Compared to when the kids last saw Michonne versus now, she was night and day. The (once-again) new mother looked exhausted, yet she was all smiles - she was even glowing. Then their curious eyes land on something in her arms, wrapped in cloth.
"Hi guys, come here. I'm okay."
The young girl and boy were buzzing with frantic energy despite the ungodly hour. Their legs were about to stride to close the gap betweeen them and their Mom but something called for them to be gentler and so after a few steps, they began to approach her gingerly.
This was the last thing they expected when their Dad told them there was someone they have to meet. Truthfully, that detail hhad escaped thheir minds at the first glance of their Mom. Judith and RJ don't know it yet but this tiny thing, with her small but plump lips and thick lashes guarding her shut eyes, had already wormed her way into her siblings' hearts.
"What… That's a baby…" The silence in the air was broken by RJ, his bewilderment growing even more than he can process.
The mom giggles at her son "Yes, it is. She's your new sister," her voice, though hushed, was drenched with pride.
In record time and inexplicably so, Judith could feel tears emerging. She was the first to reach out to her mom. Motioning to Michonne, who immediately picks up what Judith is asking for. She hands her the baby, the sight before her making her throat hitch.
"She looks like me." Judith gasps. Her words reminded Rick of what Carl said about Judith when she was a newborn herself. He peeks once more, and while some might say it is too early to tell, he thinks Judith is correct in her judgment. The same nose that his eldest son and daughter would scrunch and turn up in irritation was present on his youngest.
"How did this happen?" Judith asks, not taking her eyes off her new sister.
"Yeah Mom, you didn't look… pregnant? Did you guys keep this as a secret? To surprise us?"
"I can assure you both that your Dad and I are just as surprised as you both are. I don't know how this could be either. This would be a hard secret to keep if we were planning that. Maybe she's the one who decided on the secret," Michonne jested. Still gobsmacked, she finds herself only being able to chuckle at how everything turned out.
"But she's here, and now we're complete. We're all okay. That's all that matters," their father spoke up, sniffling. He felt the fatigue kicking in from all the commotion but something in him is all fired up. Caught between wanting to fall asleep and never wanting to close his eyes, his brain manages to find clarity through the display he cannot believe he has the luck to experience. He marvels at his daughter holding his baby daughter, looking more grown up than he can ever recall, and his boy, who's chin is resting on his sister's shoulder, in awe of their newest addition. Rick's chest could barely contain the swell of his heart.
"Also, do we still have to go to school? It's already 4 am."
Judith's question earned giggles from her parents.
"I'll tell you what young lady, you can take the day off, but you still have to do the work you left at home. How's that?" Her mom negotiated, but really it was the only option.
"Ugh. Deal." Her barely teenaged daughter rolls her eyes but with a slight cheeky grin.
"What are we calling her?" RJ asked, offering his pinky to the youngest Grimes of the bunch. The yet to be named girl takes her brother's finger in her chubby hand and RJ notices the slight similarity of their shade, but notes that she's leaning more towards their Mom's colouring.
"Do you have any suggestions?" asked their Mom, looking at their Dad for confirmation.
"RJ, why don't you name her?" Judith proposed.
"Really?" The boy perked up.
"Yeah. Dad named Carl, he named me, then I named you. Now it's your turn."
"You named RJ?" Rick spoke with wonder, finding this out for the first time.
"Well Mom said his name is Rick, but he didn't look like a Rick. At least not yet." Judith smiled, recalling when she first was able to really look at her baby brother.
"You looked like an RJ," with a quick free hand, she patted her baby brother's bare head, not being able to put on his beloved hat due to the rush of the night.
"Junior, what do you think?" Rick asked.
RJ looked at his dad, pondering what name would fit his baby sister.
"Okay, this is serious cause she'll be called this forever." As RJ confessed his worry, everyone laughed. The movement suddenly reminds Michonne of the effects of her procedure from a while ago, but she doesn't mind. They have come a long way from how this night started.
"What if she hates it and she will end up getting mad at me forever?" He asked, undertaking this all with more responsibility and seriousness than they expected.
"Let's see what you have in mind first," Michonne tried to calm her son's worries.
"Okay, so there's Lil – "
"RJ, you can't name our baby sister after your cru – "
"Stopppp Judithhhh, I'm not crushing on Lily. I just think... It's a pretty name," RJ stalled for an excuse, but the glint in his eye was harder to hide.
Rick wore a look of amusement, a look he shared with Michonne who was holding in a giggle. He had witnessed his son being extra giddy with his classmate during pick-up from school.
"Okay, whatever but try again," Judith insisted. Despite suggesting her brother get the naming rights, her protectiveness of her sister had already been evident in the veto power she's exercising over her name.
"What about Terra?"
"Terra," Michonne sounds the name out while looking at the baby in Judith's arms.
"Where is that name from?" asked Rick, the name effortlessly repeating in his mind.
"It's from Invincible. Terra is Mark Grayson's daughter. Mark is the hero."
Rick knew what Invincible was. Once again, tears were threatening to spill. Michonne holds his hand, knowing full well who owned and read those comics before RJ.
"Terra, that's pretty," Judith whispered, tracing the baby's features with a light finger.
"If I may…" Rick cleared his throat. "Maybe her middle name can be Audre?"
"Like Audrey Hepburn?" asked Michonne.
"No, like the author of the book you got."
Months ago, when they had taken the time they could to search for supplies to take back home, Rick could not forget Michonne's giddiness when she picked up one book for herself. It had Sister Outsider emblazoned on a dusty pale red cover. "This one is for me," with excitement she placed on the pile they had been able to collect for their children. The name under the title had just stuck with him.
"Audre," Michonne smiles, under her breathe, she pronounces the name as it should be. Rick notes the difference.
"Yeah, but I was thinking more that it's kinda like Andre. Not that it sounds exactly the same or anythang but how - " He's close to prattling but the beam on his wife's face assures him and he settles, meeting her gazed equally certain eyes.
"Welcome to this world, Terra Audre Grimes," Michonne announced, as their new daughter squirmed in her big sister's arms. Tears finally streamed - it was not because of pain, maybe there was some fear. But mostly, it was because of being whole.
AN: Done! Or is it? At the very least, this is the last of this night for the Grimes family. I love writing about them and I'm still not over The Ones Who Live. So, who knows?
Thank you so much for all your lovely reviews, reading your enthusiasm for this couple and their family makes me so happy that I'm definitely not the only one (I mean duh, there are so many well-written fanfics by talented writers about them on this site, some of which have been inspirations for this piece).
I just want to address one comment about Judith driving at her age. I made that choice as some reflection of how kids born in their situation still had to learn adult things sooner than children in our zombie-free world normally would. I have a headcanon about this that I shall write and edit onto the chapter. Thanks for pointing this out!