The air was foggy. Sleep didn't come and neither could give into their need for rest.

"What are you thinking?" The words were a whisper in her ear.

She leaned into him under the grey blanket as they stared into the night sky at Daryls backyard.

Ricks revelation shook her. Not because of the grotesque act, or the law aspect either, but because it meant they were bonded for life. This was now a shared issue that could cause a ripple effect in both of their lives. Michonne had to wonder if she had abandoned her true self for a man. Then again, what was even her true self?

She was capable of a lot. Her life had hardened her years ago. It wasn't just Mike. It was that feeling of not belonging that she carried since she was a young child. Her mother, her sweet mother had given her everything she could ever give her. She would have given the skin off her back if she needed.

But, a mothers love goes so far.

For some reason she felt like she was aways competing. No matter what she did, it needed to be the best of the best. It wouldn't be enough to just try. That would be failure. While other teens partied and lived life, she would anxiously try to figure out how to get extra credit.

Her friends taught her life wasn't so linear and it was okay. Well, now it sure was a zigzag with all the possible hoops and dead ends.

With Rick, she felt so different. She didn't stop to think about the best possible way of doing things. She didn't stop to think about the realities. Like the fact that he was a cold blooded killer, or a cheater, or a man who he had known for a few lousy months. The red flags were bright red at this point, but for her his goodness outweighed everything else. He wasn't just those things. It was unexplainable, but she knew he was worth it.

She would figure out a way. She always did.

"I think Shane is bluffing." She said back quietly, still dazed, "I think... He cares too much about you to do anything about it."

Rick felt nervous, he didn't know how to talk about this in front of her, "He cares more about Lori."

"He might," She kept her gaze forward in his arms, "But the way he stepped in today proved that he was looking out for you."

Crickets chirped in the distance as they laid there. Silence between them wasn't a bad thing at all, but for Rick it felt constricting right now. His confession had been huge and he felt like he needed to talk about it.

"You wanna ask me anything about it?" He mumbled as he stroked her hair, moving her braids between his fingers.

"No, I'm good." Michonne answered without hesitation.

"You sure?"

"Rick," She leaned into his chest and looked upwards to reach his gaze, "I know you saw a monster who needed to be stopped. You did something horrible, but the world doesn't miss him. I can live with it because I know you are trying to make peace with it and be a better person."

He squeezed her tighter, "I don't deserve you."

Her voice was calm like it always was, soothing him "Maybe we met for a reason. Seems like there was a whole lot of bullshit we both had going on. It's nice to have someone who understands."

"Yeah," Rick agreed, his eyes heavy lidded, "but I never wanted to get you involved in this. I figured it was buried and done with."

"You think you would have told me?"

"I don't know," His voice was low as he answered honestly, "I haven't thought about it in a long time. I guess I was in denial. Lori always told me I was too good at bottling things up. She was right."

Her shoulders tensed at the mention of her.

"What?" He could sense her whole demeanor change.

Michonne sighed, "I don't know."

Rick felt puzzled. He didn't understand what made her suddenly switch.

"It's stupid," She continued reluctantly, realizing she needed to let him know about her own insecurities, "I guess it just annoys the shit out of me that she knows you maybe better than I will ever know you, because I only know you from the moment we met in Vegas. I don't know the Rick from twenty years ago. I will never know. I will never have that with you."

He ran his hand along her back as she spoke and took in what she said.

Michonne sighed again, frustrated with herself that she felt this annoyed. Her thoughts seemed to be all over the place these days, but considering what had happened in her life recently it wasn't a surprise.

"Michonne," Rick pulled away a little so that he could fully look at her, "You do realize I feel the same exact way?"

She stared back, "It's not the same. I mean I'm not the one who shared her life with someone for that long."

He smiled at her unintentional pout, "So you're jealous?"

Michonne swatted him on the arm and laughed, "No, I'm not. I'm just... annoyed."

"I could have never told Lori what I told you today," He turned a bit more serious, "When we met I felt like you knew me," He snapped his fingers, "Just like that. In an instant and that means more to me than twenty years of marriage Michonne. Lori and I weren't like that. I mean, I loved her, sure, once I did and she is the mother of my kids, but it never felt like this."

She had to grin after the familiar lopsided smile formed on his face. She had missed it. Everything had been so heavy around them that it felt good to just focus on each other.

His hands cupped her cheeks and he held her like fragile doll,"You have no idea how long I've waited to have someone who understands and wants me for me. And I'm sorry you got my baggage when that was the thing you were afraid of."

She responded with a passionate kiss. She wasn't as good with her words when it came down to talking about deep feelings. He kissed her back just as fiercely.

He pulled back, breathless, "Michonne, I lo-"

She stopped him with another kiss, speaking the words against his mouth "Don't. I'm not ready for that."

Rick nodded, complying with her request. It didn't leave him frazzled or sad because in his heart he knew she wouldn't be here if she didn't feel the same way.

It just wasn't the right time.

Lori was royally pissed off. She stood there in the police station painfully aware that everybody in this building was going to gossip around town over what had happened.

She was there waiting for Shanes release and the confused looks towards her didn't seem to stop.

She looked at the clock once again and then spotted a familiar face.

"Aaron," Lori rushed towards him, "Is Shane still in holding?"

He didn't have anything against her and responded emphatically, "He will be out soon. He is fine."

Lori let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know how her life turned into this.

"Pete wants to press charges." He informed her.

"Pete can rot in hell." She was tired of the poison this man created around everyone.

Aaron didn't argue with that. Pete Anderson was the one who caused them all to lose their sleep at night. He was unpredictable and he felt great responsibility for the people in this town.

"I didn't know Shane was in town," He looked at her with a nervous glance, "Does Rick know? I haven't seen him around."

Lori laughed bitterly, "Yeah he doesn't really come to work these days."

"Well it's been quiet," Aaron shrugged, "He is one phone call away and we know that. Besides he has been practically living here for the past three years."

She paused for a moment, before continuing, "Thank you for proving my point."

He felt awkward about being in the middle of these two. Rick was a friend and his supervisor, but Lori was someone he had learned to like over the years. She didn't come around a lot, but when she did, she was always nice. So it was strange to see her on the edge.

"I hope you all find peace," Aaron couldn't help, but to open his mouth and make it known how he felt, "I don't really know what's going on with Rick, but we both know in the end he is not a bad person."

He could see how her face contorted in annoyance and corrected, "but that doesn't mean he is perfect. He is still shitty with feelings and talking about them, but... He is not bad. He never will be."

Aaron gave her a comforting squeeze on her shoulder and carried on with his work.

Lori hugged herself as she waited for Shane. She checked her phone and hoped to see a message from Rick, maybe even a thank you. She had spread herself thin when it came to him and his new life. It felt like his newfound freedom from their marriage changed him in a way that made him unrecognizable.

Shane finally walked out, he didn't have a scratch on him. He grinned happily as he walked over to her. She didn't have a chance to work out what they had between them as everything else seemed to take up space.

"How mad are you?" He had that familiar teasing look on his face.

"Mad enough." Lori said queitly as they turned towards the doors. Silently, but in clear unison they walked out of there. Shane waving towards his former colleagues and chuckled, he never imagined coming back this way.

When they finally reached her car, she turned towards him with a frown, "What was that all about?"

Shane crinkled his nose up, "I can't say hello to my-"

"No, not that" She cut him off, "I mean, back at the courthouse, why did you step in?"

He hadn't realized how this all looked from Loris perspective, "Rick almost lost it. I didn't want to see him go towards that path again."

Lori raised her eyebrow effortlessly, "You don't owe him anything. If he can't control himself that's on him, not us."

Shane weighed it over in his mind, "Yeah, but it's Pete. He deserved it. Everybody won."

Lori blew a strand of brown hair from her eye and sighed, "You are still trying to repay him after all these years when he doesn't give a shit Shane! He really doesn't!"

"I'm not trying to do shit!" He exclaimed, "Lori, I'm on your side. You have no idea how much I've lost because-"

"Oh! You've lost?" She snapped back, "I can't believe you. You do realize who you're talking to right now?"

He didn't want to feed into this fight. He knew he would lose it anyway. He opened the car door and was about to hop in when she continued.

"I lost everything because you kept leading me on and made me think there was something more meaningful between us." Loris voice was scratchy from all the fighting there constantly seemed to be.

"Where the hell is this coming from?" Shane slammed the door, "Ricks girl got inside your head or something?"

"What?"The mention of Michonne always triggered something inside her.

"She said exactly what you just said. That I was leading you on," He went around the car to get closer to her, "You wanna question my loyalty to you? I dropped everything for you and you wanna come at me like this?"

Lori tilted her head at him, questioning his motives in general, "I never asked you to do that."

"No, Lori, you never asked me," he got even closer, "because you know I'm there. No matter what time or how many years have passed, I'm there and I must be a sucker for it."

Her tired eyes met his brown ones. Shane looked at her with such intensity, scanning her face for answers. It was an mutual realization.

He grabbed on to her and his mouth was over hers before she could even catch her breath.

They found each other again.

Michonne was like a coin with two sides. She could be so controlled, so determined and precise, but as the sun set and darkness took over she was anything else. She was wild. She was unstoppable in a way that floored him.

As she straddled him and he looked up into her desire filled eyes he realized how weak he truly was in her hands.

Rick could only grunt and keep hold of her hips as she enjoyed herself. His tense hands probably bruised her dark skin, he was holding onto the last bits of sanity before completely losing himself.

The pure need in her eyes and the moans that escape her lips don't help the pressure building inside him. His body was begging for release, but she wasn't having it yet as her hips rocked against him. She could recognize his impatience these days from simply how he looked at her.

He inhaled sharply, "I-"

"Not yet." She trembled now as she picked up her pace.

Something about this felt different for him. If it was possible, they were even more in sync with each other. His darkest secret had opened up a new level of intimacy that he didn't think there was possible to experience.

This is home.

Her restraint was gone and she leaned down, the passion exploding as their kisses grew hungrier. Her whole body quivered as he took control. The rhythm changing more erratic as she gasped each thrust he gave her.

When he finally came undone and finished inside of her, their hard and ragged breathing was the only sound in the room.

"We need to talk to them." She still breathed heavily as she rolled off from top of him.

Rick laughed quietly and turned on his side to face her, "That's what you were thinking about?"

Michonne settled back against her pillow and took his hand, lacing their fingers together, "I can't lose this."

"You won't." He kissed her hand.

"I know," She whispered, "I know you won't let that happen."

"I'm done living like this," He wrapped his arms around her, "I want peace. I want Sunday dinners with the kids. I want you in my bed every single night."

"Is this your way of asking me to move in together?" Michonne chuckled.

"I guess."

"It's kind of impossible," She wondered aloud, "I can't leave Atlanta. You can't leave here. We talked about this."

"You told me this wouldn't happen in this lifetime," he reminded her as he inhaled her scent, "We'll find a way."

She appreciated his optimistic thought process, but knew there just wasn't a way.

"Meanwhile could you please stay away from Pete fucking Anderson." Rick grunted in disgust almost, "I don't want you around him like that."

Michonne turned in his arms to look at him and smiled, "I'm fine. Don't let it get to you."

"He is not the typical douchebag," He argued, eyes glued to hers, "He is dangerous."

"Well I have you don't I?" Her voice was innocent.

"Michonne..." He groaned in dismay.

"I'm not about to step away from this case because he called me a cunt. It's not the first or the last time it will happen to me." Her fingers traced along his jawline, he knew she was doing her best to distract him.

Rick took a hold of her wrist, gently rolled on top of her, holding her wrist above her head, "I'll get you a pepper spray."

She rolled her eyes, "You do remember how I hit you in Las Vegas don't you?"

He laughed, "I do, but please for my sake. Let me get it for you."

Michonne had to forfeit in this conversation and nodded. He released her hand and kissed her softly, when he finally pulled away he lost himself in the depths of her brown eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to you," his voice was only a whisper, "I promise."

She smiled back, "There is no need for promises like that. I swear."

Rick swallowed the lump that formed in his throat and hoped the peace he longed for was just around the corner.

Carl was done with his parents and their reckless actions. He smoked a cigarette he had stolen from Lucilles bag and kicked his skateboard with one foot. Life was chaos.

The sun was barely up as he headed towards school. He just didn't want to see anybody and woke up early because of that.

He blew out the smoke and understood now why so many people smoked cigarettes. It felt like the anxiety he felt left his body with each puff.

Carl walked along alone and wondered where the hell was his dad. He was disappointed. It felt like his dad didn't remember what they talked about before he got together with Michonne. He wasn't sour over the fact that his dad had someone new in his life, but it bugged him that he didn't reach out and check up on him. He knew Shane was in town. He knew how hard it was for him, but still he didn't care enough to ask. They were back in square one.

As dark thoughts circled in his mind he was interrupted by a voice.

"Grimes!"

The loud shouting made him stop.

Carl looked into the distance and saw a face he didn't expect to see.

He got on his skareboard and stopped in front of Ron Anderson.

"Didn't you leave town?" Carl asked, confusion in his voice.

The fellow teen with a beanie scoffed, "I took off. I can't deal with my moms whining."

Carl didn't appreciate the way he talked about his own mother. He knew the circumstances around the Anderson household. Word moved fast in their high school and he felt bad about it. They weren't friends, but he could sympathize how hard Rons life was. Enid used to be closer to him, but their friendship seemed to dwindle down after Carl stepped into the picture.

"Your punk ass dad is trying to get my dad off our lives," Rons whole demeanor changed, "He got the lawyer in my moms ear and now everything is shit. I can't do shit."

"Your dad deserves it," Carl wasn't afraid to say his opinion, "maybe go complain to him. My dads only doing his job."

Ron laughed, mocking him, "Your dad is too busy fucking his new bitch to notice what's coming at him."

"Is that a threat?" Carl hopped off his skateboard and approached him. Facing him, nose to nose, man to man.

Ron pushed him and gritted his teeth, "It's a promise."

"Yeah?" He chuckled, "Why don't you do us both a favor, run to your daddy and tell him we all know he is a little bitch who doesn't have the guts to do anything."

The teenager was bright red like a tomato as he listened Carl go off on his dad.

"Fuck you." He seethed back, ready to attack.

Out of nowhere Enid ran to the scene and pushed Ron away aggressively, her long hair going everywhere as she used everything she had in her to do it.

"Fuck off Ron." She spit on the ground, missing his shoes by an inch.

Ron looked from her to Carl and raised his middle finger, "You two deserve each other. Fuck you two."

Carl and Enid stood there dumbfounded by him as Ron took off. They looked at each other and smiled. At least they had each other in this crazy world.

"What a pathetic little twerp." Enid huffed out, picking up her backpack from the side of the road where she had tossed it.

Carl smiled shyly towards her, "Thanks. I had it handled, but thanks."

The girl chuckled, "Sure."

They walked beside each other, they took turns pushing the skateboard along

"What was his problem?" Enid asked curiously.

"He threatened my dad," Carl muttered, "The same old I guess."

"You okay?" She kept her voice calm.

Carl shrugged, "It's been a shitty since we came back."

"I still can't believe your mom asked Shane to come over," Enid rolled her eyes at the absurd situation, "You wanna talk about it?"

He shrugged again, "Nah."

She continued walking, but he stopped suddenly. A realization hit him.

"What is it?"

"Actually, yeah I would like to talk about it."

Carl had witnessed his dad clam up. He would hold things in and his incapability to talk about crucial things lead their whole family in crisis. He was not about to follow the same path.

He needed to be smarter and better than that.

He would be.

Her body always reacted to the moods she was on. Stress clearly was making her restless. Rick was still sound asleep. Snoring away peacefully. His sleep was usually deep and she seemed to be the one who woke easier. This time it was this tense tightening feeling in her gut. She felt uncomfortable, she was covered in sweat and couldn't calm herself enough to sleep again.

She pulled on his t-shirt and walked quietly out of the room with her phone. She smiled at the messages Andre had left her. Her peanut always cheered her up.

Michonne looked around and heard nothing. She figured a glass of water could help and headed to the kitchen.

To her surprise Connie was there, with Dog of course.

"Morning," Michonne yawned and signed towards her friend, "or does barely five am count as morning?"

"Here it does." Connie signed back and pointed at the window. Daryl was back to work and moving around stuff.

Her friend noticed her odd expression, "Is everything okay?"

Michonne took a water bottle out of the refrigerator and drank half of the bottle in one swing, "It's nothing. Yesterday was just... Well, you know. Stressful."

Connie nodded, but kept her gaze on her husband who was cursing at the amount of work there was still to be done, he made her laugh and Michonne could see her eyes twinkle.

She turned her attention back to her, "Well you handled it like a pro. Like you always do. Sasha was worried though."

Michonne settled next to her, "Sasha is overreacting like she always is. I'm fine. We're fine."

She was happy to hear their close friends had found a steady ground to stand on again.

Michonne chuckled at Daryl who was too preoccupied to notice his audience, "What's the plan now?"

Connies hands shook a little as she prepared to lay out the plan they had managed to scrap together, "About that..."

She studied her face, questioning what was on her mind and wondered what could make her nervous. Connie wa usually the epitome of calmness.

"Daryl found an RV and we are going to leave by the end of the week if everything works out."

"What?" Michonne signed, hands flailing around dramatically, "When are you coming back?

The dark haired beauty that she had the privilege to call a friend smiled warmly and took her hands, "I don't know. We'll see where the road takes us."

"What about the house?"

Michonne was excited for their adventure together, but it also felt a little nerve wracking considering how Daryl was still only learning how to communicate with his new wife. She trusted his judgement and knew he would protect her until the day he died, but still, it felt sad to lose her from her day to day life.

"We don't really know yet," Connie grinned, "But you could stay here."

She laughed at the absurd suggestion.

"You could," Connie signed further, "We talked about it with Daryl. You and Rick could stay here."

All of a sudden that same tightening in her stomach returned, her vision blurred for a second as she processed her suggestion.

"I don't know what was your plan, but Jessies case is here. Bring Andre here. Sasha will hold down the fort in Atlanta."

Michonne had to drink the rest of the water and stopped to think about it.

"It's insane." She concluded, "I got my home...everything is in Atlanta. I can't just come here and-"

"Yes, you can." Connie grabbed her hands and squeezed them, "It's not final. Just see where it goes. You two need that."

She felt lightheaded as every possible option ran circles in her mind. It was an easy decision to make.

Michonne was about to jump into the deep end and it was oddly thrilling. This was the solution they had both craved for.

A home.

Thanks for patiently waiting for a new update.

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