September 22, 1999
Scene 1: Casa Santos
(Today's show picks up where yesterday left off. Michelle has just arrived at Casa Santos after walking away from Danny at Company. They're very close during this first scene, holding each other tight. Danny kisses Michelle's face and neck alot, etc., etc.)
Danny: Hi.
Michelle: I couldn't stay away. I really hated spending the night away from you.
Danny: Me, too. Why did you walk away from me like that?
Michelle: I'm sorry.
Danny: That was...
Michelle: I'm sorry. I was really upset. But you're right. You're absolutely right. I cannot--I can't live without you.
Danny: I can't live without you.
Michelle: Just--just don't let go, okay? Don't let go. (Burying her face in his chest.)
Danny: I'm just glad you're home. (Michelle backs away, looks like she's going to say something and hold back tears at the same time.)
Michelle: Uh...
Danny: What? You're not home? What? You just said you don't want to be apart again. What's going on?
Michelle: I love you so much. I love you and I don't ever, ever want to wake up without you next to me, Danny, but I'm not coming back to you in this house. I can't. Not ever in this house. (You go, girl. You tell him! Danny, take a hint...Buy your wife a house!)
Scene 2: Casa Santos
Michelle: Danny, when I married you (Which time might that be, Michelle? You know, you've married him 3 times...), I knew who you were, alright? I knew your family, and that you weren't going to be able to get out of it easily.
Danny: Then why do you have so much trouble understanding that now?
Michelle: Because I didn't think that it was going to become my whole life. Okay, I wasn't aware that I would have to give up my plans and my dreams.
Danny: Who asked you to do that? I didn't--did I ask you to do that? No.
Michelle: It happened. The things that go on in this house, I can't deal with, alright? Your mother coming after me, people having accidents, people being shot at. Dietz walking around with a gun in his belt all the time, and I'm getting used to this? I don't like that.
Danny: I don't like it, either. I don't want you to get used to it, either. It's not going to be forever. (Uh-huh, yeah. How many times has he told her that?)
Michelle: Yeah, it will.
Danny: It's not.
Michelle: It will if we stay in this house. We are not going to have a normal life. Don't you just want to...
Danny: What is normal? What's normal? I mean, I don't know that is.
Michelle: Normal is being able to feel safe in your own home. And when I slept at home last night, I felt that. I felt relaxed. I felt safe. I...I miss it. I need that.
Danny: (Barely audible) Okay. Alright. (Louder now.) What do you want to do?
Michelle: Well, I, uhmm, I signed up for classes at S.U. and I'm going to go back to the hospital part-time.
Danny: Well, that's great. Sweetie, I think that's...I totally support that.
Michelle: I just need you to know that I'm doing this because I can't give up my dream of being a doctor and because I can't look in the mirror and see somebody that I don't recognise. Somebody who covers up for criminal activity and lies to the police. That isn't me. That's not who I am.
Danny: No, of course it's not you. I never said...I don't think it is. You don't deserve to live like this. You know, let's face it, I mean, yeah, I did use to think that I could protect you from everything that went on here, but I know I can't. It's impossible.
Michelle: Good, so we can work this out. I mean, we can move out of the house? (For Christ's sake, Danny, just say "yes"!!!)
Danny: Look, I understand that you can't live here right now, but uhh...I can't leave. (Wrong answer! Tell her that you'll buy her a house...and actually do that!)
Scene 3: Casa Santos
Michelle: So you're choosing your family over me?
Danny: Come on. It is not that simple. (She starts to say something right here, but I haven't the slightest clue what. Closed captioning didn't pick it up, either...) Michelle, Michelle, I would love more than anything to run away from here with you.
Michelle: But you can't. You can't. What is it that you're not telling me?
Danny: Nothing. Nothing. (Ooh, Danny. Don't lie to her. You're not a good liar...)
Michelle: Do not walk away from me, Danny. Please, do not do that.
Danny: Michelle! You--you're afraid that this family will ruin your life. You want out. I understand that. If I tell you more about what's going on, then it will just be harder for you to stay out.
Michelle: (Walking over to him and grabbing onto his arm.) Can you just tell me if your life is at risk, okay?
Danny: No, I'm not.
Michelle: Are you in danger by staying here at all?
Danny: No, but my family is at risk. If I don't get rid of Ben Warren, then my entire family could be destroyed. Don't you understand that?
Michelle: So as soon as you get rid of Ben, then we're going to have a normal life?
Danny: Yes, when I know for certain that he's out of the way, yeah.
Michelle: Okay, so when is--when is that going to be?
Danny: (Very frustrated.) Michelle! I keep--
Michelle: Danny, this is what I'm afraid of, alright? This is it.
Danny: What?
Michelle: That if we live separately, I'm going to lose you forever.
Danny: Oh, come on. That is ridiculous. You're not going to lose me.
Michelle: (Her voice is very shaky here and she's crying.) I feel like I already have.
Scene 4: Casa Santos
(They're in each other's arms and Danny's kissing her neck and face.)
Danny: Okay, so where are we? You can't stay...I can't leave.
Michelle: So what are we going to do?
Danny: You better go. (No!!!) You better go before this gets more difficult, okay? (Michelle kisses him one more time before she leaves, like she doesn't want to go. Of course, I can't say I blame her...)
Michelle: Okay.
Danny: Come on, go. Get out of here. (Why do I feel like Danny's shooing a puppy away? It's like a bad episode of Lassie or something...) I'll talk to you soon, okay?
Michelle: Bye, Danny.
Danny: Okay, I love you. (He looks like he's about to cry as he watches her leave. Michelle stops in the hallway, trying to hold back tears, then she holds her head high and walks away. Very touching...very heartbreaking.)
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