Danny wasn't able to explain the surge of energy that ran through him the minute that Michelle had excepted his invitation to talk. It was an ever present pulsing. Right now Danny was seeing the world around him in an entirely new light. Even the sight of Kirk Maxwell coming down the corridor towards him couldn't dampen his spirits.

"Hey I was just heading for breakfast….want to join me?" Kirk asked.

"I'll meet you there. I have to grab something in my room first," Danny avoided answering the question directly. His mood may have improved but there still was something about this Kirk character that didn't sit right with him.

The last thing Danny wanted to do was give him the opportunity to turn his good mood into a bad one.

Danny closed the door behind him as he entered the room. It was hard to miss the stench of the scotch that still lay in a puddle on the floor. He wondered to himself if that was how his house must have smelled. It was a tough thing for him to imagine the place that he had let himself spiral to.

He walked into the bathroom to retrieve a towel to clean up the mess before him. It was one of the few times that amber colored liquid hadn't appealed to him. Danny set the flask on the desk along side Caitlyn's picture. He could have sworn that her smile brightened as he off handedly decided to toss the flask in the trash. He wouldn't be needing it.

"HEY! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Kirk's voice bounced off the walls. He came forward to reclaim the item that Danny had just disposed of.

"What the hell's it look like?"

"That was on loan to you," Kirk returned the empty flask to the inside pocket of his jacket, "Looks like you enjoyed it," he smiled slyly.

"Can't say as I did," Danny returned wondering why he was even bothering to have a conversation with him.

"Then what the hell happened to it? She got to you didn't she? Made you see the light?" Kirk mocked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Danny hated the mere thought of Kirk mentioning Michelle's name or him thinking about her for that matter.

It was remarkable how quickly he had wanted to protect her from all things that could remotely harm her.

"I see the way you look at her. Can't blame you though. She's one sweet thing……." Kirk said with a drawl. "Like I said before, I need to know your secret man. I have been after her for weeks now. She won't give me the time of day and hell, you are here what two days and she's all over you!"

Danny felt the blood burning within his veins as Kirk continued on with his barrage. It was like the first day in that group session all over again.

Kirk picked away at Danny's defenses. Pushed all the buttons he was instructed to push. Santos was such an easy mark. He wore every emotion on his sleeve.

"ENOUGH!" Danny growled. "Exactly what is it you want with me?

"I told you….your secrets man," Kirk laughed.

"I don't have any secrets."

"Oh really……? That's not what I would have expected. A man like you…..I would think has many secrets," Kirk pushed further knowing that Danny was less then proud of his life.

"A man like me huh? Just what are you getting at there, Maxwell?" Danny's jaw clenched in anger.

"Come on….you really need me to spell it out for you?"

"Yes…..I think that I do as a matter of fact." Danny wasn't about to take the bait on this one. He was accustomed to interrogation of all kinds and Kirk Maxwell wasn't as coy as he thought he was.

"Your name is Danny Santos…SANTOS right?"

"Your point?" he returned voice devoid of emotion

"So you are telling me that all the things I have heard about you and your family aren't true?"

"Depends on the things you have heard."

"Well, I was wondering if maybe when we get out of this place….maybe you could use a guy like me? I mean somewhere in your organization….."

"If it's employment you are looking for I suggest that you get your resume together and forward it to personnel," Danny cut him off. He knew exactly where Kirk was headed and Danny had no intentions of traveling down that road with him.

"Oh excuse me," Michelle said not realizing that Danny wouldn't be alone. "I can come back." She began her retreat out the door.

"No….wait, Kirk was just leaving. Weren't you, Kirk?" Danny directed him to the doorway without giving him opportunity to say any more.

"Bye, Michelle," Kirk's eyes rested on her a bit too long for both their liking. Again Michelle felt that cold sensation fill her. It was as if Kirk Maxwell was looking right through her.

"Good bye Kirk!" Danny forced closing the door sharply.

"Well Santos, women seem to be your weakness. A weakness I intend to make the most out of," Kirk hissed as he walked away.

Michelle shook off the errie feeling that Kirk had given her. She wasn't about to let anything get in their way right now. She had a great feeling about this. For the first time since meeting Danny she felt as if they were making progress.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't know anyone would be here with you," she apologized once more.

"Don't worry about it. He was on his way out anyway."

"You sure about that? He didn't look like he was ready to go to me," Michelle half laughed.

"Well, I was ready for him to leave," Danny stated thinking that he had been ready for Kirk to leave before he had even stepped foot into the room.

"Here," Michelle reached into her bag pulling out a golden picture frame, "To replace the one that I broke. I am really sorry about that happening."

Danny took the object that Michelle had handed over to him. "That wasn't necessary really. It's just a frame." Even as the words slipped off his tongue Danny felt a chill run down his spine. Had he actually just said that. Had he implied that the picture meant nothing to him? He pushed back the guilt that threatened to surface but again.

"Well, I just thought I should get you another one. Seeing as it was my fault it got broken in the first place."

"Michelle," worried filled his features, "Please tell that you didn't go out by yourself this morning to get this for me. Tell me that you didn't make yourself a target for that lunatic just to replace a meaningless picture frame?" It was hard for Danny to think straight at the moment. His emotions were running high. The biggest two being guilt and fear. They waged a silent war in his head. Both trying to gain what they felt was their rightful place.

"No....," she rested her hand on his touched by his ever present concern for her safety, "I had one at my apartment I wasn't using. I thought it would do until you were able to get another one for yourself."

"Thank God," Danny sighed grateful that she hadn't went out looking for trouble.

"Do you mind?" Michelle asked picking up Caitlyn's picture. Danny did his very best not to cringe. It still was something that would take a great deal of time to get used to, "She's very beautiful, Danny."

"Thank you," Danny remarked. "She was very beautiful." This was the first time that Danny had ever spoken of Caitlyn in the past tense.

"Danny?" Michelle questioned as his eyes clouded over with unshed tears. Michelle set the cracked frame back in it's resting spot and walked towards Danny. She felt his body stiffen as she wrapped her arms around him. "It's okay.....you know. I mean it's all right to be sad," she whispered.

Danny fought the urge to shrink back from her warm embrace. It would have been so easy to just throw up the gates again keeping Michelle at bay. However that wasn't really what he wanted. He wanted to talk about what had happened so many months ago. But how could he do that knowing that the beautiful girl before him was beginning to occupy his every waking thought. Taking up the spaces that had belonged to his beloved Caitlyn. Looking at her photo across the room as Michelle held him sent stabs of anguish through his heart.

"I know I can't leave the grounds," he said pulling away from her touch, "But is there anywhere else we can go to talk?" If he was going to be able to do this, he had to get away from any and all physical reminders of Caitlyn since it was difficult enough to deal with the images he couldn't escape in his head.

"Sure. There is a really nice garden out the back of the grounds. We could go there," Michelle suggested sensing Danny's need to leave his room even though the reason for the urgency was less clear.

"That sounds great." Danny was relieved the minute he closed the door to his room locking Caitlyn safely out of sight.

The garden was deserted when they reached it. Not many of the residents ever came out this way. Michelle had come there a great deal during her stay at the center. It was her quiet place to reflect on her life and the choices she had made.

"We can sit here.....or we could walk," Michelle felt uneasy as Danny looked around at the spectacular flowers before him.

"Do you mind if we walk? I'd love to check out this place. Hell. it has more flowers in it then the gardens at my estate," Danny gasped, "Who takes care of this place? It's absolutely beautiful."

"I'm pretty sure it's the same company that takes care of the rest of the grounds," Michelle returned. The mundane small talk was waning as they made their way through the brick lined paths.

Just as they had at the pond, Danny and Michelle fell into a comfortable silence as they admired the bright colored rose bushes along side of them.

"Michelle, about the other day," Danny started, "I'm really sorry for the way that I acted. Actually, I have been pretty much a prick since the day I got here. I'm sorry."

"You haven't been as bad as you think, really," she smiled, "If it hadn't been for you god only knows what would have happened to me."

"Can I ask you something?" Danny hesitated as Michelle nodded, "Has he hit you before?"

Michelle felt the walls slowly creeping closed again. Her relationship with Derrick Lawson was a subject she didn't want to deal with. Not even with Danny.

"I'm sorry....I shouldn't have asked you that. It's really none of my business," Danny said watching Michelle's jaw tighten.

"It's okay. Yes, Derrick used me for a punching bag on more occasions then I care to count," she whispered memories flooding her.

"That bastard," Danny choked on his anger.

"Can I ask you something, now?" Michelle questioned."

"Go ahead."

"Why do you care what Derrick has done to me?"

Danny was taken aback by the directness of her question. It wasn't something that he was prepared to answer. "I just think that it's a shame that you had to go through something like that. I mean only a coward strikes a woman."

"Funny thing was he had me believing that I deserved it. Deserved to have the crap beat out of me. It wasn't until I ended up in the hospital and Kathy brought me here, that I finally realized it was Derrick with the problem not me."

Danny looked at Michelle in disbelief. He didn't want to imagine Derrick laying a hand on her much less causing her enough harm to land her in the hospital. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It really was my fault. I let my need to get lost cloud my judgment."

"What.....I don't understand."

"Well when my parents died....I was a complete basket case. The world as I knew it ended the day I identified them in the morgue. Everyone around me did their best to support me but I just felt like I was suffocating. Like I couldn't breath."

Danny knew the feelings Michelle was describing all too well. That was how he felt each and every time that Ray would come to the house. Felt like Ray didn't have a clue to what he was going through. He only wanted Danny to be something that at that moment he couldn't. Absently Danny laced his fingers in hers as they continued their walk.

"I was forced to live with my aunt. A woman who I barely knew. She held all the purse strings. She made all these demands on me. She constantly was in my face reminding me that I had an image to live up to." Danny gave her a quizzical look not truly understanding what she meant. "See my father was a doctor and everyone naturally expected me to be one too. Up until they died, that's what I wanted, but after they were gone I didn't want it anymore. Hell, I didn't want anything except maybe to have died with them."

"I know," Danny commented, "I felt like that for a long time after my mom and dad were killed."

"I was numb, Danny. Day in and day out I went through the motions of my life not really caring if I lived or died. Then along came Derrick. He told me that he could make it all go away. Told me that I could just make that numbness disappear."

"The cocaine," Danny returned more as a statement then a question.

"Yep. At first I was hesitant; hell, I barely drank in college. But the more he told me about the euphoria that I could get...the more enticing it became until one day I just said the hell with it and did it."

"So he got you hooked?"

"I wouldn't say it was really Derick. I think it was more the demons in me."

"Yeah, but he turned you on to the stuff," Danny didn't want to see her blaming herself for something that wasn't truly her fault.

"I think I would have found my way there with or without Derick. See Danny, I can't face failing," Michelle guided him to a bench at the edge of the garden, "If it hadn't been for me, my parents might still be alive," Michelle's tears threatened to spill over her lashes.

Danny rested his arm gently around her shoulder as the tears dell onto her cheeks. Her words sounded so familiar. Words that his own brain had said so many times in the last eight months.

"If I had just gotten home when I was supposed to...my mom and dad would have been at the restaurant long before.......,"

Michelle buried her face in Danny's shoulder the words known drown out by sobs. he stroked her hair as she continued crying. He found it ironic how similar there experiences sounded.

"It's okay," he whispered, "It wasn't your fault. you couldn't have know what was going to happen," Danny tried to comfort her yet he remembered how hollow those words sounded when they had been said to him. Probably because he had known. He knew the life that he was leading would be his greatest downfall. That's why he had wanted out. Why he had wanted to get as far away as he could. Then the whole Sanchez problem surfaced and Bernard shamed him into staying. Saying that Danny's father would have expected him to stay and fight for what was rightfully his. If he had only stuck to his guns, he and Caitlyn would have been long gone by now.

Yet now, looking into Michelle's soft brown eyes, Danny wasn't sure if this wasn't where he was truly supposed to be.

Michelle wiped the tears from her cheeks but never removed herself from Danny's embrace. She enjoyed the closeness that he and she were sharing at the moment. It was a feeling that she never expected to feel.

"Are you all right," Danny asked as he stroked her hair once again.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about all of that," she returned, "It's just that even now I still have trouble dealing with it all. It's hard not to think of all the things or ways that it could have played out but didn't," she sighed.

"I know," Danny said with a heavy heart in complete agreement with Michelle's words. "But you have to know that what happened to your parents.......," Danny's voice trailed not sure of what he was about to say. Since he knew that if the tables were turned he wouldn't want to hear that it wasn't his fault...that nothing he could have done would have changed the out come.

"It's okay, you don't have to go there. I know the drill," Michelle replied letting Danny off the hook he had put himself on, "I've been through this so many times with Kathy. I guess deep down inside somewhere I know that I'm not to blame but most of the time I have a difficult time finding the spot."

"Michelle." A voice called to them, "Are you out here?"

"Over here," she returned as Becky came into view.

"Hey, Kathy said it's time for group. She expects you to be there."

"Wow, we have been out here for over two hours," Michelle commented looking down at her wrist. Their time together had sped past. "Tell Kathy we're on our way."

Michelle rose from her spot beside Danny. She missed his soft touch immediately. "Wait," he said reaching for her arm. "I want to tell you again....I'm really sorry about the other night. I shouldn't have slammed the door in your face."

"Danny, forget it. It's water under the bridge. It's forgotten really."

"Good, cause I want us to be friends. I really enjoy your company. I might actually make it here after all."

"You will Danny. I'm sure of it." Michelle kissed him gently on the cheek. As her lips made contact with his flesh, he felt his knees go weak beneath him. "We better hit it before Kathy comes looking for us herself."

"We sure as hell don't want that!" Danny said half joking half serious.

Kirk watched as the pair walked up the path hand and hand. He didn't know what was in store yet but he had a plan all his own forming. One he hoped that would be listened to. It would bring Danny Santos to his knees. The vibration of his beeper startled him. He looked down at the text message. It read......We need to talk. Meet me at 8:30 pm just beyond the gates........

"Looks like the show is about to begin," Kirk hissed.

Danny and Michelle walked into the room hand in hand. It was hard to miss the peaceful expression on both of their faces. Unfortunately, Kathy still had her reservations about it all. Danny Santos came with more baggage then Michelle could handle right now. But looking at the two of them together Kathy was unable to deny that they were good for each other.

"Okay, everyone settle down. It's time we got started," Kathy motioned for the room to quiet.

Danny and Michelle found two open seats as Kathy began to take roll. Unlike the first time Danny had been in this room, he was completely relaxed. He reveled in Michelle's closeness. If he breathed deep enough he caught the faintest scent of her. It was a combination of soap and vanilla. He resisted the urge to lean in closer to let the smell over take him.

"Danny Santos," Kathy's voice took him off guard.

"Here." He raised his hand to indicate his presence.

"Hey," Michelle leaned her head closer to his. The intoxicating smell was dizzying. He wasn't able to concentrate on her words, "You sure you are okay with this?" she asked recalling the last session they attended together.

"I'll be fine," Danny replied hoping it was true. "What about you?" he countered.

"It's time for me to sink or swim," she remarked.

"Couldn't you just float for a bit?" Danny laughed. The ease he felt with her was uncanny. In some ways it was like his relationship with Caitlyn yet in others it was even simpler. He didn't know if it was because they shared similar experiences both seeking an escape from the tragedy that had encompassed their lives. Perhaps it was that Danny had found someone who finally could see past his name. A person who hadn't cringed and cowered in fear when they heard the name Santos.

As much as he hated to admit it, Caitlyn's first reaction had been to run. Run hard and fast away from him. It took some time and a great deal of effort on his part but he had won her over. It had been her who had made him see the life he led wasn't a life at all. For her he had been willing to walk away from the only existence he had ever known. He had been thinking about it long before he had ever met Caitlyn. He had let himself be thrust into his father's position at such a young age that Danny hadn't known any better. Bernard had laid all the ground work for Danny to be a force to be reckoned with yet now he had grown tired of the power struggles and the violence that was behind every door. Caitlyn had just been the catalyst to get it all started.

Michelle Bauer was different though. In all the times that his name had been bantered about she had never once shied away from him. If anything she had done the exact opposite. She continued forward when any sane person would have said to hell with it.

Michelle's voice pulled him back to the present.

"Even if you think that you have your addiction beat....it comes around to bite you in the ass now and again. Believe me, I have first hand experience on the subject," her smile was met with a chorus of laughs from the group.

Danny sat quietly listening as Michelle spoke. The start of her story had been more of the same things that they had just talked about. How even as a child, she hung on the praise that her parents doled out. How she hated to see disappointment in their eyes. As she grew older that feeling extended to all those around her. Michelle felt compelled to be all things to all people. As unrealistic as that was, it only served to feed her own feelings of inadequacy. So in all actuality it was a vicious cycle that she herself perpetuated. Each failed attempt at one thing or another sent her plunging further and further into an abyss of collapse. The final straw was the night that her mother and father were killed by a drunk driver.

Danny now heard what earlier she was unable to speak. He cradled her hand in his. Giving her the silent support she needed to continue. He listened as she described having to identify her parents bodies. How the guilt destroyed what little self worth that she had left. Guilt for letting her parents down her entire life and more importantly the guilt she carried for their deaths.

That night she had been so involved with pledging a sorority.....trying to be the perfect pledge. Doing all she could to score points with her further sisters that she completely forgot about the time.

"If I would have just come home. If I had only left when I was supposed to......my parents would have been on their way to dinner well before the asshole who killed them," Michelle cried.

Kathy looked on as Danny cradled Michelle in his arms. Previous innuendoes regarding Danny Santos were quickly becoming a distant memory. For the first time in months, Michelle had actually gotten through the entire experience. Up until now, she had only been able to discuss it one on one. The was no denying that he had had something to do with that.

"Michelle?" Kathy questioned, "Do you want to go on?"

She shook her head indicating that at the moment she couldn't. Kathy understood and didn't force the issue. What she had just witnessed was more then enough for her.

"Hey," Danny whispered raising Michelle's eyes to meet his, "You did great. I am really proud of you." He hadn't a clue where the words were coming from. It was as if some outside force was furnishing him with the correct things to say.

Michelle melted into Danny's chest listening as the others in the room told their sorted stories. Her body may have been in that room with the rest of them but her mind on the other hand was definitely somewhere else.

It wandered to each and every time that she and Danny had come into contact with one another. How that she felt electrified at his very presence. That his touch sent ripples through her body just like a stone breaking the surface of the water. She licked her lips recalling how his had crushed hers just last night. The more she thought about it the harder it was to contain the passion welling in her inner most core. Even now the absent way that Danny stroked her bare arm caused her to shudder.

Michelle shifted uneasy in her chair. Not wanting to move away from him, yet knowing that if she didn't she wouldn't be responsible for what her body was about to reveal.

The bell sounded for dinner. She was thankful for the disturbance. It forced her to get a grip on her emotions.

"Well....looks like that's a wrap for today. Great session all of you," Kathy said pointedly directing her comment at Michelle. Kathy prayed that this would be Michelle's last go 'round here. That this time she would conquer all the monsters that plagued her, "Same time tomorrow. I expect to see you all again."

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" Danny asked as if he was actually able to take her to dinner. He still found it quite bizarre that he was unable to leave this place but now he was beginning not to mind it.

"Yeah, I'd like that," she smiled.

"Michelle," Kirk Maxwell leered before her, "I have something for you...."

Kirk stood outside the room again leering at the pair. His eyes fixated on them. The wheels in his head spinning. The plan that was taking shape there was one of grand scale.

Initially, he was to dispose of the problem. That would have been way too easy and much less fun then what he was concocting now. Kirk was hoping that he would receive carte blache to do as he wished. Certain in the fact that he would be rewarded for a job well done.

He took the piece of paper meant for Michelle from his pocket. Derrick Lawson was still out there on the loose. The State boys hadn't been able to pick him up yet. Kirk couldn't help but laugh thinking how truly useless they were more times then not.

The group milled past Kirk as Kathy had just dismissed them. He patiently waited for Danny and Michelle to make their way towards him.

"Hey, Michelle," he said eyes traveling the length of her body. Danny had seen that look all too often. It was hard to miss the fact that Kirk Maxwell was undressing Michelle piece by piece as she stood before him. Instinctively, Danny pulled her in closer to him. "I have something for you," he presented the slip of paper to her. Danny grabbed it before she had the chance. Kirk stifled a laugh. Santos was falling hook line and sinker. This was way too easy Kirk thought.

"Danny," Michelle said wide-eyed at his abrupt reaction.

"Yeah, Santos.....," Kirk continued playing, "I believe that was for the lady."

It took all Danny's strength to hand the note back to her without first looking at it. How could he explain to Michelle his fears. Fears that had been ingrained him for so long now that Danny wasn't sure he would ever be free of them. Even if he did find a way to break free from the only life he had know.

"Thank you." Michelle unfolded the paper. The words jumped off the page at her. Her breath quickened with the very thought that Derrick was still lurking about.

"What......Michelle what's wrong?" Danny questioned sensing her alarm. Quickly he put his body between hers and Kirk's.

"They can't find Derrick......." the words caught in her throat.

"What?"

"Apparently Derrick never went back to his apartment. I have to call Officer Coury." Michelle walked towards the office in a trance. The anxiety came crashing down around her. The sheer sense of accomplishment that she possessed moments before was waning and fast.

Danny followed in toe as Michelle made her way to the office. Kathy was close behind. "Danny?" she asked knowing the Michelle wasn't right. The blank expression that Kathy saw was a sign that Michelle was anything but fine. "What's going on?"

"I don't really know the whole story. Apparently, they can't find Derrick."

"Great!" Kathy spat.

"I don't really know more than that. It was like the minute she thought Derrick was on the loose she shut down."

Kathy couldn't miss the anguish she heard in Danny's voice, "Okay, let me see what I can find out."

"Hey," Danny grabbed for Kathy's blazer, "I know you don't like me much, but we have something in common."

"That being?" Kathy said playing the fool.

"We both care what happens to Michelle." Danny's overt omission of his feelings sent his heart racing. He didn't know if he could turn back now, "Truce?" he asked.

"For Michelle.....okay truce," Kathy wasn't about to let on to Danny that she had already decided that he wasn't the bad guy she had originally penned him to be.

They both entered the room to catch the tail end of Michelle's conversation, "I see.......so you are still looking for him then........I gave you every place I can think of.........no, we haven't hung out in a while...........no, I really couldn't say," Michelle returned frustrated by the barrage of questions, "Okay.....I understand....yes, I will......I will see if I can stay with a friend tonight........thank you officer Coury......yes, I will wait to hear from you."

Michelle sighed replacing the receiver in its cradle. Danny watched as her body language spelled defeat. That somehow Derrick Lawson had been successful in harming her again without even touching her.

"Michelle?" Danny's voice called to her. "What......what's happening?"

"They can't find him," she whispered, "They don't want me to go home. They think that maybe he will be waiting for me......"

"What the hell are they doing then?" Danny spat

"Kathy, can I stay with you tonight?" Michelle continued on with her train of thought.

"Of course." Kathy came forward putting her arms around Michelle. Giving her the support that she certainly needed.

Danny paced before the counter calling upon all his sources. Sources he knew would be able to find Derrick Lawson in places the police wouldn't dare look.

"Can I use your office to make a call?" Danny asked yet walked towards Kathy's door without waiting for an answer.

"Sure." It was hard to miss the hardness that had taken Danny over. His features were chiseled with anger. A part of Kathy wanted to ask who he was calling but a bigger part of her didn't care to know. She only wanted to keep Michelle safe. However Danny Santos chose to do that she didn't actually care.