"Oh," Brayden said, "well, bye."

"Bye," Michelle hurriedly replied, all but dashing out the door.

Michelle waited in panick for Mike, or Davy, to collect her and get to their next class.

Then halleluja, there was Mike!

He came inside, seeing why she wasn't waiting outside, and walked with her in close proximity

"Brayden; I shouldda known...." Mike muttered off.

"I ran into him in the library; I got out as fast as I could," Michelle replied, "where's Davy? I figured he'd be with us?"

"I dunno; I ain't seen him in awhile," Mike replied.

"Hmm...."Michelle said.

"Don't worry; he prob'ly met a girl," MIke assured her.

Even that didn't sound assuring to love-struck Michelle...

When she got to her classroom, Davy wasn't there.

Michelle was concerned, but didn't voice it.

When he didn't show up for class, at all, her worry grew, like the feeling you get when something foreshadowing happens; it grew more and more as silently as a cancer.

The bell rang and it scared her near out of her wits.

Micky quickly made his way to Michelle's room; somehow he could tell something wasn't right....

"Have you seen Davy?" Michelle asked him frantically.

"No, wasn't he here?" Micky wondered.

"No, he never showed up!" Michelle replied.

Micky stood there a moment, then said, "Let's go find Mike; he'll know what to do from here."

Michelle agreed, then on they went.

When they found Mike, they laid the question in on him....

"No, but I've been hearing somethin' about a "Little Fag" getting his butt kicked sometime today," Mike replied, suddenly putting two and two together.

Michelle's mouth fell open with horror, "What if..."

"No way, man!" Micky argued, "Davy would NEVER let anyone beat up on him and not fight back!"

"This calls for a search; look wherever he may be, or, where someone may beat somebody up...just in case," Mike nudged everyone along.

Mick headed for the restrooms in the Northern wing of the building; goodness he hoped

Davy WAS okay...

Mike headed toward the boys' locker rooms. He hadn't said as much as he'd heard all day due to the fact that Michelle was there; many things about a "British Midget" and a "Foreign Queer", and other countless, terrible names. Man, he hoped they weren't really Davy!

Michelle, meanwhile, went toward the courtyard; goodness knew if she found him bloody and knocked out, somebody'd be paying, big time!

"Hey Mike! Didja see that bigt fight earlier?" Jeff, one of Mike's friends asked as he came into the locker room.

"No; what was it?" Mike wondered.

"Oh, it was a buch of guys! Allen Britton, Danielle Madewell, Brayden Nicks, Kirby

Novac..." Jeff rattled off some other names, "oh, yeah, there was some new kids involved as well."

"Did you catch any of their names?" Mike asked.

"No; you wouldn't believe who one of 'em was," Jeff added.

"Where was the fight? How long ago?" Mike asked.

"Maybe about ten minutes ago in the..."

"Say huh?!" Micky demanded; a guy had come into the restroom talking about a big fight going down...

"Yeah! Oh man, Mick, it was too wild!" the guy replied.

"Really?! Oh man!" Micky moaned dreadfully, "What did you see?...Or hear?....Or whatever?"

The boy then hooted,"Boy, you wouldn't believe one of the people in there!..."

BACKTRACK: TEN MINUTES:

Michelle was getting into the courtyard when something suddenly caught here eye...

Through the other set of doors, a large crowd bursted. The many yells of "Fight! Fight!" and various other exclamations echoed around the rather large courtyard.

Among the huge crowd she saw a familiar face that was set with determination despite the fact that the taste of fear was fresh on his tongue....

Davy.

"Oh no!" Michelle whispered frantically to herself.

The next thing she saw was Davy being swallowed by the crowd....

She barreled, volleyed, and struggled her way through the large crowd....

Davy felt various blows to his stomach, shoulders, and groin; though he'd throw punches and kicks of his own they were meagre struggling tactics and useless against a crowd of this many...

Then he saw Michelle...

'Oh no!' he thought to himself, 'I don't want her to see this! To see ME like this! Oh no....'

This was making Michelle very angry....

Suddenly, she made a very daring move....

'What're you DOING, Michelle?!' Davy shrieked in his mind as Michelle jumped out in front of him, taking a kick that'd been meant for him....

It didn't hurt Michelle near as mush as it should have, for she was on a mission and wasn't gonna back down....

"Anyone else messes with him, they have to deal with ME first," she growled angrily.

The fighting, and battle cheers, ceased....

"Hey get lost, why dontcha?" one boy, who'd been fighting hard, said in an anoyed fashion.

Michelle stood her ground, "You heard me."

Others then began yelling and calling her names....

'Michelle, stay out of this!' Davy, who was still out of breath fron the kick in his groin, pleaded in his mind and heart.

"Either you can go on, or, if you continue, you'll have to deal with me," Michelle made where she stood known again.

The chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" began comming from the crowd once again....

Michelle managed to land a punch on a guy before Davy grabbed her sleeve to get her attention.

She turned to him and he gasped out, "Go...on; I-I'll b'fine."

"No," Michelle replied, "no one messes with my friends and gets away with it."

Before Davy could reply he got a sharp kick in the side.

Michelle saw the person that did it and seeked them out; when she found them, she kicked them hard in the groin and punched them in the face as they went down....

The sudden apppearance of the principal caused everyone to scatter....except for Davy, who was writhing in pain on the ground; and Michelle, who was standing protectively over him, having a few bruises of her own.

"And just WHAT is goin' on here?!" the principal, Andrew Eldridge, demanded.

Michelle's chest was heaving, a look of venom in her eyes; Davy's eyes heldterror and pain....

Micky and Mike got to the main hall-way at the same time....

"You! Did you hear?" Micky asked Mike.

"Heck yeah! Let's go check this out!" Mike replied, they heading for, where else....

The nurses station.

There she sat; she was now nursing the swollen cheek she'd gotten in the heat of the battle.

Poor Davy; she only had a few minor things wrong. He had severe stomach and several other various injuries.

The nurse was still checking him out...his results weren't gonna be good....

Suddenly she heard an ambulance...oh no....

"What all's wrong with him?" she asked the nurse that'd tended to them.

"I'm pretty sure he has a ruptured kidney," the nurse replied.

Michelle gasped, horrified, "Meaning?..."

"It means it'll have to be removed," the nurse replied, running for where the ambulance was pulling around.

Michelle stood frozen...

"Michelle!" a cry came from the other end of the hall, but she didn't even hear it....

Micky and Mike had spotted Michelle and called out her name as they ran her way.

She was standing as still as a stone statue; Micky latched onto her arm...

"What happened?! Are you CRAZY?! You couldda been hurt, or worse!" Mike exclaimed.

Michelle turned towarde him, sporting a bruised and swollen cheek, a black eye, and a bloody lower lip, "He got it way worse than I did," she replied, near to tears....

"Well, let's get on to the hospital; he'll probably wanna see you," Mike said quietly.

Micky and Michelle followed Mike, without reluctance, to his pickup and they headed for the hospital...

When they got there they asked the nurse at the main desk where Davy's waiting room was. She pointed and gave them directions, which they followed.

Upon reaching their destionation, they saw an older man and two teenage girls, along with a more grown-up young woman.

Figuring this was Davy's family they sat down quietly, as not to disturb them....

The girls were trying to comfort their father at this time; the older girl was the one that noticed their presence.

She approached them with a question in her eyes...

"Ahe you David's friends?" her English alto said softly.

"Yeah; d'ya happen to know how he is?" Mike asked her gently.

"B'sides 'is kidney an' a few othah things 'e's fairing alright," she then noticed Michelle's facial injuries, "ahe you th' gihl 'at defended David?"

Michelle was still so deep in her reveree she didn't comprehend a word the girl had just said...

"Yes she is," Mike replied for her.

"I only wish I could've been there sooner," Michelle added, finally comming back to earth.

"You wehe theah when 'e needed someone th' most; you kept a lot from 'appening t' 'im, ya know," the girl said as she kneeled in front of Michelle, "I'm 'is

sistah, 'Azel; 'e's th' only brothah I 'ave an' you saved 'im. Thank you."

She suddenly embraced Michelle and began to cry....

Michelle nervously patted Hazel's back and soon, she rose again...

"Sorry, I'm bein' a blubb'rin idiot," Hazel apologized.

Michelle shook her head to say she wasn't.

Suddenly the doctor came in...

"David is alright now; he needed a brace for his chest also because of his three cracked ribs."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they found out that there was nothing more serious than that.

"May we see 'im?" one of the younger girls, Linda, asked.

"Yes," the doctor replied, then turned to the other three, "only family is allowed right now; come back later."

Mike looked about ready to sock the doctor, but Micky and Michelle got him out of there before he had a chance to do anything stupid.

All-consuming pain was what Davy felt right then; everywhere....his pain numbed every part of him.

Loud screams....

Why was everyone screaming?! Couldn't they see that he was in pain?!

Then it occured to him; they didn't care....

They were the ones inflicting the pain upon him....

The screams now were beginning to have faces and bodies accompanying them; yes, much hitting and kicking....

Trying to fight badck proved effortless; the more he fought, the worse he hurt.

Then there she stood; Michelle...

Fear and terror were in her eyes, but also something else; fire....

Michelle's eyes held more fire than he'd seen a girl's eyes posess; he saw someone kick her as she stepped ovber him to shield him from anymore harm. Why that....

But wait, that kick had been meant for him! Still....

"Get out of here, Michelle!" he wanted to scream but couldn't; oh the pain....

After he'd tried to get her to leave, he saw her get struck down. A guy had hit her!

Michelle fought hard; she got back up and gave it to the guy! Go Michelle!

Ow....

When she was knocked down a second time, a drop of blood landed on his hand; her lip had been busted.

He felt the occasional kick, but Michelle soon kicked their arse; man, he felt like such a weak little twerp....

Suddenly the crowd parted; at last, the principal had come! The battle was over!

He could barely see, let alone hear what was going on; all he knew was a moment later, Michelle collapsed....

Then, all he could see was blackness....

"MICHELLE!!!..."

Hazel was very frightened when Davy rose straight up and screamed "Michelle!" in the way that he had, and pushed the button for the nurse...

She then backed away so they could stabilize him; she went to her father and sisters.

Davy kept demanding to know where Michelle was and if she was alright...

The doctors and nurses finally left and Hazel approached him, the others behind her....

"Michelle....she's th' gihl 'at saved you?" Hazel clarified.

"Yes! Is she alright? I saw 'er fall!" Davy replied, worry lining his voice.

"She's fine! Oah atleast she was when I talked t' 'er," Hazel replied assuringly.

"Wheah is she? I wanna see 'er?" Davy requested.

"She'll be back latah; only family was allowed right now," HHazel replied.

Before Davy could even reply, he was asleep.

"He'll be okay now, Michelle; you're a hero, ya know?" Mike said to an unusually quiet Michelle.

Michelle felt so strabge; all she could do was offer a smile.

"What's up, Mich?" MIcky asked.

"I...I dunno....." was all Michelle could reply before her eyes rolled back into her head and she fell across Micky's lap...

"Holy crud!" Mike exclaimed, turning the pickup around and heading back to the hospital....

When the boys came bursting back through the doors, the nurses took Michelle and asked them questions....

When they took he in to be examined, Mike and MIcky hurried to the nearest phone to call her parents....

"IS she alright?" Mrs. Dobbs asked as she found Mike.

"They haven't told us anything," Mike replied.

"I'll go ask them," Mr. Dobbs said as he went up to the main desk.

A moment later, Mr. and Mrs. Dolenz showed up and Mrs. Nesmith came in upon hearing about the incident...

Hazel happened to walk out into the hall as MIcky and mIke were going up it and wondered why they were back; they took her to the side and explained what had happened...

The Dolenzes, Mrs. Nesmith, and the Dobbs' were conferring aboud Michelle's current state and what had happened...

Suddenly, a slightly older man and Mike and Micky came soon after.....

"Moms, dads, this is Mr. Jones; he's Davy's father...the boy she stood up for," Micky said.

Harry shook hands with them as the introductions were made.

"I want t' thank youah little gihl as soon as she is well; she save me boy's life," Mr. Jones said.

"We're very proud of her, she did the right thing...foolish, yet heroic," Mrs. Dobbs replied.

Suddenly, the doctor walked in....

Hazel, Beryl, and Linda had all opted to stay with their brother while their father was gone.

Their father and Hazel had decided amongst themselves that they'd not tell Davy about Michelle's condidition until they knew a little more about it.

His angelic sleeping form seemed at peace for now; probablu the only peace he'd gotten that whole bloody day.....

Davy had always been relativley small for his age and was a perfect target for bullies. Linda, Hazel, and Beryl had allmade a promise to themselves that they'd take care of him and make sure he didn't get hurt.

"....overwhelmed her a bit when all that happened; exhaustion could've also played a key role in this...." the doctor was saying.

He assured everyone that Michelle'd be alright after some rest.

MIcky then spoke up, "May I make a suggestion?...

Michelle's dreams were those of confusion and worry; her thoughts disoriented and incoherent.

Where WAS everybody?! And why did her head hurt so much?

Ah, now she remembered...

But where was she?

The last thing she remembered doing was talking to Mike and Micky....

Where were they?....

And Davy? What had become of him? Was he alright?

'MAn, my head hurts!' she said to herself.

She had to get out of there!

Suddenly, she heard voices....

MIcky? No....

Mike? No....

Mom? Dad? No.....

Davy!

Yes, music to her ears was Davy's soft English baritone!

Oh, but where WAS he?!....

Davy had been a little surprised when he heard about MIchelle's condition; he was even more surprised when they brought her into his room!

He talked to her, since she'd went into a coma; he'd heard that even when you're in a coma, you can hear what others are saying to around you....

Suddenly, she stirred.....

Her voice, as she spoke, sounded scared and lonely...

"Davy? Davy?! Where are you?!" she almost cried out.

"I'm right 'eah," Davy replied softly.

"Why can't I see you? Davy, I'm scared," Michelle answered, her voice edged with fear.

"Can you open youah eyes?" he asked her; since she WAS in a coma, her thoughts were probably pretty jumbled.....

Michelle's eyes fluttered open and her vision began to clear...there sat Davy. He seemed to be feeling better(hee hee, asprin, hee hee...).

"What happened?" she asked shakily.

"You 'ad a concussion an' wound up goin' into a coma," Davy replied, "we were all worried."

MIchelle smiled, "Don't worry about me; how do YOU feel?"

" 'Oo me? Fine,much!" Davy replied, then gasped as me moved a little, "Um, exept maybe 'ere an' there....." Michelle giggled, then her manner turned serious, "Seriously, I wish I could've been there a little sooner."

Davy's eyes took on a whole new emotion, "You were there when ya needed to be; no sense inplayin' th' wishin'game."

He and Michelle shared a warm smile.....

"Wow; Mich, Dave....you can quit school! Your parents don't give a hoot!" Mike said.

"Yeah; at least there wouldn't be any more chancesof this!" Michelle replied with a smile.

MIcky spoke up....

"My parents told me if I wanted to quit, I could; it'd be my decision."

" 'Ey, we could foahm a club, drop-outs anonymus!" Davy joked.

MIchelle and Micky laughed.

Mike was unusually quiet...

"What's up, Mike?" Michelle asked.

"I'd been thinkin' about quittin', too; I guess now's as good a time as any," Mike replied.

"Hey hey! NOw we have transportation to get into trouble!" Michelle exclaimed, she and Micky rubbing their hands together in fiendish glee.....

Davy laughed, thankful that he had such great friends.....