A/N: updated to remove song lyrics. :(

I heard this song on the radio yesterday and I had this idea and I had to write it before it left me. Now that it's out of my system, I can get back to Love Tumbles Down. :)

So Alive

Rick sat at the bar staring glumly into his drink. It had been another long week and he didn't have the reward of seeing his son this weekend to prevent the events of the last year from weighing him down. The divorce had been final for nearly six months but instead of getting easier like everyone said it would, it was getting harder. Seeing Carl every other weekend wasn't nearly enough, but Lori had moved to Atlanta with her new man making it almost impossible for any other arrangement. Every time he'd meet her halfway between King County and Atlanta to pick up his son, it seemed like he had grown so much and Rick felt like he was missing it all.

To top it all off, he'd been invited to a wedding at Greene's Farm tomorrow and that was the last place he wanted to spend his time. He'd pretty much decided that he wasn't going. He'd apologize profusely to the bride's father the next time he saw him but after everything happened with Lori, Rick wasn't sure if he even believed in love anymore.

It was the cop in him, but a commotion near the door drew him out of his own head long enough to look up seeking the source. All he found was a group of people greeting each other like it had been ages since they'd last been together. He was just about to return to his drink when he caught a glimpse of her.

Rick could only see her from behind but everything about her screamed to him that she was beautiful. Her dark hair fell down to the middle of her back in a mixture of curls and locs creating a stark contrast against her long sleeved white shirt. Her group was waiting for a table and she was swaying her hips to the 80's rock song pouring out of the jukebox and through the speakers. The only thing that made her stop was another member of her group pulling her into a warm hug. Rick thought the woman she was hugging was Hershel Greene's daughter Maggie, the woman getting married the next day. She had moved to Atlanta for college and ended up staying to teach elementary school there. Hershel gave him a proud father update every time he saw him in town getting supplies for the farm. On his last update, Hershel had handed him an invitation to his daughter's wedding. She was marrying a fellow teacher and Hershel couldn't have been happier. He said his future son-in-law was good for his daughter and he wanted Rick to come celebrate with his family at the wedding. Rick hemmed and hawed a bit but after a lecture from Hershel about letting go of the past and things breaking but still growing, he had agreed to go just to get the man off his back.

The two women released each other and he was sure that one of them was in fact Maggie, but it was the other woman who had completely captivated him.

He paused to appreciate her for a moment; allowing his eyes to travel down to the high heeled boots on her feet and back up her seemingly never-ending legs to her ample behind covered in dark jeans that were made to highlight every inch of her curvaceous form. The group she was with started walking toward a table and his breath caught in his throat as she turned around and he saw her face. King County was a small town and he was sure that he'd remember seeing that face. Her hair was pulled back, leaving her flawless, mahogany skin to shine despite the dim lighting inside the bar making it seem as though she were lit from within. Her dark eyes sparkled with mirth as she laughed with her friends revealing a brilliant smile that had the power to brighten the world.

He nervously turned his attention back to his drink as a feeling he hadn't felt in years crept over him. Warmth flooded his veins and it wasn't the alcohol in front of him. His attraction to her was palpable; he was sure it was seeping out of his pores and charging the air around him. He had shocked himself with the intensity of it, and suddenly he wanted to know everything about her. She'd already commanded his sight, but his other four senses craved her. He wanted to know what her voice sounded like, what she smelled like, how her skin would feel beneath his fingertips, and what she tasted like. He closed his eyes and he could see her full lips stained a deep red and his mind invented a myriad of scenarios where he could taste those lips. Like a magnet, his eyes were pulled in her direction again as soon as he opened them. She was looking down at her menu and absently running her fingers across one of her locs. He noticed that even the waiter faltered when she turned toward him with that blinding smile.

Just seeing a gorgeous woman had never affected him this way. Not that he'd really had the opportunity. He'd married his high school sweetheart days after he graduated from college and had spent the last fifteen years devoted to his wife and son. Lori had been all he wanted, all he needed really and he thought she felt the same until one day he stopped being that for her. He closed his eyes and tried to refocus his thoughts as he absently ran a hand over his beard. He didn't want to think about his failed marriage. He only wanted to think about the beautiful woman sitting across the bar.

There were six people at her table and she was sitting between two men; one was young, Asian and falling all over Maggie who was sitting on the other side of him. Rick concluded that he was the lucky groom and he recognized the man sitting on the other side as Daryl Dixon. Daryl owned a car repair shop in town and Rick knew him in passing. He'd moved to town a few years before and Rick found him to be a nice enough guy, but no matter how nice he thought Daryl was, he would never think him worthy of the goddess at his side. Rick frowned when he noticed Daryl's arm draped over the back of her chair and the way she leaned in toward him whenever he spoke; falling against him in fits of laughter. Rick looked away as he became consumed with another unfamiliar emotion. Jealousy.

He looked up again and panic flooded his heart. She was gone and his eyes searched the restaurant for her. A few minutes passed without any luck but just when he was going to give up, he saw her reflection in the mirror over the bar as she emerged from the ladies room but his panic only increased because she was headed straight for him. She moved with a level of easy grace that he wasn't used to; carrying herself with a quiet confidence that had the power to command the attention of the entire restaurant. She didn't notice the heads that turned to watch her as she passed; she was the center of attention without even trying to be. As she made her way closer, he observed hints of red lace peeking through at the edges of her V neck shirt, drawing his attention to the swell of her chest and resulting in his mouth going dry. With a trembling hand, he lifted his glass to his lips just as she squeezed into the space between him and the empty barstool next to him and leaned against the bar.

She was trying to get the attention of the bartender but Rosita was on the other side of the bar, flirting with Spencer Monroe. Rosita had been crushing on Spencer since they were in grade school so Rick knew the mystery woman might be waiting a while. He just didn't know how long he would last with her standing so close to him. Her proximity to him made his heart beat faster like it was about to jump right out of his chest. She was even more striking up close if that was even possible. He didn't know what kind of perfume she was wearing but he detected hints of vanilla, oranges, and cinnamon. It was intoxicating.

It had to be a sign from God that she ended up standing right next to him and Rick had promised himself when Lori left that he would never ignore signs again. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, steeling his nerves to act on what his heart had decided from the moment he saw her.

He swiveled his barstool slightly in her direction and smiled nervously.

"It might be a while. Rosita has been tryin' to land Spencer since they were 12. Looks like she's finally makin' some headway", he stated, causing her to turn toward him. Her dark eyes inspected him for a moment before her lips curved into a little smile.

"That probably explains why you're nursing your drink." He glanced at his glass which had maybe one gulp left and laughed to himself.

"Yeah…who knows when I'll get another one." She laughed before sighing deeply.

"I'm trying to be sneaky and order a bottle of champagne for my table but it doesn't look like that's going to happen." He could listen to her talk all day. She didn't have a deep accent like most of the people in his town, but it was there in the way she said certain words like "trying" and "going".

"What's the occasion?", he asked.

"My friend is getting married tomorrow and I wanted to fulfill my responsibility as best woman by getting everyone slightly drunk the night before the wedding."

"Best woman? I don't think I've ever heard of that."

"Glenn…the groom…and I grew up together so I knew I would have to play some kind of role in his wedding…I didn't think it'd be as 'best woman' though. I was sure he'd pick Daryl for that.", she answered with a giggle.

"Who's Daryl?", he asked, trying his best to be nonchalant.

"Another friend we grew up with. He actually lives here…owns Dixon Auto Repair?"

"I don't know him well but I thought I saw him walk in a little while ago." Rick hoped he didn't send too excited at that news, but hearing that she wasn't with Daryl made him practically euphoric.

"Yeah, we're all sitting right over there", she pointed in the direction of the the table her friends were at and Rick tore his attention away from her long enough to look over there like he didn't already know. "We all lived on the same street as kids. Both of them are like my brothers." He nodded, knowing exactly what she was talking about.

"My friend Shane and I are like that too. We grew up together and now we're partners on the force together. He's like my brother." She smiled and he could feel it in his bones.

"I think everyone should have at least one friend like that.", she added, before looking around for the bartender again. Rosita was still with Spencer and Rick could've kissed her for it. She turned back to him. "So you're a cop?"

"I'm a deputy with the sheriff's office", he answered with a nod.

"I guess that puts both of us in law enforcement. I'm an assistant D.A. for the city of Atlanta." He grinned appreciatively at her choice of profession and admired her for it. She probably could've taken a job at a private firm making much more money that she was probably making working for the city.

"Well, counselor, I'm glad to hear we're on the same side."

"Same here, deputy", she agreed, as their eyes met in a lingering stare before they both looked away with a smile. Rosita had moved away from Spencer and to a patron not too far from them. He knew their time together was coming to an end so he pushed himself to continue their conversation.

"By any chance, is your friend marrying Maggie Greene?" Her eyes widened as he watched her try to figure out how he knew that. He decided to put her out of her misery. "It's a small town and her wedding is the social event of the season." She nodded her understanding at his explanation and slid onto the empty barstool next to her.

"That's right! Being from Atlanta, it's hard for me to fathom that." She paused to wave at Rosita who held up one finger in their direction. She rested her elbow on the bar, her chin on her palm, and turned her attention back to him. "Does that mean you're coming to the wedding tomorrow?"

"Of course! I wouldn't miss it…", those words would've been a lie minuets earlier but now that he knew she would be there, he was going to be at that wedding come hell or high water. "By the way, my name is Rick." He extended his hand toward her and she shook it with a firm grip. Her hands were so soft and Rick wondered if her whole body felt like that.

"Pleasure to meet you, Rick. I'm Michonne." Her name was beautiful just like her, but he was distracted by the way she said his name putting additional emphasis on the "k". It sent shivers down his spine and made him want to hear her say it over and over again.

"Michonne…", he murmured, immediately loving the way her name felt on his tongue. In his mind, he made plans to say her name repeatedly. "That's a beautiful name. It suits you." A shy smile appeared on her lips as her eyes fell away from him and she tucked a stray loc behind her ear.

"Thank you…", she replied, allowing her eyes to meet his again. Their stares locked and Rick knew he couldn't have been the only one feeling whatever it was in the air between them. "I should probably get back to my table. They're probably wondering where I am…" Rick watched as she slid off the barstool and he saw his opportunity slipping away.

Rick summoned what was left of his courage and cleared his throat.

"Hey, since you're going to the wedding tomorrow and so am I, how about you save me a dance?" His words stopped her in her tracks and she tilted her head as she processed what he was asking her.

"You could just ask me tomorrow", she finally offered. He leaned into her and gave her half a grin.

"I didn't want to risk anyone else askin' you first…and I was hoping that you might want to save all of your dances for me." He didn't know where he was pulling this from. It had been years since he'd asked anyone out, but you wouldn't guess that from his behavior in that moment.

"I think I have to dance with the groom at least once, and Daryl…", she countered. He shook his head refusing to back down from his request.

"Then I'm asking for all of your dances minus those two." She raised an eyebrow at him and the corner of her lip turned up in a smirk.

"Are you always this confident?", she questioned; her awestruck expression making the smile on his face stretch even wider.

"Actually, I haven't asked a woman to dance in nearly 20 years and right now I'm terrified that you're gonna turn me down."

"You hide it well…", she said.

"I'm a 38 year old divorced dad and suddenly I'm talking to the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on. She turns out to be smart, funny, and probably a million other things that I want to learn everything about. She also has a smile that makes me forget about all of the bad things that have ever happened to me. Believe me, on the inside, I'm a complete mess." He couldn't quite read the look on her face as he poured his heart out to her, but he felt completely calm under her scrutiny.

"What if…what if instead of claiming the majority of my dances, you come to the wedding with me as my date? The dances kinda come with that package…" He worried that his heart might stop beating as soon as he heard hose words leave her lips. Instead, it beat even faster; to the point where he felt like one of those cartoon characters with his heart visibly beating outside of his chest.

"I like that idea.", he finally answered after pulling himself together. That brilliant smile crept across her face again and he knew in that moment that he'd never get tired of seeing it.

"Good", she whispered before glancing back over to her table. "Listen… I really should go. My friends are going to send a search party for me if I don't get back over there…I'll see you tomorrow?" He nodded, following her gaze over to the table where he saw Daryl looking around for her.

"I'm looking forward to it", he said, earning another smile from her, but as she turned to walk away, he was overcome with panic. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called out to her.

"Michonne?" She turned around with a questioning look in her eyes.

"Do you think I can have your number?" The strange look in her eyes disappeared and was replaced with one of amusement.

"470-555-0712." He quickly entered the numbers into his phone before looking back up at her. "Bye, Rick."

"Bye, Michonne."

He watched her walk away and rejoin her friends at their table. His eyes couldn't leave her until she finally looked up and met his stare. He was graced with that smile again and he couldn't help but smile back.

"Hey, Rick…where did the woman you were talking to go? I thought she wanted to order something." Rick gave Rosita the biggest most grateful smile he could muster and it must have shocked her because her eyes went wider than he'd ever seen them.

"She wanted a bottle of champagne delivered to her table. You can put it on my tab and close me out." Rosita wrinkled her eyebrows before shrugging and doing as she was told. He reached into his wallet pulling out a few twenties. When Rosita reappeared, he handed it all to her and told her to keep the change as he rose from his seat and started toward the door. He glanced back toward her table one last time and caught her mid laugh. She was practically glowing with happiness and it made him happy to see her like that. He was planning on seeing her like that a lot. He walked through the doors and out into the warm spring night, feeling more alive than he had in a very long time. For a brief moment he hadn't been dwelling on his ex-wife's betrayal, his distance from his son, or on how miserable he'd been over the last year. All he could think about was the future starting with the wedding the next day and as long as she was a part of it, the future looked pretty bright.

Thanks for reading! I've never written a one-shot before more or less a song-fic so this was completely new to me. I hope you all enjoyed i! Please let me know in the comments and reviews!

Song: So Alive by Love and Rockets

I LOVE the original but by OTB (One True Band) Better than Ezra covered it a few years ago and I LOVE it too! Links below.