Fall 'in.

I don't know about my dreams
I don't know about my dreamin' anymore

The sun rose over the horizon, like the Phoenix from the ashes. The light of new day poured into the bay windows, flowing over Michonne's and Rick's sleeping bodies, engulfing them. Her eyes fluttered slowly as the morning light filled them, she opened them slowly, allowing them to adjust to the foreign rays. She took in her surroundings inquisitively as her eyes landed on the man nestled quaintly beside her. Michonne shifted her body so that she was facing him, she gently moved back the loose curls covering his forehead with her finger, as a small smile crept across her face… she studied him. How the lines of stress and turmoil smoothed and disappeared, how his heart rate slowed to an almost inaudible sound, the way his beautiful pink lips that she had kissed a thousand times the night prior were slightly parted as small breaths escaped them. How peacefully he slumbered beside her. He was so beautiful to her whether in lightness or darkness, she saw HIM and he had always been enough for her, whether he knew it or not. She had chose him a very long time ago, before she even knew what she wanted out of this life. Whether by fate or luck, it was him. Michonne sighed contently as she sat up quietly, allowing the throw to wander freely down her breast and falling at her waist, she swept her locs to her back as she looked out towards the sunrise, inhaling happily as excitement to take on another day filled her up. A light rustle broke her gaze as she looked towards her left side, Rick stared in amazement at her as he smiled brightly "Hey You" he said softly, Michonne smiled as she responded with a gentle "Hey", Rick extended his arm to her as she slipped into them. He wrapped her lovingly in those arms as he kissed her forehead, "How'd you sleep, Chonne" he questioned there those kisses

"Beautifully, this was honestly one of the best sleeps I've gotten in a while" she replied sweetly as she wrapped her arm tightly around his waist

"Yeah…me too, it was nice" he blushed out, as he kissed her neck softly

"It was" she chuckled lightly at his tenderness.

A content silence fell upon them, neither one wanting to speak, words would just interfere with what was here among them. What had already taken sail, they just wanted to stay in this moment for as long as possible.

All that I know is I'm fallin', fallin', fallin', fallin'
Might as well fall in

But of course time isn't always of the essence. Rick looked behind him towards the clock on her oven, 8:30am he read silently as he sighed deeply, knowing this moment would be coming to an end shortly, they had to face the real world, they had a community and family that depended on them. So the desire to want to stay here, alone together simply had to be put on the back burner. "It's about time for us to meet Abraham and the construction crew to start the rebuild" he said softly. Michonne exhaled sharply "Yeah…. I forgot all about that, let's not keep them waiting" she breathed out as her arms fell from his waist and she started to pull away from Rick to begin getting ready. He could hear the disappointment in her tone, he gently grabbed her wrist and pulled her back into him, "Hey…..they can wait a little while longer" he assured her with a gentle smile as he caressed her back soothingly. Michonne smiled as she wrapped her arms around him snugly once again and they stayed in that embrace for a little longer before they finally departed from it.

Michonne stood up, her nakedness on full display as Rick took in her beauty, "I'm going to take a shower and meet you there unless…. you want to take one with me" she drew out seductively, as she reached her hand out to him, Rick chuckled lightly as he pushed the throw back and stood up slowly, his morning hardness on full display, to Michonne's delight. He took her hand as she led him up the stairs towards her bathroom.

An hour later and a quick stop to check on Carl and Judith, they finally made it to the site where Abraham, Daryl and the construction crew stood waiting. Daryl immediately noticed the slight dampness of Rick and Michonne's hair, how their clothes clung to them a little too tightly due to the water that remained on their undried skin and the closeness they displayed despite not being around or speaking to one another in over three months. Something was most definitely up between them but he knew it was coming and whatever it was, he was all for it….he would always support them in whatever they decided to do, that's what family does. He scoffed to himself and belted "About damn time yall's two decided to show up" as he looked between the two for a reaction. "Just got caught up with some thangs but we are here now and ready to work" Rick asserted as he looked at Daryl directly in his eyes and bypassed him, walking towards everyone else to lay out the plans for the wall. Michonne stood there looking at Rick longingly as he gave orders and directions, she could feel her heat getting excited by the dominance he was displaying, if it was no one else around she would have stripped him down and rode him right then and there. Her lustful thoughts were interrupted by a deep scowl and sarcastic smirk and coming from Daryl
"What the hell are you looking at?" she questioned as she directed her attention towards him.

"Nothing" he responded with a mischievous grin

"Better not be" she countered playfully before walking towards Rick and listening in on the metal reinforcement he planned for the wall's rebuild. Rick's body gravitated towards her's effortlessly as he held his hand on the holster of his gun. Michonne's eyes danced over the plans, processing every detail and fine line of them. Rick hovered over her shoulder, "This can work" he confided in a slow southern drawl, his eyes piercing through her. Michonne's body immediately tensed at the tingling sensation on her ear, the heat of his breath on her neck, flustered her, trying to maintain her composure she struggled to find her words. She cleared her throat before responding
"It can… the reinforcement of the metal along with steel bars will make this wall almost impenetrable" she breathed out

Rick chuckled lightly, "I ain't talking about the walls, Chonne" he whispered before caressing her forearm and walking towards the construction crew to help. Michonne stood there astounded; he always knew how to leave her speechless. There was no question in her mind that he was right, that this impossible thing could very well become possible. The realization that she was in love with Rick Grimes unfolded in front of her like a rose blooming. Michonne smiled to herself at the epiphany that came to her, composing herself, she folded up the blueprints and placed them in her back pocket before heading over to help Daryl with wiring the rods.

I don't know about my love
I don't know about my lovin'

Michonne smiled to herself as she studied the progress that they had made for the day, the rain completely dried so wetness wasn't a hindrance for them, with the exception of adding the rest of the metal reinforcements the walls were back up and their home was a little more secure. One of the things Michonne wanted out of this place, security. Something they didn't have out on the road, something she was proud of herself for fighting for. It was something her family simply needed. A singing of "You Are My Sunshine" and the sound of an infectious giggle broke her from her thoughts as she turned around to see Rick, Judith and Carl walking towards her. She chuckled at the sight of Judith sitting on Rick's forearms as he bounced her gently while singing to her, she kicked and giggled as Carl sang along carrying a wooden basket and content smile. A smile it took three months for her to see again. "MiMi" Judith squealed as she flailed her arms around excitedly. Once in arms length Judith reached for Michonne, she scooped her up in her arms as they kissed and hugged one another. "What's all of this?" Michonne questioned as she sat Judith on her hip.

"Well…I went home to grab us some lunch and Carl wanted some then Judith wanted some and it just kinda turned into a family thang"

"Family Pic-Nic Dad!" Carl corrected "I fixed everything myself Mich…It's going to be really good" he breathed out happily

Michonne chuckled lightly, seeing that smile, seeing that happiness warmed her heart. She saw a darkness growing inside of him; a hatred for himself after he was shot. She saw him sinking into a sea of anguish and she wasn't going to allow it to swallow him, so she loved him, embraced him, encouraged him and ultimately saved him. Rick supported her and him every step of the way and it paid off. Having her precious Carl back, getting to the point of having her family back was more than enough. She walked up to Carl and rustled his hair playfully "I'm sure it's going to be, kid"
Carl chuckled as he pushed his fringe back in place. Rick smiled watching his family's interactions, the love and happiness everyone displayed for one another, it had taken time to heal them, to fix what he had broken but it was finally coming back together, he just needed for Michonne to come home so they could be together as one. Then this battle would have truly been won.

"Alright..Let's go eat" he drawled out through that smile. He put a gentle hand on Carl's back before entangling his fingers into Michonne's as they headed to the small park in middle of the community for lunch.

After hours of laughter, fun and Michonne ravaging about three of the world's best chicken salad sandwiches made by Carl, they found themselves at Rick's sprawled across the couches watching "The Wolverine". One of Carl's and Michonne's favorite comic to live action movies. She looked down fondly at the young man that lay across her lap sleeping. She smiled as she took in his face and how much he looked like his father, how far he had come and he was still here, the young man was fearless and resilient, something he got from Rick. Michonne looked up to see him rocking Judith in his arms soothingly until the toddler finally fell asleep. He gently placed her on his shoulder as he woke up Carl and whisked them both to bed. He descended back down the stairs headed towards the living room, where Michonne stood in awe, staring at the man that she loved

All that I know is I'm fallin', fallin', fallin', fallin'

Rick walked towards her as he enveloped her into his arms. He gazed into her eyes lovingly as his future with her flashed right before him. He was bound to her for an eternity and he hoped that she was to him.

"Rick?" Michonne said softly in his arms

"Hmm" he responded curiously as he rubbed her back soothingly in response, waiting for her to continue

"I love you Rick…. I have known this for awhile now. I was so engrossed into making everyone else happy around me that I forgot about my own happiness until Deanna questioned on her deathbed, what I wanted. It wasn't clear to me until everything fell apart…until we fell apart th- but I see it now and…." she spoke softly as she looked into his eyes, tears threatening to pour from her own as she gave him her truth, "I might not know what life will throw at us, I don't know how many more of our family we will lose, I don't know what will happen tomorrow but one thing that I do know is that I love you… with every fiber of my being I do. Coming to that prison that day was one of the best choices I could have ever made, because it gave me another chance at life, at love and it gave me Carl, Judith, a family and most importantly you. It gave me you and I surrender to you, I surrender to this love between us, to everything that you are, to loving and protecting Carl and Judith like they are my own and wherever it may go and however long it may last, I will happily follow until the end of time. I'm yours Rick for forever and a day" she declared freely to him as those tears of pure joy fell. Rick's own tears threatened to pour as he embraced her" I love you so much, Michonne….you don't know how long I waited, how long I was willing to wait to hear those words, how much I fought myself on giving up on us and I'm so happy I didn't. Thank you for taking this chance… Thank you for still having me, for having us" he chuckled out as he gently wiped away her tears with his thumb wanting to never bring hurt or harm to her again. She was his home as much as he was hers and the truth of the matter is that love and home are one in the same because when you find love, home is no longer a place, it becomes the person that you love and wherever they are, you're at home.

Might as well fall in

Rick embraced Michonne as he encased her lips into his own as they celebrated this house being a home again.

.