Disclaimer: I do not own these characters
The next morning, as Michelle walked downstairs get a cup of coffee, she heard Danny stirring around in his room. She peeked through the slightly cracked door and saw him getting dressed. She watched him as he pulled on a tee shirt and pulled up his black jeans. He was such a beautiful man. She could not take her eyes off him.
He turned around and saw her in the doorway. She was already showered and dressed. �How long have you been standing there?� he asked.
Michelle blushed a little and said, �Oh, not long enough.�
�You�re up early,� he said.
�Well, Abby and I are going shopping today, to get some things for the annual Bauer Barbecue on the fourth of July. Besides, you�re the one who�s up earlier than usual.�
�I have some things to take care of.�
�What?�
�You�ll just have to wait and see,� he said with a smile.
Michelle could tell that the vibrancy she once saw in him was coming back. She smiled at him and nodded, as if to say to him that she would wait for his surprise.
�Speaking of the barbecue,� Michelle said, �it�s only a week away, and I hope you�ll feel like coming for a while. If you don�t, though, I�ll understand.�
�Michelle, I wouldn�t miss it for the world,� Danny said.
�Really? I figured our annual barbecue would be the kind of thing you�d avoid like the plague.�
�If it�s important to you, Michelle, it�s important to me. And, it will be nice to be a part of a real family celebration, for the first time.�
She knew what he meant. His childhood had not been filled with happy memories of family get-togethers and parties. He had been deprived the joys that every child should have.
Michelle and Abby left soon after, and Danny headed downstairs. Rick was there, at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of coffee. When he saw Danny come into the room, he pointed out the fresh coffee and invited Danny to join him.
Danny sat down at the table and said, �It�s time you and I cleared the air, Rick. I really don�t want there to be anymore tension between us.�
�Look Danny, it�s no secret that I didn�t encourage this relationship between you and my sister, and I still don�t like the danger you put her in or the turmoil you brought into her life. But, what you did, well,� his voice breaking, �I can�t begin to show you my gratitude. I�m sorry if I�ve been ungrateful to you, but I want thank you for saving her life.�
�Like I told Michelle, I�d do anything to protect her.�
�I know that, and I believe you. I�m not saying we�re going to be best buddies right off the bat, that will take some time, but I know that Michelle loves you, and I�m beginning to see why.�
�It�s important to her that you approve of us. And it�s important to me, too.�
Rick looked at Danny and realized that this man did truly and honorably love his sister, and even though he still had trouble with their relationship, he wasn�t going to stand in the way of that love. Michelle deserved Danny�s love.
�You just make my sister happy, and I will approve,� Rick said with a smile.
After his conversation with Rick, Danny got in his car, and headed across town. It felt good to be out, driving around, not on some kind of mission for Carmen. He felt like a normal human being, for the first time. He was going where he wanted to go, doing what he wanted to do, and there was no one standing in his way. Even Rick had given his blessing, albeit tentative. Finally, there was nothing blocking the way of his dream of a life with Michelle.
Danny pulled the car into the parking lot of Ross Marler�s office. �Now it�s time to take care of the next step,� he thought, as he shut the car door and walked into Ross�s office.
�***********************************
It was July 3, and Rick, Abby, and Michelle were busy with preparations for the Bauer Barbecue. Danny had been gone all morning, working on whatever it was he wouldn�t tell Michelle about. When he�d left this morning, he told Michelle that all his secrets would be revealed tonight. She was as giddy as a teen-ager, wondering what Danny had in store.
Later that afternoon, Danny arrived back at the Bauer house. He found Michelle asleep on the sofa, and no one else in the house. She looked so beautiful and peaceful when she slept, he almost hated to wake her, but he was anxious for their evening together to begin.
�Mrs. Santos,� Danny whispered in her ear, along with a soft kiss.
Michelle opened her eyes, and looked up at him. �Danny, hi. When did you get back?�
�Just now, and I have a very important question to ask you.�
�What?�
�Would you go on a date with me tonight?�
Michelle smiled with excitement. �Of course, Mr. Santos.�
Thirty minutes later, Danny was seated on the sofa as Michelle came down the stairs. She looked magnificent in her short khaki skirt and red tank top. She was a vision of an angel, his angel, Danny thought.
�I�m ready,� she said.
Danny kissed her, and hand in hand they walked to the car.
He drove her to the beach, and when they got out of the car, he pulled a picnic basket from the trunk.
�You made us a picnic?� Michelle asked.
�Sort of. Actually, Buzz put it together for me, but the idea was all mine,� Danny said coyly.
They chose a remote spot for their picnic dinner. For a long time, they sat next to each other and watched the birds fly out over the water. When the sun began to set, they laid down and held each other as they watched the light melt into the water.
�Danny, tonight has been wonderful,� Michelle said. �Thank you so much.�
�It�s not over yet, Michelle,� Danny said. �I have something important to tell you.�
�What is it Danny,� Michelle said with concern.
�Don�t worry, it�s good news,� Danny said. �I�ve been talking with Ross Marler this past week. I told him the circumstances under which my mother had our marriage dissolved. When I told him that she did so without my knowledge or yours, he told me that he could reverse the decision. He talked with a judge yesterday who agreed. So Michelle, you and I are still husband and wife.�
Michelle could not believe it. �Danny, I don�t know what to say.�
�I hope you�re not unhappy that I did this. But if you are, we can still file the original annulment papers.�
�No!� Michelle exclaimed. �I�m definitely happy about this. It�s just that I never imagined that we could overturn what happened. Danny, we�re still married! I�m still your wife!�
�I never thought of you as anything else, Michelle.�
�Neither did I. In my heart you were always my husband.�
�I have something else for you,� Danny said as he packed up the picnic basket. �Let�s go.�
They walked along the beach until they came to the lighthouse. Michelle wondered what Danny was up to.
It didn�t take her long to figure it out, once they stepped inside, and Danny turned on the light. The place had been totally re-decorated. The walls were painted a soft blue, and the hard wood floors had been re-finished. Off-white venetian blinds covered the windows, and brass floor lamps lit the room. Danny had filled the room with flowers � white roses to be exact. And then she saw it. She couldn�t believe her eyes. Danny had replaced the bed that had been there before with a beautiful brass bed. The headboard looked like two hearts, intertwined. She was neither surprised nor upset that he�d purchased a new bed. After all, the bed that was there was from her past, with Jesse. Yes, she and Danny had spent one night there, just holding each other, but this new bed represented the new beginning that they had been given, the new start they were making.
�Oh Danny,� Michelle said as she began to cry. �This is so amazing. I can�t believe that you did this.�
Danny took her in his arms and said, �My love, I wanted to do something to show you how incredibly happy I am that we can finally be together. I don�t deserve your love, Michelle, but I�m so glad that you�ve given it to me. Believe me, this is just the first of many ways I want to show you how much I love you.�
When he leaned down to kiss her, he felt her knees give way, as she realized what was about to happen. After months of being kept apart, they were finally going to be together, as husband and wife.
They made their way to the bed, which was complete with blue satin linens, never taking their hands off each other. The bed enveloped them like a warm fire, and Michelle felt the rest of the world slipping away.
�Danny,� she said breathlessly, as he dropped her tank top to the floor, �I�ve wanted you for so long. I love you so much.�
As the last of their clothing made it�s way to the floor, Danny whispered back, �I love you, too, baby, and I will for the rest of my life.�
Danny was overcome by the emotions that flooded him as he felt Michelle�s body against him. He felt guilt for all that had hurt her and come between them, anger at what his mother had put her through, but most of all he felt love, more love than he�d ever known. The love had been there from the beginning, but this physical manifestation of it was more intense than he�d ever dreamed. Before Michelle, it had only been sex, but this was different. This was the highest form of commitment and intimacy.
Michelle was also overcome by her emotions. She had loved Jesse, and he had been good to her, but this was so much more. Not only the physical pleasure, but the emotional connection. It was as if they had reached another level of the human experience. Their love had taken her places she never dreamed.
As their bodies slowly and gently became one, they felt as though they were flying. This was the way humans were meant to experience love � just like this. Their bodies were a perfect fit, and they moved together as if they�d always known what to do.
The tender kisses and soft whispers gave way to a frenzied explosion of emotion and physical pleasure. Their breathing heavy and their skin sweaty, Danny and Michelle looked at each other, and knew that this love they shared was meant to last forever.
�Are you alright?� Danny asked. He was always concerned for her.
�I�m so much more than alright, Danny. I�m finally complete. I finally know who I am and where I belong. I know why I was put on this earth,� Michelle said, still breathless from their love-making.
�I know,� Danny said. �I know exactly what you mean.�
They spent the night in the lighthouse, the place that would become their home. In the morning, as they woke up next to each other, they knew that their dreams were just beginning.
But Danny had one more surprise for Michelle.
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