Michelle felt her knees and her legs becoming so weak at the sight of Carmen's smile that she could barely stand. Danny had a serious look on his face as he was looking back and forth between Michelle and Carmen. Michelle knew Carmen way too well to believe Carmen's friendly behavior. Something was up and at the minute Carmen's laughter echoed in the room, Michelle suddenly tightened her grip on Danny's hand. Michelle instinctively stood up and back away a little as Carmen took the object out of her purse and pointed it right at Michelle.
"I believe this is for you" she said with a huge smile across her face.
Michelle took a long hard look at what Carmen had just put inches away from her face.
"Annulment papers........"Michelle read from the front page.
"Now you have nothing else to do here Michelle. You have nothing more to do in my family. I suggest you sign this before it is too late." Carmen said handing Michelle a pen.
"What....." Danny started but was cut off by his mother.
"Daniel you need your rest. Let me and Michelle handle this. After all, we will not be family for long. Let me savor the last moments I have with my daughter-in-law." Carmen said as she was putting her arms around Michelle's shoulder and taking her in the direction of the door.
"Wait mother......" Danny said sitting up. "What annulment papers?" Danny said in a more angry voice.
"Your annulment papers Daniel."
"I don't think I am in any condition to talk annulment papers or divorce or whatever it is you two are talking about. "Danny said struggling to get out of bed.
Danny walked to his Mother and Michelle and put his hands on his wife's shoulder. His wife. He had a wife. He didn't want any annulment papers.......especially not right now.
"Daniel, go back in bed. I will handle this myself" Carmen said, a bit annoyed and confused by her son's behavior.
"No mama."
"Are you telling me you want this .......Michelle Bauer to take care of you while you recover from this."Carmen asked outraged at his son's stubbornness.
"Santos!" Michelle shouted "You haven't made me sign those papers yet and until I do ........I am a Santos."
"You will never be a Santos."Carmen yelled at Michelle.
Danny's eyes fell upon the door and he saw that girl again. He went back and forth between Michelle and Carmen and then looked again as the girl nodded to him once more. After looking around a little she walked away from the door.
Danny immediately interrupted his Mother and Michelle.
"Yes mama! I want Michelle to take care of me! Stop barging in on my life! it is my life!"Danny yelled at his mother through his teeth.
At the sound of Danny's words Michelle felt a smile threatening to appear on her face. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but feel like she was once again with the old Danny. His tone and his words were perfectly the same as when Carmen had barged in their room before the wedding. The morning that Michelle had found Danny on the floor. He had jumped into bed with her and for once second it felt good. She now knew that this is where he should have been all this time. Carmen had just barged in like it was just another room in the house, regardless of whatever she and Danny could have been doing. Of course, Michelle realized that at the time, it would have been a miracle if they had been doing anything else than arguing. They had lost so much time doing that.
When Danny stood up to his mother just now, Michelle was surprised to almost see the real and old Danny she loved so much. For about five seconds he had come back to her.
But then she lost it. She lost that light in his eyes and he came back to his confused and uncertain look. Carmen held back her anger as she just stormed out of the room.
Outside, in the corridor, Carmen picked up her cellular phone and called Dietz. She had made her decision and this time around nothing, NOTHING was going to stop her.
"It's time..."Carmen said and she hung up the phone immediately.
Carmen headed to the elevator and Michelle came out of the room and purposely chose to take the stairs.
Once the corridor was almost empty, except from some nurses and a few patients, the young girl came out of hiding and headed towards Danny's door. She stopped just before entering and took out a cellular phone also and pushed some buttons. Her voice was clear yet not too loud. She sounded like a normal teen by the way she was speaking and by the word choices she was making. She was wearing her hair down and had the same items of clothing on that she had when Michelle first saw her.
"We have a problem." she said into the phone.
"No.....I will take care of it." she added before hanging up the phone and putting it back on the pocket of her baggy sweater.
She hesitated before turning the door knob. When she entered Danny was already starting to pack his things. He quickly turned around at the sound of the door.
"What......?!" he asked at the sight of the street wise teenager standing before him.
She carefully closed the door behind her and turned around to face Danny.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Setting: Lighthouse. Danny has been released from the hospital that same day.
Michelle is helping Danny on the bed. He looks so handsome Michelle thought to herself. Michelle shivered at every groan he was making because of the pain. Again, she was hurting him. She understood that this time was not exactly her fault. Danny had bruises everywhere it seemed by the way he was shaking at her every touch. She felt guilty and she didn't even know why. Had Danny really rushed back to Springfield for her? Was she in any danger? What the hell was Carmen planning now? All these questions floated in Michelle's head as she finished helping Danny sit on the bed. He took a long and silent look around the lighthouse before saying:
"Nice place....."
Michelle smiled at Danny's words. Apparently no matter in what state of mind he was his choice of words were all the same. She remembered Danny saying the same thing the first time he had come here. Back then she thought he was not giving it much credit with just those two simple words but by now she knew that Danny needed no words to describe the lighthouse. It had become as important to him as it was to her. Except he didn't remember that.
Michelle sat in a beside him on the bed and got the surprise of her life when Danny put his arms around her shoulder. She instinctively turned around to face him and hit his stomach in the process.
"Oh my God......I'm so sorry" Michelle said as she threw her hands in the air, as if she had no idea what to do with them.
"It's ok....."He said grabbing his stomach with one hand and trying to lay down with the other.
Michelle gets up and heads to the window. The sun has almost set and she can see on Danny's face that he is tired. Of course, he doesn't say a thing. He still has the same pride she thinks to herself with a smile. After that they talk for a while about silly things like who rebuilt the lighthouse......why she likes to come here so much......where did she study, how did they meet.......
Michelle doesn't really want to get into the sordid details about Mick so she leaves that out. She finds it hard not to just slide into bed with him and rest her head on his chest and just lie there forever. Instead she laughs at his silly jokes and he smiles at her funny faces. When the sun has completely set Michelle suggests he gets some rest. Danny agrees and for once he lets go of his pride.
Michelle softly puts the blanket on him and prepares to make herself a bed on the floor, when Danny surprises her with his words.
"What are you doing Michelle?" He asks watching her put blankets on the floor.
"Well I......." she then realizes that for Danny they are a married couple like any other.
In the dark, Danny's eyes are shiny and bright. She can see them so clearly from where she is standing and it takes every ounce of her being not to go over there and reach out to him.
"I am not going to let you sleep on the floor Michelle. Besides, we are married......sharing a bed is not a problem" he says with a smile.
Even though she can't clearly see his face, she knows he is smiling. With the time she has come to hear in his voice all the little different tone and emotion.
"I.....I...I wouldn't want to hurt you you know....."is all she finds to say to him.
"Don't be silly. You could never do that Michelle."he says in a lower and sexier voice.
He tosses himself to the left side of the bed and makes some space for her. Michelle hesitates, reminding herself of Danny's "I am a man" speech. "He doesn't know the feeling" she tells herself. He doesn't know how he felt lying beside her. He doesn't remember. And as much as it would have made her happy two months ago she felt tears threatening to fall at that thought. She slowly walks to the bed and slides under the sheets. She can hear Danny's breathing and his heart beating right beside her, and she wants him. She wants to be closer even if it is almost impossible. Her breathing intensifies when Danny moves around in the bed and leans closer to her ear to whisper her name.
"Michelle?" he says in the softest voice possible.
"Yes......"she answers turning around.
Danny is now lying on his back. Michelle tries to see his face in the dark but all she sees in the reflect of the moonlight are his eyes.
"I love you too." he whispers as he leans in to give her a soft and slow kiss on her right cheek.