Not Without You (Chapter 5)

A/N: Yes it has been a while since I updated this and I honestly didn't think I had any more to tell. Zeejack requested an update so I re-read this story and an idea was born. I hope you like it.

Precisely eight days have passed since the failed takeover of the ASZ. Michonne continues to take it easy, healing her main priority. She is ready to get back to work, but enjoying playing housewife as she labels it. She rises early in the morning to prepare breakfast for her family, seeing Carl and Rick off to school and work while she and Judith spend the day together visiting others, taking a walk or going to the park if the weather permits, cleaning the house, sometimes arriving at Carl's school just as they dismiss to walk home with him, visiting Daryl and Rick at the constable's office and having dinner prepared by the time Rick arrives home.

She never thought she would ever enjoy this type of life but she has to admit that she loves it. She knows she can't get used to it though. She has to get back out there beyond the walls if need be to continue to thrive, to continue to survive in this new world. She can't afford to grow soft and that's exactly what is starting to happen.

She is also beyond frustrated as Dr. S has yet to release her from under his care and until he does, Rick Grimes refuses to make love to her. Lying next to him each night, holding each other close, taking in his manly scent makes her want to lick him from head to toe. She is still unsure how they have held out as long as they have. She has to consider her wound but that shouldn't hinder them from pleasuring each other in more creative ways until they can truly connect.

She jumps as the object of her thoughts walks through the front door with a smile. She allows her eyes to peruse him slowly as he appears to glide toward her and kisses her lightly on the forehead.

"Hey. I thought I'd join you for lunch. I'll make us a couple of sandwiches. That ok?" He asks.

She returns the greeting with a smile. "That sounds nice but you don't have to do that. I can…" She trails off as Rick shakes his head.

"I wanna do it. I need to take care of you just like you take care of me," he returns.

"You have been taking care of me and I really appreciate it," she offers.

He nods with acknowledgement and moves over to the refrigerator in search of the provisions he will need for their lunch.

Michonne takes a moment to look at the digital baby monitor, ensuring that Judith is still sleeping soundly. She stands from the bar where she was having a cup of tea and walks up behind him. She wraps her arms around his waist and rests a cheek against his back. "I know exactly how you can really take care of me. Carl's still at school and Judith's asleep."

Rick drops his chin toward his chest, then turns to face her. He encircles her waist gently. "You are making it harder and harder to say no but can you please be patient? I'm sure Dr. S will give you the green light soon enough."

"Will you just humor me? I haven't even seen you naked yet." She smiles as Rick blushes.

"Does that mean you'd like to join me for a shower later tonight?" He asks.

"You promise?"

He nods as he smiles at her eagerness. "I promise. Now how about lunch?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rick returns to the constable's office and looks in on the prisoners with scorn. He just cannot find it in his heart to forgive them and if he had his way, he'd banish them once and for all. He restrains himself each day as he knows that is not what Michonne would want. He is also taking his time on any decision about them as he would like her to return to duty so the community will see them as a collective unit.

She was by his side when he called a meeting with the people of ASZ along with his family members to inform them of the events that had taken place and the new leadership that would be incorporated as a result of those events. Only a few people grumbled about it but when Michonne asked which one of them wanted to take the reins of leadership, not one of them accepted.

That had only been days ago and so far, so good but he has to be honest with himself and admit that he is not comfortable with Tobin and Marcus still being within the walls even if they are in a jail cell. Maggie made the suggestion of allowing them out for so many hours a day to contribute to the community as a means to earn their way back amongst them. The others agreed but knew the decision would ultimately be Rick's. He asked for some time to consider it, but he has yet to discuss it privately with Michonne. He already knows what she is going to say and he honestly doesn't want to go that route. These men do not deserve a second chance.

Later that night, he can't help a slight smile as Michonne watches his every move obviously anticipating what he promised her earlier. Judith is fast asleep and Carl is behind closed doors in his room more than likely reading before he drifts off for the night. He hates to admit it but he is just as anxious as she is. He prays he is not making a mistake and they aren't moving too fast. He just wants her in full recovery so nothing will hinder them when they take that step.

He places his hands at his waist as he faces her. "You ready?"

She looks up at him with a gleam in her eyes. "Are you?" She is putting forth a nice front but the truth is she is beyond nervous but knows what she wants and Rick is it. Her heart races even faster as she notices the lighter skin on his finger where his wedding ring used to rest. She's not sure when he removed it but that only serves to excite her even more.

He raises his eyebrows curiously before he offers her his hand. He watches as she stands from the bed slowly and accepts his hand. They walk into the adjoining bathroom where Rick closes and secures the door. He pulls his white t-shirt over his head, exposing his toned chest and allowing the material to drop at his feet. He then reaches for his belt and slowly removes his jeans, standing before her in his boxers and socks.

"I thought you were going to join me?" He asks quietly.

Michonne wipes the slight perspiration from her forehead and nods as she begins to undress.

"Let me help you with that," he offers. He steps to her and slowly and carefully assists in removing her clothes. They stand in front of each other in their underwear before he moves over to the shower, opens the beveled glass door and turns on the water, checking the spray for temperature.

He turns his back to the shower while facing her, removing his socks and finally his boxers. Her sharp intake of breath brings his eyes to hers and the raw desire there almost causes him to gasp. He surmises that maybe it has just been a long time for him, but he honestly believes no other woman has ever looked at him like that. He rubs his face with both hands as he realizes this may not have been the best idea.

After a thorough look, Michonne turns her back to him and sweeps her hair to one side as Rick unhooks her bra. The article of clothing falls to the floor as Rick steps closer and pushes his fingers inside her panties at her hips and drags them down, removing them. He allows his hands to linger on her as he returns to a full stand and turns her to face him.

He steps backward, pulling her with him as he steps inside the shower and closes the door behind them. He grabs the soap and lathers his hands before bringing them to her shoulders, coating her body slowly.

She returns the favor and tries desperately to concentrate on the task at hand. She can't help herself as she steps close to him and tilts her head to the side, bringing her lips to his. They kiss each other languidly, basking in the taste as their tongues collide. Once their shower is complete, Rick carries her to their bed where he proceeds to suckle her breasts while he fingers her to orgasm.

Michonne gladly returns the favor as she caresses his body with soft, moist kisses and grasps him in her hand as she works him gently but firmly until his body stiffens and jerks with release.

The next day, Rick, feeling lighter and happier, reluctantly agrees to Maggie's idea and allows Tobin and Marcus to start trying to earn his and the community's trust again. He allows them to assist Sturgis and Noah on their repair team, going from home to home and mending small things like a broken fence post, a lose door knob, and the like. Rick decided not to discuss his decision with Michonne as he knew she would agree. He surmised that he would let her know over dinner tonight.

A week or so passes and Michonne is excited as Dr. S gives her one more week before she can return to light constable duty. She pushes Judith in her stroller as she races to the constable's office to tell Rick and Daryl the good news. Daryl has been itching to go outside the walls once again as recruiting has been put on hold for him and Aaron since the incident. She is sure he will be even happier than she is about her impending return.

She can hear Rick's raised voice before she arrives at the entrance/exit. She opens the door and pushes Judith inside and looks between Rick and Daryl, both frowned up as they look her way.

"Hey. What's wrong?" She asks.

"Nothing," Rick answers as Daryl simultaneously comments, "He's overreacting."

Michonne tilts her head with a slight smile, knowing to listen to Daryl as Rick has been trying to keep her out of things as an effort to ensure her speedy recovery. She knows he means well, but it's a bit frustrating as he knows community business is part of her job and she needs to be just as informed as he is.

"Overreacting to what?" She asks, looking directly at Daryl.

"Tobin and Marcus were late coming back from their work detail on yesterday so Constable Grimes here is ready to snatch them back in and lock 'em up for good."

"This is only going to work if they do as they're told and adhere to all the rules. Week one and they're already testing me. I won't have it," Rick states.

"Well, did they have a decent excuse?" Michonne inquires.

"I don't give a fu…" Rick clears his throat as he looks down at the bright blue eyes looking up at him. "I don't care what excuse they had. You follow the rules and if you don't, all privileges are revoked. That's how it's going to work around here."

"I can't argue with that, Daryl. Right is right," Michonne admits.

Daryl nods with a contemplative look.

"They're lucky I'm not throwing their as…..butts out of here," Rick continues.

Michonne looks at him with concern as he has never completely let go of the idea of banishment. "It shouldn't come to that Rick. Just have a talk with them and I'm sure they'll do better."

Her boyfriend scoffs. "Talk to them? They know what they have to do. If something else like this happens, that's it. Heck, Maggie wanted me to allow Tobin to have dinner with his wife and daughter each night after work. He's a freaking prisoner and will be treated as such."

Daryl and Michonne know to back down and do just that.

Two days pass and Rick is thinking that maybe he was too harsh with Tobin and Marcus. He was about to walk over to the infirmary to speak with Maggie and let her know that he would allow Tobin to have dinner with his family at least once a week. He stops in his tracks as he notices Tobin emerging from the armory. He immediately goes into a rage and walks over to confront him.

Tobin's look is nervous and slightly guilty as he notices Rick coming his way. Before he can explain himself, Rick pulls his gun and yells "What the fuck are you doing at the armory? Is this part of your work detail? Hell no!"

Tobin stammers nervously, "Noah needed to return some tools and….."

"Save it. Get your ass back to the cell. Where's Marcus?" Rick demands.

Over thirty minutes later, Rick has both Tobin and Marcus back behind bars and is seriously contemplating banishment.

"I wasn't there for any weapons. I was only returning some tools for Noah. That's all. I swear," Tobin explains loudly from his cell.

Rick ignores him as he makes up his mind, not consulting anyone. He grabs an automatic rifle from the small weapons supply locked away in a foot locker in the office and unlocks the cell door and tells them to move.

Daryl walks in and takes in the scene. "What's going on?"

"I caught Tobin at the armory," Rick states. "Effective immediately, they are banished from the Safe Zone."

"What? Rick, hold up man…..just….." Daryl begins but Rick cuts him off.

"No! I'm not taking any more chances."

Daryl shakes his head but follows Rick as they move towards the front gate.

Hours later, Michonne is seemingly worried as Rick has yet to arrive for dinner. She asks Carl to watch Judy and takes a quick walk to the constable's office. She finds the office and the cell empty which is beyond strange at this hour. She moves toward the front gate and sees Daryl and Rick returning in a vehicle. A frown mars her brow as she wonders what they could have possibly been doing and why Rick didn't tell her he'd be outside the walls.

Daryl stops the vehicle and Rick climbs out, walking toward her. She watches as the vehicle moves on, then looks to Rick.

"Hey," she greets. "I was worried when you didn't come home for dinner."

"I'm sorry. We had a little emergency and I had to handle it right away." He grabs her hand as they start walking towards home.

"What happened?" She asks.

"I caught Tobin coming out of the armory today."

Michonne looks over at him, trying to piece this information together. "Why was he at the armory? Was it part of his work detail?"

"Babe, you know I wouldn't allow any part of his work detail to include the armory."

"So what did you do? Are you just going to revoke the detail?"

"I banished them," Rick admits.

Michonne's eyes grow large as she looks to Rick and comes to a complete stop. "What? Rick, they'll die out there."

"Exactly. It's what they deserve," he tells her before he walks off.

She watches for a few seconds in complete shock that Rick would do this. Surely he understands the consequences. Does he care? Did he even listen when he questioned Tobin and Marcus? For some reason, she already knows the answer to those questions. This is what Rick wanted from the beginning so it didn't matter what explanation Tobin gave. Was Marcus at the armory too?

She races to catch up to him, pulling at his arm so he will look at her. "Rick, we have to bring them back. Whatever they were doing, I'm sure there is an explanation. Did you talk to Noah or Sturgis and ask them if they knew about it?"

"I caught him coming out of the armory. I didn't need anyone to explain to me what he was doing there. He had no business being there and I'm not taking chances with my family's safety ever again. They were a threat and now that threat has been handled," Rick states.

"This is not what a leader does. They were trying….they….."

"This is exactly what a leader does to protect his people, his community. Hard decisions like this have to be made, so you better get used to it," he counters.

"We're supposed to be building a life here. Starting over. Making things better. Sending them out there like that is murder. That's not rebuilding humanity."

Rick steps closer to her. "These assholes pulled guns on us, threatened us. Maybe you've forgotten, but I haven't. I did what I was supposed to do. I gave them a chance and they threw it back in my face. My hands are clean."

Michonne shakes her head. "Are they?" She walks off and makes it to the house quickly. She moves into the kitchen and prepares plates for Carl and Rick after washing her hands. She chooses to forego dinner as she sits down to feed Judith, her stomach in knots as she thinks about the people finding out about the banishment. Having Tobin and Marcus in lock up was working. They were being punished for their roles in the takeover. She can normally see the rationale in Rick's decisions but she can't see it in this one.

Carl can't help but notice the silence between his dad and Michonne so he talks enough for all three of them, hoping they will work out whatever is going on. He watches as Michonne cleans Judy's mouth and hands and excuses herself as she moves upstairs with his sister.

As soon as she has given Judy a bath, she dresses her for bed and rocks her to sleep. Once she is assured that her daughter is down for the night, she moves to their bedroom and starts getting dressed. She knows what she has to do.

Rick steps into the room just as she adjusts the sword at her back. "What are you doing?"

"I'm bringing Tobin and Marcus back. I don't think they deserve to die," she says.

"Michonne….." He eyes her pointedly, a warning in his voice.

"It's not right and you know it's not. What we were doing was working and if we're going to rebuild and try to make things better, then maybe incorporating some of the old ways of doing things will help that along. Why do we even have a jail if we're just going to banish people for whatever transgression they commit? Tobin has a wife and a daughter. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"We're not in the old world any more. You know that," he returns.

"Rick, these men aren't hardened criminals. They can barely kill walkers. What they did was wrong, but we have to start somewhere, don't we? You said you were tired of fighting. That you didn't want to keep killing people. How is that going to happen if you don't put forth the effort?" She implores.

Rick sighs heavily as he shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I'll try it your way, but we're not going out there tonight. We'll take a truck and go out at first light. Is that ok?"

She physically deflates as she was ready to go toe to toe with Rick on this issue. The community had been racked with violence and they needed to break that cycle. She nods slowly and accepts his embrace as he walks toward her and wraps his arms around her.

The next morning, they are up with the break of dawn, preparing to leave. Maggie comes over to take care of Carl and Judith while Glenn, Daryl, Michonne, and Rick leave in search of Tobin and Marcus.

Over an hour later, they find the former citizens of the Safe Zone. A group of walkers is clustered by the base of a huge oak tree, feasting hungrily. All they have as identification is the plaid shirt that Rick and Daryl knew Tobin was wearing. A short distance away, another body is found and they assume it is Marcus because of his work boots.

The walkers are too busy to have noticed them yet but they know it won't be long before they do.

"Damn," Rick exclaims.

Michonne looks to him. "This is what I was trying to keep you from. Now, you're going to have to go to Tobin's wife and tell her her husband is dead. You're going to have to tell his little girl she'll never see her daddy again."

Daryl shakes his head. "Naw, I'll…."

"No, the responsibility is Rick's. He made the decision and now he has to deal with the consequences." She shares a sad look with the man she loves as she turns her back and walks to the waiting vehicle.