Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead.

Andre was engrossed in his hand held video game. Mortal Kombat more than likely the game of choice. It was his favorite. His legs hanging off the kitchen chair, Andre was bundled up in his winter coat and his Ninja Turtles backpack ready for his dad to come and pick him up. Michonne looked back at the cable box clock for what felt like the millionth time in the past hour. The digital nine turned into a zero and it was now 8:30 pm. Mike was supposed to be here to pick up Andre over an hour ago. Michonne got up ready to tell Andre to put his bag away and get into his pajamas when the doorbell finally rang.

Andre perked up, his smile large on his face, excited to see his father. Michonne, not so much. Her scowl returned as she walked over to open the door.

"You are late." she stated coldly.

Mike looked at her like she had two heads which made her even more vexed. "I had business." he offered.

"Business that made you over an hour late to pick up your son?" The veins in her forehead were making an appearance.

"Michonne...please." Mike said dismissively. He had a knack for making Michonne feel like she was overreacting. It was one of the many things that made their relationship hard to keep. Even now, Michonne felt herself getting increasingly angry at his passiveness. She was ready to give him a piece of her mind again when Andre rushed passed her.

"Daddy!" he screamed out happily. Michonne decided to drop it for the time being, so to not make a scene in front of her son.

"Hey bud!" Mike returned, lifting Andre into a hug.

Michonne hated the way things turned out with her and Mike. He was unreliable and self centered but despite it all he was a good father and Andre loved him. There was a time when she thought they would actually grow old together with three kids and two dogs but somewhere along the line life changed and so did she. It almost felt like they both woke up one morning and all the love was gone. Michonne knew it did not work that way, but that is what it felt like.

Mike placed Andre back on the ground, "Go buckle up in the back seat, while I talk to Mom for a little bit."

Michonne hugged herself tightly as a cold gust of wind passed. The temperature was dropping, it was only one week left of winter and mother nature was getting her last bits in. Michonne watched as Andre sped off to the car.

"Hey!" Michonne yelled at him. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Andre ran back over to his Mom, wrapping his tiny arms around her legs.
"I'll see you on Monday, peanut." Michonne said as she bent down to give him a long kiss on his cheek.

"Awww Mom!" he said trying to pry himself away, making Michonne laugh. Andre scurried off climbing into his father's car.

Michonne turned back to Mike and her smile faded.

"I need to talk to you about something." he said. Michonne did not like his tone of voice. It was the voice you use when you are about to deliver bad news. "I met someone." he came out and said.

Michonne looked at him confused. They have been apart for close to three years, they never before needed to tell the other when they started dating.

"Okay..." Michonne said walking past him back to her front door.

"I want Andre to come with me."

Michonne stopped in her tracks. She turned to look at him directly in the eyes then burst into laughter. The audacity of his statement was hilarious to her.

"I already filed the paper work." he continued.

No longer finding the situation funny, Michonne glared at Mike, "How dare you?" Michonne said getting angry now. "How fucking dare you?"

"He is my son as well I have every ri..."

"You have no right!" Michonne exploded. Her eyes darted to the back seat of the car to see if Andre had heard her. He had not, his head and mind focused back into his hand held game.

"Michonne, Jenny and I want to start a family. Andre is a part of that family." Mike tried to explain.

"You are telling me this now? You want to take my son away from me and you are telling me this now?"

"She cannot have children Michonne, and I just thought that..."

"You are not taking my son!" she was screaming, and now Andre had begun to notice.

"We'll talk about this later." he retorted. Mike started making his way back to his car. Michonne felt her body temperature rise making her forget about the almost freezing weather outside.

"Don't walk away from me!" she called out after him. "You are not taking my son!"

Mike continued to the front seat.

"Andre get out of the car." Michonne ordered. Andre was confused and looked at his mother with sad, pleading eyes. Mike walked back to Michonne.

"It is my weekend with him."

"You are not taking my son." Michonne said firmly.

"Our son." Mike corrected her.

"Andre." she called again, this time, he unbuckled his seat belt and opened the car door. Mike shook his head no, and nudged Andre back into the car.

Michonne hated this. She hated creating a scene in front of Andre, but Mike had gone too far. When they decided that their relationship was not going to work she never wanted to take Andre from his father. She never wanted to keep Mike away. Now, Mike wanted to take Andre away from her, and to just put in the paperwork without even discussing it with her? She would not let that happen. She went to get Andre herself when Mike stopped her.

"It is my weekend with him. I will return with him on Monday. We'll discuss this more then. Do not do this now."

Michonne glared at him, full of anger and disgust. Her eyes shifted to Andre who was looking at her. She could see that he was scared, on the verge of crying. This was all Mike's doing. He sprung this on her, all out of left field. She looked at Andre again. Panic was set in his eyes. He was not used to seeing his mother react in such a way and he was oblivious as to why. Michonne immediately let her face soften to Andre. Her entire being was telling her to get him out of that car, to not let Mike take her son away from her, but Andre's happiness was her utmost priority. She would have to swallow her pride and let him go. He had been looking forward to this weekend all week and she did not want to rob him of that, no matter how much she hated Mike right now.

Michonne felt a wetness upon her cheek, she looked up, but it was not raining. She wiped it off noticing that she had started to cry. She tapped on the window telling Andre to roll it down.

"I'm sorry peanut." she started, rubbing his head gently. "Have fun and I'll see you Monday, okay?" Andre nodded his head sadly. "Mommy loves you." she added, bringing a small smile to his face. Michonne leaned in giving Andre a kiss on his forehead, then turned to Mike who was watching the entire exchange.

"Bring my son back 8am Monday morning and not a minute later or I will call the police."

Rolling her eyes she walked back into her home. Michonne did not feel good about it. Not one bit.

The loud chime of the house phone startled Michonne. After Mike left with Andre she was so angry and worn out that she fell asleep right on the living room couch.

Michonne sat up and looked at the digital clock on the cable box. It read 10:37. She looked out the window, still dark. She reached over to the coffee table where the cordless phone laid.

"Hello?" Her voice giving a hint of trepidation. No one really called her house phone except for bill collectors and the occasional telemarketer.

Michonne listened intently at the voice on the other end of the line.

There's been an accident.

Michonne dropped the phone in her hand. Not even bothering to grab a coat, she rushed to the door grabbing her car keys from the plate holder, slamming the door behind her.

Her mind was racing as she traveled down Route 52, heading to where Mike lived. It was roughly a thirty to forty five minute drive out. Mike moved to a town just outside of the city after they broke up. Citing that he needed a new scene. The road was dark, there were no real lights to illuminate the route, just the common reflectors every few feet.

Michonne had been driving well above the speed limit and in about twenty minutes, she read the sign, King County 1 Mile, Keep Right. The road veered off into a blind curve, but she could see. Red and Blue lights flashed illuminating the road ahead of her. Michonne stopped her car just as she made it around the bend.

There were two police vehicles blocking off the road. An ambulance was also parked along the side. She saw a large blue truck, its front bumper hanging off the car. A silver sedan was halfway off the road, the entire front of the car pushed into itself. There was a firetruck and another emergency vehicle. Two paramedics were assisting a man onto a stretcher. Michonne did not have to look hard enough to know that it was Mike.

"My son! Where is my son!?" she screamed helplessly. Two officers blocked her passage into the crash site. "Please! My son!" She pushed her way pass the officers. Her mind frantic, she took in the carnage in front of her. A man in a brown Sheriff's uniform approached her, but she could not comprehend his words.

"My son?" she asked.

Michonne looked over his shoulders and that is when she saw it. The tiny red medical blanket covering what lies beneath. She immediately felt her heart drop to her stomach. Michonne pushed past the officer talking to her and made her way toward the blanket. As she got closer she could see small sneakers jutting out from underneath.

"Oh God...No." she said to herself.

Michonne bent down and peeled the blanket back exposing what was hidden.

Andre.

She let out a gut wrenching shriek. Andre's face was mangled, glass shards from the windshield still embedded in his skin. Michonne grabbed her son and cradled him in her arms.

"No, my baby." She wept. Her entire world was lying motionless in her arms. This was all wrong. She looked at her surroundings trying to find something unreal, something to prove this was all a dream. She felt hands pull her up off the ground, holding her at her waist. Another person was prying Andre from her arms.

"No! No! My baby! No! Please God! No!" she shrieked.

An officer placed Andre's body on a stretcher. Michonne could not think, the pain was unbearable, like someone was stabbing her in the heart with a knife and just would not quit. Her legs felt solid, her entire body felt too heavy to hold up. Michonne collapsed.

Michonne woke up not recognizing her surroundings. A beeping noise was the only sound being emitted in the room.

Heart rate monitor.

Hospital.

Andre.

Michonne swung her legs off of the bed as she tried to stand up. Her head was pounding, but all she could think about was Andre. She wanted to find someone so they could tell her it was just a dream.

Michonne made her way to the door when a man she recognized, still wearing the brown sheriff's uniform, intercepted her.

"Hey, now. Have a seat back on the bed." he said gently, guiding her back into the room.

"My son?" she inquired, her head throbbing as she took a seat back on the bed.

She looked at the man with pleading eyes, she wanted him to tell her it was not real. Her son was at his father's home playing Mortal Kombat in his favorite Captain America pajamas.

"My name is Rick Grimes." the man began. "I am the Deputy Sheriff of King County."

More thumping in her brain.

"Andre?"

The man took a deep breath, clearly struggling with the words he was about to say.

"Your son... Andre... He was involved in a head on collision on Route 52. He is dead. I'm sorry."

So it wasn't a dream. Michonne felt the well of tears begin to fall. She did not scream, she no longer had the energy for screaming. She sobbed silently at the reality of her son being gone.

"The man driving the vehicle. He suffered severe injuries. He is in surgery now." Rick continued.

Michonne had not even thought of Mike.

"Will he make it?" Michonne managed to croak out.

"It is too early to tell. I assure you though, they are doing everything in their power to save his life." he assured.

"Don't."

Michonne turned her back to the officer and laid back on the bed. She wanted to fall asleep. Reality was the worst kind of nightmare right now.

Rick watched the young woman as she slept. He went out to get her a cup of coffee and a pastry for when she woke up again. He still needed to ask her some questions and get some background information on the driver, but he did not feel right waking her up just yet after what she has just been through. It also did not feel right to leave her in the hospital with another officer she would not recognize.

Rick has been on the job for almost all of his entire adult life. He has seen his fair share of accidents and crashes, but none like the one he saw tonight. The young boy, who could have been no more than 8 years old, lying dead on the street was almost too much to bear. He thought about what he would do if that was one of his own children, but quickly pushed the thought from his head.

The woman stirred and Rick sat up at attention. She looked over at him, her eyes bloodshot red from crying.

"I brought you a coffee and a pastry. If you'd like."

Michonne did not answer him, she just sat up in the bed watching him.

Rick put the coffee and pastry on the end table closest to her in case she changed her mind.

"Uh... I uh... just have a few questions I need to ask you, if you could help me gather some information?" he asked.

She nodded her head, agreeing.

"The man driving the silver sedan, what is his relationship with the child?"

"He is his father." she answered in almost a whisper.

"And is he your husband?"

"No."

"Can you tell me when was the last time you saw them?"

"Around 8:30 this evening."

"Alright. Do you know the nature of their trip?"

"It was his weekend with Andre." Michonne trembled saying her sons name. The tears threatening to fall down once again. Rick passed her the box of tissues by her bed.

Rick asked her a couple more preliminary questions about Mike then put his notepad away. "Is there anyone I can call for you?"

Michonne looked at the clock on the wall, it was pushing 3 am. She shook her head, no.

"Can I give you a ride somewhere?"

"My car?" Michonne remembered.

"I can take you where you need to go, I'll have an officer deliver your car in the morning."

Michonne picked up the coffee from the end table, it was only lukewarm now, taking a small sip. She nodded and followed Sheriff Grimes out of the hospital.

Michonne entered her home from the hospital. She did not want to go home, but her parents were on vacation for the winter and her best friend Andrea lived almost two hours away. The house was deafeningly silent. By the door was a pair of Andre's sneakers left out to dry. She walked in to the living room where a large photo of the two of them hung over the mantle. It was insufferable. Michonne began turning everything over. She pulled the couch a apart, throwing cushions every way, she flipped over the coffee table and smashed her expensive collection of glass vases. She punched one of the glass pictures hanging on the wall. Her knuckles began oozing blood. Still the pain was not enough to dull the hurt she felt inside. Michonne did not know if anything ever would.

Mike was still in critical condition. His surgery went well, but it was now a waiting game. Mike's phone was destroyed in the crash, and Michonne had no way of getting in contact with the woman, Jenny, Mike had mentioned. She really had no desire to try to track her down either.

Michonne called Andrea shortly after returning home from the hospital that night. She drove over immediately in the middle of the night to comfort her friend. She took off work to help Michonne and get the funeral arrangements done for Andre. Michonne did not know what kind of funeral she wanted, she just wanted to not be burying her own son.

The funeral was nice, or so everyone kept telling her. She had the reception back at her home helped put on by Andrea and her parents who flew back immediately, cutting their Hawaii vacation short. Michonne took everyone's well wishes the best she could, but the questions and concerns were starting to suffocate her. Everywhere she turned someone was telling her about God's plan. To be strong. You'll get through this. Everything happens for a reason. No. She did not want to be strong. She did not give a damn about God's plan. The death of her only son was not something she would just "get through." Instead of screaming she suppressed her anger deep inside, gave a thanks and a halfhearted smile and moved on to do it all over again with the next person.

Michonne made her rounds, thanking everyone for their love and support. While everyone was eating and making conversation, she slipped out to the back porch. She sat on the porch swing, staring out into the trees in her backyard. She thought about all the times she played tag with Andre in their backyard. All the picnics and barbecues. She remembered the time she bought a fire pit and they roasted marshmallows and made s'mores, and camped outside, or one of her favorite moments when she dressed up as the Joker and Andre chased her around in his Batman costume as he worked to save Gotham City. More importantly Michonne thought about all the moments lost. She will never be able to run around with her son back here again. The tears began to fall once more.

The porch door screeched open, and Michonne was sure it was her mother about to ask her if she was okay for the hundredth time.

"I'm fine." she said flatly.

"I'm sure you're not." a deep voice answered.

That was not the voice of her mother. Michonne turned to find Sheriff Grimes standing at the door. He wore a simple black suit. Funny, she did not remember seeing him at the funeral. She was not paying much attention to who was there anyway. Michonne kept her eyes on him as he made his way to the bench to sit next to her. He probably was here to ask more questions, she supposed. Surely it was not police protocol to attend a funeral of an accident victim anyway.

At first he sat in silence, not saying a word. No offers of sympathies or condolences, just a calmness as the bench swayed slowly back and forth.

"What can I do for you Sheriff?" she finally asked.

"Nothing. I just wanted to check in. See how you're holding up." he responded.

"I'm fine, really." Michonne stared blankly at her feet. She was not fine. She wanted Andre. "I'll be alright." she added.

"You're not, but yes, you will be." he said definitively.

Michonne looked at Rick, who was staring out into the yard. There was no emotion on his face. How could he be so sure? He did not know her from a hole in the wall but here he was giving his assurances. It was a welcomed change, because for just split second she believed him. There was a sense of calm that washed over Michonne, she looked back out in the yard.

"He was only 7 years old. Seven." she said almost in a whisper.

Rick just nodded his head. He did not do well at funerals. He never had a way with words, but he felt compelled to come and see Michonne today. Since the accident he could not stop thinking about her or her son. There was an aura of loneliness that followed her, one that he knew all too well. One that was probably there before she lost her son, her entire world. Rick could not imagine life without his children because that would not be life at all.

They sat on the bench, lightly swinging back and forth silently for a good while. Michonne was grateful for the quiet, for no accusing stares, no bible verses, no everything was going to be okay. Just quiet. The day left her exhausted and it was not before long that she dozed off, her head falling to rest on the Sheriff's shoulder.

After some time, Rick lightly tapped her awake.

"Michonne?" he said softly.

She woke up, embarrassed that she had fallen asleep. The afternoon sky was beginning to fade into dusk.

"I should be going now."

Michonne nodded, and Rick stood up. He went to the door then stopped and handed her a card with his number on it.

"Just... if you need it." he said simply.

Michonne nodded and looked out into the yard again. She heard the door shut and with it all the pain rushing back.