As the warm water to washed away the last two days, Michonne felt the ache in her chest becoming more profound. As the shield of blood, dirt and sweat circled the drain at her feet, she felt the agony within her emerging. Unable to escape it's crushing weight, she lowered herself and sat in the tub, knees to her chest. Looking up to the sky, she let the tears fall and the knot in her throat escape, letting herself bawl for the first time since she had lost everything. Coming within breaths of losing Carl brought it all back, losing her partner, her son. She had finally let people into her heart again and almost losing the boy who currently meant the most to her was more than she would be able to bear.

Several moments passed as she lost herself in her grief. Unaware of how much time had passed, Michonne slowly rose and finished cleansing it all away before turning the faucet off and reaching for her towel. She carefully stepped out of the shower and braced herself against the bathroom counter. She felt weak, her knees barely supporting the weight of her body. Her grief was painful and exhausting, but she could feel the therapeutic benefit of riding it out.

Michonne composed herself and dressed into something comfortable, craving sleep more now than ever. The residents of the safe zone had banded together over the recent tragedy and organized shifts for lookout and patrol of the community's perimeter. Their home felt safe for now. Opening the bathroom door, she switched the light off and stepped into the carpeted hallway, proceeded toward her room while continuing to squeeze the remaining moisture from her hair with her towel.

"You okay?" came a concerned voice. Rick's form was vaguely lit from the light emerging from his bedroom down the hall.

"I'm fine." Michonne wondered why he was still up. "Can't sleep?"

"You were in there for a while. I wanted to make sure you're alright." Rick struggled to find the right words, it had been mere hours since Michonne had shared the story of her family's end after the world as they knew it came to an abrupt halt. He hadn't offered her much after she told him. He couldn't think of the appropriate words to say. Instinctively knowing the right words in emotionally charged situations had never been a talent he possessed.

"Sorry to keep you awake." She continued past him into her room, tossing her towel into the hamper as she stopped at the dresser on the wall adjacent to the doorway. She reached with her left hand to turn on the lamp that reside there without moving her body toward Rick. She could feel he was still standing there, watching her. Michonne took a cleansing breath before turning to face the dresser and placed both hands on it's woodgrain surface. She traced her right index finger over a small groove in the facade, keeping her eyes down.

She knew if she looked directly at Rick, he would immediately know she had been crying fresh tears for some time while she was in the shower. A slight guilt entered her mind, as she considered how much water she wasted while she was in there. The guilt was a welcome reprieve from her trepidation over what to do next. Michonne's pride and need to maintain her composure outweighed her desire for comfort. She had told Rick everything about what had happened to Mike and Andre earlier that afternoon. He shared his condolences and she knew he felt anguish at her admission of the losses she had endured. Few words were passed between them about it afterward, and she appreciated that. He clutched her hand after for what felt like hours as she sat beside him at Carl's bedside. Their communication wasn't often heavy with words, they didn't need them. She was confident that he knew she had a hard enough time telling him, and not to pry further. She was thankful for his ability to read her.

"I know this must be hard for you.." Rick continued, slowly advancing toward her and stopping in her doorway.

Reluctantly, Michonne turned to face Rick. His eyes were heavy and bloodshot but kind. He studied her face for an indication of whether he had crossed a line. She looked exhausted.. Exhausted and incredibly sad.

"After the whole thing, with Carl, when I told you what happened." He shifted his stance, glanced down to the floor then back up to Michonne's eyes. His voice was pained and genuine "I'm sorry you had to go through that again."

Michonne's face sunk and her brow softened. "Don't be." her voice more assertive than she expected. " I chose to be a part of your lives and let you into mine. Caring about people comes at a cost, I accept that." She knew she was trying to use dialog to replace the armor she felt being pulled away. When she thought that Carl was possibly going to die, the metaphorical knife in her gut was more painful than she could have imagined. Those same feeling of overwhelming despair she felt when she discovered what had happened to Mike and Andre returned once again. A pain she never expected to experience after that.

"Well, I want to thank you." Rick tipped his head in his usual way as he spoke, bringing her attention back to the present.

Michonne stood silently and allowed him to continue.

"If you hadn't been there" he paused, "If it had been anyone but you there in the beginning, I don't think we would have made it."

She had completely dissociated herself in those moments while fighting the horde. Michonne couldn't recall any specific events during, just the before and the after. The first hack with her sword was followed by nothing but mangled undead corpses at their feet, as they stood in shock that they had come out of the ordeal alive. That was all she remembered.

"It wasn't just me, Rick" Michonne challenged. Other members of their group, as well as some from the established community aided their efforts just in time, they were almost overrun when help came.

"No, Michonne." Rick stepped across the threshold and advanced toward her. "I don't think anyone else would have done what you did, what we did. You fought for Carl like you would have fought for your son, I saw that. I appreciate it more than you could ever know."

Michonne found herself glancing at Rick's mouth as he spoke. As he finished his last sentence she returned her gaze to his. There was a fondness behind his eyes that she was sure she had seen before, but it made her oddly uncomfortable in this moment.

"You're welcome." she didn't have the energy to refute him. Perhaps he was right, all she knew was that in the moment before they went to war she thought to herself He's not dying. She wasn't going to let that happen. "I'm just glad Judith is ok, and Carl's gonna be ok. That's all that matters."

Her strength baffled him. She had lost so much, but still found her way. She had an innate ability to read him and supported him unlike anyone else ever had. She cared for his children like they were her own and he knew she would lay down her life for them if necessary. Without additional words available to him, Rick did what he felt would best convey what he wanted to express, he reached for Michonne and wrapped her in his arms.

The enormous relief Michonne felt in Rick's embrace surprised her as she held on to him. She felt his grip around her tighten as they stood. Michonne allowed herself to melt into Rick's arms and began to feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. Home.

Rick's lips drew closer into the side of Michonne's face, as his mouth brushed against her ear. He breathed softly into her hair.

"You're their mother, now." he whispered, closing his eyes and feeling comfort at his admission. Lori would be pleased to have a woman as strong and loving as Michonne standing in as her childrens' mother figure in her absence.

Michonne felt her heart rate jump as she took in his words. Rick's children were his life, the only reason he did anything was for them. She felt honored and confused by his claim that she was their mother figure now, at what it all meant. Michonne gradually released her hold around Rick and pulled slowly away from him. His hands remained lightly holding her waist and the other behind her neck.

Michonne felt her eyes become glassy as she peered into Rick's.

"What does that make me...to you, then?"

She surprised herself with her candor, as the words left her mouth before she could process whether or not she should proceed with saying them. She had found herself wondering what her role was in Rick's life, ever since he had asked her to take on a larger role with Carl after she had found them on the road. Thoughts of romance would have been foolish and irresponsible, so she hadn't entertained them at the time, though she had to admit that she had always found Rick to be an attractive man. She felt drawn to him, and she thought perhaps he felt that same draw to her.

Rick remained still, not wanting to release his physical contact from Michonne, unsure how to answer her question. He didn't know what he had felt for her, what her role in his family was. While they were on the road he discovered that he could trust her unequivocally. He had acknowledged that she was a beautiful woman. Michonne's effects confused him. He only knew he wanted to be near her, and when she wasn't with him or his children, he wondered where she was and when she would return.

"I don't know yet." he admitted, his eyes narrowing as he searched her face for an answer.

"I just know we need you. I need you."

Michonne felt her face flush as Rick spoke, feeling the warmth of his breath on her face. Her chest rose and fell in such a way that Rick could feel her anticipation of what was to come next. He didn't know what was next. She was so close. They had never been this close. He looked down at her full parted lips as her breathing quickened. Rick lowered his head achingly slowly as Michonne began to recognize the long forgotten flutter she felt in her stomach. She lifted her face, her eyes darting between Rick's eyes and lips as she felt his face coming closer to hers. Michonne felt Rick's nose brush against hers and hesitated at the sensation. His lips were mere millimeters from hers, and while her stomach turned in knots she couldn't bring herself to close the space between them.

With longing in his gut, Rick lifted his eyes to Michonne's for a sign. He could smell her skin and feel her lips even though they weren't literally touching his. He could feel her hand on his chest, lightly gripping at his shirt then releasing it and gripping again, as if she were struggling within herself with what to do next. His compulsion to embrace her and the events that followed until this moment were a surprise to him as much as it must have been to her.

Unable to restrain his desire to feel her close, Rick advanced and placed his lips over hers.

The sensation of Rick's mouth on hers ricocheted through Michonne's body as she pursed her lips in response to his.

Rick slowly pulled away to assess her response. "Do you want me to stop?" he softly inquired, hoping with every fiber that she did not.

Michonne lifted her eyes to his as she gently ran the hand that had been on Rick's chest up over his shoulder to his nape, her fingers softly gripping the hair at the back of his head. "No."

Rick brought his hand to the side of Michonne's face and wasting no time closed the gap and kissed her wantonly. Their mouths found their rhythm and their embrace deepened as the air around them became thick.

Amidst their passion, Michonne opened her eyes for a moment, realizing the door to her room was still open. She wondered if she would be able to stop herself if that door were to close. Rick noticed her glance past him and immediately knew that she was thinking about the currently open bedroom door. Again, Rick pulled away, now at another crossroads. If that door was closed, there was no telling what he would do to the woman in front of him. Kissing her had affected him more deeply than he imagined it could. The more time he spent in her proximity, the more he wanted her. He wanted to feel the skin under her shirt and he wanted her to touch him where his late wife once had. If that door was closed, he was going to make those desires a reality.

Deciding to allow his primitive self to take control, Rick backed away from Michonne. He reached behind himself and felt the open door behind him, never taking his eyes off of her. If she wanted him to leave, her room, the door open, she would give him a sign. She would stop him, he told himself.

Michonne stumbled forward, not anticipating how abruptly Rick had pulled away from her. She stood, eyes locked on him. She decided that if he wanted to close the door and remain there with her, she was going to let things play out. She didn't allow herself to further analyze what had instantaneously changed between her and Rick in the last few moments, or the repercussions of what was yet to come, she didn't care.

Rick closed the door and stalked back toward her, pushing her against the dresser and burying himself in her presence.

Michonne could feel the fire coming from Rick as he gripped the sides of her waist with both hands and drove his hips into her as they kissed. Their connection held more urgency this time and Michonne felt her skin burning with anticipation. She yearned for him to touch her, everywhere at once, to take his time and make haste. She was overwhelmed with her ravenous hunger for him and she could tell he was equally enthralled with her.

Rick could feel his desire growing as his hands groped at Michonne. He ran hands over her skin, up her spine and back down, then past her hips as he gripped her glutes with both hands and pulled her toward him. Her hands were working their way under his t-shirt, up onto his chest and back down and around his waist. Michonne dug her nails into the skin of Rick's back, driving him over the edge. Rick pulled at her top and yanked it off, then immediately reaching behind his head and gripping his own shirt at the top of his shoulders pulled it off over his head.

Rick slowed his pace and traced his fingertips over the top of Michonne's clavicle, resting his palm over the mound of her left breast, slowly lowering his hand until he was cupping her. Michonne released a soft whimper upon feeling his touch over her thin lace bra. He turned his hand and trailed across her chest and let his fingertips glide under the fabric of her bra over her right breast, feeling her nipple harden from his touch. Rick could feel Michonne's body shutter under his influence and he wanted more. Continuing his right hand's exploration, Rick pulled his hand from her bra, placing it on the skin of her stomach and with abandon, pushed his hand down past Michonne's waistband. He continued further past her underwear and felt the warmth of her body at his fingertips.

Michonne had to brace herself against the edge of the dresser, thankful it was there to offer support. She stood, mouth agape breathing Rick's air as he leaned his forehead against her, eyes on hers, panting as he discovered her. He continued further down until he reached her pinnacle. Without hesitation, Rick entered her with two digits. Michonne gasped and gripped at the hair at Rick's nape as he penetrated deeper into her body. She felt her walls pulsing as he felt her increasing desire envelop him.

As Michonne felt herself coming undone around Rick's fingers, she ran her hands down to his belt and began to frantically pull at his buckle. She soon liberated Rick from his pants, letting them fall to the ground at his feet and reached for his groin, eager to feel him in her hands. She gripped at the waistband of his underwear and pushed them down over his hips. Rick stopped his venture in Michonne's panties to finish pushing his underwear the rest of the way down as Michonne wiggled her way out of her own, then reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra and dropping it to the floor. Rick took a few seconds to stand in awe of Michonne's bare form, then re-entering her space and letting his hands travel down her sides and around her backside, gripping her and lifting her up onto the ledge of the dresser behind her.

Michonne worked her hand up and down Rick's shaft as he came closer to her. He placed his hands over her knees and spread her legs apart, stepping into the space between them. Trailing his hands back down the sides of her thighs, Rick tucked his fingers into the soft area behind Michonne's knees, pulling them up and flexing her hips, opening her up to receive him. Michonne released Rick and brought her arms up and around his neck, kissing him with all the hope and desire she had. Rick positioned himself at her opening and slowly entered her, his hands wrapping around her pelvis pulling her closer and pushing himself deeper inside her. Once his abdomen was against hers, Rick separated himself from her kiss, looking into her eyes for assurance that she was okay. He knew it had been some time since she was last intimate with a man, he could feel how tightly her body held him, and the sensation was more exquisite than anything he had ever felt.

Michonne's eye's met Rick's and she writhed against him in approval. Their bodies found their rhythm, wanting to become closer with every thrust.

Michonne felt herself approaching her climax, digging into Rick's shoulders helplessly, quietly moaning into his ear. The ache was agonizing as he met her increasing pace, he could barely control himself and as Michonne's body reached the summit, her orgasm surrounded Rick, pulsing around him as he lost himself in the same instant, pulling Michonne into him and groaning into her shoulder.

In the aftermath Rick remained still, holding Michonne to him as their breathing decelerated and the air around them cleared. He finally looked at Michonne's face, in awe of what had just taken place between them.

"We okay?" Rick looked upon her with concern, hoping Michonne wasn't riddled with regret, or angry that he had taken advantage of her vulnerability.

Michonne sat, staring into Rick's blue eyes for several seconds, eventually nodding, a soft smile danced across her face as she leaned forward, placing a tender kiss on Rick's lips. "We're ok."