Jesus brought in an assistant for their third waltzing class. He wanted to show them what tricks and moves were available to them. He wanted them to pick a song that they would feel comfortable dancing to. He had decided that their last session would showcase what they learned over the last six weeks.

Rick stood off to the side with Michonne in his arms. Her chest to his back. He observed how Jesus dipped his partner at certain beats. While he twirled the man, Rick could vividly imagine himself doing the same with Michonne.

"Do you have a song in mind?" Rick asked softly. He tightened his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek.

Michonne reached up to cup his cheek though she kept her eyes on their instructors. "1 or 2, yeah you?"

"Girl, I don't know what songs go with a waltz. I'm gonna leave that up to you."

"As you should. You'll like it though," she smirked, then paused. "You think you can dip me like that, old man?"

"Old man?" He was only 3 years older than her.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want you to dislocate your hip or something."

"Old man?"

"Then I'd have to get you a cane and…" Michonne bit her lip.

Rick pressed his lips to her ear and subtly rubbed his semi-hard erection over her ass. "You weren't calling me "old man" when I had you cumming on my cock in your office 3 days ago." One of his hands grazed the bottom of her right breast.

Her lips parted in a slight gasp yet she didn't move her eyes. She firmly pushed back against him.

"Rick…"

"You weren't calling me "old man" when I had your pussy in my mouth." He nipped at her earlobe.

The other couples were spread out around the space, eagerly watching the spectacle in front of them. They were completely unaware of the filthy words that Rick whispered in Michonne's ear. They didn't know of the way Michonne clamped her thighs together as she could feel herself soaking her panties or that Rick's worn jeans were becoming increasingly tight from the way Michonne rubbed herself against him.

"We're supposed to be watching the teacher," she scolded, turning her head. The melody of Once Upon a December drowned her volume.

"Darlin', I am watching the teacher." He smirked, pinching her hip.

The instructors glided in a figurative circle around the studio floor in perfect form. Rick eyed Jesus' steps carefully, committing them to memory.

"You think we'd be able to do something like that?" Michonne intertwined their fingers.

"I think," Rick kissed her cheek. "We can do whatever we want."

The song ended with Jesus and his partner taking a step back and bowing to one another. The class erupted in applause, extremely pleased with the performance they were given.

"Thank you. Thank you. I hope that was fun for you as it was for me because it's been a while since I have had to do something like that. My very good friend Aiden was kind enough to come in tonight and help me with my demonstration, let's give him another round of applause." Jesus gestured to the other man in a sweater and jeans with dark hair. Aiden bowed, smiling.

Jesus glanced at his watch and then said, "Well we have 30 minutes left – what I wanna do is stack all the chairs in corners to give us all a little breathing room and I'll allow you guys to practice. Try to incorporate some of the moves that we just showed you and if you need any help, another demonstration, anything, just give us a holler."

The five couples set out to move the chairs and then claimed spots in the studio to practice without bothering anybody. Jesus filled the room with music as everyone began trying their best to replicate the movements they saw with Jesus and Aiden. It wasn't long before somebody was crying out because their partner dropped them from a shaky dip or twirled them into a wall.

Rick and Michonne, in their very secluded corner, were as close as they could be without being in the other's clothes. They maintained steady eye contact with Rick suddenly overcome with the desire to never look away from her. Her big brown eyes told him so much without her mouth having to utter a single syllable.

They didn't talk much more about it after they had sex in her office but something grimy settled in his spirit when he thought about someone hurting Michonne and him not being there to protect her. He knew it was impossible to go back in time to change things but it made him angry to think about it.

He never wanted her hurt or upset, even by him if he could keep from it. In such a short span of time, she was so precious to him.

She had won Carl over within less than an hour of meeting him which relieved him. In fact, if he could take Carl's word for it she was probably his new best friend, effectively knocking Rick out of his spot. He couldn't be upset as he too thought she was absolutely amazing.

"Dad, you have the coolest girlfriend ever!" Carl exclaimed the second Rick walked in the door after returning from taking Michonne home.

"Do I now?" He chuckled, kicking off his shoes.

"Uh yeah?! I mean I don't like that she beat me at my own game but that means she freakin' awesome." Carl shrugged, rolling his eyes but with a small quirk on his lips.

"More than me?" Rick sat on the couch, switching the tv to the news.

Carl scratched his eyebrow, avoiding his father's eyes. He sat on the other end of the couch.

"Aw shit, so she makes better pancakes than me and now she's cooler than me too? See now she's gotta go," Rick sucked his teeth, shaking his head.

"No!" The teen protested. "No, this might the coolest girlfriend you ever get in your life. You can't let her go, I forbid it."

Rick threw his head back laughing.

"The sad part is that you're probably right. Michonne is…" He sighed, grinning. "She's great."

"Did you guys have fun last night?" Carl grabbed the remote from Rick's hand and changed the tv to a Marvel movie.

Rick's ears began to turn red, thinking about the time he had with Michonne last night. Their first date at the restaurant and how he spent the entire night staring at her. How he thought he would rather get hit by a bus than take his eyes off of her. She was absolutely radiant.

The way her body responded to his should be studied scientifically. She was practically vibrating when he held her in his arms during their class. They couldn't get out of that building fast enough. He was worried that if the class didn't end when it did, he would have surely had her laid out in front of all of those people and devoured her.

Their first kiss was nothing short of perfect. Their lips molded intricately, crushing together in a desperate heady fashion. He stole the air from her lungs like a thief in the night. He had wanted nothing more than to take her right then and there in the parking lot but figured public indecency wouldn't be a good charge on his sheriff's record.

The rest of the night was a bit of a blur and yet he could replay moments in slow motion as if he were a spectator. All he could remember for certain was that she revived something in him that he had lain to rest some time ago.

"We had a great time last night. You think she might stick around?" Rick asked, crossing his legs on the coffee table.

Rick sure hoped with everything in him that she planned to stick around.

"Mmm maybe. I sure hope so. And she is really pretty." Carl focused on the tv and nodded.

"She is, isn't she?" Rick breathed dreamily.

Michonne squealed at the impromptu dip that Rick swung her into while they danced. With wide eyes, she gripped his hand and shoulder tightly. Her leg went up as she tried to regain her balance.

"Rick!" She growled, eyes darting around the room.

Rick simply winked when he brought her upright. She narrowed her gaze at him.

"What? You didn't like that, Michonne?" He asked innocently. She amused him dearly when she acted like she was annoyed with him but he knew by the glint in her eyes that she found it difficult to be annoyed with him.

"Trying to beat those old man allegations, huh?" Her mouth twitched.

Once their chests were smushed together, Rick bent his head down so their noses were brushing, his eyes locked with hers.

"Don't make me have to show out in front of this class, darlin'."

Michonne's eyes darted from his eyes to his lips and back again. She swallowed, wetting her bottom lip as her throat ran dry. He tightened his grip on her body, letting her feel how serious he was while they stepped to the music.

"You are trouble, Sheriff," Michonne gaped at him, not removing herself from his embrace. She liked knowing that he felt that strongly for her. That his body reacted to his want and need for her.

"You have no idea," Rick whispered against her mouth, giving her a quick peck.

Jesus called everyone's attention to announce that this class session had ended. They thanked him and his assistant and since the chairs were already stacked they could freely leave without feeling guilty that they didn't help clean up.

They walked out of the building to his truck and Rick swung their hands between them like they were little kids which made her laugh. It was a pleasant jingle that rang through his head while spreading warmth through his body. .

As Rick and Michonne delved further into the parking lot, their ears picked up on what sounded like arguing that was close to Rick's truck. They sent each other a look when they recognized the voices of Glenn and Maggie.

Maggie was leaning back against a green Tahoe as Glenn paced back and forth in front of her. He had an exasperated expression consuming his face. He waved his arms about comically while Maggie was as cool as a cucumber with her arms crossed.

"I feel like we have this argument every week, baby," Maggie sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Only because you refuse to see reason, Maggie. And to be clear – this is not an argument, it's a healthy debate."

"Potato tomato."

"That's not… never mind," Glenn huffed. His eyes lit up when he spotted Rick and Michonne standing far off. "Hey, guys! You think you can settle a debate between me and my lovely fiancee?"

"Glenn, don't rope other folks into this mess. It ain't that serious," Maggie groaned and knocked her head back against the car window.

"No dearest, I think we need a second opinion." He held out his hand, pausing her protest.

Fairly amused, Rick and Michonne connected their eyes and then looked back at Glenn and Maggie. Rick squeezed her hand, which she reciprocated. What he wanted to do was get in the car, drop his lady off, get a goodnight kiss, and head home himself. But he had to remind himself that the whole reason Carl signed him up for these damned classes was to make friends. So if getting involved in a stupid debate between these two engaged people was the way then so be it.

"Yeah Glenn, whatcha need?" Michonne offered kindly.

"Okay so, Maggie thinks The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Christmas movie but I think that it is a Halloween movie. What say you?" Glenn stalled his pacing to face the other couple.

Michonne merely blinked. She wondered that this couldn't possibly be what they were arguing about. She met Maggie's eyes and the brunette shook her head.

"Y'all being serious?" Rick asked. He narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"I think he's being very serious, Rick," Michonne whispered loudly and chuckled.

"Feel free to ignore my boyfriend, you two," Maggie snickered.

"Shh Maggie."

"I know you didn't just–"

"Okay okay," Michonne interrupted before they could start up again. "I don't even know why this a debate."

"I agree. Very silly," Rick cosigned, throwing his arm over her shoulder.

"The Nightmare Before Christmas has always been and always will be a–"

"–Christmas movie."

"–Halloween movie."

Rick's eyebrows shot up, hearing Michonne's statement. He angled his head away to stare at her incredulously, mirroring the expression on her face.

Michonne slapped a hand down her face. "Christmas, really? Rick, there's no way you actually think that."

"Christmas is in the title?"

"That's what I said!" Maggie exclaimed.

"The movie quite literally opens up with a song called 'This is Halloween'..." Michonne propped a hand on her hip.

"That's what I said!" Glenn exploded, throwing his arms in the air.

Rick opened and closed his mouth multiple times and shifted his weight. He scoffed and rubbed at his jaw. He had some stubble coming in. "Alright, I might have to give you that one. Yeah, I'd say it's a Halloween movie."

Michonne smirked then leaned up to peck his cheek. "I knew you'd see it my way. Didn't even take much to get you on my side."

"Well, you got something I want," he mumbled in her ear. He dropped his arm from her shoulder to pinch her bottom through her leggings. She squeaked.

"Y'all are too cute," Maggie cooed with a wide smile.

"It makes me fucking sick," Glenn gagged. Rick laughed.

Maggie punched Glenn's shoulder and he winced. "I hope you're satisfied with that answer because I wanna go home. Oh before I forget, I wanted to ask if you guys wanted to go on a double date with us sometime."

"We could try for next weekend. Andre's got a birthday party to go to tomorrow and I have some cases to work on this weekend." Michonne mentally scanned her calendar to see if she would be available. Rick opened the passenger door to his car and helped Michonne climb inside.

"Works for us. Can't wait! Drive safe. See y'all next week." Maggie clapped her hands happily. She then growled at Glenn to go open her door like how Rick did for Michonne.

Michonne was tucked into Rick's side as he drove the streets of Atlanta while Rick had an arm around her shoulder. He sighed contently, focusing on the road.

"Turn that up," he said when an old Janet Jackson song came on the radio. "I love this song."

Befuddled, Michonne's face twisted but she did it anyway. "What do you know about Janet Jackson?" She asked smiling.

"A lot more than I'd care to admit," Rick chuckled and a red tint formed on his cheeks.

"No tell me because now I'm intrigued," she gasped, nudging his side.

"Nahhh." His face flushed.

Her eyed widened and she couldn't stop the giggle that escaped her. Her blushing cowboy had returned at last. "Oh my God, did you have a crush on Janet Jackson back in the day?" She slapped his thigh excitedly.

"Well…didn't everybody?" Rick coughed, avoiding her eyes.

"Oh, this is too cute!" Michonne laughed, wiggling in the seat. "What, did you have posters of her in your little teenage Rick's bedroom? Have magazine articles about her taped to your wall? Had some of her cassette tapes hmm?"

He remained silent.

She burst into another fit of giggles. She could just imagine a shorter, skinnier fresh-faced Rick with a walkman, jamming to some Janet on his way to school or on the bus ride home. The image alone tickled her.

"Alright alright. Get it all out." Rick tucked his lips and shook his head.

Michonne wiped a stray tear from her eye as she came back to reality. "I bet you were so cute as a teenager, my goodness."

"You laugh but I bet you have some embarrassing crush that you had when you were a kid."

"Oh mine isn't embarrassing at all and neither is yours honestly. I just think about what you must've been like back then and it makes me laugh." She rubbed his cheek until he glanced at her. "Now me? I was in love with Benjamin Bratt."

"From Law & Order?" He cracked a smile. "So cops is what does it for you, huh?"

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "I definitely did not say that, Sheriff."

He pulled up outside of her house, lowered the radio volume, and turned to her smirking. "It's okay, baby, you can tell me. Men in positions of power turn you on." He wiggled his eyebrows at her and deepened his voice.

"Don't put words in my mouth, Rick," she pursed her lips, suppressing a grin.

"I could put something else in your mouth if you'd like."

Michonne gaped at him. Her eyes trailed from his mouth then the length of his body, landing on his crotch. Her face heated up and she felt a clench in her tummy. She unbuckled her seatbelt and cradled his face in both of her hands.

"Where did my blushing cowboy go? The one who was super shy to get my number that first night? Where did he go? Bring him back to me. Sexy sheriff Rick Grimes is gonna tear me up," she whispered, giggling as her pulse quickened.

"Oh, I plan to do more than that." He grabbed the back of her head and smashed their lips together. He had been wanting to do that all night.

She gasped, parting her lips which allowed Rick to snake his tongue into her mouth. She moaned, accepting and sucking on it. He controlled her head movements with his large hands. She locked her hands behind his head as they passionately invaded each other's mouths.

Michonne was about to climb onto Rick's lap when a knock on the passenger side window startled them both apart. They separated with a gasp, lips wet and heavily breathing.

Michonne turned her head to find her mother staring at her and Rick through the window, with arms crossed though Michonne knew from the way her eyebrow was arched that the older woman was slightly amused.

Even in the darkness of the night, Rick could ascertain that this woman had to be her mother. Michonne was a carbon copy of this lady with her wide dark eyes and heart-shaped lips. The only thing that really distinguished the two was that her mother had a few grays wrapped in her hair and a gap in her two front teeth.

Michonne gulped and rolled down the window. "Hi Mommy," she cringed at being caught like a teenager making out with her boyfriend outside of her parents' house.

"Don't 'Mommy' me. Michonne Elodie Williams, do you know what time it is?" Eve Williams cleared her throat.

"I– Yes. Yes ma'am."

"Right, so I'm gonna need you to get your big butt up outta this truck so I can go home. I have a man I'd like to all up on too, y'know? And are you going to introduce me to the gentleman that was eating your face?"

Michonne slammed her eyes shut and cringed again. "Okay, Mommy this is Rick Grimes. Rick this is my mother, Eve."

"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Williams." Rick waved with flaming cheeks.

"Mmm. Likewise, Mr. Rick Grimes," she pursed her lips. Her shoulder-length locs brushed against her face with the June night wind. "Michonne, I left Dre in the house asleep but I don't know how long that'll last so best to get inside." She walked back into the house without another glance.

Michonne groaned, shaking her head. Rick tried his hardest but the edges of his mouth turned up and a small snort fell from his lips.

"Oh, you think that was funny?" She whipped her head around, fighting a smile herself.

"It was kinda funny."

"You have no idea what just happened. Just wait til the summer barbeque next month. You'll see."

Rick smothered the blinding smile that threatened his cheeks at her words. A future event with her family only implied that she saw them being together as long term which couldn't have made him happier. Meeting someone's family was a big step and Michonne didn't seem like the type to take things lightly.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating, Michonne." The corners of his eyes crinkled.

"Hmph, you wish. Let me go before she comes back out here again," Michonne sighed. "Tonight was fun, baby. Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Mhmm, sweet dreams darlin'." Rick pressed another kiss to her lips and squeezed her thigh. He watched her enter her house and with a final wave, drove off in the night before her mother came out and felt the need to interrogate him.

"Peanut, don't run so fast!" Michonne implored. Andre was tugging on her hand, pulling her along in the direction of the big park.

The moment he saw the big bouncy house when she pulled up, he was determined to get there as fast as he could with his little legs. Michonne tried her best not to trip over her feet. She eventually let go of his hand to save herself from face planting on the sidewalk in broad daylight.

Michonne watched Andre happily bound down the winding sidewalk toward his daycare playmates. It was his friend Lydia's 6th birthday party. He had been so excited about it for weeks.

After wishing the little girl a happy birthday, Michonne spoke to the other moms, chatting away as the littles were running around their legs playing tag.

"Michonne, you were able to make it! I'm so glad. Lydia's been talking about showing Andre the bouncy castle for months!" Dee, Lydia's mother, shared.

"Andre now wants one for his birthday so thanks for that Dee," Michonne smirked.

"Don't act like you can't afford it, Miss big shot lawyer," Dee laughed heartily, and then her attention got pulled in another direction.

Andre tugged on his mother's pink sundress, and she looked down at him.

"Yes, Dre?" She asked sweetly.

"Mommy, can I go play with Lyddie?" He shook with expendable energy. Michonne thought he might explode if he didn't get to go check out that inflatable spectacle.

"Go ahead but be careful okay?" She softly took his chin in her hand. "I got my eyes on you." They already had a talk about wandering off with strangers and her little boy was very smart.

Michonne visually followed her son while he raced with the brown-haired little girl. A small grin graced her face as it usually did when she took in the thing she created enjoying the life she gave him. She snatched one of the mini cupcakes and hotdogs off of the food table and scurried away like a mouse with cheese off to a shaded bench with the perfect view of her son.

Her dress flowed in the summer wind. The air felt good on her exposed shoulders and legs. She had her locs in a half-up half-down style. Her eyes surveyed the surrounding area and she chuckled watching the small children run around the park. There were some getting their faces painted and some playing around the jungle gym with food all over their faces.

"Don't you just miss being a kid?" Michonne turned her head to find that a blonde white woman had taken a seat next to her.

"Oh yeah. Being this carefree?" Michonne cracked a smile.

"No bills!" They shared a laugh.

"Yup, life used to be much simpler. I could've sworn I was just picking what outfit to put my Barbie in for the day like yesterday," the other woman sighed wistfully, shaking her head.

"You mean to tell me I wasn't having a tantrum about wanting to wear my pink tutu to school this morning? I don't believe you," Michonne scoffed facetiously while alternating her attention from the woman and Andre.

The blonde clucked her tongue, her green eyes bright with amusement.

"So which one's yours? I just enrolled my little Sammy a month ago so I don't really know everybody yet."

"Mine is that red blur right there jumping like his life depends on it," Michonne squinted.

"Sam is around here somewhere. He ditched me the moment we pulled up. I'm sure he'll come find me once he's hungry." She crossed her jean-clad legs.

"Oh, I know how that goes. Trust me."

"This is probably the most excitement I'll get out of the week honestly. I'm a hairdresser – it doesn't get any more interesting than that. I might hear a real juicy story every once in a while though."

"Being an attorney does have its slow days but juicy stories are all I ever hear." Michonne shrugged, nodding her head. "Rick, my boyfriend, is a sheriff so he's got the more exciting job," she snorted.

"My husband's a surgeon so I know all about significant others having stressful jobs. We are one and the same, girlfriend."

A corner of her mouth quirked up as Michonne thought this woman was pretty chill. She clearly had a son close to or around the same age as Andre. Perhaps, Michonne pondered, they could coordinate playdates and the like.

"You think we could plan some playdates? I think that'd be nice."

"Oh gosh, I'll try but my little Sammy gets so sick so often sometimes. It's miracle he wasn't sick in the last week or so for him to be here."

"Oh that's too bad," Michonne frowned.

"But that doesn't mean you and I can't hang out though. I'd kill for some adult time. Maybe go out for drinks or something." The blonde gave a lopsided smile with encouraging eyes.

Michonne beamed. She would love more adult women friends. "Oh, I can definitely do that. Michonne," she introduced, sticking out her hand for the smiling woman to take.

"Jessica but my friends call me Jessie."

*shyly peaks around the corner* hey heeeeeyyy how yall doing... it has been a while, peeps. My bad yall.