A/N: Here is a little something I started writing. I wanted to do a different kind of Richonne. This is an AU fix and I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter One: Winfield House

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Michonne cradled her daughter against her chest as she looked out of the large windows of the manor that reminded her of her late teenage years. The window was slightly ajar so she could listen to the sounds of the nature that surrounded them.

"Is she sleeping?" Michonne turned around to find a bright eyed eleven-year-old boy standing behind her chair.

"Yeah," she said, looking down at the little curly-haired two-year-old in her arms. "It was a long trip. Where's your brother?"

"Downstairs with my Dad." His face twisted in concentration. "Will we get to meet the queen?"

Michonne laughed at the boy's enthusiasm. "Probably not, but you never know. Life is always full of surprises. Your Dad and I met a lot of cool people and did lots of cool things when we were here in London as teenagers."

"My Dad has been here before?"

"Yes," she answered, giggling at his surprise. "It was when we met the first time. We were teenagers then."

"Really?" he grinned. "How'd you guys meet each other again?"

She took a deep breath thinking back on the place that changed her life. It was both the best and worst time of her life. Those extraordinary three months, fifteen years prior that changed her life forever. "We first met here in London when I was seventeen." Michonne thought back to the unruly nineteen-year-old bad-boy troublemaker that was Rick Grimes.

"He was the most interesting person I ever met and I met a lot of interesting people. You see, my father was an important man with an important job."

Fifteen Years Earlier

Michonne stared out at the passing scenery of the rolling English landscape. The bright glare of the sun shone against her face. She smiled as she tried to enjoy it, knowing it wouldn't come often.

"Michie look," her seven-year old brother giggled pointing at the large stone buildings and occasional greenery as they drove.

Michonne was beginning to nod off when their black town car pulled through massive iron gates and came to a stop in front of an enormous three-storied red-stoned Neo-Georgian house. It reminded her of the large building's she often saw on college campuses. It was a house fit for a king. It was slightly intimidating, with its immaculate gardens, tall hedges and perfect landscaping.

The driver stepped out, opening her door. "Good day your excellency!" A man in a dark suit greeted her father. His eyes briefly raked over the unconventional family, but his expression gave nothing away. "I would like to welcome you and your family to the Winfield house Ambassador Westbrook."

"It's huge," Amare said in a loud whisper. "I think It's a little bigger than our old house Michie."

She smiled down at the young boy as her mother came over, standing behind the children as the dark suited man, who introduced himself as Richard spoke animatedly. He asked them about their trip and their drive through London. "This house has the second largest garden in London. Buckingham's palace has the first largest. It's really quite impressive."

"It is a great pleasure for my family and I to live in and take care this wonderful historical house. We are very excited to have a tour."

"Well let's go in shall we?"

They followed the man into the house, marveling as he displayed the various rooms of the mansion and explained their enchanting history. They were filled with antique paintings, Persian carpets, immaculate tapestries and Louis XV furniture. Michonne was most impressed by the Green Room which was draped in beautiful Chinese wallpaper.

It may have been her fatigue, but she felt the tour was extensive and she was thankful when she was able to retreat to her designated bedroom while her father attended his other engagements for the day.

He spoke of meeting with an administrative officer at the embassy to be introduced to the mission community in London.

"Chou-chou?" Michonne turned away from the large window in her bedroom to find her mother, Winnie Westbrook standing in the doorway of her large bedroom, a small smile on her face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Michonne answered. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Winnie shrugged. "You've been really quiet all day."

"Jet lag."

"Moving is hard, I know."

"It's fine. I'm fine," Michonne assured her. "James has a very important job."

Winnie raised her brow. "James?"

Michonne shook her head. "Dad. Slip of tongue."

Winnie strode toward her daughter, gently stroking at her coily afro. She glanced at the large mirror across the room. "We should have straightened this for today. First impressions are lasting ones."

"Mom," Michonne groaned.

"What?" she giggled. "A little taming never hurt nobody." She wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder. "You sure you're okay chou-chou?"

"I'm sure." She gave her mother a tight smile in an attempt to appease her. "I'm happy to be here. London's pretty cool."

"Glad to hear it." Winnie's face stretched into a wide grin. "It definitely is. I can't wait until we start hosting people here. That's always fun."

A boyish giggle came from the doorway. "Mommy! Michie!" Amare was standing at Michone's door with a sheet wrapped around him like a toga. On his feet, he wore red high heeled shoes, several sizes too big and his mouth was covered in a matching red color.

"Oh Amare, not those," Winnie called, chasing after the little boy who dashed out of the room and down the hall. "Comeback here!" Michonne couldn't help but laugh. Her brother, in his own way, was the most hilarious member of their family.

Michonne sat down in front of her vanity picking up a wide toothed comb and a hairbrush as she went to work on taming her hair to her mother's liking. She hummed to herself as she thought of all her friends she left behind. She didn't really get to have lasting friendships, but most of her friends were children of ambassadors and diplomats so they understood. Her mother married James when she was eight and that was when her life of frequent relocation started.

Her mother became the wife of a diplomat and she was the daughter. She was constantly reminded of how important her father's job was. In addition to that, to some they were viewed as unconventional and received odd and curious looks, due to her mother being black and James is as white as they come.

This was the fourth country they lived in other than the United States. Her brother, Amare was born while they were posted in South Africa.

"So you guys start school soon," James said conversationally as he took a bite of his food. They were seated in their dining room for their first solo dinner in London as a family. Soon her parent's social life would become intensely more active. They often hosted weekly diplomatic receptions and were almost always dining out or with guests.

James' blue eyes moved around the table to each of his family members. "Excited? You'll make lots of new friends."

Michonne hummed in response, quietly picking at her food.

"New friends!" Amare giggled as he attempted to place his bread rolls over his eyes.

"Please don't do that Amare," her mother said, taking the rolls from him and gently stroking his loose curls. "Food is for your plate and your mouth. Not your face, okay?"

"I know Mommy," he chirped, reaching for his fork.

"We have an imaginative boy," James chuckled as he shot the boy a wink. "Never change son."

Winnie sighed, rolling her eyes playfully at her husband. "Sometimes change is a good thing. That's how it's been in my experience. Everything in my life eventually changed for the better. We don't want our son running wild without proper manners and training. We'll have to go over the styles of eating again. Eat your food Amare." Winne's eyes fell on her daughter. "Speaking of change, I'm loving what you did with your hair sweetie. It's very chic. I like that blouse too!"

Michonne's face broke into a smile at her mother's compliment. She touched her hair lightly. "Thanks. I was just trying something new."

"It's really nice. You should wear it like that for the welcoming party when we meet the members of the mission. Maybe add some cute twists over here? Isn't it nice darling?"

James shrugged his shoulders. "Very nice. It always is Winnie."

Michonne gave him a small grateful smile, but didn't otherwise respond.

"I know…and she understands," Winnie said looking away. Amare started prattling on about his new room and playing soccer once he found new friends. His parents listened intently at animated descriptions and his overall enthusiasm for everything in life.

James cleared his throat and three pairs of eyes looked up at him. "I'd just like to say that I'm extremely thankful for you all," he said. "I have such a wonderful and understanding family. We have a great responsibility here and I am glad we can share that together. Thank you."

"Thanksgiving!" Amare whooped as Winnie attempted to shush him. "Oh," she clucked. "You don't have to thank your family. That's the whole point. To share these incredibly momentous experiences with each other. We are so fortunate to be able to play such an important role in the world. The kids have already experienced so many different cultures and not everyone can have that."

Michonne fought the urge to roll her eyes. All of what her mother said was true, but she sometimes found the woman to be a little too over the top with a slightly pompous air about her. There was something off about her and it seemed to get worse as the years went by.

Was is normal to distrust your own mother?

"Plus I just have a good feeling about this place. Being here, you know?" Winnie's warm, dark eyes danced with happiness. She didn't know that in a few short months her world would turn upside down and she would be thinking and saying the complete opposite.

Present Day

"I'm gonna put her down." Michonne stood up with the little girl and the young boy took a step back.

"Can I do it?"

"Okay," she said, adjusting the child in her arms. "Careful, okay? Here you go."

He held out his hands for his sister, carefully cradling her in his arms as Michonne made her way to the large canopy bed, clearing a spot for the little girl. He carefully placed his sister down, smiling indulgently at her. "She's so cute."

"You were too," she said, ruffling the boy's hair as his face lit up. "You've seen the pictures. She looks a little like you."

"Really?" he grinned. "You think so?"

She flicked his nose casing him to giggle and pull away. "Yeah. I can see can't I?"

"I'm going to go watch some TV now," he called, as he jogged away from her to leave the room. "The TV shows here are so weird."

Michonne smiled, shaking her head at the boy's antics as she returned to her seat by the window. He reminded her so much of her brother Amare. She felt a pang of guilt as she thought of him. So much time had passed since that unforgettable year.

She paused, staring across the room at the dreadlocked woman in the large mirror. It was as if her face hadn't changed at all over the years. There was a definite difference in her though. She sometimes wondered what would have happened if fate had not intervened that day in London.

As she moved back toward her window seat, she bumped into a nearby table, knocking over a small pile of books. As she picked them up, a slip paper fell out of one and she bent down, picking up what appeared to be an old newspaper clipping. She picked it up, gasping as she saw the headline and familiar famous picture of a smiling teenager with a large afro standing between her parents outside Winfield House.

Ambassador's Daughter Still Missing

The boyfriend of seventeen-year-old daughter of US ambassador questioned as investigation into a possible kidnapping is underway

What do you think? Are you interested in reading more? This is a Richonne fic. I'm really excited about this one. It's going to be a different kind of Rick and Michonne.