Spoilers: Takes place after the events of the season finale

Disclaimer: All right belong to "The Walking Dead."

Summary: Rick is at the dawn of realizing what Michonne means to him, but will this new world allow them to find happiness together.

I.

The sound of laughter felt foreign to the women gathered around the couch and chairs. Rosita had worked a miracle on making her living room look festive with the purple and silver decorations Maggie found in Deanna's attic. Two card tables were set up to display the baked treats, sandwiches, and casserole made by Carol and Sasha. A large, plastic bowl housed Michonne's modified version of an alcohol punch she was famous for in law school. It was more punch than alcohol, but she had to make do with what Daryl brought back from his last recruitment endeavor.

One of the many luxuries of Alexandra was Deanna kept an accurate calendar since the world turned on its head. Today was October 17, 2014: Tara's 25th birthday. The woman of the hour was sitting on the couch still a bit too pale and a bit too thin, but she felt better than she had in the month since she awaken. She was happy to share her moment surrounded by the women she loved most in this new world...and Eugene. He refused to leave her side for any significant amount of time.

"Me, Mama, and my sisters used to do brunch every Sunday at my abuela's house," Rosita said as she walked around making sure everyone had enough food and drinks. "We each brought a side dish. Abuela refused to give up making the main course even when arthritis made her hands curl into balls. We could never get her to just sit and relax. She lived to take care of us." She paused a moment to wipe at the moisture was starting to build in her eyes. "But now you women are my sisters, my family. I'm glad we could all be here today to celebrate our Tara."

The women all raised their cups towards the woman. Tara was overwhelmed with emotion. She simultaneously felt grateful to have these women in her lives and sad at all of the losses they'd suffered. She missed her dad, sister, and niece so much. Another chunk of heart went away when she found out Noah was dead. She'd cried herself dry. She wouldn't know what to do if she lost anyone else.

"So Eugene," Tara said trying to volley her sadness away, "When is the last time you were surrounded by this many women."

"I believe it was the canasta party my mother had a few months before the world, as we knew it, fell apart." He said. "But as you all may have guessed, I was not inundated with a copious amount of attention from the female species in my former life. So I do thank you ladies for the windfall of good fortune that allowed me to be invited to today's festivities."

"It wouldn't have been the same without you." Tara said. She squeezed his hand.

Michonne smiled and shook her head at Eugene. She always got a kick out of the way he talked. She needed his levity right now. Rosita's speech took her back down the road to her past. Those wounds were barely stitched together with cheap thread. It would be so easy to open them again. She noticed Sasha get up to walk to the kitchen. After hesitating a moment she followed her.

"You okay?" Michonne asked as she watched Sasha fill a glass with water.

Sasha nodded and gave Michonne a grateful smile that still held a shadow of sadness. "I'm hanging in there."

"You know I'm always here for you if you need to talk." Michonne said as she placed a hand on Sasha's shoulder.

"I know." Sasha said and lightly covered Michonne's hand with her own before she walked back to the living room.

Rosita was setting up an old Monopoly board to challenge Eugene when Maggie rushed in. "Sorry I'm late. I was interviewing and recording the new recruit Aaron and Daryl brought back. Then I had to get him settled in his house." Maggie went around the room hugging all the women. When she pulled away from Michonne she said, "Oh, by the way Rick's looking for you."

Michonne looked at the clock above the mantle. "Yeah, I promised I would teach a knife combat class to anyone who wanted to learn today at 4:00. We're trying again since last time we offered only two people showed up. I'm going to need to head out a little early. I can't have the boss docking my pay."

"Like you don't have Rick wrapped around your finger." Rosita said with a laugh

"It's not like that at all." Michonne said.

"Well," Rosita said as she counted on her fingers, "We started our trek to Washington because you wanted to; we came here because you wouldn't let him say no to Aaron."

Michonne cut her off before she listed anything else. "It's really not like that."

"Well..." Carol said.

"Not you too, Carol?"

The grayed-haired lady just shrugged and continued eating her sandwich.

"I'll see you ladies, and Eugene, later." Michonne said. Everyone saw the small smile on lips and knew she was only pretending to be irritated. She crouched down to give Tara a hug. "So glad you're feeling better. You should come help me out with training soon. Put some of those skills you learned at the Police Academy to use." She said.

"You got it." Tara said.

Maggie took a sip a punch and wrinkled her nose. "Wait Michonne. No offense, but my Daddy's grape juice that he passed off as communion wine had more kick than this."

"If you need more kick then convince Daryl to finally make that moonshine he's always going on about." Michonne said as she slipped on her sweater.

Maggie wrinkled her nose even further. "You know what? Never mind. I don't think any of us can handle anything that caused Daryl and Merle to pass out for a day and a half."

Michonne laughed. "You do have a point there."

II.

Rick walked down the streets of Alexandria wearing his constable's jacket, but he'd replaced the official shirt and tie with a black and white plaid shirt. A crisp chill was in the air. He knew winter would be here soon. He was grateful Judith wouldn't have to sleep outside in frozen weather. He stopped and looked at the walls. At least he hoped she wouldn't.

He continued walking as some people nodded a hello to him while others avoided his gaze all together. He made his way down the street where his group lived. He smiled and sped up when he saw Michonne exit Rosita's house. "Hey stranger." He called out to her.

Michonne closed the door and made her way down the porch steps. "We just saw each other this morning, Rick. We live in the same house you know." Michonne said as reached up to remove a tiny piece of tree moss that had fallen into his curls. The stood facing each other with only inches between them.

"I know but you didn't look like that this at breakfast." He said taking a step back to admire her. "You look…great." He gestured to the hair. "I like the bun, braid thang you have going on there."

"It's called a goddess braid, and a low chignon." She said smiling as she patted her hair. Michonne pulled her thick sweater around her as they started to walk in step with each other.

"Right. You know I'm never going to remember that." Rick said as he rubbed the beard that was growing back on his face.

"Yeah, no shit." She said

Rick laughed and looked at his watch. "I was going to get a quick bite to eat, but I think I need to go meet this new recruit. Come along?" He asked.

"Sure. I have a little time before my class starts."

They crossed the street and walked past the pond where leaves rich in colors of red and gold were starting to dot the surface. Michonne playfully kicked a small pile laying on the edge of the water at Rick. He laughed and kicked some back at her. He was glad Michonne was here to curb his worries about the community for a short while. As they rounded the lake they saw Tobin exit the armory carrying a rifle.

"Hey, Tobin," Michonne called out, "You keeping watch this evening?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said pleasantly. He barely looked at Rick and gave him a curt nod before continuing down the sidewalk.

"Good thing I'm wearing this sweater," Michonne said after Tobin left their earshot, "Otherwise I would have frozen from that chill."

Rick sneered. "Yeah, I pretty sure more than a few people here wished I never stepped foot in Alexandra. Tobin probably thinks I'm going to snap at any second and murder his family."

"They're just scared. I'm sure most of them haven't seen a walker since this whole thing started. You walking into the meeting covered in blood with a dead one over your shoulder was a shock." She said.

The two of them had to quickly move out of the way as a young boy ran between them carrying a ball. Rick grimaced.

"Apparently not scared enough. " He turned and waited until he saw the kid run into a house at the end of the street. "They don't get these walls don't mean shit if enough of the living or dead want to get in."

"Well I said that night everyone here would be lucky if even a little bit of Rick Grimes rubbed off on them." Michonne said.

"You said that?" Rick asked while looking at his friend in awe.

"Something like that. They needed to know." Michonne said.

He smiled and playfully pushed Michonne's shoulder with his. "My number one cheerleader."

"We all said great things about you because it's true, and we love you." She said.

Rick gave Michonne a sidelong look as they walked on in silence. He flipped the word "love" over and over in his head wondering why hearing the word come from Michonne's mouth caused a feeling he couldn't pinpoint come over him.

"Maggie mentioned she did the interview. I guess Deanna is still on her unofficial leave of absence." Michonne said breaking his reverie.

"Yeah. I think Maggie and Spencer are the only people she's talking to. She hasn't said a word to me since that night."

"Mmm," Michonne said. "Lost and sadness can make a person act in strange ways."

Rick stopped at an intersection, glanced down at his wedding band before turning towards Michonne. "Yeah." He said

"Yeah." She said. They stared at each until she pulled her eyes away and absentmindedly placed a hand on her stomach. "So who is this new guy?" She asked.

"His name is Craig. Daryl said they found him in the woods sleeping in a tent. He was pretty much a sitting duck for those Wolf people. Maggie placed him in the same house as Morgan. Thought it would help him adapt if he wasn't alone."

"Smart." Michonne said. "How are you and Morgan getting along?"

"Okay I guess. He's just so different now. He doesn't remember you or Carl being there the last time we saw him. He was that far gone. Now he's a Zen master. It doesn't make any sense."

"Nothing wrong with having a little Zen." Michonne said. "I miss doing Tai Chi in the early mornings back at the prison."

"Yeah, I used to watch you when I was on duty at the tower." Rick said

"You used to watch me?" Michonne asked looking amused.

Rick looked down feeling embarrassed. "Well, I wasn't being creepy or nothin' like that. I was just curious about what you were doing, and you had nice form."

"So you liked my form?" Michonne teased.

"We're here." Rick said avoiding the question. He knocked on the door as Michonne noticed the Buddha statue on the porch. She looked at Rick and raised an eyebrow. He just shook his head and shrugged.

Morgan opened the door while holding his bo staff. "Rick. Michonne. I'm so happy to see you both on this beautiful day." He opened the door wider to let them in.

"Nice Buddha." Michonne said.

"Thank you. He was up in the attic waiting for me when I got here. This is just further proof that I'm here for a reason. Please sit down." He gestured towards his couch.

"We're not here for a social visit. Came by to see Craig. Thought we'd introduce ourselves. See how y'all adjusting." Rick said as he walked deeper into the house, but didn't take a seat.

"Right. Of course." Morgan said. He went to the bottom of the stairs. "Craig," He called out, "We have some visitors."

Rick walked over to the staircase and watched as a man as tall as Tyrese, but not nearly as big, walked down the stairs. He had brown skin and was wearing a dirty Atlanta Braves baseball camp. He paused when made it halfway down. His eyes focused intently on Michonne. Rick became slightly alarmed and reached for the gun at his side. "You okay, man?" Rick drawled out.

The man ignored Rick. "Michonne?" He asked.

The woman, who had been looking out of the window, turned around. Recognition, joy, confusion, and sadness all passed through her eyes before she spoke. "Craig Jackson? What...how...how are you here?" She said as she ran over to the man. She hugged him tightly as tears ran down her face.

Morgan smiled and pulled out the rabbit's foot in his pocket. He turned to Rick and saw him look on in confusion with his hand still gripping the butt of the gun.

To be continued