Winter Part 14

Epilogue

Daryl stood outside Karen’s cell. She stood opposite him. Her back to him. He felt a deep sense of sadness for her. He’d actually hoped the scratch had been harmless. Now he knew it wasn’t.

“Karen,” he said.

She shuffled around, reacting to the sound of a voice rather than recognizing her own name. She looked newly dead. Pale with a bluish tint to her skin. Her lips were also blue. Her eyes were covered with a white film.

Daryl found himself nodding, accepting what had become of her. She’d wanted him to be the one to do it if she turned.

So he lifted his crossbow, and he did.

*****

“Nice cold shower,” said Rick, coming into the shower room. “Wish I could say there’s nothing as good as a nice cold shower but I’d be lying.”

“This is the women’s shower, you know,” said Michonne, smiling at him. She was rinsing soap from her body. Rick took the shower next to hers and pumped up some water and began to lather up.

“Y’all’s is prettier than the guys shower.”

Michonne looked around at the stark room. “If that’s true then I can only imagine the guys are washing up in the urinals.”

He laughed. She smiled. They fell into silence as they cleaned themselves and ignored the topic that was on both their minds.

“About what happened in Charlesville,” Rick began.

“I know. We were forced into it. It didn’t mean anything,” Michonne said.

Rick swallowed. So that was how she wanted to play it. He walked over to Michonne, turned her to him, and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around him, kissing him back, clinging to him as their lips sought one another out hungrily.

“Didn’t mean anything?” he questioned. “It meant a hell of a lot to me. I don’t want it to end. Are you saying you do?”

She shook her head.

“I’ve got the situation with Geoffrey to deal with tomorrow. I’ve got the other Woodbury survivors to deal with. We’ve got mouths to feed, souls to keep safe, and I’ve got a lot of work left to do with my son. They need me, but not half as much as I need you. I’ve been trying to lead, standing on a foundation made of sand. You…you’re rock solid, Michonne. You’re my rock.”

“I’m here,” she said.

“I’m yours,” he said. “Are you mine? Are you with me?”

“I’m yours. I’m with you,” she vowed, and kissed him again.

“Come back to my bunk. We’ll deal with the world in the morning. We’ll tell Carl about us tomorrow but for tonight, come back to my bunk.”

“If I do that, I may never leave,” she said, smiling.

“Damn right you’re never leaving.”

They dressed, and he took her by the hand. They were exhausted when they fell into bed and snuggled up against one another. Rick looked at baby Judith sleeping soundly in her crib as he wrapped his arms around Michonne and felt her drift into sleep. He had a family. He had a place of safety. He didn’t know how long it would last, but for now life was good, and for the first time in a long, long time, he was happy.

*****

A/N: And that’s a wrap! This fic was a long time in writing. I wasn’t going to finish it, but the positive reviews inspired me to pick this story back up and complete it. I hope you enjoyed reading it :)