Zombot: Thank you for your review. I agree Michonne has a lot of love to give. These recent Walking Dead episodes keep showing us what a good couple they make.

Just a reader: Aww, she won't stay crying.

Kam: I really like Gabriel, but I admit I'm glad I'm done with him too. There's some relief to it. No more back and forth.

KK: You honestly explained it perfectly in your review. Rick is like an abused dog who is now safe, but mentally not. Last Sunday's episode also explained why Rick is like this too. Imagine last Sunday's Rick without Michonne to ground him. It's going to take a lot to bring him back. This chapter also shows how far he's gone.

This chapter may be a deal breaker for people. It gets graphic and mentions sexual assault.

Chapter Six: Families

Rick picked Judith up and gave her a big kiss. She giggled and tried to push his face away. He simply kissed her hands and held her to his heart. The last three weeks between them had been hard. After his scuffle with Gabriel, Judith thought he was bad. She didn't want to see or touch him. She protested him furiously. It took Carl, Michonne, and a mixture of sweets to get her back to where she could be around him. After some one-on-one time she stopped fearing him. It broke his heart to see her run from him. He would never hurt her and hated that she was scared of him.

Rick blew on her stomach and relished in her laughter. "Stop it, daddy! It tickles." He did it again and she laughed harder. He couldn't help, but smile too. "Eww, you slobby."

Rick threw his head back and laugh. "Oh Judy, I love you."

"Well I don' love you, daddy." She laughed. "My tummy hurt cause of tickles."

"Well I love you anyway," Rick said with a chuckle. Judith gave him a big grin with her eyes closed. He was amazed at how many teeth she had. She was growing so fast; it amazed him. She opened her eyes and sent him on a blast to the past. He thought of the days when he went to the Walsh household with Shane. They both played baseball. If Shane didn't have a date, Rick would go over to his house. Shane's mother used to give him lemonade. Mother Walsh had the best lemonade in Georgia. She had dark hazel eyes, the same color and shape as the youngster in his arms. Mother Walsh had beautiful blonde hair. Judith's hair seemed to change while she grew, but if she happened to be blonde, she'd look even more like her grandmother. He always knew there was a possibility that Judith wasn't his biological daughter. He felt like it was confirmed today. "I love you, Judith Grimes." Biology be damned, Judith was his daughter.

Judith, not understanding the heaviness of his confession, reasserted that she didn't love Rick because he made her stomach hurt from laughing.

Meanwhile...

Michonne ignored Sasha's roommates and continued cornrowing her friend's hair. Michonne had a few Alexandrian friends, but she primarily hung out with the original group. Now that Gabriel was gone she found herself sticking more to Judith and Carl. She hadn't even seen Chenelle whom Gabriel was forced to leave behind. Michonne dumped it all on Sasha.

Sasha worked a lot. This was the first time in a while that their schedules matched for them to catch up. She asked Michonne to braid her hair. Michonne had long revealed to Sasha that her mother used to own a braiding salon in Atlanta. She taught her daughters some of her skills. She did a great job teaching them. Michonne used to earn extra money in college doing hair. Michonne's sister was the one who started Michonne's locs. She would never get rid of them because of it. Hair was her only connection to the Anthonys.

Michonne was only making Sasha's cornrows stop a third of her scalp and letting Sasha's afro stay curled in the back. Sasha didn't flinch despite Michonne's tight grip on her hair. "I was thinking about doing another big chop."

"Your hair is healthy, why?"

"Just so I can wash and go. Aren't you hot with all your locs? Remember the days when we didn't even think about this?"

"I try not to." Michonne smiled. She imagined Sasha with a short afro. She had the face for it. "It'd look good on you."

Sasha looked at her dark-skinned friend. Michonne's dreads were so long that they reached the curve of her back. She must have re-twisted them recently; they looked fresh and organized. "Have you thought of it?"

"I did when Judith was in her hair pulling phase, but between you and me, I like that it's down my back now even though they're heavy. I won't let them get longer than this though."

"Does she still ask about Gabriel?"

Michonne felt a slight twinge of hurt. "She asked if Gabriel was now a walker."

"Damn"

"I told her he took a job in Atlanta. I was afraid she might accidentally tell Rick where he really was. ...I should have let him say goodbye first."

"..."

"It's been the four, well five of us for so long. It's weird not seeing him. It hurts knowing that we probably won't meet again. I know Chenelle must be a wreck."

"Let me go to the Kingdom for you. I'm sure Gabriel will talk to you since he's had time to cool down."

Michonne thought about it, but decided against it. "Over there he can have a real life. He can find someone to love him, start his own family. I know he wanted more kids. I don't want anymore children. Even if I did, it took a fertility treatment for me to have Andre... In the long run, I was probably holding Gabriel back. Over there he can have clean slate."

"You could have a clean slate too, Michonne. Carl is grown. Judith has her father. If you wanted, you could do the same. Honestly, I feel like you're better without Gabriel. I understand why he had to leave, I really do. But he left you, you and the kids, with someone he's only seen as violent. I know Rick would never hurt you, but does he? Maybe you should be single for a while." Sasha laughed. "Shit, I should be single for a while!"

"..."

"Fine don't respond. I know you wouldn't give yourself a clean slate anyway. When I think about it, you shouldn't anyway. Judy is too attached."

"And Carl would just follow me wherever."

"Apparently, so would Rick."

Michonne knew that was true. She was stuck with the Grimes family.

Michonne was headed back to her home after fixing Sasha's hair. The tips of her fingers were sore. She didn't like that. It didn't take too long to do Sasha's hair. If her fingers were sore from that she needed to get out more. Still in thought, she noticed Tara on her way to the Grimes home too. Tara stopped and waved at Michonne. "Sup, Mrs. Grimes!" Tara wouldn't usually go this far in her teasing, but she had learned Michonne was occasionally referred as Carl and Judith's mother. Since Rick was staying with them it seemed right.

Michonne was getting tired of people trying to push Rick on her. Sasha, Tara, and other people in Alexandria, all seemed to have this fascination with getting "Carl's mother" and Carl's father together. It didn't surprise Michonne that Tara was pro Michonne Grimes. They'd spent over two years looking for her and the children. Michonne wondered why Tara went with Rick. Michonne and Tara didn't know each other. Honestly, this was the only time they'd been alone together. She vaguely remembered Tara going with her, Rick, Abraham, Sasha, and the Rhees when they killed Gareth. Tara always seemed to so willing to put her life on the line for them. Even when she was with The Governor, she always seemed to be on their side. She was still as awkward as Michonne remembered, but there was something different about her, something off. She'd changed. It wasn't the shag cut or the baggy clothes. Tara seemed ill and tired in more ways than one.

Tara broke the silence with a question. "How'd you get Rick to not kill Gabriel?"

"...I told him I'd take care of it."

"Yeah and you moved him to the Kingdom." Michonne didn't like that Tara knew. If Tara knew, then Rick knew. "But still. Rick never lets someone go."

"..."

"I mean shit, they guy ended up killing his own brother." Michonne did know about Jeffrey Grimes. Carl told her about his only uncle. He was Rick's younger brother. Apparently Jeff was responsible for matching Lori and Rick. "Did you know Rick had a brother?" Tara took Michonne's silence for a no. Tara sighed. "I think it's important that you know this."

Michonne knew this was going to be a long story. She wanted to tell Tara she wasn't interested, but apparently the information was important so she listened.

"We met Jeff in Tennessee. Rick was looking for his family so it was way crazy that he ran into his brother. We knew it made him happy. We all thought it was a sign that we'd find you, Carl, and Judith. But even with Jeff with us there was still no trace of you guys. Jeff was such a cool dude. He was funny, had the best stories, and was just so damn optimistic. He said it took years for him to find Rick so we just had to be patient. He was a big force in us not giving up. He was one of us; my best friend, or so I thought." Tara had no emotion when she said, "Jeff raped me."

"..."

Tara hugged herself. "Four times. ...I know what you're thinking. How could you let some asshole rape you four times? How stupid can you be-"

"I was definitely not thinking that."

"Then, it must be me thinking it then... The first time it happened, I volunteered to room with him. Stupid... We were talking about our past girlfriends and our first times. He asked me if I ever used... you know... and what I liked. I told him everything. I kinda even made up some shit to sound cool. Jeff started jerking, but then he looked at me and I guess decided he wouldn't have to spank it anymore. He told me to close my eyes and think of Alisha. He did everything to me that I said I liked, but I asked him over and over for him to stop. Of course him being my best friend, I wanted to talk things out. God! He looked so sincere when he said he thought I would like it and apologized! I didn't know it was rape until the second time. He told me I felt too good and that he had to have me again. No matter how much I begged him to stop, he kept going. I think it fueled him. I didn't want the others to know how weak I was so I didn't say anything. I did nothing when he did it again. I just laid there. But by the last time I was sick of it. I went to the stream knowing he'd follow me. I tried to slit his throat, but of course Jeff got the upperhand, held me down under the water and raped me even after I passed out. He ran by the time Daryl found me. Rick told me he'd fix it." Tara gave Michonne a sinister smile, "And he did."

Tennessee...

The sky was a dark, ominous grey. Rick looked at his group knowing that soon he'd have to signal for them to camp. He didn't want to. Daryl picked up on Jeffrey's trail and was close. Jeffrey had alluded them for months using the techniques they taught him. He could tell Tara wanted him to give up on this conquest. She didn't think it was worth deviating from their original goal. Rick wasn't going to stop. She was family to him and she was hurt under his watch. Besides, he made her a promise. Rick always kept his promises. Even though Tara didn't know it, this closure would be good for her. He noticed she no longer slept well and was constantly looking over her shoulder. With Jeff gone she could start living again.

The thought of living again was also the reason Rick decided that this was the last time he'd be out with them. After this he would go back to the Alexandria Safe Zone if it was still up and let them start their lives. Daryl and Tara deserved not to have to fight constantly. Glenn and Maggie should have a home and kids now. Now that Glenn only had one arm, it was more dangerous for him to be out. They'd given years to look for his family. He planned to do it on his own now. He was sure they were alive. Carl was strong and knew how to fight and kill. Most of all he'd left them with Michonne. Michonne was a survivor. He knew she would have them alive no matter what. Sometimes he imagined they settled down in a nursery with a fence of walkers to repel the dead. Other times he imagined they made a treehouse in a tall tree that made fruit.

A low whistle brought Rick from his thoughts. Rick nodded to his group and went to the location of Daryl's whistle. It led them to an abandoned gym. Rick whistled to confirm Daryl's location and let him know he was near. Daryl told them to come inside. Glenn, Maggie, and Rick went inside stoically; but Tara's heart started to race. She felt anxious and claustrophobic. The gym was cold and in disarray from the obvious struggle between Daryl and Jeff. Weights were thrown across the room, knocking machines over and shattering the glass of the mirrored walls. Tara could hardly stand to look at Jeff. There was an arrow protruding from his kneecap. His once attractive face was taken over by a gnarly beard and swelling from the fight against the sole-surviving Dixon. His light brown curls were so overgrown, they covered the trademark blue eyes of the Grimes family. It was definitely Jeffrey. They would know him anywhere. They all knew this would be the last they'd see of him.

Jeffrey knew from experience how this group operated. He'd seen numerous times how Rick killed. It was always this chilling atmosphere. There was just something sinister knowing that your death was coming and it was to be agonizing. He was kneeling before Rick; this was the position he preferred. Jeffrey wondered if his brother was a sadist. He had to get a rush from this fear. Rick had no emotion on his face. He'd seen some beg for their lives. It never worked. He hoped that he could get Rick to see him as Jeffrey again, as his brother and a part of the group. Jeffrey shook the hair out of his face and looked down. "Are you going to kill me?"

"Yes," Rick answered bluntly. He didn't even bother playing mind tricks.

"...Did you think it would ever come to this? After all that searching for Carl, your baby and woman..., I thought we'd all be a family. I wanted to see them. I really did. R-remember when we were younger and-" Jeffrey stopped going that route. Rick didn't like monologues. It was likely he'd cut him down mid-sentence. "Don't kill me. I know what I did was wrong. I never meant to hurt her. I love her. You know this. Tara, tell him-"

Rick kicked the arrow further into his knee and watched Jeffrey collapse into a bow. He bellowed in pain causing Rick to kick him in his mouth. His teeth cracked and broke. Pieces were jettison down Jeff's throat. The other fragments oozed out of his mouth with the blood running out of Jeff's face. There was nothing the younger Grimes could do. He should have known talking wouldn't fix anything. They'd been after him for months! No apology or sweet words would fix this. Rick thought about the moment he came across Tara blue from hypothermia with blood running down her legs. He knew immediately that it was Jeff who raped her. Glenn gave Tara ventilations because she'd almost drowned. Watching her struggle for air and control infuriated Rick. He hated rape cases before the turn; seeing it again made him see red. He needed to fix this. Rick went to Tara and whispered in her ear. Tara nodded and gave him her serrated knife.

"Get up," Rick commanded. Jeffrey was surprised. Rick never told his victims this. Maybe there was hope that he'd survive, maimed with Tara's weapon to make a point. Maybe Rick would carve RAPIST on his forehead; Jeff didn't care. He wanted to live. Jeffrey pushed up with his hands and faced Rick. He was less frightened than before. Since he was no longer kneeling Jeff thought he'd survive. He didn't make any sudden moves from the fear of pissing Rick off. Rick's head tilted. "Get up against the wall." Jeffrey slowly walked to the mirrored walls of the gymnasium. Glass crunched under his feet. He could see everyone in the reflection in the mirror. They were all looking at him. He doubted they knew what was on Rick's mind either, but they were going to go with whatever happened. He was about to turn to face them, but Rick said no. Jeff pressed himself against the cold glass. Rick motioned to Daryl who tied Jeffrey's wrists to his ankles tightly. He had enough slack to keep standing without a hunch, but not enough to raise his arms or fight.

"Wick..." His swollen mouth made it hard to talk. Jeffrey didn't know what was going on, but he knew it was bad. Rick came at him and pushed his head against the mirrored wall. All Jeffrey could see was the fog from his breath and the icy blue of Rick's eyes. It felt like his brother was staring into his soul. Jeffrey regretted having any hope of survival. Once Rick ripped the belt and buttons off Jeffrey, he knew something horrific was going to happen. "I'M SOWWY! I'M SOWWY! DON'T CUR MY DICK OFF!"

Rick ignored his screams and yanked the jeans and boxers down. He gripped the knife again. Jeff was foolishly holding his penis. Rick was not thinking about castration; he had something more sinister and Hammurabian in mind. He held the back of Jeff's neck with one hand, then thrusted the kniife deep into the rapist. Jeffrey was unprepared for the searing pain of Tara's knife tearing through his anus. Blood ran thickly from the wound. Rick ripped it out and stabbed again, then again. Jeff screamed a bloodcurling scream. Time seemed to slow for him. He could feel everything, every cut, every tear. The blade was about five inches of jagged steel. Blood rained down his legs and soaked his jeans. He begged for Rick to stop. It only seemed to fuel him. Jeffrey noticed Rick was still looking in his eyes despite the fast paced stabbings. Rick missed and stabbed a buttock. "Ple...! Ahhhhhh! Rick we're brothers," Jeffrey whined. Rick didn't say anything to him. His response to that was clear when the knife charged deeper within his shredded rectum. They weren't brothers. Not anymore. They weren't family.

"You better not pass out, fucker. You won't wake up."

Blood was everywhere. Strips of flesh and waste poured from Jeff's body. They coated Rick's hands, forearms, and legs. He could see Jeff pale from the loss of blood, but he continued his assault. Tara was pale. Tara bled. Jeff didn't give her mercy so neither would he. Jeffrey needed this to stop. He got Rick's point and learned. He didn't even have enough in him to even think about retaliation. If he survived this, he would leave Rick and his group alone forever. From the amount of blood he lost he knew he wouldn't survive. His heart raced. He fought consciousness, still holding on the hope that Rick wouldn't kill him from semantics. Once Rick tired of his assault, he pulled the knife for the final time and let Jeffrey fall to the ground. Rick was satisfied with what he'd done. Despite it being especially gruesome, he felt nothing, no remorse nor disgust. Jeffrey's breathing was shallow. His blue eyes were glossy and unfocused. He was going into shock. Everyone watched in silence. Jeffrey looked at everyone. He was hoping someone could help him, but he needed emergency surgery and there was nobody with those skills.

Jeff spit blood from him mouth and tried not to cry. He was still in excruciating pain. "Family... Dead..." He wanted to haunt Rick, but his curse had fallen on deaf ears. He was gone moments later.

Rick turned to his people and motioned them to leave, but Tara stopped him. She took the knife from Rick and approached her rapist's corpse. She'd given a headshot more times than she could count, but she was petrified to do this one. Jeffrey caused her so much pain and hurt. She wondered if her sister felt the same way before she shot the Governor. Thinking about her sister's bravery she allowed her foot to come down and crush Jeffrey's skull. He wasn't going to hurt her again; not in this life nor the next.

Now...

"Why are you telling me this," Michonne asked.

"Because," Tara put a hand on Michonne's shoulder. "Rick is selective to who he lets in. You should cherish that you're a special person to him, even after all this time." Tara's eyes grew emotionless. Her grip on Michonne's arm tightened drastically. "That said, Rick is special to me. If his favor to you backfires, I swear on everything in this world I'll freaking murder you."

Michonne opened the door, and let Tara inside. "You could try."

Rosita gave birth to twin boys. They were both small, but very healthy. Abraham was so ecstatic that he threw a party for his inner circle: Tyreese, Sasha, Michonne, Carl, Eugene, and Carol. He was especially happy to tell them about the names of the newest Fords: Dominick and Christopher. Michonne and Carl didn't stay long. After a couple classes of wine, Michonne hand enough. Carl felt the same after some appetizers. When they got home, he immediately went to bed because of his work schedule. Michonne saw Rick sitting with Judith sleeping on his chest. She sat next to him and rubbed Judith's hair.

Two boys, Rosita and Abraham were going to have twice the struggle. 'Maybe it won't be that bad,' Michonne thought. Not all babies were like Judith. Andre was a great baby, but an extremely energetic toddler. Michonne closed her eyes and thought of his face. Andre was the spitting image of Mike's mother. She was an outgoing woman. Andre was her first grandson and his likeness made her take many pictures of them together. If Michonne could access Facebook one more time she'd get those pictures. Her heart still ached for Andre. Nobody could take his place. Andre had Michonne's heart even before he entered this world. He was planned and prayed for. The moment she found out she was pregnant was one of the happiest days of her life. Michonne smiled sadly at the thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

Michonne looked up to see Rick. He could see the glossiness from tears in her eyes. It made them shimmer. Her eyes reminded him of the night time sky. They were beautiful. Knowing he shouldn't be thinking this way, he looked away. She swallowed and considered not answering the question. Instead she turned to him with her head resting on her fist. "I was thinking about the night Andre was born."

"...yeah, I, sometimes think about when Carl and Judith were born too."

"There's nothing like it, holding your new baby." Michonne wiped the tears from her eyes.

"..."

"It took thirty hours to deliver Andre, but I did it naturally. Probably why I never wanted any more babies..."

"We went for a Cesarean when Carl's heartrate rose too high. Seemed like it was quick. Like they just took him out and put him on Lori's chest." Once they cleaned him up and gave 'em to me, I don't know 'Chonne. Someth'en happened. You're right there's nothing like it."

"...How does it feel watching him grow into a man?"

"You tell me."

"We're just friends, Rick."

"No. You're not and you know it." Michonne sighed. Rick continued, "you know Judith's not my biological daughter either?" Michonne looked at him with a look of shock. He kissed Judith's forehead and returned Michonne's stare. "Lori thought I'd died. She got with Shane. ...These thangs happen I guess."

Michonne knew Shane was Rick's best friend. She didn't know that he and Lori were involved. All her knowledge came from Carl who told her that Shane was his first zombie kill. Michonne couldn't imagine doing the same with Terry. He was a good guy, but always annoyed her. She wasn't going to judge Lori considering she was once between Rick and Gabriel. She didn't sleep with either of them though. Michonne sighed. She was grateful for Lori's sins. Judith and Carl saved her in many ways. "I didn't want to hold Judith initially..."

"Neither did I." Michonne looked at Judith fast asleep on Rick's chest. She remembered the days Andre used to sleep on Mike. They was nothing more more intimate between father and baby. She wondered if Rick would tell Judith about her roots. She always planned on Carl to tell Judith about Lori. She wondered if Rick would do the same. "What?"

"Are we ever going to tell her?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll see."

'We'll see,' Michonne repeated in her head. "You're really not leaving again are you," she realized.

"I've promised that before. To Lori... Probably you too." Rick got up carefully and headed to Judith's bed. Michonne went to her bedroom and started to put on her night clothes. She could feel Rick looking at her. "I'd return though."

Michonne continued getting dressed. Without looking at him she responded, "I know."

Next Chapter: Constable Rick and Jessie