A/N: Hello lovelies! I started this a while ago and set it to the side, but after watching that Season 7 deleted scene, inspiration returned. In my canon world, this takes place before Sleepless in Alexandria, still after the AOW. Spoilers from the comics, I guess. I don't read them but for the most part, I know what happens.

Please enjoy.

A Mighty Love

Judith knocked for a third time on the door, the sound of her small fist hitting the hollow wood echoing in the quiet hallway. She huffed and grasped the doorknob again with her right hand but it refused to turn and open. The sun was up; she wanted hugs from Mommy and to tell her about her dreams.

"Mommy?" Judith called out again.

She thought she heard a noise from inside the room and pressed her ear against the door. "Mommy? You in there?"

Carl appeared in the doorway of his room, pulling a t-shirt over his head. He watched Judith at the door to the master bedroom, which was undoubtedly locked.

"What are you doing, little-bit?"

"I need to tell Mommy something," she said.

"Mom's sleeping. Go play in your room."

"I already played in my room."

"Then go read a book."

"I don't know how to do that," she protested.

Carl looked at her pouty face, as if Judith's lack of access to Michonne broke her heart. He tugged his shirt down and smoothed his hair, pulling a section of the bangs so they covered the right side of his face. He sighed and figured his parents would owe him one for distracting Judith.

"Let's go eat breakfast. How about some blueberry pancakes?"

"And applesauce?"

"Yeah, applesauce too."

Judith's lower lip poked out further but she nodded, grabbing her brother's hand as he led them downstairs. She decided she would tell Carl about her dream while they ate and then tell Mommy later.

Inside the bedroom, Michonne lay in the middle of the bed, writhing in the early dawn sunlight through the window and beneath her husband while he had his own breakfast. Pussy. This morning it was served up steaming hot and dripping wet. Rick lifted his head enough to say, "I didn't think she was ever gonna go away," before diving back in. He used his forearms to hold Michonne's thighs spread wide; leaving his hands free and keeping her completely vulnerable to the pleasure he was giving her. His cock strained and seeped, wanting some of the action. With a tortured groan, he deliberately pushed his hips into the mattress, the friction simultaneously intensifying his desire and keeping it at bay. He was ravenous for her and couldn't wait to get inside her, but first, another orgasm.

Michonne might have laughed in agreement at his comment if she wasn't caught up in barreling toward her second orgasm of the morning. She panted and squirmed as Rick ate her whole pussy, her hands clenching at whatever she could reach; the sheet, his shoulders, the pillow, his hair. He nibbled and munched and licked his way from the bottom up, sucking on her lips and folds. He stuck his tongue inside her for more honey while he thumbed her nub in tight circles. Her body surged and she instinctively tried to close her legs as she closed in on her peak. When her body tensed in expectation, he growled in refusal and pushed his forearms down further to keep her open. He slowed his movements and went back to gently slurping and tonguing.

"Rick!" she gasped in disbelief, her chest heaving. She was right there, skirting the edge, her nipples hard knobs and a sheen of sweat covering her torso.

"God, I can't get enough of you," his voice was muffled from between her legs. He flattened his tongue on her clit, pressing firmly on the engorged cherry while she shuddered and slid back away from her climax. She cried out when he circled his tongue over and around her sweet spot, slowly going faster, building her back up. Releasing one leg, he eased two fingers inside her warm flesh and curved them to massage her deep. He latched on to her clit and suckled hard. She tried to beg for mercy but no words came out as she plunged over the cliff. Instead, she gave a long, deep moan. She released the grip she had on the sheets to clutch his head, pushing herself into the pleasure. She threw her head back and arched her body as she gave it up.

"Unnh. . . yes . . .yes. . .yes," she chanted with each spasm that wracked her body. The pleasure was splendid and intense. Rick ate her through her climax, unable to breathe and his scalp stinging from the tight hold she had on his hair. He wouldn't have it any other way. He lived for her flavor, her tang. Loved shattering her into tiny pieces. Michonne cooed in satisfaction as she came down the other side and watched as Rick licked his lips and used the edge of the sheet to wipe at his beard. He crawled up her body slowly, keeping low so that his chest, abdomen and cock rubbed against her on his way to her mouth. He lapped at her skin on his way up. She moaned and twitched at the additional sensations, already overstimulated. His cock settled against her belly, ruddy and engorged, ready for to be rewarded for its patience. He rubbed his mouth against hers, coaxing her lips open. She moaned again when he gave her his tongue, tasting herself in his kiss.

Rick looked down at Michonne, warmed by the satisfaction and love in her heavy-lidded gaze. His eyes traveled over her face, admiring her dark skin, deep brown eyes, lips that were even fuller than usual, silken locs in disarray as they flowed around her head. He stayed falling in love with her. Shifting and reaching down, he placed his cock at her core, rubbing it along her pussy and getting it slick with her cream. He pressed the head against her bud and smiled when she twitched and whimpered. He considered fingering her to another orgasm, but he wanted to fuck her too bad.

"Now, baby," Michonne whispered, greedy for him. She grasped his heavy length and stroked him several times before aligning him back in place. Bracing his arms on either side of her, he gazed into her eyes as he slowly pushed inside. Her lips fell slack and her eyes became glassy as he seated himself, his considerable size stretching her. She moved her hips but there was nowhere to go; he filled her to the brim. She sighed heavily in pleasure and wove her fingers into the curls at the base of his neck. Rick bit his bottom lip at the bliss of being deep inside her. Her physical response to their joining turned him on even more.

"You're so wet, so hot," he said, gritting his teeth. "You feel so good."

Michonne nodded, robbed of speech by her own thoughts of how delicious he felt. Rick gave several good thrusts, withdrawing almost all the way and easing back in, familiarizing himself yet again with the lay of her land. Her lush heat made him delirious; he dropped his head and set to work. The wet, sucking sounds of his thrusting filled the room, fueling the frenzy of their desire for each other. She grew wetter and widened her legs and used her heels to push back up against him. Rick cursed as he went even deeper. His strokes were precise and firing off the nerves of every good spot she had. Michonne emitted a loud moan every time he plunged back in to the hilt. She tried, but she couldn't hold them back. He set her ablaze. Rick began to grunt every time he bottomed out, grinding against her with a rotation of his hips, sending her higher. The pleasure was maddening and they were lost in it. Rick's grunts grew louder, matching her elevated pitch. She grabbed his ass with her hands, digging her fingertips into his flesh. He wrapped several of her locs in one hand and she squealed at the pleasure when he tugged on them. The momentum kept building until the tight ball of tension above her pubis exploded. She wanted to scream with the joy, the wonder of it all. She screwed her eyes shut as she came, her entire body vibrating in ecstasy. Rick yelled her name as she pulled him with her, the exquisite clenching of her walls around his cock wringing his pleasure and semen out of him. His hips jerked with each gush deep within her.

"Thank you," he said against her lips. Their kiss was thorough, slow. He took his time, drinking from her lips and then her tongue, his body buzzing with the after-effects of his orgasm.

When he shifted to pull out she wrapped her limbs around him and held him in place. He was heavy but she liked his weight, this closeness as they were returning back to themselves.

"Not yet, stay," she whispered, her breath caressing his ear.

He sighed and relaxed. In the silence of the room, they heard the muffled sound of the front door slamming shut.

"Were we too loud?" she asked him, worried.

"I don't remember. Besides, I can't help myself," he murmured.

He rested his face in her neck and pressed lazy kisses there, breathing her in. She smelled of the oil she put in her hair, her citrus-scented body butter and sweat from their sex. He found it arousing and comforting at the same time.

"You smell good, like coconuts and oranges." He licked her skin as he spoke.

"It's passionfruit," she told him.

"Hmm?"

She knew he really didn't care, just liked the way she smelled so she didn't repeat herself. She always took note of the scents he liked the most.

He caressed several of her locs as his heartbeat slowed and his breathing returned to normal. "I could fall right to sleep."

"Well, don't do it yet. I'm going to be hungry soon and I might not be able to get out from under you."

Rick chuckled and her body shook with his amusement. Michonne laughed too. She couldn't see his face but she could imagine the satisfied grin he wore. She was sure it matched hers. After a while, his breathing deepened and his muscles became more lax. She caressed his back and hair until his weight became too much.

"Okay," she said, patting between his shoulders. Rick heaved a sigh, content. He pulled out and lay next to her, cuddling up against her side as she remained on her back. She squirmed as his seed leaked out of her, tickling between her cheeks. Her movements felt good and his cock stirred.

"You want more?" he asked.

She smiled shyly. "I'm good."

There were several beats of silence as his cock continued to grow against her, until it was half-enlarged and heated against her hip.

"Do you want more?" she asked him.

He flushed at his blatant insatiability for her. "No," he lied. "I'm good if you're good."

"You seem like you'd like a little something more." She sat up and looked down at him. "Lay on your back," she commanded. "How about I say hello?"

Rick rolled over and kicked his feet free from the sheets. He pushed himself up and reclined back against the headboard. Reaching under her pillow to pull out her scarf, he handed it over.

"Put your hair up," he said, wanting to see everything. He didn't want to miss a moment of watching his cock in her mouth.

Michonne kneeled in front of him and lifted her arms to tie her hair back. Her tits swayed with her movements and he broke her gaze to stare at them. He realized hadn't sucked on them enough earlier and he stretched out his hand to grasp a raspberry pebble, pulling gently. He leaned up to taste it, but she stopped him with a hand on his chest and guided him back against the bed.

"Sit back. Relax," she said.

"You comfortable?" he asked, when she settled between his legs.

She smiled at him. "Yes. Are you?"

He returned her smile and nodded. He was always comfortable with her; could always be himself. He hoped he would last a while, having come just a little while ago.

Michonne started at his jaw, cupping his face with both hands and scratching her fingers through his beard. He lifted up his chin, enjoying the tingles her touch produced. She smoothed her hands down his neck and along his shoulders, gripping his biceps and delighting in the strength there. He flexed for her, showing off, flattered by her admiration. She caressed his chest, rubbing her thumbs over his tightened nipples and continuing down his abdomen. She paused at his navel and dipped her finger there, grinning as his muscles contracted with amusement. She stroked her fingers over his lean hips, ran her hands up and down his thighs until his legs twitched at her teasing touches. She applied firmer pressure there and got closer and closer to his phallus.

Rick blew out a breath when at last, she grasped him, giving slow, long pumps until he was fully erect. She leaned down, settling on her stomach and giving his cock long, juicy licks from base to top. She swirled her tongue over the flared dome, flicking at the sensitive spot on the underside before licking the entire length again. She caught his eye before she took him in her mouth. His lips parted as he breathed heavily. The heat and pull of her mouth was luxurious. Her head moved up and down as she sucked him. She didn't swallow but let the excess fluid provide additional lubrication as she used her mouth and hands to get him off. Her hands close to her lips, she moved both up and down as she gluttoned on him, twisting her hand around the head before going back down. She used her other hand to fondle his sac, tugging lightly.

Michonne relished the gasps and moans she wrung out of him. It turned her on to give him head and if both of her hands weren't occupied, she would have reached down to touch herself. She moved her head faster. Rick touched her cheek, running his thumb along the soft skin from her lip to ear. Michonne hollowed her cheeks before letting go suddenly to take his two fingers in her mouth, sucking hard. Rick's eyes glazed as the sensation zinged straight to his cock. She took his length back in her mouth and went down as far she could, the fat head lodged at the back of her throat as she hummed and worked her throat muscles. Rick grunted and involuntarily bucked his hips. But Michonne knew him and what he liked and had already started pulling back up before she gagged. She repeated this again. And again. She allowed him to gag her once, knowing he liked the sound.

Rick uttered strangled sounds, his words unintelligible but full of love and lust. His toes cramped and his thighs tensed as he got close. This orgasm was going to be a punch in the gut. Like the love they shared. It was mighty and immense; the most remarkable blow to his chest; it stole his breath and invigorated him; it humbled and empowered him.

"I'm gonna come," he puffed. The consummate gentleman.

Michonne squeezed his cock and pulled up while she suctioned hard and with a deep bellow, Rick came. He grunted with each pulse of ejaculate into Michonne's mouth. He was lost in the euphoria and shuddered as his scalp prickled and the fire raged through his body.

Michonne was still licking his essence off her fingers when he opened her eyes. His cock twitched in sweet relief.

"Have mercy," he whispered, collapsing back on the pillows and trying to catch his breath.

Michonne's smug grin was full of pride at satisfying her man. She pressed a soft kiss to the side of his cock and another at the crease where his leg and abdomen met. She crawled next to him and closed her eyes, sighing as he wrapped himself around and followed her into slumber.

A thirty minute power nap and hot shower later, Michonne stood in the kitchen with her hip against the countertop, finishing off chocolate chip muffins leftover from yesterday. She had a conference call with the Council at the top of the hour. Carl walked in with a smirk on his face. She raised an eyebrow at him. They each waited for the other to speak.

Carl ceded first. "You owe me."

Michonne didn't pretend she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"A trip to the Hilltop."

"Wait, no, that's not a fair trade. You usually eat breakfast with Judith. Besides, you and your dad were just there last week."

"Judith and I had to go for a walk. We ate breakfast at the Canteen. Judith was real disappointed about not having blueberry pancakes; I'm sure she's telling Dad all about it now." Carl tried, but couldn't keep his cheeks from turning red at what he referred to. Michonne did her own blushing and looked away, cleaning invisible crumbs off the counter-top.

"Michonne, please. I really want to go. I miss Enid."

"I don't know if we can afford another trip so soon. Rearranging the schedules, coverage for shifts and guard duty, gathering the supplies."

Carl looked at the floor. "It doesn't have to be a bunch of us. Just you and me."

"Is that really the reason, because of Enid? Is there something more going on?" she asked.

"No, it's just . . . I do miss Enid. And she and I have been talking. About the future, our future. There are people at the Hilltop that can teach me things. I know how to shoot, but I just can't do that to provide for my own family one day. I need to learn how to live, how to survive. Everyone has a skill. You and Dad lead. And you make lotions and soaps and stuff. I want to learn a skill, a trade."

Michonne watched Carl as he talked, absorbing all that he was telling her and filling in the gaps of what he wasn't saying. "You want to move to The Hilltop?" she asked, a wrench in her heart.

"No. . . no." He took a deep breath and shrugged. "Not now, not yet. But maybe." His voice was low.

Michonne studied him, willing her eyes not to fill with tears. She wondered if this was the equivalent of sending him off after high school.

"Okay," she decided. "Let's go. You and me. We'll spend one full day there and drive back the day after. You better work hard at what you want to see and who you want to talk to. And when we get back, we'll decide how to talk this over with your dad."

"Just me and you?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Judith is not going to be happy."

"No, she's not. But I'll talk to her. She'll be okay."

"Carl and I are going to The Hilltop," she told Rick that evening on their walk around Alexandria.

"Just you and Carl? I can go with y'all."

"That's okay. He and I need this time together. Besides, Judith will need you here if I'm gone with Carl. She's been real clingy lately."

Rick ran his hand over his beard. He waited for her to say more. When she didn't he asked, "Everything okay?"

"It will be. I'm fine and Carl is fine. While we're there, I'll stop by the infirmary. The last time I talked to Maggie, the new doctor was almost done with her apprenticeship. Maybe she'll be ready to take up residence here soon."

Rick nodded and grabbed her hand again, interlacing their fingers and they continued walking.

Two days later, a small group stood at the main gate, waiting as Michonne and Carl prepared to leave.

"I love you," Michonne told Judith. "I will see you in just a couple of days. You'll have fun here with Daddy."

"But I wanna go with you and Carl."

"We talked about this. Maybe next time. Carl and I are going to spend some special time together and you and Daddy get some special time together here. When I get back, you and I will do something."

"Just me and you?"

"Just me and you," Michonne confirmed, giving her another kiss.

"And Daddy and Carl can have special time," Judith decided.

"If they want."

Rick walked up to them and he hugged Michonne, pressing his lips to the soft spot below her ear. When he let her go, she got into the car. Carl was already waiting.

"Y'all got everything?" Rick asked, leaning over the open window of the driver's side door.

Michonne looked up at him. She placed her hand over his chest and took comfort in the strong beats of his heart. "We'll be okay."

He gave a sharp nod. "Two days?"

"Three, Rick. A little more than a half day to get there, one full day there and half day to get back. By Thursday afternoon."

He glanced at his watch, as if it held a calendar instead of its analog clock. He looked back down at her and waited, hoping she would share what was on her mind before leaving. He knew she would eventually; they didn't keep secrets from each other. Not anymore. But they did give one another the time and space to process the thoughts and feelings weighing on their minds. She remained silent and he walked around to the back of the car once more. Michonne watched him through the side-view mirror and knew he was checking and double checking the spare tires, flashlights and extra containers of gasoline. Again. He'd already placed a bag with the first aid kit, flares, and extra ammunition on the floor of the backseat. Rick closed the trunk and thumped on the lid twice, moving over to pick up Judith as everyone waved goodbye.

When Michonne had driven several miles past the last Alexandria perimeter outpost, she pulled over to the side of the road and put the car in park. Carl looked over at her, puzzled.

"You wanna drive?" she asked.

"Really?" His smile was wide.

"Yeah. It's about time you learned. Really learned how. More than just using cars as a weapon."

"Yes!" He hopped out of the car and had Michonne's door open before she could open it herself. They switched seats and she reviewed the terminology of the automobile parts and features.

"Well, you won't need to worry about speed limits or most road signs, but you do need to take more time to be aware of your surroundings. Your depth perception is different and you'll have to turn your head to get the full picture, instead of just looking back and forth."

Carl nodded. It was what Denise had him work on during his initial recovery.

Michonne continued, "You can drive as fast as you safely need to for your purpose. Be aware of patterns of abandoned cars and debris in the road. It could be a trap. Pay attention on the number of walkers nearby and what your escape routes may be. Don't get trapped. Try to have an exit, a plan B."

Carl knew this already, but let her tell him again. He got all the terms right when she quizzed him. Adjusting the seat and rear-view mirror, he put the car in drive and continued on the road.

"Okay, so at the next stop sign, slow down and stop. Gently push on the brake," she directed as they neared the four-way intersection.

The red octagon appeared to him suddenly and Carl stomped on the brake. They both jerked forward as the car came to an abrupt stop. Michonne's hands slammed against the dashboard.

"Sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed.

"Maybe we should wear our seatbelts," she said, pulling hers across her body. Carl followed suit.

He pressed the gas again and they travelled for a distance before Michonne spoke again.

"Okay, I want you to begin stopping again. To learn how far away things seems for you and how long it takes to brake. We'll do it from different speeds as you get more comfortable."

This time, Carl was gentler and eased the car to a full stop. They did this a dozen or so more times before Michonne felt confident in his braking and directed him to speed up and keep going.

"Do you remember the way we usually get there?"

"Yes," Carl answered.

"We'll stick to that route. I told you dad that's the way we would go."

They arrived at the Hilltop on schedule. At the gates, they were greeted by some of their extended family.

"This is such a nice surprise," Maggie said, readjusting Hershel on her hip to hug Michonne. "I missed not seeing you last week."

"Me too." Michonne took Hershel and nuzzled his neck. "And I missed getting love from this one right here."

Hershel giggled and twisted in her arms as they walked inside Barrington House.

"You just missed Daryl and Jesus; they left on a run this morning," Maggie said.

"Next time."

"So, Carl's driving now?"

"Yeah, we took turns. He did really good."

Sitting in the front room, Maggie and Michonne caught up. Maggie sent Hershel off with Enid and Carl.

"He'll be a great chaperone," Maggie said to Michonne. "They're so close now."

"Yeah, it's inevitable. I remember the sex talk with my mom, but things are so different now. Love will come faster because of how the world is now."

"Yeah, Enid and I have talked, but what do you do when everything is expiring or has already expired? It'll only be a matter of time before they get close enough for the next step."

Michonne agreed. They smiled at each other.

"How are you?" Michonne asked.

"I'm okay and Hilltop is good. Hershel is healthy. But today has been hard. Some days are. Every day Hershel is doing so many new things and I want to share it with Glenn."

Michonne remained silent, allowing Maggie to confide. Sometimes you just needed someone to listen, not fix it.

"Glenn was love. Our son is testament to that. He was the man of the dreams I hadn't even dreamt yet; my love for the old world and the new; I miss him so much. No one will ever be that to me again and I'm okay with that. It's just. . .," she sighed. "Back at the prison, he had that camera and he would take pictures of me when I slept. I know why he did but I didn't want him focusing on what if we didn't survive the day. I wanted him to be in the right now with me and enjoying that we had each other. Not one of us is guaranteed to survive the day and I didn't want him wasting time worrying about that. But I would do almost anything to have just one picture of him right now."

Michonne grabbed Maggie's' hand. "I'm still hoping we'll find Deanna's videos," she said. "Once we do, I'll make a special trip out here to bring his to you right away."

Maggie smiled, her eyes bright with tears.

Early Thursday morning, Michonne and Carl left The Hilltop. Michonne let Carl take the first leg of their drive and he was eager to do so. For over an hour, he talked excitedly about everyone he met and interviewed, but he was most impressed with the blacksmith, Earl. He listed off all the things a blacksmith could make and how that trade could benefit him.

"Horseshoes, too. Remember Flash? I could have made shoes for him so his hooves would be protected."

He was staring at her while he talked; his attention off the road too long. Michonne glanced ahead and noticed something metal in the road but before she could warn him, he saw it too and pulled sharply to the left to avoid it. The car veered off the road and he turned the wheel the other way to get back on the blacktop, but not before driving over other sharp debris. A loud sound came from the front right tire. They came to a slow, bumpy stop and got outside to inspect the car.

"Just a flat," Michonne determined. "The wheel is okay. I'll get the spare and we'll get this changed."

"I'll do it."

"We can do it together."

"No," Carl said. "This is my fault. I wasn't paying attention. And I know you and Maggie were up late last night. Why don't you get some rest before it's your turn to drive? I can take care of this."

Michonne hesitated. "You sure?"

"It's okay," he assured her. "I know what to do. Dad has shown me lot of times how to change a tire."

Sitting back in passenger seat, Michonne cracked the window for fresh air and rested her head against the glass. She closed her eyes, falling asleep to the sound of Carl humming as he changed the tire. Her dreams were gray and filled with the scratching and moaning noises of dozens of rats that wriggled and crawled over each other, whispering her name, sounding desperate and concerned. She woke suddenly, her heart pounding. Something wasn't right. She remained still and took a moment to refresh her memory on her surroundings before she moved. They were on their way back to Alexandria when they'd got a flat and Carl had been changing the tire.

"Carl?" she whispered, alarm in her voice. "Carl?"

"I'm here." She heard him say and became aware he was in the backseat at the same time she noticed the decayed faces of walkers gnawing and wriggling against the car windows.

"What happened?"

"They came out of nowhere. I was distracted and I dropped the keys getting back into the car."

"Where's your gun?"

"I've got it, but I didn't want to attract more, so I haven't used it yet. I was trying to wake you up."

"That's good. You have my sword?"

"Yeah," he said. "I've taken out four so far through the window." He had opened the back window a few inches to slide her katana through and into the skulls of the bodies around the car.

"Did you get the tire on?"

"Yeah, I only had two lug nuts left."

Michonne thought for a few minutes, counting the walkers and taking in their surroundings.

"We're on a slight incline," she said. "I'll release the brake and we'll roll backwards. They'll follow, so we'll need to get out of the car quickly before they catch back up to us. We'll use one of the flares and throw it to the other side to distract them so we can take care of them."

Carl nodded, agreeing with her plan.

"Hand me the book bag," she said.

When the last walker was taken out, they stood next to each other breathing heavily, their arms covered in walker gore. Michonne hugged Carl, pushed him away to pat him down, looking for any scratches or bites and when she was satisfied he was uninjured, she hugged him again.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you change that tire without guarding your back. If anything had happened to you. . .," her voice trailed off on a sob.

"It's okay, I told you I would be okay. This is on me."

"No, we're a team. I know better. I'll never let you down like that again."

"Michonne, you have never let me down."

The emotions from the brush with danger overwhelmed Michonne. She placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I barely remember my life without you being a part of it. I want the best for you, for all this life will have for you. But I don't want to say goodbye for you to have that. Not even for you to go to The Hilltop. But I would do anything to keep you safe. To keep Judith safe. Your dad. Anything to make sure you're prepared for this world."

Carl was silent for a long moment. "I remember my mom, although it's more like feelings and emotions; her face is so hazy now. But when I close my eyes, sometimes I can remember certain things. The way she said my name. How her hair smelled when she hugged me. How she would laugh when I did something or said something silly. What she said to me before I had to. . .," he paused and cleared his throat. "I love you. I love you for what you've been to me, to Dad. To Judith. And I'm so lucky that I have a mom and a best friend in you. You're my best friend. If you don't want me to go, I won't go."

Michonne swallowed past a large lump of tenderness. She knew what she and Rick would have to do. Everything they'd fought for was to ensure their survival. To love Carl and Judith meant doing what was best for them, doing everything they could to ensure their survival long after she and Rick were gone.

"No, you should go. It would be for the best."

Michonne hugged Carl once more and he held her tight. When they separated, she smoothed his hair.

"Let's find those keys and get home," she said.

They arrived back at Alexandria that afternoon, as promised, although later than anticipated. Rick stood at the gate when they drove through, Judith's small hand clasped in his as they waited for the return of the other half of their family. He narrowed his eyes as Carl parked the car next to him.

"Driving lessons?" Rick asked when they opened the doors. He circled the car, noting one of the front tires was different. He sniffed and tilted his head when he saw the blood smudges on the passenger side window.

"Michonne taught me how," Carl replied.

"That's good," Rick said.

Judith ran to Michonne as soon as she was out of the car.

"I missed you, love-bug," Michonne said, crouching down to give Judith a full hug. The little girl wrapped her arms around Michonne's neck.

"I misted you too," she told Michonne solemnly. "And you know what? Daddy took me on a wun. We found flowers for you. And you know what else? Lots of sticks for my stick collection."

"How exciting," Michonne said to Judith. She looked up at Rick. "A run?"

Rick shrugged. "That was our quality time. We stayed along the fence line and I was able to inspect it. There's a couple of spots that could use some reinforcement."

"I hope those sticks are not in my house."

Rick chuckled and assured her that they were in the designated bucket next to the back door.

Michonne stood up. "I missed you," she said to Rick.

"Not as much as I misted you," he whispered so Judith wouldn't overhear.

Michonne laughed as Rick eyed her up and down. He thought about how much he couldn't wait to show her later just how much he'd missed her. Michonne caught the meaning in his intense stare and bit her lip; she looked forward to it.

"How'd it go?" he asked.

"Great. The doctor will be here next month. They'll make a trip out to bring her. We blew a tire, had a small scare, but everything turned out okay. It was a good trip."

Carl stayed close to the car, lingering.

"You remembered how to change it?" Rick called out to him.

Carl nodded, remaining still, waiting to see if Michonne would say more now about the purpose of their trip. A slow smile spread crossed his face when he realized she would talk to his dad about it later. Like when he, Carl, wasn't around. He picked up his and Michonne's duffel bags and headed toward the house, Judith trailing behind him and insisting she let him carry one.

That night, the house was quiet and the bedroom dim when Michonne returned from a quick trip to the bathroom. Rick was still in the same position she'd left him, on his back, his heart still pounding from their fervent lovemaking of her riding them both to the land of milk and honey. His cock lay exhausted and satisfied on his thigh. His smile was besotted as he admired her in a tank top and panties.

"Carl wants to go away to college at The Hilltop. I think we should let him."

It took several moments for Rick's brain to catch up. When her words sunk in, he frowned.

"What? Maggie's building a college?"

"No," she chuckled. "He wants to learn a trade, one we can't teach him here. He wants to live there while he learns."

Rick's frown deepened while he processed the information. He ran his hand over his chest. "I could see how that might be for the best. How do you feel about it?"

"Let's sit down with him tomorrow, after Judith goes to morning school. We can hammer out the details. How long he'll be there, how often we expect him to visit."

"There's a chance he might never move back here permanently," Rick warned.

"I know, I've thought about that too. But we can't make him stay here forever. And if he wants to leave, he'll do it eventually. This way, he'll be somewhere safe, with family, not too far away and learning how to become a blacksmith."

"A blacksmith, huh? It'll be different not having him here. Are you going to be okay with this?"

"I will be. We will be. I want him stay, but this isn't about me."

"We'll make it be okay," Rick agreed. "We can do this for him."

Rick watched as she wrangled her locs into a bonnet. She moisturized her hands and arms with her body butter and glanced over her shoulder at him. She caught his eye and they shared a soft smile. She lay down facing away from him, so he could cuddle up behind her. After doing so, he reached for her hand and intertwined their fingers.

"I love you," she whispered.

He let her words surround him, a blanket of comfort and peace as he absorbed them and then returned them back to her, with infinitely more love than either of them believed their hearts could hold.