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It took her a moment to realize that she hadn�t been shot. She opened her eyes and saw Carmen lying motionless on the floor in front of her, in a puddle of blood. Carmen was dead? What happened? She couldn�t think. She turned around to look behind her, still afraid that her life was about to end. She saw Danny standing there, in the doorway. His arm hung limply at his side, a pistol in his hand. �Danny,� she sobbed. �Danny you saved my life.� In an instant he was at her side. He put his arms around her and cried. �I�m so sorry Michelle. Sorry for everything.� Michelle cradled him in her arms.
The days and weeks of grieving were not easy for anyone, especially Danny. Michelle stood at his side during the funeral, keenly aware that although their dream to be together could now be realized, Danny was mourning a mother that he had loved. He had taken her life to save Michelle�s. She had now been the catalyst for the deaths of two people Danny loved. Sure, there lifestyle choices had been the ultimate cause, but she felt responsible nonetheless.
Without the leadership of Carmen, the Santos family business came to a screeching halt and eventually ceased to exist. There was no one to lie and cheat or order anyone else to do so. Danny certainly wasn�t going to. Dietz went to work for a rival family. Pilar went to Spain, and Bill went with her. She hadn�t yet come to terms with the truth about her family when she was forced to bury her mother. She would eventually forgive Danny, she had said, but for now she needed to put some distance between herself and all the tragedy.
Michelle and Danny stayed in the Bauer house during those weeks. Danny slept in the guest room, and Michelle in her own bedroom. Sometimes at night she�d wander to his room, climb in his bed, and hold him while he cried. For now their desire for each other was curbed by his grief. What he needed now was to be emotionally connected to another human being, the way he�d never been before. Michelle understood this and obliged in every way she could. Just as she had resolved to free him of Carmen, she now resolved to be exactly what he needed her to be as he mourned his mother.
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Carmen had been dead for almost three weeks, when late one night, Michelle crept down the hallway to Danny�s room. She climbed in bed with him, as she�d done so many nights before, but this time, instead of just inching closer to her, Danny turned on his side to face her. She saw light in his eyes, where there had been none, since that day at the Santos house. He kissed her gently, and she kissed back. It was the first time their lips had met since Carmen died.
Danny leaned up, and tenderly pushed her hair behind her ear, stroking her cheek along the way. �Michelle,� he said, �I can see a light at the end of this tunnel. I�m ready to move forward with our life.�
Michelle was ecstatic, to say the least, but surprised. She had expected this process to take much longer.
�I�m so glad to hear you say that, Danny,� she said.
Danny smiled that smile that had always touched her soul, and said, �You know, we never really talked about what happened.�
She knew that eventually this conversation would take place, but she had dreaded it nonetheless. �Danny, you have to know that I never wanted things to end this way. I never wanted it to come to this. I didn�t want Carmen dead. I just wanted you to be safe.�
�I know that Michelle, and I know you�ve been feeling pretty responsible for this, but you shouldn�t. Carmen brought everything on herself.�
�That�s easier for you to say, than it is for me to believe.�
�Well, believe it Michelle. And I want you to know something else. As lousy at it feels to have taken my mother�s life, I didn�t think twice about it when I walked in that room and saw her with a gun to your head. There was absolutely no hesitation, not even for a split second. I would do anything to protect you, Michelle. You will always come first with me.�
He saw the tears running down her cheeks, and sweetly kissed them away.
�I love you, Michelle,� he said. It was the first time he�d said those words to her.
She cupped his face in her hands and looked into his eyes and said, �I love you too, Danny. I have for a long time.�
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