Michonne was so done with this tiny room. She stepped over action figurines that Andre had left scattered on the floor and sighed. She needed more space if she was going to survive these few weeks in rural Georgia.

"Momma," Andre came from the bathroom, "Are we going to see Judith today?"

"Baby I need to find us a better place to live today." Michonne looked at her phone and looked for rentals. This was her best effort to dodge the question.

Andre talked in the background while she scrolled. Only one add caught her eye and she immediately recognized the name, Greene.

Maggie. She thought and felt victorious for having such good luck. She texted Connie for her number. Maybe after all this could turn out to be a nice vacation. Connie texted quickly back and she called her.

"Hello?" Her voice was cheerful as always.

"Uh, hi Maggie," It suddenly dawned on her that this was also Loris close friend, "It's Michonne."

Soon as she said her name, she could tell this was definitely going to be awkward.

"Oh, hey," She seemed a bit more reserved, "What's up?"

Michonne mentally face palmed herself and hoped she didn't seem like a insensitive fool, "I saw a rental in the area with your last name. I'm guessing it's a relative since it's a small town," She rambled on, "Anyway, I was just asking if you could nudge me in the right direction. It's the only thing that looks good right now and I'm desperate."

There was deadly silence on the other end, Maggie scoffed and cleared her voice, "Listen, I don't know what's real and what's not, but Lori texted all the girls. I don't feel right about this." She clearly tried to keep it friendly with her and Michonne could appreciate it.

"I understand, I do," She sighed to herself and looked at Andre, "I'm not staying here because of him. It's not like that. I won't deny anything you heard because I'm not the type of woman who hides from the truth, but I'm staying here for my son and best friend, they deserve it. But I get it. It's understandable you're her friend and right now I probably seem like a very hideous person."

The line went silent again, and she assumed she just hang up. She felt defeated. Of course it wouldn't be this easy. Then all of a sudden she could hear Glenns voice in the background. She couldn't quite make out what he was saying.

"Michonne?" Maggie was back, "I hope this stays between us, but you can drive up there and I'll make sure my daddy is there to see you. I'll text you the address."

She had no idea what Glenn had said, but it clearly made a difference. Thank God for him.

"Thank you Maggie." Michonne hoped she knew, she really meant it.

Soon as the phone call was over she felt a bit panicked. Reality was kicking in. Was she completely insane for this? She thought back to what Maggie had said. Lori had told everyone in their close-knit circle. So that meant this wasn't between her and Rick anymore. This was affecting all of them. Everyone. It made her question her own sanity. What the hell was she thinking? Staying in this town was just asking for trouble.

"Momma," Andre was already tying his shoes, "I wanna see the horses today! Remember? We saw them on the way here."

That excited smile and joy was worth it all.

They could try to break her all they wanted, but she was not letting anyone stomp on her sons happiness. This was going to be painfully awkward for the next two weeks, but so be it. For that smile she wouldn't have it any other way.

Michonne drove towards the old farmhouse that they had actually passed when coming into town. It was surrounded by fields and open land. They passed cows and horses. Andre was obviously squealing from excitement. Her ears would probably still be ringing later, but she didn't care. It had been a long time since she had seen him so free from worries and actually act his age.

She parked her car and straightened her favorite black dress before helping her son out.

"That's a beautiful car." A blonde girl with a heavy southern accent smiled, she was holding a chicken.

It really couldn't get more country than this.

"Thank you."

"A chicken!" Andre was shocked to see somebody holding one, "Can I pet her?"

The girl smiled wider, "Of course you can. She's one of my favorites. Her name is Pebbles."

"Hi Pebbles." Andre said sweetly and focused on the bird, he made sure to move his hand slowly so that it didn't get scared.

Michonne felt a bit out of place in her dress and heels. She should have kept on the Vans and leggings.

"Hello," Finally the door opened and a man with a white beard and hair walked over, "I'm Hershel Greene. I heard you were interested in renting our guesthouse by the edge of the property."

He seemed like a gentle soul.

Michonne extended her hand, "Michonne Anthony," she walked behind her sons back and kissed the top of his head, "And this is my son, Andre."

"Well then," Hershel looked at the blonde girl, "Bethy, here will show Andre the animals while you and I take look at the house."

Beth held out her other hand to Andre and he confidently took it, "See you mom!"

She laughed at him, he didn't have a problem ditching her when there were animals involved.

Hershel showed her the way and they walked a path towards the smaller house. It was fairly close, but there was possible to have some own peace and quiet. He would look at her feet and then laugh to himself, the heels probably looked ridiculous to him, "You must be a city gal." He concluded and walked ahead.

The house itself was lovely. It looked cozy from the outside. Michonne liked the cottage feel it had to it.

"I'm surprised Rick didn't drive you up here." The older man snickered as they walked up to the porch.

Michonne stopped and narrowed her eyes at him, "Excuse me?"

"It's a small town, word travels quick." He shrugged and opened the door.

She had tried her best to keep herself occupied with other things, but it seemed like the universe was not having it. She hadn't spoken to him since they parted ways on the previous evening. It kept her up at night. She thought about all the endless scenarios he was going through with Lori. She looked at her phone a million times, trying to distract herself, but in reality she waited for him to text her. He didn't. Somehow her brain made up a scenario where they made up and realized how deeply they loved each other. She was literally mad at him over that. Until she realized she was losing it and decided she was not going to be this woman. This trip with Andre was not about Rick. She was there simply for her son and Connie.

"You do know I was joking earlier," Hershels voice broke the haze, "I've known Rick since he was the same size as your boy. I only have good things to say about him. This debacle with his marriage is none of my business. I do apologize if I stepped over the line."

Michonne nodded, deciding to keep it short snd simple, "It's fine. I won't hold it against you."

She looked around the small house. It was in good condition, the floors were clearly new and the paneling on the walls was freshly renovated. She walked further along the hallway. The living room was open with a light blue kitchen on the other side.

"Daryl Dixon actually renovated this." Hershel explained and it made sense, it had the same feel as his house.

He showed her upstairs where there was two bedrooms, small, but enough for this trip.

"You haven't seen the best part." Hershel walked ahead back downstairs and opened the door from the kitchen, it went to the back of the house. There was literally nothing.

Just a field, filled with nature itself. She breathed in the fresh air and felt different. She felt centered. This was where they were supposed to be. At least for a little while.

Negan rubbed his stubble tiredly. He was watching Carl and Daryl work on his bike in their driveway. Both of them sweating in the sun. It was good for Carl after the day he had. He turned his eyes towards the corner of their front porch. Judith sat there with her book, deep in thought. The girl who was always smiling, was suddenly somber.

He walked up to her and sat next to her on the floor, "You know my folks separated when I was about your age."

She was a clever girl, she didn't appreciate the pep talk, "Did your mom leave you when that happened?"

Negan grimaced at the hurt in her tiny voice, "Judy it has nothing to do with you or your brother. She is gonna be back in no time. Sometimes even moms need a little breather."

She closed her book with a huff and got up, "Sometimes moms and dads shouldn't be so selfish."

She walked inside and slammed the door. He looked after her with deep concern. This was going to be tough. Daryl wiped his fingers in his rag that hang from his waist, he pushed the sweaty hair off his face and asked him, "How's she?"

"Hanging in there," Negan didn't know what else to say, "She's a tough chick. It ain't easy, but we sure as hell are gonna help them both through it."

Daryl nodded and looked over at Carl, who was grunting away as he violently tried to turn a bolt, "Yeah we are."

"You talk to Rick?" Negan asked quietly, trying to protect Carl from the topic, "What's the plan?"

"Nah," Daryl sat down on the porch step and looked at him, "I tried calling. He didn't pick up. You are the last one who talked to him."

Negan was always on Ricks side. Always. It was a no brainer, but this was harder to swallow. He was way over his head and things might have been easier if he was honest with his friends and accepted help.

"Last night, after he came home and found the note," His voice was rough like always, "He didn't really say what was going on in that brilliant head of his. He had work in the morning and asked me to help with the kiddos. Nothing else."

"He was probably shocked that Lori took off." The other man suggested.

They looked at Carl who was cursing loudly and then at each other. Negan hadn't always necessarily liked Daryl, but when it came to the Grimes kids they were a solid team. Those kids, had the best support system around them and it wasn't about change anytime soon.

"How's the wife?" Negan asked, curious how the situation affected them, "She is her friend after all."

He could see Daryl hesistate, he had turned out to be a very protective husband. When it came to Connie, jokes and snide comments were banned from the get go.

"She is alright," He answered, a little agitated, "It's got nothing to do with us."

They turned their attention on the teenager who was still taking his anger on the bike.

"I knew in Vegas," Negan cracked his knuckles, "Rick never stood a chance."

Daryl had to agree with that. It was a strange collision of events that led them into this mess. He didn't feel like him and Connie had any part in it. Rick and Michonne had lacked control over their emotions since the moment they laid eyes on each other. Starting with that first sucker punch in the eye. It was rollercoaster that didn't seem to end.

"You think Lori really went to see her sister?"

Negan looked at Daryl and smirked, "What do you think?"

"Hell no." He grumbled, "She's hurt. Out for blood."

"I got nothing out of Lucille," He shook his head, "We have our own shit to deal with, but it ain't nothing we can't handle. That woman is vicious and I ain't happy she lied, she got a lot of making up to do to with Carl. But I also did my part in this. I guess we're both assholes."

Daryl tossed the dirty rag to him,"Well asshole, it's your turn to help."

At first she didn't even register the looks. Then they seemed to happen everywhere. At the park, at the store, at the local antique boutique. Her naive thought process was that maybe they stared because she was a fresh face. Nobody knew her.

Well she was wrong. She could practically feel the eyes on her. She could hear people whisper and look towards her.

She looked at her phone. No messages. No phonecalls. Apparently Rick was all of a sudden a no-show. She didn't want to feel like he owed her a message or an update. Michonne was so worried and anxious over the fact that he had talked with Lori last night, but she felt like she couldn't be the one who approached him. Not this time.

"You okay?" Connie signed her, she sat across from her at the diner.

Michonne faked a brilliant smile for the sake of her son, "I'm good. I'm just glad we got the rental."

"You could have stayed with us." Her friend smiled.

It wasn't an option for her, "You guys are basically honeymooners, me and Andre would hate to bother."

Andre watched his Ipad and drank his lemonade, thankfully sucked into the adventures of Spider man.

"You talked to...?" Connie raised her brows and left the question hanging so that Andre didn't pick up on it.

"No," Michonne answered quickly, "I told him I need time." No, she didn't need time. She needed answers, some goddamn answers and she felt stupid for lying.

She looked over at the counter and hoped to God Lucille didn't walk in. She took a risk coming to the diner, but it was not like the small town had many options. She kept with the same attitude and decided that nobody was going to stop her from living her life. People seemed to talk anyway. She walked in there like she did the day they arrived and expected to be serviced the same way. Lucille had nothing to say over it.

Daryl waltzed in with that typical serious look on his face, he took his seat next to Connie and kissed her cheek.

"Hey little man!" He bumped his fist with Andre who grinned wide.

"We're gonna move next to horses." He eagerly told him.

"Y'all got the house? Connie told me."

Michonne nodded, a bit nervous over the fact that she didn't know how fast this information would reach Lori.

"I ain't telling nobody," Daryl could see the worry on her face, "That's your business to tell. Don't worry about it."

She pulled her braids on the other side of her neck, she felt herself get flustered. Little drops of sweat trickled down her back.

"You talk to Rick?" He was direct.

She shook her head, "Nope, but I think it's better this way."

She could see something in Daryls gaze. He clearly knew something that she didn't. Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened again, this time a group of men and women stepping in. Locals, that Daryl clearly knew. The way his whole posture changed indicated that these were not his friends. Maybe they were part of his history.

She could hear them mumble, but couldn't makeout any proper words.

Then she finally heard, "That's her."

Daryl took notice of the looks towards their table and stared back like a watchdog guarding his home.

"How does everybody seem to know?" Michonne whispered to Daryl.

"Ignore them." Connie signed, encouraging her.

"I'm guessing," Daryl leaned in his chair and nudged his head towards the counter where Lucille had just barged in to start her shift, "Loris best friend has a big mouth like her husband."

Michonne could understand, she was hurt for her friend. Spreading gossip might have been her way of dealing with it, but it didn't feel nice.

She could hear the whispers louder now. There were a couple of very ugly words among there and it made her see red. She stared at Daryl, they had an unspoken understanding over what she was supposed to do.

"You done?" She signed to Connie who sat with her empty plate, and she nodded. She knew Michonne well enough, she was about to give these people a lesson in life.

"Andre, aunt Connie will take you to the car while I pay the bill."

Andre didn't think nothing of it and grabbed his Ipad with him. They left with Connie and Michonne could hear the laughter behind her start up again. She was so done.

She got up and turned around towards these idiots, the sad part was that they weren't even that young. You would think adults knew how to behave.

"I am not fucking the Sheriff!" Michonne roared, so loud that everything and everyone seemed to stop what they were doing, "Did you catch that? I. Am. Not. Fucking. The. Sheriff." She said each word slow, but sharp.

She walked closer to the table of strangers, "Do I need to spell it out to you or do you people understand proper english?"

They just stared back, silent.

"Stop fucking harassing me and my son. I know ways to make your lives difficult, do not test me."

She walked back to her table, threw money on it and stormed out. Daryl was the first one to end the silence with his laughter, he flipped his middle finger towards the group and walked out.

Enid sat by the counter across from Lucille, her hand covering her mouth. She burst out laughing, "I kind of love her."

What a day it had been. Thankfully Connie and Daryl offered to take Andre for a few hours. This whole day she had wanted to keep her distance. This day, was not about obsessing over Rick Grimes. Yet, she sat in her car and stared at his front door.

God how she just wanted to drive off. She wanted to feel like she did in Las Vegas. She was happily oblivious with what was forming between them. It was strange to feel this connected and this intense pull, like she had laser focus only on him and his feelings.

She tossed her head back and said a silent prayer for the independent woman who had apparently turned into a teenager with a desperate crush. To her defense things had taken an unexpected turn and she had to see him just for that reason.

She gathered her thoughts and got out of her car. Before she even reached his steps the door opened.

He looked miserable.

"I know I should have called," She walked up the stairs, "I heard what's going on and I had to come."

"Daryl?"

"I squeezed it out of him. Don't blame him. You know how I get."

They now stood closer. He looked towards the house next door, "You should come inside."

Michonne could sense that he was irritated. She followed him and looked around, feeling out of place.

He was already in the kitchen, "You want something to drink?"

"No, I'm good." She looked at the family pictures that hang on the walls. The house felt warm. Lori seemed to be a fan of warm tones which was complete opposite from her. There was a beautiful harmony, everything tied together like a perfect bow. She felt bad being there. This was their family home after all. Though at the same time her mind tried to convice itself that this was only a friend checking in on a friend.

Rick emerged from the kitchen and saw her looking at the pictures, "I don't know how she thought this would help. Left us with a damn note."

She could tell he was all over the place. She had mixed feelings over Loris actions. Sometimes distance was needed to clear things up. Maybe she thought it was better for all of them. The lawyer side of her could see why she did it.

"How are the kids?" She felt breathless, his close presence causing her mind to go on overdrive.

He sighed, a sigh filled with worry and frustration, "They don't want to talk. Judy doesn't exactly know what's going on. She just knows dad screwed up and mom left. Carl, well, he told me to go fuck myself when he left home. He is not coming back for awhile."

As he took a swing from his beer, his hand caught her attention, "What happened?" She was concerned over the dried blood over his knuckles.

He stretched the injured hand and looked at it, "Uh, it's nothing. The wounds from Vegas opened up. I had a rough morning with a violent asshole. Perks of the job I guess."

Michonne was concerned, "Are you alright?"

He ignored her question and walked into the living room and sat on the plush sofa. She couldn't help, but to notice the disarray. There was a pizza box and a couple empty beer bottles on the table. The laundry seemed to be piling in the corner of the room.

"I'm sorry for the chaos." He took a swing from his beer, "Lori apparently needs time. Shouldn't I be the one who needs time?"

She shrugged, "I think you both do. Maybe distance is a good thing. Sure she should have talked with you, but I see why she left."

He looked at her and nodded, "I know. I was wrong, but we didn't plan for this to happen. She lied and covered her tracks for years."

Michonne had to give her point of view, "I don't think she wanted to intentionally hurt you either. She probably feels the same way. It just happened."

Rick was mind boggled over how she could stay neutral after how she behaved towards her.

"I thought you were leaving today." He changed the subject and stared at her.

She didn't want him to get the wrong impression, "I'm staying until Connies wedding." She couldn't tell if it was a good surprise or bad one from his expression, "I can work from here. Sasha actually made a good point. Andre needs this. This is not about me."

He felt relief. His life was dark and depressing right now. At least he had someone close by who knew him as the human being he was today. He appreciated his friends, but sometimes it was good to talk to someone who didn't know every single detail from your past. Michonne knew him only as he was right now.

Then, on the flipside this would make everything more painful for his children. Well mainly Carl. He wanted to stay at Negans for a longer period of time. It hurt, but Rick decided to comply. This way he stayed close by. One day they would have that conversation. Things needed to settle down first. Judith was already eager to come home. She just wanted her dad and mom.

He drank the rest of his beer and put the bottle aside. She could tell he was having an inner battle in his mind. He was twisting and turning the ring on his finger. Michonne sat next to him with a sigh, "You said to me you don't regret meeting me. Why?"

Rick smiled to himself, "You have given me more than you could imagine."

She was surprised again by his honesty, "I gave you a mess. This whole situation with us, is a mess."

"I don't think so," He shrugged, leaned into the big comfortable pillows and yawned, "I mean sure, my wife took off, my kids are pretty much done with me and this whole damn nosy town thinks I'm a cheater. Sure, that could qualify as a mess, but you know what? I've never been more okay with a mess. It will get better. It has to."

Michonne tossed her head back and laughed, "I might have gotten my part of the gossip."

"I heard, my officer was there. All evening they gave me shit for it." He chuckled to himself, "Cheating and can't even get laid. What a loser."

She looked at him wide eyed, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make a scene."

"Yes you did." Rick laughed louder.

"I really did not." She defended herself, joking back.

"It's fine. I'm used to it. There are people around here who have nothing else to do. This place is big, but there are people around who hang around the same places and that's why they are like hyenas when something goes on."

Michonne was puzzled and he could tell.

"What?"

"I hate that your kids are caught in the middle," She tried her best to be sensitive towards the subject, "If I had known this would snowball into this I would have never-"

"You know that is a lie," He was ready call her out, "You coming here tonight is a good example of what this is."

"Rick-"

"Michonne," He was tired of her denial, he turned towards her, "I hate that my kids are going through it, but I'm not going to let you sit here and down play everything again. You would have never came if it didn't matter."

She didn't want to say anything. These things were supposed to stay inside her head. They were her own feelings. She didn't want to share them because it made everything a bit more real.

"You will feel better if you just say it," Rick didn't even flinch as he spoke," You like me. I like you. Ever since we met things have been different for a reason."

She wanted to disappier into that sofa, just blend together with it.

He yawned again, mentally and physically exhausted, "Sorry, it's been a long day."

"What are you gonna do about Lori?" She asked.

They locked eyes and he said, "I'm gonna wait for her to come home and I guess we'll see."

There was a lot of unfinished feelings between all three of them. As she thought about the aftermath she could hear him snore beside her. She felt bad, he looked drained. Michonne took his boots off and tried her best to help him into a comfortable position. She pushed his hair from his face and realized Rick Grimes was not just a phase.

With that thought simmering in her mind, she picked up the trash he had scattered around and hauled them outside with her. If she could somehow help she would. She put the trash in the right bins, and was startled by the teenager who stood there with a judging scowl on his face.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Greetings from vacay. Oh the peace and quiet! Thanks for the love, like always.