The first day they all slept, routinely taking turns to take watch. Michonne's sleeping station lay beside Rick on the couch, so that she could check on him as he slept. His breathing was still shallow, but it wasn't as intense as when she first arrived. Eventually, Carl set up shop beside them, leaving the upstairs bedroom he had previously occupied. Thus, the living room had turned into a sleeping station. A sigh of relief escaped Rick's breath, every time he woke up and saw Michonne and Carl sleeping beside him. For all that he had lost at the prison, he found that he still had so much more to live and fight for.

The next morning, Rick woke up to the sound of clinking plates. He immediately reached for his gun in a panic, until he heard Carl laughing. Rick looked at the empty spaces beside him, realizing that they had both woken up. He loosened the hold on his gun and relaxed back into the couch. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the laughter that filled the house. He couldn't hear a word they were saying, but he could instantly make out Carl's laugh. The last time he'd heard Carl laugh like that was from a time before this one. A time where walkers didn't roam the streets.

The laughter died down and Rick opened his eyes, witnessing a smiling Michonne covered in white goop. He raised an eyebrow in suspense, waiting to hear the story behind the mess. Michonne shrugged. "Milk." She responded before going up the stairs to find a new shirt.

He smiled as he watched her go. Shaking his head, he closed his eyes again taking in how normal it all felt. It reminded him of his old life. Sleeping in on Saturdays and waking up to the sound of Lori and Carl laughing. It was strange, but it also felt more real. He appreciated it more now than he had before. The floor creaked as Michonne passed him again to enter the kitchen.

Carl sat the dining room table, eating a bowl of dry cereal as he waited for Michonne to return. He woke up to the sound of plates clinking from the kitchen. Curious, Carl followed the sound, finding Michonne arranging bowls. She was cleaning the bowls with a towel and when he'd asked what she was doing. She simply told him breakfast. Michonne had found a carton of milk that surprisingly looked new and fresh, but when she'd opened it, the carton exploded all over her. Carl burst out laughing. He laughed so hard his sides hurt and tears streamed from his eyes. For the first time, he'd woken up and not felt overwhelmed by the loss of his sister and his friends at the prison. Thus, as he sat the table waiting for Michonne, he realized how weird and normal it all felt: waking up in a house, eating breakfast in a bowl, sitting at the dining room table, laughing...

Lost in his thoughts, Carl looked up smiling as Michonne entered the dining room. He immediately laughed, looking at the over sized white shirt that Michonne wore. It reminded him of those awful pirate costumes that showed up every Halloween.

Michonne twirled, letting him take in her new outfit. "Do you have something to say about my new and comfortable shirt?"

Carl chuckled. "Nope. It looks great."

"Liar." She joked, as she rolled up her sleeves. Within seconds, she fashioned the shirt then twirled again to get Carl's approval.

"Better." He responded, as she sat down to join him.

Michonne poured a bowl of dry cereal, watching him as he ate. It had been an intense couple of days and she really liked hearing him laugh again. He'd been through so much, that sometimes it was easy to forget that he was just a kid. From the moment she had met him, Carl had a maturity and sense of purpose and duty that amazed her, even now. He was definitely his father's child, but yet he was sweet. He had a way of seeing the good in people. She remembered their rendezvous mission to get the family picture for Judith. Carl was sweet like that. He was able to remember the little things in the midst of the chaos. Michonne smiled, reflecting on the time Carl packed her cat sculpture in her bag, as she set out to find the Governor. Every time she would come back, she would return the sculpture to his cell, until she had to leave again. It was their thing. But, now the sculpture was probably destroyed along with the rest of the prison.

"How'd you find the milk?" Carl asked, distracting Michonne from her thoughts.

She smiled. "I have my ways. But, I wished I would have found some soy milk."

Carl looked at her with disgust. "Soy milk?" He paused. "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously. It is actually quite delicious. Have you ever tried it?" Michonne quipped.

"My best friend was allergic to dairy, so he used to bring this soy stuff with him to lunch everyday. I tried it and I puked."

"No." Michonne laughed.

Carl laughed. "Okay, I almost puked, but it was disgusting. I don't know how you can drink that stuff. I mean. I would rather have powdered milk than that stuff."

"Yeah, right." She smiled, taking a bite of her own cereal.

"Okay, I would rather have Judith's..." Carl stopped. The smile faded from his face as he realized what he said. He looked down at his bowl, playing around with the cereal. Michonne stopped and looked over at Carl. She knew how difficult it was for him. He was there when she was born and he'd chosen her name.

"I don't think I'm hungry anymore." He said, as he stood up from the table. "I'm going to finish my comics upstairs."

Michonne touched his arm, before he walked away. "I'm here."

"I know." He replied, as he walked away.

Carl walked through the living room on his way upstairs, finding his dad getting up from the couch.

"You eat?" Rick asked, as Carl walked up the stairs.

"Yeah." Carl answered quickly, as he rushed into one of the room upstairs.

Rick frowned. He straightened up the couch and made his way into the kitchen. Michonne walked in from the dining room with two bowls in hand, as Rick entered.

"Thank you." Rick said. "I heard him laughing in there this morning. Almost forgot what that sounded like."

Michonne nodded as she placed the bowls on the counter. Rick looked her over and sighed, before shifting his eyes to the kitchen island. He walked to the center and grabbed one of the clean bowls. Michonne leaned on the counter as she watched Rick fidget around. She knew that he saw Carl go up the stairs and probably noticed the look on his face.

"Rick." Michonne started.

Rick interrupted. "He needs you." He stopped fidgeting with the bowl and looked up. "I can't be his father and his best friend. He needs you." Rick repeated.

Michonne moved to the center of the island, facing Rick.

Rick glanced over at the dining room, where they were sitting. He moved his eyes back towards the bowl. Rick took a deep breath. "I know that's a lot to throw at you, so if you ever feel like you need a break."

"I'm done taking breaks." Michonne responded. "I promised I was going to stick around more."

Rick nodded, remembering the promise Michonne had made on their run. At the time, he'd wanted her to stick around, so that he wouldn't lose anyone else. Now, the promise carried so much more weight because his life and his son's life depended on it. Carl needed her now more than ever and in a way Rick did too. He was unfairly asking a lot from her. Rick glanced up nervously, unsure if Michonne understood. Michonne stood defiant. Her eyes unwavering and unafraid, as Rick looked up. Michonne understood what he was asking, and she wasn't backing away. Rick released his nervous breath.

"How's the wound?" Michonne asked.

Rick poured the cereal into the bowl. "Healing."

"If we're going to stay here a few more days, then we're going to need more supplies." Michonne said, watching Rick's movements. "I'll take Carl to get some." She added, as started moving towards the hallway.

Rick nodded. "I'll come too."

Michonne stopped, turning back towards Rick. "You were unconscious when I arrived."

"I'm awake now." Rick countered, facing Michonne.

"We need you strong." Michonne replied. "Rest. Just one more day."

He looked at Michonne, ready to counter, but the look in her eyes let him know that she wasn't wavering. Rick nodded in agreement, grabbing a spoon for his cereal. Michonne smiled, then walked away to get Carl. Rick watched her walking away, surprised by how quickly he agreed.