Guest and mtnwknd: Thank you for your review. I hope you continue reading; here's chapter two.

Chapter Two: Breakfast

Coda...

Michonne looked at the discolored grey fingers coming out of the church. She knew she could take care of them by herself, but she didn't like the idea of leaving Carl and Judith exposed in the woods since her attention and focus would be inside the church. Experience taught her to be alert of other people. Zombies weren't the main problem anymore. Carl had survival skills, but he couldn't even handle a small herd on his own especially with Judith. Gabriel was useless. She had been so preoccupied with Judith that she didn't notice him leave. She would not make that mistake again.

Michonne went to the doors of the church. She stabbed a few walkers trying to get out and shut the doors. She broke off a finger that was smashed in the doors and wrote a message in the congealing blood. We're in the neighborhood. -Michonne

"So we are running," Carl asked moreso in a statement after reading her message. She could tell by his tone that he disapproved.

"We can't stay outside, not with Judith, but we aren't leaving this town without your dad."

Gabriel tapped Michonne. She turned to him, but didn't say anything. He could tell she was understandably upset with him. It seemed like everything he did made things worse for them. He didn't want to stay on her bad side. Especially after seeing what she did with Theresa. "There are places close by where we could stay." Michonne placed Judith on her back again and had Gabriel lead the way. Carl had her back. Gabriel led her to a house with a swing set in the backyard. They didn't even consider playing. Michonne took Carl with her to search the house. It was empty of walkers and people. Carl went to the kitchen. He opened the cabinets to see most things had been taken. Luckily what remained was baby food. Gabriel became sad. "Their son was two."

Michonne took Judith out of the sling and gave her to Carl. She didn't give the people who used to own the house much thought. Instead, she divided the baby food. She kept two jars for Judith, she was going to share the last with Carl. Gabriel would have to wait until she found them something to eat tomorrow when she checked the church for their group. It wasn't cruel. Gabriel was more nourished that they were. Michonne was surprisingly content. She wasn't worried. She knew Rick would camp back there and send a party after them. They always found each other.

Michonne still wasn't worried days later when Rick and the rest that went to Atlanta didn't return. Since they were trying to extract Carol and Beth, she knew that they would try to be stealthy. Stealth was time consuming. Atlanta was also overrun. There were probably many unexpected surprises. She wouldn't worry until they were gone another week. Carl changed Judith's diaper and gave her a bottle of formula. Michonne smiled at them both. Carl was becoming a well-rounded man. One that could defend himself and others, but at the same time nurtured. Michonne thought of Rick; he was that type of man. She couldn't wait to reunite with him. Hopefully they'd find a place for the group to settle down. They needed to find a place or make one. This town, even their setup at the church, was temporary.

The sound of the door nob rattling took Michonne out of her thoughts. She and Carl looked at each other. Michonne grabbed her sword. She waited to hear her name, hoping that it was someone from their group. Instead there was a weak attempt to break down the front door. "The door's locked. I think there's someone in there boss." Somebody slurred.

"Eh. Burn it down anyway. I want to see some lights."

Michonne and Carl got up and gathered their supplies. She pointed to the backdoor. Carl placed Judith on his back and checked the back exit. Surprisingly none of the strange men were there. Before he had time to process why, a Molotov broke through the window. Judith screamed and cried.

"You's guys hear that? That a baby?" Someone asked while throwing another bomb inside the house.

"I'll be damned, sounds like it."

Michonne pushed them out of the back of the house and silently went around. She had long ago unsheathed her sword. She didn't know what they wanted, but she wasn't going to lose her group. She was finally around the house, but didn't like what she saw. There were about fifteen people in their group, both men and women. She could smell the alcohol on them from her location. Her odds weren't good. Someone spotted Michonne. He pointed her out to what seemed to be his partner and waved. The couple shooed her away. Michonne looked at him in confusion. She didn't know if they were running her into a trap or truly trying to spare her. It didn't matter. There were too many for her to handle by herself where she was now. She met with Carl and Gabriel and pointed to the woods. Judith was still crying, but the arsonists made no moves to investigate. The roar of their laughter died with each step deeper into the woods.

"Nobody's chasing us." Gabriel realized. "Maybe we should go back. Maybe they're good people."

"No." Michonne decided. "They aren't." Just because they weren't a band of rapist and murderers didn't mean they were humanitarians. Those people didn't give a damn whether they lived or died. They were just looking for fun. There were so many of them. They really needed to find the rest of their group. They were very vulnerable at the moment. Gabriel was still freaking out and asking to turn around. Michonne grew impatient. "It's gone Gabriel."

"Then l-let's go back. Go back to the c-church."

"We're going to meet up with Glenn and Maggie."

"We don't know what's in DC! We-"

"There's no longer anywhere we can hide. You no longer have the luxury to fear. You're going to have to fight." Michonne looked in Gabriel's eyes. "You're going to have to kill." Gabriel nodded, but he was still petrified. Michonne noticed this. She looked at Carl and Judith. Carl was calm and ready. Michonne was going to keep them alive. She was already making plans to sacrifice Gabriel if it became necessary.

Now...

Michonne woke up to the smell of breakfast. She was definitely confused. The only type of food she could afford was instant. The rabbit was something she caught for the family and didn't turn over. That was rare. It was strange that she could smell eggs and meat. Michonne put on her clothes and jumped out of bed. "You still react to the smallest thangs." Michonne turned around to see Rick sitting on her bed. She looked at him in confusion since Rick Grimes slept on the couch last night. Unlike the real Rick, this one wasn't clean-shaven. He looked the way he did many years ago when they lost the prison. It was her mind again. She was wondering why she was still seeing phantoms when Rick was back in their lives, alive. "Why am I here, Michonne?"

"I don't know."

"You're smarter than that." Rick smiled at her. "I'm back. Rick's back. You don't have to do this anymore."

"Are you really back, Rick?" Michonne sat next to her hallucination. "You've been out there too long. I've been in here too long. I don't think we're in sync anymore."

"God Michonne, I don't think Rick cares that much."

"For now, I know." Michonne turned away. "Once the initial shock wears off, who knows. Rick will be settling into a new life, meet other people. We aren't there anymore. Our lives aren't in each other's hands. Everything we had before, who says it's still there? And if it is, what happens when it fades? Part of me wonders if it was a good idea for us to be housed together. What if he takes his kids from me? What if he can't adapt? This feels..."

She turned back to see that the phantom of Rick had disappeared. Michonne knew it was for the best. She shouldn't be talking with it anyway. That needed to be said to Rick. Michonne already knew she wouldn't. Rick had better things to deal with than her insecurity. Michonne left her bedroom and went to the kitchen. Michonne's jaw almost dropped. The table was set. There was fresh fruit, bacon, eggs, grits and juice. Rick was sitting next to Judith. He was talking to her as she fed herself. When he they were separated, she still needed help with that. Now she didn't. Even though Rick hadn't turned around, he knew Michonne was behind him. "I made breakfast."

"How'd you get it?" Michonne asked without expression. She knew Rick didn't get this in rations. They received fruit, but not to the point where they could make juice. Meat was dried as jerky and stored. He shouldn't have bacon. She knew he stole it. She was amazed he got such a huge stash without getting caught. Rick gave her a small smile. He knew what she was thinking. He always found himself staring at her. He still couldn't believe he found his family. His gaze was intense. He looked at her eyes, her scars, and her body. He wanted to reach for her. Half of him wanted to hold her and make sure she stayed by his side. The other half of him wanted her underneath him. He wanted to pull her dreads as he pushed himself further into her. He wanted all of her and he wanted it forever. Michonne saw the look in his eyes. She sat down and looked away. "Don't steal no'more. We can't afford you getting caught."

"Don't worry." Rick was no longer looking at her. His gaze seemed to go through her as if he were looking at something else. Rick was ready to kill everyone in the safe zone to prevent that. She got chill down her spine. "We'll never separate again." Michonne said nothing and got a plate of food. She was sitting across from him, but wouldn't look him in the eye. Rick frowned. Michonne seemed on edge since he returned. He didn't understand. "Are you afraid of me?" Michonne didn't answer. "You should know I'd never hurt you."

Michonne looked at him. "I'm not afraid of you, Rick."

Rick leaned back in his seat. "Then are you mad? Are you mad that I left you alone with children while I looked for Carol and Beth?" Michonne was about to open her mouth to deny that, but she found she couldn't. A lot of things happened when they were separated. Many days she did curse Rick Grimes, days when Judith was screaming from hunger or Gabriel had to patch her up after she hurt herself providing for his kids. She wasn't going to lie to him and say she was fine. She still had scars. "I shouldn't have left. I shouldn't have let Glenn and Maggie leave. Most of all, I shouldn't have left. When I came back and saw everything burned down... Michonne, everythang I did from that point on was to find you and the kids."

Michonne gave him an accusatory look. "What'd you do?"

Rick didn't answer that. "My kids are alive. The same thangs you did."

A knock on the door gave them an excuse to break the tension. Rick got up and opened to door for Daryl. Michonne stood up and looked at him at him as if he wasn't real. She also hadn't seen him since Rick disappeared. Michonne didn't ask Rick who was alive from the group he took to look for them. They met with the DC group, most of them went to the Safe Zone, but four went with Rick to find his family. Daryl was one of them. He barely aged. His hair was longer now and his stubble was rough. Most of all, she sensed a great sadness from him. Daryl was glad to see Michonne. It was his fear that he wouldn't see her again. Many times he'd search for members of his group. This was the first time he'd found them alive. He spent last night processing this. He reached out and locked Michonne in a tight embrace. After a few seconds he let her go, satisfied that she was alive and well. He went into the kitchen for breakfast and see if the soft noises were really the baby from long ago.

Judith didn't remember Daryl. Seeing a man she didn't know approach her frightened her. "CHONNE! MICHONNE!" She kicked in her seat trying to get away. Michonne went to the kitchen to calm Judith. Michonne was going to apologize to Daryl, but to her amazement, he was delighted. He was happy to see that even Judith adapted to this world. Even in the old world, she shouldn't be open to strangers. He was so proud of her.

Judith stopped crying and clutched to Michonne. Rick offered to hold her, but Judith slapped his hand away. Daryl laughed. "Damn, she really is Lil' Asskicker."

Judith looked at Michonne with a pout. "Bad words, 'Chonne. He a bad man."

"No, good man." She looked at Rick. "Good men, Judy. That's your daddy and that's Uncle Daryl."

She looked at them again and hid her face in Michonne's chest. She laughed. Two years ago she probably would have fought her to get to Daryl. "S'okay, Michonne, she'll come when she ready." Judy glared.

"She has a lot of moxie."

"She's Asskicker."

"No!" Judith protested.

The adults laughed. Daryl sat down and made a plate. Michonne noticed that Daryl didn't seem surprised by the spread. She realized he must have helped Rick steal the food. Rick sat next to him and Michonne sat across with Judith still clinging to her. "I got wall and recon."

"I'm scheduled to the wall and recon too."

Rick looks at Daryl and they nod. Rick wished that he had recon duty with Michonne, but he felt better knowing that Daryl was going to be out there with her. Daryl would watch her back just like Daryl protected him. There wasn't a better man. "They assigned me as a constable."

"Figures," Daryl muttered with his mouth full.

"Kind of ironic considering your sticky fingers." Michonne said looking at breakfast.

Rick smirked. "Now I see when Judith gets it. She got her spunk from you."

Michonne covered her face as she blushed. Daryl looked at the two of them. Part of him wondered if they already screwed. Before the separation there was an obvious thing between them, there was just no time. Now that they were together, under the same roof, raising kids, it just seemed like an inevitability. Daryl wouldn't say anything. He was glad to watch it unfold.

Next Chapter: Carl introduces Rick to his friends. Michonne visits Sasha