Since her break-up with Danny, Michelle waded her way through the fog that overtaken her life. She felt numb but angry as well. She was so mad at Danny but at the same time missed him so terribly that her body physically ached. All she wanted was for him to listen to her, really listen. She wracked her brain for days searching for something that hadn't already been said, something that she thought he would even listen to. His irrational behavior was driving her crazy.

"Can I sit down?" Michelle knew the voice belonged to Parker without looking up.

"Yeah, sure," a lifeless voice answered him.

"Michelle, I've asked you this dozens of times already but," he paused, "Are you okay? You seem so out of it."

"Well things have been better," she sighed not knowing why it was she was suddenly confiding in Parker Simms of all people.

"What's the problem?"

"Danny and I had a fight…..I mean I think we broke up……hell I really don't know what's going on. I just feel lousy about it all."

"I'm sorry." A light bulb clicked on in Parker's brain. Here was his chance to make his move. Finally with Danny Santos out of the way he could slide right in and make this all come together.

"I just don't understand. It really wasn't my fault but I can't get him to see that. He won't listen to me!" she cried.

"Michelle, I don't want to sound like a complete jerk, but why do you even care? You have to know that you can do so much better then him."

"You mean like you?" she glared at him crossly. If this was the way Parker intended on helping her deal with this, he'd have been better off to get and go right then.

"No……really," he said to Michelle's much disbelieving face, "Why do you always think that I'm talking with my ego? I told you that I know it's over between us. I will admit that I wish it wasn't but I have faced the facts as they are and am doing my best to deal with it. I worry about you. I realize that I treated you rotten while we were a couple. I'm sorry for that really I am, but I can't go back and change what I did. But I certainly don't want to see you be hurt by anyone else."

Even Parker himself had been impressed by what had just come from his mouth. This was working far better then he had hoped. He saw her earlier frown turn upwards into a faint smile. She was way too easy he thought to himself.

"Parker you hurt me. Hurt me in ways that I can't even begin to explain. It's just hard to forgive and forget. Can you understand that?"

"Yes. Yes, I can. Besides you know me I am never able to deny a beautiful girl anything." He leaned down kissing her gently on the cheek.

Hunter had watched the whole scene unfold and was stunned by what she had witnessed. This was one of the first times, outside of the play, she had seen them be civil. The idea that Michelle had let Parker kiss her, even if it was on the cheek, completely floored her.

"Hey," Michelle looked at Hunter in shock as she settled in beside her.

"GIVE!" Hunter said.

"Give? What are you talking about?"

"You and Parker. What's going on? Don't you dare say nothing. I just saw him kiss you. Come on what gives? And what about the guy from Clayton? That was pretty short lived."

"Parker and I were just talking about old times."

"So what….are you saying that that hood from Clayton is history? I'm so glad that you came to your senses and saw Parker was a much better catch."

The rage building inside Michelle took on volcanic force. Regardless of what was happening with her and Danny at the moment she wasn't about to tolerate Hunter's insolent words towards him. Michelle reigned in her temper before speaking, "Hunter, let's just drop the subject before we get into another argument."

"So you are still with him then?" she countered truly disgusted.

"And if I am?"

"You know what? I don't have time for this. I have to meet up with Thad anyway. It's your life to ruin."

Michelle watched Hunter as she stormed away from her knowing that the only way her life would be ruined is if it never were to include Danny Santos again.

Michelle's tiny MG rolled to a stop in front of CONNECTION VILLAGE. She was there in one last vain attempt to get through to Danny. She needed to do this before making the resolve that all was lost.

The front counter was vacant and the center was quiet. Looking at her watch she realized that she had arrived during the middle of a group session. Quietly she entered the large room and sat down on the floor amongst the others. Malcolm smiled in her direction glad to see that she hadn't given up just yet.

Michelle's eyes probed the group in an attempt to locate Danny. Her eyes locked on him sitting alone in the corner of the room. She felt her heart rip apart piece by piece. He looked more lost then she ever remembered. His body was minus any physical scars but if she looked close enough the distant look in his black eyes told her all she needed to know. This was far worse then anything that Thomas could have inflicted on him. This time Michelle knew he wore his bruises on his soul and it had been her fault. The urge to go to him wrapping her arms tightly around him consumed her.

"Michelle, hello," Malcolm's voice broke her private thoughts, "Nice to have you with us today." She looked at Danny who's only reaction was to glare at her then turn his back. "How about you starting us off today?"

Liza picked herself up from her seat and left the room. She couldn't be party to this any longer. If Malcolm's intent was to keep Danny Santos and Michelle Bauer involved then she wasn't about to wait around for the inevitable fall out.

"I don't have anything to say Malcolm, really." Michelle's private thoughts were not for public consumption at the moment.

"Come on, Michelle," Beth prodded.

Michelle looked at the tiny girl before her remembering how brave she had been the first time she had sat in. Michelle wondered if she could be as brave. She looked at Danny across the room knowing this was her last shot at him. A way to get him to hear her without being able to run from her.

"I guess there is something I would like to discuss," she started, "I want to talk about the differences in people. I know this guy and girl……." before she could go on her words were met with a chorus of oohh's and aahh's from the group. "These two people I know are so different that they are the same. From the outside you would have thought that their lifestyles were so completely opposite that there would have never been a chance for them, but somehow they found each other despite it all."

Malcolm's eyes darted between Danny and Michelle. He knew where she was going and why but he also knew all too well that this wasn't the way to endear Danny to her. It would only serve to push him further away from where she wanted him to be. However there was no stopping her now, she had the entire room's attention.

"Believe me the road they walked was rocky and had their share of arguments. But the biggest one came as a complete shock. My friend didn't mention who her father was. She didn't think it would make any difference. Apparently it did….."

"Why?" a voice across the room asked.

"The man is wealthy and welds a great deal of power. She didn't leave that out purposely. She just naturally assumed that it was a known fact. She didn't think she needed to restate the obvious. She had no idea that who her father was would make a difference," Michelle purposely said it again hoping to drive her point home. "But unbeknownst to her it did. It made all the difference in the world. This guy pushed her away and she was…is completely crushed. It didn't matter what she did or how she tried to explain he just kept pushing and pushing her away refusing to listen to anything she had to say………"

"THAT'S FUCKING BULLSHIT!!!!!!!" Danny retorted, " I did listen. I just don't believe you!" He hadn't realized what he had actually said until the room fell silent around him and all eyes were fixed on him. The sudden fact that he had lost it in front of them all sent him dashing from the room.

"DANNY…..WAIT…..PLEASE, " Michelle begged.

"Michelle," Malcolm said certain in the fact that she was about to run out of the room, "We should discuss this."

"NOT NOW! YOU ARE AS MUCH TO BLAME FOR THIS AS ME!" she shouted racing from the room.

"Okay everyone. Let's settle down and get back to the session," Stacey suggested, but the room was slow to quiet. What Michelle had led them to believe had stirred up quite a few questions.

"Danny….Danny are you out here?" the fenced area in the rear was dark, "Danny are you here? Answer me please!"

"WHAT IS IT ABOUT YOU? DO YOU GET OFF ON MAKING A FOOL OF ME!?!?!?! I FUCKING HATE YOU!!!" he seethed.

The venom in his words strung her. "I didn't know any other way," Michelle knew the lameness of her own sentence. "I needed a way for you to finally be forced to hear me out. Danny, don't you get it? I love you and want to be with you. It shouldn't matter the family I come from. It didn't before you knew. I haven't changed and we were happy then. Actually moving forward together. I thought that's what we both wanted. I apologize for how I handled things in there, but I was desperate. You weren't listening to me. I was just looking for some way to make you understand. How was I supposed to make you understand that I love you Danny?"

"BULL SHIT! All of it is just bullshit! You will never learn will you? I don't want to hear any of this. Admit it, you were out to hurt me from day one!"

"You know what Danny that's what's BULL SHIT here! The first time I laid eyes on you I couldn't get you out of my head. Even after finding out everything about you….none of that mattered to me. All I knew was I wanted to be with you. Hell, I drove myself half crazy about are different backgrounds. But in the end all that made any sense to me was that I couldn't imagine me without you. I thought we deserved a shot at making one another happy. Until a few days ago I thought that we were. SURPRISE SURPRISE!!!! Why are you being so damn stubborn?"

"SAVE IT! I'm not buying it!" Danny moved into the outreaching darkness. He couldn't let Michelle see his face knowing if she did she would know how deeply her words had affected him. Yet that made no difference, he was unwilling to change his position about it all.

"Why do you have to be so spiteful?" she brushed away an obvious tear, "I NEVER WANTED OR MEANT TO HURT YOU," she cried bewildered, "Why can't you see that?"

"I JUST CAN'T! I WON'T!!!"

The finality of his words were like a knife through Michelle's heart. Michelle admitted defeat as she walked past him completely composed knowing at this point crying wasn't the answer to getting what it was she wanted most.

Danny watched her depart from the yard. It was all he could do to stand and watch her walk out of his life. There was a nagging voice in his mind asking hadn't he forced her to that point? He continually rebuffed her attempts to set things straight. What choice did he really give her? Yet now he was losing the best thing to walk into his life in maybe forever and couldn't do a damn thing about stopping it.

"Where's Michelle?" Malcolm startled him.

"Don't know. Haven't see her," he lied.

"She ran out here looking for you and you are telling me you haven't seen her?"

"I haven't see her!"

"Might I suggest that you and I speak then?"

"Thought we already did that the other day?"

"You left before hearing a vital part of my explanation. First let me start by again apologizing for my role in this whole mess. I know involving Michelle was a mistake but you had me backed into a corner."

"So you said," Danny added sarcastically.

"Well what you really need to understand is that Michelle had every intention of telling you from the very beginning. You see she thought that you knew she was helping. I told her that I told you all about it." Danny stared at him disbelieving. "As for the part about her being rich, well I think that you are obsessing was too much on that."

"What makes you say that?" Danny's edge suddenly vanished.

"Really…think about it how many rich folks do you actually know?"

"None," Danny hated to admit.

"Well then don't you think that maybe you need to come down off that pedestal?" Malcolm asked looking Danny directly in the eye, "At least cut Michelle some slack. She was doing what she thought was best for you. Why don't you take off those damn blinders you insist on wearing and see what a great girl you have in her before someone else does?" With that thought Malcolm left him to his own devices.

Almost immediately Danny wanted to take off in search of Michelle. Everything that Malcolm had just said rang in his ears. He was finally able to see what a complete jerk he had been, yet his pride was the only thing that kept him rooted where he was. Between Malcolm and Dean, Michelle Bauer had one hell of a cheering section. Danny knew they were correct in everything both had said and forced him to see, yet he was still too stubborn to get past it and go after her.

Michelle found herself making a path to the park. The site of their first real date. The connection that they had made that night, wasn't one that Danny cared to see any longer. That thought tore at her very soul. Michelle had no idea she could hurt this much. Not even after her mother's death had she felt this alone. Her forward path brought her to the Clayton Soccer field. The faces of Darcie and JT leapt to mind and what a disaster they had proven to be. The only bright spot in that whole evening had been meeting Dean. Michelle knew the instant that she met him what a wonderful friend he was to Danny. She could only hope was that he could find a way to help his friend get over what he thought that she had done to him. Michelle was kicking herself now for not going with her gut instincts from the very beginning, and telling Danny herself rather then leaving something so delicate up to another person. She imagined from his reaction that it wouldn't have been pretty but at least he wouldn't have the fact that he thought she lied to him to stand on. She wondered if they might even have ended up talking about the money issue that Danny was just as hung up on. None of that mattered anymore for at the moment she had lost everything that had come to mean so much to her.

Without knowledge of where her feet were carrying her, Michelle found herself standing over her mother's grave. The sight of the headstone brought on an uncontrollable wave of sobs. She couldn't tell with the tears were for the loss of her mother or Danny but either way she felt totally alone and utterly isolated from the world.

She sat there talking to the flower covered grave. She told Maureen everything; her anger vented at her father for his lack of understanding; her rage at herself for letting Parker turn her into a person she barely recognize; her desperation at the downward spiral of events with Danny. There was so much pouring forth by the time that she had finished talking Michelle found herself feeling as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders.

Her one sided conversation had even brought clarity to whether she should stay or leave the center. It would be torment seeing Danny day in and day out knowing that she had lost her chance with him, but she knew in her heart that she had to stay on. Maureen Bauer hadn't raised a quitter. The one true thing she had learned from working at CONNECTION VILLAGE was running away from a problem never solved it. Fighting it head on was the only thing to do and that's exactly what Michelle intended on doing.

"Stacey, is Malcolm in his office?"

She nodded. "Michelle," she paused but Michelle was on a mission and didn't even hear the word.

"Yes, come in," Malcolm looked up from the file he was reading, "Michelle," he sounded shocked to see her, "I didn't think that you would be back."

"Can I talk to you?"

"Of course," Malcolm was even more surprised to hear that she still would have anything to do with him after the fiasco he had made of things.

Michelle sat on the edge of his desk and began discussing from the very beginning everything that had transpired so far. She found herself even speaking of Parker and the role he had played in her life and how suddenly he had become her friend again. Malcolm like Danny couldn't shake the bad vibe he got from the total 180 degree turn Michelle described.

"I know this is a lot to ask......but I would really like it if I could stay on here."

"Of course you'll stay on here. You have been a great asset to the center not just to Danny. Besides how do you expect Danny to see how wrong he's been about you if you just up and vanish into the night?" Malcolm smiled.

"I wish that were true," she sighed, "I just have to accept that I screwed myself on this one and move on. He's not going to come around. You know that as well as I do."

"Don't be so sure sweetie. Let's just keep and open mind okay?" Michelle wished she had Malcolm's confidence.

"Hey you," Parker said setting his books down beside Michelle.

"Hi."

"Can you believe that tonight's it? That it's the final show?" he asked.

"No not really. It went by so fast. I have to admit even with how scared I was in the beginning it turned out to be really great."

"So you two call a truce?" Thad questioned walking up to them.

"Not in so many words....but yeah I guess we have," Michelle answered.

"Well then, why aren't the leads going to the cast party tonight, together?" Thad placed his emphasis on the word together.

"Michelle already has a date," Parker said.

"Well actually," she paused not knowing why she was going in the direction she was but kept right on moving forward, "Plans have kind of changed. I was planning on going solo this evening."

"Then I repeat why aren't the leads going together?" Thad offered again.

"I guess we could do that," Michelle answered much to Parker's shock.

"HUH?!?! Did I hear you right?" he asked putting his hand to his ear feigning deafness. Hell this was working out better then he could have planned himself.

"Yes. That is if you have changed your mind and don't want to go with me now."

"No....no I still would love to go with you. I'm just surprised is all."

"Well now that that's settled I really should go home and get ready. See you later."

"Did I hear her right? I'm not dreaming am I?" Parker still needed to pinch himself. This all had been way too easy.

"Nope....buddy I heard her too. She said she'd be your date."

Parker leaned back in his chair while a sinister smile crept onto his face.

It hadn't dawned on Michelle until she walked into her room and saw the desk calendar that she had made plans with Beth for after the play that evening. In all the confusion of what was happening with Danny she had been too scatter brained to remember the cast party.

Seemed as though without Danny in her life there was very little to be concerned about.

She tried numerous times calling the center to leave a message for Beth yet the phone had been busy for over an hour. Michelle decided that it would be quicker to just drive down and give Beth the message in person.

Michelle's earlier assumption that Stacey had been on the phone had been correct. She gave her a high sign and sat down in a chair next to the counter.

"Listen Rick, I've got to go now. You'll pick me tonight right? I love you too."

"I'm glad to see someone's love life is going well," Michelle off handedly remarked.

"Still nothing with Danny huh?" Stacey asked sympathetically.

"No....nothing. I know that I am to blame for a big part of this, but it's just that I am so tired of beating my head against a brick wall. I think I'd better off if I just closed the door and moved on," Michelle said solemnly.

"I wish I had some magic answer for you. Danny's bullheaded to say the very least. The sad thing about all of this is that even a blind man can see how much he still cares about you."

"Apparently that's not enough. Let's just forget about it okay? I can't change it and I'm getting a headache just thinking about it."

"Sure. I can't wait to see the play tonight. I'm so excited. Did you know that there was even a small review of the production in the local paper?" Stacey asked.

"Yeah. Parker cut it out and hell he must have made a 1000 copies no lie."

Stacey's eyes narrowed at the mention of Parker Simms' name. "I forget he was the male lead."

"You don't have to worry," Michelle countered knowing exactly what her friend was thinking, "Things with him are okay now. I know you aren't going to believe me but he's finally coming around. Anyway the real reason I am here is I need to leave a note for Beth," Michelle said directing the conversation away from Parker. "We were supposed to hang out tonight. Don't know where my headwas but I have to let her know that I need to change the day."

"Sure," Stacey handed over a post-it pad to Michelle. "Hey after the play is over do you want to go grave a celebratory dinner with me and Rick?"

"Thanks, but tonight's the cast party. We are all expected to be there."

"That's right Danny mentioned something about you asking him to that."

"Yeah I did, but that isn't happening now. So Parker asked me. You with us being the leads and all he thought that it would be good for us to show up together. Since things obviously fell through with Danny I figured why not?"

Michelle's fingers were drawn to Danny's charm that hung around her neck. She hadn't taken it off since the night he had put it there. It was the one thing that she had to remind her how much he cared, once.

"Michelle are you sure about this date thing with Parker?" Stacey questioned anxiously.

"Like I said don't worry. I have everything under control. Besides he's actually changed. I know...I know," Michelle responded to Stacey disbelieving face, "But it's true."

Michelle hadn't seen Danny standing behind the swinging doors that connected the front counter with the inner offices. When their eyes finally met, she wasn't sure if it was hurt or anger she saw in his piercing black eyes. Not that it mattered much now. She certainly didn't intend on making an ass out of herself again by chasing after someone who so obviously didn't want her.

Danny didn't linger to hear the remainder of the conversation. The name Parker Simms danced in his ears. Why him of all people? It wasn't that he could deal with seeing Michelle with anyone but himself, but Parker well that invoked a completely new set of emotions. He didn't want Parker Simms within a hundred yard of Michelle.

That gut feeling that he had had all along about him was stronger then it ever had been before. The mere thought of Parker hurting her again sent Danny's thoughts racing. The sad part of it all was at the moment he had little to say about who Michelle chose to date. He had relinquished that right when he pushed her from his life.

"Danny, hey man are you okay?" Sharon asked as he ran head long into her in his haste to exit the center.

"Yeah, I'm fine why?" he questioned in his gruffest of tones.

"You're crying," she stated softly. Sharon was more then shocked by what she was witnessing. Danny Santos wasn't one for any display of emotion other then anger.

Danny reached and touched his wet cheek. He was astounded that tears had escaped his eyes without his knowledge. The words he heard from Michelle had effected him in a way he hadn't expected. Suddenly his head relented all of it's noisy protests and enabling his heart to come forth with the love that he had held for Michelle all along. The idea of letting Parker within arms reach had been the final needed element pushing to do what he had wanted since Michelle's last attempt at making him understand. More over Danny wasn't about to let Michelle's ex beat her again. It was time to swallow his pride and get her back, that is if she would still have him.

Stacey and Rick settled themselves into their seats and waited for the curtain to go up. Stacey's mind traveled back to her earlier conversation with Sharon. The idea that she had seen Danny crying made little if any sense to her, unless of course he had somehow heard her conversation with Michelle.

She toyed with the idea of discussing it with him but stopped herself fearing the worst. Knowing his stubborn streak as she did, Stacey thought for sure her attempt wouldn't do anything but serve to push Danny further away. And the fact that she and Rick were already running late didn't lend itself to having a drawn out conversation either. Stacey did however make a mental note to corner him the minute she the chance.

Michelle's performance as Maria took Stacey's breath away. She had never expected to be as moved as she had been. It amazed her how well Parker and Michelle fit their parts to a tee. Watching Parker on stage it was difficult to remember that he was the same guy who had spent the better part of his time terrifying and controlling Michelle. At that moment the pair was Tony and Maria, star crossed lovers. Stacey found herself in tears.

As the curtain closed for the final time, Stacey was dragging Rick back stage in search of Michelle.

"YOU WERE SPECTACULAR!!" Stacey hugged Michelle, "I can't even put into words how good you were. That article in the paper didn't do either of you justice," she added as Parker made his way to Michelle and her friends.

"Thank you," he returned, "Michelle, we have to get going to the party," he pulled at her arm.

"I'll catch up with you in a minute. I have to grab a few things from the girls changing area," Parker glared at her, "I won't be but a minute. I promise."

"Fine, I'll wait for you by the door."

"So you really liked the play?" Michelle asked turning her attention back to Stacey.

"Liked it......we loved it!"

"I'm so glad. It's hard to believe it's finally over," Michelle's smile began to fade.

"What's wrong?"

"Well now that the play is over and Danny and I are over. My life is going to be pretty empty again. It's depressing to say the least."

"I wouldn't be so sure that you and Danny are over just yet." Michelle gave her a questioning look. "Seems that for one reason or another Danny is pretty upset. Sharon actually said she found him crying."

"What does that have to do with me?" she questioned knowing that something had to be wrong. Danny wasn't one to let his guard down like that.

"Well....that was right after you mentioned going to this party with Parker. I don't know what if anything he heard but I won't count him out just yet. That is if you still want him."

"Of course I still want him!" Michelle almost yelled, "I just have to get through tonight first."

"You having second thoughts about going to this cast party with Parker?" Stacey silently prayed she was.

"No....no it's not that really. I just hope that I'm not getting ahead of myself with Danny. We can't even be sure if that's what's going on with him. Hell it could be anything where Danny is concerned."

"Michelle, don't underestimate yourself. I know that Danny still cares about you. What can it hurt it give it one more chance?"

"MICHELLE!" Parker's loud voice permeated the air, "Are you coming already?!?!?"

"Hey, I have to go. I promise you, tomorrow I'll come to the center and try one last time to get things straight with Danny."

Stacey was filled with mixed emotions as she watched Michelle heading for the door. She was sure that there was a chance for Danny and Michelle but more importantly she had wished that Michelle would have blown this party and Parker to do it.

"Hey glad to see the two of you finally decided to show up," Thad laughed, "This whole thing is in your damn honor."

"Michelle got sidetracked by some adoring fans," Parker commented dryly.

Stacey's words paraded through Michelle's mind with little control over stopping them. This had been what she had wanted from the beginning of this incredible nightmare with Danny. She was desperate to believe that Danny still had feelings for her. She looked over at Parker suddenly questioning why she was even at this party with him. Her only thought at the moment was how much she wanted and needed to be with Danny. He had the power to make her feel complete alive. Michelle forced herself to believe Stacey had been right and that she wasn't wishing on a star.

"Hey, you in there?" Hunter asked waving her hand in front of Michelle's dazed eyes.

"Sorry I was just thinking."

"Looks like Parker wants to dance with you."

"Looks that way."

Parker's arms encircled Michelle's waist drawing her close as they slowly danced to Angel of Mine. Again her mind wandered to thoughts of Danny. Each time she closed her eyes his handsome face filled the canvas of darkness. Parker drew her closer brushing his lips against the softness of her neck. Michelle didn't resist for she was too caught up in her own fantasy of Danny. As the music took an upbeat swing she and Parker parted, Michelle was stunned to see Danny walking through the doorway.