"Rick, you remember the Lt. Governor?" Ezekiel offered as they walked into a large office and up to the man and shook hands. Mercer. Michael Mercer, former US Marine and Chief Officer of the Commonwealth. At 6' 3 and over 200lbs of solid muscle, the man was big and brooding and built like a tank. The quintessential military commander and commander of the CG in his all black uniform.

"Rick." Rick nodded at the man in turn as they walked further into the office. "Thanks for coming out here on a Saturday." As if I had a damn choice. Rick wanted to say but didn't and instead watched as Mercer's eyes swept down to where RJ was standing next to him staring back with a mixture of awe and curiosity.

"Hey little man." To his credit Mercer cracked a smile and stretched out a hand to RJ who shook the other man's hand enthusiastically. Then he was back to brooding as he turned to Rick.

"Uh…Maybe your boy should hang back with one of the cadets…" Mercer started to say, but Ezekiel cut him off before he could even finish.

"It's fine Michael. That won't be necessary. There's a conference room right through there, connected to my office. There's a clear view from here and there's some old books and comics in there that young RJ might enjoy." At the mention of comics RJ's face lit up as he stared up at Rick looking for silent permission.

Rick nodded and placed a hand firmly at the side of RJ's neck to hold his gaze. "Stay where I can see you buddy." RJ nodded and Rick waited until the young cadet led RJ to the conference room before he returned his focus back to the office. It was just the three of them now; Rick, Ezekiel and Mercer standing in what Rick now realized must be Mercer's office. The larger man had taken his place behind a dark oak desk as he extended a hand to one of the chairs in front of his desk. Around them the walls were adorned, with maps and portraits and photographs of modern day Commonwealth. Rick eyed one framed pictures in particular, staring at it an extra second longer he breathed in deeply and tried to remember that his wife had asked him to do this. Be nice.

"Rick, have a seat please." Ezekiel finally said. Rick hesitated for just a moment. Then he was taking the seat next to the Governor in front of Mercer. He could swear Ezekiel breathed a sigh of relief as he did. Even Mercer looked visibly relaxed as he sat.

"Rick, I asked you here for your help…again. Given your unique set of skills and expertise, Mercer and I thought it would be best to meet here, away from prying eyes. We could use a fresh set of eyes on a…situation." Rick's eyes narrowed on that word expertise, knowing immediately what he meant. His time as a Sargent Major with the CRM was known to a few people, including the two other men in the room. Part of him wanted to protest just for the hell of it but his attention was suddenly grabbed by the stack of photographs Mercer was handing over to him across the desk.

"Rick, take a look at these. Tell me what you see."

Instinctively Rick too the photos and automatically started to sift through them. All the photographs were similar, but not the same. Black and white photos of the wrought iron border fence. The damaged wrought iron border fence.

Rick peered at the photos one by one, then turned the photos one way, then the other, the Sheriff in him taking over as he brought them in closer for a better look. Then he sifted through the photographs again, and one more time for extra measure. The fence had definitely been vandalized.

"This…this is all here? At the North Wall?"

"And the others. The South, East walls too. The same damage, the same holes in the fencing. Someone's been taking a torch to the fence and burning through some of the weak spots."

"From the inside." Rick stated automatically, sifting to one photograph in particular. "Here, you can see where the iron has been turned outward. It takes a lot of heat to torch wrought iron like that. Whoever did this knew what they were doing. Knew, to pick weaker, corroded sections of the fence. They would have to know the fence…maybe even the patrol it…" Rick looked up then from the photos he was studying to find both men eying him. Ezekiel offered him a pleased grin and Mercer something akin to a new found respect.

"That's impressive." Mercer offered as he took the photos back.

"It took weeks for us to see what you saw in seconds." Ezekiel interjected. "Whoever it is has been hitting a different fence each time, making just enough room for walkers to trickle through. We're working to increase patrols. It's under control now, but we're having to run extra shifts for repairs. But whoever this is hitting more spots. Getting bold."

Rick nodded slowly. "You should pull the current patrol units. Bench 'em. See what guards have worked all the walls. It's probably just some bored kids but I would cut 'em just in case. See if there's anyone that might have gripe with the Commonwealth Guard. Not everyone gets recruited or makes the rank they want. Maybe someone felt some time of way." Rick voiced his thoughts without thinking, letting the officer part of his brain take over. Beside him Ezekiel looked even more pleased. Rick was already shaking his head when the other man spoke.

"That's where you come in."

"No." Rick growled. That wasn't who he was anymore. He had a life now, a second chance that he wasn't going to screw up. He was sure the CG could handle this just fine.

Infront of him Mercer eyeballed him for a moment.

"You know, I've heard the stories about you. Sheriff of King County; how you brought people together in the beginning, taking on groups to protect your people. Woodberry, Alexandria, the Saviors; Sargent Major in the CRM before taking them down single handedly with your wife. Yet here you are, accepting placement as a peace officer…a glorified mall cop in the Commonwealth." Rick's eyes narrowed on the other man. He knew what he was trying to do. Rile him up.

"I'm good." Rick said steadily as he felt his hand curl into a fist as the tension built in his shoulders and his nostrils flared. He breathed in, willing himself to calm down. He thought of Michonne, of her sweet smiling face and the promises he had made to her. Be nice.

"If that's all, I should get back to my family." He started to get up as Mercer continued.

"That's it. That's all you have to say? What if it's not just some kids, huh? Don't you think you owe it to Ezekiel and the Commonwealth? To all the people who have sacrificed for you and your family to be here today."

Rick's head snapped back at those words. And this time he could feel the tension move down through his shoulders to his arms as he curled and uncurled his mechanical fist. He took another deep calming breath as his eyes shifted from Mercer to Ezekiel, who looked dismayed at his colleagues words. And finally his eyes moved to the frame words hanging behind Mercer's head. He wanted to punch the other man, could feel his anger building as he stared at the words and thought of his family.

"Do you know who wrote that?" He pointed at the framed words on the wall. "That. The Multi-community Charter that hangs so proudly on the walls of your offices and buildings. My wife wrote that. While we were fighting to survive, while I was fighting to join our communities and make us better, stronger, she was taking care of our daughter and staying up nights to write that and build a stronger better future for our children. And her Goddam name doesn't even appear on that thang. And even after. After when I was gone, when I was fighting and sacrificing everything I could to get home. Spending eight years away from my life, from her, she still fought to survive, alone with our children, without me. She still worked to make this dream come true for all of us. She sacrificed everything, her life, her time with our children and to find me when everyone thought she was crazy. She helped to bring down one of the largest armies in the world so you could all be safe. So don't talk to me about sacrifice. You don't know what we lost, what we have been through. And until my last breath I will do everything in my power to make sure she never goes through something like that, ever. So yeah, that's all I have to fucking say."

Rick could feel his vein pulsing as he stood and locked eyes with Ezekiel.

"Good luck with your investigation Zeke. I would appreciate that ride back to my home now." Ezekiel looked between the two men ready to protest but thought better of it at the last minute and nodded his agreement. Rick didn't wait for any further response as he walked the adjoining conference to where RJ was engrossed in some comic book. RJ looked up as his Dad entered the room.

"Is it time to go to the Lake?" Rick smiled despite the tension that still brewing just beneath the surface.

"…Yeah, it's time."

Moments later they were exiting the building, walking towards their waiting ride with RJ skipping ahead with Kenny.

"Hey, Rick. What happened in there…what was said…I'm sorry. Mercer shouldn't have said all that." Ezekiel offered beside him as they walked.

"It doesn't matter." He muttered.

"But it does matter. His delivery wasn't great. But he was trying to say was join us. We need someone like you, a leader. This thing with the walls…I don't think its kids Rick. And neither does Mercer. Look, Michael Mercer is a soldier but he's not a leader, and my fighting days are over. I'm the guy who kisses babies and shakes hands. And frankly none of us have the desire to lead. Not like you. Do you know what people say about you, the legend of Rick Grimes?"

Rick grunted. "I don't care."

Ezekiel sighed. "You should care old friend. You're a legend. A leader, who sees what others don't. With you, with your…experience, you were made for this."

"I already have a job…" Was all he offered and Ezekiel sighed.

"Well I won't stop asking." Ezekiel confessed.

Rick started to respond as he chanced a glance at the other man. But then he was suddenly looking past him, to beyond wrought iron fence, to the opening where the cadets were still working to put down walkers. Except there were more walkers now and the cadets looked scared, uncoordinated , as they clumsily pushed at the walkers and called out to each other. Rick saw it before it happened, saw the one cadet stumble and lose his stick, saw him freeze on the ground, his fellow cadets non-the-wiser as they struggled with one especially slippery decaying body, grabbing at its decaying flesh haphazardly as the other two walkers closed in on kid on the ground. Rick was moving before he could stop himself. Hurtling toward the cadets as he yelled.

"RJ stay with Ezekiel!"

The cadet on the ground was yelling for help as Rick ran as fast as his powerful legs would carry him past the opening and into the clearing beyond the fence. He didn't think as he grabbed at the first walker with his mechanical hand, clutching it at the decaying throat, holding it away from him while in one calculated move he lashed and kicked the second walker to the ground. His hatchet whooshed through the air as he brought it crashing down on the first walker, splitting its skull open. Blood splattered across his face and his shirt as he whirled on the second walker the he was still holding and took the hatchet to what was left of its grimy neck to take its head clean off. Then he was moving to the other cadets, where they pulled at the other walker, yelling at them to duck before he brought the hatchet down to bury it deep in the side if the walker's face, pulling it back as he watched the last one sink to the ground in a lifeless heap.

The whole thing lasted mere seconds but when it was done all who could hear was the sound his own breathing in his ear as he stared down at the display of dead and blood and guts. Rick finally looked up, and was met with the wide eyes and open mouths of the young cadets. Rick looked to the one on the ground and reached his hand out to help the shell shocked kid up.

"They get like that, riled up in a group. Watch your six next time." The kid simply nodded as Rick turned to walk past the rest of the cadets and back to where Ezekiel was grinning and RJ were watching him wide eyed. Beyond them, higher up on the stairs Mercer looked on, arms folded, his expression unreadable.

Rick ignored him and reached RJ first and crouched down so they were eye level. "Junior, you good?" RJ nodded enthusiastically as their car pulled up. "We better get going before you're mom starts to worry huh?" Behind him Rick could swear he heard Ezekiel chuckle as he yelled out.

"You're a leader Rick Grimes! And I won't stop asking!"

"Mom!"

Michonne heard the words and looked up from the picnic table in time to see her son hurtling towards her with the most excited grin on his face. His longish curly dark hair blowing in the wind, dressed for the lake in a t-shirt and bright striped swim trunks as he came to wrap his gangly arms around her. She hugged RJ back, giving him a quick tight squeeze as her eyes drifted to her husband behind him.

Rick was pulling up the rear as he carried their fishing gear. He wore matching swim trunks, showing off his long powerful legs. The white t-shirt he wore clung perfectly to his arms and pecs, showing off his wide chest and chiseled physique. Michonne felt her body heat as her eyes drifted to his face, momentarily distracted by that ridiculously sexy smile as his cobalt blue eyes seem to linger over every inch of her in her bright yellow bikini top and shorts. That damn smile distracted her momentarily, until she felt RJ pull away to stare up at her.

"Mom! Dad killed a walker!"

"What!" Judith yelped from she was sitting in a doughnut pool float in the middle of the lake.

"Actually, he killed three walkers at once. It was so awesome!"

What! Michonne looked at Rick, feeling her alarm grow as Rick walked up to her and set the fishing gear down.

"It's ok," he said to Judith. "Some cadets ran into some trouble at a Guard post, it was nothing." Judith visibly relaxed at the calm confident tone of her Father's voice. But Michonne knew better. Even now she could see the remnants of tension bubbling beneath the surface as their eyes locked. Rick closed the distance between them in a single step, looping his hand around her waist to pull her flush against the hardness of his body.

"Rick.." She murmured as she brought her hands to his shoulders to hold him there. Despite the his confident tone she could see past it, that something was there, something had bothered him and caused this tension in his hard muscles. "Baby, what happened with Ezekiel? Do we need to talk about this?"Walkers and the dead were part of their lives here but that didn't stop her heart from beating a mile a minute with worry whenever they encountered them.

"Later…" Rick's resulting smile was sexy, infectiously so, as his eyes darted to her full lips and mouth. "I just want to be here at the Lake, with my kids and my fine ass wife." Michonne's eyes narrowed on him even as she felt his gaze heat her skin. We'll talk about this later. She said with her eyes.

"…Later." Rick conceded, as he lowered his mouth to hers. At the feel of his lips Michonne opened automatically, responding to the pressure of his firm but soft lips. Her arms came up to automatically loop around Rick's neck as she felt Rick's tongue taste her bottom lip and push into her mouth to taste more of her. Michonne moaned the moment his tongue found hers. Just as she heard the voices of their children behind them.

"Eww!"

"Geez!"

Michonne broke the kiss just as Rick chuckled. This wasn't the first time their kids feigned disgust at their parents "kissy stuff" as RJ liked to call it. His eyes danced with mirth as he looked into Michonne's eyes. Michonne smiled. She knew that look, knew exactly what it meant. They would definitely finish this later. Then Rick was turning behind him to the first little culprit.

"Eww…did I just hear you say eww to your mom? To me?" Michonne watched RJ's eyes grow wide with realization but it was too late. He could only watch as Rick crouched down to place his shoulder into RJ's stomach to hoist him up and over his shoulder. Peals of RJ's laughter filled the air as RJ's dangled over his Father's shoulder excitedly futilely kicking his legs hoping to get free. Michonne and Judith couldn't help but chuckle as they watched Rick walk to the edge of the lake and jumped into the lake with his son. Her heart warmed at the sight of the two as they emerged from the depths of blue green water close to Judith.

"Don't think your off the hook either." Rick smirked as he scooped his daughter up from the donut.

"Dad no!" She squealed as Rick plopped her in the water too.

"Those are the rules Judith, you didn't say not it!" RJ chortled as his sister splashed to the surface. Rick, RJ and Judith were both hooting as they splashed about in the water. They were like fish in the water as they played their own version of tag. Michonne loved this. In these moments where RJ wasn't trying to be the annoying little brother and Judith wasn't being a brooding teenager. They were just two kids who played pranks in the water on a warm spring day and loved their dad. The joy Michonne felt at seeing her man and her babies together in the throes of laughter forced tears to her eyes as she smiled.

"Mom, you didn't say not it!" She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Rick moving until he was wading out of the pool and headed straight for her.

"Rick…" She managed to back up two steps before Rick was on her. Scooping her up effortlessly in a bridal carry. For a moment he held her to him, his wet skin warm against her. His longish curled hair slick back away from his face, making those eyes look brighter and even more intense as he whispered.

"I love this, us…I love you Mrs. Grimes and I'm never letting this go." Michonne felt her heart melt, but before she could respond Rick was striding into the water as their kids laughed and cheered them on. Their laughter and splashes filled the air as the slight breeze whipped through the wild flowers and pine trees surrounding the lake where a pair of brown eyes watched and waited for the Great Rick Grimes.