The daylight burned Michelle's eyes. The sun cast a glare on the clock perched on the nightstand. She was barely able to read the bold red numbers. "It can't be," she said in a frustrated manner. She sat up to get a better look at the time. Again she felt woozy. Gently cradling her head in her hands, she moved closer to the object of her attention. Her heart sunk. The digital clock read 11:15am. She was dead. Professor Phillips would have her head on a silver platter.

Michelle had literally begged the professor for the extra credit assignment at the hospital. She needed every chance she could to bring her GPA up. Last semester was a complete blur and the semester before that had been even worse. She pushed backed those memories that threatened to envelope her. She was never able to completely let them go. The were always just on the fringe of her sanity, tormenting her, pulling her into their abyss. She squeezed her eyes tight willing them to vanish. To just leave her alone for an instant. Just a second so that she could remember what it was like to be a normal coed again. Who's only cares were the topic of their term paper, finals, what should their major be anything would have been better then the trials she faced day in and day out.

Michelle caught a look at herself in the mirror. What a sight she thought. Her hair was an unkempt mess of curls that was in need of taming, her complexion was pasty at best save for the dark circles under her eyes from the general lack of sleep she had had in the last eight months or so. She was wasting away right before her very own eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she had eaten something. She kept running. Running between the hospital, classes, fraternity/sorority functions anything that would stop her from having to think. It wasn't working though. The memories kept finding their way in through every crack in her defenses.

And just standing there wasn't getting her to the hospital any faster. By the time she got there, her shift would have already half over. How had this happened? She never over slept. Hell, lately she hadn't been sleeping at all. It was then she noticed Danny's handwritten note laying on the desk. She fingered the note as she read it. Like somehow that would conjure him up out of thin air.

She wasn't able to contain the smile that she felt coming on. For once when she closed her eyes she didn't see that awful face leering at her, she didn't see all of the blood spilling on to the sheets, but she saw only Danny's handsome face smiling back at her. She could still feel his beautiful dark eyes looking at her almost looking into the depths of her soul. Maybe that wasn't really such a great idea she half laughed at the thought. Seemed to be she had a knack for going after the wrong men maybe she'd be better off just staying as far away from this one as she could. She surely didn't want history to repeat itself.

She felt a tug at her heart thinking of never seeing Danny again. She didn't even know his full name but that didn't even matter. What she had found was a kind, gentle soul. A quality she thought had long been lost on men in general. Danny had been genuinely concerned for her last night. Sweet, protective and dare she think it a bit loving in a way. Michelle shook her head to rid herself of such crazy notions. She was getting way too far ahead of herself. She didn't even know this man. Yeah so he had been nice to her, so had Mick and look where that one had gotten her. No she needed to stop this one dead in it's tracks.

It wasn't until Michelle stepped outside of the Delta House that she remembered her car. That it wasn't in it's familiar spot. "Damn," she scolded herself. This would only serve to make her later. At this rate she might as well chuck the whole day. Her volunteer shift at the hospital was to end at two o'clock. By the time she got her car and fought the traffic to get cross town it would be time to turn around and head to "Shooters" for her shift there.

Michelle slowly walked across campus towards the frat house. Her stomach churned. She wasn't sure if was from lack of food or the possibility of running into Nino. Just the thought of him made her shudder. He was always lurking around every corner. He never failed to show up everywhere she was. She felt like she had a tracking device pinned to her ass. Drew was more then welcome to the slime. Michelle had to laugh, they were the perfect match. It was a shame she hadn't figured that out sooner with Mick too. Drew could have had him as well, but no that pleasure had been all hers.

Off in the distance Michelle could see her car parked where she and Danny had left it the night before. Once again she was pushing her thoughts to the background. She couldn't let herself think about him. Not his face, not his smile, not how his hand gently grazed Herr's the night before, not how he held her while she cried and most definitely not his eyes. She knew the minute she looked into those big black pools she was in need of a life jacket. She stopped frozen in place. All she could see for certain was a figure sitting on the hood of her car.

The waitress smiled at Nino as she filled their cups once again. Nino stroked her thigh beneath the table. He had longed bored of Danny's endless questions. Why had he agreed to this? The very last thing he wanted to be doing right now was hanging out with yet another Santos. Well maybe just one he thought. Pilar Santos was a dark beauty the only good thing to come out of the Santos family. She had found him intriguing. All those years of being a crime boss's daughter hadn't stopped her from looking for the dark and dangerous side of life. Nino found himself thinking back to the one and only time that he had truly made love. Ever since then it had been sex and nothing more then that. Even his obsession with Michelle Bauer was more of going after something just out of his reach. Nino never backed down from a challenge and ever since Pilar had been sent away women had become just that a challenge. Each one he bedded was just another head for his trophy wall.

He remembered how soft her olive skin was under his touch. How her long ebony hair encircled them on the bed. How willing she was to please him and he her. What it felt like to be dancing inside of her. He could still hear her calling his name as Mick dragged her from the room. After that day Nino had never seen Pilar Santos again. Bernard had been absolutely furious with his son. Carmen was ready to castrate the boy. Her baby had been violated. She wanted blood Nino's blood. It went against every code of honor there was between the families but Carmen didn't care. This was her only daughter that she was thinking about.

Bernard struck a deal with her. He would send Nino to Chicago. Be sure that he knew that if he ever showed his face in Springfield again there would be no protection for him there. Carmen relented finally; however, she sent Pilar away as well. She wasn't about to take any chances. Nino was not one to be trusted.

Nino tasted his own blood as he bit hard on his lip. He hadn't thought about that night for a very long time. The first year here had been hell for him. He did everything he could to forget Pilar. Nothing worked until one day, Mick Santos of all people showed him how to take the pain away. Mick too had been banished from his family. Mick was a walking drug store, he had uppers, downers, hash, cocaine, heroine, crystal meth anything you could ever imagine. If he didn't have it he got it. For Nino that had been the answer to his prayer. To slip into oblivion and never look back.

"Damn it Nino!" Danny's rough voice drew him back to the here and now. "I swear to you Nino, I've had just about enough of this. If you don't get your shit together like right now we're going to be having this conversation outside," Danny smiled dangerously. His demeanor stiffened. He had had enough of whatever game Nino was playing.

"Calm down, man. I was just admiring the view," Nino pointed to their waitress who had just started to walk away.

"Nino," Danny leaned within inches of his face his voice a low whisper, "Nino, let's get one thing straight here. You keep fucking with me...playing me...I'll be sure that you will never get FUCKED again! Get my meaning, man?" Danny's eyes danced as he watched Nino shift nervously in his seat. "Now let's get down to business shall we?" The dark Danny had retreated back to the place from where he came and emerged again was Danny the businessman.

Danny reached for the envelope that Nino practically had thrown at him. Danny was pleased to see the noticeable trembling of Nino's hands. A Santos never made ideal threats. Even with all of his years away from Springfield Danny was sure that Nino hadn't forgotten that.

"What is this?" he asked before opening the package.

"Um," Nino cleared his throat still trying to get what he had heard out of his head, "There's a list of all of Mick's contact in there. I mean all of them that I knew about. Mick only let me in on so much. You know what a control freak he was."

"No, can't say as I did," Danny returned not looking up from the list.

"I did most of the leg work for him. He set up the deals and I did what he told me to do." Danny wasn't buying any of this. Nino and Mick working together? The last time he checked hell hadn't frozen over. "I introduced him around and he just went at it from there. He told me he had the same kinda ring set up back in Springfield too. Who knows maybe you're in the wrong neighborhood man.," Nino said coyly. Hoping that would get Danny rethinking his being in Chicago.

Danny sat there reading Nino's face. His eyes shifted never meeting Danny's gaze. The years in the business had taught him a great deal about body language. Nino's body right now was telling Danny he was up to something...but what?

"So you think I should still be looking in Springfield?" Danny asking playing along, "Hell Nino I shook down every drug dealer that Mick ever had contact with there. They all checked out."

"Don't know man but anything is possible."

"Yeah, anything," Danny rubbed his hand along his face. He felt the stubble that was starting to form. He thought about Michelle. How beautiful she was. How their bodies had melted into one another as they danced. How he wished that she would let him in just enough so that he could help her deal with whatever it was that was plaguing her. How he longed to get back to her. How he hoped that she understood his leaving her this morning. Hell he didn't even know where to find her. He had to get a grip. He had a job to take care of here. His mother was counting on him to handle this and handle it soon. He couldn't get caught up in this girl's life. Not right now that is he thought. Maybe after this was all over just then maybe he could think about her. Unfortunately right now she was all he could think about.

"Come on," Nino said standing.

"Where are we going?" Danny asked still unsure that Nino was on the level with all of this.

"There's someone I think you should meet. He should be able to lead you to the top dog."

"What?" Danny looked at him with confusion.

"This guy will be able to lead you to all the people I can't. I know he was the guy that Mick used as a go between."

"Let's hit it then," Danny grabbed his leather jacket and was out the door Nino trailing behind. Nino only hoped Carlos was there ready and waiting.

Michelle found herself walking along the tree lined campus street thinking about last night. How from out of no where this man appeared and swept her away as momentary as it had been swept her away from all of her anguish. For that short moment in time there had been no Jesse, no Drew, no Nino and definitely no Mick. Only his strikingly handsome face looking back at hers. She could see it as vividly as if he had been standing there before her. How those haunting eyes that had the power to stop people in their tracks yet danced and sparkled when he smiled. That smile of his even when it was just a faint one made her heart swell. She felt as though the world came to a halt when they were together. That everything but the two of them ceased to exist. She truly felt safe with him and safety had been feeling as of late that didn't live in her existence.

Her heart was getting the better of her. It was time for her head to kick in reality. Reality she thought how cruel that word was. Time after time her reality had been crushed. Ever since she woke up one morning to be told that her mom was gone. died in a car accident, reality had become nothing but a very heartless joke. With each twist and turn that Michelle's life took, she thought that she was making headway. Moving forward to something better then what she left behind. Unfortunately each step forward threw her deeper into a chaos that she was unable to handle.

Michelle caught sight of her little red MG. It had been a gift from her father. He had given it to her just before he went off to again to save the world. She could still hear Rick's voice whining and kidding her that she must be something pretty special seeing as how he had to drive some old beater around until well into his medical practice. She loved the car but she would have been just as happy maybe even happier had her father given of himself instead of given "things".

Michelle's blood ran cold when she spied the figure sitting on the hood of her car. She wanted to turn and run but found her legs unwilling to cooperate. She was breathing so fast that she was sure she was about the hyperventilate. Her entire body felt clammy. Why couldn't everyone just leave her alone? That's all she wanted was to be left alone. But she truly was never alone. The phantoms in her head made sure she was never alone for long. Rather then running, Michelle continued to her car. She had to get to Shooters and she wasn't about to walk no matter who happened to be sitting on her car. She was so tired of running from the world. It had to stop sometime. Why not right now?

"Drew," she said relief evident in her voice. Drew wasn't someone she really wanted to see either but in this instance she was the lesser of two evils. Each time she was close to Drew all she could envision was Jesse. Jesse's face the night Michelle had come home unexpectantly. She could still see the smirk plastered on Drew's face as she wrapped herself tighter around Jesse as if it was just happening all over again. Without warning the tears silently fell. Michelle watched the whole scene unfolding as if she were watching a video she couldn't turn off. Jesse was completely, utterly intoxicated. It wasn't hard to see how that happened. Drew did own the club downstairs. She had never tried to hide her desire of Jesse. She saw the opening while Michelle had been away with Rick and Abby and taken it. Michelle had been crushed by Jesse's betrayal. Words couldn't explain the hurt that she felt. It was worse then a knife through the heart. It was a stabbing pain that to this day remained.

"I think we need to talk," Drew announced hopping off the hood. "We need to get something straight, girlfriend!"

"Oh really....and what might that be?" Michelle returned the attitude in spades.

"You know damn well!" Drew spat.

"Sorry Drew, even I failed ESP 101. What are you talking about?"

"NINO, I'm talking about Nino."

Michelle's mouth went dry. She swallowed hard trying to talk. "What about Nino?" Fear again filled her thoughts.

"Stop playing games with me! I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work this time."

"This time?" Michelle didn't have a clue what or where she was going with this.

"You got Jesse, hell you got Mick but I'll be damned that you are going to take Nino too."

Michelle couldn't stop herself from laughing. Laughing yet that wasn't laughing at all it was a hysterical kind of laughter that sounded almost mad.

Drew stood before starring. Starring and wondering what exactly was going through Michelle's head.

"Nino," Michelle returned when the laughter had subsided, "Nino, you really think that I want him?" She was trying to grasp the mere thought of that.

"I know you do. Playing your little games. Always pushing him away........."

Michelle stopped her before she could go on, "I push him away for a reason. I can't stand him. He makes my skin crawl, Drew!"

"Yeah right just like Mick huh?"

"Mick," Michelle had to force the words from her lips, "That was different."

"Different how?"

"I wanted to hurt you like you had hurt me. I wanted you to feel what it was like to have something you loved taken away from you," Michelle said calmly.

"So what Mick was payback for Jesse?" Drew shrieked.

"In a way yes," Michelle said but it had only turned out to be a satanic adventure for her. Drew lost Mick but Michelle ended up living the through the hell. Lucky to live at all.

"You BITCH!" Drew screamed.

"Well, I would have to say I learned from the master," Michelle returned coldly. "Watched you in action so long back in Springfield I knew exactly what moves to use to get what I wanted."

"Damn you, Michelle! So you expect me to believe that you aren't after Nino for the same reason?"

"Drew, you are so welcome to Nino Rivera. I wouldn't want him if he was the last man on earth."

"What, Nino not good enough for you? I guess no one can live up to the memory of Jesse then?" Drew knew what she was saying was more for herself then Michelle. No one had been able to replace Jesse for her. She had only slept with him that one time but she had loved him from a far since setting foot in Springfield. He only had eyes for Michelle Bauer though. No matter what she had tried to do he always ran back to her. Finally she had seized her opportunity while Michelle was away visiting her father. Jesse had been missing Michelle terribly and Drew was there to comfort and console. The bottle of Tequila hadn't hurt either.

Before Jesse knew what hit him they were in bed together. Drew was relishing the moment that Michelle walked through the door to find them in the midst of their passion but Jesse he was mortified. Screaming Michelle's name as she ran from the apartment. Jesse sent Drew away without a word. That was the last time she saw him alive.