A/N: I just couldn't wait. Notice how they are always holding hands? Especially, this recent episode...

Chapter 5: What I Want

It had become routine. Like clockwork, every night, Rick would find himself on the sofa, tired from the ins and outs of the day, contemplating the next task to complete, and dreaming of all the possibilities. Inevitably Michonne would join him and they would sit there. Sometimes in complete silence, but more recently in deep conversation or well-deserved laughter. Like Carl, Rick's sense of humor was slowly coming back to him.

Michonne walked into the room, placing the baby monitor on the table before approaching Rick. She had just finished wrapping Carl's bandage for the night and checking in on Judith one last time before heading downstairs. She sat down and sighed. It had been a long day. Between rebuilding the wall, killing walkers and assisting Carl with his physical therapy, Michonne wasn't sure what exhausted her more.

She turned towards Rick. "How's the hand?"

Rick raised his hands up and looked at his bruised hands. His hand hadn't completely recovered from his fight with Pete and it had only gotten worse during his rapid walker rampage. The wound hadn't properly healed, so it kept bleeding.

Michonne looked at his hands and smiled. She shifted her entire body towards him, as Rick offered his hands in surrender. She gently held his hands as he watched, mesmerized by her soft movement. She carefully unwrapped the old bandage, making sure that the wound was not infected.

Rick watched in silence. He could feel the tension and worry of the day slowly evaporate from his body. His mind felt clear and calm. For the first time in a long time, he could hear himself think. When they had first moved to Alexandria, his mind had been so cluttered and distracted, but almost losing Carl brought some much needed perspective on his life. He had to show Carl the new world. He needed Carl to know that he was allowed to live his life. That he could do that now. He could have a life in Alexandria. Rick's mind drifted back to Michonne's words to him.

Rick, you're allowed to live your life. You can do that now. You can do that here.

He had been so busy fighting and scheming that he didn't realize what she was trying to tell him. Michonne knew it way before he did, but then again she always knew.

"I should've listened." Rick began.

Michonne looked up. She tilted her head to side waiting for Rick to continue. Rick stared as his hands before continuing, "you were right…"

Michonne sighed calmly as she waited for Rick to make eye contact with her.

"After, I kissed Jessie…" he paused and tilted his head to side before finally making eye contact, "you told me that I could have a life, that I could do that now, that I could do that here and I didn't really know what that meant. I didn't…" Rick stopped, unsure of what to say.

"Did you miss her…them?" She asked.

"No." Rick responded firmly keeping his eyes on Michonne.

She observed him. They had never really talked about that night. It had all happened so fast and then Carl. Michonne turned her attention to his hands. She gently continued wrapping the bandages around the wound. Rick watched her. The swift and soft movements she made as she covered his hand.

"That night before everything went…" she stopped as she looked up at Rick, "Deanna told me, well asked me the same thing. She kept asking me what I wanted and I thought I knew what she meant. I thought I understood; you know, rebuild, start afresh, make a new world, but she kept asking. She asked me what I wanted for me?" Michonne paused.

She sighed and finished wrapping Rick's hand. "I didn't really know. What's the point of building a whole new world, if you have nothing to live for," she smiled as she glanced at Rick's bandage, "then everything else happened and I didn't really have time to think about it. To think about what I wanted for me."

Finally, she looked up and found Rick's eyes watching her, waiting for her to finish. She could hear his heart beating faster. His blue eyes unwavering as he listened to her. Michonne held on to his hands as she continued, "then this morning, like every morning, I was holding Judith and walking into your room to borrow toothpaste again." Rick chuckled in response to her morning routine of taking his toothpaste. "We were sitting there and we were watching her and then Carl came in," Michonne smiled, "we were together and we were happy and in that moment, I knew that's what I wanted. That's where I wanted to be. That every fight and obstacle in rebuilding this world are going to be for that moment! That's what I want."

Rick's eyes watered as he listened to Michonne. Through everything, she was with him, she was still with him. He reached for her other hand. "Yeah?" Rick asked smiling.

"Yeah." She responded leaning into him.