"Call, Danny, Call" Michelle said to the silent phone. She had been waiting by the phone all afternoon. She was hoping he would call her to tell her about the funeral arrangements. She needed him to call her so she could tell him about Dietz.
Elizabeth had been surprised when Michelle had recognized Dietz. She had shown Michelle all of the personal effects that he had had on him at the time of his arrival. He hadn't had a wallet or an form of identification on him, that was why he had been labeled a John Doe and so far, to Elizabeth's knowledge, no one had called about this John Doe.
Michelle told Elizabeth how she had known Dietz. Elizabeth had turned a little pale when she was told she he had done for a living.
Elizabeth had said that Dietz was still in extremely critical condition and couldn't be upset. She had been putting off a policeman who had called earlier today wanting to see her John Doe. That was what Elizabeth had been calling him, her John Doe. Elizabeth usually didn't get attached to her patients for obvious reasons, but this one had touched her somehow. Elizabeth had said that he had had such a lost look about him. Elizabeth said she would find it very hard to believe that that sweet, gentle looking face could wear the mask of a cold blooded killer but Michelle assured her that it did.
Elizabeth was going to let Frank Cooper see her John Doe later today. She had said she hoped she didn't find out anything was as bad as Michelle had told her. She had wanted to think of him as a patient that needed her. Michelle could tell that Elizabeth had form an unusual attachment to Dietz although she knew it was not romantic. Many times patients imagined themselves in love with their nurses because they had been so important to them during their recovery and on the same token nurses felt an attachment to patients who tugged on their heartstrings, as Dietz had apparently done with Elizabeth.
She had felt that way about Lewis. Since his father never came to visit him, Michelle had become his lifeline. She didn't think Elizabeth had the hots for Dietz or anything. She was in love with Paul and besides, she probably would have to deal with this SJ person.
Elizabeth had called the number on the scrap of paper, but no one had answered, however, she was able to leave a message and asked her to call the hospital.
Was Danny ever going to call tonite??? Michelle was getting very antsy. She had to tell him tonight. As if thinking about him could conjure him up, the phone rang.
"Bauer residence, this is Michelle" she said with anticipation.
"Hey Michelle" Danny said.
She actually felt her legs turn to jelly. "Hi" she said.
"Are you going to be home tonight?" Danny asked.
"Yes, I will. Rick and Abby have a function at the hospital to go to. Some kind of fund raiser" she said.
"Good, I'm coming over. We have to talk" he said with a serious tone.
"Okay, When can you be here?" she said.
"I am about two hours away. I will come straight there. See you soon" he said.
"Okay" she said "See you then"
"Michelle" he called before she could hang up the phone.
"Yeah Danny" she said.
"I'm really glad you were there for me last night" he said.
"I'm glad I could be there for you Danny. I will see you in two hours" she said and hung up the phone. She was giddy. Danny was coming there and he didn't sound mad that she had come to me without asking. He had said he was glad.
Two hours. She had plenty of time before he arrived. Rick had called and asked her to pick up his tuxedo at the cleaners so he could wear it tonight. She had time for a nap also. She was very tired. She had made the four hour trip to New York late last night, stayed with Danny for almost two hours, and was gone by six this morning to make the four hour drive back to Springfield. To top it all off, she had to report to the hospital early to report to Elizabeth.
Oh well, she thought to herself, better get used to not having much sleep since the hardest part of her journey into becoming a doctor was still before her.
She got her keys and went to her car. She could be back in thirty minutes. Plenty of time to sleep for an hour or so before Danny got here. She didn't want to greet him with big, black circles under her eyes.
She had pulled out of the driveway completely oblivious to the dark Chevrolet that pulled in right behind her and began to follow her down the street.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michelle couldn't believe it. Thirty bucks to dry clean a tux. You could just about rent one for that. Rick thought her cleaning bill was outrageous. She stepped off the curb to put the tux in on the other side of the car.
She heard tires screech and she turned her head to see if there was going to be a collision. She turned just in time to see a car barreling straight for her.
She caught her heel in a crack in the pavement and went flying right into the path of the oncoming car. She struggled to get up. Suddenly, at the last moment, the other car changed directions and avoided hitting her. It had looked like it were trying to hit her and then changed its mind.
She had been helpless there in the street. If the driver had wanted to, he could have hit her and gotten away with it. she got in her car to drive but realized her hands were shaking too badly. They were also bleeding and discovered that the same stinging sensation was coming from her knees. She looked down to examine her knees and realized her dress had been torn and there was a huge blood stain forming on the dress from her skinned knee.
Those injuries seemed to be all there were and thankfully they were minor.. Now she would have to shower and she could forget her nap. He head was beginning to hurt also.
She looked in the mirror and realized she must have hit her head too if the big lump that was already turning an ugly shade of purple was any indication.
She had no Tylenol with her so she would have to tough it out until she got home. She took a few minutes to compose herself and then began her journey home. Man, she thought to herself, what an incredible 24 hours this had been and it would have been funny if it had been happening to anyone else.
She pulled onto her street and saw a strange car in her driveway. The incident in front of the cleaners had totally spooked her. She decided to drive on by her house since no one was home. She saw someone standing by the car. Danny? Now she recognized the car from the hotel. She pulled in behind him and he walked to the car to greet her.
He opened the door for her and saw her disheveled appearance. His face turned white. What happened? he asked in a barely audible voice.
Michelle told him all about her near miss in front of the dry cleaners and all of the details of the incident.
"Oh God" Danny said. That car had been sent as a message. He had been certain of that the second she described how the car could have run over her but didn't.
It had to be Carmen. There was no other explanation.
Damn, Michelle was in danger. Carmen was sending her message loud and clear. She wasn't going to honor their bargain. She thought he was stupid and would blame a rival family but he knew. He knew as sure as he knew his name that it was her.
Worse yet, it meant that they couldn't be together yet. If Danny admitted to Michelle that he loved her he could be putting her in danger. He had to wait until he nailed Carmen.
Suddenly just taking over the business and turning it legit wasn't enough. He wanted her to spend her life in jail. She had done some detestable things and an appropriate punishment would be to separate her from the people she "loved". She had decided to bring Michelle into this and when she did, she had taken Danny Santos on as an enemy and God help her now. He was the only who could.
He put his arm around her to steady her and said "Come on Michelle. Lets go inside. We need to talk"