Rick had never been a patient man. He used to hate long lines at the supermarket, traffic jams, and appointments that didn't start when they were supposed to. When it came to people he loved, he had even less tolerance for waiting for things that they needed. In his old life he'd use his privilege as a deputy to get around that unpleasantness. Now, he had no such privilege, and even if he had it wouldn't have worked because he was waiting for Michonne to wake up again. Something only she had control of.

She'd been sleeping now for hours, but it felt like days for Rick. Actually, it had been days that she was in and out of consciousness. He just wanted to know that she was okay.

His thoughts went to his child, living inside of her. She'd lost so much blood. Was the baby getting enough oxygen? Enough nutrients? She hadn't eaten for the past few days. Rick was worried for the both of them.

He alternated between standing at Michonne's bedside stroking her hair, and pacing her room.

Sasha came in to ask if he wanted some water. Maggie came in to ask if he wanted some food. Daryl came in and just stood guard by the door, offering his silence, but Rick couldn't eat, drink, or relax until he knew she was okay.

He waited by her bed all night, until the sun rose over the trees in the distance and began lighting up the sky. Denise appeared in the doorway.

"Excuse me. Pete asked me to take her temperature again, and get her blood pressure," the woman said nervously.

Rick looked up at her blankly, and moved two steps back in a daze.

Denise cautiously approached the bed, scooting past Rick who didn't realize or care that he was in the way.

Denise placed the thermometer in Michonne's mouth, and wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm. Rick watched her every movement as she handled Michonne, and he noticed her hands were shaking. He didn't know if it was from fear or something else, but he needed to find out.

"Are you a doctor?" he asked.

"Hmm?" the woman asked, startled that Rick had suddenly spoken.

"Are. You. A doctor?"

"Yes. I mean, I went to medical school. I was even going to be a surgeon but… that didn't work out. But… to answer your question, yes. I am a doctor. A… a psychiatrist actually. It's just been a while since I've been in on a surgery. Or seen someone as injured as she was. She… she was hurt really badly. And the blood... In med school I learned surgeries kind of freak me out," Denise rambled nervously.

"Hey. Do you know what you're doing?" Rick asked, his eyes narrowing.

Denise turned around and blinked at him. "I'm sorry. I know it seems like I don't know what I'm doing. I, uh… basically told you that. I admit I'm not used to doing all this, but I'm learning. Pete is teaching me. I know you're worried about her, but I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Or the baby. Trust me."

"I don't know you," Rick replied.

She reached out her hand for Rick to shake. "Denise Cloyd."

Rick hesitated. He didn't mean he didn't know her name, he meant he didn't know her intentions, and her motivation. He studied her hand, and then her eyes. Denise's heart thudded in her chest when she realized Rick was trying to figure her out. Despite her fear, she held her hand steady until Rick gripped it in a vise-like hold.

"Rick Grimes."

Denise nodded and turned back to Michonne, continuing to take her blood pressure. "The fact that she's still alive is a miracle. I noticed she's been shot in the arm too. She survived being shot and stabbed, I can tell she's strong. She's a survivor. I think she'll be okay. The baby too."

"Yea," Rick breathed out.

"I can't imagine what you people have been through. What you've all seen and experienced. It has to be… savage... out there. I found this place by accident. I got lost and wound up here a few days after I had to leave my home. It was the luckiest thing that happened to me. You'll like it here if you decide to stay."

Rick said nothing and he watched Denise like a hawk as she examined Michonne. She removed the cuff from her arm and read the panel on it.

"Her blood pressure is lower than it should be, from the blood loss and dehydration, but it's higher than it was a few hours ago, which is a good sign."

The thermometer beeped and Denise removed it from her mouth.

"102. It's still high, but she's getting there. Little by little."

When Denise left to sterilize the thermometer, Rick quickly took her place, feeling Michonne's forehead for himself.

Daryl entered the room in standard tracker fashion, by simply appearing at the door.

"Rick. Maggie and I are gonna head back now. Aaron and Eric offered to follow us and bring an RV to transport everybody here."

"You ok with that?" Rick asked.

"Everyone can't fit in that van. At least not without sitting on laps for a day and a half."

"What do they want in return?" Rick asked, suspicious of why these people were so keen to help.

"Far as I know, nothing."

"Keep an eye on them. No matter what, Carl and Judith ride with you," Rick commanded.

"Got it," Daryl replied. "What do you want me to tell Carl about Michonne?"

"Tell him she's fighting. And send him over here as soon as you come back."

Daryl nodded, giving one last glance at Michonne before turning and leaving the infirmary with Maggie.

An hour after Daryl and Maggie left, Deanna returned to the infirmary with a basket of supplies and food.

"Hello Rick," she said, entering the room after she knocked lightly on the door frame. "How is she doing?"

"She's sleeping," he replied.

Deanna nodded and moved further into the room with her basket. "I brought some things I thought you might need. Some fruit and applesauce for breakfast, towels, a toothbrush, a bar of soap… just some odds and ends."

Rick turned his eyes to Deanna and studied her thoroughly. She held the basket out towards him with a small smile on her face, patiently waiting for him to take it from her. He had to admit this woman had nerves of steel. He knew he wasn't acting very amiable towards her, nor did he feel that way, and yet she still was trying to provide him with supplies.

He slowly reached over and took the basket from her, placing it on the floor near his chair.

"Thank you," he said.

"Not a problem Rick."

"What do you want in return?"

"Like I told you during your interview, your group is the type of people we need. Doing your job when you get it, that's how you pay us back."

"So what's my job?" he asked.

"You have a lot to deal with right now. When you're settled in, and she's doing better, that's when I'll talk to you about a job."

Rick looked back at Michonne and watched her chest rise and fall. He noticed her breathing had gotten better since Pete had administered the antibiotics. Stronger. He hoped it would only improve from here. During the night, he, Maggie, and Sasha had slid a hospital gown on to Michonne so she wasn't naked under the sheets, but the sight of her in that gown made her look even more vulnerable. He just wanted to see her eyes. He wanted to know that she was okay and understood where she was. And then, he knew he had to tell her about their baby.

Deanna watched Rick watching Michonne. The muscles in his shoulders and back were tightly clenched and he stared at Michonne, barely blinking.

"Is she your wife?" Deanna asked.

"No," Rick stated.

Deanna took his short answer as a sign that he didn't want to discuss it any further.

"I want to assign housing to your group when they arrive. How many people do you have?"

"Thirteen," Rick said.

"Thirteen people surviving together out there," Deanna said, shaking her head in amazement. "If we decide to take all of you, your group would be the largest we've ever brought in."

"If you take us in?"

"Well like I said, everyone has to be interviewed before we make our decision. Even Michonne. When she's ready."

"And what happens if you decide not to take us in?"

"Aaron and Eric will escort you all out to where you were found and let you go on your way."

Rick's forehead furrowed. He hadn't seen much of this town as he'd spent his time in the room with Michonne, but if it was as prosperous as it seemed he knew he wasn't going to leave. Not even if Deanna decided they had to. And the fact that she believed Aaron and Eric "escorting" them away would get rid of them was laughable. Was that how they got rid of people who were a problem? These people were clueless.

Deanna studied Rick's face as he thought. She knew he was having a whole internal conversation.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Nothing,"

"You don't like the way we do things?" Deanna asked, reading right through him.

Before he could stop himself he gave an honest answer. "I think you're naive."

"How so?" she inquired, crossing her arms.

"If you let people in, and don't have a plan for what to do with them if they don't work out, you're putting your people in danger. Escorting them out? I don't think so."

"Well how do you suppose we deal with people who aren't working here?" Deanna asked, leaning her body against the wall besides Rick.

"I dunno, but just escorting them away isn't going to work. Not when they know where you are, they know what you have, and they know how to get back."

Deanna looked at Rick and nodded thoughtfully. "You're right. That's why I need your input. You see things I don't, you have experiences that I don't. That's valuable."

Rick continued to look down at Michonne without responding to Deanna.

"I'll give you some privacy with her," Deanna said, motioning towards Michonne and taking a few steps back. "Maybe Sasha will be up for her interview now."

Deanna backed her way to the door and left.

***can08writer***

"Rick," a voice called softly.

Rick's head shot up quickly, and in full automatic mode his hand reached for his Colt which was no longer in its rightful home at his side. Startled even more that his gun was gone, he bolted to his feet and nearly tripped over the chair he'd been sitting on.

His eyes scanned the room, first checking Michonne who was still sleeping deeply, then shooting to the door where Sasha stood watching him with her arms crossed.

"Rick, you should go lay down," Sasha stated, studying his still panicked face.

"What… what is it? Is something wrong?" He asked, his heart still pounding from the rush of adrenaline that woke him up.

"No. Nothing's wrong," Sasha said, taking a few steps forward. "I just got back from my interview with Deanna."

"You talked to her?" Rick asked, dropping back into his chair.

"Yes. I told you I was leaving forty minutes ago. You don't remember our conversation?"

Rick rubbed his eyes. "No. Sorry. I've been kind of out of it."

Sasha made her way to the other side of Michonne's bed, studying the woman briefly before looking over at Rick.

"It's okay. I should've known. During the whole conversation you were staring past me like a walker."

"Sorry," he said, continuing to wipe at his face in an attempt to wake up more fully.

"Rick, take a nap. You haven't slept in at least 48 hours."

"No. No I'm fine," he insisted.

"You need to sleep. She'll still be here when you wake up. I'll stay here with her. Let me help."

Rick blinked a few times and looked back at Michonne, studying her face for any sign of discomfort.

"Why did you insist on coming with us?" Rick asked Sasha. "And then staying with me here?"

She also looked down at Michonne's ashen face, a sheen of sweat still visible on her forehead.

"I came to help. And also because I owe her. She saved my life," Sasha admitted, gently stroking one of Michonne's cold fingers. "That day I went into the woods, when we were at the furniture store, I was in so much pain. I was so tired of living, tired of feeling, tired of fighting to survive every day. I gave up. I ended it. I wrapped a rope around a tree and hung myself."

Rick listened intently as Sasha stared, absentmindedly running her fingers past the scars that marred her neck, recounting the day her life changed.

"As soon as I jumped I regretted it, but as I hung there losing consciousness I figured no one would come looking for me. That stunt I pulled with the walkers in the barn, almost getting you, Abraham, and everyone else killed… I figured it'd be good riddance. But when I woke up, she was there. Encouraging me to breathe, telling me I was gonna live. Telling me this was a new start. The least I can do is sit with her now."

Rick swallowed deeply.

"She saved my life too. The first day I met her. She's saved my life more than once, in different ways. She gave me hope when I didn't have much. She gave Carl and I direction after losing everything we had. And now…" Rick looked down at Michonne's abdomen, covered in bandages and a blanket.

"She's giving me more than I could ever want. More than I deserve."

Sasha's eyes narrowed slightly as she suspected there was more behind Rick's words than there seemed. She stood and approached Rick, placing her hand on his arm.

"Get some sleep. I'll stay here with her."

"I'm good."

"You're not. A few minutes ago you almost fell off your chair. You need to sleep. Just for a few hours. You know if she wakes up I'll get you."

"I can't…"

"Rick!" Sasha said sharply, startling him with the voracity of her words. "Go. To. Sleep."

He sighed and looked back at Michonne. He reluctantly let go of her hand which he was holding, and got up from his chair.

"There's a couch in the room next door, that's where I slept last night. It's comfortable enough."

Rick sighed, not knowing if he'd even be able to fall asleep.

"Thanks Sasha," he said, before leaving the room.

Rick was only able to nap for thirty minutes, but the brief sleep helped recharge him, and allow him to focus some of the nervous energy he was feeling.

As soon as he awoke, he was back in Michonne's room, relieving Sasha of her post. He sat for another hour, during which Pete arrived, checking Michonne's temperature, blood pressure, and the drainage from her wound. Her temperature had dropped another degree, of which Rick was grateful. Rick stared the man down as he tended to Michonne. He was angry at him for initially refusing to help her, but also grateful that he came around. Still, Rick didn't trust him or want him alone with Michonne.

Pete did what he had to do quickly, not feeling comfortable under Rick's intense stare. And once he had checked what he needed he left the room, leaving the couple alone.

After another long half hour passed, a small moan from Michonne drew Rick's attention. She took a deep breath and her forehead furrowed slightly.

"Michonne," Rick whispered with a relieved smile, placing his hand on her shoulder and rubbing circles with his thumb. Her head slowly rolled in the direction of his voice, but she stopped moving after that.

"Come on Michonne, open your eyes sweetheart."

At the sound of Rick's voice, Michonne's eyes began to flutter, and then slowly opened to a squint.

At first she saw nothing but a blur. Her eyes were unfocused and she wasn't sure what exactly she was looking at. She blinked rapidly and within a few seconds Rick's face slowly came into view. She focused on him until she could recognize his blue eyes shining down at her, darting from place to place on her face, checking her out. She didn't know why he looked so scared. Was something wrong?

Her heart rate increased at the thought that something was scaring him. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but she couldn't speak. Her mouth, her tongue, her throat, all of it was dry. Her attempt to speak resulted in a squeaky breath.

"Shh, shh," Rick soothed, rubbing her shoulder. He reached over and grabbed a glass of water that was on the table by her bed. He placed his right hand behind her neck to elevate her head, while he held the glass of water to her lips with his left.

The small elevation of her head put pressure on her abdomen, and she released a groan as pain pierced her abdomen and side.

"Hold on, don't move," Rick said, slowly resting Michonne's head back on the pillow. He grabbed a straw and plunged the straw into the cup, and brought it to her lips where she took tentative sips. When she'd drank all she could manage, which equaled a mouthful, she lay back on the pillows to catch her breath. The small act of drinking made her feel as though she'd walked a few blocks.

"How are you feeling?" Rick asked.

"Rick..." Michonne cleared her throat when her voice came out raspy. "Rick where are we?"

"We're in the infirmary in Alexandria, the community we were bringing you to."

"When did we get here? How long have I been here?"

"Yesterday. You've been here for a day."

Michonne looked down at herself, noticing she no longer was wrapped in the blood soaked rags she'd been in when she'd passed out. She had clean bandages, and was wearing a clean hospital gown. The sheet that covered her body didn't smell like mold or mildew. It had been washed at some point. Wherever they were, at least it seemed sanitary.

There was a persistent pain that radiated from the stab wound in her side and spread across her stomach as far as her belly button. Her limbs felt heavy like she had weights on them, and she couldn't remember ever feeling so weak in her life.

"Everything hurts. What's wrong with me?"

"The blood loss is gonna make you feel weak for a while. And the infection from the stab wound spread a bit in your abdomen. Pete, the surgeon…"

"I had surgery?"

"Yes. There's a doctor here. He saved your life. He gave you antibiotics but he only had basic painkillers. I know you're in pain…"

"It's alright," Michonne said, expending enough energy to reach for Rick's hand. He quickly entwined their fingers and stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. "What happened when we got here? Do you trust these people? I don't remember much."

"We rescued two of their people on the way here. In exchange they agreed to treat you. I haven't really explored this place yet, I've been here with you, but Sasha went outside and she seems to think it's okay. The leader here agreed to give our group a house to live in when they arrive."

Michonne raised an eyebrow, her expression saying everything that Rick was thinking.

"Yea, I thought that was strange too, but they seem sincere so far. Either way, now that you're awake I feel a little better about things."

"How long do I have to stay here?" Michonne asked.

"The doctor says a week," Rick exaggerated. Although Pete had told him Michonne had to stay at least three days, he observed how weak she was and he wasn't comfortable with her leaving. He knew if he told her three days she'd be rearing to go in two. He just wanted her to have time to truly heal. For her sake, and the sake of their developing baby that she wasn't aware of yet.

Michonne's eyes scanned the bright room. She took in the clean linens, and the medical supplies, but something else immediately stole her attention.

"Is there electricity here?" she asked as her head tilted towards the bright light above her, her curiosity making her completely forget the pain she was in.

"Yes. They use solar power."

"I never thought I'd see a lit lightbulb again," she said in wonder.

"I have to say, it was their resources that kept you alive. The medical attention, medicine, electricity... If we didn't have that…" Rick shook his head. "I thought I was going to lose you."

He bent down and kissed Michonne's lips, thankful when she returned the kiss eagerly.

"I love you so much," he said, reminding her in case she'd forgotten.

"I love you too," she said with a nod. "Thank you for getting me here. You saved my life."

Rick nodded and smiled, but his smile slowly dissolved when he realized he had to reveal to Michonne what he knew about her. And he wasn't sure how she'd react.

She picked up on his change in demeanor and her eyes opened slightly.

"What?" she asked.

"You have to eat something," Rick said, changing the subject quickly. He reached into the basket Deanna had brung, and removed the jar of applesauce inside. He dipped a spoon into the mason jar, and held it out for Michonne to take.

"I'm not hungry. I feel sick to my stomach. If I eat I'll throw it back up."

"C'mon, just a spoonful," Rick insisted. "You haven't eaten much for days."

"I don't want it," Michonne said, her voice showing her clear determination. Rick made a strange face that she couldn't quite interpret, and slowly placed the cover on the jar.

"What is it?" she asked.

"You have to eat."

"I will. When I'm not in so much pain. Why?"

Rick sighed and fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Rick, what is it? I know something's wrong." Her eyes suddenly popped open. "Did we lose someone?"

Rick realized his lack of communication was causing her to panic and he didn't want to stress her out even more. He held her hand and gazed deep into her brown eyes.

"You're pregnant."

Michonne's forehead furrowed and she stared at Rick in disbelief. She then chuckled softly, thinking he was making a joke. When he continued to look at her the smile dissolved from her face.

"What? No- no I'm not," she said, confused about where this was coming from. When he continued to stare at her, it finally sunk in that he was serious.

"You're kidding," she tried again, hoping he'd laugh along with her. He shook his head, no longer making eye contact with her.

"I'm pregnant? How… how do you know?"

"Pete, the doctor, gave you an ultrasound. He showed me our baby. I heard the heartbeat."

Michonne stared at Rick with her eyes wide, not fully registering what he was telling her.

"But how could...? We only had sex once. We… we… I can't…"

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true Michonne," Rick reiterated. He could tell her brain was trying to wrap itself around the idea that she was pregnant from their one wonderful night together. She stared past him as she thought about what this information could mean, and how she felt about it.

She slowly moved her hand down her body, carefully bypassing her bandages until she reached the area below her bellybutton. She pressed gently and winced a little.

"We're going to have a baby," Rick whispered, trying to look Michonne in the eye now, but she stared past him.

"Michonne?"

"I'm pregnant?" she asked, but Rick knew it was rhetorical. She was talking to herself now.

Rick placed his hand on her cheek, slowly drawing her face towards his.

"I know it's a shock, but we'll find a way…"

Michonne burst into tears without warning. She closed her eyes and large, fat droplets ran down her cheeks. Without thought, Rick climbed into bed next to her, and gently pressed her to him. Her chin trembled, and Rick embraced her as carefully as he could, holding her head to his chest.

"Oh don't cry," he whispered, "it'll be alright. I know you're worried but…"

"I'm happy," she said, cutting him off. She raised her head from his chest, tears still flowing from her eyes. "These are happy tears."

"Oh thank God," Rick said, releasing a long breath. "Me too."

"Is the baby okay? Is it hurt?" she asked, pulling away from Rick with panic on her face. "The knife, the fever, did it hurt the baby?"

"Pete isn't sure. All we know is our baby is alive. He or she is alive right now, and we have to keep them safe. We have to keep you safe. And healthy."

"Okay," Michonne said, rubbing her hand across her belly. Her mind was still digesting the idea of having another person inside of her. She couldn't help but think about Andre in this moment. She remembered when she found out she was pregnant with him. How happy she and Mike were when the three pregnancy tests she'd bought each showed a pink cross. She remembered seeing and feeling Andre dance inside of her while she watched him on the ultrasound. Her heart ached as she thought of her little boy.

If they were still out there, on the road, her tears wouldn't have been happy ones. But looking around at where she was, and the possibilities that a walled community held, she allowed herself to be happy. They could make this work. They would make this work. There was a reason why they wound up here at this time and place.

"Okay," Rick said with a smile. He pressed a kiss to Michonne's warm forehead, and then moved to her lips, devouring her softness. Michonne moaned and kissed back, loving the feel of his lips against hers. Missing him. Wanting him, despite the pain of her injuries. She opened her lips and used her tongue, drawing him inside deeper. Rick was the one to pull back, panting.

"Let's not overdo it," he said, and she nodded reluctantly. "You're gonna make a great mama, you know?"

Michonne smiled. "And you're already a great daddy."

Michonne leaned back against her pillow, tired from this conversation. Her heavy eyelids slid closed involuntarily, and she did her best to keep them open. She felt like she'd been sleeping for days and she wanted to stay awake and take time to process the baby situation.

"Hey, take a rest," Rick suggested, seeing her fatigue.

"Pass me the spoon," Michonne commanded. Rick smiled, grabbed the spoonful of applesauce, and passed it to Michonne who slowly maneuvered it into her mouth. She swallowed with difficulty. Her mouth was dry, and her throat was swollen from dehydration.

Rick noticed and passed her the cup of water with a straw once again. All she could manage was one sip, but it was enough to moisturize her mouth and throat.

"Thanks."

"Go back to sleep now," Rick said. "You and the baby need rest. When you wake up there will be some more applesauce for you."

"Oh joy," Michonne said softly as her eyes closed.

"Sweet dreams Mama," Rick whispered in her ear.

Michonne smiled softly, giving her belly one last rub before getting comfortable for another nap.

***can08writer***

A day and a half later, Daryl and Aaron pulled their vehicles up to the gates of Alexandria. The passengers in the van and the RV looked out of the windows in wonder at the high metal walls that surrounded the town.

"Good gracious ignatius," Abraham muttered, as his eyes scanned the settlement ahead of them from the windows of the RV.

"This is my home," Aaron said proudly from the driver's seat. "Welcome to Alexandria."

Simultaneously in the van, Daryl warned the others. "Keep your eyes open and watch 'em. They seemed trusting, and they treated Michonne, but it could all be an act."

Carol, Glenn, Maggie, and Carl nodded and prepared themselves as the gates slowly rolled open to allow them access. They pulled the van and RV onto a street in the manicured community, and noticed a small woman wearing slacks and a blazer approaching the vehicles and waiting for them to get out. She was standing next to a mousey woman with a rolling metal cart.

"Who the hell is that?" Carol whispered to Daryl before getting out of the car.

"That's Deanna. She's the leader of this place."

The group vacated the vehicle and stood in an uneasy semi-circle around the small yet fearless looking woman. She stood with her hands clasped in front of her body.

Deanna was excellent at reading faces and body language and as she gazed upon this motley crew with a plastered on smile, she picked up on distrust, exhaustion, apprehension, paranoia, and nervousness. But one thing that she didn't feel from any of the newcomers was fear.

She found it curious. Even her own people felt fear whenever coming into contact with strangers, but there was an air of confidence from this small group of survivors that she admired. It was the same air of confidence that came off Rick in waves that let her know he was the leader of his group.

She gave a cordial nod to Daryl and Maggie who she'd already met, as she passed them.

When she got to one area of the semicircle her mouth dropped open in surprise. There were two teens holding two babies.

"Your group has babies?!" Deanna asked, her hand going to her heart. "My goodness! Rick didn't say anything about children being in your group."

The others watched as Deanna stared at Judith and Gracie in absolute fascination. "And teenagers as well. Oh my."

A genuine smile slid across Deanna's face before she turned to the rest of the group once again. She figured a group that could protect and care for babies out in the wild was a group that could contribute great knowledge to her town.

"Welcome to the Alexandria Safe Zone. My name is Deanna Monroe, and I'm the leader of this community. Your friends, Rick, Michonne, and Sasha, are here in the infirmary. You are all welcome to join our community either on a temporary or permanent basis if you wish, but there are two stipulations. One, you must surrender your weapons now. They will be stored in our armory and returned to you if you should decide to leave."

Abraham's grip on his gun tightened, and Carl's eyes narrowed.

"Second, you all must be interviewed. It helps us to determine who you are, whether you'll fit in here, and what job you may be assigned, if you decide to stay of course."

"Job?" Glenn asked.

"Yes. Everyone here has one. Everyone contributes."

Carol shot a look at Daryl. He'd already told them about Deanna collecting their weapons in the infirmary, which is why she'd hidden a gun under her shirt.

"And what if we don't hand in our guns?" Abraham asked.

"Well, then I'd have to ask you to leave… mister?"

"Sgt. Abraham Ford."

"An army man. Well Sgt. Ford, I understand why you might not want to part with your weapon, but those are the rules of your stay here. They're still your guns. You can check them out whenever you go beyond the wall. But inside here, we store them for safety. Once we've collected the weapons, I can show you where the infirmary is, and you can check in with Rick and the others from your group. I told him I would assign a house for you all to stay in, so after you're done visiting I can take you there for you to settle in."

"You're giving us a whole house?" Daryl asked skeptically.

"We have a few empty ones. I'm sure you'd want some space and privacy for the little ones," Deanna said, her eyes flitting back to the babies who gurgled obliviously.

Carl bounced Judith slightly as he listened to the conversation. Daryl had already told him that he'd surrendered his weapon once and got it back when he left the gate, just like Deanna said. He was itching to see Michonne and his father, and he didn't want to waste time with this conversation.

"Here," he said, reaching out to pass his gun to Deanna. She seemed surprised that he even had a gun, and that he was giving it to her so easily. "Where's the infirmary? Where's my dad?"

"Your dad? You're Rick's son?" Deanna asked.

"Yea. Is Michonne okay?"

"She's hanging in there, but I'll let your dad speak to you about that. The infirmary is the third house on the left."

Carl passed Judith to Carol to hold, and then immediately turned and headed towards the house.

The others kept an eye on Daryl and Maggie, seeing as though they'd already been here before and got a read on these people.

Daryl placed his crossbow on the rolling cart. The others followed suit, cautiously placing their weapons on the cart while scanning the perimeter as well as Deanna with suspicion and hypervigilance. Deanna could see just how difficult it was for them to give up their weapons.

"Thank you," she said, when they were all finished. "I know it took a lot of trust for you to do that."

"I should've brought another cart," the mousy woman with dark hair and glasses said with a brief smile, as she came towards them and pushed the cart away. Abraham looked after his weapon longingly, and Carol made sure to note which house the cart was rolled into.

"Now, if you'll follow me, the infirmary is this way."

***can08writer***

Carl walked quickly down the sidewalk of this new community. He couldn't help but notice the townspeople that were scattered here and there. They stared at him, but not with the malice that the Termites had, or the evilness that the Claimers had. They just seemed curious.

He approached the house that Deanna had signified as the infirmary, mystified when he realized the lights were on. Electricity. It was something he hadn't seen for a year, and he stared through the porch's windows at the working light bulbs like they were magical. He noticed Sasha sitting on a bench on the porch, reading a book.

She looked up and waved to Carl. "You guys are back huh?"

"Yea," Carl replied. "Is my dad inside?"

"Yep, go on in."

"Dad!" Carl called as he entered the house, walking quickly to his father when he saw him, and embracing him in a hug. Rick was surprised by the show of affection from his son, but quickly recovered and pressed a kiss to Carl's hair.

"Hey son."

"How's Michonne?"

"She's doing alright. She's been sleeping a lot, but every day she's awake for more and more hours. She's in pain though, so I wanna let her rest as much as she can, the doctor said it'll help her heal more quickly. This morning we got her out of bed for a little while and let her walk and sit in a chair, but she took a nap right after. Exerting herself really tires her out. Who did you ride with coming here?"

"Me and Judith rode with Daryl, Maggie, Glenn, and Carol in the van. Everyone else rode in the RV. When I got in the van and saw Michonne's blood on the seat, I got scared. I thought maybe she wouldn't make it."

As Carl spoke he looked down at Rick's shirt, unable to meet his eyes. Rick placed his hand on Carl's shoulder in an attempt to console his son. He knew it must've been hard not knowing Michonne's status. He thought about how he'd feel if he were in Carl's shoes.

"She's alright son. It was a scary ride here, but she's healing. I promise." When Carl didn't look up at Rick, and continued to stare at his shirt, Rick had a sudden change of attitude, and decided to allow his son to at least see Michonne.

"C'mon, just be really quiet, we don't want to wake her," Rick said quietly, pushing the door to Michonne's room open a few inches so Carl could view her.

She was laying on her uninjured side, facing the door. She seemed to be sleeping soundly, her forehead completely smooth and her mouth falling open. She was wearing a hospital gown, and Carl had never seen Michonne look so small and vulnerable. It was a shock to his senses how this woman he looked up to so much, and who he thought was invincible, could almost die so quickly.

Carl stared at her until he felt that he was strangely invading her privacy. Rick tapped his back, and Carl stepped back out of the room, quietly closing the door behind him.

"She's really gotten better in the past day. Her blood pressure and temperature has improved a lot."

"And the doctor thinks she'll be okay?"

Rick nodded. "You know Michonne. She can get through anything."

"Yea," Carl agreed, with a reassuring smile.

Rick's heart beat hard in his chest when he considered what he'd have to tell Carl next.

Rick walked over to the couch in the waiting room, and motioned for Carl to join him. Carl was unsure about why they were sitting, but followed his father and sat next to him on the couch.

"Carl… I have to tell you something."

Carl's forehead furrowed, and his eyebrows raised in anticipation. Rick wiped his palms across his jeans.

"Carl you know Michonne and I… we're… together. And I care about her, and she… she cares about me, and you, and Judith. We all love each other."

Carl stared at his father, not sure of the point he was trying to make. Carl already knew this information.

"So… since we love each other… we uh… well, you know… or, or maybe you don't know. I mean, you wouldn't know. But sometimes when two people love each other…"

"Dad? What are you talking about?" Carl asked.

"Well, Michonne and I… and you too, we're all expecting."

"Expecting what?" Carl asked.

Rick laughed and rubbed his fingers across his eyes.

"We're expecting a baby."

"Who's baby?"

"Our baby Carl. Michonne is pregnant. She's having a baby."

Carl's eyes furrowed in confusion, but Rick spotted the moment when Rick's words finally penetrated his brain and Carl's eyes widened quickly. Rick watched as Carl pondered how this could be, and then realized how it happened. The boy's eyes shot up to meet his father's and Rick's cheeks burned a bright red although they were hidden under his large beard.

"You got Michonne pregnant?!" Carl asked, never the one to hide his emotions.

"I… we didn't plan to, but it happened."

"How do you have sex with someone but not plan to get them pregnant? Isn't that how babies happen?"

Rick slid his hands slowly down his face and would've preferred to melt into the floor rather than have this conversation with his son, but Carl didn't seem to be relenting any time soon.

"Look, the point is, we have a baby on the way. And I was hoping you'd be happy about it. We're happy about it. And I know this is a big change to our family, just like it was with Judith, but we'll be okay."

"Oh," Carl responded.

"Oh?" Rick asked.

"This is gonna be hard. Keeping Judith, and Gracie, and this new baby safe. Is it even safe here? Should we be worried?"

Rick smiled at his son, glad that he was thinking about keeping everyone safe already.

"For now it seems okay here. We'll have to learn more. And we do have to keep all the babies safe. But I believe we can. They'll be okay with a big brother like you."

Carl thought for a moment and nodded solemnly. "I'm happy for you and Michonne. The baby is okay and everything?"

"Yes," Rick confirmed, "the baby is okay."

"You have your hands full Dad," Carl stated with a small chuckle. "Good luck."

Rick smiled at Carl, and allowed the humor of the situation to come through. "You're right Carl. But this is good. Having a baby with Michonne is something we have to look forward to. It's not something we should worry about."

Carl nodded his head and sighed. "Yea."

Rick smiled and clasped his son's shoulder, glad that this conversation went better than he'd expected. And also glad that Carl hadn't asked any more embarrassing questions.

"What happened on the way here?" Rick inquired, changing the subject for now.

"Nothing really happened on the way here, but everyone was worried about Michonne when we were in the barn. Judith had diarrhea for a day and no one wanted to change her diapers, but I did eventually. And Gracie cried for like four hours straight. Enid said she must've been missing Jocelyn."

"I'll have the doctor check them both out, just to make sure they're okay. What do you think about Enid? Did she act up at all?"

"No. She kind of just sat in the corner with Gracie. I think she's sad about what happened with Evan and Jocelyn. And I understand it. That was her family, I get it. I can imagine how I'd feel if something happened to you, and Judith, and Michonne. But she kind of keeps it to herself."

"Do you think we can trust her?" Rick asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. He knew Carl was pretty good at reading people, and he wanted to know his son's take on the teenager.

"Honestly… I don't know. If someone killed off my family and I had to live with them I think I might play nice for a while, until they trust me. And then I might try to get my revenge."

Rick nodded. That was exactly what he was thinking and he was relieved that that line of thinking had occurred to Carl as well. Even if Enid was his friend.

"Can you keep an eye on her?" Rick asked. "Watch her, make sure she's not doing anything suspicious."

Carl nodded in agreement. Just then the others arrived on the infirmary's porch and within seconds they came through the door.

Rick greeted them, relieved that they had made the journey to Alexandria unscathed and without incident.

He explained to them that Michonne was doing well but she was sleeping and he wanted to let her do so as long as possible. The others understood, and agreed to check out their housing accommodations so they wouldn't accidentally wake Michonne.

"The rest of the group is going to check out the house Deanna has assigned us. Do you want to go check it out?" Rick asked Carl.

"No. I'm gonna stay here until Michonne wakes up again."

"Okay," Rick said, patting his son on the back. "We'll just wait together."

***can08writer***

Maggie pushed the door open and stepped into the neat, normal looking living room. A clean carpet covered the hardwood floors that shone as if freshly mopped. A cozy living room was decorated with paintings and figurines. A pile of clean blankets were stacked on an end table. She made her way to the spacious kitchen as the others followed behind her, taking in the house but still on edge. She stalked into the kitchen, the immaculate granite counter twinkling in the sunlight that the kitchen window let in.

She ran her fingers across the cool countertop, and then reached for the faucet, not expecting anything to happen, but still curious. She was startled when water shot out from the faucet, releasing a hissing sound that made everyone flinch and zero in on her location.

Maggie stared at the water pouring through her fingers and into the drain below. It seemed almost unimaginable that a faucet would release clean, drinkable water on demand. She'd lived almost her whole life expecting it to, but after the year that they'd had she'd never expected to see such a thing again.

Once she realized she was potentially wasting this clean water, she shut the faucet back off and looked up at the rest of the group who were staring in disbelief at what they'd just seen.

There was a stunned silence until Glenn broke it.

"Shower, anyone?"

The group took turns taking a hot shower, each person given their time to wash off the grime of living on the road for months on end. By the time the last person had finished showering, the shower floor was covered in dirt, leaves, and twigs, but the group had new found energy, and seemed more positive about the community.

A few hours after they'd been allowed to settle into the home, there was a knock on the door.

Glenn opened it and found himself face to face with Deanna.

"I'm sorry to bother all of you," Deanna said as she entered the house, "but I came to check in and see how you were all settling, and if there was anything you needed."

Her eyes scanned the group, noticing the wet hair and the sudden lack of dirt that had been previously covering their faces and hands. She smiled and nodded her head.

"There's nothing like a hot shower to brighten the mood, huh?"

When she didn't receive an answer, she cleared her throat.

"I also wanted to invite all of you to eat dinner with the rest of the community. When the weather is good we like to eat outside together. It's a way for us to bond. I know you all have just arrived today and you haven't really gotten an opportunity to settle, so if you would feel more comfortable not coming it's really okay. But I wanted to offer you all the opportunity. We'd be honored to have you. You wouldn't have to talk to anyone, and I asked the town to let you all be for a while. And if you prefer to eat here I'll have someone bring you all plates of food. I think beans, corn, and cocktail wieners are on the menu."

"Um. We'll think about it," Glenn said.

Deanna smiled and nodded again. "Well, I'll be going then. Everyone is over there by the lake if you decide to come."

She took another look around and her eyes fell on the babies.

"Oh my, I didn't even bring anything for these precious girls! How are you on food for them? Are they breastfeeding? Do you have enough formula for them? We don't have any babies here, never even thought about them. I'll tell the runners to keep a lookout for baby supplies. We do have applesauce though. I'll have someone from the pantry send some over."

Deanna realized she hadn't seen anyone who looked like the mother of Gracie or Judith. None of the women seemed to be breastfeeding, and every time she'd seen the babies they were in the arms of someone different. Now, Maggie was holding Judith, and Sasha was bouncing a sleeping Gracie on her lap.

It was obvious their mothers were not in the group, and that revelation alone broke Deanna's heart.

"I'll ask the pantry if we have a box of Cheerios, they may be able to chew on that a little as well," Deanna offered.

"Thank you," Maggie called from her spot on the couch.

"Well then, I hope I'll see you all at dinner."

Deanna gave the group one last nod before leaving.

***can08writer***

Michonne had woken up and Carl had an opportunity to talk to her before Rick had encouraged him to go to the community gathering with the rest of the group. When Carl met up with the group again they'd all showered and changed their clothes, except for Daryl who looked the same as he'd always had. Their hair had been combed, teeth had been brushed, and visible dirt had been removed. Carl had never seen the group look so neat and clean.

They traveled to the cookout as a unit, searching the perimeter suspiciously, and staring down passersby as they walked. They all carried knives on them, and Carol still had her hidden gun. The residents stared at the group. A few nodded at them, but most tried to stay out of their way.

They walked to a grassy area, where food had been laid out on a long table and anyone was welcome to grab a plate. Children were playing in the grass, adults standing around in groups chatting, and Carl immediately noticed a small group of teens sitting in a gazebo by the lake.

They looked so… normal. It was unnerving. They were laughing, two of the boys were playing a game that involved slapping each other's hands, while two more boys watched and recited commentary on what was happening. Carl stared at them without realizing it.

Enid, who was a few feet away from him, followed Carl's gaze to the group of boys.

"These kids look like they've never been out the gates," she mumbled.

"Yea," Carl agreed. "They seem totally clueless."

"Lucky them," Enid said before turning towards the food tables.

Carl stared a few seconds longer before grabbing a plate with the others.

The dinner was buffet style, and the group helped themselves to the food, heaping spoonfuls for beans, vegetables, tuna, and other canned products onto their plate. Carl's personal favorite was the grilled corn on the cob, which he took three shares of. The Alexandrians seemed to stay out of their way for the most part, the bravest among them nodding or waving at the table as they passed by.

The group ate quickly, shoveling food into their mouths. It had been awhile since they'd had this much food available that they didn't have to ration and carefully divide. Carl was basically vacuuming beans into his mouth, not even pausing to chew. Abraham had cleared his plate and was already on plate number two. Judith was smearing beans on her hands and then pressing her hands into her mouth, sucking the mashed beans off. Their table was silent as they ate, no one bothering to engage in frivolous conversation like the others around them.

Carl finally finished his plate and stood to make a plate for Rick and Michonne who were in the infirmary, when he noticed a blond girl approaching their table. She was walking almost in a daze, her large blue eyes fixed on their group, but her mouth hung open in disbelief, almost fear. Carl felt his stomach drop as recognition slowly settled in.

Maggie looked up when the girl was mere feet from the table, and her face went white. Her eyes became saucers and her shaking hand covered her open mouth.

"B-Beth?" Maggie gasped softly, her voice almost a whisper.

Author's note:Hi everyone! Look, I'm not a huge fan of Beth Greene, but for the past two chapters I've gotten multiple reviews and PMs asking what happened to Beth. And at first I was taken aback because I have never focused any of my stories on Beth nor have I given anyone the impression that I'm a Beth writer, but if having some completion to her story makes a few people happy, then hey, I can throw that in there.

I am trying to wrap up this story. Unfortunately it is getting harder and harder for me to come up with new Richonne content seeing as though they both are no longer on the show and God knows when we'll get that movie. But like I've said in the past, I will try to complete all of my unfinished stories eventually. I hope you are enjoying this story, and thank you for reading and reviewing. I appreciate all of you.