Work Text:
The room was tense and silent. The hair had risen at the back of Michonne’s neck and arms.
“I need to call Rick”
“Michonne, we need to get ahe-“
“I know” Michonne cut Maggie off, her fingers pressed against her brow. Michonne felt as though she were drowning. The circumstances albeit unjust, brought about through blatant lies held some tough and possibly destructive implications for not only herself and her campaign; but for her family. Her husband and her children.
“I know, but first, I need to call Rick. He needs to be here for this, I can’t do this without him.” her gaze was hard.
While she understood there were steps that needed to be taken, and quickly, she wasn’t going to compromise on her husband’s involvement.
“MIchonne, of course.” Rosita responded, eyeing Maggie. Maggie nodded in understanding, while Sasha - who made the quartet of the top team, and was the only other person who could be trusted with this so early on, did so too. With a sharp turn, Michonne had her phone out, tapping on her favourite contact. She missed the worrying looks of concern that spread across her teams faces as they silently communicated the distinctly difficult turn the campaign had taken.
—
Rick had just dismissed his deputies from his office. What had started out as a routine call out, appeared to be slipping dramatically out of control. King County, although hardly crime free - rarely dealt with cases of this magnitude and he needed his officers to have their heads in the game - he needed a clean investigation and he needed them to see this case through to court. He had just wiped the tip of his thumb across his lower eyelid when his phone vibrated across his desk.
He raised an eyebrow - Michonne’s name was lit on the screen. Unusual given she typically had no time for phone calls at this hour, but he wasn’t complaining and could use her respite.
He smiled as he answered, demeanour shifting. There was no one who could distract him quite like Michonne, already he was imagining all the ways he could rile her up, entice her back home at a respectable hour. He certainly had no qualms about leaving the office on time today - especially not after the day he’d been having, and he’d missed her. She’d been running at full steam these last few months and he feared that with this case on the horizon, he was about to also…
Maybe, after this call he would give Carl a ring, get him to have his siblings over for a much needed sibling sleepover…
“Hey baby, wasn’t expecting to hear from you - if I’d known -” He answered smoothly, scratching at his beard.
“Rick” Her tone immediately stemmed any mischief he had in mind, his brows knitted together in immediate concern.
“What’s wrong honey?”
“Rick” her voice a small whisper, “there’s a story about to break - it’s about us, well you and Lori. You, me and Lori. I, I need you to come here. Please”
“Michonne, what?” His brows couldn’t crease any further than they already had.
“I’ll tell you more when you get here - I’ll see you soon alright?”
Rick was already up, placing his hat on his head, keys to his truck jangling in his hands, leaving his office.
“I’ll see you soon. I love you baby.” He sought to give her the assurance she clearly needed.
“I love you too” Michonne hung up. Distracted. He was left in a state of uncertainty - worried. A story about them and Lori? Things with Lori, well there were no things with Lori. He and Lori had divorced and moved on from one another years ago. They co-parented Carl and amicably, while Judith slipped seamlessly in with his family whenever she pleased. Whatever was happening - it was big enough to have Michonne worried, and Michonne didn’t worry easily.
“Carol,” Rick called out as he passed her desk, heading towards the exit - Michonne always had things under control, for her to call him like that - he needed to get to her immediately. “I’m leaving - anyone needs me, take a message, or better yet - get Morgan to handle it.”
“Is everything alright Rick?” Carol began to query, but he was already gone.
—
It was Rosita - Michonne’s Chief of Staff, who greeted Rick in the parking lot outside of Michonne’s office. He’d arrived surprisingly quickly by driving as recklessly as a sheriff could, to make it over to Michonne’s office. The temperature was much warmer due to the confines of the city, and sweat trickled down his neck.
Rosita looked grave.
“What’s going on?” He asked - delving straight to the point. He’d known Rosita for a long time, trusted her with Michonnes life, and knew she wouldn’t take offence.
“It’s better if she tells you herself, but Rick” Rosita paused. “It’s bad”.
Rick didn’t need telling twice, already marching towards his wife’s inner office - doors swinging in his midst. Ordinarily he would’ve greeted the aides and assistants - ever the polite southern gentleman. Today however, was turning out to be anything but ordinary.
The door to Michonne’s private office opened before he could grab the handle - it was Sasha.
“Rick. Please, come in” Sasha said in solemn greeting, holding the door open for Rosita too, who had been close behind. Rick’s eyes landed on Michonne, who with the door opening had spun around from obviously brooding at the window.
“Michonne, I got here as fast as I could, what’s wrong?” he said walking up to her. Their hands reached for each other, the contact subtle but necessary. Grounding. Her mouth moved across her face in a grimace, and she looked around him.
“Maggie, Sasha, Rosita, can I talk to Rick alone please? I’ll call you back in, in a minute” she said, her eyes now finally meeting Rick’s gaze.
“But-“
“It’s ok,” Michonne reassured “I’ll call you back in, in a minute. Ok?”.
Rosita, Maggie and Sasha all dipped their heads, bowing out of the room - the door closing with a light click.
It was just the two of them now. Rick pulled her in close at his chest, dropping a kiss on her forehead, another against her lips, arms crossing at her back as hers did the same around his neck.
“Rick.”
“Michonne?”
“Lori’s been talking to the press”.
Ricks phone began to vibrate.