A/N: Just a quick warning for teenage drinking and general shenanigans.

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The party was mayhem. Somehow everyone from school had managed to take over the four story mansion that house the Ford family, not that Abraham cared much. His parents were loaded and he had thrown enough of these to hide the fine china and hire cleaners for the next day. Michonne pulled up to the familiar house behind the wheel of Rick's Dodge Ram. This car was way too big for Rick, and since they didn't live in the country, she wondered why he even needed a car this large. Overcompensating, she thought with a chuckle.

Walking into the party, the stench of cheap beer and overused Ax body spray wafted in the air. There were people milling about all over the furniture, on the stairs, and as far as the eye could see. Michonne had forgotten how much she hated parties. Rick was hot on her tails when he was accosted by some girl who swooped in and licked his face. Taken aback by the strange and disgusting act, he tried to pry her off his body, to which she doubled down and continued to slobber all over his cheek.

"Stop!" he said, pushing her face away and taking the moment to run in the opposite direction, seeking out Michonne who had somehow entered another room filled with drunk teenagers and one Philip Blake.

"Well, hello Mi-chonne." he said, circling her like a lion scouting prey. "What do you want Philip?" she said with a sneer. "Just wanted to say hello to my favorite activist. I do find your causes so, enlightening. You look feisty when you're mad." to which she scoffed. "Where's that pretty sister of yours?" he followed

"Stay away from Sasha." she said, the threat hanging in the air.

"Can't say she's gonna stay away from me." he replied, before walking away, leaving her with a chill and the burning heat of rage. She really hated that guy.

After milling about, and watching the peanut gallery cheer on a fight, Michonne bumped into Sasha who was on Philip's arm. A scowl marred her pretty face as he taunted her, with a 'see' look. The smug jerk! As Sasha walked away, Michonne grabbed her arm, trying to gather her attention.

"Don't!" her sister said "Why don't you go try and have a social life for once and let the rest of us alone."

Michonne watched her sister walk off behind Philip like a lost puppy as Rick came into her line of sight. "Where have you been?" he asked, looking at her disposition which read annoyed and a bit, upset. "Around!" she answered, grabbing a drink from a random tray and gulping it down.

"Hey! I was looking all over for you." he replied, and the concern in his face threw her for a loop.

"Well, you found me" she said, walking away and taking another two drinks from the stranger. For a smart girl, Michonne was making some rash decisions. Rick stood by and watched her disappear into the crowd, running his hands behind his head in frustration. He really hated parties.

Daryl and Maggie walked around the second floor of the Ford Family Mansion, marveling at all the expensive hangings and adornments. He was mindful of his baby sister and was also searching for that special person who said she'd be here.

"She's around" Glenn's voice brought him to an abrupt halt. Daryl nodded at his friend and introduced him to his sister Maggie. The two began an amicable conversation when Daryl spotted Sasha and Rosita with Philip.

"Hey Sasha" Daryl said, "Oh, hey Daryl… You remember Rosita?" she said, putting some distance between the two of them. Daryl was thrown by the way she was responding to him, they were friends, but out in the open she was treating him like a social pariah. After exchanging pleasantries with Rosita, Philip interjected calling Sasha to him.

"I gotta go. Nice seeing you Daryl, have fun." she said before disappearing through the threshold of yet another large room with high ceilings and antique furniture. Maggie and Glenn watched the exchange go down, they were both disappointed for Daryl, and upset that Sasha was acting so rude.

"You sure you like this girl enough?" Maggie asked in that little sister way. She didn't want him to get hurt. "Guess, it ain't the other way around." he said with a shrug, looking around for Rick to tell him the whole thing was off. "I'ma go find someone. Glenn, can you watch out for Maggie." Daryl said to Glenn. "I can watch all for myself Daryl, now go on." Maggie affirmed in her twang, giving him the stink eye and pushing him along.

Philip approached Rick out of nowhere and asked "How did you do it?" with a genuine smirk on his face. "Do what?" Rick drawled, wondering where the hell Michonne had gone. "Get her to act like a human?" Philip replied, as the music changed to Hypnotize by The Notorious B.I.G.

A crowd had formed around a wooden coffee table as Michonne jumped up on it. Rick watched her drink something else before she began a one woman show, gyrating and throwing herself into the music. She was a good dancer he thought before he realized that he should try to help her off the table. But she wouldn't budge, getting on her knees and moving her body to the beat right in front of him. A body roll later she hit her hand on the low hanging chandelier, falling into his arms. Rick tried to help her to her feet, but she was insisting she was fine. Flustered and genuinely annoyed at her, he guided them through the crowd that had formed to watch her little show. People whistled at her and gave her congratulatory pats.

"You might have a concussion" Rick said, to which she denied. "I'm fine!" she whined, it would have been cute if she wasn't wasted and acting like a petulant child.

Sitting her down, he tried to coax her to stay awake when Daryl showed up.

"It's off man. She don't wanna be with me, just that Philip guy" Daryl said. Rick watched Michonne fumble in her seated position as if deciding which side of her body felt the most stable, like she was on a see-saw.

"You like the girl?" Rick asked to which Daryl nodded. "Then this little game y'all are playin's got nothing to do with that. Be honest with her and don't doubt for one minute that you're not the better man. Philip will ruin his image to her all by himself." he said, resting a firm hand on Daryl's shoulder before taking Michonne and walking away from the party.

Rick found a swing set and placed her on it. She was still off balanced and looked at him through hazy eyes. He would have laughed if she hadn't almost fallen off the swing, and didn't look like she was going to pass out. "You wanna explain what just happened back there?" he asked like a stern parent. "You're not my Daddy, so I don't have to answer to you." she said, gaining some of her attitude and clarity in the same moment.

"What are you doing Michonne?" he asked, sitting down beside her and giving her a smirk. "I'm letting my hair down Rick. Just having a good time." she said with a hair flick. "Well you're gonna feel that in the morning." he replied, watching her eyes close. A moment of panic seized him as he took her face in his hands, tapping her cheeks to get her to open her eyes. Slowly, she opened her doe eyes and glanced at him, a small smile spreading on her face.

"You're pretty." she slurred a bit. "Never really noticed til now." to which Rick beamed like he'd won the lottery. The moment, however, was short lived as Michonne's head fell forward and the contents of her stomach emptied onto the grass beside her. Taking her hair in his hands, he rubbed her back and whispered words of comfort.

"Guess, I'm driving." he said, to which she just chuckled , wiping the back of her hands across her mouth.

"I can't go home like this. My Dad's gonna kill me." she groaned, slowly entering sobriety.

"I got a place." he replied, causing her to frown. "It ain't like that. Plus, you're covered in vomit woman." he said. A beat passed between them, as Rick continued to hold her hair while she rested her face against his stomach, it was comfortable. Taking a step back he looked at her and asked "Do you trust me?" The question came from a place of longing and he didn't recognize that feeling. Should she trust him, after all he was dating her to get a bike, at least that's how it started. But now, now he needed her to trust him, cuz he wanted to prove her wrong.

"I don't know." she said after a minute of milling over the question.

"Well, trust is something you build. So, let me help you. You can decide later if you can trust me." he said. She nodded and added "No funny business, Grimes."

"Wouldn't dream of it Michonne." he replied. "Let's go… you stink." he said, causing her to laugh and take his hand.