Michelle and Dean spent the rest of the week sitting by Danny's side talking to him and one another. Michelle found great comfort in Dean. It was like having a living-breathing piece of Danny.

In those ensuing days, Dean helped her work through a great many things. Secretly she wished that Danny could hear all that they said to one another.

She wanted him to hear how incredibly sorry she was for everything that happened between them and how equally grateful she was that fate had brought them together. Michelle absently wondered if she was now getting the divine intervention she had prayed to her mother for; maybe Maureen had had a hand in dropping them into one another's life.

"Would you like a cup of coffee or something?" Dean asked.

"I'd love a coke."

"Sure, be back in five."

Michelle watched the door close again. Seemed to her that she had spent endless days watching that very thing happen. Between the nurses, doctors and visitors in and out, that door moved nonstop.

She looked back at Danny. Most of the monitors had been removed in the last day or so. Dr. Maxwell's prognosis grew dimmer with each day that passed without Danny's awakening. Michelle was terrified thinking that even after all that they had been through she could actually really lose him.

That very thought raced through her mind as she stood pressing her face within inches of Danny's.

"YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO ME!" she forced, "I CAN'T LET YOU GIVE UP.....I WON'T LET YOU!" Michelle's voice grew louder still no response, "What do I have to do to make you understand that I can't live without you?" she choked forcing her fists back from pounding hard against his chest. She was willing at this point to do just about anything to jolt him back into the land of the living. Instead Michelle pressed her ear to his chest. She listened to the rhythmic sounds of his heart beating from beneath.

"I love you so much," she cried as she spoke her words covered with a new set of tears. Her crying became uncontrollable to the extent that in a matter of minutes she had soaked Danny's thin hospital gown. Yet the harder she tried to stop them, the faster more fell.

"Michelle," the voice she heard was deep and hoarse. She didn't trust her ears. She had wanted to believe so many times already that she had heard Danny speaking to her, she didn't dare turn to face him for fear of being disappointed all over again.

"Baby....don't cry," there was that voice again.

It wasn't until she felt that gentle touch of Danny's hand stroking her neck that her brain truly let her believe. Wiping away the tears she turned to face him. A pair of piercing black eyes, eyes that she had missed so much looked back at her. Uncontrollable tears consumed her once more but this time the difference being they were true tears of joy.

"Danny....." she gasped, "Oh god, you are awake," Pure elation filled her voice. She found herself standing in an attempt to get closer to him as close as the IV's would allow. "THANK YOU GOD....THANK YOU!!"

Danny reached up to stroke her face brushing away the stray tears. "Come here," he said bringing her body closer to his own. Finally their lips met for the sweetest kiss that Michelle never thought that she would have again.

Dean opened the door just about dropped the cups of coffee in his hands. The sight of Danny and Michelle locked in a kiss rendered him speechless. Suddenly he was able to breathe, Danny was awake, completely and totally awake and kissing his girlfriend no less. Dean couldn't do more then shake his head for ever doubting that Danny Santos would have checked out on this beautiful creature.

He set the coffee down on the bedside tray without either Michelle or Danny even realizing he was in the room yet. Both were too engrossed with one another. Dean finally came behind Michelle easily resting his hands on her shoulders.

"See..I told you all he needed was you. He waited until I was out of the room to make his reappearance," Dean laughed under his breath. Even though he could have cared less who was there when Danny came back to them, he was just glad that he was back.

"Thanks for taking such great care of her," the friend's eyes locked.

"I'll have you know that was no easy task. She's just as stubborn as you are man," Dean playfully squeezed Michelle's shoulders as she turned looking up at him.

"AM NOT!" she retorted.

"Yes you are," Dean and Danny said in unison.

"And you're not?" she countered to Danny taking his hand again.

"I think he was talking about you though."

"I hate to break up this little discussion but I think we should let someone know that you're awake," Dean commented reaching across the bed to ring the call button.

Michelle and Dean stepped back as the nurse took Danny's vitals and asked him some simple questions. Just as she was about to finish Dr. Maxwell joined them.

"Well it was nice of you to join us Mr. Santos," he commented looking over the information before him. "I have to admit I was growing a bit concerned that you might never do that. All things considered you are doing quite well. I just think as a precaution I will have one more CT Scan run."

"Is that really necessary?" Michelle came forward concerned that there was more to all of this.

"I just think that it's in his best interest."

"Why?" Dean joined in with his own concerns.

"I would just like to compare it with the one we have already taken. Just to be sure that all is still within normal ranges. There's really nothing more to it then that. I actually don't expect to find anything, I just want to say with a clear conscious that Danny will make a full recovery."

Dr. Maxwell's response calmed them a bit. Michelle knew from her own experience that doctor's erred on the side of caution but it was hard not to imagine the worst in times like this.

"I have a few tests that I would like to run on Danny right now. Nothing all that difficult but would the two of you mind leaving us alone for about an hour?" Dr. Maxwell asked.

"Sure, we really should go make some calls to let everyone know what's going on," Dean said moving to the open door.

Michelle moved closer to Danny gently stroking his face reliving in her mind just how close she had come to losing him. The words eluded her as to how to express just how grateful she was that he had come back to them. Before she could stop them, the tears made their appearance once more.

"Hey," Danny reached again to wipe them away, "I know," he whispered, "I know. I love you....don't worry we're gonna make it this time."

"It's just I was so scared," she choked, "Scared of everything...scared of losing you......" Michelle's words were drowned out by sobs as she cried into Danny's shoulder.

He attempted to wrap his one good arm around in an effort of comfort. So many things had gotten in their way all he wanted was to hold her and make everything in the world but them disappear.

"Michelle," Dean said taking hold of her, "The doc just needs him for a little while."

Dean watched his friend mouth the words 'thank you' over Michelle's head. Upon standing the room spun beneath her again. She reached for Dean, who knew all too well what was happening.

"Michelle!?!?!" Danny's panicked voice echoed in her ears, "Dean?!?! What's going on?" he demanded.

He eased Michelle back to the chair by the bed. Cradling her head in her hands, Michelle did her best to regain her equilibrium.

"Are you all right?" Dean spoke softly.

She attempted to nod her acknowledgment.

"We should really get her pressure," Dr. Maxwell instructed the nurse.

"What the hell's happening?" Danny's fiery voice grew louder as panic took over.

"Danny, Michelle had a pretty nasty concussion and there were some problems with her blood pressure," Dr. Maxwell said turning to look at his patient.

Danny's eyes swung between Dean, Dr. Maxwell and Michelle. To him she appeared so pale....so fragile. If he hadn't still been hooked up to the IV machine nothing would have stopped him from going to her.

"Pressure's fine doctor," the nurse reported as she removed the BP cuff.

"I'm fine really," Michelle asserted, "I just got a little dizzy that's all. Dr. Lathem said that was to be expected." Michelle said looking directly at Danny. She could only imagine what was going through his head at the moment. He certainly didn't need the added stress of worrying about her.

"Michelle, you know that you still need a great deal of rest yourself," Dr. Maxwell stressed, "I understand your wanting to be here for Danny but you have to look out for yourself too."

"I agree," Dean added.

"I'm fine really! I just got up too quick. I have been doing great. I just want to be with Danny!"

"Michelle," she heard Danny's voice and looked past Dr. Maxwell's shoulder, "Baby, come here." He watched as Michelle carefully made her way towards him. The slowness of her pace was evident.

"Don't listen to them......" she started, "I'm fine really. Don't worry about me......"

"Shhh," he pressed his finger to her lips, "You will never get me to stop worrying about you. Listen to me," he said putting his emphasis on the word me, "I almost lost you once......."

"Just like I almost lost you," she interrupted him.

"I don't want anything to happen to you now," he went on ignoring the point she was attempting in vain to make, "You need to rest. Really rest, not being stuck in a chair looking after me. Please let Dean take you home......"

"But......"

"No buts, besides sounds like this guy," Danny pointed to his doctor, "has a lot of test for me today. I won't be here much anyway. Just go home and get some rest. I promise to call you later. We can talk all night if you want," Danny smiled his fingers grazing her porcelain skin, "I need to be sure that you are okay. I didn't go a very good job of that before," Danny's memory forced his thoughts to the perils of a night not so long ago, "but I am now. I love you, please do this for me," Danny pleaded.

"Michelle he's right you know," Dean chimed in, "Come on let me take you home."

"I don't want to go," she pushed back the tears that crested her thick lashes.

"Baby, please....please do this for me. I don't want to be worried about you," Danny had hoped to suppress his own tears but the intense image of all that he could have lost forced them forward.

"Please," he said again the look on Dean's face telling him that going home was in Michelle's best interest.

"Do I really have a choice?" she inquired with a half smile.

"No!" Dean and Danny said in unison.

Michelle stood with care and leaned into again kiss Danny before Dean ushered her to the door.

"I love you," she whispered blowing him one last kiss.

"I love you, too."

Dean settled Michelle at home before making his way to CONNECTION VILLAGE to deliver the news on Danny.

Michelle's Aunt Meta was beside herself with joy hearing that Danny had finally woken up. Immediately she went to phone her nephew.

Dean drew Meta aside before leaving to let her know that Michelle nearly fainted earlier in Danny's room. She looked in the direction of her young niece sitting at the kitchen table. Michelle was so head strong, Meta knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that keeping Michelle in the house wasn't going to be easy. The only saving grace was that Dr. Lathem hadn't cleared her to drive yet. So she knew that she would have her corralled until at least the time Ed came home.

"Can I fix you something to eat?" Meta asked closing the side door.

"Nah, I'm really not all that hungry," Michelle returned.

"Sweetie, you need to keep your strength up," Aunt Meta continued, "Besides I'm sure you haven't eaten much in the last few days."

"Really, I don't want anything....."Michelle's voice trailed off. The reality that Danny was awake had lifted a heavy weight from hershoulders.

"Can I at least make you some tea?"

"Yes...I would like that."

Meta smiled as she went to the stove to start the kettle. "I am so glad to know that Danny is going to make a full recovery. What has happened in the last few days is unbelievable. It's amazing that we all have come through it as well as we have. I'm so delighted to see that you and your father are finding one another again. I know that you have a long road ahead of you but......" Meta turned around to see Michelle fast asleep with her head against the table.

She did her best to wake her. Meta knew that Michelle's body had finally just given out. The knowledge that Danny was awake and going to recover was all her psyche needed to relent to her body's demands. Meta covered her with light cotton throw closing the doors to the den behind her. Leaving Michelle to dream of her new life with Danny.

Dean parked his car in front of the center. Stacey, Malcolm and Liza broke down in tears at the news that Danny was finally awake. He was bombarded with question after question. The main one being when he thought Danny would be up for visitors. His only answer was he didn't know.

Malcolm piped in saying that he would call Dr. Maxwell for all of the particulars. Stacey asked about Michelle as well, only imagining how happy her friend must have been. His only response to that question was Michelle is Michelle. Stacey needed no further explanation.

It took Dean another twenty minutes to make his way back to the door. Everyone he passed had a question or two about Danny, Michelle or sometimes both. Finally Malcolm cleared a path for him so that he was able to actually get out the door and back to the hospital.

He was a bit surprised to find Danny still in his room when he returned. Apparently the CT scan couldn't be scheduled until the following day. Dean breathed a sigh of relief knowing that if Dr. Maxwell had thought that it was pertinent Danny would have been worked into the schedule that day.

"You got Michelle home okay?" Danny asked before Dean had even been able to take a seat.

"Yeah she's home."

"What's really going on with her? Is she okay? She certainly didn't look all that good before," Danny fired questions in rapid succession.

"I think she's fine, just totally stressed. I'm sure now that you are back things will settle down and be normal again, whatever the hell normal is," Dean half laughed.

"Now, really what's wrong with her?" Danny pressed his friend.

Dean took a deep breath and tried to explain all that had happened from the time that he had been taken to the hospital.

"She was fighting us every step of the way. No matter what we said she didn't want to do anything but get to you. Danny, man she was really in bad shape. Dizzy as all hell she damn near came close to fainting a least a half a dozen times......"

"You should have never brought her here," Danny stated.

"Easier said then done. She was hell bent on getting here. Hell she threatened to drive herself if I didn't bring her."

"That would have been a disaster!"

"I know," Dean concurred, "So what choice did I have? I promised you that I would look after her. I was sort of between a rock and a hard place."

"Sorry," Danny said knowing what a hell of a position his friend must have been in.

"Malcolm almost had her talked into seeing a doctor but then we were told about you going into surgery...well she wouldn't hear of it then and things sort of snow balled after that. Simms showed up..............."

"WHAT!?!?!" Danny practically screamed, "HE WAS HERE?!?! THAT BASTARD.....HE WAS FUCKING NEAR HER AGAIN?!?!" Danny stared at his friend in disbelief.

"Not really....as soon as she saw him she fainted in my arms. Nothing we did revived her. I have to tell you man, Malcolm and I were scared out of our minds. Finally that's when she ended up being admitted."

"It's about fucking time," Danny's words were harsh.

"Hey, man I'm sorry. I did the best that I could. Things just got way out of hand. You have to know that I would have never let Simms anywhere near Michelle. Shit, I think I hate the guy as much as you do."

"HARDLY!" Danny seethed with the thought of Parker Simms in the same state as Michelle let alone the same building.

"Well, then we found out that she had a severe concussion, some broken ribs but what everyone was really concerned about was how high her blood pressure was. Nothing they were giving her was bringing it down."

"It's okay now though right?" Danny was silently kicking himself for all that she had been through.

"Yeah, man it's under control. Actually between her doc and yours they figured out that once you got better she would as well. Appears they were right. It took them eight years of med school to figure out something I already knew," Dean smiled relieved to see Danny do the same. "Apparently stress does funny things to your body. I'm sure there's really nothing to worry about, except getting her to follow doctor's orders."

"Why am I sure that that's never going to happen?" Danny chuckled.

"Well .....you think maybe cause she's stubborn as hell?"

"That's putting it mildly."

"Don't I know it?" Dean smiled.

They sat and talked for a while longer. Dean was so caught up in the joy of having his friend back. It was easy to see that Danny was tired and just like Michelle would never admit it. In light of that Dean excused himself saying that he would bring Michelle by in the morning.

Danny reached for the phone dialing Michelle's number, "Hi, is Michelle there" he asked.

"I'm sorry she's sleeping right now."

"Great....don't disturb her. I'll talk to her later."

"Can I give her a message as to who called?" Meta asked.

"It's Danny," he returned softly.

"Oh, Danny, how are you? I'm Meta Bauer, Michelle's great aunt. You can't image how happy I am to hear that you are going to be all right. I think Michelle's body just finally said enough. She fell asleep at the kitchen table almost immediately after Dean brought her home. She's been sleeping ever since. I have to say that you have a wonderful friend in Dean. He was a god send through all of this. I doubt that Michelle would have gotten through it without him."

"I know. He just got done telling me everything. I'm so sorry for all of this. I knew something wasn't right with Parker....I should have said something to Michelle instead of keeping it to myself. I just thought that I could protect her, but then I let my ego get in the way of things....."

Meta stopped him in mid-sentence, "Let me tell you the same thing that I told everyone else the other night. Stop laying blame. Sometimes things just happen or they happen for a reason. I know it's hard to understand or even believe, but I think that this was the chain of events that was meant to be. The outcome would have not been the same if it hadn't. So just remember how much you love her and how much she loves you. That's all that you will ever need to think about when you look back on these events."

"Thank you," Danny said, "I do love her."

"I know. We all know."

"Well could you please tell her that Dean will be by to pick her up in the morning if she wants to come to the hospital."

"Wild horses couldn't keep her away."

"I know that, but please make sure that she's up to it. She's been through so much and I know how stubborn she can be."

"I'll do my best, but I can't promise you anything."

"Good night Mrs. Bauer and thanks again." Danny placed the receiver down and settled back to get some sleep himself.

The morning broke brightly. The sun made its high climb into the horizon casting a ray of brilliant colors in its path. Its warming rays slid through the open slats of the blinds that hung on the den windows; gently waking Michelle from her much needed slumber. The surrounding room was brightly lit by the sunshine, so bright in fact that Michelle had difficulty reading the clock that hung on the wall across the room.

She squinted again seeing the hands stationed at the numbers eight and twelve. She couldn't believe that it was eight o'clock in the morning. Gingerly she got up from the sofa heading to the kitchen. Ed Bauer was still home. A fact that shocked Michelle.

"Good morning sleepy head," Meta said as she placed a plate of eggs in front of Ed, "Can I fix you some breakfast?"

"No, just coffee, please." Michelle sat down across from her father in awe of the miraculous change she had seen in him in such a short period of time.

"Michelle," Meta's tone scolded, "You haven't eaten anything in days. Please at least let me make you some toast."

"Fine," Michelle relented, "I can't believe I slept so long."

"I was glad to hear that Danny is awake and doing well," Ed remarked.

"It's wonderful isn't it?" Michelle's face beamed, "I can't wait to get back to see him."

"Well that's what I want to talk to you about," her father began.

Michelle should have known that it had been too good to be true, too good to last. Now that Danny was well she was certain that her father was about to put a stop to their relationship.

"I was hoping to go with you this morning. I would like to thank Danny personally for all that he's done for you."

The look of shock that took over Michelle's face wasn't lost on Ed. She almost asked him to repeat himself. He continued to amaze her around every turn.

"Sure, that's if you want to."

"I most certainly do."

"Yeah then great. When do we go?" Michelle asked anxious not to waste any time in getting to Danny.

"I think you better call Dean and tell him you already have a ride to the hospital," Meta said.

"Huh?" Michelle returned confused a bit.

"Danny called to talk with you last........"

"Danny called?" she echoed, "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Do you really have to ask that? Besides Danny was as adamant about you getting your rest as I was. He said that Dean would be by this morning to get you. So if you are going to go with your father, I think you might need to call him to save him the trip."

"Okay. Dad," she turned to Ed, "Give me fifteen minutes and I will be ready."

Michelle raced upstairs and quickly showered. The new found person her father was becoming still seemed like a foreign creature to her. As much as she wanted to buy his new change of heart, Michelle still had her reservations not wanting to be disappointed again.

"Thank you, Mom," she whispered softly as she reached to touch Maureen's picture. "Thank you for everything."

Dean met Michelle and her father at the entrance to Danny's room.

"You look so much better this morning," Dean remarked.

"She finally got a good nights rest," Ed said.

"I fell asleep soon after you brought me home yesterday. I didn't wake up until this morning." Michelle hid her faint smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. Danny was really worried about you. I came back here after taking you home and he was full of all kinds of questions. He wanted to know everything that was going on with you and your health."

"What did you tell him?" she questioned, "He doesn't need to be worried about me. He's got his own health to think about."

"Funny isn't it?"

"What?" Michelle inquired.

"You both are so much alike and neither of you can see it." Dean chuckled.

"Can we go in and see him?"

"They sent him to have his CT scan this morning......"

"WHAT?!? Another one....why?" Michelle's voice cracked as wild thoughts besieged her mind.

"Hey...hey calm down. He never had one yesterday. Everything's fine really. Some scheduling snafu. He's perfectly all right."

Michelle let out a noticeable sigh of relief.

"Michelle, honey, as much as I would love to stay to see Danny...." Ed hesitated knowing his daughter's immediate reaction to his next words, "I have to get to the office. I have some partner things to take care of. It's very important that I am there for this meeting."

"Fine," she countered with a tone in her voice she knew all too well. "I'll just stay with Dean. You take care of whatever it is that's so important," Michelle's voice dripped with sarcasm.

It was upon second glance that she saw the pained expression behind her father's dark eyes. "Is everything all right?" she asked softening her tone slightly.

"I have to speak with Howard this morning. I don't want him involved with my business any longer. I'm just having trouble finding the words to explain why."

Instantly Michelle understood how difficult this would be for him and she certainly hadn't helped matters any by immediately thinking the worst of her father.

Ed and Howard had known one another for the better part of both their lives. Yet Michelle couldn't express how relieved she was to hear her father say that he wanted nothing more to do with the Simms no matter their history.

"Thank you...." she said kissing Ed's cheek, "I'm sorry for doubting you."

"I would have to say that over the years I have given you reason to doubt me. I couldn't continue to do business with him after all that has happened. I just hope that it all goes smoothly." The look in Ed Bauer's eyes told his daughter that he felt it was going to be anything but a smooth transition.

"I promise I will return as soon as I can. I meant what I said earlier. I do want to thank Danny."

"Good luck daddy," Michelle said as she watched her father make his way to the bank of elevators.

Michelle and Dean sat in the coffee shop passing the time while Danny was having his test. She sat in silence for some time lost in her own thoughts. She finally believed that her father had come a long way in a short period of time and it wasn't some fleeting thing. It was real. It was true. For him to actually be breaking ties with Howard Simms, Michelle knew now more then ever that she was getting the man her mother fell in love with back. There was no stopping the smile that consumed her face.

"What?' Dean questioned.

"Nothing....I was just thinking how proud my mom would be of my father right now. I just wish she was around to see the dramatic change."

"I'm sure that she can."

"I think that you just might be right."

The pair talked for a little while longer trading stories of their childhood. Michelle was thankful that Dean had come into her life. He was truly a special person and a great friend to not only Danny but her as well.

"Hey, I think that Danny should be back in his room by now. We should probably be getting back. I don't want him thinking that I'm trying to steal you away or something, " Dean grinned at her.

"You mean this isn't share and share alike?" she quipped, "Gee and here I thought Danny was about to pass me around," she lightly punched Dean in the shoulder getting off the barstool.

"Highly unlikely!" Dean countered.

Michelle and Dean were surprised to find two unfamiliar men standing in Danny's room when they returned.

"Can we help you?" Dean asked.

"We were told that we could wait in here to speak with Danny Santos," one of the men said.

"Who are you?" Michelle questioned.

"I'm Detective Speaks and this is Lieutenant Martin. We are her working on the Simms/Santos investigation."

"You do realize that Danny just recently regained consciousness?" Michelle said more as a statement then a question.

"Yes we understand that. We have spoken with Mr. Santos' doctor and he assured me that he should be up to a few questions."

"I hope so," Michelle countered, "He's been through a great deal lately. I don't want you to say or do anything to upset him," she stressed.

"Could you please tell us who exactly the two of you are?"" Detective Speaks questioned.

"I'm Michelle Bauer and this is Dean Stewart."

"Ms. Bauer?" Lieutenant Martin returned quizzically.

"Yes," Michelle returned with the same tone.

"I don't think I quite understand then," the man said.

"Understand what?" Michelle was getting more confused by the minute.

"Why are you so concerned for the man who tried to rape you not to mention the fact that he beat you badly enough to land you in the hospital."

"WHAT!?!?!" was the only word out of Michelle's mouth before the door once again opened. She looked behind her to see a nurse wheeling Danny back into the room. She focused her attention on him in an attempt to forget the accusations that had just been levied.

The two men waited for Danny to be settled back in bed before they began. Detective Speaks talked before Michelle had a chance to ask or say anything.

"We are here to question Mr. Santos about the events that took place last week."

Lieutenant Martin looked at his partner in awe. He didn't understand where he was going with all of this nonsense. They already had a full statement as to the events that took place from Parker Simms, all they really needed to do was make an arrest.

"But..............." Michelle began but Detective Speaks cut her off.

"Mr. Santos, could you please tell us what happened to cause you to be hospitalized."

Dean stood by quietly not liking what he was witness to. A nagging voice in his head told him that something about all of this was a miss. For all intents and purposes these two officers of the law thought that Danny was the person responsible for Michelle's attack. Immediately he knew where they had gotten that idea.

"Parker Simms hit me with his car," Danny stated matter of fact.

"What precipitated that event?"

"What do you mean?" Danny's tough exterior armor found its place around him once more.

Michelle moved to his side easily draping her arm across his shoulders in a silent show of support. Detective Speaks was certain that somehow they weren't about to hear the same version of the story that they had been told only a few days before.

He had come across many rape victims in his days on the force and not once had he ever seen one put their arm around their attacker kissing him gently on the cheek.

This case looked like it wasn't going to be as cut and dry as his superiors had led him to believe.

"How about we start at the beginning?" he asked.

"Fine," the hardness of Danny's tone was evident to all in the room.

"Danny, take it easy," Michelle spoke only to him, "We didn't do anything wrong. None of this is our fault. Let's just answer their questions, okay?"

She looked into his dark eyes that were already blazing with rage. He had been down this road one too many times before. He was sure that no matter what he was to say it wouldn't make a damn bit of difference. His rap sheet was all these men needed to see in convicting him.

"Detective, need I remind you that Danny just recently regained consciousness? Could you get to the point?" she asked protectively.

"Both of them have been through a great deal" Dean added, "Besides I don't think that Ed Bauer would think too kindly of you harassing his daughter," Just like Danny, Dean knew where these two men were going with their questions and he wanted them to understand just who's wrath they would encounter.

"We aren't here to harass anyone Mr. Stewart," Lieutenant Martin said, "We are just trying to get things wrapped up."

"I don't think this is the neat package that we expected," Detective Speaks countered to his partner.

From Michelle, Dean and Danny their story was delivered to the men. Michelle did the best she could in recounting the whole ordeal with Parker. Dean watched his friend's desperate attempt at holding it together while Michelle told of what Parker had done. When she could finally go on no more Dean picked up the recount of the events. Michelle buried her face in Danny's chest and sobbed. He in turned rubbed her back soothing her until the tears subsided. Detective Speaks was even more certain that all was not as it first appeared.

"Why didn't you just go to the police?" Lieutenant Martin asked when Dean had finished.

"Like that would have done any fucking good!?!" Danny angrily retorted, "I know how this works. Simms has money to burn. He would have never paid for what he did to Michelle."

"So what....you took matters into your own hands?" The officer spat.

"I did what I thought I had to do to protect my girlfriend. You mean to say that you wouldn't have done the same thing?" Danny countered.

"Let's get back to the events at hand please," Detective Speaks broke in.

Dean told how he arrived at Company towards the end of the brawl and stood by helplessly as Parker Simms ran Danny down without a moment's hesitation. Michelle wiped away her tears. Hearing Dean's words forced her to relive the nightmare all over again.

"Michelle, are you okay?" Danny asked his voice full of concern. He most definitely didn't like the way she looked all of the sudden. "Baby, why don't you sit down, or better yet Dean take her out of here."

"NO!" she asserted, "I want to know exactly where they are going with this," she said never taking her eyes off of the two officers.

"Michelle maybe Danny's right. This might be too much for you," Dean did his best to follow his friend's lead.

"WOULD YOU BOTH STOP TRYING TO PROTECT ME!!" she yelled getting lightheaded again. "I'M FINE!" she said as Dean guided her towards the awaiting chair.

"Detective could you please make your point. This is all getting to be a bit much. What exactly are you saying by all of this?" Dean questioned, "We have told you all that we know about what happened. Is there something else that you need to know?"

Danny moved to the edge of his bed in an effort to get closer to Michelle who was white as a ghost.

"As far as I can see Detective," Dean remarked harshly, "These two are the victims here so exactly what are you getting at?"

Detective Speaks hesitated in speaking just long enough to give his partner the opportunity to spill what he now knew to be a false account of what had happened. From his years of experience, he was sure that the account of the way things happened that he had just heard from the three people before him was indeed the truth.

"We got another story contrary to the one you just told us," Lieutenant Martin was taking far too much pleasure in ripping them apart.

Detective Speaks wasn't able to do more then shake his head at the sidelines. His partner was fresh out of the academy and itching to make his first bust.

"We have a sworn statement that it was Mr. Santos not Parker Simms that tried to rape you and beat Ms. Bauer and that his hitting you with his vehicle was an accident due to the fact that that you were attacking him. So I find it hard to believe that we are now hearing the exact opposite story."

Michelle felt her body sway and head spin as she stood. This couldn't be happening. There was no way in hell that she would ever let Danny take the fall for Parker's actions.

"WHO GAVE YOU THIS SWORN STATEMENT?!?!" she seethed, "WHO?!?!?!"

"Michelle, come on relax," Dean began.

"Baby...please just calm down," Danny picked up where Dean left off, "This can't be any good for you."

"Like it's any better for you?" she turned questioning him, "They think you did this....they think that you hurt me. I want to know why....who told them that," again the room watched as she cried uncontrollably.

Danny's eyes pleaded with his friend to get Michelle out of the room knowing that she was about to break at any moment.

"WHO TOLD YOU THAT!!!!!!!!!!" her voice echoed off the sterile white walls.

Dean grabbed for her shoulders to steady her knowing full well that there was no getting her out of that room without having her questions answered.

"Detective...." Dean's voice pleaded.

"It was......." Lieutenant Martin began.

"We can't give out that information," Detective Speaks said cutting off his partner in mid-sentence.

"Who was it? Please......." Michelle asked again. "Danny didn't do this," she gasped, "It wasn't him. I don't give a damn what your sworn statement says!"

"I think that this deserves further investigation," Speaks said, "I think that we might have some discrepancies in the statement that we received."

"WHAT???" his partner turned to him in disbelief, "You're kidding right? You are telling me that you believe this bull? This kid had a rap sheet a mile long. Hell we have a sworn statement from Parker Simms and his father................."

Detective Speaks shot daggers in the direction of his partner.

"PARKER?!?!?! You have this sworn statement from Parker?" Michelle's voice rose an octave. "Well let me tell you this detective....Parker is a liar! He and his father would do anything to shift the blame away from him. I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!!!" she raged, "Not after all he's done to me. NEVER!!!!!!!!!" Michelle screamed tearing out of the room.

Danny's attempt to chase her was a feeble one as Dean forced him back in bed. "Stay! I'll go."

Dean left the two men and Danny alone as he went after Michelle.