It hurt to remember. He didn't want to be wrapped up in his own misery like this.

He watched Michonne and Connie as they prepared for the hearing. Sun wasn't even up yet and they were going back and forth, full on business mode as papers piled on the kitchen table. Michonne was so occupied she hadn't probably realized how quiet he had been since his "run to the office" which was in reality a fateful run in with Shane.

Rick was lost. He knew he needed to tell her. She deserved to know because it wasn't just a little mistake in his life. It was something that he would carry in his mind and soul until the day he took his last breath.

She raised her gaze from the papers and locked eyes with him. She smiled. She was so beautiful. He often found himself thinking about her this way. He couldn't say or think about it enough. She was so beautiful.

He did his best to smile back without raising any alarm.

She quickly went back to the papers and he could hear a familiar sound coming from outside. He had been waiting for him. Rick placed his coffee on the kitchen counter and opened the door.

Negan and his motorcycle waited around the corner of the house. Rick didn't want to talk about the past, but Negan was the only one who knew and to make matters worse, he was involved.

"This better be fucking important," He took off his helmet and yawned, "It's the crack of dawn and my morning wood isn't even down yet."

He got straight into business, "Shane is blackmailing me."

Negan raised his brows, not sure if he heard that correctly, "Oh damn. That lunatic really doesn't know what's good for him."

He could see Rick was more tense than usual, "He is using me to get Lori what she wants."

Negan smacked his lips in disapproval, "Well so what? Shane is the one who is fucked if it all comes out."

"He isn't."

He looked more closely at his friend and shook his head, "What?"

Rick turned away from him, his tense body feeling like it weighed a ton, "It was me. He took the blame."

"Shit Rick." Negan shook his head, hiding the shock in his face the best way he could.

He didn't have any explanation for him.

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" He said through gritted teeth, very aware that he couldn't raise his voice in the middle of the quiet neighborhood, "That's kind of a big deal when you ask someone to destroy evidence. I did it because I didn't want fucking blood on your hands and now you're telling me I did it for fucking nothing when you're the one who is fucked anyway."

"Shane took the lead," Rick didn't know what else to tell him, "I was in shock, it happened fast. I didn't plan on..."

"Fuck," Negan paused for a moment, "So Shane fucked us both. He got me to do the dirty work because he knew I would do if it came down between the two of us. Now he can use me as a scapegoat. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. You could've told me this years ago."

He felt bad, "I'm sorry. I should have stopped him when he wanted to call you for help."

Negan looked at him and could see how heavily this weighed on him. For years he had wondered what it was. Rick had changed after it. He knew there was something eating him up, slowly taking over him. The light and happiness in his eyes disappiered back then, but he never imagined it was this. Being a bystander was traumatic enough, but being the one who made that decision in the end broke him. It all made sense now.

Rick could see him staring, "Negan... I ain't blaming you if you don't want to see me again."

"I'm not judging you," His voice was crystal clear, words filled with meaning, "I trust you with my life asshole. You're stuck with me. I mean I get it, I wouldn't want to talk about it either."

He nodded back at him as an awkward thank you. As annoying as he was, Negan was a friend that would always be there. It meant a lot that after this information he didn't look at him differently.

"But you're one scary motherfucker," Negan laughed as he playfully punched his chest, "After all that... Shanes stupid ass wants to throw down with you?"

"Shane thinks he knows me," Rick kicked the dirt underneath his shoes, "But he doesn't."

He could see the coy look on his face, "You need me to bury some more evidence? I'm down."

Rick knew he was joking and laughed.

Negan looked back at the house and then at his friend, "You gonna tell her?"

In his heart he knew what he wanted to do, "Yeah. After court."

"Good," Negan surprised him by agreeing with him and explained, "I see it. I see the way you are now and boy, it was a long ass road to get you here, so I don't want that grumpy grandpa back."

"Jeez, thanks." Rick shook his head at him, "This time I'm doing things different, for her."

"Let's just hope she doesn't call the fucking FBI on your ass."

He could only nod and agree, "Yeah. If it goes south I'll just text you, and you'll get me down to Mexico right?"

Negan laughed at the stupid joke, "Yes, my amigo. I'll be right behind you. I need a vacation anyway."

Rick looked at him and patted him on the shoulder. This conversation meant more than Negan would ever understand.

Michonne watched the men from behind the curtain. Rick didn't know it, but she was a step ahead already. He probably thought she hadn't given it another thought, but she did. She knew he was off. He had been since he got back from wherever it was.

This was the part that was the most difficult. Trust.

She had to trust, he would come to her. It was kind of a make it or break it moment for them. Would he open up to her? She sincerely hoped so. It would all go down the drain if he didn't.

Thankfully her work kept her mind from doing cartwheels. She would focus on her case and getting Pete Anderson off Jessies back. That was her job, and that was the most import thing right now.

She turned and looked at Connie who knew what was on her mind.

Wild brown curls framed her tired face and she signed, "Daryl didn't know what's up. I asked."

Michonne smiled, appreciative of her detective work, "I think only Negan and Shane know."

"Why don't you just ask him?" Connie was curious, dog came into the kitchen and laid on the floor next her feet and it made Michonne chuckle. She wanted loyalty like that.

"Rick has to be the one who comes to me," Michonne moved her hands tiredly, "I'm not chasing anybody anymore."

She nodded, understanding the point, "I know he will tell you when the time is right."

Michonne smiled back at her and hoped she was right. The door opened and Rick walked back inside with a confident stride, not showing any signs of defeat this time. Whatever Negan said to him must have helped.

He grabbed his stale coffee and Michonne narrowed her eyes at him.

"Rick-"

He drank from the cup and spit it out with a frown, "Why do I always do that?"

He wiped his mouth and she laughed softly, "I was just saying, there is a fresh pot waiting."

"You drink coffee now?" He smirked at her.

"No," She held her hands on her hips, "I just happen to know someone who does."

He flashed his signature grin and she was happy to see it.

"You two ready?" Rick pointed at the scattered papers and poured himself a new cup of coffee, smirking into her direction as he did so.

"Uh," Michonne sighed, exhausted, "Well we have no clue if Lori will show up to sign the witness testimony, so we have a few approaches. It could go sideways either way, but I hope the judge can see through Pete and his lying face."

He felt guilty that he didn't tell her what Shane had said about Lori. He would have told her if it was a done deal, but with Shane he didn't know if it was a lie or the truth. So there was no guarantee Lori would show up. There was no use in trusting that information and telling Michonne when it could harm her case. This way there would only be good surprises.

"You'll handle Pete," He looked at Michonne and then at Connie, "She is the best, and she'll get him, right?"

Connie smiled back, reading his lips. The adoration for Michonne clear in everything he did or said. She gave him a humorous thumbs up.

Michonne smiled wide.

Regardless, he was still everything.

As they finally arrived into court she felt a little nervous. Her stomach turned and for a second there she felt like puking her guts out. The nerves usually didn't get her like this, but this case felt personal. Something about Pete Anderson made her angry. The countless times he had laid his hands on his wife and terrorized his own family was not easy to stomach.

She breathed slowly to regain her composure.

"You alright?" Rick whispered next to her as they stood in the hallway waiting.

Michonne nodded and drank from her water bottle, "Yeah. I just don't want this to go badly for her."

"It won't." He squeezed her hand, "You got this. Destroy him."

She grinned back at him and could suddenly feel eyes on her. Rick was not on duty so he was simply there for support. His own issues and anxieties were easy to ignore in a moment like this. It was secondary when other important things were happening. As they stood there, Pete, in his suit with his lawyer walked in. He was staring at her and making it known. Not shying away, being his cocky self. He then looked at Rick with a grin and a wink. It took a lot out of him. He had to just stand there and see him stare at her like she was worthless.

"You got everything?" Sasha showed up suddenly.

Michonne gave her a quick hug, "You made it."

"I wanna have a frontrow seat." Sasha smiled at her friend, "he won't know what hit him."

Sasha then turned towards Rick, "Grimes."

"Sasha." He greeted back.

As people were walking around, more and more people arriving they had no time to recover as Lori bravely walked up to them, Shane tailing behind her. Ricks jaw clenched at the sight of him.

"Lori?" Michonne was surprised, in a good way of course because she had never expected her to show up after what happened.

She stared back, stoic as always, "I'm only here for Jessie."

Sasha looked back and forth between them and swallowed, "Well it's better late than never. You're doing Jessie a gigantic favor."

"We don't really have time to prep." Michonne felt her stomach turn again and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"Well it ain't Loris fault," Shane interjected, "I told Rick she was coming. He didn't tell y'all?"

It seemed like everybody turned to look at him, eyes wide and shocked over his confusing decision to withhold this kind of thing.

"What?" Michonnes voice turned bitter. She was blindsided.

Shane didn't hide his content smile and looked at Rick innocently, "You getting old and forgetting stuff now?"

Lori was as confused as the other two women. This web of lies was getting more tangled by the minute.

"I can explain." The words rushed out of Ricks mouth.

Michonne didn't have time to process what was really happening, she just went into autopilot and looked at Sasha, "You get her story on paper. I'll print out the draft we made earlier. We got eight minutes."

Sasha pulled Lori with her to the other end of the hallway and Michonne took off towars the elevators, not saying a word. Her tall heels moved fast, he had probably never seen anybody move so quickly in a tight pencil skirt like hers.

Rick glanced at Shane with a murderous look before taking after her.

"Michonne!" He yelled out, grabbing her arm before she got inside the elevator, "Listen, I promise I was going to explain-"

"No!" She yelled back, spit flying out of her mouth as the word came out with so much anger. She pulled her arm away from his grasp with force. Michonne pushed the button repeatedly for the doors to close so that he couldn't get in. She had to get this paper out and signed. He had no room in her brain right now.

He watched the elevator door close and cursed loudly while Shane watched his despair.

"You can only blame yourself Rick."

He raised his gaze to meet Shanes and mentally imagined attacking him with everything he got in him.

But, he wouldn't let that happen. Not anymore.

She deserved better.

He, himself deserved better.

Somehow they had scrambled everything together. Sasha was worriedly glancing towards her. She could tell Michonne was fuming. Her hands would shake a little as she drank water.

"You okay? I could lead this one." Sasha whispered from her seat, "You don't look too hot."

"I'm fine." Michonne insisted, fanning herself with one hand as she set her water aside.

"If you say so."

The courtroom was rather empty, but no matter what kinda of case, or what phase of the case was going on, it got Michonnes heart going. This was her field and Rick being a total idiot was far from her mind. Or that was what she told herself.

The judge arrived and eveybody stood up. Rick had decided to sneak in, but he stayed back, trying to go unnoticed as it was a private hearing, but at this point he didn't care if they dragged him out. He wanted to be there for her. Michonne kept her gaze firmly forward. She knew he was there, but she couldn't think about him right now.

As the judge spoke Rick couldn't help, but to notice the way Pete would glance over at her from time to time. It didn't sit right with him. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. Too much had happened and mostly everything was a consequence of his own actions. He just wanted to go back to Atlanta and building Legos with Andre. Rick knew he should have told Michonne what was going on. Now he was paying the price. He watched her closely, her slender fingers tapped against her knee as the judge spoke. She was agitated.

"Miss Anthony your client is absent," The judge noted, keeping a neutral face, "We are here because you filed for emergency protection order and I do hope you understand it plays a significant role in this if your client decides not to attend."

Rick knew the judge on some level and hoped to God he was having a good day.

"Yes, your honor," Michonne stood up, hands moving as she spoke clearly, "My client and her children are at risk of significant harm. She removed herself and the children from their home after Mr.Anderson threatened to quote, "Chop her into pieces." These words were heard by the police officers who responded to the last domestic violence incident that happened inside their household while the children were there. I recommended her to stay away until the court gives her the emergency protection order which we immediately applied for."

The judge flipped through the documents on his desk and then turned his attention on the opponent.

"And Mr.Anderson has delivered the C4 form."

"Yes, your honor we have countered with the seek and find order. Jessie Anderson has illegally taken the kids out of the home and hid them from their father. The incident which Miss Anthony is referring to was cleared and has no value when Mrs.Anderson herself has not pressed charges. My client on the other hand has suffered multiple injuries and they have been documented. Those have been presented to you in the previous documents."

Pete watched on smugly as his lawyer did his best. Michonne eyed them, locking eyes with Pete and the fire in her stomach grew bigger. She wanted to wipe that look off his face.

"The incident wasn't cleared," Michonne countered firmly, "Your client spent the night in jail. And all those previous eleven times that have been reported resulted into jail time because he was inebriated and aggressive."

"Having a drink is not illegal," The lawyer chuckled, "This is all hearsay at this point. Your honor, you can't be entertaining this show Miss Anthony is presenting when she and her client have no physical evidence."

"But we do," Michonne looked at Pete and smiled, "I have a witness. Jessie Anderson had confided in her and she, a nurse, thankfully helped her."

"This is ridiculous."

She raised her brow at Petes lawyer, "You wanted physical evidence. I have it, so it's no longer hearsay."

"Miss Anthony," The Judge interrupted their back and forth, "If you have witness, the paper work should have made it to my desk before this hearing started. We are not on trial here. I don't have time to gather new evidence at this point."

"I understand your honor," Michonne knew what she needed at this point, it was to buy time, "My client is asking for the emergency protection order temporarily, just for the safety of her children. Mr. Anderson needs to be evaluated before the children can return his care. There is enough police reports and our pending witness testimony should make this an easy decision for you."

Michonne walked up to the judge and handed him the draft she had made along with Loris signature," I'm hoping you take this into consideration when you make your decision."

"Your honor this is absurd," The lawyer from the opposite side grumbled, "We have strict laws and we abide by them. Miss Anthony can't deliver evidence when this is simply a hearing."

The Judge nodded at the man and agreed, "You're right counselor. Miss Anthony has indeed decided to bend certain rules we have in this courtroom," He sighed and continued, "But your client has a clear issue with substances. These reports and a DUI from four years ago proves a problem. A problem, that could affect the children."

Petes face dropped.

"Miss Anthony. You have a eight days and and then you can apply for additional seven days. Mrs.Anderson will have parental responsibility for the children until this time and Mr.Anderson I suggest you get your life together before you go to court for custody. This hearing is adjourned."

The judge stamped the papers and got up, leaving Sasha and Michonne glad this judge had some common sense. Pete and his lawyer were already whispering. She could tell he wasn't happy.

As the courtroom emptied and they made it into the hallway Michonne finally let out a sigh of relief. She had a hunch it wouldn't be easy, but she was thankful she trusted her gut this time and brought up Petes drinking. It got her the time she needed to cover up the loose ends. They needed a few weeks to build their case and then get rid of him for good.

Sasha walked up to Lori who was sitting and waiting in the hallway with Shane. Relief washed over Loris face as Sasha told her of their small victory. No matter how much she despised Michonne, it was important to her that Jessie was protected against the man which reminded her of her own father.

Michonne turned around and saw him standing there. The world tilted a little as the pain of earlier was brought back to surface. Rick was walking up to her when Pete zeroed in on her.

"You stupid cunt." He spewed, towering over her, trying to be as intimidating as possible.

Michonne stared back unflinching. She couldn't get a word in when Rick got in between them, pushing him away with his hand. Like a heated bull who saw red.

"Step back." Rick was like a volcano erupting, this anger that he swore he would keep in check was too much to bear.

Pete just grinned back, "I heard, she is your new bitch. What a shame if something happened to her."

Rick was squinting his eyes hard at him. As he was about to raise his hands, Shane blocked him and got in between them. Rick shot him a questioning look. Shane looked back with a nod as he pushed Rick away from the situation. Rick had more to lose than him. Guards were rushing over, chaos finding them again.

Shane, the trouble maker he was just smiled at Pete, "I always hated you man. What a pyssy, you like beating up girls?"

Pete didn't get his punch in before Shane hit him straight in the eye. They were rolling around on the floor as guards pulled them apart.

Lori and Sasha stood by mouths open in shock. Rick could only smile as he enjoyed the fact that Shane got Pete a nice black eye. He glanced over his shoulder and extended his hand to Michonne.

"Still with me?"

She nodded and took his hand.

The car ride was quiet. Neither said a word. A lot had happened in the last twenty four hours. It seemed like since they got together everything was super intense. Each revelation taking a toll on both of them. Their worlds collided in the best and the worst ways.

Rick watched her anytime they stopped at a red light. She didn't look back at him which made him doubtful.

As they finally arrived their destination, Michonne jumped out of the car and let down her braids from the bun she had made into court. She took off her blazer and tossed it back into the car. Lastly, she took off her heels. She was so done with this day.

They were back in the peaceful clearing surrounded by nature.

"When I first showed you this place I told you this was where me and Daryl would spend our time," His voice was a little shaky as he approached her, "Shane was here a lot too, but I, I don't like talking about him."

She was still angry over the fact that he hid something from her, but he deserved the chance to explain. She listened, and stared back with her brown glossy eyes.

"What's going on?" Michonne finally had the courage to ask. She could see that he was struggling. The anxiety was written on him, from head to toe. His whole face was suddenly so different from what she was used to. That cocky grin and bright blue eyes were only a memory.

Rick looked up, like he was asking strenght from above and then finally looked at her, "Six, almost seven years ago, before Shane left, we were dealing with a bad case," His voice was throaty as he continued, "Ian Huntley."

She tried her best to comprehend what was coming, but nothing could prepare her for what she was about to hear.

"He was a teacher in our high school. Nobody knew he had a record when he got here. He... He was someone who knew what he was doing. He groomed the kids, bought them things, but he was just a regular guy. Nobody saw anything strange in him, he lived here for ten years," his voice was barely a whisper as he went on," Then... Well... It got bad. He got two of the girls and-"

The words got stuck in his throat, like they were constricting him and his airways.

Michonne nodded, understanding the type of predator he was talking about. She squeezed his hand in comfort. He didn't have to say the word.

"The girls were fourteen and they were brave enough to report him. We got him and questioned him. He said he didn't know what they were on about. They did the rape kit on the girls, but there wasn't any dna because he knew what he was doing."

Michonne felt physically sick, she could only listen and squeeze his hand as Rick told in detail about the devil himself.

"He got fired. He got charged, but they didn't have enough evidence so he got nothing. Even with his previous record. It was... Ugh. Me and Shane, we were the ones who took those girls reports that night it happened. I can still hear those cries and pleads of help... They were just kids. Judith was tiny and I kept thinking about her, how... I just... I was angry." Ricks voice was rough, strained," then a few days after the trial, me and Shane were patrolling. It was pouring rain and suddenly we see him on the side of the road with his car. He was stuck there in the mud and I remember thinking God served him up on a platter to us."

Michonne was still looking at him, not shying away, "What did you do?"

"I was about to drive by and let it be, but Shane told me to stop. He got out of the car and walked up to him. He kept egging him on. He was angry, I was angry. Then it turned into pushing him against his car and Shanes voice got louder. Huntley told us he was moving into a new town. He was leaving, he kept mocking us and mocking the girls. Shane couldn't control himself, so he hit him and he hit him again. And again. I kept him against the car, so that he couldn't do nothing. It just got out of hand."

Rick was having a hard time as he recalled what had happened," I knew it was wrong, but I just thought about those girls. How he drugged them, used them, then got away with it. I felt nothing for him. He kept talking smack while Shane beat him up. He talked about the girls and said disgusting, vile things," Rick grimaced, "We knew he was doing it on purpose, to get reaction. Shane decided he was done and we left him there, bleeding in the rain. I turned my back on him and he was there on the ground still spewing shit. Shane was screaming back at him to shut up. I opened my door when I heard him say, "Little girls are so fragile, you got one don't you Grimes. She is sweet as they come." Rick paused for a moment before continuing," I watched him pathetically lift himself up and he was smiling. Proud of himself. He turned his back on me and I... I shot him, twice, once in the neck and then once in the back. Shane ran up to him, screaming how I ruined my life for this piece of shit. I just... I didn't care because at least he didn't get up again."

He had been dreading this moment. Rick studied her face as the truth was finally out in the open and she just kept staring back, nothing in her gaze changing.

"Shane knew nobody would look for him, he had no family. He called Negan because Negan worked with him. He knew the asshole and wanted him gone as much as we did. Negan took care of the car and Shane got rid of him," his voice was low as he looked over at the lake, "I don't really remember how, or where he took him. I think my brain blocked it out."

He patiently waited for her to react. It was a lot to take in at once. He just basically told her he executed a man. She swallowed hard and decided not to clam up. She was stunned how he had managed to keep this big thing inside of him for this long.

"I'm sorry," She whispered, her voice emotional, "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Rick wiped a single tear from the corner of his eye. It felt like he was seen. He was heard. This big thing he carried inside of him was out in the universe and it had always scared him to death. He didn't burst into flames as he admitted he had take Ian Huntleys life. This was seared into him, but it didn't have to define him.

He didn't have to carry the world on his shoulders anymore.

He had been trapped by this for so long.

He was free.

"I told you," she said, gently pulling his face towards her so that he couldn't look away, "You're not a monster."

He took her hands and kissed her fingertips, eyes filled with hope and light once again, "Thank you."

Through all of this turbulence, they still had each other. This, pure connection that came out of nowhere, but now was the force that helped them be better as people.

"I got you," they were simple words from Michonne as her fingers wrapped around his, "No matter what comes from this, I got you."

Her acceptance of him was profound and staggering to him. The power they held together was unmatched.

Ricks pulled her body closer, crushing her against him and kissed her with unwavering passion. Skin on skin, their fiery hearts racing as they found shelter in each other.

They were solid.

They were unstoppable.

And they were only just beginning.

G o s h! This chapter was heavy to write.

Hopefully I didn't disappoint.

I'm doing good. I got a solution for my problems and I can breath again!!!

Thank you for reading and for your support.

Lets have an amazing week!