It Was A Beautiful Dream

The day was glorious. The sound of birds chirping instead of walkers snarling was welcome and not to be taken advantage of again. The giggles of her children made Michonne smile as she sat on a blanket in the Deanna Monroe Park watching her husband playing a game of mini soccer with 10-year-old Judith, and their 5-year-old twin boys Rick Jr. and Andrew. The 6-month-old baby girl Maggie lay sleeping peacefully by her side, and along with Judith, was the apple of her father's eye. She still couldn't believe he had talked her into having another child after the twins, but she was glad he did. She was happier than she had ever been.

They had come a long way and had found peace at last. Carl and Enid were happy at the Hilltop helping Maggie run things there, and many more settlements had been established since Jesus first took them to the Kingdom.

She was proud of Rick and what he had accomplished, but it came at a cost. Many of their friends were dead, and the new friends they made could never replace the ones who had followed Rick Grimes through hell. He still had the occasional vigilant sleepless nights, and constantly checked on the children. The nightmares for both of them had been rare, and thankfully not at the same time.

Several months ago, Negan was found dead in the forest just outside Alexandria. The cause of death was unknown, but the lucky bastard probably had a heart attack. So many things had happened over the ten years since they had to fight just to establish a safe zone which now encompassed over several hundred miles. She thought often of all the friends they lost along the way who had this dream too.

"Care to join us?" Rick said walking to where she sat.

"Yeah, come on Mom." Called Judith.

Michonne stood up and started chasing the twins with Judith letting the boys think they were outrunning them.

Rick sat down by the sleeping baby and picked her up. Baby Maggie stretched in his hands as he lifted her from the blanket and into his arms. As if knowing she was in the arms of the safest man possible, she opened her blue eyes and smiled up at her father. Michonne stole glances at Rick with their daughter, smiling at the fact that Judith and baby Maggie have their father wrapped around their little fingers.

"Where my 'lil dudes at?"

"Uncle Daryl!" The twins squealed as they tackled his legs.

Michonne laughed looked at the scene as Daryl hoisted a child up on each shoulder.

"Hey 'lil ass kicker. How's the man slayer doing?" Daryl said referring to Judith and Maggie.

Rick mentally shook his head at Daryl's nicknames for his children.

"What brings you out this way?" Rick said looking over at Daryl wrestling with the boys.

"I was out hunt'n, and looked up and I was close by."

"It's good to see you, how's Sasha doing?" Michonne asked.

"She's good. She finally found a way to keep busy."

"With a man like you she has to." Michonne said smiling.

"We warned her." Rick said looking at Daryl.

"So did I." Daryl said now tickling the squirming boys. "But the heart wants what the heart wants I guess."

Both Rick and Michonne laugh at Daryl.

"I don't recall you backing off." Rick said.

Daryl looked at Rick with the hint of a smile on his face and Daryl shook his head.

"I did try though." Daryl said quietly.

Rick and Michonne laughed again.

"What's for dinner Michonne?" Daryl asked.

"Something good. You are staying the night right?"

"I can, I ain't due back until tomorrow."

She saw the look on his face change and wondered what that was about.

"Daryl can you take the boys home, we'll pick up our picnic and be there in a sec."

"Sure. Come on 'lil dudes."

Michonne squatted down and looked at Rick.

"You okay?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Waiting for the other shoe to drop?"

"Yeah." He said kissing baby Maggie's head.

"Me too." She said.

Michonne slowly opened her eyes, and knew the only real part of what she just lived in her sleep was her husband, Judith, Carl and Daryl. She sat up and wrapped her arms around her drawn up legs. His hand gently caressed her bare back sending a pleasant thrill through her body.

"Did you have that dream again?" He asked with a sleepy voice.

She was not expecting Rick to be awake, but knew he would be, because she was. She turned to look at him.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Because every time you do, you curl up in a ball up against me and it wakes me up every time."

"I'm sorry." She said trying to shake the dream from her mind.

"Don't apologize for that, it alerts me that something is wrong, but every time you wake up from that particular dream, it brings you down. Why?"

"Because it's obvious how I want things to be, and they aren't, and because we have children of our own. Twin boys and a girl."

Rick sat up and leaned back against the headboard.

"You wanna tell me about them?"

Michonne turned toward him and wrapped her arms around her legs again.

"The boys, Rick Jr. and Andrew, 5 years old, and 6-month-old Maggie who has your eyes. The boys are bookends. They look like you and even have your swagger."

"I have a swagger?"

She smiled and turned to look at him.

"Yes, you do. It's one of your most attractive attributes."

He squinted and turned his head away and then looked back at her. It had always been difficult for him to accept compliments of any kind. It always seemed to pull attention from the subject at hand. He pulled on her arm to get her to move closer so he could put his arms around her. She lay her head on his chest and felt the soft rhythm of his heart beating.

"What were we all doing in your dream?"

"We were having a picnic in the 'Deanna Monroe Park.' You and the boys were playing soccer with Judith, and the baby was sleeping beside me. Daryl showed up after a hunting trip. He lived at different community with Sasha."

"With, with Sasha?"

Michonne nodded.

"Interesting. It sounds like a beautiful dream."

"It was. Everyone was safe and happy, and Negan was dead."

"How did he die?" He said looking at her curiously.

"Heart attack."

"Of course." Rick said scoffing. "I have my own thoughts on how he should be put down."

"So do I." She said flatly.

"Even in the dream you weren't totally convinced of the euphoria."

"Are you surprised? That was even missing in the old world."

"True."

"I really like your dream. I can almost picture it. Some day we may get close to it, but 3 children?"

She gave him a questioning look.

"You want to have 3 children." He said with wide eyes.

"I'll have to, they were in the dream.

He laughed and kissed her forehead.

"If that's what you want, I'm all for it. So whenever you're ready, but I highly doubt you'll have twins."

"Why not, you can't handle that?"

"I can handle whatever you can."

Their eyes met and knew exactly what the other was thinking. All that they had been through; yes, they could handle anything, alone or apart.

"Yeah." He said finally looking very confident. "Twins will be a piece of cake."