Ch. 12 Changes Aren’t Permanent. Death Is

Michael woke up early that morning. He didn't have any dreams that night but it was better than the nightmares he was expecting.

He got out of the tent without waking up the twins. He changed into basketball shorts and left his shirt off. He wanted to start working out more serious. He had gotten complacent and had stoped.

He grabs his bo staff and goes running around the farm. He goes everywhere. He stops and would swing his bo staff to work his arms and core more.

His hands had basically fully healed. Michael wonders how everyone heals so fast in this world. Carl was shot and on deaths doorstep one day and within that week he was playing with Paul and Briana. Tdogs injury hardly exists after it was cleaned and stitched. And his hands. He wasn't going to complain, maybe it had something to do with the walkers. He would have remembered if humans had an increased healing factor in the show.

He wasn't gonna complain though. It works in his favor.

He started when the sun hadn't even risen yet meaning it was probably five am when he started. He stopped exercising maybe an hour after sunrise. He puts the bo staff across his shoulders and puts his wrists on it to keep his lungs open and not have to carry the staff with his hands that sting now. They should technically heal tomorrow as long as he doesn't do anything strenuous today.

He gets back to camp and realizes he is soaked. So before joining the others he goes to a water pump that doesn't have walker guts floating in it and cleans up.

He returns feeling like a million bucks. He forgot how a great workout felt.

"Where have you been Michael?" Rick asks.

"Workin out. Technically a run. I was getting complacent and woke up yesterday Rick. You should try it" Michael didn't realize what he said until it was too late. "I meant to say that…"

"No, no I get it Michael"

"I don't think you do Rick. That just came out. I don't actually think that. That was wrong of me to say" Michael stood tall and had the bo staff in his hand as he apologized. He wanted Rick to know that he didn't mean it.

"Just go get the twins and we will have our discussion"

Michael went to the tent and woke the kids up and grabbed a clean shirt. He put on blue jeans and his black leather jacket.

He exited the tent and saw everyone outside the house. He went and hugged Maggie and asked her to keep the twins with her. He walked over to Rick who met him halfway.

"Well Rick, how do you want to do this?"

"First. Are you part of the group?"

"Is Maggie a part of it?"

Rick looks to Hershel who nods his head.

"Yes, We're all part of the group. Are you?"

"If you promise to take care of my brother and sister if anything happens to me then yes"

Lori says that they would have done that without having to be asked. Michael thanked her. Rick then addresses the group.

"Good. Now about last night. Yesterday when Glenn, Michael and I went to bring Hershel back, another group of survivors rolled in. It was two at first. Michael was the one to shoot them when they were getting hostile. After that, as we were about to leave some others from their group tried to get in. Glenn blocked the door and I had to try and talk them out of shooting us. It didn't work and they opened fire. Glenn and Michael went to the back of the establishment and tried exiting. Glenn had to shoot the person who tried to open the door. After doing so, Hershel and Michael covered Glenn as he tried to go around to the car. Hershel was able to shoot a man who shot at Glenn who ducked behind a dumpster. I then went over to Glenn and we were then shot at from across the street by a person atop a building. A car pulled up and told the shooter to jump down because walkers were coming. The guy jumped down but got his thigh impaled by a fence in the alley. The car driver was driving off when Michael shot him. The car then went into a building slightly. It was then that Michael and I went over to the guy who jumped off the roof and discovered it was a kid. He was in his teens, but a kid nonetheless. Hershel and Glenn quickly came over. Hershel checked the leg. The fence had arrow tips is we couldn't just lift the leg off without shredding it to hell. As Hershel and I discussed what to do and Glenn kept watch for walkers Michael went and executed the kid. After that we had to get out of there due to walkers that were in the twin surrounding us. The trucks alarm started blaring and drew the attention of some walkers away from us. We made it out of town and found Lori walking down the road after her car was crashed. Everyone was ok, Lori was banged up but she was given the all clear yesterday. That's what happened, now Michael made a decision to end the life of the kid while me and Hershel were gonna find a way to sav-"

"I'm gonna stop you there Rick. You aren't telling the full story. I killed four people last night. And I'll do it again. Remember that that 'kid' shot at you and Glenn. It was only after he was injured and stuck without a weapon that he begged you for his life. When you shoot at someone you take the risk that they shoot back. Isn't that right sheriff. I won't say I regret stopping a bad kid from finding where we sleep at night. If we did help him he could have just ran back to his group and raised this place"

"You don't know that! And it wasn't your call to make!" Rick shouted.

"You also forgot the part where Hershel said that killing him might have been an option. I took the pros and the cons and made a decision. If I had to get my hands dirty to protect this place then I will. What if he shot you Rick?! How would I face Lori and Carl?! He shot first. And you pulled your pistol out to shoot whoever would have walked into the bar if Glenn hadn't blocked the door with his body. How is this any different?! And it's the apocalypse, even cute little girls like Briana can shoot you dead if you aren't careful! I won't regret my actions and I would do it again"

Michael had gotten into Ricks space. He pointed at his family and his sister when he talked about them.

"I understand it might not have been my call. But if I hadn't made it, we could have been over run by walkers" Michael calmed down and added on. Michael looked to Lori who seemed to be on his side.

"So you are the judge, jury and executioner? Who gave you that power?" It was Dale who spoke up. "I don't agree with what you did Michael bu-"

"So we should have left him there as walker bait" Michael states. "Don't worry. I thought about that. But Rick wouldn't leave him. I like Rick as leader. But he needs a devil on his shoulder to even out his giant angel on the other"

That seemed to have struck a chord with everyone. They knew Rick was just trying to stick to the old ways and that times were changing.

"How about this. Rick, you are the leader. But you have someone that is your right hand, the devil on your shoulder. I don't want the position but I won't turn it down if asked. And you don't get to decide either. We, your people will choose. And I nominate Hershel, but you can't pressure him into following what you say"

Everyone starts discussing. Luckily they got past his cruelty and established that he and his siblings are part of the group. Maggie didn't like that Michael had murdered people but she couldn't be mad since he kept their group safe.

Everyone will eventually realize he was right if they haven't already. He just has to wait for Ricks skin to thicken.

They decide for Hershel to be Ricks second in command and agree that Michael was right. Daryl was a close second. But he had closed himself off when Sophia had been found.

After the meeting the group split up. Michael asked Lori to look after the twins. She didn't ask any questions and took the kids to the field or somewhere.

Michael and Maggie went to check on Beth and saw Hershel checking on her. He said that he will give her a sedative to calm her body down. Maggie said something about him drinking and him leaving her alone. Hershel looked at Michael and realized that Michael was right. He couldn't say anything before Maggie stormed away and dragged Michael with her.

She didn't say a word until they were in the upper floor of the barn. Maggie sat down up there and put her head in her palms. Michael knelt in front of her and wrapped her in a hug. Leather jacket and all.

She wasn't crying, just freaking out. Michael let her work through it and rocked her lightly back and forward.

"Thank you" Maggie said in a whisper. Michael stood up and took his leather jacket off and put it on some hay off to the side. The barn had been airing out for a day and didn't smell too bad.

He sat next to Maggie. He grabbed her hips and slid her onto his lap. Her back to his chest. He wanted to feel Maggie close to him. He wanted her to know he was there and didn't need to talk, just feel her.

He put his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her, letting them rest in her lap. She held his arms on her lap.

"I didn't expect you to actually shut up, I don't know if I like it or not"

"I can talk if you want me to, I can talk all day if you asked me. I would probably start bugging you within a-"

"A few sentences. Yeah, you're right"

"I was gonna say eight minutes, but y'know….. whatever gets under your skin" As Michael said this Maggie laughed. When he said under her skin her used a finger to move along her knee cap.

"Michael"

"Yeas Maggie?"

"I love you" she whispered.

Michael hugged her tighter. "You really keep me falling don't you? Just make sure I don't hit the floor"

"I'll do my best" Maggie laughs some more. Minutes go by. Maggie shifts a little because she got a little uncomfortable. Now she is playing with fire.