Michelle readjusted her eyes much in the same way she had done that first time in the park when she wasn't sure if what she was seeing was real or all an illusion. To her great relief Danny Santos was anything but an illusion at this point.

"What are you doing here?" Michelle sounded stunned as she walked up to him.

"I was invited wasn't I?" he smiled relieved that he had made it before any of the thoughts he had been entertaining had happened.

"Yes.....but....I didn't...I don't know what to say."

This was too good to be true. The idea that Danny had all of the sudden forgiven her when only days ago he had been hell bent on punishing her for everything. However she melted under his striking gaze. It mattered nothing to her why or what had brought him there. Michelle was just elated that he had come.

Danny took her hand in his pulling her into his body. The electric pulses that coursed through her at Danny's touch sent her head spinning like a top. Without thought Michelle wrapped her arms tightly around his waist fearing that if she didn't he would evaporate like some magic trick. Burying her nose in his chest, Michelle drank in the smell of him that she had missed so much. She let out a long sigh. A sigh that she had been holding onto since the wave of his attack. Danny placed his fingers under her chin bringing his lips to his. It was the sweetest kiss that she ever recalled partaking of. Everything that had transpired between them in the ensuing days was washed away by that one intense kiss.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON HERE!?!?!" Parker snarled as he yanked Michelle hard by the forearm. His elaborate plan was unraveling before his very eyes. Danny held his temper even though it took a great deal of effort on his part. The look on Michelle's face told him that Parker was being less then gentle with is assault.

"Thanks for playing backup Simms, but the first string is here now," Danny countered knowing how smug he sounded.

"Michelle made it pretty clear that you two were finished. That makes her fair game I would say!" Parker said grabbing Michelle's other arm.

"Parker, let me go!" Michelle made her best attempt to remove herself from his grasp.

"You heard the lady. LET HER GO!!" Danny's voice grew louder with each word.

By now most of the cast and crew were standing on the sidelines watching and waiting to see what was coming next.

"Parker," Thad pushed his way through the crowd," What's the deal here buddy?"

"No problem," Parker offered, "This scum was just leaving!"

Michelle's eyes darted from Danny to Parker then back to Danny. Parker was pushing the right buttons and she knew this wasn't going to be good.

"SIMMs, WE HAD THIS CONVO ALREADY! TAKE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF HER!!!" Danny took steps towards them. There wasn't any time for games. He needed to get Michelle away from Parker before things got even uglier.

"TAKE A LOOK AROUND," Parker said motioning to the surroundings, "THIS ISN'T SOME BACK ALLEY AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE UPPER HAND HERE!!!" The Parker Simms that he had been so desperately making and attempt at hiding all these weeks finally emerged full force front and center. Venom dripped fro each word that passed from his lips. "WHATEVER THE HELL SHE SAW IN YOU....I'M SURE THAT I'VE ALREADY TAKEN CARE OF IT. YOU COULDN'T HAVE ACTUALLY THOUGHT SHE HAD FEELINGS FOR YOU......SHIT YOU DID DIDN'T YOU. MICHELLE WAS SLUMMING NOTHING MORE. WHAT THE FUCK WOULD THE RICHEST GIRL IN SPRINGFIELD BE DOING WITH THE LIKES OF YOU?!?!?!"

Michelle cringed at those words. Parker had gone for the jugular. Michelle saw the fury in Danny's eyes as he stood back doing his best to stop himself from dropping Parker where he stood.

"What nothing to say?" Parker smarted off again. "Figures, didn't think guys like you were too fucking bright!" Parker looked around the room as the others join in his laughter.

That had been the final straw for Danny. Before his conscious could stop his hand, Danny had his arm cocked and swung hard at Parker. To Danny's horror his fist landed squarely on Michelle's jaw. The force of his blow sent her careening towards the floor. Parker stopped her just before her body made contact.

"MICHELLE.......!!!!!" Danny screamed as the entire male cast and crew jumped him.

In the confusion Parker made his way out of the room unnoticed by all those around him.

"Michelle....Michelle are you okay?" Parker asked softly stroking the bruise forming on her cheek. The area was warm to his touch and throbbed beneath his fingers. "Oh baby I am so sorry."

"What the hell happened?" she asked confused as to how she was suddenly outside in his parked car.

"That asshole from Clayton punched you," Parker said leaving out some very pertinent details.

"What?!?!?" Michelle wasn't buying that one bit. She knew Danny. Even after everything they had been through and how angry she had seen him be at her she knew he would never have struck her.

"Michelle, sweetie, I love you baby. I've never stopped loving you."

"Parker, please don't start again. I thought you understood. We agreed to be friends and nothing more. It's just not there for me. I don't love you."

"How can you say that?" he sounded truly flabbergasted, "You spent the last six weeks kissing me and getting close to me again."

"Parker, we were acting. Doing a play together for goodness sakes. We were the leads. How else did you expect that us to play our parts," Michelle said reigning in her senses finally, "I'm sorry if you thought that it was leading us somewhere. It wasn't."

"I know that you still have feelings for me. I know that you still feel something. You love me Michelle. All I want you to do is show me how much." Parker easily slipped his hand under her blouse, his fingers gently reaching for her breasts.

"DON'T!!!" Michelle tried backing away from him, "DAMN IT PARKER, STOP IT!!!!" she screamed.

"Come on baby lighten up already." Parker's tongue found its way to her neck as his body pressed hers into the seat. "Everything's okay.....I love you......I never ever wanted to hurt you.....just let yourself go Michelle." His voice was but a whisper as he undid the last buttons of her blouse. Michelle could hear the inhale and exhale of his breaths while she watched his hands play circles on her stomach. Parker was hungry for her. He couldn't get enough. He felt Michelle's body tense beneath his touch.

Her mind raced with the thoughts of how this had gotten so out of hand so fast. She had been such a fool to have been taken in by his schemes and now she was paying a high price for her foolishness.

"TAKE ME HOME NOW, PARKER!!!!!!!!" Michelle pushed as this chest looking for any way to force his body off of hers.

"Think again my dearest Michelle. You owe me this," he almost cackled, "Thanks to you and that little romance of yours with that two bit hood....well you did a hell of a number on my rep. So I intend to collect for damages. You can either cooperate or we'll have to do this the hard way!" Parker's voice was suddenly one Michelle no longer recognized as the weight of his body came on her again pinning her against the passenger door.

"Parker, come on......you're hurting me. Stop this please....." her pleadings turning in a hysterical cry.

In his present state Parker heard nothing. His only thought was of what he and he alone wanted. Forcing her mouth his tongue probed her mouth. Parker reached down and drew Michelle's skirt up around her waist revealing her lace panties. He let his fingers tease her in a rueful attempt at arousal. Caressing her thighs he spread them so as to rest his bulging manhood against her most feminine spot.

Michelle's mind raced. So many ideas bounced from one side to the other she wasn't able to think straight. The thought of how to take control of the uncontrollable was lost on her. While she had been unconscious Parker had driven her to some deserted road. She had no idea where she was and from the looks of what she could see it certainly wouldn't have done any good for her to scream. Her only option was to lay beneath him and sob.

"Oh baby don't cry. I promise you everything will be okay. Just let yourself go. Have some damn fun for once," he said cupping her breast with his hand bringing it to his open mouth. She flinched and the action angered him. "GIVE IT UP FOR ME! IF YOU CAN GIVE IT TO THAT ASS FROM CLAYTON YOU SURE AS FUCK CAN DO IT FOR ME!!!" he seethed pinning her arms at her sides in one swooping motion.

"Parker, please," she begged, "God Parker don't do this......"

"GOD DAMN IT MICHELLE......IF YOU CAN'T HAVE ANY FUN AT LEAST DO AS YOU'RE FUCKING TOLD," he countered hostilely.

"How can you do this to me?" she cried, "We're supposed to be friends........." Michelle was searching for anything to keep what she knew was about to happening from happening.

"I SAID DO AS YOU'RE TOLD!!!!!!!!!!!" Parker's enraged voice bounced off the interior of the car echoing in her ears.

"NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Somehow Michelle had been able to free at least one arm and slapped him as hard as she could across the face.

"YOU LITTLE..............." the remainder of his words were drown out by Michelle's screams of pain as he swung wildly at her, "That'll teach you!" Parker pushed out the passenger door and sped off into the night.

Danny managed to escape the cast party with little damage done. The mob had been more worried about getting the hell out of there then they had been about much else. Yet in all of the commotion Parker had been able to slip out with Michelle virtually unnoticed. The idea that Parker had Michelle god only knew where sent Danny on frantically running in a thousand different directions knowing that finding her was paramount.

"Dean....Dean," Danny tapped on the window of the room he knew belonged to his long time friend.

"Danny? Is that you?" he asked voice thick with sleep.

"Yeah man."

"What are you doing here?"

"I don't have time to explain but I need your help."

"Are you okay?" Knowing Danny's track record and how he had been feeling about what he thought to be Michelle's betrayal anything was possible.

"Yeah...yeah it's Michelle. Come on I need you." The urgency in Danny's voice and the mention of Michelle had Dean following with question.

"I'll be right out.

Dean and Danny drove the streets all the while Danny replayed the night's events over and over in his mind like a movie he couldn't stop. There was no denying that he knew with all certainty that Michelle was in trouble. From the beginning he never believed Parker's changed man routine. It picked at him that his own stubbornness had in all reality let this happen. With each hour that passed with no sign of Michelle, Danny grew all the more anxious.

How she had managed to make her way to CONNECTION VILLAGE was beyond Michelle's recollection. She was only certain that she couldn't go home and face her family. The center was dark and quiet as Michelle literally crawled her way into the back room. The very same room where on numerous occasions she had found Danny in the very same condition that she was in right now. Michelle found it almost funny yet it hurt too much to laugh.

She curled up the farthest corner of the room and sobbed. Her body shook with each new wave of tears while her pain took on magnitude force. She had been a complete and utter fool. All this time Parker had been playing her. Letting her think...making her believe that they could be just friends.....setting her up for the ultimate payback. Why she had bought into his change she couldn't even remember at the moment all she did know was she fell for it hook line and sinker. She would have screamed if she had had the strength to do so.

As she sat alone in the darkness, Michelle's only thought was of Danny and how desperately she needed him.

Danny had tried Michelle's house only to be told that she hadn't returned from the cast party yet. Danny looked at his watch. It was well past one o'clock in the morning. The party had surely long been over by now. At Danny's urging Dean parked his car in front of CONNECTION VILLAGE. He knew how much peace the center brought Michelle. Danny's only prayer was that she was there.

Instinctively Danny made his way through the darkness with Dean following close at his heels. The sight that he came upon frozen him in his tracks. Both he and Dean rushed to Michelle's slumped over body. Danny's stomach somersaulted as he dropped to his knees along side of her.

"Michelle....oh man....Michelle say something...anything," Danny choked on his words. His best attempt at cradling her in his arms sent shock waves of pain throughout her battered frame.

The moment that their eyes met her tears came with tidal wave force. Her wish had been granted, Danny was there.

"Danny," her voice nary above a whisper.

Anguish filled him as he looked at his Michelle...his beautiful Michelle so badly beaten. Eyes swollen nearly shut, tiny traces of blood at the edges of her mouth, bruises trailing up and down every inch of her arms and legs. Danny swallowed hard as he saw the image of handprints in some of them. In a flash their images conjured up the memory of what Danny now knew was just the tip of the iceberg in the destruction inflicted by Parker Simms' hands.

The ever present thought that this was his fault bantered about his mind. He had known all along that Parker was capable of anything. Why was it that he hadn't done more this afternoon to stop Michelle from going to that damn cast party with him? If he had only been able to see past his own pride, if he had only just believed her from the start none of this would be happening.

"Danny, it's okay we found her. We'll take care of her," Dean stated placing his hands on Danny's shoulders in an attempt to steady him as his own sobs got the better of him.

"It's going to be okay Michelle," Danny whispered into the folds of her hair, "Dean and I are here. I promise you that nothing is going to hurt you now!"

"Can you try to get up?" Dean asked her.

Michelle's feeble attempt at standing only left her lying on the floor. Gently Danny scooped her from the floor laying her fragile body on the sofa. It hadn't been until that very moment that he noticed Michelle was barely dressed. Her blouse missed button and skirt torn. He heard the sounds of his heavy breaths in his ears. The fire that was ignited suddenly had him seeing red. He couldn't let himself think the thoughts that were forcing their way to the forefront of his mind. His effort to remain calm proved to be fruitless. Dean too saw Michelle's hap hazard attire. His thoughts mirrored those of his friends. He knew that their focus needed to stay with Michelle and Dean did his best to make sure that Danny saw that as well.

"Michelle, baby, listen to me. We have to get you to a hospital." Dean had been glad to see that he and Danny were on the same page. A place where they hadn't been in a long time.

"No.....no my dad.....oh god he'll kill me. Please just stay with me," she cried, "I want to stay with you Danny." He hated seeing the fear etched on her features. Fear he knew that Parker Simms had been responsible for.

"Please just take me home with you......." she begged desperately.

"You know that I can't do that. I can't take you to my place....shit Thomas. Baby you need to go to the hospital really you do. It's the best place for you," Danny couldn't bring himself to say why that was though. He wouldn't let the words escape his lips.

"PLEASE.....DANNY NO!!!!" Michelle forced with all she had left. The scandal that would ensue from this would be huge. And with the deal that her father and Howard Simms were putting together, Ed Bauer would have never forgiven her if she ruined it.

Gingerly Danny moved Michelle enabling him to sit along side her on the sofa. She winced as he sat her up. No doubt that she had a few broken ribs to add to the battle scars he thought. Danny stroked her hair gently rocking her in his arms until she fell asleep against his chest. Her sleep was anything but peaceful now and again she would cry out. Danny vaguely wondered if it was from the pain or the monster in her head.

"I'M GONNA KILL THE SON OF A BITCH!!" Danny said quietly not to wake Michelle yet Dean knew the look in Danny's eyes all too well.

"Danny, that's not important right now," Dean said as the ever-present calming force, "Right now we need to decide what we are going to do with Michelle. She needs to go to the emergency room man. She's hurting pretty bad man."

"I know...I know but how can I make her go? You don't know her Dean...she's a stubborn one."

"I'd say it takes one to know one," Dean countered.

For the first time since this whole mess started Danny cracked a tiny smile. "Let's give her a little longer to rest," he said kissing her forehead.

The early morning sunlight poked it's bright light through the blind covering the window as Michelle began to stir. Her breath was stolen from her as she tried to move. Danny was there in record time helping her into a sitting position. She had never known pain like this before.

"Michelle, you really should go to the hospital," Dean said trying again.

She only shook her head. In the daylight the full effect of what Parker had done to her was blaringly obvious. In all the times that Danny himself had been beaten he had his doubts that he ever looked as bad as she did.

"Baby," Danny's voice was soft almost melodic, "Dean's right. You need to have a doctor look at you."

"NO!!!" she asserted herself. It was weak at best.

"At least let us take you home. You can't stay here."

Danny was right and she knew it. Soon the center would be alive with people and it wasn't a place she really would want to be. The only place that suited her right now was in Danny's strong safe arms.

"I can't go home," she gasped, "My dad......" her voice trailed off.

"I'm sure that your dad's already on his way to work," Danny tried to reassure her. "Oh god Michelle I love you," he gently embraced her. The impact of all of this finally hitting him hard. "I promise I will never let you out of my sight again."

"Danny.....I'm so sorry...sorry about everything," her words came out labor as another wave of pain crashed through her body.

"Don't worry...don't you worry about anything. I promise you Michelle to take care of you from now on. NO MATTER WHAT!"

Dean was happy to see that Danny had finally come to his senses. It was just a shame that it had taken Michelle being hurt to do it.

"Danny, what are we doing? Taking her to the hospital or not?"

"I think she just needs to go home. Look at her she can't take much more right now."

"But Danny she needs to be seen by a doctor. We have to make sure............."

Danny's voice stopped the remainder of Dean's sentence, "Don't worry," He couldn't yet bring himself to her the words aloud that they both were thinking, "I'll make sure everything it taken care of."

The fire in Danny's black eyes indicated that there was no place that Parker Simms would be able to hide that Danny Santos wouldn't find him. In a way Dean almost felt sorry for the guy. He was as good as dead.

Easily Danny picked her up in his arms carrying her in the direction of Dean's car. The pain that he saw in Michelle's eyes as he sat her in the passenger sit tore at his heart. Closing the door he turned to Dean, "Here's her address. Be sure that she gets home and that's she safe. I have a little hunt to go on."

"Danny are you sure you know what you're doing?" Dean couldn't help thinking that Danny was getting in over his head.

"I know what he did or tried to do to her. There's no fucking way he's getting away with it." Danny was calm as he spoke. The calmness, it was a bad sign and Dean knew it.

"MICHELLE!!!" Meta gasped opening the door to the sight of Dean cradling her niece in his arms much in the same way Danny had done earlier.

"Aunt Meta," Michelle's voice was hoarse.

"My name is Dean. I'm a friend of Danny's," Meta wasn't sure if that was supposed to mean something to her, yet at the moment she didn't care. All that mattered to her was Michelle. "We found her at CONNECTION VILLAGE."

Meta eyed the young man before her carefully. His vague explanation left a great deal open for interpretation yet looking at Michelle in his arms there was no denying he was telling the truth. Surely if he had been the one responsible for her current state he wouldn't have chanced bringing her home.

"Thank you…..thank you for bringing her home. We were so worried."

"Michelle," Dean said easily setting her on the foyer bench, "You're home now. I have to go catch up with Danny. You'll be safe now I promise."

"Let's get you up stairs," Meta Bauer said while her eyes fixated on Dean's retreating back.

Dean quickly made his way to his car knowing that time was of the essence in finding Danny. Danny had slipped way of the edge this time, he had seen it in his friends eyes. The calm that had taken Danny over was errie showing Dean that Danny wouldn't care what he did to Parker Simms as long as he paid for his offenses against Michelle.

"Michelle, are you going to tell me what happened?" Meta's soft voice echoed in Michelle's head. Meta gently stroked her face taken aback by the sight she saw before her eyes. Michelle had taken on the appearance of a frightened child of abuse bruised and battered. Meta willed herself not to cry.

"Oh Aunt Meta," Michelle said again wrapping her arms around Meta's neck crying uncontrollably, "It was so awful…..Parker was so……."

"Parker? Parker Simms did this to you?" The was no disguising Meta's shock at this news.

Michelle nodded. "It was horrible. He tried to……" the word caught in her throat, "He tried to….rape me!" a new flood of tears fell once more. With those words the images of the night's events came tumbling back at her. There was Parker's body pressed against hers, there were his hands groping and touching every part of her body, there were the sounds of her own tortured cries as he pummuled his fists against her flesh. "When I finally was able to break free…..he did…..this," Michelle held her arms open as if Meta wasn't already able to see the devastation. "What am I going to do Aunt Meta? What the hell am I going to do?" the silent tears fell again.

"First off are you all right?" Meta came to sit along side her on the bed. The idea of it all reeked havoc with Meta's thoughts. She couldn't imagine how Michelle had survived it all.

"I think so," she answered not all that sure in her response.

"We need to call your father. He was pacing the floors last night when you didn't come home." Meta reached for the phone on the night table.

"NO!! No, Aunt Meta please you can't call him," Michelle begged, "The last thing I want to do is face him right now. Please give me a little time. That's all I am asking for is just a little time to get this all straight in my head."

Meta paused looking at Michelle. Ed Bauer needed to know what had happened to his daughter but at the moment Meta couldn't put her niece what she was sure would be a mighty explosion. He would be blindsided by the information that the son of his long time business partner had been responsible for almost raping his daughter. This was going to be a tough go all the way around.

"Are you sure that you are okay?" Meta pressed again knowing that Michelle needed to be seen by a physician.

"Yes I will be fine," she answered to Aunt Meta's disbelieving face, "Really I will be," she reassured her.

"Who exactly was that young man that brought you home?" she asked helping Michelle from her tattered clothes into her pajamas and robe.

"That was Dean. He's Danny's best friends. I met Danny at CONNECTION VILLAGE," Meta's eyes questioned, "That's another long story," a faint smile passed across her face as she said it.

"How about I make us some tea and you tell me all about this Danny?"

Michelle sat across the kitchen table from her great aunt wrapping her hands around the cup of tea letting its warmth seep through her fingers soothing her. There was no missing the fact that she was still quite shaken.

"Aunt Meta, I have been seeing Danny for a while now. I love him. He's the most wonderful guy, so caring and treats me like I have never been treated before. Like no guy ever has before. Things between us were going so well that was until he found out I was Ed Bauer's daughter?"

"You never mentioned it?" Meta questioned.

"I didn't think that I had too. I mean really most of the county knows the name Ed Bauer. I didn't think it was necessary and besides I didn't want it to sound like I was bragging. Yet Danny didn't see it that way at all. Aunt Meta, I tried and tried to get him to understand he just wouldn't listen. We haven't really talked, that was until yesterday."

"How does Parker fit into all of this?" Meta asked obvious lost in this explanation.

"Apparently he never quite got over the fact that I broke up with him. Actually he's been trying like hell to get back together with me then suddenly he just backed off. He told me that he understood and that if friends was all we could be he would take that. So I thought that we were cool. Turns out all he was doing was playing me for a fool……."

"Michelle honey, I have to say that you lost me."

"Danny and I were supposed to go to the cast party together but since we broke up and Parker was being so sweet I decided to go with him instead. It made sense we were the leads why not go together? Things got way out of hand. Parker's violent I knew that but I had no idea how deep it ran within him."

"Violent?" Meta echoed Michelle's word, "What exactly are you saying Michelle?"

She looked away. What words could she use to express that she had turned herself into a product of domestic violence? She had hid it so well that now it seems surreal to admit to those around her.

"Michelle? Has Parker hurt you before this?" Michelle nodded thankful that Meta needed no further explanation. "Oh sweetie I am so sorry. All this time your father had been pushing you towards Parker thinking he was the perfect match. I am so sorry. I am so happy that you are all right now and home. Ed will be too. He was worried about you last night. Why didn't you come home?" she asked hoping that Michelle would finish her tale.

"Parker dumped me off god knows where. I just ended up at CONNECTION VILLAGE.

"You look exhausted. You should go and get some rest. You father will be home soon. You can talk to him then."

"Aunt Meta………"

"Yes?"

"I love Danny and I know what daddy's going to say about him. I just got him back…..I won't lose him again. Please, please help me. I know you stay out of most things but don't this time. I need you behind me this time."

"Sweetie I have always been behind you one hundred percent of the time. I wanted you to work this out with your father in your own terms but it seems now that it's as good as time as any for me to step forward. Your happiness is the most important thing. I will do what I can. Now go get some rest."

Danny walked the streets of Springfield his rage seething within him. He had made his way to every hang out in Springfield finally seeing Parker's familiar muscle car parked in the lot outside of Company.

"SIMMS!!!" Danny's voice boomed as he threw the door open letting it crash into the wall, "YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!!!"

Parker never even looked up. He sat staring intently at his hands replaying the events with Michelle over and over in his head. His knuckles were bruised and hands scratched and scraped where Michelle dug her nails deep into his flesh.

"I don't have anything to say to the likes of you," Parker returned coldly turning to face Danny. He knew this moment was coming. They was no doubt in his mind that Michelle had found her way back to Danny Santos by now. Parker knew it was only a matter of time before Santos sought him out.

"YOU CAN'T GET ME WITH THAT THIS TIME YOU PRICK!!" Danny hissed grabbing Parker's shirt dragging him for the door. Silence fell over Company. Even with half the football team there to back Parker up, not one person stepped forward making an attempt to stop Danny.

Outside Danny didn't hesitate in jacking Parker's body up against the side of the building. He drove his forearm in Parker's adam's apple almost crushing it, "What the hell do you think you are doing?" Parker said between gasps of air. His calm stare was quickly waning each second that passed under Danny's fury he grew wary of what was to come next.

"I WAS JUST WONDERING HOW IT FEELS TO BE PINNED DOWN? I WONDER IF MICHELLE HAS THE SAME LOOK OF TERROR IN HER EYES THAT YOU DO NOW?" Danny let the full weight of his body come crashing against Parker's chest. "YOU THOUGHT THAT YOU COULD MAYBE GET SOME HUH? DIDN'T YA!?!? SO WHAT WHEN SHE WOULDN'T PUT OUT YOU BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF HER?!?!?!" Danny's eyes narrowed with the memory of Michelle's torn skirt and blouse, bruises on her arms, face and neck, and the fact that he hadn't even been able to see her beautiful brown eyes because they were so swollen.

"I don't know what the hell you are talking about," Parker stammered, " I didn't touch her. Shit you were the one that punched her no me!" he retorted trying to loosen Danny's grip on him. Yet the more he struggled the tighter Danny held.

"You know damn well that punch was meant for you!" Danny spoke through clenched teeth, "I WON'T MISS THIS TIME I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT!!" Parker flinched waiting for Danny to land his first punch.

"I swear…I didn't touch Michelle. Hell for all you know if could have been one of your scum bag friends. From what I hear anyone and everyone's fair game on that side of the tracks!" Parker continued speaking in the hopes of buying himself a little more time. It wasn't working actually his voice only served to irritate Danny all the more. A large crowd had now formed around them yet no one was in too big of a hurry to come to Parker's aid.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING WISH SOMEONE ELSE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS!?!?!? Danny slapped Parker's face with the back of his hand several times. "You're on the hook for this one Simms. Hook line and sinker and I'm just about to reel your ass in. I KNOW IT WAS YOU!!!" he bellowed. "You might have fooled Michelle with your great presto change-o act but I knew better. I should have never let you anywhere near her!! But that mistake can be easily taken care of!"

Danny raised his hand to strike as Parker began to speak once more searching the sea of friends and classmates. His ego was getting the better of him knowing he was in for the beating of his life didn't put a stop to the words coming from his mouth.

"You know what…..what if it was me!?!?!" he spat still desperately to wrestle free of Danny. "I GOT WHAT I WANTED! SHE WAS GOOD TOO! She didn't want to cooperate at first so I had to rough her up a bit though………"

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!!!!!!!" Danny roared throwing Parker to the pavement. He swung blindly at Parker not caring if he killed him. He needed to inflict as much pain on him as he had on Michelle. Danny wanted him to pay for everything that he had done to Michelle not just what happened the previous night. He loosened his grip for but a moment but it had been just enough for Parker to get himself out from underneath Danny's wrath.

Dean slowed noticing the crowd gathered in the parking lot. He had been hunting all over town for Danny seeing the circle formed around two people he knew he had finally found him.

He watched as he saw a blonde doing his very best to get back to his car; he saw Danny pulling him back to the ground. Dean threw the car in park jumping out making his way to the group. Before Dean had been able to get to them he watched at the events played out without his being able to do a damn thing to stop them. The blonde finally made it back into his car. Danny moved to stand in front of the vehicle, yet it didn't stop. In slow motion Dean watched himself race to where Danny was laying on the pavement as the car sped away.

Meta poured herself another cup of tea making a valid attempt to come to terms with all that Michelle had told her when Ed walked through the front door. Meta gathered herself and met him in the foyer what she had to explain to him would be far from easy. She watched him absently looking through the stack of mail lying on the sideboard.

"Ed," Meta began, "Michelle's home."

"It's about damn time! Every time I think that girl and I have turned a corner she slaps me in the face for my kindness. Where is she?" he questioned removing his suit coat.

"She's upstairs."

"Well I think it's about time that I restate the ground rules of this house," he announced striding determinedly towards the stairs.

"Ed, wait," the distressed look on Meta's face stopped him, "First I need to prepare you for what you are going to see and more importantly what you are about to hear." He followed Meta into the kitchen where she poured him a strong cup of black coffee.

"Oh my dear Michelle, my little girl," Ed Bauer gasped at the sight of his daughter. No matter what Meta had told him, he wasn't at all prepared for what was before him.

"It's not as bad as it looks daddy, really." Michelle did her best to sit up but the stabbing pain kept her down. The agony written about her face told Ed of the great amount of misery she was in.

"Honey, Aunt Meta told me everything. Parker…he did this to you?" Ed's voice conveyed that he still wasn't able to wrap his thoughts around the idea.

"Yes…yes it was Parker." He wanted more then I was willing to give him." That was the only way Michelle knew how to explain what happened to her without saying the word rape. Even the thought of the word caused her to feel nauseous.

"I can't believe this…..can't believe any of it. I'm so sorry about all of this. I should have never forced you to see him. I had no idea that he was capable of such a thing. We have to get you to a doctor."

"No dad, really I am all right. I didn't go last night because I didn't want this to effect your deal with Parker's dad. I know how much you despise a scandal. I couldn't do that to your deal."

"Michelle, don't you know that you are more important to me?" Ed was completely flabbergasted by his daughter's words. He was in utter disbelief that she had put his business above her own welfare.

"No, Daddy, I don't know," she returned looking away.

"How did we get here?" he asked, "How did we get to the place where you think that I care about my business more than you?"

Michelle couldn't do more then shrug her shoulders. If she had known the answer more then likely this ever growing chasm between them would have narrowed by now.

"Honey, you are the most important thing to me. I'm so sorry this happened to you. I should have known. I should have seen it coming."

"STOP IT! You can't blame yourself for my decision to trust Parker again. What happened to me way my own fault. I was the one who should have known."

"You're my child Michelle. I should have been able to sense things about you. Instead here I am running around putting deals together and being Mr. Big Shot. When all the time my daughter is suffering."

"You don't have some magical power dad, things happen, people change, people fall in and out of love without any help from anything or anyone."

"This would have never happened if I had been stricter about your comings and goings. I should have put a stop to your involvement with that CONNECTION VILLAGE as soon as I found out what kind of place it was."

"DAMN IT DADDY!!!!"

Michelle was amazed that minutes ago she had thought that she and her father had broken into new ground yet in the blink of an eye they were back to the same old place.

"Have you forgotten so quickly that it was PARKER SIMMS," she yelled, "who is responsible for this? It wasn't anyone from the center that you despise without knowing a damn thing about it. If you would just give them half a chance you would see that the people there are worth just as much maybe even more then the people that surround us on this damn ivory hill. Daddy you live in this world filled with vintage cars, high priced women and endless money. You don't even know what reality is. Rich kids do the same things as poor kids…hell tens times more often. You just never hear about it because they have enough money to make their mistakes go away. They way you stereo type everyone…..you are missing so many great people."

"So what are you trying to tell me that you aren't happy with the things that you have or more over the father you have?" Suddenly Ed had been transported to the many fights he had had with Maureen.

"NO YOU AREN'T LISTENING TO ME!!!!! I love you. I have always loved you. I just don't have the same way of looking at things as you do. I have a mind of my own and I know how to use it. I have my own opinions and you can't force me to think the way you do."

"You wouldn't be speaking to me in this manner if your mother were alive." The minute the words were out of his mouth he was sorry he had said them. Ed knew it was a low blow as the tears formed in Michelle's eyes.

"Daddy, don't do that…you don't want to go there. You know that it was her who taught me to be independent. She's the one who showed me the world beyond my own realm. I think that she'd be damn proud of me. Hell she might even be rooting for me as we speak. Can't you just please try to understand?" Michelle was filled with desperation at getting her father to see things in a different light just even for a minute. "Please accept this….accept me," she pleaded. "Daddy I am in love with one of those undesirables as you would call them."

Even with the pain that wracked her body Michelle rose from the bed to retrieve Danny's picture from her desk drawer. "This is Danny Santos. I'll admit to you that he has some problems and most certainly hasn't had the luxuries that I have had but I love him just the same. He is a wonderful person. It was Danny who made sure that his friend Dean brought me home safely this morning. They helped me last night in a way no one else could have. I am treated with more respect and love now then I have ever known. Danny truly loves me. I want you to know that my seeing him isn't up for debate. I will keep seeing him no matter what you say or think about him!" Michelle forced.

"I THINK NOT!!!!!!!!" Ed retorted, "I WILL NOT ACCEPT THIS!! My daughter will not be associated with anyone of that type of background," his angry voice echoed off the walls.

"MOM WAS!!!!!!!!!" the silence that filled the room was deafening.

"Michelle telephone, are you up to talking?" Meta's voice broke the tension.

"Who is it?" Michelle expected it to be Hunter but when Aunt Meta said Stacey's name her blood froze in her veins.

"Hello?" she panted as another wave of sharp pains ripped through her.

"Michelle," Stacey's voice quivered, "Michelle there's been an accident. It's Danny." Michelle felt her mouth begin to water as she knew she was about to be sick. She did her best to steady herself against the desk to stave off the dizzy feeling that consumed her.

Ed sat on the bed making an attempt to read her expression. Michelle couldn't, didn't want to accept the news that Stacey delivered. She felt the torrents of tears fall. Each effort at words caused her cries only to become louder. Ed grabbed for her before she fell to the floor. Stacey continued to explain, "Danny was outside of Company. There was some kind of fight and I don't really know but he's at Cedars in critical condition. Dean is on his way to your place to get you."

"Stacey….." she choked back the tears, "he has to be okay he just has to be. We finally just made our way back to each other. Stacey please….oh god please……" sobs wracked her body.

Michelle was numb, so numb in fact that she didn't feel her own physical pain. She had to find the strength to be there for him, "Stacey….pray for him please."

Michelle put the phone down and stood amazed that she had found the power to move on her own. Tears blurred her vision as she searched for her clothes. Looking at the torn clothes that lay on the floor, Michelle clearly understood who was responsible for Danny's injuries. If she had never fallen for Parker's trap, if she hadn't gone to the cast party with him none of this would be happening. She and Danny would have both been safe from him. Michelle was feebly attempting to get dressed, even with the adrenaline coursing through her body the pain was clouding her thoughts.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!?!" Ed asked staring at her intently, "We aren't finished young lady. From where I stand you still have quite a deal of explaining to do. I don't care what you think about your mother and her background….I insist that you stop seeing this boy." Ed went right on talking without taking notice of Michelle's stress at the phone call she had received.

"SHUT UP…….JUST SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!" she screamed as loud as she could without collapsing.

"MICHELLE BAUER!!!!!" he countered with his own booming voice, "You apologize right now!"

"SHUT UP!" she stated again.

Michelle left the room without another word. Each step she took was pain staking difficult. It took all she had to make it down the staircase. She had to get to Danny. He needed to know she was there and she needed to be there. The doorknob turned in her hand as she reached for it. Before Michelle knew what was happening she fainted in Dean's arms.