Chapter 4: What Happens Now

Michonne's body was heavy sitting on the gravel ground. Gaped, uncertain whether to cry or breathe, she put her left arm in front of Rick, who was making his way to her, protecting herself instinctively. She turned away, clutching her right arm to her chest as though trying to stop her heart from escaping. She couldn't believe he was in front of her.

Rick stopped for a second, thinking she was afraid of him, before picking up his speed in the realisation that she was not frightened of him per se, but in shock and denial that he was here. Bypassing her initial reaction, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tight as if she might disappear if he gave her the slightest chance she'd escape. Michonne, feeling his warmth and breathing in his scent, finally stopped resisting and melted into his arms as she came to terms with the fact that he was here right now. Hot tears fell to his shoulder while he stroked her back gently and kissed her temple to soothe her.

"Rick…"

"I'm okay… I'm here…"

Sasha, who incidentally noticed this after her reunion with Tyrese, kept repeating, "Oh, my God!" The rest of the camp focused on what drew her attention to what was going on; Andrea paid no mind, as she still held on to her soon-to-be-dead little sister, cradling the girl in her lap, and Daryl and Shane watched Rick in shock. Jeff, who stood back to let his brother have his moment, spoke to the two.

"I didn't think you guys were alive."

"You saved him?"

Shane was still shaken. After all, a while ago, he thought his best friend was dead.

"No. Well, kind of... I was lodged up at his apartment when he got there. He didn't know what was going on… Barefoot and in a hospital gown. Ain't think he'd be alive either."

"How'd you two meet Glen and Tyrese? They been missing for two days going on three."

"That might be our fault. We got caught up in a herd in Atlanta. The Asian kid saved us. Then we met up with your boy, told us you guys were alive… When I told Rick I'd help him look, it was just to appease him, so imagine the surprise of your truly."

Jeff's words were filled with nervous humour; they had been through so much and seen a lot to get here, and by the look of things around the camp, he suspected it was the same here. Daryl was on cloud nine. The gang was back together, and he couldn't have prayed for something better. He didn't care about the couple reuniting; he went toward his friends, ready to embrace the best friend he thought was gone. Having broken out of their high, Rick looked at Daryl and pulled him in; Sasha and Shane soon followed.

Dale was a straightforward man who always spoke his mind. He had no hesitation in asking Glen and Tyrese,

"Who the hell are they?"

"That's my sister's friend Rick, and That's Jeff; they're brothers. You can guess the rest."

"Oh, so friends, then. We lost a lot of people last night. Everybody you see right now is it, excluding Sofia. Andrea ain't moved an inch since Amy got bit. We're Gonna have to deal with it." Tdog said as he looked in her direction.

"Shit!"

"Well, wanna introduce us to the new guys?"

"Year sure."

But before they could do anything, Andrea began to scream, grabbing everyone's attention. She was crawling backwards in horror to see her reanimated sister coming towards her.

"Andrea! Get up!"

The woman still didn't make any effort to run, paralysed by fear and despair at what she saw before her. With nowhere else to go without using her feet, the reanimated corpse pounced on her but was shot dead in the head by Rick, who had his colt on him. Shane marched to Andrea with heavy vigour and yelled,

"What the fuck was that? You almost got bit! Hell, you almost put the group in danger! What the hell did you think was gonna happen, huh?"

"Shane, let it go. She's shaken up and still in shock. Her sister…" Michonne sighed "Let it go."

"She's lucky Rick had his gun on him. What if someone else got attacked—someone we care about?"

"Shane…"

"You know I'm right."

Shane gave her one last look before walking away from everyone. She folded her arm, took a breath then looked at Andrea, who was being comforted by Dale and Tdog. She had mixed emotions about what just happened. As the gears in her head started turning, Rick put his hand on the small of her back. He bit into his bottom lip, trying to contain his grin, taking her hand in his, rubbing it back and forth with his finger.

"You gonna introduce me?"

"Oh, well… You already know Glen Rhee and Tyrese. The older guy is Dale Horvath; the guy built like a linebacker is Theodore Douglas, but we call him Tdog; and the woman you saved is Andrea Harrison… There's a little girl, Sophia. I'll let you see her later."

"Well, nice to meet you all."

…

After burying Amy, the group sat, waiting to eat breakfast together in tiny cliques. Sasha was with Tyrese and Glen, Andrea was with Dale and Tdog, and Daryl was giving out the food he had cooked. Michonne and Sophia, hand in hand, went to Rick. Michonne was surprised that the child had managed to sleep through the commotion prior to this. A testament to how tired she was.

Or maybe it's the grief; I slept a lot when Rick... I'm glad she got the rest she needed.

"Sophia, this is Rick. Rick, this is Sophia; she's eight years old; she'll be nine soon."

"Nice to meet you, Sophia."

"Hello…"

"Eat, soph." Michonne urged.

Sophia didn't say anything else, only resting her head on Michonne's side as Michonne rubbed her shoulder. Rick knew that the girl had just lost her parents and didn't hold it against her. Shane soon came and sat next to him after handing Michonne something hot to drink.

"You brought a lot of guns; we definitely need 'em."

"Mhmm, We can't stay here though; out in the open, the noise is gonna draw 'em. When the food runs out, they're gonna push forward. We're too close to the city."

"So we look for somewhere less populated. Chonne and I talked about it a few days ago. She was thinking, we head to the coast; find a boat."

"An island…"

"Mhmm, ain't a bad idea. We're gonna need gas, food, a boat... We were trying to gather stuff before we made a move, regardless of where we go from here. We're suppose to leave tomorrow."

"An island sounds nice. But that's a lot of unknowns. We would need a sure source of food, water; where are we gonna stay."

"She was thinking of an island resort. I been planning for us to go to my Grandma Jean's cabin."

"I see… Is anyone here a doctor?"

"You're worried about Chonne?"

Rick didn't respond. He looked down, unable to maintain eye contact, his jaw tense as he ground his teeth, his lips growing thin and firm. His head dropped, and he leaned his body forward while stroking the middle of his forehead with his left thumb. Shane bent forward to meet him.

"Thank you for getting her out... Keeping her safe."

"I left you there."

"No, you did the right thing. Chonne told me everything. You had no choice. Before I got here, Jeff and I were thinking there must be a safe zone the government set up or something, but now I know everything's gone to shit… The government is gone… I saw a lot of shit just getting here. We got to do what we can to survive and keep each other safe. You did the right thing, Shane. So thank you."

"What do you think about the group?"

"The new people? They seem like good folks. I know Glen is. You don't like 'em?"

"I just don't care about 'em. They ain't us, and we don't know 'em. I'm not gonna break my back for any of 'em. Michonne and Sasha don't like it, and Daryl ain't throwing his opinion either way, but it is what it is. I stand on that."

"I understand Shane; I do. If I had to make a choice, I'd naturally choose us. It's normal. I don't know 'em either, but if I can help 'em I will."

"You do that, but you're gonna need to understand, not everybody needs a second look. Hell, they might not need a look at all."

Shane got up, ending their discussion. He went to Michonne and Sophia, taking their empty Polystyrene plate and cup to dispose of, before going to his own devices. Rick looked at his lover for a few seconds, taking in her appearance.

"You lost weight."

"Blame your child. They won't stop tormenting me." She was relaxed, telling jokes, and smiling freely. Her voice was wistful in its bliss.

"I'm sorry. I should have been there."

"You were in a coma, Rick."

"I know I just..."

"It was hard that you weren't here. It was hard to leave you in that hospital. But I made a choice, and I don't regret it. Do you hate me?"

Her lips pulled into a half-formed, heartless smile. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't maintain eye contact. She sat, her face hidden behind her hair. She rocked gently back and forth, not even aware she was doing it. He reached out, leaning in close so their foreheads could touch, laying his hand tenderly on her tummy. She was already showing, as she should at almost four months.

"Of course not. I'm proud you did what was necessary. In fact, I'm relieved."

The longer he studied her, the softer his eyes became. His eyebrows rose along with his smile. He was filled with quiet contentment as he leaned back. Sophia, who said nothing, watched with curious eyes.

…

Daryl was skinning a rabbit when Sasha seated herself next to him. She scrubbed her eye with her knuckles. Her ordinarily bright eyes had become dull and withdrawn, half-closed and bloodshot from exhaustion. It had been a long day, and her eyes were struggling to focus. Daryl paused his task, studying her with unwavering attention, eyes narrowed to slits.

"The hell's wrong with you?"

"Can't you see I'm damn tired? I was helping out; we're leaving tomorrow, so start packing your things."

"Don't got much to pack. You still mad at Shane? He just ain't want you doing nothing stupid; getting yourself hurt... You may not like it, but he was right."

"I know… I guess Merle isn't coming back… I won't miss him, but he is your brother."

"Ain't ever really been much of a brother."

"You love him all the same, even if he's a piece of shit."

He closed his eyes, going silent as he tried to drag emotion back under where he didn't need to feel it. He wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist, turning his face from her. She rubbed his back.

"I also know you cared about Carol."

"Well, she's gone."

"You still got us… We might not be blood, but we're always going to be there. Don't ever forget that."

"Yeah…"

"Now that Rick's back, we just have to hold on to each other for dear life. Try not to lose anyone ever again, and soon we'll have an addition to our dysfunctional group… I'm going to check on Rick and Chonne."

She gave his back one last rub, then left.

…

Michonne helped Sophia dress, putting her in a long jersey, slacks, and a pair of socks to protect her from mosquitoes. She stayed with Sophia, settling her into bed, and when she fell asleep, Michonne went to Rick on the opposite side of the tent, who'd been waiting for her patiently.

"She seems like a sweet girl... She's so attached to you," he said with a light smile, stoking her hair. "Were you close before her parents, you know?"

"I wouldn't say we were close, but... Her dad was a monster. He would beat them both. Last time he broke Carol's nose, Shane could never allow such a thing, and Daryl, you know him… He and Carol bonded during our time here. They almost killed him; they were going to, but Tyrese stopped them before that could happen. Sophia would hide here when she got the chance. Sometimes from a beating, sometimes from other things."

"He used to touch her…" His lips curled with disgust.

Her mouth formed an unpleasant twist, and her face hot and pinched with resentment. They rolled their necks to relieve the building tension

"I knew he was beating her; I even warned him, but when I found out," Her voice quivered. "I told Shane and Daryl; that's when they confronted him, and then they saw Carol. Part of me was angry at Tyrese; I wanted them to kill him." Her voice was bursting with regret.

"She's been through a lot."

"She's been through too much!"

Rick pulled her down to lie with him. He took her hand in his. He clamped his hands on each side of her face, gazing over with a warm smile.

"Your right. She's been through too much, and though she doesn't talk much, I can tell she trusts you and feels safe with you."

"Yeah?"

"Yes, darling."

That's the first time he's ever called me that.

Her spirits rose. Her glee was intoxicating, and she couldn't help but giggle, even though she thought it inappropriate given the topic at hand. Their eyes crinkled at the corners, lines etched by countless smiles. Rick placed a soft kiss on her eyelids and lips, urging her closer to him. He kissed her again, this time deepening it as his hand gilded up her tank top. From her lips to her neck and chest, he made his intention clear.

"Rick, Sophia…"

"Shhh, we'll just gonna have to be quiet so we don't get caught... I miss you so much."

He stopped for a bit, wrapping her in a strong embrace after removing their clothes one by one. They rapped their fingers together in a staccato rhythm, their faces flushed. She grips her pillow in her fists, and he breathes in her ear. He starts to sweat and slips to their stomachs. He hooks his knees outside her legs and drives himself deeper. He drove himself harder into her. She was whining with pleasure, and that was good.

"Shhh," Rick whispered. "Shhh, it's all right; don't worry, just relax your body."

She moved her head and kissed his mouth. He kept on, slowing himself. He pushed her knees up higher. He was almost there, and so was she. He thought he would go first, disappointing her since it'd been a while, but she was especially sensitive, the pregnancy no doubt being the cause. The knot at the base of his cock melted in the flames. He let her bite into his shoulder as he came to avoid shouting. Then she gasped and tried to say something. She was pleading with him to stop. She had come, and she wanted him to stop.

He kissed her eyelids, then her lips again. And the kiss continued past the point of her neck to her breast and anywhere he could reach while inside her. Then, slowly, he pulled away.

"I'm exhausted…"

"Go to sleep; I'm here." His voice was tender as he glided his finger down her nose.

"Hold me?"

Their eyes sparkled with an electric energy that lit the room, a brilliant representation of their exhilaration. They hugged tightly. As they held each other, Rick brought her head to the nuzzled warmth of his chest.

…

"You okay?"

"Nauseous; the ride isn't helping either."

"Had a feeling; it's why I told them to stop." Shane stroked her head.

"Thanks. Where's Rick?"

"Dealing with something..."

"Dealing with something?"

Shane rubbed his head, sitting next to her in the RV. His mouth formed an unpleasant twist, and he threw his hands up exasperatedly.

"You know Rick, always gonna go out of his way to help."

"Andrea?"

"Yep!" Shane made a pop with his mouth. "She locked everybody out! Has a gun, and apparently, she wants to kill herself."

"She just lost her sister…"

"She ain't the only person to lose someone! Look at Sophia! She's eight; done lost both her parents in one night; don't see her bitching around. Hell, Sophia is the one who should be mopping. I don't mind her being sad, but she's selfish. Might be better if she pulled the fucking trigger. She's gonna cause problems. I promise that!"

"Can you call Sophia back? I don't want her anywhere near that; she's with Sasha and Daryl."

"No need; they're not there. They took her for a little walk."

"That good. I'm going to check this out. Watch out for her."

"You don't have to do that." He held her arm. "I don't want you to."

"Well, I want to."

Michonne got up, fixed her clothes, tried her hair, and went out, and Shane followed behind her as she made her way to Rick and the others.

"You really don't need this stress, especially for her of all people."

"Not for her; Rick's there."

"He wouldn't want you there."

"It's not working, Walsh."

She turned to him, placing both hands on her hip, tilting her head to the right. He rubbed the back of his head, letting out a long sigh in frustration.

"Why do you always got to be so damn stubborn?"

"Why did you tell me about what's happening?" She looked at him while he took a step back, taking her in.

"I don't like hiding things from you."

"I know; I just wanted you to say it. It's one of the things I've always loved about you. Daryl treated me like glass, and Rick babysat me like a toddler, questioning all my decisions… You treated me like a young sister, teased me, and protected me, but you always told me the truth and called me out on my bullshit. You never treated me like I was incapable. So why are you doing this now?"

"It ain't like it was before; we both know that."

"I do know that, but I also know that you, Rick, Daryl, or Sasha can't shelter me. Unlike the four of you, I know learning is the only way to survive. I learned that the night Carol died… I told Sophia I'd keep her safe, but right now I know it's just an empty promise, and I don't want it to be."

The two stared at each other. Michonne's dark pools were pleading, hoping for a response or acknowledgement of her feelings; Shane, however, said nothing. Knowing she wouldn't get either, she continued on, and he followed her without a sound.

"Rick!" she called out.

"Michonne, why are you here?" His eyes widening in disbelief.

"I came to see what's happening."

Rick looked at Shane with anger on his face, becoming an effigy of contempt and confusion. Shane shrugged his shoulders and threw his hands up, his lips hung gently open. Michonne looked at the pair, rolling her eyes.

"This is so stupid! I decided to come!"

"We're dealing with a situation, Andrea; she-"

"I know. Look, Rick, you can't make that decision for her. I know you want to, but you can't."

"What?"

"She has to want to live, like the rest of us. You trying to drag her behind us isn't going to work." She held both of his hands.

"What the hell has Shane been telling you?"

"This is all me, Rick!"

Dale had a spasm of irritation cross his face. His chest expanded as his shoulders pulled back, and his tone was cold and disapproving.

"You're saying we should just leave her like that and let her kill herself. Are you crazy? We can't jus let that happen!"

"I'm saying that she doesn't think she has anything to live for! Her family is gone, so she doesn't see a reason… Tell me, Dale, can you really promise her that everything is going to be alright, that she has something to live for, something to look forward to? Can any of you do that?"

"Michonne-" Rick was shaken.

"I have something to live for; everybody I love other than my parents is here; I even have a baby on the way. It would be hypocritical for me to do that, and If I were in her position, I can't say I wouldn't do the same. She's not the only person to lose someone. Glen's all alone, and you as well. The difference is that you want to live. She's an adult in a world that's gone to shit. If you force her, you'll end up with nothing but dead weight. Let her make that choice."

"But…"

"I know you care about her, Dale, but it's not up to you... I'm going back to the RV."

Rick walked up to Shane, grabbed his arm, and spoke with grave deliberation.

"What did you tell her?"

"You think I did this? Does that little speech sound like something I would say?"

"That just isn't something Chonne would say."

"Look, man, you're not the only one who went through some shit. She's seeing things for what they are. It's time all of you do the same. Somethings she's just a little in over her head with, but with this, I agree for the most part. Can't save who don't want to be saved."

"If it was one of us. Would you say the same thing? What if it was Sasha or Michonne?"

"That's a real retarded question, Rick. The truth is, no. Cause they would never be in that position in the first place. Not on my watch... I'm gonna find Sophia and the others I told Chonne I would."

Shane walked away from Rick, not hesitating to turn back and look at his friend.

…

Andrea did not harm herself, coming back three hours later. She wanted to live. She didn't ride with Rick, Daryl, Shane, and Tyrese this time but stayed with Dale, who drove the RV. Michonne taught Sophia, Sasha took a nap, and Glen played lookout. They drove for thirty minutes before both vehicles came to a halt. There was a cluster of cars on the road. Michonne taught Sophia, Sasha took a nap, and Glen acted as a lookout. They drove for thirty minutes before coming to a complete stop. There was a cluster of cars on the road. Glen climbed to the top of the RV for a better view. Rick stepped out of the SUV to speak with Glen.

"You think we can make it through?"

"It's tight, but we can fit. Might need a little pushing here and there, though."

"Good. We should use this opportunity to siphon gas, get anything useful from those cars, and then we keep moving! Come on, people!"

"I'll keep looking out."

"Alright. Michonne, why aren't you in the RV? You can wait for us there; we won't take too long."

"Just doing my part."

"Okay, nothing wrong with that, but stay where I can see you, alright?"

He cupped her face, and she nodded in agreement. He kissed her nose, then let go. She kept Sophia by her as she checked for valuables. She found matches, a pack of protein bars and chips, half a case of bottled water, and a six-inch knife. She tucked the knife into the inner area of her jeans, and her top covered it. Michonne, resuming her search, found comic books and manga. She let out a childish giggle.

"Sophia, Look what I got!"

"What's that?"

"Something for us to read."

"I don't like reading. It's boring."

"Trust me, you'll like them. They're much better than what I had you studying."

"If it's not, do I get something?"

To think this little brat is negotiating with me... Well, I've seen it all.

"Like what?"

"Can I get to choose from the snack we found first?"

"Hmmm, Okay, but just to let you know a little secret, that was a waste of a pick. I was already going to give first dibs."

"Really?"

"Mhmm!"

She's so adorable!

The girls became immersed in their own world while Rick looked on, two cars across, with a smile. The atmosphere made all of them forget the child's pain only a few days earlier. Michonne consistently did her best to keep her engaged, and she was doing the same once more; unfortunately, Glen's deafening warning cut that out. A herd of roughly seventy to eighty undead was heading their way. Sasha was still resting when Rick yelled,

"Everyone hide!"

Quickly coming to an understanding when she heard the oncoming herd, Sasha closed the RV door, ducking down in a discreet, hidden spot. Michonne took Sophia and pulled her under one of the abandoned cars, and the others did the same. The child gripped her top and bent her head to her chest. Eyes transfixed with horror, unable to look away no matter how much they wished to, no longer seeing anything but the threat. Rick, on the other hand, glued his eyes to where Michonne and Sophia were, searching his brain for a way to get there unseen. Sophia was frozen with terror, too overwhelmed to hear Michonne's whispers of comfort. Michonne wrapped her arms around her head to drown out the surroundings to the best of her ability. Shane, who was a car in front, realised what was going on and crawled to meet them, taking care not to attract any attention. He did everything he could to help Michonne calm Sophia down, knowing that if he didn't, all three of them would die. He spoke in a piercing whisper.

"We ain't gonna let anything happen to you, Sophia; please, we're right here." He tapped her back gently, but hurriedly.

Everyone waited there for thirty minutes until they couldn't see or hear the vast herd, though there were still a few stragglers. Rick dashed to assist Shane in retrieving Michonne and Sophia. Sasha hopped out, squawking,

"No one thought to wake me the fuck up!"

"No one told you to be lazy." Daryl walked past her, taking his crossbow off his back to help kill the rest.

"Shut up!"

Michonne wiped Sophia's hair away from her face and hugged her with all her might. She broke the embrace and cradled her delicate face in her palms, wiping her tears as her heart stumbled over its own rhythm.

"Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, only rushing back to the warm embrace.

"You did great, sweetpea. You did fantastic!"

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, Rick."

"Good."

He gilded his thumb up and down her shoulder and rustled Sophia's blond, messy hair. He was about to say something else when Glen came.

"Umm, we have a slight problem."

"What is it?"

"The RV, it's the battery; it's going. It also needs a tuning. Dale and I can deal with it, but it'll take a while."

"How long?"

"An hour or two. Geeks already pass through; we should be okay."

"Geeks, you mean walkers? Geeks…" Rick let out a little chuckle along with a sneer.

"That shouldn't be too bad." Michonne turned to Rick. "We should get lunch while we wait."

"Okay, but we're gonna hunt something. I'll go with Daryl."

"I go with you."

"No, you stay here; besides..." He gestured to Sophia.

"Sophie, sweetheart. Can you stay with Sasha for a bit? I'll be back soon, I promise."

She took a bit before nodding her head to agree. Rick looked at Michonne in disbelief, gaping, uncertain whether to breathe or scream. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

Does she always have to be so fucking stubborn?

"Alright, let's go." He nodded his head and circled his temple, sure that a migraine was coming.

She kissed Sophia on her forehead, tentatively handing her to Sasha, who was always sweet with her.

…

"Why the hell you bring her out here?" Daryl's eyes narrowed.

"Cause she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"So damn annoying."

"I'm right here, gentlemen."

"I know; I want your little ass to hear."

"Shut up, Daryl."

Rick's mouth split open wide in a booming laugh, watching the back and forth. It was a good sight to see, reminding him of a time they may never get again. His lips had been turned up in a soft smile that couldn't have gotten any larger.

"Daryl, look, give me your crossbow."

"You even know how to use it?"

"That's why I'm here, dumbass... I want to learn."

"Well, since you ain't got no skill, you gonna have to get closer... Don't scare it; that's a nice deer… Steady… Right behind you."

"Careful, you two." Rick's tone was overprotective.

"Take it."

With Daryl's approval, Michonne was about to kill the deer when a loud shot rang off. She didn't feel any pain at that moment. Only shock and confusion at not knowing how and why this was happening followed, and then everything came crashing down on her as her legs collapsed under her. Daryl hastily caught her before she could completely hit the ground, and he searched for Rick in panic. Rick stood there unblinking, trying to process what had occurred as his face grew ashen. Too overwhelmed to move, one thing managed to escape his mouth.

"Michonne…"

...

...

...

Author's note: This chapter is a couple days late for a few reasons. One being that my period came, which I'm still on. My periods are terrible due to my PCOS, and I had family drama. This chapter is longer, though, to help make it up. So I hope you all enjoy it, and thanks for the feedback.