A/N: A/U - Three Part Drama - Rick Grimes and Michonne Wright have approached a flooded road in their relationship. Will they swim pass or will they drown?
*****
RICK POV
I was a fucking mess.
Drowning my sorrows with Crown Royale, with six years' worth of pictures sprawled across the bed and a closet full of Michonne's clothes piled on the chair. Since she left me two months ago and I'm no better off than I was the night she dumped me. I should have known better than to give a woman like Michonne an ultimatum.
Being irksomely stubborn was the reason I fell in love with her in the first place. We both had an immature jealous streak that caused constant riffs in our relationship. Recently we had a squabble about me getting too cute with the new intern Jessie, even though I didn't see it that way.
I'm a charming Southern gentleman by nature and I never gave much thought when I'm showing it.
I admit to flirting with women all the time, but it never went anywhere. I'd give cute girls a wink here and there right in front of Michonne. I've done it for years and never thought much of until now. Even though I know damn well if the shoe was on the other foot and Michonne was flirting with other men, I would be livid.
Fuck that! I'd probably be psychotic toward the fucker if he flirted back.
Although I never had a reason to think Michonne wanted anyone other than me until a few months ago. Her best friend and colleague Andrea, who hated me with a passion, had invited Michonne to New Orleans. They'd been assigned a high profile civil rights case and the legal team at Michonne's law firm needed all hands on deck. Andrea had been less than pleased to see Michonne arrive with me in tow.
After their early morning meeting and a full day of court Michonne called me from our hotel and asked me to join them. When I got to the bar a block away from our room I was positive Andrea picked this place because she knew it would piss me off. Michonne and I are the types of folk who enjoy the nicely lit, non-pretentious bar and lounge.
This place was the exact opposite.
Andrea was buying and all it took was a couple shots of Vodka and Michonne was up on stage shaking her perfect ass to a song I wasn't familiar with. My girl looked so damn hot up there, shaking what God gave her in that short skirt and low cut blouse of hers. There was no denying, Michonne was hands down one of the most beautiful women to ever walk the earth. Her small, shapely curves, which were perfect for holding onto while dancing... or doing other physical activities captured the attention of everyone in the room.
That included a guy by the name of the Shane Walsh.
Shane is the son of the law firms' founder and the one who hired Michonne fresh out of law school upon Andrea's recommendation. He'd always choose my woman for whatever project he was working on. She traveled with him and he gave her a raise after only a few months with the firm. I immediately started to get suspicious of what, exactly; Shane's motives were where Michonne was concerned. That asshole clearly has eyes for my woman and used everything his conniving mind could come up with in order to ease his way into her life. I'm constantly keeping my eye on the slimeball. He has a rep in this town as a 'ladies' man and even if he didn't, I just don't trust the fucker. The way he always looks at her, it was too intense and I sure as hell wasn't okay with the way he had no problem hugging her or rubbing her shoulders when she seemed stressed. I'd caught him doing that one night I went to Michonne's office, she was working late and I'd brought her some of her favorite Thai food. I kept my cool, but inside I was fuming. I sensed there was some sexual tension building between them and it drove me insane. As a result, insecurity started to fester between us. The night she left, I'd confronted her about her relationship with Shane. Michonne thought I was being ridiculous and told me so.
She insisted they were just friends and if it wasn't for Shane's help, she wouldn't be as acclimated in her profession at such an early stage in her career. Michonne insisted their relationship was strictly professional, that I had nothing to worry about. She thought I was being ridiculous and unsupportive in her career. In retrospect, I absolutely was. I should have known that whatever was going on between her and Shane was every bit as professional as she said it was. Instead, I said the worst thing I could possibly have said when she told me that she and Shane would be going to Dallas alone. I accused her of fucking him behind my back and using this work assignment with him so she could keep the affair going.
Michonne was devastated by my accusation and denied it vehemently. We shouted and cursed at one another until I finally told her she had to choose between me and that damn law firm. The startled and hurt look in her eyes is something I will never forget and even then I knew what I was asking was ridiculous, still, I refused to take it back.
And so she left. She packed up everything that would fit in her largest suitcase and duffle bag and she left. Once the door slammed reality hit me. I quickly came to the realization that I'm fucking retarded. I just let the best thing that has ever happen to me pack up her shit and leave.
I wanted to smash something...mostly Shane's face. But it wasn't that guys' fault, it was mine.
That first night I was able to sleep. I figured after she cooled down, she'd come back. I'd apologize and we'd make up like we always did after we fought and things would go back to normal.
But an entire week had passed and she hadn't come back. Her brother Bob, who had become one of my closest friends ran into me at the market. Bob is a good guy. He and his little sister were extremely close due to them losing their parents as teens. So, Bob, had no issue calling me a big old ass grenade and expressing how he wanted to clock me for calling his baby sister a cheater. But at the same time, he was lecturing me, he took notice of how sad and crappy I looked and he couldn't help but feel sorry for my pathetic ass.
And I practically begged him to tell me how Michonne was doing. And he said, although she looks a lot better than I do, he knows his sister is hurting. The next thing he told me made my heart sink into the lowest pit of my gut. Michonne was currently out of town with Shane on business.
I told you I was retarded.
I practically threw her into the arms of another man. Bob had advised it was best to let her have some time to cool out since she was still very upset with me. I knew he was right, but I missed her so much. I just wanted to hear her voice. So when got home I called her phone and when she didn't answer, I skipped cooking the frozen pizza and went straight for the bottle of Captain Morgan's.
At least when I pass out, I can dream that Michonne was back with me. But those feelings never lasted long enough. I would wake up with a killer headache, an upset stomach, and a seething mind. I'd let myself get riled up with the thoughts of what Shane could be saying to her, trying to convince her that I wasn't worth her love. Eventually, she'd listen and then, she'd be his.
I'd lose her forever...
MICHONNE POV
I was totally devastated.
After three years together, he didn't trust me. I couldn't believe because I was more than good to him. I'd tolerated his pointless flirting and insipid winking at other women because it was harmless stuff, as far as I was concerned. I knew he never meant for his behavior to disrespect me or our relationship. I knew Rick well enough to know that while he might be a flirt, he would never actually cheat on me.
Although we did have our fights about his 'smooth Southern charm' from time to time. Now I realized how ironic it was that our relationship would hit such snag because he thought I was cheating.
He actually thinks I'm cheating!
At first, when he implied that I was sleeping with Shane, I thought he was trying to deflect guilt from something he'd done. But the more he talked about it the more I realized, he wasn't being a hateful asshole. He was dead serious.
He'd gotten really upset the first time I had to go out of town, even though I was going with half the law firm. I couldn't figure out what signals I might have been giving to make him think I was cheating. And even though after college we'd both became very busy, I had done everything I could to keep him involved with my life. He was always invited to come with me anytime or anywhere, instead, he chooses to absorb himself into his own work, which was perfectly fine by me.
For months, whenever Rick got upset about my business trips or late hours, the more I did my best to instill in Rick my love and devotion to only him. But Rick is insanely stubborn, he'd convinced himself that I was trying to hide something.
Maybe I was being stubborn too by leaving like I did that night. But Rick had pushed me way too hard and part of me wanted to push back and hurt him every bit as bad as he'd hurt me. I knew if I left, I would succeed in doing that. Now, there was no mistaking, I was hurt and we'd have to work to make thing right. If that was even possible. I'm alone in Andrea's apartment drinking her wine. By my third glass, I'm laughing at myself as I think back at how fast I fell for him. Falling in love with him had taken me by surprise, mostly because of how fast it had happened.
From the moment I saw him, I felt a force pushing my mind and heart, guiding me towards him. He was the only one who I wanted to be around constantly. The guys in my past would annoy me when they got too clingy or wanted all of my time. I knew Rick was the one when we nearly spent almost every waking moment together. We could sit in complete silence and just enjoy each other presence and for the first time ever, I felt passionate about someone.
The feelings we had for each other was consuming. The type of passion heightens our emotions and awakens our senses. Sometimes when he looked at me with those piercing blue eyes it was more stimulating than that first sip of coffee in the morning. When he'd lean in and whisper in my ear, the sound of his velvety voice caused me to become displaced, I'd lose touch with reality. We'd awaken each day with a ravenous hunger for one another, and an insatiable thirst to make love to each other could not be quenched.
Damn, No wonder love is so powerfully addictive.
When I came back from Dallas, Bob told me he'd ran into Rick. He told me Rick looks just a miserable as I do. Bob was right, I am miserable. I hated being away from Rick. I hated not waking up to him and coming home to him. I had no one to spend my evenings with. For the past few weeks, I've been thinking about swallowing my pride and going home. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let him go.
But I quickly scratched that idiotic hairbrained idea.
Every time I thought about the hurtful accusations the pain bubbles back up like a cauldron. To make matter worse, it's been two weeks and she's not called me.