Chapter 9: The Giving Tree

"Maggie's already done a drug test, but we'll need Blake. That asshole had drugs in her home. I'm not letting it go. Especially given that Glen's parents are gonna find out soon, if they don't already know, that is. They'll want the kids." Michonne stated bluntly to the slim man dressed in a suit, head and face filled with salt and pepper hair.

"So what now?"

"I'm going to deal with that as a whole. Bring the media into this if I have to. A child is lying in the hospital because of him. He doesn't have the balls or the power to fight me. He knows people, but my parents know more. His political career is over."

"We have to prove that it's his in the first place. Right now, it's Maggie's words over his. He may be trash but he's not an idiot."

"So we play hardball."

"What do you want me to do?" Maggie joins the conversation for the first time.

"Get his words... better out of the horse's mouth." Negan finished Michonne's thoughts, knowing this familiar tune.

"No! I ain't doing this!"

"Maggie, we are being fuck in the ass with this shit. I need you to get to Philip, okay? Woman, the fuck up, no fucking excuses!"

"That's illegal! I'm already in deep shit!"

"He's a public figure. No one is gonna care once the right-wing Christian politician is cheating on his wife with a mother of two; he did drugs and that woman's child ingested said drugs. The Dems are going to have a field day and I could call in a favour from a media friend. He won't sue or press charges so you'll do it."

"What makes you think that?"

"He's not an idiot! Egotistical but not stupid."

"He's not gonna wanna see me."

"So threaten him. Tell him you'll go forward with the affair if he doesn't help you with Hana's medical bills, that you'll even go to his wife and child. Threaten him, then yell and break down crying and beg. It'll disarm him, then you go from there."

"Ah… the old give-and-take. Not bad, Michonne." Negan's lips had been turned up in a soft smile.

"What if he doesn't bite? What if he figures out what I'm doing?"

"Maggie, this isn't our first rodeo. And it won't be our last. Negan will coach you since he's your council. Tell him everything; he's your shield and sword during this whole thing. Got it?

"Yeah…"

"I have some things to do; you'll call me when you wrap for the day."

Michonne left Negan's office and bolted straight to catch a taxi. She spent the rest of the evening picking out garden chairs and tables, eventually settling on some vintage wrought iron ones so she'd be able to keep them outside till she was ready to send them back. She'd ask Abe to pick them up and drop them off as soon as he could. She took the remaining time to shop for Rick and the boys. When her feet warned her with their aching, she called it quits and hurried to a taxi stand when her mother faced-timed her.

"I saw your godmother today!"

"Who?"

"Celia."

"How did you see her? Where did you even see her?"

"When I took the boys to the park. She looks great, though a little heavy on the Botox… I invited her to the party."

"Mom, it's my party. I don't want your friends there. Plus, why the hell would you invite her? You know I don't like that woman."

"She's your godmother!"

"So what? She's nosey, judgmental, and entirely inappropriate!"

"So am I! So is your father."

"Your right! But the two of you are my parents. She is not! Besides, I have another bone to pick with you!"

"Quoi?" Seeing her daughter bore into her with those big brown eyes, she asked, "What did I do? Dearest?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were still talking to Mike's mom?"

"Eh bien, excusez-moi!"

"Réponds à ma question, Mère!" Marie just stared at her. "Now!"

"Oi oi!" Marie turned her face from Michonne, not wanting to be confronted, as she flared her hand in the air. "I am an adult! Do I have to explain who I chose to be friends with?"

"When that friend is the mother of the man I left at the altar, yeah, you do!"

"Why did you leave her too? Just because you dumped the son doesn't mean I have to dump the mother; besides, she's a great cook."

"My gosh!"

"Should I just stab myself in the heart, huh? Should I get on my knees and beg? Do you want a knife to stab me yourself?"

"Mommy!"

"I have clearly wronged you. Should I pack my bags?"

"Okay. If I tell you to pack your bags, will you go?" Michonne, feeling a bit devious, decided to turn it back on her mom's head.

"Huh, wicked child! Of course not! How can you say that to your mother."

"Then stop being dramatic! We both know you're not going to stab yourself or leave. Just Here to give me grief."

"Grief? You just wait till you get home!"

"That's fine by me… I'll be a little late. Cook for the kids?"

"What?"

"Spaghetti, maybe?"

"Alright, don't stay too late."

As she hung up, a Southern male accent graced her presence.

"And who is this gorgeous pregnant lady all dolled up in orange?"

"I don't know. Maybe I could say if the handsome gentleman full of southern charm would surrender his name first." Rick hopped out of his Ford F-150, took her bags from her hands and tossed them inside his truck. "Aye! Careful! There are things to break in there!"

"Apologies Miss."

"So, sir, anything to say?" He pulled her into his embrace, planting a sweet kiss on her lips and slacked his arm, giving her some space.

"You should've called... You didn't even tell me you were gonna go to town today. And walking around with that load. You need to start taking your car."

"I get scattered brain when I'm pregnant... No thank you!"

"Or you call me." He stroked her shoulders. "Come on, Chonne."

"Alright. I'm guessing you're done with your session?"

"Yeah, wanna get some takeout for dinner? I'm guessing you been running around all evening."

"You maybe… My kids aren't eating that! I already asked Mommy to cook them spaghetti." Rick opened the truck door for her. She settled in and he buckled her down. "It's like I'm a child in your hands."

"I'd say sorry for making you feel that way, but I'm really not…"

"Shameless… Still, I'd like some autonomy. Like, strapping myself in for one. Is that a deal?"

"That's quite the argument from a woman who's afraid to drive because of her scattered brain. Or the woman who left the stove on yesterday, or the woman who put salt instead of sugar in tea or the woman who fell asleep while cooking."

"That's not fair! The last two were one-time things! It's quite unfair to let those define your trust in me!" Rick threw back his head and let out a loud, laugh.

"Okay! Okay, you're right… But I counter with the fact that I'd much rather baby you to safety until that mommy brain stops than let you electrocute you both to death or something. If we're being honest here, you kinda already took my side." Her brows creased as he stoked her tummy. "When you said you wouldn't drive, so darling, no deal." He closed her door, then went to his side.

"Oh, bullshit. I just didn't want to drive!"

"That's what you're running with... So two-tongued. We can continue this debate later, where I can get Marie to take my side, but for now, anything you wanna do or get before we head back to the castle?"

"Well, I still have some stuff to get, but I can do that tomorrow. We should visit Hana before we get home."

"Mhmm, I'm free tomorrow. Imma be your personal chauffeur."

"And you don't mind being led by your nose all day tomorrow, Grimes?"

"If it avoids you walking all day on your feet, you can beat me blind."

"I wonder if she's sitting on her own… No child should have to go through that."

"Well, she's unlucky enough to have a mother who cares more about her feelings so…"

"How can you say that? We can't really blame Maggie for wanting to feel good, Rick. Grief and guilt are not easy things to deal with. You and Hersh are being a bit unfair."

"Unfair? Unfair how?"

"What do you know about motherhood and the fear of raising children on your own? About not getting to say all you wished you could to that person you built a life with? What if it was one of us?"

"Don't give me that, Chonne. Hana will never fully be the same because of her shit. When you got kids, you suck it up and move on. It ain't about you."

"Suck it up and move on? Really? Is that why you tried to make it work so long with Lori? Did it work? Rick, it wasn't her drugs. Maggie would never do that. Yes, it was stupid to bring a stranger to her house with her kids, but it happened, and we need to be there for her. She killing herself with guilt!"

"I'm glad she is! Maybe she'll finally get her shit together… How can you compare what happened to me and Lori with this? We didn't work out because we didn't love each other. If I'd loved her, I wouldn't've left. Maggie wanted to divorce Glenn because she wanted to be free. She doesn't get to play that card with me as she did you."

"You know about the divorce? Did she tell you?" She tilted her head to the side inquisitively.

"I overheard Glenn's sister talking about it the night she went off on 'em and she told me after I helped move her in. Glenn knew! That's why he rushed back from his trip. He wanted to save his marriage! You and Grace baby her ass too damn much. So you wanted to divorce your husband; that's your right, but don't let your shitty guilt stop you from being a proper mother!"

"She's made mistakes, so what? We all have! To hold that against her, Rick, you don't know what she was feeling. I'm not going to sit here and let you or Hersh judge a woman, when you are men and will never understand the difficulties of being a mother, of being a wife, of being a sister, of being a friend, of being a woman and how it breaks you down. How it's thankless!"

"You are 100% right that we don't know! We'll never know. And that ain't my point. You asked me if it was us. It'll never be us! I know that for a fact. Even Lori. She's a lot of things but I know she'd never be caught dead putting Carl or Judith in that situation. Now, I don't agree with Hersh blocking her from the kids, but I understand it."

"Herschel blocked her from the kids?" Her face scrunched up.

"Yep. Made the decision days ago; told me this morning."

"No! I don't like that—absolutely not. She may be his child, but he doesn't get to punish her that way. Even my father would never."

"You give him too much credit; your old man ain't ever gonna need to; it'd never be you. Besides, the courts gave Herschel the kids."

"We both know he's punishing her."

"I didn't say otherwise, but he has the ball in his court, and Mag ain't really won any brownie points recently."

"Well, when I advocated for us to take the kids, you said no."

"Yeah, we have twin toddlers and you're pregnant. You're already cleaning up her mess. I'm not gonna let you kill yourself with stress, not over Missy's mistakes. They ain't your responsibility. Maggie is an adult. Two years younger than you. She's gotta get up and face the music."

"She's your cousin. More of your little sister, if we're being honest."

"So what? Were you there when she was lying down to make 'em kids? No… Look, I think it's wonderful that you want to be there. I do, but you need to start thinking about you." He kept his eyes on the road but reached over to squeeze her hand. "You been running up and down with this shit. Last Friday, you came home so tired, you couldn't even be bothered to take off your jeans. You know how tired you gotta be to sleep in jeans, Miss Perfect? You're a bit too involved; I just don't want you pushing yourself... Can you do that for me?"

"I see your point. You may be mad at me and your mom getting in the depths of this, but we know Maggie is in a tough place."

"Grace is not the concern here; you are. Not only are you running up and down with this, you got your party stuff dealing with too... Humour me?" She grasped his hand that held hers, cuffed them together and kissed his rough fingers.

"I'll humour you."

"That's all I ask."

Rick pulled into the hospital's public parking space. He didn't have to search far to park and settled on a spot. He hopped out, opened Michonne's side to help her out as he held her purse. When they both got to Hana's hospital room, Grace and Arthur were present. The older woman was feeding the five-year-old girl since she'd been unable to hold her spoon herself due to the nerve damage.

"Oh, you're here! I told you I was okay. Why didn't you say you were coming?"

"Rick picked me up a while ago when I was finished with my spins for today; it was sort of a last-minute decision. How's our girl doing?" Michonne tiptoed over to the two while Rick leaned back on a wall, arms folded without a word.

"Much better. She's doing great!" Grace pinched her chubby cheeks.

"That's great to know. Chicken noodle?"

"Mhmm. The doctor made it very clear to give her softs or liquids."

"Makes sense. Her throat and stomach can't quite handle anything strong at the moment… Oh, look at me being disrespectful. Good evening, Arthur."

"Mhmm, who's got the kids if you two are here?"

"My mom is still staying with me, so she's been doing me a solid."

"Mhmm. Boy… When you gonna get back to work?"

"It's not up to me... When I get cleared, I'll get back. If I had my way, I'd be working long ago."

"He's making great progress with his therapy! I'm sure he'll be back soon." Michonne hurriedly added.

"Stop bothering your son! He'll get back when he is ready to get back!"

"Fine, fine. Stop yelling. You'll disturb the other patients."

"Who's yelling?"

"Fine, you weren't yelling."

"You said I was!"

Michonne stared at her soon-to-be in-laws bickering and she bit into his bottom lip, trying to contain his grin. Her mind ran to her parents, then Rick. She shot him a glance, her eyes filled with a playful tease. Feeling her gaze, their eyes met, and his lips had been turned up in a soft smile. They stayed with Grace and Arthur for an hour longer. During this time, Michonne noticed Rick scarcely speaking a word to his mother, if any at all. On their way home, the ride was peaceful, but it bothered her like a tick in the ear, so she had to ask. There was no way around it.

"She looks better. A lot better."

"Mhmm. God forbid anything like that happens to the kids."

"It's good she'll recover from this... What'd be worse is if this altered her life altogether. Four years old... Just thinking about Andre and RJ... They're even younger."

"Must've been some scary stuff for her and then being in that hospital with strangers."

"Lucky Grace is there for her."

"You too."

"Yeah, but your mom is doing most of the heavy lifting. Especially when Herschel has Junior to look after. But that's family, huh? When things get tough, family is all we have."

"Not always."

"Not for everyone. But for us, yeah?"

"Chonne, come on. I'm not stupid. You know you can say what you want, right? I'm listening."

"You barely said a word to Grace at the hospital."

"Wasn't much to talk about."

"Rick—"

"Look, I don't know what you want me to say."

"Rick, she's your mother. You're telling me you can't put down the past and try to rebuild? You can't forgive her for words said about an already dead marriage? I get she treated you foully when you need her most but can you try?"

"What do you want from me?"

"I already said it. Just now… Rick, your mother wants to start over. She wants her son back… I don't like how cold you treat her. I find it disrespectful. Jeff is in another country; you're here and she can't even hold a discussion with you even when you're at the farm—"

"I have the right to forgive her or not. You don't like it when I insert myself in you and Reynard's relationship, though I've made it clear, I hate how he treats you and you let him, I still know what to say and what not to; he's your dad. Don't you think you're being a bit unfair here?"

"No, I don't... Rick, have you thought about this long-term? The kids? What they see?"

"Can we not talk about this? Please, Chonne." Although it was more his desire than a question, his sentence tipped up at the end in obvious uncertainty. She could sense him tense. His hand tightened the wheel and she knew she shouldn't push him further, for both of them.

"Alright… But can you at least think about what I said?" The moment he turned to face her, his eyes tempered. She gave him an understanding smile, which eased him tremendously.

…

Michonne had finally made up her mind to do the couple's therapy with Rick and today was session's first appointment. His plan had been pushed back due to Glen's death and the aftermath of it and part of Michonne hoped he'd forget their agreement, but her fiance was determined, a tenacious man of his word. He simply gave her time and made the appointment when he thought enough time had passed. She had to give him credit; when it came to their relationship, he was more hands-on than any man she knew; even her father, the controlling overlord he'd been, was a passenger in his marriage, letting her mother make all the decisions. Waiting to be called in, Michonne glanced around, not being able to focus on a thing, as her finger searched aimlessly for anything to hold on to. Rick ceased her fingers and in moments of silence, their hands sought each other, seeking reassurance.

"You okay? You ready?" His voice hushed, a whisper of tenderness brushing her ear

"No, but we're here. You?"

"Yeah, I want us to start the next chapters of our life right. So I'm ready, even if something I don't like comes out… Try. Okay?"

"I will." Their bodies sloped towards one other as they spoke, as if they were being drawn closer. Their brows met as they leaned closer.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Just then, a young man tiptoed to guide them elsewhere. It was time. Entering the room, they were met with a small-framed woman, obviously in her mid-sixties with medium-length auburn hair. She was quite short with kind blue eyes similar to Rick's, but her voice reflected her age and strong personality.

She looks different than I thought she'd look... But then again, what were you expecting, Michonne? A forty-year-old blond with glasses, maybe…

"I'm Dr. Deanna Monroe and you two must be Mr. Grimes and Ms. Hawthorne. It's nice to meet you both. It's my understanding that Mr. Monroe recommended me to you. I want you to understand that, whatever you shared with him, I have no knowledge. In fact, that would breach client confidentiality. You have the option to volunteer certain information that may be relevant. Marriage and family therapy is strictly my field and I've been doing this for 24 years. Before we go on, I must ask you to try and be open. Please don't stonewall the other person. Try not to leave before the end of the session and please listen and respect your partner. Those are my four main rules. They are valuable to any healthy relationship; healthy is not perfect, okay? Now that's out of the way, please introduce yourselves and tell me why you decided to come."

Her articulate straightforwardness caught them off guard. Especially Michonne. She had nothing against therapy and believed it to be beneficial. Her parents nevertheless looked down on the practice, specifically her father, Reynard Augustus Hawthorne. He believed that it was a waste of time and money, that you shouldn't talk to people about private things within the family. He wasn't one of those Christians who believed, 'You should be able to trust in God to handle your problems'. His philosophy was to solve one's own problems and work hard to achieve one's goals. If you were worrying about other things, you weren't working hard enough. In terms of relationships, she had no clue. Her parents never had any problems—at least not what she knew of. They were so different but such a loving couple. Rick, knowing she was uncomfortable and given that he had experience, opted to go first.

"I'm Richard Grimes, though I go by Rick. I'm thirty-six years old, a father of four—well, three, but it'll be four soon." He turned to smile at Michonne, who smiled back.

"Congrats!"

"Thank you. I'm a cop, though I'm currently on leave, and I'm recently divorced."

"Are your parents alive, Rick?"

"Yeah, they are."

"Any siblings."

"Yep. An older brother named Jeffery, lives in Barcelona currently. His wife is from there. Maggie and Beth—they're not my siblings but I count 'em. My cousins."

"You all grew up together?"

"Yep. My uncle Hershcal and my mother own a farm. We grew up there."

"Thank you, Rick. Now, Ms. Hawthorne."

"Well, I'm Michonne Hawthorne, which you already know that… Uh, I'm a mother of two boys, twins and have another baby on the way, which you already know… I am an attorney, I'm twenty-nine, my parents are alive and I am an only child. Rick and I have been together for more than four years."

"Michonne? Can I call you that?"

"Uh, yes. You may…"

"Everything you and Rick say will not leave this room, I know we just met, but think of me as the one person you both can talk to without holding back. Now I want you both to say why you decided to come in your own words."

"Well, like Chonne said, we've been together for a while now. And we been planning to get married this year. We ain't perfect but I wanna start the next chapter of our lives fresh, clean… I want the next half of our lives to be the best part."

"I see. Michonne? Would you agree with that?"

"Yes… To tell the honest truth, I don't feel comfortable with this, but I promised so I'm here. We have issues—a lot of issues—some of which we haven't acknowledged." She could feel Rick staring at her. "That's why I came; I don't want us to fail..."

"That was very honest. Most people who are getting married don't even acknowledge that they have concerns, so thank you for that. Now what are some of those issues?"

"His previous marriage for one." She didn't know what happened, but at that moment, she didn't hold back. "Our family, his relationship with my father, his inability to talk about things, to see things any other way but his... That's what I have at the top of my head."

"Rick, how long were you married?" She questioned, taking notes.

"About fifteen years. Separated for almost four." Not wanting to give the wrong impression, went on. "We were having a lot of problems before that and stayed together for our kids. She cheated on me with my best friend and it turned out my daughter wasn't mine. I met Michonne soon after that."

"Was that before or after you separated from your ex-wife?"

"Before." Rick clenched his jaw, taking a glance at Michonne, who sat calmly with her legs lapped.

"Was this something you both decided on?"

"It's complicated."

"Well, Rick, that's part of the reason we're here, aren't we? To help make the complicated uncomplicated. Michonne, please."

"It was something that we came to accept."

"Will you elaborate on that?"

"I don't want to."

"Michonne, do you think you were treated fairly in regards to how your relationship started."

"I said I didn't want to elaborate."

"And that exactly why it needs to be discussed, don't you think? Did you make the decision to stay by his side when he was still married?"

"Yes."

"Did you feel you were content with that choice?"

"I don't know."

"Do you think Rick was content with that choice?"

"I don't know!"

"Rick why did you stay with your ex-wife while beginning your relationship with Michonne?"

"It wasn't for Lori."

"What was sit for? Who is it for?"

"It was for the kids. The first time, I stayed because I loved her, and she seemed genuinely remorseful. I wanted to rationalise that I could fix things. It was before I met Chonne. It never happened again. Sometimes people do things they regret. I loved her but I wasn't in love with her. I guess part of me didn't want to feel like a quitter. Things changed when I found out that it was Shane and how long it was, that Judith mightn't be mine... I don't know; I just hated her so damn much, but I wanted the best for my children. I did... I wanted them to have the best. Ain't matter if I was happy or not."

"While staying together may appear to be the best decision for the children, research shows that a dysfunctional or unhappy marriage can have a negative impact on their mental well-being. Children are alert, and they may detect tension and conflict between their parents even if it is not voiced openly."

"I know that now…"

"Rick, you said you didn't want to fail. Why did you feel the need not to fail?"

"I—I had to prove it."

"Prove what?" He looked down as if hiding. "Prove what, Rick?"

"That she was wrong. I just need it."

"Who?"

"Grace... my mother."

"Your mother… On our next meeting, let's discuss both your parents. For now, Rick, why did you go to Michonne? You were trying to make it work with your wife at this time, correct? What made go back on that? Did you intend for a long-term relationship or was it a moment turned more?"

"It was after I found out about my daughter and I was at my lowest. That night I was gonna kill Shane I—I was at my lowest." He knew Michonne gapped in utter shock; however, he couldn't bring himself to gaze back.

"You never—"

"It wasn't supposed to happen… " He shook his head. Deanna was quiet, simply absorbing everything. "She caught me off guard… That night wasn't supposed to happen, but it did. After we slept together, I told her everything about my marriage. I expected her to flip out at me for not telling her beforehand, but she sat and listened. She didn't judge me; she didn't get mad or leave; she told me about her ex-fiance instead… I guess it was her way of comforting me. We talked all night… And before I knew anything, I was gone. It wasn't supposed to last that long... But she never left." He ran his hand through his hair. Michonne grew overwhelmed as her eyes welled with tears never left him.

"Tell me about how you would describe your relationship. You start, Michonne."

"Well, I would say, our relationship isn't without scars, but I think those scars are testaments to our enduring bond. And to who we are as people."

"Now, Rick."

"Our relationship is right. It ain't perfect, but it's right and beautiful. It gave me everything."

Their session went on for twenty minutes more before it came to an end, at which Deanna gave the couple an exercise to do and bring back at their next meeting. It was emotionally draining, though Michonne didn't hate it.

Maybe it's because it's the first time.

They were required to decide the most frustrating things they found about each other and how they believed it played a part in their relationship. Back home, Rick said little to nothing. His mood wasn't negative; at least she didn't read it as such. He was just quiet, temperate almost. Brushing his teeth at the bathroom sink, strong, slim arms embrace him, and a face nuzzles him from behind.

"Hmm?"

"How did you think today was? You haven't said much outside of dealing with the twins."

"It wasn't… bad." He rinsed his mouth and face. When he finished he spun to see her. "It was a lot better than with her husband... I think because it's easier this time around. I've worked through most of my shit."

"If you feel like that, then why have you been so quiet?"

"Hmm… I know, I rushed for this… I still want it, I do… I just realised what exactly that all means." In a moment of vulnerability, his voice quivered with unspoken emotions, gently stroking her arm without thinking. "It's okay. It's calm."

"Rick, we don't have to. We don't—"

"It's alright. I want this… Even if you see things about me I don't want you to. It sure ain't the worst thing." He made his way from her arm to her tummy. "This is good."

"What you said… about Shane... Was that just hyperbole? Or—"

"I was gonna kill him… I—I. I'm sorry." Her stare lingered on his face, tracing every line, engraving every detail into her memory prior to cuffing his lovely face and devouring him so passionately that the love he felt flooded through him like sunlight on this chilly night. "Thank you."

"You're fine—we're fine… But I have to ask, Grimes. Did you come up with the reasons I'll annoy you to death… Because I'm starting to get one."

"What's that?"

"Nope. I asked first."

"First of all, you could never annoy me and second, I think she used the word frustrated."

"Oh, so how do I frustrate you, Mister?"

"You hog the blanket for one."

"Well, I make no apologies for that."

"I wasn't expecting you to… Blanket hog… Your turn."

"Talk to me."

"Hmm? I listening."

"No, talk to me. That's it. Just talk to me." Michonne kissed him once more. "That's all I need. Okay?"

"I'll try."

…

Her party was in five days and there was much to do with so little time. She took her car today; she didn't have much choice, given she'd pushed back most of her business to deal with Maggie's issue. She had even asked Herschel to allow her to meet the kids at the party and received a response that he'd think about it. She was happy to play mediator, but she didn't anticipate the time crunch she'd be on. With all the spins she'd have to make, she needed her car. She didn't have Rick like she did for the last few days. Michonne was on a path to her Audi things for the kids when she bumped into a familiar but unfriendly face. The other party was speechless and stood paralysed.

"Hi Lori, I didn't expect to meet you here!"

"Michonne…" She blinks rapidly in shock. "Me either."

"I see you're shopping?"

"Uh, yes! I came to get some stuff for Judith… I see you are too."

"Oh! Yeah. Getting some stuff for the boys and Carl coming over tomorrow too… And how is Miss Rambunctiousness doing?"

"She's good!" The whole conversation felt off.

"I'm sorry, this might be out of place, but I actually wanted to talk to you about something. Is that fine?"

"Um, sure, yeah." Lori didn't want to, but Michonne caught her off guard with her non-nonchalantness. Michonne led her to a nearby coffee shop, where they sat facing each other inside.

"Are you gonna order anything?"

"Oh, no, no." Michonne waved her hand in front of her face in a rapid motion. "But if you want, this can be a more social thing; I don't mind."

"That's okay; kinda got an appointment so maybe next time." Lori was quite happy; she had no intention of dragging this 'talk' longer than she could take.

Kinda got an appointment? She's such a bad liar… Rick didn't see her bull because he didn't want to see it. Men are so foolish.

"To be honest, I had a request I was hoping you'd grant... It's all up to you anyway, of course! I'm not trying to strong-arm you or anything like that."

"What is it… It must be big. I mean, we ain't never had this kinda talk before in this setting, and we ain't ever really been so…"

"I don't hate you, Lori; I never did. I know it's probably not the same for you, but I don't."

"How?" Lori tried with all her strength not to raise her eyes.

"Huh?"

"After everything, how in God's name could you say that?" Lori leaned back in her seat, folding her arms, watching Michonne's every movement as her mouth gapped slightly, not believing a single word.

"I meant what I just said."

"I'm sorry! I don't believe you!"

"And why is that so hard to believe?"

"You slept with a married man who had children… I'm sure you see where I'm going with this, sweety."

"You were also a married woman stepping outside your relationship. I don't see where you exactly get the moral high ground here." Michonne snapped back.

"When you met my husband, you knew we were working things out; that we were trying."

"The first night we spent together, I didn't know until after we had sex; that's the truth."

"But you knew after and still decided to keep fucking my husband. You made that active choice, I know I ain't but am I wrong?"

"No, you're not… I made the decision to keep fucking your husband. And I don't regret it… I'm sorry that I don't regret it."

"And there it is. I sure didn't think you were gonna be so shameless."

"Shameless? I thought we were clearing the air."

"You just told me you don't regret breaking up my home."

"Yeah, I don't. If I do regret what I did, then that means that I would regret meeting the love of my life, having my kids, meeting people I consider family—Carl and Judith included. I don't. I just don't… I feel bad for how things went down and if I had the chance to do things differently and had the same end game, I would definitely do it; if not, then I'm sorry… It's as simple as that."

"Oh, my God. How can you sit there and say all this to my face? Like it's—like it's natural? What decent human being would do that?"

"But I'm not... I never said I was. But you know what? So aren't you…" They both went still. The silence was deafening, to the point it felt cold in the room. "Same goes for Rick, same for Shane… It's the children that have to pay for it, really." Lori didn't respond. "If I wanted to apologise to anyone, it would be them—all four of them."

"You're something else."

"I live my life how I want. The only thing I can do is try not to harm others."

"Philosophical, ain't we?"

"I try. I grew up with Christian parents; I'd think a southern belle like yourself would understand."

"Yet, committed fornication and got pregnant out of wedlock twice. So much for Christian parents."

"So much for wedding vows…"

"Huh…"

"Is there a chance we can get Judy on the weekend of my birthday?"

"And why would I allow that?"

"Look, Lori. Regardless of how we feel about each other, as two adults and as two mothers, I think we can both agree, the kids are the most important thing. Jude still very much loves Rick and I'm sure the kids still see each other as siblings. I mean, I haven't told them shit and judging from the repass, you haven't exactly explained to Judy either. Am I wrong?"

"Get to the point." Lori folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, squinting.

"The time is going to come when we'll have to tell the kids the truth. Carl is old enough to understand exactly what's happening; the rest aren't. Judith, however, is old enough to sense that difference. I don't want her feeling left out; that shit harms a kid a lot more than people think... Lori, I'm sure Carl would want her there and I know Rick would. So, I'm asking…"

"Gosh, you're something else. If I say no, I'm the bad guy, right?"

"If you say yes, you're the reasonable guy. Ball's in your court."

"Rick has to be the one to pick her up."

"No problem! He'll get her when he gets Carl tomorrow."

"I don't like you…"

"I don't dislike you."

Their sights met, and time appeared to stand still, an eternity contained inside a short moment of understanding. Michonne offered her the widest smile she could muster, complete with smugness, encouraging Lori to roll her eyes. They both facilitated a departure from each other. Lori stood in wait with her phone in her hand as Michonne got into her car.

I wonder if she's waiting for someone. Should I ask her if she wants a ride? I think I can make it. Probably not. She might even burn into my skull.

Michonne quickly tightened her seat belt, straightened the steering wheel, and reversed in a hurry. She, on the other hand, did not look around or check for incoming traffic, which is why she didn't anticipate her bumper getting hit.

…

"Rick!"

A wave of comforting familiarity washed over his body as she waved him over. He wasn't expecting a call from her but wasn't surprised to know he had Carl to pick up tomorrow. He'd cancelled her call twice before answering the third in worry that something had happened to the kids. Rick never envisioned she, of all people, would be informing him of something like this.

"Lori… Where is she? Is she okay? What happened?"

"She inside. I been waiting here since I called you after she settled in. The doctor left five minutes ago. I don't know how she is, but she was awake and talking, though not coherently… Her head was bleeding a lot and she kept saying she was okay… I didn't know who else to call other than you, sorry."

"No, no! You did the right thing! Thank you, Lori."

He didn't wait for a response or ask if he could enter. She was on the hospital bed, legs sprawled out and her right hand reaching to touch her bandaged forehead while she rested. As she swept the room, her brows formed a deep, confused wrinkle. She blinked promptly, eyes narrowing as she sought to make sense of what she was unable to identify in the white, sterilised room. When Rick saw her, his rigid shoulders relaxed and the wrinkles caused by strain on his brow vanished, as his stare had a warm intensity that hinted at profound fondness.

"Rick?"

"Hey." Partly in hope, partly in anxiousness, he adopted an unexpected but confident and purposeful stride, head held higher, oozing renewed satisfaction at his lover's presence.

"I'm in the hospital…"

"Yeah. You don't remember? I just got here. I would've come sooner, but that traffic. I should've been here soon."

"I remember… My head and neck hurt."

"What did the doctor say."

"That I would need stitches, they gave me a scan."

"You got stitches?"

"Mhmm." She raised her left arm rigidly. "Gosh… I think I'm going to throw up."

"Don't try to move."

"I won't. It hurts… Where are the boys?"

"Home, remember? I wanna ask a lot of questions, but I'm afraid I'll overwhelm you." He stoked along her chin. "Know the doctor's name?"

"Yeah, doctor Siddiq Nash."

"I'm gonna go look for 'em. Okay?" He had a lot of questions and she was clearly in a daze. He needed to know how she and the baby were doing.

"Hmm… No need. He's coming back."

"Oh, hey, sorry to disturb you."

"Lori… you're not disturbing."

"I just came to say I'm gonna go… I have to pick up Judith… Rick, I'll give you a day. I drop the kids off the day after tomorrow. Looks like you'll be busy."

"Thanks, Lori."

"No need, Rick. You'd do the same for me."

Rick got a glimpse of Lori, but nothing more, as she left without another word. He was busy peering at Michonne, who fell asleep mid-conversation. Rick's lips pulled down in a comical frown, finally processing the damage to her body. He reached to touch her fingers when the realisation that her mother didn't know anything hit him. He grabbed his phone, calling Marie. She acted as any mother would, hearing their child was in an accident, but she couldn't come—not when Sasha was in New York meeting her agent and his family was almost two hours away. There was Maggie, but neither Rick nor Marie felt comfortable leaving the kids with her. He promised he'd keep her posted and she reluctantly hung up.

"Doctor... Nash?" One eyebrow slipped up his forehead slowly as an unknown face greeted Rick.

"Good evening! She fell asleep. Good! You must be the fiance... We had to ask some questions given that her emergency contact was out of service. The woman with her was a big help. She's been out of it. From the impact, then the pain medication... Please have a seat!"

"Is she gonna be okay? The baby?"

"Well, she has a severe concussion. Bruised her clavicle and frontal bone, from the right shoulder blade down to her thigh. We also had to remove a piece of glass. She used that arm to shield and eat the impact. We ran some blood tests as well as an ultrasound. The baby is or will be okay; it's just a bit unstable, but we're going to keep her overnight. We have to monitor her. If her condition doesn't worsen, we'll send her home. She showed a high level of anaemia. This is normal in pregnancy, but it's unusually high. What happened today can affect the results, but not to this point."

"She's been... She ain't been getting enough rest."

"I thought so. Given everything, she has to slow down. Bed rests, bed rests, bed rests. No phones, no TV, none of that stuff. She's lucky this wasn't a high-speed accident. This discussion would be very different. We treat concussion seriously, especially a level three."

She was cleared to go back home two days later instead. Doctor Nash wanted to be sure she was okay to leave due to her pregnancy.

…

She did all she was supposed to, with both her mother and Rick acting as her masters. She understood the strictness but it still annoyed her to high heaven, being bossed and told what to do and when to do it and she missed Rick, being her lover and friend. Though she found it bothersome, it wasn't too bad, as she spent most of the days sleeping. It was a rare night she laid in bed, held by him as just a couple, for the last few days.

"I'm exhausted." Finally allowing her body to slow down these few days, she realised her tank had been running on empty. The accident didn't help either.

"Makes sense… You been going non-stop, then there's... I thought you wanted to keep something small?"

"With my mom here? It was foolish of me to think it would've gone any other way."

"I can talk to her. If you want me to, of course."

"No, don't bother; it's a cultural thing, a Haitian thing… She's the one staring the wheel now. Besides, I can use this as an opportunity to give thanks, being surrounded by people I love and people who love me… It's a good thing and my dad's coming back for the day… I don't mind."

"Sometimes I envy you… the way you see things." He pulled her closer, sure not to hurt her arm. "As long as you don't push yourself too much, and it's not like you can push too much with your condition."

"I won't… Can you ask Daryl to come help out… with the cooking and stuff?"

"Yeah, sure. What time should I give him?"

"Hmm… 9:00 a.m."

"Alright. Whatever you want… This is good. You don't have to push back anything and you can take it easy."

"I'll leave it to you guys then…Rick, I want Judith at the party." She looked up at him in his arms as she felt him take a deep breath.

"I do too, but it's not that simple anymore."

"I know but I think she should. She's young and she still very much thinks of the twins as her siblings and vice versa. She's a sweet girl and I don't want her to feel left out. Not until she begins understanding and accepting the situation."

"I'll talk to Lori." Michonne slipped out of his hands and out of the bed and limped in the direction of the bathroom before responding.

"I already asked her." Rick lay there, processing what he had heard from his fiancée. Understanding, he got up and followed.

"When was this?"

"I'm peeing."

"I don't need to use the bathroom; don't change the subject. Let's not get difficult."

"Difficult? Et merde, c'est des conneries."

"Fuck it? That's fuck it, right?"

"I asked her yesterday, when I was shopping for the kids." She took a piece of toilet paper, wiped herself, flushed, and went to the sink.

"But why?" He rubbed the back of his neck, squinting.

"I already said why, Rick."

"But it ain't your place to say."

"And there it is... Why not, Rick? Why isn't it my place to say?"

"Babe, let's not make this a thing. I don't wanna make this a thing."

"I'm not making this a thing! You're the one making this a thing by following me, asking dumb questions!"

"It's not a dumb question; it just ain't your place!"

"But why?"

"She isn't your kid!"

"Nor is she yours!"

"It ain't the same thing and you know that." His voice held a slight chill. "You know, this is what I meant when I said that I disliked your need to push and involve yourself in things. Like you do with Maggie and my mom. All that energy but you can't even put your foot down with that old bastard you call Dad."

"Involved myself? Wow, okay? I just thought, given that you wanted me to be your wife... I guess I was wrong. I want you to leave. I need you to."

"Chonne…" He held her uninjured shoulder, knowing he'd gone too far. "I didn't mean that."

"Yes, you did. You said both these things before. I guess you veiled in feeling that way... We'll talk tomorrow, but I need you to go now. Before this turns into something else."

"Alright. I'll call in the morning."

He went downstairs with slow, weary motions. He never intended to have a spat with her; however, the Lori thing caught him off guard and certain things had been on his chest long before the accident. He couldn't deceive himself to be against anything he said; he simply hated how he said it. His steps grew sluggish. He had to clear the air. He needed to. He searched the kitchen. Finding what he wanted, he poured himself a glass of liquid courage and marched to Michonne with a clear goal in mind.

Suck it up, Rick. Just say it…

"Chonne, can we talk?"

"I was just heading to sleep, I thought you were leaving."

"Can we talk here first? It's important." He walked deeper into the bedroom and they both positioned down on the bed. "I don't mean to hurt you… I just… The Judith thing caught me off guard. If I'm being honest, I guess part of me didn't wanna ask; I wouldn't've asked… but seeing you take the initiative, I guess I felt weird… You're the mother of three out of my four kids; you'll be my wife… I uh, said that you were pushy involving yourself in things and I did kinda mean that…" the room was still. Michonne straightened her body, waiting for him to go on. "I'm not ready to look at my mother the way you want me to, the way the kids deserve, and part of me hates that you're pushing… I know why you do. It's the right thing, the healthy thing."

"Rick…"

"My family as a whole is not... My family's a mess. Whenever there's something wrong, you're there… cleaning up a mess that ain't yours. I don't want you to, but I know I shouldn't feel like that… Not with you of all people but I do... I'm pathetic."

"Your family is a mess, but at least it feels like a family... Rick, I want that; I've always wanted that."

"I wanna give it to you."

"You're not a burden, and you're not pathetic. You shouldn't let my dad's words get to you. My opinion is what matters…You're so much more than what he says."

"I wasn't tryna make—"

"But he is. He is an issue and you were right about me and him. I'm not helping to alleviate any doubt either."

"It ain't your job to do that; it's mine."

"Part of our jobs is being there for one another. So yes, it kind of is… Do you have a problem with me helping Maggie?"

"I kinda thought I made that obvious."

"I guess I haven't been listening as I should."

"Just because she's family don't mean you gotta be there to wipe every spill she makes. You have your own life, kids; you're pregnant... You can't manage her and yours at the same time. I don't wanna sound harsh, but you are over-milking the cow and that's why you end up in the hospital. I can't allow that any longer. I ain't allowing it."

…

…

…

Author's note

I didn't realise how hard it would be to write and update any of my stories the closer we got to December, and even more so, Christmas. I will update One and Only after the holidays since I'm way too busy to finish writing. The holidays are a big thing in my family. I plan on doing a one-shot fic for the season and an addition to the I Missed You one-shot smut that some of you saw and asked for more. Regular updates won't resume till January. Some of you may already know that I have a new story called The Sounds Of A Black Dahlia. Just posted a new chapter. I had so much fun writing every bit of it I've been finished with chapter two for a while, but waited to post this together on ff. It's a messy fic so you can check that out if interested.

Again, you know I love hearing your thoughts on the chapters, so don't be a stranger.