A/N: Thank you to those who left comments the last chapter!

As always, I appreciate everyone's patience with this story. This is our last Bitches Be Crazy chapter. I hope you enjoy!


30. Bitches Be Crazy (part 8)

As I stepped into the barn, I heard Fucking Lori Grimes sniffle.

She sniffled again as I was closing the barn door.

My eye twitched.

Those sniffles were too loud and too drawn-out to be anything but a performance.

She probably thought I was Rick.

She probably thought her sniffles would land in the softest part of his heart.

She probably thought he'd come running with arms wide open to comfort her, disregarding her vile behavior, including whatever she'd just said to piss him off.

My hand tightened around the door handle.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

Fucking Lori Grimes.

It would be so easy to surrender to my rage.

I came very close to letting it take over.

I truly, truly believed my unbridled, unforgiving, unstoppable rage was exactly what Fucking Lori Grimes deserved.

But I'd made a pinky promise.

Unleashing my rage in all its glory was not an option.

And I also couldn't forget I was here to do more than just satisfy my rage. I'd negotiated twenty minutes alone with Fucking Lori Grimes for a reason. I'd asked Maggie to print what she had for a reason. Me being in the barn right now was so much bigger than karmic justice.

What came next was about the future, and so I absolutely, positively would not lose my shit, no matter what Fucking Lori Grimes did or said to bait my rage.

BREATHE, MICHONNE.

I took a very long, very deep breath.

My rage went from a boil to a simmer.

BREATHE, Michonne.

I took another breath and thought about my Nugget.

At dinner, he did something that nearly had me and Rick happy dancing around the kitchen table. Our sweet baby boy came so close to feeding himself with his big boy spoon! I didn't think there was any chance of that happening after he gave his teeny tiny spoon the most adorable little side-eye, but he surprised us when he picked it up without any encouragement, scooped it into his dinner, and opened his mouth as wide as he could.

The spoon almost made it to Nugget's mouth. He dropped it right before it made it, which led to the most adorable little frown I'd ever seen followed by the most adorable little grunt of frustration I'd ever heard. Rick and I weren't happy about Nugget throwing his spoon to the floor in a hangry fit, but we were ecstatic to see how close our son had come to feeding himself!

Breathe, Michonne.

I took another breath and thought about my shmoopykins.

The way he was able to control his own rage to handle his Fucking Lori Grimes business was beyond admirable, especially since I suspected the reason he'd left the barn in such a furious state—and refused to tell me why—was because Fucking Lori Grimes had said something about Nugget.

Rick may not have realized how much his composure mattered, but it did. So much. I drew strength from his strength.

Breathe.

I took one last breath and thought about myself.

I wasn't lying when I told Rick I was tired and horny. I wasveryhorny, but I was alsovery, VERYexhausted.

I'd been awake since early yesterday morning. I could barely recall what a full night's sleep felt like.

So much chaos and crazy had taken over.

I needed to keep my rage separated from that duo if I finally wanted to know peace again. Now that peace included Rick sleeping in bed next to me, I really, really wanted to know peace again.

I opened my eyes and let go of the door handle. I took another breath.

I was calm.

I was ready to handle my Fucking Lori Grimes business.

And I would have gotten to it, if not for my phone vibrating in my pocket.

Rick was texting me.

Rick: Sorry to interrupt

Rick: Do you have a minute?

I immediately thought the worst: Something had to be wrong with Rick and he needed me.

I started to open the barn door to get to him.

Rick: Nothing's wrong

Rick: Stay in the barn

Rick: I'm ok

Oh.

I quietly let out a sigh of relief.

But I was also slightly annoyed because, once again, Rick was interrupting me right when I was about to deal with Fucking Lori Grimes.

Rick: Please don't be annoyed

My eyes narrowed.

Rick: Stop that!

Rick: I'm interrupting for a good reason

Rick: I was planning on saying something to you before you saw Lori

Rick: And I just noticed you were gone

Rick: Can I have a minute?

I relaxed my narrowed eyes. I guess I couldn't be too annoyed with Rick for wanting to give me a pep talk because of course Rick would want to give me some kind of a pep talk before I saw Fucking Lori Grimes.

Michonne: Yes, Rick

Michonne: You can have a minute

Waiting just a little longer to handle my Fucking Lori Grimes business wasn't necessarily a bad thing. I could use the extra time to ensure my rage was actually under control, and chatting with Rick would help me do that.

Rick: Thank you Michonne

I leaned against the barn door and stared at my phone, waiting patiently for Rick's next text. I was expecting a reminder about our pinky promise.

Rick: We made a pinky promise

Rick: And pinky promises should never be broken

I smirked at Rick's predictability.

The next thing he'd be bringing up was how my time with Fucking Lori Grimes was limited to twenty minutes.

After that, he'd be reminding me that karmic justice was limited to one punch.

Rick: But whatever happens in there with Lori, I understand

Rick: And I'm still with you Snugglebutt

Rick: I'm always with you

Rick: Do whatever you need to do to get her out your system

Wait...

What?!

I read the texts again to be sure I wasn't imagining things.

Rick: But whatever happens in there with Lori, I understand

Rick: And I'm still with you Snugglebutt

Rick: I'm always with you

Rick: Do whatever you need to do to get her out your system

My eyebrows shot up.

Ihadbeen given the green light to do what needed to be done! It was a good thing Rick was giving it to me after I'd already reigned in my rage.

I started to grin at his bad timing but stopped when it hit me what else I'd just read.

Oh my God.

Michonne: I HAVEN'T AGREED TO SNUGGLEBUTT, RICK!

He texted back immediately.

Rick: Just testing it out

Rick: : )

I grinned and shook my head at his response and at that silly smiley face. Rick's refurbished phone didn't support emojis, so he had to use a colon and a closing parenthesis to make a smiley face. I would've teased him about it, but there was a more serious matter at hand.

Michonne: No more Snugglebutts, Pookie Poos or Honey Buns until I decide on my name!

I waited for a response.

And waited.

And waited.

Michonne: Rick!

Rick: …

Michonne: RICK!

Rick: Ok

Rick: No more snugglebutts, pookie poos or honey buns until you decide

Rick: Got it

Oh my God!

Rick was so obviously lying.

But I was going to have to let that slide since I would be a Snugglebutt, a Pookie Poo or a Honey Buns in just a few hours anyways. I sighed softly to myself and changed the subject.

Michonne: You really are ok out there?

Michonne: You've calmed down?

Rick: Yeah

Rick: Daryl put some things in perspective

I didn't doubt that. I was dying to know exactly what Daryl said to get Rick past his fury so quickly.

Rick: But I'll be even better when you're done in there

Rick: And I get to see you again

Rick: : )

And just like that, I didn't care what Daryl had said to Rick.

My butterflies giddily fluttered in my stomach, and for a long moment, all I could do was stare at my phone, grinning hard.

Michonne: We haven't been apart that long…

Michonne: You already miss me, Rick?

Rick: Yeah

Rick: I do, Michonne : ) : ) : )

Grinning wasn't enough. I did the happiest of wiggles.

Rick: Daryl's already calling back

Rick: I better answer

Rick: You know how he'll get

Rick: So nosey!

Rick: *rolling my eyes*

I had to hold in a loud cackle because Rick acting like he wasn't just as nosey as Daryl was hilarious. And now that he wasn't so pissed off, I knew those two weren't about to do anything but gossip.

Michonne: Be sure to tell D we weren't being sluts

Rick: …

Rick: …

Rick: …

Michonne: Rick!

Rick: …

Rick: …

Michonne: RICK!

Rick: Yep

Rick: I'll tell him

Rick: Got it

Oh my God.

Rick wasn't going to tell Daryl we weren't being sluts.

Rick: See ya soon Pookie Poo

Michonne: Rick!

Rick: Sorry Honey Buns

Michonne: RICK!

Rick: Just testing them out

Rick: See ya ; )

Michonne: (smiley face emoji)

I waited a few minutes to make sure Rick didn't send another text or call or knock on the door or distract me from Fucking Lori Grimes in some other way. Once it was clear that I was in the clear, I walked to the pigpens at the other end of the barn where Fucking Lori Grimes was being held.

My rage was as settled as could be. I was ready.

It was so strange walking through the barn when there were no farm animals filling it. Maggie told me Birdie cleared them out on Monday night after tying Fucking Lori Grimes up. She also told me the animals sensed the "ugly, slutty energy" coming from the barn and now refused to go anywhere near it.

Fucking Lori Grimes.

I stopped in front of her pigpen.

She was lying face down on a pile of hay that must have been serving as her bed. There was a small, portable toilet and a roll of toilet paper in the pigpen to her left.

Maggie wasn't being dramatic when she said this was too cushy of a setup for the likes of Fucking Lori Grimes.

My rage started to simmer.

"I knew you'd come back for me, Rick. I knew you wouldn't leave me here like this," Fucking Lori Grimes said in a small, shaky voice. She didn't bother turning her head to make sure she was talking to Rick.

And then she sniffled again.

And then she started whimpering as if she was crying.

Fucking Lori Grimes!

I brought my hands together to applaud her little performance. On my second slow clap, she looked over her shoulder. Her mouth dropped when she saw that it was me, not Rick, standing outside her pigpen.

She got out of her haybed with a quickness and glared at me with that nasty scowl of hers. There was no sign of tears for her to have been whimpering the way she had been.

I thought about Nugget's chubby cheeks and stayed calm.

"Where's Rick?!" she sneered, putting her hands on her hips.

I thought about Nugget's bright blue eyes and stayed calm.

"Rick!" Fucking Lori Grimes screeched.

I thought about Nugget's precious smile and stayed calm.

"Rick!" Fucking Lori Grimes screeched louder. "RIIIIIIIICK!"

There was nothing about Nugget's perfect little face that could help me block out that high-pitched, goat-like screech.

Think about the future. Think about the future. Think about the future.

I took a deep breath and thought about what the future could look like if I just stayed calm right now.

"Think about the future," I whispered to myself.

Fucking Lori Grimes was too busy screeching to hear me.

I took another breath and looked her up and down. If I disregarded her scowling, red face, she looked somewhat put together to have been tied up in a barn and injected with black-market horse tranquilizers over the past few days.

She was clean…

Those bangs of hers had clearly been in recent contact with a comb…

The pajama dress she had on was basic but looked new.

That was probably Glenn's doing. If anyone else had a say in her hygiene, she would probably look and smell like a pig right now.

There were no praises to sing about her bare feet, however. But I was certain that had nothing to do with the barn situation. Fucking Lori Grimes had undoubtedly come to King County with those sloppily applied acrylic French tips.

Beth had probably lost her mind seeing those toes.

The last thing I noticed about Fucking Lori Grimes was the rope tied around her ankle, securing her to the pigpen gate. There seemed to be just enough slack in the rope to allow her to get to the portable toilet.

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!" she screeched.

Oh my God!

I couldnottake any more screeching.

"He's not coming!" I shouted.

Fucking Lori Grimes glared at me, her chest heaving from all the screeching.

I glared back.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

"What did you do? What did you say to him this time?!" Fucking Lori Grimes fumed.

My rage boiled.

"Because the Rick I know would never leave me in here like this! Like I'm an animal!"

"He would," I informed her. "He did."

"No!" she growled. "Rick wouldn't be sloshin' in the gutter with you and your hooligan friends! That's not the Rick I know!"

"The Rick you know?! The Rick you disappeared on a year ago?!" I asked in disbelief. "Is that the Rick you're talking about? Because that Rick is dead, Lori. He's gone! The Rick who left you in here tied up, like the animal you are, isn't coming back for you! That Rick doesn't care! Because that Rick knows exactly who you are!"

"Who I am? Who am I?! Who am I, Michonne?"

I honestly couldn't believe she had to ask! There was a long list of words I could use to describe her, but I stated the most obvious.

"A whore, Lori! You are a whore!"

"I am not!" she gasped.

"You left Rick, your husband, to be with Shane, that piece of shit, when I was giving birth to Carl! You were three months pregnant with that piece of shit's child when you disappeared! You were fucking him for three years! You. Are. A. Whore. Lori!"

"I. Am. Not!" she shouted. "I wasn't… Shane isn't… That's not true!"

"Stop lying!"

My rage was fighting to make itself known. I couldn't allow that just yet. I still needed to stay in control.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

"Shane is in King County," I said as calmly as I could. "He came here… looking for his daughter. He took a paternity test! Rick took a paternity test! Judith is Shane's! Stop lying!"

Fucking Lori Grimes mouth flopped open. She was too flustered to speak. Her eyes eventually broke away from mine and drifted down.

Suddenly, her face suddenly hardened.

"You gonna hit me?" she asked, her eyes still cast low.

I looked down and saw that both my hands were balled tight.

"Go ahead, Michonne. Do it! I dare you! Gimme another reason to make sure you and every person on this farm rots in jail!"

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

I took a deep breath.

I slowly uncurled my hands.

"Rot in jail for what?" I asked as calmly as I could.

Fucking Lori Grimes kicked her leg out and gestured to the rope tied around her ankle. "For keepin' me locked up in this barn!"

"After you were caught trespassing," I deadpanned. "The day after you were told this was private property when you showed up and ruined my son's first birthday!" I shouted.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

My hands had balled into fists again.

I uncurled them.

I took another breath.

"Do you honestly think Sheriff Kendal will care about what happened to a trespasser who was warned about trespassing?" I asked. "He won't."

He would.

Sheriff Kendal would care very much, but Fucking Lori Grimes didn't need to know that.

"You've already proven yourself to be a danger to the community," I reminded her. "There's an eye-witness account on file of you threatening me with a bat."

"You destroyed my SUV!" Fucking Lori Grimes screeched.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I innocently replied with a slight shoulder shrug.

Fucking Lori Grimes was infuriated. She stormed over to me but was jerked to a stop a few feet away by the rope around her ankle.

"Dopin' me up with God knows what is still a crime! You hooligans will rot," she sneered.

"Do you honestly think there's a traceable amount of anything in your body right now? There's not."

I didn't know if that was true.

I just needed Fucking Lori Grimes to believe it to get her to stop talking.

It appeared to have done the trick.

She was back to glaring at me with her lips pressed together in an angry frown.

"You'll just be the dangerous trespasser make up lies," I said, pulling what Maggie had printed for me from my pocket.

"What the hell is that?!" Fucking Lori Grimes growled.

I ignored her and unfolded the four-page document.

"I'm not signin' anythang else! Rick already had me sign divorce papers and—"

"These aren't divorce papers!" I interrupted, pulling a pen from my pocket. I made a mental note to celebrate the signing of divorce papers with a happy dance later. "This is an admission form for the Woodbury Wellness Center."

I knew about Woodbury through Mika. Her sister's group home was part of Woodbury Behavioral Health's sprawling, multi-service medical complex located a few miles from Atlanta. The Wellness Center was in the same complex. It provided inpatient treatment for broken people like Fucking Lori Grimes.

If she agreed to be admitted, she'd be treated by a care team headed by Dr. Nathaniel Danger, whose last name was in no way indicative of what his patients could expect. He was a renowned medical professional in the Atlanta area and recognized as the best of the best at the Wellness Center. I'd spoken to him over the phone and found him to be very direct, somewhat prickly, and undeniably compassionate. Dr. Danger was what Fucking Lori Grimes needed to get her shit together.

"You think I'm fillin' out that paperwork?! I won't!" she shouted.

"You need help, Lori!"

"No. I. Don't!"

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

I took a deep breath.

I didn't know if Fucking Lori Grimes was going to listen, but I needed her to hear me.

"Carl… Judith… they're perfect, innocent little babies right now," I told her as calmly as I could, trying my very hardest to control my rage. "They don't understand what you've done. They haven't felt the effects of your behavior. But they won't be babies forever. Rick and I can only shield our son from you for so long. Judith can only be shielded for so long. When those babies are adults, they'll make their own choices that we'll have to respect. And if they choose to want to know you—the person who left her biological child the day he was born with no explanation, no concern, no remorse… the person who would try to convince the husband she abandoned to abandon his family and raise a daughter that isn't his..."

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

I took a shaky breath.

"Carl and Judith can never meet this version of you, Lori.Ever. I will not allow you to hurt them. You need help."

"And if I don't sign? Then what?"

I ignored her insolent tone and replied, "Then you don't sign."

"Then I'm not signin' a goddamn thang!" she shouted. She stomped to her haybed and lied down on her side with her back to me.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

I took a deep breath.

"Before you make that decision, understand you only have two choices here," I told her as calmly as I could. "You can admit yourself to Woodbury, or I can call Andrea and tell her where you are, and then you can deal with the consequences of that phone call."

Fucking Lori Grimes shot up out of her haybed and glared at me. "You think I'm scared of that homewrecker?! Call her! Tell her where I am! I'll take care of her after I take care of you!"

Oh my God.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose and took the deepest breath. I'd been so focused on Fucking Lori Grimes being a big whore that I'd lost sight of her also being an idiot.

"Lori, follow along," I said slowly. "After I tell Andrea where you are, That Piece of Shit Shane will know where to find you. He's not happy with you. He had no idea where Judith was for days. You crossed state lines with her without his consent, violating whatever custody agreement you have. He's very eager to get you back to Florida to put you in a jail cell."

"Shane would never!" she shrieked.

I ignored her.

"When you leave this barn today, you'll either go to Woodbury or to jail—jailtime that will start in King County for trespassing and end in Florida for anything That Piece of Shit Shane can make stick."

Fucking Lori Grimes was glaring again, but I saw behind it. She was weighing her options.

I waited more and more impatiently as every second passed.

"How long?" she asked.

"How long what?"

"How long would I be at Woodbury?!" she snapped.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

"Not your concern," I growled.

And I also couldn't provide her with a definite answer. Dr. Danger would be providing me with detailed updates on her progress every six months. I'd sign off on her release when I was satisfied with the progress she made. She could be a patient for six months, a year, three years, five years, ten years or much, much longer.

The conditions of her release were outlined in the paperwork.

"I don't have fancy lawyer money like you, do I?" Fucking Lori Grimes snapped. "How am I supposed to pay for this?!"

"Not your concern."

Woodbury was a possibility because of Eugene. After Panty Man was taken care of, he wanted to know if I needed his FBI contacts to give Fucking Lori Grimes the Panty Man treatment. I turned down the assistance. My only concern was getting in my punches.

But Eugene got me thinking about what came after the punching. My thoughts always landed on Nugget and Pumpkin. As sick as it made me to admit it, those two wouldn't be here without Fucking Lori Grimes. She was a part of them. And because of that, I started considering options that would ultimately help her. Woodbury Behavioral Health services seemed like the best option.

A plan formed when I discussed the approach I wanted to take with Eugene. I couldn't talk to the Greenes about it—they were too hellbent on vengeance. I couldn't talk to Glenn about it—he would tell the Greenes. It wouldn't be his fault. He was just too pure and honest and couldn't help his loose lips. I did want to talk to Rick and Daryl about it but only after Fucking Lori Grimes chose Woodbury. I'd hate for Rick to get his hopes up that she might accept the help only for her to turn it down.

Talking to Eugene ended up being a very good thing. He had a connection at Woodbury Behavioral Health… his best friend Nat—known professionally as Dr. Nathaniel Danger. I'm not sure how Eugene did it, but Dr. Danger would be treating Fucking Lori Grimes free of charge.

"You have three seconds to decide, Lori. Woodbury or jail. I don't care what choice you make."

That was a lie because I did care.

Very much.

But if Fucking Lori Grimes knew I wanted her to choose Woodbury, she'd reject it out of spite.

"Three, two, one. Woodbury or jail? Give me your decision. Now."

Fucking Lori Grimes scoffed and tossed her hair over shoulder. "You do care what I choose," she said, looking like the cat that ate the canary. "And if you think I'm givin' you and that homewrecker the satisfaction of seein' me in jail, you're wrong, Mi-chonne. I choose Woodbury!"

She got as close to me as the rope would allow, turned away from me and held out her hand as if the sight of me disgusted her.

"Gimme the paperwork," she demanded.

BREATHE, MICHONNE!

I took a deep breath.

"Read this carefully. Fill it out completely," I instructed in a low voice as I walked to her. "And Lori… I don't want to hear another word from you until you're done."

I handed her the paperwork and the pen, which she snatched from me before walking to her haybed and taking a seat.

BREATHE, MICHONNE! BREATHE!

I took two deep breaths.

For the next few minutes, I glared at Fucking Lori Grimes, watching her go through the first page of the admission form.

My rage was close to boiling over. It was best I stopped looking at her.

Fucking Lori Grimes.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through the pictures from Nugget's birthday to occupy myself. I stopped on the picture Beth took when she came by to chat with me and Rick. I really did look ridiculous wearing my Wonder Woman costume with Glenn's straw hat. Rick looked equally ridiculous wearing his too tight brown shirt with my Wonder Woman tiara. And Nugget looked ridiculously adorable reaching for my hat with the biggest, silliest, sugar-induced grin on his face.

I got lost in the picture. That moment was one I wished I could relive.

"I guess I should congratulate you, Michonne…"

There wasn't one bit of sincerity in what Fucking Lori Grimes had just said. I continued admiring the birthday pic.

"Looks like you're finally gettin' what you always wanted... To be me. Congratulations."

Wow.

WOW!

Me?

Wanting to be Fucking Lori Grimes?

Me?!

ME?!

She'd said something similar the night she pulled LuLu on me, but I was too focused on not breaking her jaw or kicking her teeth in to respond.

I was able to respond now.

And I did.

With the heartiest belly laugh.

I laughed so hard I dropped my phone.

I laughed so hard I had to wipe tears from my eyes.

The idea that I had ever at any point in my life wanted to be Fucking Lori Grimes was outrageous and offensive. It took a while for me to compose myself.

"Laugh all you want. It doesn't change the truth," Fucking Lori Grimes snarled, jumping up from her haybed. "When we were fourteen years old, Rick chose me over you! He asked me to be his girlfriend. You've wished you were me since that day!"

My fingers twitched, not out of anger but because I was fighting so hard not to pick up my phone to call Maggie to cackle over what Fucking Lori Grimes was saying.

"Admit it, Michonne! Woman up!"

Being told to "woman up" by Fucking Lori Grimes made me start laughing all over again. Her audacity really was something else.

I let out a few more chuckles and wiped away the last of my tears.

Fucking Lori Grimes was so fucking clueless.

Yes, I had the biggest crush on Rick when we were kids. And yes, I was heartbroken and thought the world was crashing down on me when Rick didn't have the same crush on me. I thought he did, but he didn't.

I got over it. I moved on.

I had a boyfriend one week into summer break.

"You couldn't stand to be around me because Rick was mine and you were jealous!" Fucking Lori Grimes shouted.

She was wrong again.

I never had a reason to be jealous. At fourteen years old, I was wise enough to accept that if Fucking Lori Grimes was Rick's type, then I wasn't Rick's type. He and I just being friends still meant everything.

And I had made a genuine effort to befriend Fucking Lori Grimes that summer. I had no choice. She was always around Rick. What she was conveniently forgetting was that we had nothing in common except for Rick.

She didn't like riding a bike, or reading comic books, or foreign movie Saturdays, or backyard camping.

And she hated Big Kats.

When we were fourteen, me not liking Fucking Lori Grimes had nothing to do with Rick and everything to do with Fucking Lori Grimes.

She'd never grown into a more interesting or likeable person, not when we were in high school and not when we became adults.

"And that surrogacy—"

"Enough!" I shouted.

I was not going to listen to her twist the surrogacy into something sick. I wouldn't be able to handle her saying anything about the beautiful boy that came from it.

My rage boiled hard and fast.

Fucking.

Lori.

Grimes.

The truth she refused to accept was that I'd agreed to be a surrogate because I thought she and Rick were in a happy, healthy, loving relationship and were ready to love and raise a child together.

If she'd ever taken the time to respect the friendship Rick and I had, she would never doubt or question the kind of love that drove me to want to be their surrogate.

And if she'd been paying any attention at all, she should've understood that I'd have done the same thing for Daryl if he'd been in Rick's position because I'd always do whatever I could to help make their dreams come true—just like Daryl and Rick would always do for me.

Obviously, I had more than friend feelings for Rick now, but those developed after Fucking Lori Grimes disappeared and was out of the picture. I didn't realize it at the time, but things shifted the day Rick slid the notecard under my door with three very powerful words written on it.

"I'm still here."

With that declaration, Rick was choosing to fight to be the best dad to Nugget, and the best co-partner to me, and the best him he could be, and something started to blossom. I just couldn't recognize it while taking care of a newborn, and dealing with daily Fucking Lori Grimes rage, and figuring out co-partnering with a lovesick co-partner coming out of depression.

"Am I touchin' a nerve, Mi-chonne?" Fucking Lori Grimes sneered.

This bitch!

BREATHE, MICH—

Wait.

I didn't need to take another breath.

I'd come into the barn with two goals: to present Fucking Lori Grimes with an opportunity to get help and to get my karmic justice.

It was finally time to let my rage soar.

"Can't take the heat, Mi-chonne?!"

I began walking to her, taking purposeful strides.

"I see right through you, Mi-chonne! I always have!"

Unfortunately for her, she didn't see my right cross coming. But she most certainly felt the rage-fueled force of my fist in her face.

There was no holding back with that punch.

I only had one. I made it count for Nugget, for Rick, for me.

Fucking Lori Grimes dropped to the ground.

"You said I could do it," I muttered, shaking my hand out.

I snatched the Woodbury paperwork from her haybed and reviewed it. She'd actually filled it out and signed. That was another thing I'd have to happy dance about later. Right now, I wanted Fucking Lori Grimes gone as quickly as possible.

I slid the paperwork in my pocket and got my phone to text Eugene.

Michonne: (thumbs up emoji)

He wasted no time texting me back.

EP: A cockadoodledoo to you

EP: The good doctor will be there at oh six hundred hours

EP: That is a guarandamntee!

I would've thanked him and cockadoodledoo'd him back, but my hand was really burning. I put my phone in my pocket and cradled my hand to my chest to try to soothe it.

"Fucking Lori Grimes," I murmured, staring at her unconscious body.

But something was different. I wasn't weighed down by rage when I spoke her name. She still disgusted me, but for the first time since she uttered that "I can't" on the phone when I was between contractions, the thought of her existence didn't set every fiber of my being ablaze.

The glee and relief from that hit me hard. I had to take a seat on the haybed.

There would be no more chaos.

No more crazy.

The Fucking Lori Grimes nightmare was finally over!

I took a breath and cried happy tears.


"You want me to take her for you?" Daryl asked, his voice much quieter than usual.

"Nah, I'm good," Rick whispered.

"You sure? If you drop her—"

"I'm not droppin' her, Daryl. I got her."

Daryl grunted.

Huh?

Was Rick carrying me?

I felt a kiss on the top of my head and realized he was carrying me.

"She's gonna chew your ass out when she finds out what you're doin'. Probably mine too," Daryl grumbled. "Hold up, I'll get the door."

"I can handle Michonne."

Daryl grunted.

Daryl was also right.

Rick and I were going to have words. He had no business carrying me when he could barely manage his injuries without his pain pills. I could hear him wheezing every few breaths from the strain he was under.

Lucky for him, I was more asleep than awake and didn't have the energy to fuss at him. I couldn't even open my eyes to narrow them at him.

"She must be exhausted," Daryl whispered.

"Yeahhhh, she is. Hershel checked her hand after she was done in the barn, and she fell asleep right after that. I couldn't even wake her up when the Woodbury folks got there for Lori."

Huh?

I missed Dr. Danger taking Rick's soon-to-be ex-wife to Woodbury?

"That skank's really gone?" Daryl asked.

"She is, and she didn't go quiet," Rick muttered. "Beth got it on video for Michonne. She said she's gonna add special effects before she sends it out."

Daryl quietly snorted. "Can't wait to see that shit."

I felt myself being slowly lowered and all thoughts of Rick's soon-to-be ex-wife fizzled out as my body sank into something oh so delightfully soft and comfortable.

I knew that soft and comfortable feeling.

I was in bed, lying on my side.

"Will you get her shoes?" Rick asked.

Daryl grunted.

While he untied my shoelaces and carefully pulled off one of my shoes, it felt like Rick was carefully lifting my right arm and positioning it on a pillow.

"What's up with 'Chonne's hand? That's from punchin' Lori?" Daryl asked, carefully pulling off my other shoe.

"It is," Rick sighed, sounding slightly distressed. "Hershel wrapped it. He thinks it may be fractured. Siddiq's on duty and said he'll swing by later today to check it out if she's too tired to go to the hospital."

"She broke her hand fuckin' Lori up?! She hit her that hard? Way to go, 'Chonney!" Daryl cheered.

"Daryl! Shhhh! Don't wake her! She needs sleep!" Rick caressed my arm and softly kissed my shoulder. "And yeah, way to go," he whispered with pride.

"Good job, 'Chonne!" Daryl whisper-cheered.

"Help me with the blanket?" Rick asked.

"Yep."

A few moments later, I felt my body being covered by my wonderfully soft blanket. I would've sighed in bliss if I had the energy.

"Hey, Rick… um, I didn't say it yet cuz of everythang that's been happenin', but I'm happy for you and 'Chonne. Real happy."

I could feel Rick's bright smile and then heard him hiss from smiling too big. "Thanks, D."

I would've grinned at Daryl if I had the energy.

"And look… if, uh, it's gonna be you and Michonne now… and you two need me to stop comin' around... I get it."

What?!

"What?! No one's askin' or expectin' you to stop comin' around," Rick objected.

I listened for Daryl's grunt.

It didn't come.

"Daryl, you're not goin' anywhere," Rick stressed. "I can't speak for Michonne, but I know she'll tell you the same thang. You're always welcome. This is your home as much as your home is ours. That ain't changin'. Michonne, you and me… It's the three of us. Forever."

I agreed with everything Rick said. There was no Crazy, Sexy, Cool without Daryl. I never, ever wanted him to feel like he didn't belong or wasn't still one of the most important people in our lives just because Rick and I were Richonne now.

"Alright," Daryl mumbled.

"Alright," Rick said reassuringly. "I love you, brother."

Daryl grunted. "Love you."

It sounded like they were bro hugging it out. If I had the energy, I would've gotten out of bed and wrapped my arms around them.

Daryl cleared his throat after they separated. A comfortable silence settled before he spoke again.

"Remember how we used to threaten Michonne's boyfriends?"

"I do," Rick answered, laughing a little.

Huh?

Daryl and Rick used to threaten my boyfriends?

"I still think about the time that dipshit almost cried," Rick said fondly.

"And that asshole that almost pissed himself," Daryl said fondly.

They quietly laughed together.

Huh?

How many boyfriends had they threatened?

Who was the dipshit?

Who was the asshole?

"The thang is, now that you and Michonne are a thang, you know I gotta threaten you," Daryl murmured.

"Yeah, you do," Rick agreed. "I'd be pissed if you didn't. Go ahead."

"Ok… Rick, if you ever hurt Michonne, if you break her heart, I'll break your face," Daryl warned, sounding deadly serious.

"I hear you, D. And I'd deserve it," Rick replied. "But the only thang I plan on doin' is cherishin' her heart, and protectin' it, and adorin' it, and—"

"Ok, ok, enough of that shit," Daryl grumbled good-naturedly. "I'll talk to Michonne the next time I see her and threaten her too."

A beat of silence passed.

"You're gonna tell Michonne—this Michonne—that you'll break her face if she breaks my heart?"

Another beat of silence passed.

"Maybe I'll say it different."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

Yeah.

But I did appreciate Daryl's protectiveness, and I wasn't going to break Rick's heart, either.

"I gotta go and get ready for work," Daryl mumbled, sounding like he really wanted to stay. "You gonna get some sleep?"

"Nah. Carl will be up soon, and Michonne may wake up and need somethin'. I'll nap later."

Daryl grunted.

Nugget!

If I had the energy to jump out of bed and run to the nursery to see my Nugget's precious sleeping face, I would've.

"Take more spaghetti if you want," Rick urged.

"Already packed some up. And I took the salad dressin'."

Huh?

Daryl didn't eat enough salad to justify taking the entire bottle of salad dressing. If only I had the energy to roll my eyes...

"Hey, if you heard someone say, 'Funcle D,' what would you think of?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know," Rick answered after giving it some thought. "Sounds kinda like a medical condition. A fungus maybe?"

"Goddamn it," Daryl grumbled.

If only I had the energy to cackle…

"You tryin' to tell me somethin'?" Rick asked. "Do you have Funcle D? Is it contagious?"

I could hear the middle finger Daryl was giving Rick and knew that's why Rick was laughing.

"See ya, man. I'll call y'all on my lunch break. If you need anythang before then, call me."

I heard them giving each other another bro hug.

"Love you, 'Chonney," Daryl whispered, giving my foot a light squeeze.

Love you, Daryl.

I heard him leave the room, walk to the kitchen, and then leave the house.

And then everything was quiet.

When I started wondering if I'd dozed off and missed the sound of Rick's footsteps leaving the room, I felt his soft lips press against the side of my forehead.

"How'd I get so lucky?" he whispered.

It was the last thing I heard before I drifted off to sleep.

I may not have had the energy to smile, but my heart and soul were beaming.


A/N: Almost there! Two chapters and an epilogue to go.

Thank you for reading! Comments are appreciated!