The room was warm as the sunlight came in from the large windows. Michelle walked into the living room and breathed deeply. The air felt so much lighter than the last time she had been in the cabin. Somehow something had lifted off the roof and made the whole place more peaceful. Maybe it was simply in Michelle's mind or maybe it was only the fact that this place had revealed so much to them that really changed the way she looked at it.

Michelle remembered clearly the last three days. They were all just begining to grasp everything that happened to them. Tammy and RJ had joined them in Paris. The fact that she almost never saw them again had scared Cassie out of her mind. Harley had brought them to Paris as she and Phillip stayed at a hotel. Jason, none to stay in hospitals too long, was out in the french society once again. It was a strange feeling actually. While in other circumstances each and everyone of them would have been eagerly waiting the day they would return home, this time they felt a certain need to stay a little longer.

With the discovery of Faison's death, Carmen and Stephano's ally, and the arrest of Carmen, Stephano and Sheila, pieces of the puzzle began to finally fit together. And they were not the only thing fitting together nicely. Friendships had been built, some had been rekindled, love had been lost and found, and mostly trust had bonded them together. Nikky and Lucky had been the most eager ones to return to their respective homes. They had left the first day. While Billy and Mac had realized that their own homes were not all that bad after all. Michelle could still picture their parents coming into the ER in such a panic. She also remembered the look of relief on their faces as they saw their children were alright, then the look on billy's mom's face when she saw Billy and Mac kissing. Michelle smiled in amusement at the thought. Jill abbot seemed so stunned and angry for about 5 minutes. it was priceless.

Cassie came into the room and joined Michelle on the large couch. Cassie sighed a little sigh and then smiled.

"RJ's down for a nap and Tammy's charming your husband. I'd keep an eye on her if I were you." she said as Michelle burst into laughter.

"Where's Jason?" Michelle asked a little hesitant.

"He's outside..." she answered with a little regret in her voice.

"I understand why you did this Cassie. You were afraid for your children's safety and it's perfectly normal. You don't have to feel bad...." Michelle said in a reassuring voice.

"I know...i mean don't get me wrong. I'm extremely attracted to Jason Morgan. Obviously..." she says as Michelle smiles. "His life is in Port Charles and mine in Springfield and we have very different lifestyles...we just agreed to be friends. It wouldn't work out. He's life..." Cassie started looking for the right words to chose.

"Like...a mobster?" Michelle laughed.

"Well that's a way to put it..." Cassie laughed as well.

"I'm sorry..." Michelle added.

"Don't be. It was a mutual decision...." she said.

"You certainly would have had beautiful children with a guy like that, that's for sure!" Michelle laughed as Cassie threw her a pillow that was lying on the floor.

The two of them started laughing and Greta walked into the room.

"Talking of romances and gorgeous guys.....where's romeo?" Cassie asked as Greta blushed a little and sat down before them.

"He's outside turning your daughter into his new favorite model." Greta smiled looking at Cassie.

The girls chatted about Eric's job offer in Genoa City and Greta told them that he was seriously considering it.

"He's likely to accept it. And you'll never guess who are being asked to be his main models?" Greta asked as Cassie and Michelle looked at each other completely clueless.

"Billy and Mac." she answered for them. "Eric only had their pictures to show the Abbots and they were very pleased with what they saw." she added.

"That's great. So I guess you guys will be moving in together to Genoa City then..." Michelle suggested.

"Well, we are thinking about it.....but....as for moving in together....that's another story. at least we'll be closer to Springfield." Greta answered.

Cassie and Michelle then looked at each other and exchanged a mischievious grin.

"So you two are getting serious..." Cassie teased and Greta threw her the pillow, laughing.

"what goes around comes around...." Michelle teased as Cassie grabbed it as it was still flying.

"Hey what about who locked you up in the shed? who was that?" Greta asked suddenly serious.

Michelle and Cassie looked at each other, without exactly knowing what to answer.

"I don't know....I don't think it was Carmen's men. She would want us as far away as this shed as she could so that can't be here...." Michelle replied.

She had no real answer but she had her own idea about the events. She and Cassie were probably thinking the same thing as they both looked outside at the shed. Cassie smiled.

"I just think that your father and your mother are in peace now...." Michelle replied.

At that very moment, Eric burst into the room with his camera in hand. He took a quick snap shot of the three girls who immediately protested.

"Hey hey hey...." Eric exclaimed. "We had a deal right? Remember?" he added waving his camera in the air.

"Deal?" Cassie asked confused as she gave Greta and Michelle a look.

"Oh no you didn't!" Michelle exclaimed in disbelief. "there is no way you're going to make me believe that my hisband is in sweat pants." Michelle added with a laugh.

Danny came running down the stairs with Jason not very far behind with Tammy. The three girls stared at him with open mouth as though they were looking at a ghost.

"Danny??" Greta managed to say.

"Honey? What are you doing?" Michelle said getting up and meeting him in the middle of the room. Danny was standing, in a pair of grey sweat pants, looking at the group of friends.

"We made a deal now...."Eric smiled.

After a few minutes of protest, Michelle and Greta agreed to live to their ends of the deal, but at one other condition. Their eyes slowly turned towards Cassie who was still sitting on the couch.

"Oh no! Not me! I'm bruised and weak..." she said in her defence. 

"Oh I'm bruised as well...." Michelle said pointing to the small bruise on her forehead.

They dragged Cassie off of the couch and the girls headed in the corridor. The guys stayed in the living room a little as Eric and Danny shared a laugh.

"Thanks bro..." Eric said as he and Danny shook hands. 

"no problem....this is going to be fun and I want doubles!" he replied with a huge grin.

"Don't forget me..." Jason replied. "As long as you don't photograph me I'll be fine." he laughed.

All of a sudden all the lights went out and and the three guys looked at each other in panic and then confusion. there was not a sound in the cabin as they slowly walked into the corridor, calling the girl's names. 

Eric couldn't see much in the corridor as he went in first. then he felt something grab him by the shoulders and he couldn't help to let out a loud noise. Everyone jumped in shock and the lights came on again with Cassie, Michelle and Greta bursting into laughter.

"Gotcha." Greta laughed.

"How does it feel to be the one screaming like a baby?" Cassie also added laughing.

"That's your turn to be scared...." Michelle grinned as the three girls walked passed them and went into the backyard with Tammy who could not stop laughing.

It was so refreshing to smile again. Michelle had almost forgotten how good it felt to just have fun and be with Danny and her friends. There was a strange feeling as they stood before Eric's camera at first. they didn't really know how to act until they began fooling around and dragging Danny and Jason into the picture. Tragedy had hit them, Greta had gained a brother and a sister, Pilar had lost a father once again, people's lives had been turned upside down but one thing remained. They were still there, smiling to life and enjoying it, perfectly knowing now how fragile it could be. Sounds of laughter resounded in the backyard as Tammy wrapped her arms around Cassie's neck and gave her a huge kiss on the cheek. 

Michelle and Cassie dragged Jason by the arms and made him sit before the camera, against his resistance. Then Michelle moved closer to Danny, who smiled at her with all the love in his heart. She wrapped her arms around his neck and as Eric watched with a smile, of course snapping the cute couple, Danny brought his lips to Michelle's.

"Immortalized in history." he laughed as Danny and Michelle turned around and burst into laughter.

It would be hard to leave the place, just as it would be hard to come back. So much memories were held here....and so much unanswered secrets...but somehow, what they had found was much greater than what they hadn't. And they rightly knew so....