Michelle's weekend had flown all her thoughts centered around her date with Danny. Cutting out the whole experience with his stepfather, Thomas, it had been perfection to the highest degree. The safety that she found in Danny's arms was a comfort that had eluded her for so long now that its effects were dizzying. The vast difference from Parker and Danny were astounding. It amazed her still that even after all that Danny had been put through in his life he was by far more of a gentleman then Parker could ever dream of being.

"How was the movie the other night?" Ed Bauer asked as Michelle made her way into the kitchen.

"Fine." She had no intention on elaborating.

"Who did you go with?" he off handedly asked. His interest sent up a red flag in Michelle's mind.

"A bunch of kids from school."

"Did Hunter go with you?"

"Yeah," Michelle looked away unbeknownst to her that she had walked right into her father's well laid trap.

"Oh really?" he arched his brow as he took another sip from his coffee cup. "Then could you please explain to me why she called here looking for you?"

Michelle scrambled for a quick cover as her face clouded over, "I really don't know. Her and Thad saw a different movie then the rest of us I know that. I didn't get to talk to her all that much. Who knows maybe she wanted to find out if I liked the one I saw." Michelle knew this cover sounded as lame as the one she had used about her bruises but her father had taken her completely by surprise. This was the best she could do on such short notice.

"It was awfully early when she called. As a matter of fact, it was just after you walked out the door. And she didn't know anything about the movies!" Michelle could hear the controlled anger in his voice.

"What are you trying to say daddy?" Michelle questioned cutting right to the chase.

"I want to know what you really," he stressed the word, "did the other night."

"I went to the movies," she repeated to his disbelieving face. "Are you saying that you don't believe me?"

"With the way you have behaving lately I think it's safe to say that I should be covering all the bases," he returned without actually saying he thought she was being less then truthful.

Utter bewilderment consumed Michelle. Up until this point Ed Bauer paid very little attention to his daughter's comings and goings. It wasn't until now, when she had actually found a purpose for her floundering life that her existence was no longer taking a backseat to one business deal or another.

"I don't know what you expect me to say," She searched her words carefully. Lying had never been on of her strong suits. She was certain that her father would see right through her.

"I expect you to answer my question. It's not that difficult of a thing to do. Where were you?"

How could she tell him the truth? Things were only in the beginning stages with Danny. She didn't want to make waves and most definitely didn't want her father doing his best to put a stop to one of the best things in her life at the moment.

"I told you all there is to tell. Nothing more, nothing less." Michelle stood firm.

"Michelle," he sighed removing his glasses, "I wish I understood what was going on with you lately."

His mock concern threw Michelle into a tailspin. His words had been so false.

"You're kidding right? When have you ever had the time to understand me? Hell up until the time mom died I was lucky that you even knew you had a daughter. So forgive me if I'm having trouble understanding where all this sudden concern for me is coming from now," Michelle seethed at him. "You have barely spoken her name in this house since her death. I miss her!! Do you?" The tears that Michelle tried to hide came forward with little effort on her part, "I don't get it. It's like she was never even here. How could you do that? How could you just rip her out of the house like she had just been some annoying guest you were glad to be rid of?"

"It wasn't like that Michelle," he stated in a calmness that only served to upset her further.

"YEAH RIGHT! YOU NEED TO BACK OFF!!! For god sakes you don't even know me. What right do you have to make demands on me!?!?" All of Michelle's pent up anger at how her father had handled things since her mother's death had come spilling forward with tidal wave force.

"MY RIGHT?" he repeated, "My right is that I'm you father!"

"You certainly have a lot to learn about being a father!" Michelle retorted as she walked out the door letting it slam behind her.

"What was that?" Ed turned to ask Meta who had only been witness to the final scene.

"I think you know."

Michelle had attained a bit of composure as she made her way to school. Her father surely pushed all the right buttons this morning forcing a total meltdown of his daughter.

"Hey, where were you the other night?" Hunter asked as Michelle opened her locker door, "Your dad said you went to the movies. Who'd you go with?"

"SINCE WHEN DID MY BUSINESS BECOME A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IN EVERYONE'S DAMN LIFE!" Michelle countered harshly.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" Hunter spat back.

"Like you would care anyway."

"I don't need this," Hunter quipped not wanting to stand for her friend's rudeness.

"Hey wait," Michelle stopped her, "I'm not mad at you. Dad and I have a blow up this morning. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken it out on you."

"That's better," Hunter said content with the apology. "I was calling the other night to see if you might have wanted to double with me and Thad."

"Double with who?" Michelle asked as if she didn't already know the answer.

"Parker. I was thinking since the two of you will be working so closely together for the play that maybe it would be nice to get back in the swing of things with him."

Parker emerged behind them as if Hunter's speaking his name had caused him to appear.

"I told her it wasn't a good idea," he spoke, "I know that you aren't interested in me that way anymore. I got the picture finally."

Michelle looked at him with disbelief filled eyes. Her amazement of him lately never ceased.

"I'm glad you have seen the light. It will make working on the play much easier.

"Well I'll see you at practice," he commented as he turned to go.

"WOW, who was that guy?" Hunter asked apparently as shocked by Parker's words as Michelle had been.

"I wish I knew," she offered.

Michelle went through the motions of school that day her thoughts toggling between her desire to get to CONNECTION VILLAGE, namely Danny and the sudden change in Parker's demeanor. The whole idea of him saying he understood it was over set her world tilting.

The last thing standing in her way was the first play practice. She slipped into the cool darkness of the theater. Miss James was down front with the majority of the cast and crew. Michelle walked down the aisle to join the group.

"Sorry I'm late. It slipped my mind that we were to start today."

"Michelle, I need you to understand that your adherence to our schedule is very important. If you can't handle that please let me know now and we will give the part to the understudy."

"No, it's not a problem. It won't happen again."

"Good."

The practice was a short one, much to Michelle's delight. The main emphasis was spent going over schedules, introducing the players and understudies, explaining the concept of blocking, just basis routine information. Michelle was glad to see it come to an end. She was anxious to get to the center.

From the corner of the darkened room, Danny watch the light stream in from the open door, "Hi ya Michelle," he said through what she wasn't sure was a hiccup or a giggle.

Michelle swallow hard around the lump in her throat. Not again she thought to herself.

There he was in the corner opposite her slumped over playing with his tattered shoelace. She felt the tears well behind her eyes. There was no mistaking that Danny was somewhere between drunk and high. How could he have done this again, she thought.

There was no fear this time for her, she easily walked over to him placing her hand on his shoulder. Danny reached up to return her touch. His fingers trembled. Michelle looked down at him and knew this time she had to have some backup.

"MALCOLM……….MALCOLM……." she yelled as she made her way from room to room, "Damn it Malcolm where are you when I need you?"

"What's the matter Michelle," Liza questioned emerging from her office.

"I need to speak to Malcolm." Michelle's nervous energy made standing still difficult.

"He's not here. What's going on?"

"It's Danny," she brushed aside the tears that fell as she spoke his name. "He's in the file room and he's pretty messed up."

"Beaten?" Liza questioned.

"I'm not sure. I do know that he's high, drunk hell I don't know. Please help me," Michelle begged.

The fact that Malcolm had brought Michelle into the center angered her still, but at the moment there wasn't time for Liza to entertain that emotion. Her obligation was to help Danny Santos it only complicated things all the more that she and he were far from on the best of terms. In her opinion Malcolm had given him one too many changes.

By the time Michelle and Liza returned to the room Danny had moved into one of the leather chairs. The tremors had increased and Michelle noticed the sweat forming on his brow. The panic she had before was now turning to fear.

"Danny, It's Liza," she spoke softly, "I'm here to help you."

Danny lifted his face and Michelle gasped. It was battered and bruised. Again she wasn't able to see his beautiful eyes. Michelle was unable to stop the tears that fell.

"Michelle, baby, please don't cry. I'm okay," Through the pain he saw in Michelle's expression he had gained the strength to pull himself together.

"I think you are far from okay," Liza stated working her way across the room towards him.

"Stay away from me. You are last person I want help from!" he shouted, "I want to talk to Michelle and only Michelle!" Danny was direct in his demands. "What don't you understand fucking English?" he screamed when Liza took a few steps closer.

"You know what Santos?" Liza's anger got the better of her, "You don't run the show here. Personally I think you are a lost cause. Come to think of it you are Malcolm's cause not mine. So if you don't want me fine. I can deal with that. You're on your own honey," Liza spat to Michelle making her exit from the room.

"LIZA WAIT!!!" Michelle called after her. Suddenly she was cemented to the spot her shoes occupied on the floor. Michelle had her doubts about her ability to go through another drill with Danny like she had the other day. No more then could she stand seeing Danny like this. She hated it.

"Michelle?"

"I'm here."

"Come sit beside me."

The impulses within rendered her helpless to do anything but rush forward to him.

"Danny, what's going on? What happened? Why'd you do this again? Why did you have to go and get high? Why? Can you please just answer me that?"

"You wouldn't get it," he answered with a shame he hadn't felt in years.

"That's not fair. You haven't told me a damn thing. Of course I don't get it," she cried, "The other night we trusted one another. So trust me now," she softly pleaded.

Danny looked into her deep chocolate eyes. They begged him to tell her everything. Easily she stroked his face, gently moving across the bruises. Absently he took her hand in his and brought it to his lips kissing it softly.

"Danny, please let me in."

The anguish in her voice sent the walls that divided her from him crumbling. "Thomas….it's always about him. I am so glad that I made you stay in the car. The bastard started in on me the moment I walked through the door. He was all over me asking me question after question about my pretty new girlfriend. Of course I refused to tell him a damn thing and that pissed him right off. So he thought that smacking me around was the way to get what he was looking for but I still never said a word. Finally he said then he would just have to find you himself. That you needed more of a man then I would ever be. He had every intention of making you his. He would have done it too. Michelle, I had to do something. I had to stop him. I wasn't going to let him come after you and hurt you!" Danny was still holding her hand against his cheek.

"Danny, he couldn't have found me. He couldn't have hurt me. Geez, I'm not worth you getting beat up for."

"But Michelle you are. You are worth it all!" he gasped. I haven't stopped thinking about you from the first day I laid eyes on you. I know you're scared of people. I know that whatever happened to you was bad, but Michelle I care about you. I would never let anyone hurt you!"

She didn't know what to make of his declaration. Anything could have been possible when you factored in the drugs and alcohol coursing through his system at the moment. She had a great desire to believe him though.

"That still doesn't explain why you are sitting here high as a kite." Michelle couldn't let this drop. His actions were jeopardizing everything that Malcolm was working so hard to gain for him.

"What else did you want me to do!?!" he spit. She sensed his anger at her lack of understanding. "I needed an escape. I thought you understood that.'

"No Danny, I will never understand that. I will never understand that you think that drugs are an escape. Danny it's an illusion that you choose to buy into. It doesn't make what's wrong in your life just vanish. The only thing that your escape gets you is another whole set of problems to deal with. You could have called me, why didn't you call me?" she asked.

"It was like three o'clock in the morning. You actually thought I would have called then?" His voice conveyed that he assumed she would have hung up on him or maybe even blown him off.

"You could have called me," Michelle stressed again, "You can call me anytime of the day or night. I'd much rather have you wake me up instead of you running for the drugs. I care too much to sit back and watch you slowly destroying yourself. Did you mean what you said before?"

"Huh?"

"Did you mean what you said about your feelings for me? Even the part about not being able to stop thinking about me?"

"Yes," he whispered.

"Let me let you in on a little secret. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you either. It tears my heart out to watch you going through this. You always seem just out of my reach. I want to understand. I guess in many ways I do," she sighed, "but the drugs well that's the part I just can't wrap my brain around."

"I don't have a better explanation though. It's how I deal. Right or wrong that's how it is for me."

Michelle searched for some way to penetrate this wall. She wanted to ask him to stop, to stop for her. The voice in the back of her head reminded her that that option wouldn't work. For Danny to quit he had to find a way to do it for himself.

"Danny," she hesitated, "Do you think that maybe we could try it my way for a while?"

"And what way's that?"

"Well instead of getting drunk, high or whatever…..call me first. No matter when it is pick up the phone and call me. Talk to me. At least give me a chance to help before you go searching for that elusive escape of yours."

"I don't know," he paused. "That's a pretty tall order for you. You don't know how heavy things get in my life. Do you really understand what you are asking or what you are setting yourself up for?"

"Yes I do. It doesn't matter how tough it is. You are worth it. And if there's any chance for you and me we have to at least try it my way. Understand?"

Danny had long since forgotten how nice it was to have someone care about him. All the memories of times past when it had been his mother's comforting voice that pulled him through some of the worst times in his life flooded his senses. His heart wouldn't deny him the opportunity to feel that way again.

"Okay, we'll try it your way."

Danny pulled her into him. He was encompassed by a calm that he knew Michelle Bauer was the only person with the ability to bring forth.

"I love you," she whispered.

"What?" he questioned knowing what he think he heard but needed her to repeat it.

"Maybe you should stay here for a few days. At least until things cool down," she returned too afraid to restate her earlier words which fell from her lips without much thought at stopping them.

"Sure," he said disappointed in the fact that his ears had deceived him.

"I really need to get going. Promise me you will talk to Malcolm the minute he gets back."

"I will. I guess I'll need to get to him before Liza does."

"I am more then positive she's not going to put a positive spin on things," Michelle commented.

"She never liked me much anyway," he joked.

"Apparently she doesn't care all that much for me either. I'll talk to you soon?" she questioned leaning in to kiss him, "Just remember we have a deal. We try it my way for a while okay?"

"I won't forget."

"Bye."

Danny eased his body back against the chair as Michelle turned to blow him one more kiss before leaving. God how he wanted this to work. How he desperately wanted to be able to do things her way. But could he? Could he really stop? He hadn't had any reason up until now to even want to.

The image of her face before him brought clarity to his rambling thoughts that thumped through his head. The idea that she cared for him was so unthinkable. Yet all of her actions pointed to that fact. How in the middle of his mixed up messed up life could he have gotten lucky enough to find some like Michelle? It just didn't make much sense.

Danny leaned his throbbing head back and decided not to question fate.

Michelle found her house full of her father's partners and business associates upon arriving home. In the midst of their arguments of the past few days, she had completely forgotten the dinner party he had decided to throw to kick off his new business venture.

Her attempt at slipping past the crowd unnoticed was stopped by Howard Simms. He stopped her just as she reached the staircase.

"I hear you and my son are playing the leads in this years production," he said placing a hand on her shoulder as he spoke.

"Yes….yes we did." She didn't want too linger much longer. Her father was already making his way towards them. Ed Bauer flashed his daughter an evil stare as he came to stand along side of her.

"So Ed, seems our children are destined to be together," Mr. Simms pulled Michelle under his arm. "They make such a lovely couple. Can't wait to see the grandchildren," he chuckled.

Ed chortled right along with him before he turned his attention to Michelle. "Excuse me Howard, I need to speak with Michelle privately for a moment."

"Certainly, I will grab you when you are finished. There's something I need to discuss with you about this deal."

"Fine. This will only take a minute," Ed returned, "Michelle, where have you been?" he barked, "You know this dinner party is veryimportant. I needed you here. And when you do finally show up, look at you," he gestured, "Look at how you are dressed."

"This is what I wore to school today," she countered, "I forgot about the party okay? We had our first play rehearsal today and it ran late. I couldn't help it." Michelle heard herself lying again but this wasn't the time or the place to discuss where she truly had been.

"That's funny Parker was home hours ago," Howard Simms piped in from his sidelines perch.

Ed shot her a look of complete disbelief. Before he had the chance to say what she knew he was thinking, Michelle excused herself to go change. Returning fifteen minutes later in a soft paisley skirt, turtle neck and wool blazer. She looked the picture perfect daughter the Ed Bauer wished he had.

Michelle made the ceremonial rounds that she had grown accustomed to over the years, yet as soon as the coast was clear she headed for the kitchen to see Meta. The room was full of the help that her father had hired for the party. Yet Meta was at the center of it all not so willing to relinquish the rights to her kitchen.

"Hi," Michelle said coming up behind her aunt.

"Hello," Meta's voice was distracted by all the goings on around her.

"Need any help?"

Meta looked at as Michelle knew would. Ed would have had a coronary where he stood if he say his only daughter refilling the buffet table or passing hors'douvers.

"No I think everything is fine."

"Okay," Michelle started to walk away.

"I think I can pull myself away if you want to talk?" Meta offered sensing the distress in her niece.

"I'd like that," Michelle smiled in relief.

The pair made their way into the study. It was the one quiet place in the house. Michelle walked pensively around her father's desk fingering all those things most precious to him. The fact that there wasn't even one picture of her mother there didn't surprise her. Absently she wiped away a tear as it slid down her cheek.

"Michelle," Meta began, "Honey, what's been going on with you lately?" She decided it was time to lay it all out on the table.

"I wish I knew. I'm just so frustrated with him, Meta……"

"Who your father?"

"I want him to care enough to try to understand me. I miss mom so much. Why can't he see that?" she cried.

"As why can't you see that every time the man looks at you he sees his wife? Can you imagine how hard that must be for him?"

"Aunt Meta, I can't do this anymore. I can't play this role he expects me to play. I don't give a damn his seems my mother in me!" she choked on her tears, "I NEED HIM TO SEE ME!!! The true me. The person that I really am."

"Honey, I really think you are asking for something you may never get," Meta returned so matter of fact, "You father, he needs to forget what stole his wife from him. And whether I agree with him of not, he's not going to just let you walk into something that he feels is going to steal you from him too."

"Aunt Meta, I'M ALREADY THERE!!"

"What are you saying?" Meta had her own suspicions but she wanted to hear Michelle confirm them.

"I am my mother's daughter and my father….well he better start getting used to it."

Before Meta had a chance to respond the door to the room swung open and Ed entered larger then life. "What the hell's going on in here? I am hosting one of the biggest events in my business career and my family for god knows what reason are sitting in my office," his voice was cruel.

"No Edward just calm down…….." Meta said in her most motherly voice.

"CALM DOWN?!?!?!" his voice boomed.

"Daddy don't be upset with Aunt Meta. This is my fault."

"Why doesn't that come as any shock?"

"Don't do that," Michelle shouted, "You don't even know what's going on and you are already passing judgement…….."

"I don't have time for this now," he said cutting her off mid sentence. "Do you think that the both of you could put in an appearance for my sake?" He exited the room without waiting for an answer.

Upon Meta's suggestion Michelle took a few minutes to freshen up in her room but there was no disguising detached look in her eyes. Underneath it all Michelle was a volcano of emotions just waiting to erupt.

By the time she made her way back downstairs the living had cleared a bit of people. She was shocked however to see Parker standing beside his father.

"Hi," he said coming to her.

"Hi," she offered him a surprised look, "I didn't expect to see you here tonight."

"Mom thought it might be a good idea if I came to see if dad might need a ride home. She knows how good he is at bending the old elbow." Parker flashed Michelle his million dollar smile. She found herself smiling back. His scheme was finally beginning to get a foothold.

"So how do you think play practices are going to go?" Michelle asked making the best of an awkward situtation.

"They should be good. I'm actually pretty psyched about it. It's going to be great working with you. I know we will make a great leading couple."

Michelle relaxed a bit for the first time that evening. She and Parker continued to talk for the remainder of the party. It astonished her that the time had passed so quickly and moreover that Parker had been a complete gentleman. She didn't know where this new and improved Parker had emerged from but she certainly hoped he was here to stay. Working on the play together would go much easier this way.

"Come on son," Mr. Simms said slurring his words a bit.

"Right dad. I'll be there in a second," he said turning back to Michelle, "Do you think that maybe we could run some lines anytime this week?"

His request had caught her off guard. She absently touched her neck recalling not that very long ago Parker had set out to hurt her. Michelle was well aware of what letting him close to her was a disaster in the making.

Parker spoke as if reading her private thoughts, "Hey……about the other day," he paused, "I…..didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry. Things just got a little out of hand."

"I'd say more then a little," Michelle countered.

"I was wrong. It was even more wrong of me not to apologize for my behavior. Please can we at least try to get past this for the sake of the play?" It wasn't until this very moment that Michelle remembered how sweet Parker could be when he chose to.

"I don't know…….it's more then just what happened the other day. Things well….let's just see how things go. I can't make any promises."

"Parker!" Howard Simms' voice barked, "I said let's go!"

"I'll be right there."

"I said now!" the man returned to the foyer to seize his son by the arm.

"Just promise me that you'll think about what I asked," Parker said to Michelle again.

"Fine, I'll think about it."

"Great." Michelle closed the door behind him, "YES!! That was easier then I ever thought it would be," Parker said smugly as he made his way to the car.

Leaning against the closed door Michelle was still reeling from Parker's sudden personality change. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with it. She just wasn't able to put her finger on it. Knowing that a leopard never truly changes their spots being weary of Parker was a given yet this new version of Parker would certainly help in making the production run smoothly.

Michelle found herself laughing. Each time that she thought she had a handle on her life someone went and changed the rules of the game.

"Michelle, I would like to have a word with you please," Ed stopped her before she was able to head up stairs to her room.

"Yes?" she returned with a cold stare.

"I want an explanation as to why you were late coming home."

"I thought that I already explained that. Practice ran late." No matter what Howard Simms had eluded to Michelle had chosen to say with her original story.

"Well according to Howard, Parker was home long before you were. Can you explain that, please?'

"So what now you are choosing to believe your business associates over your own daughter? Well isn't that just perfect?" Michelle turned away from him.

"Michelle what do you want from me?!?!" His voice rose with each step she took.

"Well for starters I want a father! Not just some man who pretends to be one in front of his colleagues. I want to find that man my mother fell in love with. Hell I'm beginning to wonder what she ever saw in you. And……." Ed Bauer's hand struck Michelle hard across the face before she was able to continue.

Michelle cupped her jaw with her own hand starring at her father in disbelief. The thought that her father would ever hit her had never come into play before yet suddenly it was a glaring reality. Her eyes darted about the foyer in search of her coat and keys. Upon finding them she was gone before she ever heard him say wait.

Ed turned to see Meta standing in the kitchen doorway. She had been witness to the entire scene. Her heart ached for both her nephew and niece. Meta was sure that both parties were hurting and neither knew how to reach other to other.

"Meta, what have I done?" He walked into his study closing the door softly behind him.

CONNECTION VILLAGE was quiet when Michelle walked through the front door. It was well after ten o'clock and hadn't expected there to many people there. She had asked Danny to stay and at the moment she had hoped that he had. She needed desperately to feel his arms around her.

She headed in the direction of the main room where she figured Danny to be. He wasn't there. Methodically she made her way around the building. He was no where to be found. Keeping her racing mind in check was becoming a difficult task. She didn't want to imagine that he had gone home to face Thomas again.

Michelle settled into on of the sofas in the main room. The few kids that had still been there hadn't seen Danny in hours if at all. Michelle was worried enough now that she even thought of calling Malcolm or worse yet going over to Danny's house. She didn't want to face Thomas alone but she wanted to find Danny. So much for the deal they had struck that afternoon. The apprehension of where or what he might be doing was getting the better of her.

She pushed open the heavy front door finding Danny her only concern. Her first stop would be his apartment. Just as she was about to slide into her car Danny appeared heading up the sidewalk. She let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"What are you doing here so late?" he kissed her cheek, "And all by yourself no less. You do know how risky it is for you to be out here alone?" he said protectively putting his arm around her waist.

"I wanted to see you. I looked all over the place for you. Where were you? I was scared that maybe you went home or something. I was even on my way to your apartment," she said never taking a breath.

"WHAT!?!?!? Don't even think that. I don't ever want you to go there again, especially not alone!" he stressed, "Thomas would eat you alive. Promise me no matter what you'll never do anything like that, no so much as even think it," he said looking her square in the eye.

"I was worried about you."

"Promise me," he said again, "I know Thomas much better then you do Michelle. The further you stay away from there the better. Come on let's get inside, it's getting cold out here." Danny draped his black leather jacket over her shoulders.

"Where were you?" she asked again as he set a cup of coffee in front of her.

"A buddy of mine plays soccer for school and they had a home match tonight. I want over to cheer him on. What did you think I was doing?"

"Well I don't know…." Michelle hesitated looking away, "When I couldn't find you here all these wild images ran through my head. Especially after how I found you earlier," she said weakly dropping her eyes again to the floor. She was ashamed in admitting that she expected Danny to be getting high.

"We made a deal right?" he countered not at all phased by what she suspected, "I told you I would try it your way. I don't go back on my word." Danny lifted her eyes to meet his.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just promise me that you won't come looking for me again in the middle of the night. It's not safe for you to be wandering down here by yourself."

"I promise."

"I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you because of me."

"This wasn't your fault really."

"Then why are you here?"

"Oh where to even start…….." Michelle's voice trailed off as she thought about what to say. "Things got a little crazy at home tonight. My dad and I don't see eye to eye on a few things. He asked me a question and when he didn't like my answer he decided to back hand me. He's never done that before and well I just didn't know what to do. I grabbed my keys and stormed out. I ended up here. I wanted to see you." She leaned against his warm frame.

Danny kissed the top of her head, "I'm so sorry," he said containing his anger at what he had heard, "Are you okay now?"

"Better, thanks."

They sat together for the longest time not saying a word to one another. Michelle was content on being wrapped in his arms. She relished the secure feeling she found there. She could have stay there forever. He made her feel safe. It was if the world ceased to exist as long as they were together.

Danny too was enjoying their time together. There was no question that he would have done anything for Michelle. He was certain there had been more to her fight with her father then she had let on. Much in the same way it had been with the bruises on her neck, but at that very moment the only concern he had was that she was safe in his arms. She was warm, soft and all Danny wanted to do was hold her, kiss her and be connected to her.

"Oh my god," Michelle's voice broke the comfortable silence.

"What?" he returned startled, "What's the matter?"

"It's going on midnight. Shit Danny my father is going to have a hemorrhage."

"Michelle, calm down."

"Talk about things going from bad to worse," she stood up, "Let's just add this to the growing list of failures that my father has for me."

He despised hearing her put herself down. She was such a wonderful person but she wouldn't ever let herself see that. "It can't be as bad as you think. I bet he's gone to bed already." Danny said trying to help.

"I've got to get home."

"I'll walk you to the car okay?"

"Yeah, whatever," She sounded so distracted her mind again searching for a believable lie to tell her father when he asked.

"Hey look at me," Danny averted Michelle's eyes to meet his own, "I know things are bad for you right now, but know that I am here for you," he whispered fearing his own deep feelings for her, "I will do my damnedest to protect you," he kissed her lips lightly, "Always."

Michelle smiling knowing this had been why she had driven half way across town in the dead of the night. She needed to see his smile and find the reassurance that suddenly Danny Santos was the only one able to provide.

"I know," she returned his kiss, "Just remember the same goes for you."

Danny closed the door and watched as her car faded into the distance. He felt as though he had stepped into a movie of sorts. Everything that was happening around him seemed to be beyond his control. The only thing was he never wanted this film to come to an end.