"How's Alexandria?" Rick asked, locking the bedroom door behind him. Jesus will not bear witness to this. He will turn water into wine before that happens again.

Candles on top of the dresser and the moonlight through the window set the otherwise dark room. Michonne looked at the scope of their neighborhood at night through raindrops against the glass panes. The reflection of the moon added radiance to her rich brown skin.

"Wet."

"What kind of 'wet'?" His Southern drawl seemed to amplify when he lowered his voice.

The question was enough to make Michonne turn to face Rick. He looked fresh out of the shower, from the air-dried curls to the towel loosely wrapped around his waist. The dim light made his fair skin gleam to her naked eye. She found his broad and bare chest inviting, a sturdy place to lay her head or hands.

Michonne sauntered over to him, answering his salacious query by leaning against his muscled body, her arms around his neck, gently meeting her lips with his.

His towel dropped between them.

As they parted, Michonne snubed clothest the area between his gangly thighs.

Yep, it wasn't first night lust goggles; he's packing.

His piercing blue eyes became half-lidded, gazing at her tiny black,basketball shorts that ended mid-thigh and a gray oversized Norfolk Tides T-shirt, noticing the knot she made to accentuate her figure.

"This is what you wear to bed?"

"Just something I picked up at a supply run along the way." She spun around with a smile.

"It's pretty cute." He picked up his towel.

"Yeah, thanks. So put your bed clothes on and let's talk. I want to discuss us."

Rick threw the towel in the hamper. "This is what I wear when I sleep."

Michonne made sure to get another eyeful, for research purposes. The shaved chest and trimmed hair above his hardening member competed against the hair on his long, trim legs. She felt her face heat up as she sat on the foot on the mattress, laughing. "That's not true. I know for a fact!"

Rick nakedly sat next to her, grinning. "It is true. Or would you rather hear from me that my pajamas are in the basket?"

"Suuuuure. OK. You know what? I can have a serious conversation with you while you're naked. We can go there." She pushed herself up on the bed, swinging her legs around.

Rick smile and his burgeoning growth between his legs both left his body. "It's serious?"

"Well, I just want to know where your mindset is at with us."

Rick cleared his throat. "Michonne—" He seemed like he was about to move off the bed and spin himself into some grand gesture but Michonne waved it off.

"I promise you, my intention is not to extract all the fun out of the room. This will be quick. Carl and I had a talk, we're cool. I'm actually more worried about the rest of the group."

Rick carefully turned to her. "I'm pretty sure they know. We gave them an interesting show today."

"Of course. What gives me concern though is that they'll begin to think that all the decisions you make are going to be because of me, or if we'll alienate them by me putting a bug in your ear to go one way or another."

Ricks stunned gasp, followed by laughter, was so loud that Michonne thought Judith would stir in her crib. Not understanding what was humorous, she threw a pillow at him to muffle the sound. When he subsided, his face was beet red.

This woman has had me in chokehold for about two years now, and she has still not realized it. I even told her about this after she knocked me out that one time. Did she forget?

He wiped away a stray tear left over from his amazement at her friendship oversights. "They probably know the effect you have on me. The only change now is that my reasons seem to have more obvious intentions."

"Not following."

Rick was just stunned at this point. Should I talk about today, negotiating with Hilltop? Maybe when Glenn caught us talking about going to Washington?

"Remember what happened when we met Aaron for the first time? Everyone was there when I punched him but in the end the group scoped out Alexandria. Do you remember how and why that happened?"

Blank stare and a shrug. "Common sense prevailed and you found your critical reasoning skills again. What's your point? Seriously."

Rick chuckled and reached for her hand. "I'm attempting to say, if anyone thinks there has and is a bias when it comes to me deferring to you, they're right, and have been right for a while. Also—and I mean this respectfully--fuck them."

This man is sexy, confident, and attracted to me. What's not to love? Love? Wait…

Finding herself grinning at his blatant audacity, she was surprised at what the prideful aura surrounding him was doing to her body. Her loins were becoming wet, her nipples pressing against her shirt. "Damn. Even your arrogance has become a turn on now."

Rick moved up on the bed to face her and lowered his voice. "I can only get more shameless from here. You really shouldn't have said that aloud."

Her insides quivered, excited at what lay ahead. She played with a lock of his hair, close enough to kiss him again. "Probably not."

Their mouths met, their full lips and tongues battling over who would make the other happiest, the electricity between them on its highest voltage.

Rick laid Michonne down as if she was a fragile treasure, his hardness rubbing on her inner thigh. He fumbled untying the knot from her shirt. "Fort Knox."

She swatted his hands away. "I didn't think we'd do this tonight."

He could only let out a genuine "Why?" before she back up to loosen her shirt, lifting up the hem, and baring her toplessness to him. He assisted undressing the rest of her, personally ensuring that her ass was no longer clothed by athletic shorts and underwear.

As they nakedly fondled each other, enjoying each others giggles and sughs, it became apparent that Rick and Michonne had been, in theory, a couple for a long time already. The difference was the breakthrough that they enjoyed titillating each other.

Was it because of the newness? The dormant longings of carnal desire they both had to bury deep within them while they fought to survive a cruel world? Or was it the joy of finally having the time to express their love.

Love?

As Michonne's smooth hands sized up Ricks cock, she blurted out a "Time for Daddy!" with an embarrassed yet self satisfied chuckle. I know I got away with saying that.

Rick scoffed and shook his head from above. His eyes searched for hers before rolling away.

She cringed. "Was that too much? I promise, I won't say it again."

"That's not it. Honestly, Michy, you're right, maybe we shouldn't do it tonight. Or, rather, I shouldn't."

It was Michonne's turn to be on top now. "Are you sure? Because that erection looks painful."

"It is, but there's something more. When I see, and listen, taste, and feel you come, the skies open and angels sing. When I come, I feel like a shameful filthy animal afterwards."

"Did you feel that way in the past?"

Rick shook his head. "Never thought that deep about it." After watching Michonne flick her head back to have her locs fall behind her shoulders, the palms of his hands lightly skimmed down her chest, gently pressing her breasts and hardened nipples. "But, now, when I'm with you, there's a part of me that realizes that I don't deserve this."

Michonne's hands moved from pushing on the mattress to pressing against Ricks wide chest, as she put the rest of her weight sitting on top of him, sliding her wetness against his throbbing cock. "I wouldn't be the person I am today if it weren't for you." She began sliding her pussy up and down the length of him.

Rick sucked his breath in. "God, you're gonna make me come just by doing that."

Her warm, wet womanhood rested on him again, yearning to have him inside. "If I hadn't found you, I'd be alone, with a cold heart, worried about making it."

"And if I hadn't let you into my life, I'd be dead." He looked at her glowing face.

Michonne sat up straight, fighting back the dueling urges to weep in front of Rick while also desiring to ride him until sunrise. She couldn't imagine him dead, even back when a simple pat on the shoulder was merely magnetic between them. Let alone she couldn't fathom the morbid idea of him gone now that they found the ultimate level of intimacy.

Flexing her toned thighs that were braced against his lean legs, she grabbed one of his hands up to where her heart would be, and said, "So, forget about 'deserving', let's say instead that we're lucky to have each other."

Michonne let go but Rick's hand stayed there as he said, "I am lucky to have you."

"Me too." She took a deep breath. "I want you inside of me now, OK?" She batted her lashes.

Rick nodded. "Pretty brown eyes. Pretty everything." His voice whispered as his calloused but gentle fingers slid down to her hips, assisting her as she sank down on him, inch by aching inch.

She moaned along with hearing his sharp breath beneath her as her wet, needy entrance possessed all of his manhood.

His cock, on visuals alone, was the perfect size, his bow legged walk a welcome predictor. But Michonne did not anticipate how complete she felt when Rick was inside her.

She felt like a woman desired by a man that had seen her face a thousand times, yet still looked at her like she was a map of uncharted territory.

The dawning sunlight pouring into the bedroom window woke Michonne up. Indulging in the soft sheets and comforter over her naked body, she rolled over to see Ricks side of the bed unoccupied. She rolled back.

Hopefully he's in the bathroom. If he's not, and had been kidnapped or something, Ill deal with it later.

She closed her eyes again to let the rare gift of blissful sleep wash over her.

"Michonne."

A familiar voice. Michonne opened her eyes to find a nude Rick down on one knee at her bedside, holding a shiny brooch in his hand.

Wait, is that a badge?

"Michonne Hawthorne, I am in love with you and want to spend eternity together, will you marry me?"

Michonne sprang up from the bed, the sheet covering her falling into her lap, exposing her breasts as her hands covered her face. "Rick—"

"--And you can keep the Sherriffs badge, but it is a placeholder for a ring. I have to ask Glenn how he got Maggie's." His eyes dipped down to her chest for a moment before finding her face again. His expression was beaming, hopeful.

Michonne shook her head in bewilderment. "Wait. How long did you wait for me to wake up?"

It was twenty minutes. "Five minutes."

"Didn't you only stop wearing your own ring two days ago? Not that I noticed little details about you before we started this."

Ricks eyes widened in surprise before a smile appeared on his lips. "It was force of habit to have it on towards the end."

Michonne stretched over to have her hands meet his, but didn't move from her seated position. "Rick, I didn't even want to get married to my boyfriend pre walkers. And he was the father to my chi—" as the final word formed in her mouth, it was too late. Michonne sighed. Rick should know anyway. And judging by how his smile dropped, there was no going back. "Child."

Ricks baby blues studied Michonne's exasperated yet relieved expression, noting that her eyes looked like glass. He slid closer to her bedside, nearly banging his knee against the bedframe in his eagerness to comfort his lady, bringing her soft yet firm hands to his lips to kiss them.

Michonne shook her head, letting go of Rick and squeezing her eyelids tight for a moment. "Can, uh, can you come back to bed with me while I tell—" She heard a small squeak from the frame as Rick shuffled back in next to her. She opened her eyes to find him sitting up with her, his gorgeous face drinking her in but not touching. "Thank you."

She proceeded to tell him. In the before times, when she was an attorney in Atlanta, she had a boyfriend, Mike, and they had a son, Andre Anthony. As the walker apocalypse began, they relocated to a camp. While she was on a supply run, she left her son in the care of his father and one of his friends. When she came back, she found out that Mike and his friend got high and allowed themselves to get bit, and didn't protect Andre, who was consumed by walkers. He was around the age Judith is now.

Rick, gingerly, with his index finger, slid down Michonne's forearm, asking a question that didn't need to be spoken.

Michonne nodded, realizing her face was wet.

Rick moved closer and began to kiss her tears away. He pulled back and studied her as if she was a piece of art.

Michonne gasped. "Believe it or not, I'm reacting better right now than when I held Judith for the first time." She chuckled to herself and held Ricks hands. "Anyway, when I see you with Judith and Carl, and, hell, when I see you interact with the good people that came into your life over all this time, I see a man who will protect his family and friends first and foremost."

Rick put his hands on top of hers as they rested on her bare thighs. "And when you're with Judith and Carl, or anyone, I see your grace and strength. You're my reason for happiness. You're also hot, and my best friend, and I want to do whatever I need to commit myself to you."

Michonne's jaw dropped. "You're proposing again? After my blubbering? My pussy must be that good, huh?"

Rick nodded. "That's another reason too, stacked on top of the others."

They chuckled.

Michonne shook her head. "I just don't see a need for a ring—OK I won't say no to an Asscher style diamond if the clarity is right—but we don't need titles to know how much we mean to each other."

Rick sighed. "Michonne, I love you."

Michonne smiled. "I love you too, Rick."

He kissed her lips softly, delicately. She reacted by gently running her fingers through his hair. After a minute, his mouth moved down, giving her neck little pecks. She quivered at the sensation, her breasts heaving against his chest.

Rick touched the small of Michonne's back and guided her to lie down. His mouth went back up to hers again before he traveled, leaving devastating spots of silk like warm kisses all over Michonnes nipples and stomach in his wake while having his stiffness rub along her thigh.

As Ricks lips made contact with her navel, Michonne pulled his curls to stop.

"I need you on top of me." A breathless request.

He shifted himself back up with a determined look. One of his hands went to her waist, the other delicately caressed her softness below, her slit already heated and wet. Her breath hitched at the contact and soon Ricks cock arrived at her yearning qentrance, encouraged by Michonne's vulnerable whimpers as he slowly plunged into her depths. He grunted as he was enveloped by her warmth, she moaned at his girth inside her, they became one again. Her elegant fingers played with his hair, welcoming his weight on top of her, enjoying the way his chest rubbed against her body.

She felt his exhales of tiny growls beside her ear as he slowly drove his hips into her, his hands steady on the mattress as her tight inner walls clenched his cock when he was at her deepest. She hooked her toned calves against his lean thighs while one of her hands wandered down to her clitoris and begged him to look down.

He complied, seeing their contrast of skin tones joined as one. He lifted his head up and asked if she liked touching herself while he was inside her. She said yes with a whimper and pleaded with him to take care of her.

He promised that he would, for as long as he lived.

He bent his head back down to rest on her shoulder, noticing the pace that she worked on, trying in vain to control his intense thrusting. After a couple minutes of plunging himself into her slick womanhood, it became sensory overload with her soft cries of pleasure and her lithe and curvaceous figure underneath him.

"Michy, I gotta go." He slipped out and stood up, spilling into his hand, groaning her full name as he tugged at himself, looking at her glistening womanly body absorbed in her own self pleasure. He rushed to clean himself and came back to her increasingly desperate moans.

"I'm dying now," she cried.

He kissed her breasts, gathering them to his face. "Please don't. I love you too much," he muffled into her soft flesh.

"I'm gonna come." She was immersed in the rush of white heat that rippled into her loins, shuddering for what felt like forever until she crashed into his eyes looking back at her.

I can't call him my husband. How is this occurring so fast?

Does this happen when you fall in love with your best friend?

How did he get to be so damn sexy all of the sudden?

Well, Hawthorne, come on, you know how he looks in a brown T-shirt when it rains, lets not act blind--

"You're my everything, Michonne, I don't ever want to lose you." Rick whispered.

"So don't, Rick." Michonne brushed a lock of his hair out of his face and laughed.