, I promise not to punch your other eye out."

Rick drank the rest of his second drink and signaled for the bartender to pour them two more.

"Let's see," He rubbed his hands together and studied her, "You are definitely a workaholic because I've known you for two seconds and you had to mention your job, you must have a kid or two because your phonecase has a small spiderman sticker and that really doesn't go with the dress."

Michonne nodded at the bartender as a thank you as he filled her glass. She had no idea why they were still sitting there and chatting.

"You don't have a ring, so I'm guessing divorced and this is your weekend off." Rick finished and sipped his drink.

"Pretty close," She admitted, "Andre is seven. His dad is a piece of shit who cheated on me with the aupair two years ago and that is what we came here to celebrate with my best friends."

"You are here to celebrate because your ex is a piece of shit?" Rick asked, confused. The drinks were finally catching up to him.

"No," Michonne laughed, "My divorce is finalized."

He did not know what to say. He didn't know her, but she seemed to be happy with her life.

"Congrats I guess."

"Don't you dare feel sorry for me." She shot him a pointed look.

"I don't, I promise." Rick looked at her nervously, "you seem like you can handle yourself."

"I always have," She said with confidence, "Men can't really handle a woman who can do it all."

"You just haven't met the right guy." Rick challenged her.

"Really?"

"My wife works long hours at the hospital and I am a sheriff. We've made it work for years now."

"Oh you're a cop, well that makes sense," Michonne laughed and drank the rest of her drink.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Oh nothing." She was doing it again, telling exactly what she thought by not explaining a thing. God, it drove him nuts.

"Well I help people, and you tear down families." He shot back suddenly. It even took himself by surprise because it was so unlike him.

He could see the wheels turning in her mind as she scoffed, "Oh, please. You think kids like to live in a home where you have to live on eggshells because mom and dad are arguing again."

Rick knew he went too far, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that."

"Is this what you do? Say and do reckless things and then apologize?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"It's not like you are the fluffiest person, so you're the one to talk." He chuckled as he stared back and wondered why was he still talking to this person when she annoyed the living hell out of him.

"Well you came looking for me, so you can blame yourself." She scowled, annoyed.

"I did not look for you. I was looking for Daryl." Rick huffed frustrated, "You are the one who started psychoanalysing my marriage which is perfect as it it and even you would be happy to have that."

Michonne was so done with him. Clearly she hit a nerve, "You just said you don't even remember the last time you were intimate with her. I'd rather be alone than settle for that."

"Yeah well it's not like we are twenty okay? We have responsibilities, we have two kids and both work jobs that recuire a lot from us." Rick got more heated, he wasn't sure why he even told a complete stranger so much about his life, "Not all of us need fireworks twenty four seven."

"Like I said before whatever helps you sleep at night," Michonne patted his knee like he was a friendly golden retriever as she was getting up, "Im gonna give up and go to sleep. Text me when you find them."

Rick watched her walk to the elevators, "You didn't even give your-"

And she was gone.

He shook his head in frustration, and noticed the card she had left on the bar.

"Michonne Anthony." He read it with curiosity.

Well at least he got to make his apology.

Rick yawned as he walked towards their suite. He looked at his phone and noticed that it was already five am. Well, no wonder she was getting on his nerves. He should have apologized and then went on his way.

He was happy with himself that he did what he originally decided to accomplish. Now he had apologized and he could move on. Though it still frustrated him that Daryl hadn't returned his messages and he got stuck with her.

Rick opened the suite door with his key card. It was quiet. He tried his best to be unnoticeable and not to wakeup anyone. He really didn't want to explain where he had been.

He sat down on the edge of the sofa and started to take off his boots.

"What the hell?" Negan looked confused in his white robe with a glass of water in hand, "I thought you were sleeping."

Of course, Negan was awake.

"No, I looked for Daryl and then I ran into her." Ricks face tightened.

"Who?" Negan was intrigued as always.

"The girl from the club."

"The one who beat you up?" He was grinning like a cheshire cat, "Well that must have been pleasant since you look like someone made you eat a pile of dog shit."

"Well she wasn't the easiest person to talk to." Rick frowned as he ran his hands over his tired face.

"Oh she was a total bitch then?"

Rick's eyes snapped open, "Don't say that."

"Well must have been hell of talk since you were there all night," Negan wondered innocently as he pushed his messy hair back and yawned, "I'm going back to bed, but wake me up when Daryl walks through that door. I wanna personally congratulate him for finally scoring some sweet-"

"Negan," Rick stopped his filthy mouth before it got anymore graphic, "I'm too tired for this."

"Gotcha" He winked back at his friend and chuckled as he walked towards one of the bedrooms.

Rick sighed as he headed towards the opposite direction while carrying his boots. Since Daryl wasn't there and he knew Glenn was sleeping in the bedroom next to Negans, there was one bedroom empty on the other end of the suit. He thanked heavens for that because he really needed a shower and some sleep.

Soon as he got inside the room he closed the door and unbuttoned his shirt. He tossed it on the brown leather chair that was in the corner of the room. It was a big room, bigger than their bedroom back at home for sure. Probably bigger than their living room. The bed itself could have fit his whole family. He tossed his boots next to the door.

"Ugly boots, pfft." He muttered to himself.

Before getting completely undressed he got the card out she left for him and looked at it once again. It was a simple black business card with her name, phone number and an address that seemed to be for her office. It was a relief that she didn't give her personal number because he didn't want anybody to get the wrong idea, including her. This was a very odd night for him. He tossed the card on the nightstand with a frustrated grunt and undressed for shower.

Lucille inhaled the cigarette smoke as she sat outside on the footsteps of the Grimes household. It was an early morning and she was there to make sure both Carl and Judith made it in time for school. Her dark blonde hair was in a messy bun and she hugged her worn out favorite cardigan. She was just dreaming of the upcoming weekend and sunshine that waited for them.

"Those will kill you." Carl came out of the house and sat next her.

Lucille looked at the teenager and smiled. It still caught her off guard that he was all of a sudden towering over her and had a deep voice. He looked like a grown man with his dark green hoodie and black beanie.

"I know, It's a bad habit," She agreed as she stumped the cigarette, "Never start doing this."

After having cancer she did try to stay active and take care of herself, but she also decided that if her body would fail her once again there was no use in not enjoying life because the chances of being cancer free for the rest of her life were slim. So a cigarette now and then was a bad habit she had earned. It drove her husband crazy though.

"You know we don't need a babysitter anymore," Carl tied his vans tennis shoes and said, "I can make sure we get to school in time and all that. I'm not a little kid anymore."

"I don't mind driving you two," Lucille squeezed his shoulder, "Its one of my favorite things to do. Beside smoking."

Carl laughed.

Silence settled between them as they listened to the birds chirp in the crispy autumn air.

"You ready for our little vacay?" She asked.

"I still think it's a waste of time," Carl complained, "it's not going to change anything."

"What needs to change?" Lucille was curious because for her Rick and Lori were everything she admired. They were both balanced and their relationship was sure a bit lukewarm from her perspective, but it worked. They didn't argue. They didn't throw lawn chairs at each other after a couple of beers. They were the compete opposite with Negan. Everything went from zero to hundred. They loved hard, but they could indeed throw lawn chairs if it came to it.

"I don't know. I feel like they are stuck. They don't even talk that much," Carl sighed, "Or if they do talk it's about work or us, but I guess it's been like this for a long time."

"Well they both have very challenging careers," Lucille tried to explain to him without making him feel like he was wrong for his opinion , "I know your dad adores your mom. Remember, last mothers day? He drove four hours to find her that one bracelet that was the exact copy of the bracelet your grandma had. And your mom would do anything for your dad."

"Yeah, I remember that." He smiled, feeling a little guilty, "But I still think this is a waste of time."

"And you are allowed to have that opinion," She encouraged the brooding teenager, "Just try to remember that you can't compare mine and Negans relationship, to your mom and dads. You get to see the best of us, not the fighting and the crazy stuff because you don't live with us."

"Yet." Carl grinned wide as ends of his long hair moved with the wind.

"I think your dad would literally bury us in your backyard if we agreed to that insane plan of yours."

"It's a good plan! I could pay rent and get a job. Help Negan design that video-game he has been working on since like the nineties."

"No, you are going to college and be something awesome." Lucille patted his shoulder, "so that you don't have to be a grey man and spend all of your time in the garage working on a game you made up when you were practically a kid."

"It's a good game though." He shrugged.

Lucille smiled warmly at him, "Go get Jude so we won't be late. I need to be on time to pour coffee for all the dickheads and assholes this town has to offer."

Since cancer cost her the career she used to have, she was forced to find something so that they could afford their house. Being a waitress wasn't exactly her dream, but five years later she was still stuck there.

"Can I come by after school with a friend to grab a waffle?"

"Oh," Lucille smirked, "Enid again?"

"She is a friend." He deadpanned.

"Sure."

"She really is."

"Sure." Lucille repeated and smiled, "All the waffles you want for the rest of your life are on me kid."

Rick woke from deep slumber. He yawned as he reached for the nightstand and his phone.

"I hope you are having fun daddy. Carl says hi (he really didn't, but he grunted so I guess it means hi) Love you!!!!!!" Rick smiled at the text message from his daughter.

She was such a sunshine in his life.

"Have a great day in school. Go easy on your brother, you know how he gets. Tell mom I'm gonna call her later. Love you Judebug." He texted her back

He looked at the clock on his phone. It was eleven am. Thankfully he was so used to being sleep-deprived that he could easily get up and not lay in bed all day long. Rick rubbed his tired eyes and looked at the nightstand. The business card caught his eyes again.

Last night he wasn't on his best behavior. He knew that. It wasn't like him to start snapping at a total stranger. He did drink quite a bit, but he never really felt drunk. So that wasn't it. So now he had to think if he needed to apologize to her again, but she wasn't exactly nice either. Maybe they both had a bad night.

He took the card from the table and couldn't resist the temptation. He was simply curious. So against his better judgment he decided to write her name in the search engine. Maybe If he knew more about her it would make it easier to interact with her if they happened to run into each other.

He then realized how stupid that was. Why on earth would he need to interact with her again. He erased her name from the search engine and sighed. What the hell was he even thinking.

He stretched his legs and got up from bed. He walked into the living room, where Negan and Glenn were sitting.

"Well good morning sunshine!" Negan shouted, full of energy like always.

"Morning." Rick muttered back as he opened his bag so that he could toss on a simple t-shirt.

"I was just telling Glenn about your night." Negan smiled wickedly, "It sure was interesting."

Glenn gave him an empathetic smile, "Don't worry about it. We all make mistakes."

He nodded back, still a bit uncomfortable with the topic.

All of a sudden they heard footsteps coming from the direction of the two bedrooms.

"Wait. Is someone else in there?" Glenn whispered.

And then there was very familiar grunting.

"What the fuck?" Negan wondered and looked at both of his friends in confusion.

Daryl walked into the living room casually, he was still wearing his leather jacket and shades from the night before.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Rick asked him, flabbergasted.

"I slept in one of the bathtubs, it was alright," He explained casually as he finally tossed the jacket on the floor, "You order something to eat or are we going somewhere? Im starving."

Negan was peering over Daryls shoulder, "Wait. Where is the girl?"

"Connie?" Daryl scrunched up his eyebrows in confusion, "I took her into her friends room soon as we got here. I figured it would be better since she was a lil' drunk."

"Wait you were here the whole fucking night?" Rick couldn't believe it, "I went looking for you."

"Well I was passed out in Glenns tub man."

"Wait, you left her into her friends room? How is that possible I ran into Michonne and she told me she couldn't find Connie." Ricks head was spinning.

"Who the fuck is Michonne?" Negan asked this time.

"Oh, it must be the girl who beat him up." Glenn answered for Rick.

Rick shot Glenn a look before explaining,

"Yeah that's her. We ran into each other and tried to figure out where you two were."

It was a little white lie, Rick knew it, but he didn't need to make it complicated and say they just sat in a bar drinking together. Though it was completely innocent, but he didn't want them to know.

"No her other friend Sasha." Daryl explained further when his phone buzzed and he looked at it.

"So now you can look at your phone." Rick rolled his eyes.

Daryl gave him the middle finger and smiled, "That was Connie, she wants to take me to lunch as a thank you."

"Maybe this time you actually get laid." Negan leaned against him and Daryl pushed him away, annoyed.

Daryl texted her back and then his phone buzzed again.

"She asked us all to join them as a collective thank you."

"That seems like fun." Glenn, being the positive person he was, was all for it.

Negan noticed Rick tensing up and laughed, "So much fun."

Thanks for the feedback people! I really appreciate it :)

This is gonna go slow, and this is not going to be your typical cheating story. I'm not going to glorify cheating. This is going to be something deeper and more meaningful. I hope you stick along!