Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead. This story will be just as dark as the series.
Chapter One: Carl's Birthday
Michonne grabbed her groceries and items from Olivia. It was rare that she deviated from their weekly rations, but three times a year her household splurged: Christmas, Judith's birthday, and Carl's birthday. Although the Safe Zone provided necessities, she had to work more for it to be just the three of them. Five was the recommended quantity; her house just held three. Michonne continuously worked. She never knew when clothes, books, or medicines were needed. Judith had allergies and asthma. She had both a growing boy and girl in her home. It was a pricey combination. Carl stopped going school when he was fifteen and currently worked. He worked the fence or the garden depending on the day. Because of this, she wasn't struggling with their expenses as much.
'You're working too hard, Michonne.' Michonne looked around. Rick gave her a reassuring smile before walking away. She didn't chase him. It was rare when she heard Rick's voice or apparition. His phantom was coming less and less. This was good. She'd been separated from Rick Grimes for over two years now. She'd long accepted that he wasn't coming back; she was grateful he'd existed though. He'd given her life some purpose. Thinking of the rugged cowboy that sauntered away, she wondered if she truly remembered what he looked like. Was she making up those piercing blue eyes or his curly brown hair? Was she over-embellishing his looks? He seemed to get more handsome with each memory. However, the relationship she had with imaginary Rick was strictly platonic and strong, just like the relationship she formed with the real Rick Grimes at the prison. She sighed. She wished she could see him again. Hopefully, he was alive wherever he was. She wanted him to know she'd kept her promise. His children were alive and they were safe. All they were missing was their father.
Michonne looked at her watch and cursed. There was no way she would have Carl's cake baked and decorated before he returned from work. She still needed to pick Judith up from Tyreese's. She debated not going over. Tyreese probably wouldn't mind much, but that would be wrong. He had a life of his own, a job, and a girlfriend. Judith was her responsibility. She shifted the groceries in her hand and knocked on Tyreese's door.
"Hey 'Chonne," Tyreese opened the door to invite her in. Judith was sleeping on the floor next to Tyreese's dog. Michonne grimaced. She hated dogs. Luckily, the old mutt just laid there.
Michonne nodded and walked in. "I can't stay long." She noticed Tyreese's girlfriend was there. She was also Noah's mother. The brown-skinned woman was older than Tyreese and Michonne, but she looked their age. It was evident by the perfected twist-out that she cared about her appearance and had a lot of time on her hands. Time was good. Michonne gave her a smirk. Perhaps she wasn't doing Tyreese any favors by coming over in that moment. She knew the couple like to serenade each other. "I could come back tomorrow. Or in the next ten minutes if you guys are that frisky."
"Girl, get your baby!" Noah's mom said laughing and covering a blush.
Michonne raised a hand in defeat. The other was still carrying groceries. She bent down and gently shook Judith. She opened her sleepy brown eyes. She wanted to keep sleeping. "No 'Chonne, no."
Tyreese felt bad. "I could carry her or the bags, Michonne."
She declined. "No, she won't go to sleep tonight if you do that." Michonne held her hand for Judith. The little girl whined crankily in protest as she took it. "Judith, be quiet." She was instantly silent. During their time on the road Michonne instilled the importance of silence in the youngest Grimes. She would reward her for listening as soon as they got home. "Thank you, Tyreese. Yolanda, I'll see you later."
Michonne walked with Judith, hand in hand. People greeted her, the adults by her name and the children with "Carl's mom". That nickname always made her uncomfortable. She loved Carl like a son, but she didn't know if that was appropriate. She didn't want to replace Lori, and nobody could replace Andre. Although she was forgetting Rick's features and others she knew, she remembered her baby. She still longed for him. She vaguely remembered Lori's image from the picture she got for Carl. She looked at Judith who was pouting, but still silent. She remember thinking Lori was very fair. Judy was lucky to have such an attractive woman as her mother. Michonne knew she would grow to be just as lovely.
"Michonne," the dark-skinned mother turned to see the former priest running to her. He was sweating and smelled of soil. He worked in the gardens with Carl when he wasn't at church or teaching reading courses at the school. He grabbed Michonne's bags. "Let me help you."
"Hi Gaybwiel!"
"Well hello, Judy. How are you today?"
"Chonne is mean." Judith pouted.
Gabriel gasped. "I'll tell her to stop being so mean to you."
Judith smiled a little, satisfied and avenged. "Thank you."
Michonne tried to frown. However there was a twinkle in her eye. "Why do you all spoil her so much?"
"She's just so cute, Michonne... Just like her mother."
This time Michonne did frown. "Gabriel..."
Gabriel opened the door for Michonne and watched Judith while she made Carl's cake. There was tension between them. Michonne focused on her task and not the cute clergyman a room away. They had history. On occasions, she would turn to him for comfort. After a pregnancy scare she stopped completely, but he had developed romantic feelings for her. He wanted more than trysts whereas Michonne only wanted them. Even though he was great with Judith, Carl didn't mind him, and they were used to his presence, she didn't want a husband. She did not want commitment.
Meanwhile...
"Hey Grimes, I just saw your mama come from the commissary."
Carl grew interested. He was used to people calling Michonne his mother, he didn't even react anymore. "Oh, what cake did she buy?"
"Chocolate."
"Yes!" Carl was excited. He was supposed to be off already, but he stayed an extra hour to take care of a build up the wall was having. It gave him a boost and he worked a little faster. Build ups were rare now. Carl remembered when their apocalypse began and walkers were numerous and seemed undefeatable; now they were an infrequent nuisance.
"Gabriel also headed to your house."
Carl frowned. "You stalking my family now, Combs?"
"With Miss Michonne looking like she do, you bet I am."
Carl and his coworkers continued to rag on each other even after Carl clocked out. Noah replaced him, not before giving him a gift and Carl went home. He left later than he intended, but he was glad he stayed. Joking with his peers was fun, but the work itself gave him a lot of satisfaction. Alexandria was a special place; he loved doing his part to keep ASZ safe and thriving. It was home.
Speaking of home, Carl started thinking about his birthday cake. He hadn't had fresh baked goods in a while. He walked fast at first, but thinking about his cake, he soon broke into a sprint. He almost ran into a very pregnant Rosita. He screamed his apologizes and went home. Carl opened the door and was greeted by the sweet smell of his cake and the squeals of his sister.
Michonne woke up at the crack of dawn and got ready for the run. She washed, kissed Judith, and told Carl she'd return in a couple of days. After grabbing stale pop-tarts, she left. "Michonne," he was waiting for her. She gave him a hard look. It was too early in the morning for nonsense. She was honestly avoiding him. "I have an early shift. I thought I'd walk you to the front gate."
Michonne noticed that there was something in his pocket. "That all?"
Gabriel gave her a shy grin. "No." Gabriel got on one knee. "I was thinking about all that's happened between us. Us on the road... The baby..."
"There was no baby."
"But there can be. I want there to be, one day. I love you and I want to build a family with you."
"..."
Gabriel grinned in sheer embarrassment. "I'm never sure if silence is good with you."
The alert that signaled new survivors sounded. Michonne used it as her opportunity to flee the awkward situation she was in. They both knew she was going to say no. "...I have to go."
Gabriel caught Michonne by the wrist. "Michonne," he looked in her dark eyes with his last plea. "Will you at least think about it?"
She sighed and gave a nod. She valiantly fought the urge to roll her eyes. Forgetting it, Michonne joined her reconnaissance group.
Michonne never got to see the newcomers. Instead, she joined her group and went scouting. They scavenged Caswell County, North Carolina and didn't find much. They set traps and waited to bring the game back to Alexandria. They'd lost their deer farm last winter and hopefully the traps would yield a strong buck. It didn't, but overall gain was fair. Personally, Michonne found a few posters for Carl and building blocks for Judith. After she got Eugene to sanitize them, she would give them to Judith for her birthday. After a week, they returned with fresh rabbit meat and knickknacks.
Michonne went to the place Eugene shared with his roommates. Eugene would clean Michonne's blocks in exchange for one of the posters she was planning on giving to Carl. She agreed, told him goodbye and left. Purposely skipping Gabriel's home, Michonne went home. She wondered if he noticed. She could see him. He was eating a meal with his adopted daughter and her dog. They looked like a real family. Michonne fumbled with her keys before finally deciding to bang on the door for Carl. "I come with booty, Grimes. I need you to open the door!"
Heavy footsteps approached the door. Michonne glared at the door. Everyone knew better than to be in her house without permission and they were too heavy to be Carl's. She dropped the birthday gifts for the children and grabbed the hilt of her sword. The door opened. Michonne lifted the sword an inch before she let it drop again. She stared at what she thought was another apparition.
"...Rick?" She was pulled into a tight hug. Rick wrapped his arms around her waist and put his face in her hair. It seemed like a dream. It had been so long. She was so sure she was imaging this, but she was never able to touch her hallucinations.
Rick was also in disbelief. He had been there for days rekindling with his children. He was gone for so long. Judith was walking, talking and sassy. Carl was a man. Carl was eager to tell him about everything he missed, the last of his schooling, his jobs, when they were on the road and became detached from the group. It was so bittersweet. He'd missed so much. Rick wasn't as open when explaining his whereabouts. He'd spent about a third of a year tracking down a man who raped Tara when she went for a bath. They were held by a herd of over five thousand in South Carolina. He didn't lose anybody in his group, but Glenn lost half of his arm, Tara was attacked and they all killed, a lot. The only person he knew would understand was in his arms. He pulled from their embrace so he could stare at her. It had been hell getting to them.
"Thank you for keeping my children safe." He touched her face.
Michonne touched the calloused hand and felt his arm. She traveled to his chest and then touched his face. It was smooth; Carl must have bought his father a razor. Michonne tried to keep the tears from falling. "I'm amazed you're real." Rick showed his confusion. Michonne replayed her words. It must have sounded like she gave up hope. "I would see you, talk to you sometimes." She could no longer hold it in. "I never doubted you were alive. Not one moment. I lost hope that you'd find us. I'm sorry."
Rick kissed her forehead and rubbed his hands on her arms. "You never have to say those words to me. I'll never leave y'all again."
Michonne wiped her eyes. "You hungry? I've got jerky or oatmeal if you want."
"I'm fine." They stared at each other, so many things unsaid.
"What job do they give you?"
Rick gave her an amused grin. "Isn't it obvious? I'm a constable."
Michonne smiled. "I should have known. Where are you staying?"
Rick's grin grew larger. "I'm staying here."
Michonne's smile slowly started to fade. She was happy to see Rick again. All she wanted was for him to be reunited with his children. However, he was now entering her space. Ten minutes and she was already feeling suffocated. Rick looked at her with a degree of intensity that unnerved her. What had he been through that made his eyes this way? Michonne grew somewhat sad. She hated that she had to be alarmed. Rick Grimes was attractive and rugged, but she was looking in the eyes of a man she did not know.
Michonne wasn't sure she was pleased to meet him.
(A/N) This is paired Rick/Michonne for a reason. Don't forget to review.
Next Chapter: Rick and Michonne think about the day they became separated.