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Disclaimer: I don�t own these characters.
Danny and Michelle were emotionally and physically drained after Frank left her hospital room. Their exchange with Detective Cooper might as well have been electrically charged. Danny paced the floor, regularly waving his arms in the air, and asking the rhetorical question "Why?".
Michelle sat on the edge of her bed, breathing heavily as she watched her husband suffer indescribable pain. They recounted not only the events of that day, which had led to the loss of their baby, but also the events of Danny�s life, that had finally been revealed to him, thanks to Ray and Phillip.
When Frank walked out of the room, he was equipped with enough information to make sure Carmen Santos never saw the light of day again. Dietz, for his part in everything, would pay, as well, but Frank was hopeful that because Dietz was merely Carmen�s pawn, he would turn state�s evidence, and agree to testify against her, and in return, receive a somewhat lighter punishment. The list of charges that would be brought against Carmen was so vast that not even Ben Warren would be able fix things for her.
Michelle got out of bed and stood up. Danny tried to convince her to rest, but she said that was impossible. She walked to the closet and discovered that Danny had brought her suitcase to the room. She carefully placed in on the bed, and began fumbling through it, finally removing a pair of chinos and a grey tee shirt.
"What in the world are you doing, Michelle?" Danny asked.
"I�m getting dressed," Michelle said matter-of-factly.
"You�re not being released until tomorrow morning," Danny countered.
"I know that," Michelle answered. "But I detest hospital gowns, and I�m not going to walk down the hall wearing this ugly thing."
"Where are you planning on walking?" he asked.
"You have someone to see, and some very important things to talk about, and I�m not about to let you go through that alone," Michelle said.
Danny was so exhausted after talking with Frank that he could not figure out what Michelle was talking about. He just looked at her with questioning eyes.
Michelle pulled on her tee shirt walked over to Danny, taking slow, short steps. She was still a bit weak from the medication.
She grasped Danny�s hands with hers, and looked up at him. "Today we lost our baby, and you lost a mother that you never even knew," she said. "But this day has not just been about losses, because you�ve found your brother, Danny. Ray is your brother."
He hadn�t even realized it. Until this moment, reality had not set in. He had been so angry and hurt that all he�d thought about was making sure that Carmen paid for what she�d done. The truth about what this meant for him and for Ray had not dawned on him until Michelle pointed it out.
"I have to go to him," he said.
"I know," Michelle said. "I�ll be right beside you."
Hand in hand, they slowly made their way to Ray�s room. Ray was sleeping when they walked in.
Danny sat down in a chair next to Ray�s bed. Michelle stood behind him, with her hands on his shoulders, a symbol of her support.
Danny looked at Ray, now understanding why the two of them had always been so close. Finally knowing why they shared such a tremendous bond.
"My brother," Danny said, as tears rolled down his face. "My brother."
Michelle�s heart was both broken and overjoyed by what she was witnessing. Danny and Ray had been robbed of their mother, and of each other, for so long, but finally, they were free. After all the years and all the lies, these two could be what they were meant to be - brothers.
Danny closed his eyes and leaned his head back gently on Michelle. The emotion of the day was beginning to get the better of him.
Just then Ray�s eyes fluttered open, and Michelle watched as he moved his hand on top of Danny�s.
Danny�s head shot up and he looked at Ray, in time to see him mouth the word, "Brother."