BACKSTORY: Rick and Michonne are back at Alexandria with their children, and have been reunited with most of their friends that were left behind, when Rick was taken by the Civic Republic Military(CRM) and Michonne left to look for him.
But there are old grudges and secrets that need to be dealt with, along with new problems that threaten the life that Rick and Michonne want with their children within the Alexandria stronghold. And although 'Richonne' thinks that they are through with the CRM, the CRM is not through with them…
When word got out that Rick Grimes had returned, many of the former residents of Alexandria that had moved to the Commonwealth, returned to the stronghold to either welcome Rick back, or move back there for good.
Carol and Darryl were two of the first to arrive and return to Alexandria permanently. Darryl flew into Rick's arms and just would not let him go! Carol managed to catch Rick's eye and rub his shoulder, while he embraced Darryl. She and Michonne then walked over to the house Michonne lived in with Rick, Judith and RJ, as they let the two friends catch up. Once inside, Carol, who knew where everything was in the kitchen, went about the business of making cupcakes.
"I see Ezekiel arrived here with the supplies?" Carol noted, as she took in how well stocked they seemed to be with food.
"Yes," Michonne said, while still watching Rick and Darryl from a window, "he's still here someplace. He seems better than he was the last time I saw him."
Michonne was alluding to Ezekiel's suicide attempt, but she was also aware that he had had cancer. And yet he didn't look as if he had been sick one day.
"Well I know you heard about what a shit show the Commonwealth was. But they had good doctors and the chemo Ezekiel needed. He's been good for awhile." Carol replied, as she began stirring batter.
Michonne looked away from Rick and Darryl and focused on Carol.
"You heard about Jadis's part in this?" she asked.
Carol nodded.
"Yes. That's why you haven't seen Gabriel around. He can't face you." Carol said. Gabriel had opted to stay at the Commonwealth.
Michonne folded her arms.
"He didn't know what she had done, did he?" she asked.
"Come on, Michonne! You know better."
"I want to know better, Carol. But Jadis had a room at that prison camp! And there were Gabriel drawings all over the place! So if he knew more this whole time, then maybe he shouldn't come around here." Michonne said bluntly.
Carol nodded.
"I get it. I do. I never expected you would come back with Rick. I just assumed…I don't know what I thought." Carol admitted as she began pouring the batter into the cupcake baking pans.
Michonne glanced out of the window again. Rick and Darryl were now walking and talking. She knew what people had thought. That her journey was a wild good chase. Michonne looked at Carol again.
"Rick asked about Negan." Michonne said quietly. "Judith explained about those damned Whisperers, and I was sick thinking about what happened to everyone. I should have been here."
"If you had been here, Rick wouldn't be." Carol pointed out. "And we got through it. We got through it because I let Negan out. I couldn't let Alpha get away with what she did to my boy."
Michonne nodded her understanding.
"You don't have to explain. But I think Rick was a bit thrown by Judith's…well...fondness for Negan. He is long gone, right?"
"I forgot to pre-heat the oven." Carol quipped in answer.
"Carol," Michonne repeated again, "he is gone, right?"
Carol turned away from her, to turn on the oven, before facing Michonne again.
"No. I mean he's not around here, no. But Maggie had a run in with him. Hershel was kidnapped and somehow Negan had something to do with it."
"What do you mean 'he had something to do with it'?" Michonne asked carefully.
"Meaning, some ex-Savior took Hershel knowing it would draw Negan there. To New York. Maggie accepted Negan's help with finding Hershel, then tried to kill him again but failed."
"So Negan's in New York?" Michonne asked.
"That's where Maggie said she left him. Maggie also said that he had pissed off some people in another community, that were looking to kill him." Carol confided.
"Of course! Anything else?" Michonne asked, half joking.
"Well…Negan picked himself up a wife. She's the reason he's wanted. Something happened to her in this community that's after him, and Negan handed out his own brand of justice. The last I saw of her, she was pregnant. Maggie said that they had a boy and in short, Negan sent them off someplace safe but did not join them."
Michonne lifted a brow!
"I'm not following this. So he avenged his wife, then ran out on her and his son?" Michonne asked.
"Maggie said Negan sent them away so that no one would come after them. He was supposed to join them but never did." Carol explained.
"Was she really a 'wife'-'wife' or did Negan force her to be with him?" she asked.
Carol shrugged.
"She appeared to be with him willingly. He seemed like a changed man. Kids can do that."
Michonne said no more to that, as she glanced out of the window again and saw Aaron now talking with Rick and Darryl.
"Maggie has not been by." Michonne said before turning back to Carol.
"No. I don't think she knows what to say." Carol offered.
"How is Hershel?" Michonne asked.
"According to Maggie, ungrateful for being rescued and full of attitude." Carol replied.
"I'll talk to Rick. I'm sure he would like to see Hershel." Michonne said. Carol picked up the cupcake pan and put it into the oven.
"You were in France but didn't pick up any French?" Rick asked Darryl jokingly.
"I know 'French Fry'. And it wasn't a vacation." Darryl grumbled.
"You know," Aaron chimed in, "I was hoping you'd say that they had rebuilt civilization or something, over there. It sounds like everyone's scrambling to rebuild like we are."
"Alexandria will get back to what it once was." Rick said firmly. "Tell me about this Commonwealth and the supplies they have?"
"There's really nothing to tell. They acted like they were welcoming, but then they took over other strongholds and killed people for no reason." Darryl told him.
"What Darryl is saying, is that they were a classier version of the Saviors. But they seem to be on the right path now." Aaron told Rick.
Rick nodded.
"Okay. Now tell me about Negan. Because the man I left in that basement cell, six years ago, is now someone my daughter thinks is a great guy. RJ seems to barely know him, thank God, but I don't get how he escaped. Someone let him out, didn't they?" Rick asked.
Aaron answered.
"Yes but we never knew who and it doesn't matter. Negan was with us when it counted."
"But we weren't stupid enough to let him stay with us." Darryl replied. "He took his wife and left."
"Wife?" Rick asked carefully. "Some woman he had kidnapped?"
Darryl shrugged.
"Naw. She wanted to be with him. She knew what a bastard he had been but you know…she didn't know Glenn, Abraham or Sasha. She didn't feel what we felt." Darryl replied.
Aaron sighed.
"He came through for us against the Whisperers and the Commonwealth." he repeated. Aaron didn't know why he felt the need to defend Negan, who didn't deserve it, except to make it clear to Rick, that the man they had put into that cell, years ago, had had their backs when it counted.
Rick looked from Aaron to Darryl.
"Why do I feel as if there is more to this?" he asked.
Darryl had JUST heard about what had went on with Maggie, Hershel and Negan in New York! He looked to Aaron, and Aaron realized it would be up to him to fill Rick in on the 'Negan/Maggie Story'.
"Some ex-Savior called 'The Croat', that Negan had kicked out of their stronghold, decided to get revenge on him by taking Hershel, and making Maggie go begging to Negan for help, so that he would be lured to New York. This guy was there that night when Negan killed Glenn and Abraham."
Rick folded his arms and squinted!
"And…" he drew out the word…"how did he figure Negan would want to rescue Hershel? I don't get it."
"My understanding of it is, that Maggie was contacted by The Croat, and TOLD to ask Negan for help if she ever wanted to see Hershel again. She brought Negan to this man so that he would be killed, but didn't tell him that." Darryl said.
"But he wasn't?" Rick guessed. "Killed?"
"No." Darryl chimed in. "But Hershel and Maggie are back at the Hilltop. Their safe."
"And Negan is where?" Rick asked. Darryl and Aaron gave one another a funny look.
"What?" Rick asked, trying to not sound as aggravated as he felt. Something about Negan being free didn't sit well with him. And yet Rick knew he should be the last person to mind, given what he had been through the past six years.
"He ain't here, Rick. That's all that matters." Darryl said firmly.
Rick did not answer. In the time he had been gone, it had been decided that Negan deserved his freedom and didn't need to be locked up again. His eyes flitted from Darryl and Aaron, to Ezekiel, who nodded to the three of them, before walking up the porch steps and into Rick and Michonne's house. For a moment, Rick wondered if Ezekiel and Carol had managed to reconnect after they lost their son? He hoped so.
Michonne and Carol turned as Ezekiel entered the kitchen.
"Are we alone?" Ezekiel asked them. Carol nodded and Michonne tilted her head.
"What's wrong?" Michonne asked him.
Ezekiel paused before speaking.
"Annie returned to the Commonwealth. With her boy, Joshua."
"Oh." Carol said but Michonne was confused.
"Who's Annie?" Michonne asked.
"Negan's wife." Carol replied. Michonne nodded slightly and looked from Carol to Ezekiel.
"Negan never got back with her, did he?" Michonne asked. She had once had a conversation with Negan about his late wife, who had died of cancer. He admitted to being a lousy husband. Apparently, he still was.
"No" Ezekiel admitted. "And she doesn't expect to ever see him again. Annie returned because Joshua is sick. She remembered the
Commonwealth having good medical care so she took him there."
"That's too bad." Carol said, still not understanding what Ezekiel was trying to say here.
"How is he? Joshua?" Michonne asked.
"He's in need of a kidney. I actually came here asking if anyone here would be willing to get tested to be a match. It would be much appreciated. Annie would appreciate it." Ezekiel said.
"Sure, I'll head to the Commonwealth tomorrow." Carol said, before glancing at Michonne. Michonne nodded.
"I'll run it by Rick." she said. But Michonne was sure Rick would be fine with helping out. who
Ezekiel smiled his thanks and started to turn away to to leave the house. But he stopped and said something else.
"The sure fire way to help Joshua is to find Negan. Annie's not a match but he surely would be." Ezekiel said tonelessly.
Michonne could see that Ezekiel did not want to do that. Michonne walked over to him and touched his arm.
"Someone will be a match. Someone else. Out of all of those people at the Commonwealth, plus who we will be bringing tomorrow, someone will be able to help. We won't need Negan."
Ezekiel stared at her, believing her words. Michonne had found Rick when it had not seemed possible that he could be found. He believed in Michonne's words and her abilities. More than ever now. He nodded and and left the kitchen and the house.
"Did you catch that?" Michonne asked Carol.
Carol nodded.
"Yes. Annie and him have grown close. Let's hope we won't need Negan." Carol said.
Yes, Annie Smith and Ezekiel had grown close. And while he understood why Negan felt he had to avenge Annie after what had happened to her, Ezekiel could not imagine not trying to find his own wife and child, once the dust cleared.
Annie seemed to believe that the dust had never cleared. She was worried about Joshua, who had just turned six, when he began to show signs of illness. And Annie was still worried that Negan would be found out somehow by the people hunting him.
Ezekiel's mind wandered from Annie to Michonne, who looked very much like a woman in control, as she had the last time he had lain eyes on her, years ago. Before she left on what was seen by many, as a hapless journey in search of a man that would not be found.
But Michonne had returned. With Rick. And Ezekiel could not help but wonder if Carol would have ever taken such drastic steps to find him, if he had been taken by some powerful military organization, and had been unable to return?
Ezekiel decided that yes, Carol would have. But had it really been THAT impossible for Rick to get away? Michonne had just swooped in and rescued him. The Rick Grimes he knew, years ago, could have rescued himself out of a situation like that.
Ezekiel knew why he was thinking this way, sort of. Ezekiel had always liked Rick and he had felt that the loss of him, had been part of the reason the Whisperers were able to do what they had done. Their strongholds had fractured and splintered. His son, Henry, murdered.
But now, Ezekiel had to wonder, that if Alexandria could find it's way back again, and the Hilltop continued to overcome, was it possible that the Kingdom could be resurrected as well?
Ezekiel wasn't stupid. Maggie was a strong woman. She was a strong leader.
Rick and Michonne were strong leaders as well.
But was it possible that with Annie by his side, Ezekiel could rebuild the Kingdom again?
Ezekiel was thinking along those lines when he almost ran straight into Rick, while heading to his truck!
"Zeke," Rick said, smiling at him, "we didn't have much time before to catch up. I wanted to say I was sorry to hear about Henry. He was a fine boy. I remember him."
Ezekiel nodded slightly.
"Thank you, Rick. I don't even know what to say to you. We'd all given you up for dead." he said quietly.
"Everyone but Michonne." Rick said just as quietly. Ezekiel felt Rick's eyes roam over him, as if he were trying to read him.
"No. Michonne never gave up on you. Then again, Michonne doesn't give up on anyone. I was in a pretty low place after I lost Henry…and Carol. Michonne is the reason I am still here." Ezekiel said. His eyes moved from Rick's to Darryl's. He nodded to him and Darryl nodded back.
"I want to thank you for watching out for Judith and RJ while Michonne was gone. While I was gone. That is a debt I don't think I could ever repay." Rick told him.
Ezekiel clapped Rick on the shoulder and turned to walk to his truck. It was in that moment that he had realized how uncomfortable he was in Rick's presence, and his mind drifted back to the impulsive kiss he had once shared with Michonne, during a very dark moment when he had tried to take his own life.
He had always told himself he had needed someone in that moment. That that was all it was- a moment. Ezekiel had never given it much thought after that. Things had went downhill after that kiss, like they were apt to do during these apocalyptic times, and Ezekiel had not had time to dwell on any one thing at a given time.
He found himself thinking about it quite a bit now.
EVENING-
Dinner in the Grimes household consisted of meat loaf, mashed potatoes, rolls and peas, along with lemonade.
Judith had a lot to talk about, before Michonne could broach the subject of a trip to the Commonwealth to help out little Joshua Smith…
"I just think that Hershel needs some time away from the Hilltop. So can he stay with us for a couple of days?" Judith asked. Hershel had sent her some letters, courtesy of the Hilltop Pony Express. And in them, he had expressed his desire to leave home.
"Why does he need time away?" Rick asked suspiciously.
"Because his mother sucks." RJ answered.
"RJ!" Rick scolded. "That isn't very nice or true."
"Really, Dad? Hershel said that his mother won't stop talking about Negan and he doesn't want to hear it anymore. Neither do I, because I thought Negan was kind of cool…" RJ trailed off.
The boy stopped talking when he saw the look on Rick's face. Michonne cleared her throat!
"RJ, honey, Maggie has her reasons for feeling the way she does about Negan. We all do." Michonne told him.
Judith eyed Michonne.
"I know you never wanted to hear a nice word about him. But he kept us from getting killed. Him and Darryl both did." Judith told her.
Michonne could sense Rick was not happy with the topic of conversation, and she decided now was the time to make it worse…
"Rick," Michonne began, "Ezekiel came here earlier to tell us that someone needs our help at the Commonwealth. I was hoping we could go tomorrow and see what we can do to lend a hand. So, no, kids, to the visit from Hershel."
"We're going back to the Commonwealth?" RJ asked, his voice brimming with excitement! They had cake and video games there!
Judith was uneasy. She had been shot there! So she wasn't too eager to go back.
"Who needs our help, Mom?" Judith asked.
Michonne glanced at Rick again, before looking at Judith and RJ again.
"Do the two of you remember meeting Annie?" Michonne asked in a light tone.
RJ frowned and shook his head. But Michonne could tell from looking at Judith, that she remembered exactly who Annie was. Judith glanced at Rick before addressing her mother.
"Yes." was all she said.
Rick sensed something. Something off about this conversation. It was as if everyone was afraid to talk around him.
"Who's Annie?" Rick asked lightly.
Michonne decided to just get it over with.
"I found out today that Negan got married during our time away. His wife's name is Annie and she needs our help." Michonne told them.
RJ started to say something but Rick held up his hand in a halting gesture, before addressing Michonne!
"So…Negan is at the Commonwealth? He's been there this whole time? Because Darryl told me that Negan was married and that he and his wife left." Rick said.
"Ezekiel said that Negan's wife came back with their son, Joshua, alone. He needs a kidney. I was hoping we could go to the Commonwealth and get tested." Michonne suggested.
Rick said nothing for a moment. He looked at Judith and RJ.
"Kids, why don't you finish your dinner in the kitchen? Your mother and I need to talk about some things." Rick suggested in a gentle tone.
Judith looked at RJ, and RJ looked at Judith, before they both picked up their plates and left the dining room. Rick then turned to Michonne.
"Ezekiel was in here asking you to have our family, put our lives in danger, for Negan's son?"
Nothing surprised Michonne anymore. And Rick's attitude about certain things was one of them. She reached for his hand.
"If this Annie helped to keep our children safe, then yes, we should help."
"I didn't hear Judith or RJ say the woman kept them safe. Judith knew who she was and RJ didn't seem to remember her at all." Rick noted.
"Ezekiel seems to care for her. Rick…he's asking us to get tested because Annie is not a match even though she is Joshua's mother. Ezekiel is afraid that someone will go and find Negan, and no one wants to see him again."
"Michonne, I'd rather have Negan come back and help his son, than have one of our children or even one of us, get tested, be a match and then die during some kind of half assed surgery…"
"Carol and Darryl are going. They said there is nothing half assed about the medical care there. Ezekiel has had chemo there." Michonne countered.
"No." Rick said, squeezing her hand. "Honey, we're just starting to find our way here again. We have our family…the idea of losing Judith or RJ…"
"Okay," Michonne consoled him, "I will just go and get tested."
"No." Rick said.
"Listen to me, we need to at least see where this place is! They have supplies and they kept our children clothed and fed! And I want to know why some of our people stayed and others didn't come back here."
"I think that's clear." Rick said calmly. "The Commonwealth looks like how life used to be. Except for freedom. Maggie and Hershel aren't living there."
Michonne decided not to address that last part.
"Carol said that the people responsible for all the bad stuff that happened there, are either dead or locked up. I'll go alone and you stay here with the kids. You can make sure that Judith doesn't sneak Hershel in here." Michonne said wryly.
Rick brought her hand to his lips and kissed it.
"I'll tell you what? You go to the Commonwealth. I'll take Judith and RJ to the Hilltop. It's time I saw Maggie again." Rick said.
THE COMMONWEALTH-
Ezekiel returned to the Commonwealth and made his way over to the hospital. Dr. Tomi Okumura exited the room Joshua was in and smiled wanly at Ezekiel.
"How is the testing going?" Ezekiel asked.
"Father Gabriel, Eugene and Stephanie have gotten tested so far. My sister, Connie and Kelly are getting tested tomorrow." Dr. Okumura informed Ezekiel.
"How is Annie?" Ezekiel asked, nodding towards the room.
"Quiet. She's still upset that she wasn't a match. It is unusual when a parent isn't, but not unheard of. Annie has no living family left. If we don't find a donor here then…" Dr. Okumura trailed off.
"I know." Ezekiel replied.
"Negan didn't seem that horrible. As a matter of fact when he was here, he didn't seem anymore annoying than anyone else." Dr. Okumura noted.
"He was focused on Annie back then." Ezekiel conceded. "The problem is that he has people looking for him. The Commonwealth is just getting back on it's feet after all that Milton trouble."
"You don't think we can find Negan, get him in here for a kidney transplant and then send him on his way?" Dr. Okumura asked.
"Wouldn't he need time to recover himself?" Ezekiel asked.
"We have good security here. Negan could recover and then be on his way without anyone trying to get to him." Dr. Okumura said.
"What does Annie want?" Ezekiel asked.
"She wants her boy to be alright. I don't think it matters if the matching donor is someone from here, or her husband." Dr. Okumura noted.
Ezekiel nodded and Dr. Okumura left him to continue on his rounds. Ezekiel walked into Joshua's hospital room to find Annie sitting at a sleeping Joshua's bedside. Annie stood up when he entered and they moved towards a window.
"Did you ask the people of Alexandria if they would get tested?" Annie whispered.
"Yes. A group will be coming here in the morning." Ezekiel assured her, resting his hands on her shoulders.
Annie nodded but she sensed something else…
"I know it wasn't easy to get anyone to agree. After what Negan did to you all." Annie noted.
"No, Annie," Ezekiel said, squeezing her shoulders, "everyone was happy to help. It's just that…"
"That what?" Annie asked. Ezekiel had been a good friend. She had received more kindness from him than most strangers she had dealt with, ever since she and Joshua had been forced to flee the town they had been living near, because of…
Because Negan had been defending her. Her husband had been righting a wrong. A wrong that had taken place, when she had traveled into the town that they had lived on the outskirts of. A town called New Babylon.
Negan had stayed behind to watch Joshua, but he had not liked the idea of her going out alone, much less to that town. They had chosen to live outside of it, because neither of them liked the vibe of the community. Outside of it they were free.
Maybe Annie should have remembered that, as she took their only vehicle to the town to trade supplies. Things that they had picked up here and there. She and Negan had traded with some of the townspeople there before. So Negan and Annie Smith were not unknown to some in New Babylon.
There had been a craft fair of sorts, going on in the middle of the town square. All sorts of different people, even children, were selling custom made stuffed animals, cookies and action figures. Annie had found herself distracted from her purpose, which had been to sell auto supplies, that they had found at an old tire store they had come upon, the year before.
Annie had begun to look around and found herself drawn to the action figure vendor(and saw one that looked oddly like Negan), while drinking a cup of lemonade that had been offered to her by another vendor.
Looking around, and drinking the lemonade, were the last things she remembered before passing out.
When Annie awoke, she was naked and hog tied to a large stick. She was hanging from the large stick/branch like an animal on a spit, and she felt herself being carried. Carried through a stretch of woods so quiet and out of the way, that no one would have heard her screams.
There had been four, maybe five of them. And Annie had prayed they were cannibals looking to roast her over a fire. Being burned alive and eaten, would have been preferable to anything else they had planned for her.
Unfortunately, her prayers were not answered.
Annie returned to the here and now and concentrated on Ezekiel.
"It's just what, Ezekiel?" Annie asked softly.
"You remember Judith and RJ?" Ezekiel asked.
Annie nodded.
"Yes. Negan said something about their father locking him up for years."
Ezekiel said nothing to that. That was typical of Negan to offer some sort of half assed explanation to someone, and leave out the part about WHY he had gotten what he deserved.
"Well their father returned with their mother." Ezekiel explained.
"Michonne." Annie said.
"Yes. Her name is Michonne and her husband's name is Rick. Rick Grimes."
Annie tilted her head at Ezekiel!
"Rick Grimes? Negan never said what his name was. The man that had locked him up…" Annie trailed off, now turning away from Ezekiel and looking at Joshua's sleeping form.
Ezekiel frowned.
"Is there something wrong?" he asked. But Annie did not answer him about that. She pasted on a smile and touched his arm.
"Nothing is wrong. Once more people come here to get tested, everything will be fine. We won't need Negan."
"No." Ezekiel smiled in answer. "We won't need Negan."
Ezekiel sensed Annie wanted to be alone and left the room, promising to return tomorrow. Annie watched him leave before sitting back down in the chair she had previously been in. She stared down at her son but she was not seeing him.
No.
She was seeing herself, in a sheriff's deputy uniform, laughing and joking around with two of her co-workers—Rick Grimes and Shane Walsh.
Rick Grimes? Rick had locked Negan up all of those years?
And Michonne was back. Michonne…the woman who was the reason Annie had been so eager to go trading in New Babylon by herself, on that horrible day.
Michonne, who's name Negan had bellowed out as he rutted into her body fiercely, the night before.
Michonne. Michonne was back with Rick. Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes.
Sheriff's Deputy Shane Walsh.
And Sheriff's Deputy Anne Brown, who was now Annie Smith…a woman that before being taken by savages in a town called New Babylon, had been able to take care of herself. She should have been able to prevent herself from being drugged and raped.
Annie reached for Joshua's small hand and squeezed it. Was Rick coming here to test if he could be a match for Joshua? Or did he still hate Negan so much that he would not consider it?
The Rick Grimes she had worked with, would have never held the sins of the father, against a child. Annie's instincts told her that once Joshua was well, they needed to get as far away from here as possible.
But it would be good to see someone from her old life again. Sheriff Rick Grimes.
ALEXANDRIA-
The stronghold was quiet and Darryl had taken a post in the guard tower, like old times.
Within the Grimes household, Judith was helping to sneak Hershel, who had run away from the Hilltop, into her bedroom via her second story window. Her friend would sleep on the floor and then Judith would 'announce' his arrival tomorrow at breakfast.
In his own room, RJ was reading an X-Men comic and thinking about Negan, while sipping a glass of lemonade. He vaguely remembered him being locked up in that jail basement, but he had been told he was a bad guy. RJ had never gotten to know him too well, but he had always thought Negan seemed alright.
RJ now knew that his father did not think Negan was 'alright'. He decided he would not think about it and continued to read.
First a brief moment, a noise from above interrupted his enjoyment of the comic. RJ stared up at the ceiling. It had sounded like something fell in the attic. He decided he would say something to his father tomorrow about it.
As for Rick and Michonne, they were locked away in their bedroom, secure in one another's arms amid darkness. Michonne bounced furiously upon Rick's thick penetration and found herself lost in the rhythmic pulse of their lovemaking. Rick had taken one of her breasts between his lips and was suckling on it feverishly. He too was lost in a mindless state of fascination for his wife, whom he thought he would never see again, much less be with in this way. Rick matched Michonne's rhythm with a heightened sense of urgency.
Sound faded from their ears and at one point, Rick's body rattled and trembled violently in a way that he had never experienced before. It seemed like an eternity before Michonne left him and went into the bathroom. Rick settled back amongst the pillows and turned his attention back to their family…
"You think I'm wrong, don't you?" he asked quietly, as Michonne emerged from the bathroom, naked. She walked back to the bed and lay down beside him.
"I don't think you're wrong to just want to settle in for a bit. I also understand not wanting to risk Judith and RJ for testing or surgery, if they are a match."
"Or you." Rick said firmly.
"Why don't I just go to this Commonwealth and see how things are? I'd also like to see where our children were living while we were gone. I'll take Darryl with me. You go to the Hilltop with the kids and take Carol." Michonne suggested softly.
Rick nodded and pulled her into his arms to hold her. He could not shake the feeling that Michonne's suggestion, might not turn out as smoothly as he hoped it would.