The sight of Danny before her took her breath away. She was aghast. It looked as though he had been attacked by a hoard of men. It took everything within Michelle's power not to run and comfort him. At that moment all became crystal to her. She could no longer deny the love she held for him. It didn't matter who he was or where he came from she loved him just the same.

Her desire to tell him that flooded her. She wished to assure him that all would be okay. It was as if finally admitting her true feeling for him had given her such freedom. The agonizing that she had done over the last week evaporated.

"Danny," she said softly. He continued looking down at his worn shoes, "Danny, Stacey said you wanted to talk to me," again her words were met with silence, "Come on Danny, talk to me. Please, I want to help you, but I can't if I don't know what's going on." Michelle tried to stay composed as Danny continued with his silence. "If you won't talk to me the I have no other choice but to let Malcolm know that you're here." Michelle turned and headed back for the door.

"NO! I want you…..I just want you," Danny's voice was a hoarse whisper.

Easily she slipped to the floor beside him, "What happened?"

"Nothing."

"DAMN IT DANNY!" she forced, "I can't help you if you won't talk to me." Michelle was frustrated now. "I want to help. I care what happens to you," she cried.

"Oh, do you?" he asked sarcastically still keeping his face to the floor, "Why should you give a damn about me?" he spat, "Nobody else does." His sudden hostility towards her caused her to move back.

"I do care. A whole lot more then I think you know. Why did you ask for me anyway?" she questioned.

Danny shielded his face hoping to hide the fact that he was starting to cry, "I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!" he barked, "EVERYTHING IS SUCH A MESS! MY WHOLE GOD DAMN LIFE IS A SCREWED UP MESS!!!!!!!!!"

"Danny," Michelle pleaded, "Danny talk to me. Tell me what happened." Michelle couldn't make heads or tails of any of this and she feared that she was going about everything wrong but she couldn't stop now. She only wished that he would let her go get Malcolm. He fear of making a mistake with him out weighed her desire to counsel him.

"It's such a long boring story," he retorted angrily.

"COME ON! You wanted to talk to me so talk!" she pushed.

"This was a mistake!" Danny said turning his back to her. He couldn't do this. He couldn't drag her into his hell. In his moment of weakness he had wanted her, needed her but now that she was right within his reach he feared his touch would taint her.

"Fine," Michelle threw her hands up in defeat, "Then you leave me no other choice then to go tell Malcolm you are here."

"Go ahead. I should have known you wouldn't be different. Who's kidding who here? You don't give a rats ass about me. Go run to Malcolm see if I care!" Danny's voice was ice.

Danny's venomous words stopped Michelle cold her own anger now growing, "HEY!" she shouted, "You're the one who wanted me. Now you won't talk so what else am I supposed to do? Do you realize that you're skating on thin ice here? I admit I don't know much about how the center works but I do know that Malcolm has been doing his best to keep your ass out of juvie!" Michelle stated firmly revealing things she had read in confidence. "So the choice is yours talk to me or talk to Malcom. I don't really care much anymore!" Michelle's statement was truly a lie but she pulled it off so well that even Danny believe her.

Danny had to still to lift his eyes to meet hers. Michelle paused waiting for any sort of response from him. She fought the urge within her to reach out and touch him, a part of her forced her to stand her ground with him. Suddenly it was a contest of wills to see just who would break first. After what seemed to be an eternity for Michelle she got and went for the door. Just as she was about to reach for the doorknob Danny spoke, "No…wait. Don't go."

"Fine, but are you going to tell me what happened or not?" She was starting to sound as cold as he had.

"I told you about my mom right?" Michelle nodded, "Well I went to see her the other day. The place where Thomas has her well it's a hell hole. They keep her so doped up that half the time she doesn't even know who the hell I am. Shit I don't even go see her that much anymore."

Michelle recalled the argument that Malcolm documented about Danny being unhappy about his stepfather's treatment of his mother.

"Go on."

"She was sleeping when I first got there. I just sat beside her bed for the longest time," Danny wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, "I always remember waking up as a kid with her watching over me. It always made me feel safe. I wanted her to feel it too."

Michelle felt her heart twist with his pain as she watched him try to continue.

"She smiled at me when she woke up finally. It was the best thing I ever remember seeing in forever. For one instant I almost thought there she is there's my mama. What a joke," his voice hardened again.

"What happened? Did you talk with her?"

"Talk with her?" his loud voice bounced off the walls, "Have you ever tried talking to someone on so many pills they still think their dead husband visits them daily?" Danny's tone was sardonic, "MY MOTHER IS IN LALA LAND MICHELLE!!!!"

"I'm sorry Danny."

He continued talking not even hearing her, "Then here comes the scum she married thinking he would be a substitute. Now that's the joke. I have to sit there and watch him kiss her cheek all the while my blood boils. It wasn't until she called him Miguel that I lost it."

"Miguel?"

"She called that bastard by my father's name," Danny cried his voice a mixture of rage, disgust and utter disappointment.

"What did you do?"

"It was like I was completely outside myself watching what I was doing. I jumped up and grabbed her hard by the shoulders and I just started shaking her and screaming, hell I don't even remember what the hell I said…….."

"Then what happened?"

"I just snapped. I looked at Thomas and his sick grin and I just snapped. I ran from the room and never looked back."

This finally gave perspective to the conversation that they had had a few days ago regarding their mothers. The more she listened to him the more she understood what hell his life must have been like.

"What happened next?"

"Well Thomas was pissed off and drunk. He had warned me not to upset my mom………."

"So what he beat you up for wanting to see your own mother?" the question itself Michelle found ludricis.

"You could say that. Malcolm found me wandering around and took me to his place……."

"Why'd you just up and leave?" she asked knowing she had said too much.

"How'd you know I left?" he questioned.

Don't you always run?" she did her best to cover.

"Malcolm didn't need me hanging around," he said with a generic response.

"That's a pretty lame excuse don't you think?"

For once there was no snappy comeback. Danny was silent. That night he had been so mad at himself for teetering on the edge with his mother he couldn't conceive of being worth anyone's help. He knew the instant the urge to hit her filled him he was no better then the stepfather he despised and Danny couldn't live with that thought.

"I didn't want to talk. I knew that Malcolm would and I just didn't want to deal with him. So I left."

"Danny, you and I both know Malcolm wouldn't have forced you to talk."

"You think I am stupid? You think I don't know that I am half way out the door as it is. Malcolm needs to report something on me and soon. He would have forced me to talk. He needs me to talk."

She certainly wasn't going to get anywhere continuing down this road so she went back to the task of putting the fragments of his story together.

"So after you left Malcolm's what did you do?"

"Got wasted," he said it so nonchalantly, "I lifted a couple bucks from this drunk passed out in an alley and bought a few ounces of weed and got myself high."

"Why? What did it solve?"

"Beats me, but it sure did make me feel good." Danny knew what it solved. The high drown out the voice in his head that kept repeating you're just like Thomas, just like Thomas.

"Danny!" Michelle couldn't comprehend the sense in his statement.

"What?" he stared at her puzzled, "I mean it. There's nothing in the world like that feeling. I guess it's 'cause you don't have to feel anything." Danny was desperately trying to make Michelle see how much he needed that. He needed to continue feeling nothing to survive in his world.

"Then what happened?" she continued looking for a way to remain composed.

Danny weighed what he did next and telling Michelle very carefully. If she hadn't understood the marijuana she wasn't about to grasp what he did next, but there was no turning back now. He had pulled her into his world he might as well finish what he started.

"I ran into a friend of mine and well he hooked me up with some coke. I have to admit I was really flying high then."

"I just don't get it. Why?"

"IT'S EASY!" Danny was so cavalier about his actions.

"EASY…..EASY!!!!!!!!" Michelle wanted shake him, "Is that they way you look at it? Well I guess getting high is a lot easier then being a real man and facing things head on!"

"YOU BITCH!!" he spat back, "You're one to talk. Giving me that cock and bull story about a rope and gym class as to how you got those bruises on you neck. What do you take me for a real idiot?" The minute the words were out of his mouth Danny regretted them. He had taken a low blow against her but she had pushed him so hard.

Michelle swallowed hard around the lump in her throat looking for some way not to be as hurt as she was by his words. She herself knew how ridiculous her story had been but she never thought that he would throw it up in her face the way he had.

She had known he was right. She wasn't any better then he was at facing things head on but her coping mechanisms were far less destructive then his.

"The only reason that I'm a bitch is because I'm telling you something that you don't care to see. What happened to you this time?" she asked surprised by her own even tone of voice.

"Well dear ole Thomas and I got into it again today. Only difference being this time he was the one to get decked."

"He did this to you?"

Danny had finally revealed his badly beaten face to her. She wondered how he could even see her through his swollen eyes. A wistful thought passed through her mind, she suddenly missed looking into his beautiful eyes.

"Hell no!" Danny took offense to even the thought of Thomas claiming responsibility, "I was gone before he could even think about touching me."

"Who did this then?" she asked almost reaching out to touch his swollen face. No matter what she had heard this afternoon she was still completely drawn to Danny Santos. All she wanted at the moment was to be closer to him.

"I went to score some more coke. I needed a hit really bad. I met up with this dealer I know who said he'd cut me in on some of his next score if I delivered a package for him. I took him up on his offer, but I ran into some trouble with his connection. This guy was trying to weasel his way out of giving me all the money that was due me. Things got a little heated between us and just as they got going hot and heavy six guys stepped our from around the corner." He stopped there.

"They did this to you?" she whispered.

"NO, I did it to myself!" he retorted sarcastically.

"You don't have to get smart with me. What are you doing here anyway? You seem to have all the answers, covered all the angles," Michelle said harshly.

Danny looked away from Michelle knowing that whatever chance he may have had with her was long gone. He had sabotaged it with one conversation.

"I thought, well, never mind. I just thought I could talk to you but it seems like you could care less." Danny threw up his defensive shield again.

"DAMN IT DANNY I DO CARE!! Why do you think I stayed back her with you and didn't run to get Malcolm at the first sign of trouble? I care so much, but you make it so damn hard when you have this wall around you. You may not think the drugs are a problem but I do. I think it goes much deeper then just you doing it for the high or the kicks you think it brings you. I want to help but there's no way for me to get in. You won't let me or anyone for that matter. Why won't you let us help you?"

"I wish it were that easy. I can't let anyone get close enough to hurt me again. I won't. I know you lost your mom, Michelle but this is so different. You don't have any right to tell me what you think about me or my so called problems. I can't believe I thought that you would get it. I was such an ass."

Michelle was stunned into silence. She hadn't expected him to explode the way he had. A major part of her recoiled at his anger. She was shielding herself for what she thought would be next. If it had been Parker sitting in front of her, Michelle knew all too well what was to come.

This was all too much for her. She would have to tell Malcolm that she was wrong in thinking she could handle this job. She had been wrong in her abilities as well. Michelle felt the hot tears trickle down her cheeks. She willed them to stop but they wouldn't.

Danny was powerless to do anything more and watch helplessly as Michelle cried. The words he had spoken not only shocked her but himself as well. She was the one person he felt the closest to and yet he had ripped her apart. Deep inside he knew Michelle's only intention was to help him. She had been right about so many things that she had said. Why was it he just couldn't let her in?

Danny moved closer to her gently placing his hand on her knee, "Michelle, I'm sorry. God I'm sorry. I didn't want to hurt you. It's the last thing I wanted to do. It's just I can't explain it. It's kinda like a wounded animal. You know when they are hurt they try to hurt those that want to help them. I can't say I'm sorry enough. Please Michelle, say that you understand. Please say that you can forgive me, please," he was crying now too.

Michelle stared into the deep black holes of Danny's eyes and knew that every word he had just said he had meant. This wasn't some off handed apology that she had grown accustomed to from Parker. This was real and she knew that even after everything she could trust Danny. She wanted to hold him, tell him that she truly understood.

As if on cue, Danny leaned forward brushing his lips to hers for a sweet lingering kiss. She was taken away by it at first, but then the real world came crashing down around them.

She knew as much as she wanted to be with him that there was no way of it happening. Their lives were so different she didn't know if they could meet in the middle. She ran from the room as fast as she could.

"MICHELLE, WAIT!!!" Danny called.

Still in a state of shock Danny watched Michelle tearing away from him as quickly as her feet would carry her.

"DAMN!" he growled shoving the chair beside him forcing it crashing to the floor.

The mixture of emotions passing through him was dizzying. He toggled between anger and elation. Anger winning the first round. How could he have kiss her? How could he have told her all that he had? Why was she able to push the right buttons bringing down his walls? With each attempt to raise them Michelle Bauer could lower them faster.

Danny knew all the answers to his mind's endless line of questions. For the first time in his life he wasn't thinking about himself. Michelle's tears brought on by his angry words struck a chord in him causing him to be thrown back to a place in time years ago with his father.

It was on the playground, his father Miguel had watched in silence as Danny and his friend's taunting of a girl caused her to flee in tears. It wasn't until he had gotten his son alone that Miguel instructed him in the proper etiquette of how a young man was to treat a lady.

Somewhere between that day and subsequent years since his father's death Danny had forgotten those words. It was until he saw Michelle's tear stained face that it all came flooding back.

Danny paced around the room searching his mind for a way to put all his abstract thoughts in some thinkable order. The one thought that sprang forth over and over again were the feelings for Michelle the consumed him. It was now elation's turn to take center stage. Danny lightly brushed his fingers across his lips recalling how soft hers had been. How easy it had been to want to be close to her. Those ideas frightened and excited him in the same breath. He knew that even if Michelle ever spoke to him again there was more to this equation then just him and her. There was his existence and hers as well. He slumped back into the worn sofa cradling his head in his hands as if to admit defeat.

The breeze was cool as the sun made it's decent from the sky for the evening. Michelle crossed over from Clayton into Springfield. This was the first time that she truly saw the vast difference between the two places. Springfield had its manicured lawns, perfect landscaping and general sense of togetherness. Where as Clayton was just the opposite. A person would be hard pressed to find a lawn that was cut let alone landscaped. These facts only served to depress Michelle all the more. She was sure that as much as she wanted Danny Santos in her life, she was even more certain that is wasn't about to happen.

She could still feel his lips on hers. Why had she run? Isn't that what she had wanted from him all along? That was the intention of the talk she had wanted to have with him. So why was she suddenly running from it as if she had been shot out of a cannon no less? The answer to that question was all around her. The differences between them smacked her square in the face in any direction that she turned. The worlds they came from were as different as night and day. But Michelle couldn't help thinking the worlds may have been different but the people, well they were the same.

Michelle noticed her father's car in the driveway as she approached their house. He had returned a day early. This did little to calm Michelle's already frayed nerves. She was looking to use the time until his return to sort out the confusion in her head.

Michelle wiped her eyes and pasted on the happy face she knew her father expected to see.

"Hi, daddy," she said kissing him on the cheek, "How was your trip?"

"Profitable," he remarked looking up from his paper for a moment.

"I'm glad. Do you want to have dinner with me tonight?" she questioned. Up until she saw him Michelle hadn't realized just how much she missed him while he had been away. More times then not they understood very little about one another, but no matter what the disagreement he was still her father and she loved him.

"I wish I could sweetie, but I need to meet with my partners and give the low down on what's going to be happening in the next several weeks. I have a business dinner set up for this evening."

Michelle did little to hide her disappointment even though she wasn't at all surprised by his response. The fact that business came first in the Bauer house was a given.

"The dinner's at the Country Club. You are more than welcome to come along if you would like."

"I don't think so," she said hearing the sarcasm in her voice, "I really need to finish up my Psychology paper," quickly Michelle recovered with a voice she knew her father would find more acceptable, "I guess I'll just crash here tonight. I'm glad you're home." She kissed him again before heading off to the kitchen.

Aunt Meta looked up from the recipe she was working on, "What are you making?" Michelle asked peering into the bowl.

"Nothing yet. I was just reading over this recipe for homemade salsa to see if I had all the ingredients. I thought since there wouldn't be any dinner tonight I would give this a whirl," Meta said with a smile.

"So how did you make out? Have what you need?"

"Everything but the jalapeno peppers."

"You want me to run to the store?"

"No, I can go."

"Come on Aunt Meta, you don't want to go out and fight the six o'clock after work rush at the store do you?"

"Well," Meta paused, "to be honest, not really," she laughed.

"I'll go. Be back in a flash."

Michelle would have been willing to do just about anything rather then sit down to toil over the notes for her paper.

She had been right on the money with her assessment of what the market would be like. It was full of all those working mothers rushing around trying to grab something quick for dinner before having to bolt out the door again to one practice or another.

"Here you go," Michelle said bursting through the side door. She was startled to see Hunter sitting at the table, "Hi," she almost whispered.

"Hi," Hunter returned not saying any more until the pair had reached Michelle's bedroom.

"I was surprised to see you here." Michelle wasn't sure what else to say. She had been ducking her friend for days and could only imagine her fury at that.

"Well apparently you are still alive and well. I thought you might have just dropped off the face of the earth," Hunter quipped, "Why didn't you meet me the other day? Michelle what the hell's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well you certainly haven't been in school, but I know you went to the auditions for the play. I mean shit Parker can't stop talking about your kiss. What the hell's going on?"

What the hell was going on? Michelle herself wasn't sure anymore. Since she had met Danny Santos and got involved with CONNECTION VILLAGE the world she had once known had been turned upside down. The problem was she was still in the process of determining if it had been for the better or not. Added to the confusion was that fact that Parker had revealed his true self in front of Hunter and Thad which served to complicate things even further.

"I wish I could explain." There was no need for Michelle to go through the gory details of her relationship with Parker when she knew full well that it would only come back to haunt her. And knowing her friend the way she did Michelle was somewhat embarrassed to admit that on some level she bared many striking similarities to the kids they were reporting on. Friendship or not Hunter would look at this as a prime opportunity to take what she knew about Michelle and run with it. Michelle surely knew that she not Parker would be the one that came out of all of it looking bad.

"I wish you'd try."

"It doesn't really matter. It's been taken care of, okay?"

"Like hell it has. Parker thinks you two are a couple again." With those words Michelle's heart climbed into her throat while her stomach dropped to her feet, "He's flying higher then a damn kite. Are you back together with him?"

"NO!!!" Michelle's voice boomed throughout her room, "Where would he have gotten that idea?"

"From you," Hunter remarked.

"FROM ME?!?!?!" Michelle countered flabbergasted.

"So you are telling me you never kissed him at the auditions?"

"Yes I kissed him, but for god sakes it was part of the damn play. I was playing my part nothing else!"

Michelle knew that was a lie of sorts. She was playing a part but she very well knew that she kissed Parker as if she loved him. He had no idea that the whole time she was thinking of Danny standing before you. How was she supposed to explain that one to Hunter? Michelle knew that was just one more tidbit of gossip that Hunter would have enjoyed getting her hands on.

"Well acting or not Parker thinks that you are two are an item again."

Michelle dropped against the edge of bed. What had she done? Why was it around every corner there was another hurdle she had to scale?

"Michelle, what happened with you two that day in the park?" Hunter questioned.

"Let's just say it was a difference of opinion and let it go at that."

"A difference of opinion?!?!" Hunter's voice echoed disbelief, "I was there it was much more then some difference of opinion."

"Can we just drop this please?" Michelle begged.

"Hey I am trying to be your friend, hell I thought I was." For once Hunter was making an attempt at being a friend but Michelle just couldn't let her in. She was too close to it all to know the whole truth.

"You are my friend. I appreciate what you're trying to do but I can handle this."

Hunter opened her three-ring binder and handed her portion of their Psychology project to Michelle. She was angered by Michelle's lack of respect for the effort she was attempting to make. She was risking a lot when it came to her relationship with Thad by trying to run interference between Parker and Michelle.

"Here," she handled the papers across the bed to Michelle.

"You're finished?" there was no disguising the astonishment on Michelle's face.

"Yeah and I have been for a couple of days. You would have known that if you had bothered to meet me the other day," Hunter said coldly.

"Well thanks," Michelle took the papers in her hand, "I'll read it over tonight."

"Whatever."

Michelle sensed that her lack of wanting to include Hunter in her personal business at the moment elicited her icy demeanor.

"See you tomorrow," Michelle said closing the front door knowing that this was the beginning of the end to what once was a life long friendship.

Michelle settled under the comforter on her bed and began to look over Hunter's paper, yet she couldn't surrender her thoughts to the task at hand. Knowing that she had left an opening for Parker again to take charge of her life frightened her. This fact only served to complicate things further. Throwing Parker into the mix with her father and Danny no less was a natural disaster in the making.

Michelle drew her eyes back to the task at hand. As she read Hunter's report, she was amazed at it all. It was far better then she had ever expected it to be. There were certainly a few corrections that Michelle needed to make but over all the presentation of the report was wonderful.

It was just too bad that Michelle couldn't say the same for her own work or lack there of. She had been so wrapped up in the goings on of her own life that she had lost sight of her obligations. Yet as hard as Michelle attempted to concentrate on her notes, they appeared to be nothing more then a mass of letters that didn't form a single readable word. Again she found herself in another situation that had gotten completely out of hand. What originally was to be a project was suddenly consuming her whole life. Michelle knew that she couldn't give up what she had started at CONNECTION VILLAGE and there was also the tie she felt to Danny. The more she tried to deny it the more prevalent it became. And even though she sure it wouldn't work, that didn't change the feelings that had taken up residence in her heart. Danny's feathery kiss was all that Michelle could think about. She prayed for it to have meant something. Even with the loud voice screaming at her from inside her head she couldn't stop her heart from wanting this.

"Michelle, phone," Meta called to her.

"Hello," Michelle said picking up the phone from the bedside table.

"Hi, Michelle," Stacey's voice spoke.

At the sound of her voice, it dawned on Michelle that she had run off without so much as a word to anyone.

"Hi," she returned weakly.

For a moment the phone was silent. Neither knowing where to begin, "Michelle," Stacey finally sighed, "Did you talk to Danny?"

"Yes."

"Did you let Malcolm know he was here?"

"No."

"WHY NOT!?!!?" Stacey's voice was angry, "He had a right to know that."

"I know, I know," Michelle searched for the right words, "Things got a little crazy and I left."

"YOU LEFT?!?!?! I thought you said you wanted to help?" Stacey did little to hide her annoyance at how Michelle had handled things, "If you haven't figured out already Danny's in real trouble here. Malcolm can't keep covering for him. He's gonna get his ass thrown in jail."

"I told him that, Stace. Are you telling me that he's gone again?" Michelle was mortified.

"Oh yeah long gone, just like you." There was no mistaking that Stacey was well passed angry at her.

"What should I do?" Michelle asked.

"I'd say the first thing is you get down here and talk to Malcolm. He has a right to know what the hell's going on. Especially since he's the one sticking his neck out for Danny."

""You're right," Michelle sighed the events weighing heavy on her mind. She had completely blown her shot to help Danny and she knew it. "I'll be there."

Michelle set the phone down cradling her head in her hands. The flow of tears came without warning. She had made an utter mess out of everything. The state of confusion overtook her. The feelings she had for Danny were beginning to run so deep that her heart ached. If she had just left well enough alone he would still be at the center safe not in jeopardy of heading to the juvenile authorities.

It was almost half past eight o'clock when Michelle got back to CONNECTION VILLAGE. She headed straight to Malcolm's office. She could hear him on the phone as she entered doing his best work at damage control and to buy himself and Danny a little more time. He was shocked to see her when he turned his chair.

"I'll have to get back to you as soon as I know something," he said into the phone.

"Hi," Michelle's voice was timid.

"Hello," by his tone she knew she was in as much trouble as Danny was, "Stacey said you saw Santos tonight. Why didn't you come get me? We had a deal only group sessions. I never agreed to let you talk one on one to anybody," Malcolm said with very little emotion and that frightened Michelle more then if he had been yelling at her.

"I didn't plan it this way, Malcolm," she explained, "God, my first instinct was to run from that room and get you, Liza hell anyone but me…….."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Danny had other plans. He wanted me."

"Why?" Her sentence had him curious as to the answer.

"I wish I knew. I brought him to work the other day and we started talking about our mom's. You know little things nothing major. I don't know maybe he thought he could trust me. I really don't know. I told him that he was in real trouble here. I told him that he needed to see you," she stressed.

"THEN WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!?!?!" Now Malcolm's anger burst forth.

Michelle gathered her strength and began telling Malcolm of her encounter with Danny. She went about relating what Danny had told her about his mother and Thomas, why and what he had done when he slipped out of Malcolm's apartment, and his last beating that hadbrought him back to the center. He was quiet through it all.

"There's one more thing," Michelle stated, "When we finally were really talking to each other Danny kissed me. Malcolm, I didn't know what to do. I just ran. I know it was wrong but I couldn't stop myself. I should have come and told you. I mean if I had done that he might still be her right now. I'' sorry. I know that I screwed up."

"Well in some ways yes and others no," Malcolm said, "You got more out of him today then I have been able in the whole time he's been here. I should be thanking you for that. At least now I have something to move forward with in my effort to keep him here." Malcolm made no mention of the fact that Danny had kissed Michelle. He certainly didn't want to complicate things more. What stood foremost in his mind was that Michelle had been able to reach Danny when others hadn't and to him that was far more important.

"I have a proposition for you," Malcolm began, "How would you like to help me with Danny's case? Michelle's eyes widened with disbelief, "I mean just talking to him and being his friend. Maybe then I could get a clue as to what is really going on with him.

Michelle mulled over the idea. She wasn't sure if she should do it or not. She was already felt far too connected to him and yet she was still so unsure of his feelings for her. The last thing she wanted to do was wear her heart on her sleeve. But the inner voice in her heart urged her forward not wanting to miss an opportunity.

"What would I have to do?"

"Nothing different then you did today. Just be there and listen when he needs you too."

"I think I can do that," Michelle returned.

"Okay, now go on and get out of here. I have to go find Santos."

The ride home had Michelle thinking about what Malcolm had asked of her. She was admittedly torn. There was a portion of her that was jumping for joy at the prospect of getting close to Danny while there was another that was afraid of getting hurt.

She had made up her mind though. The games that she and Danny had been playing were over. She wasn't about to continue with them any longer. It was time she laid her cards out on the table with him and let the chips fall where they may so to speak.

"Good morning," Michelle's voice was chipper. She had finally managed to complete her Psychology paper upon coming home that night. That fact pleased her.

"Well good morning Michelle," Meta returned. She was happy to see that the dark clouded that had loomed over Michelle for such a long time had started to lift.

"Hi Daddy." She kissed his balding head.

Michelle's mood had taken a drastic turn over night. It was a relief to have made sense out of the nonsense that had been filling her mind lately.

"Michelle," Ed Bauer cleared his throat before continuing, "I would like to discuss where you have been spending most of your free time. I feel that it's unhealthy for a girl of your age to spend all of her time locked away in her room. I know you have been working on a school paper but you need to get out more dear."

Michelle searched for what to say in answer to his remarks. Her father didn't have a clue as to what she had really been doing and if she had told him, well, that was a fight she just wasn't up for this morning. Especially since in her mind she had worked everything out.

"I have just been working so hard. I've really gotten into my subject that's all. I'm okay thought really," Michelle reassured.

"What's the subject?" Ed asked sipping his coffee.

"Well," she paused, "It's about all types of physical abuse and some of its after effects. You know like alcoholism, drug use, prostitution and sometimes runaways. It's been an interesting couple of weeks." In more ways then one Michelle thought to herself.

The look of disapproval was written all over his face, "Michelle," he strained to keep his composure, "You know how I feel about those subjects. I am just glad to hear this is all coming to an end soon."

"It's not actually over yet," Michelle didn't have a clue why she was about to open up this proverbial can of worms but she went right ahead in that direction. "Daddy," she swallowed searching for the right words, knowing there were none, "I have been getting my research material at CONNECTION VILLAGE in Clayton," she had her father's undivided attention now, "I have asked the director, he knew mom by the way, if it would be all right if I did some volunteer work there………."

Ed's angry voice echoed off the kitchen walls as he stopped his daughter in mid sentence. "NO!! NO, I will not stand for such a thing!" he yelled adamantly, "I can't believe that you would totally disregard my feelings and do something that you knew I was so completely against."

"Daddy, you don't even know anything about the place. Can't you least let me explain?" she countered more forceful then she expected.

"There's nothing to explain. I won't let another member of my family be taken from me. End of discussion!"

Michelle was rendered momentarily silent. She searched not only for the words but someway to say them. The feelings CONNECTION VILLAGE brought about in her were so strong, that she couldn't begin to imagine no longer going there. Michelle had to believe that Maureen would have been elated to know that in the grand scheme of things it appeared as though her daughter had found her place. Michelle had no intention of letting her father rob her of that.

"I love you daddy and I respect you as well, but I can't say as I think like you do. I have to believe that there is more to life than what is right outside my door. You can spout all the ugliness you want and I can't argue with you. I know the world is cruel hell more times then not it's scary as hell, but Daddy," she sighed, "IT'S REAL! So much more real then this sheltered existence that you want me to live. Can't you understand that I need this? Dad, I want this and really you couldn't stop me even if you tried."

"MICHELLE BAUER I WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!" The mixture of rage and fear poured forth in his voice, "I will not lose you to some strung out punk with a gun in his hand……" The thoughts of his wife's death clouded his head as his voice trailed off, "I will protect you no matter what it takes."

"You can't protect me! I want to do this. I will not quit!" Michelle quickly got up from the table storming out before Ed had a chance to say any more.

"MICHELLE……Michelle you get back here this instant!" he screamed , yet she was long gone.

Meta debated on speaking or remaining quiet. This was the storm she had anticipated coming for sometime now. Listening to Michelle moments before was like Maureen had been reincarnated in the Bauer kitchen through her daughter. She imagined that Maureen Bauer was looking down from heaven smiling at her daughter's determination.

"Ed," Meta spoke softly, "Michelle's your daughter and you are going to do what it is you want to with her but before you push her even further away how about listening to an old woman and her rantings?" Ed nodded. "If you force this issue you aren't going to do anything but push Michelle away. Can't you see how much the girl misses her mother? Can't you see that she's searching for a connection to Maureen? For her to do that I think she needs to keep this volunteer job. And if you search your heart you know that Maureen would be quite proud of her."

"Meta, I don't think I could handle it if I lost her too," Ed choked on his forming tears.

"I know," she reached across the table touching his hand, "But you can't control this."