THE RRH

Mike ran down the hall. He had seen the pain in Carrie's eyes, and he had to get to her. He raced around the corner just as she pulled her purse strap off her shoulder and reached to open the door to her office. Without stopping, he darted toward her.

"Carrie - Carrie…"

His voice startled Carrie and she stopped, quickly looking over her shoulder. Mike grabbed her arm as his other hand immediately reached around her back. Carrie did NOT want to deal with this right now and she tried to resist.

"Mike - please!" she threw out in an exasperated voice as she grabbed onto his arm in an effort to stop him.

But it was to no avail, and she released his arm as he swooped her over to his office directly across from hers. He hurriedly opened the door and scurried her into the room, letting go of her as he closed the door behind him. Now free of his grip, Carrie walked further into the room, keeping her back to him. Mike hesitated for just a second before he walked up behind her.

"Listen to me…"

Carrie turned to look at him as he paused, then turned away again, putting her purse strap over her shoulder. She did not plan to stay. Mike put his hands out in the air as he continued.

"Don't panic about Ali's threats." Carrie turned to face him, and once more he saw the pain in her eyes. He tried to sound reassuring. "I'll make sure nothing about our relationship comes out in the arbitration."

Carrie looked surprised and shrugged her shoulders as she responded in frustration. "How can you stop it, Mike? Ali's determined to humiliate you and I'm afraid that she might succeed!" She paused, then looked upward. "You know - maybe we deserve this."

Mike followed as she turned and walked away. "Don't say that." His voice softened as he leaned toward her. "You can't believe that." He took hold of her arm as he slid his other hand around her, turning her toward him. "Listen to me, listen…" As her eyes hit his again, he let go of her. "Ali's out of control." His hands flew out into the air again emphasizing his words. "She's carrying out a vendetta against me, and she's hurting a lot of innocent people in the process. Most of them are patients in this hospital and it's my duty to protect them."

He stopped as he saw the scared look in her eyes, and he desperately wanted to reach out to her. He held back as he looked down for a second, but then looked up again. Somehow he would find a way to keep her out of this. He smiled slightly, and his words were definite, but gentle.

"And it's my LIFE to protect YOU."

Carrie just stared into his eyes as his words reached her. So many emotions were running through her, and she just didn't know what to do anymore. She shook her head and looked away.

"I'm sorry… It's just… it's been a terrible day that just keeps getting worse." She brushed past him, bumping against his arm.

Mike didn't move for a few seconds, just now remembering that Carrie had gone to see a marriage counselor with Austin earlier. He turned and watched her as she sat down on the sofa with a sigh, putting her purse on her lap. He unbuttoned his suit coat as he sat down next to her, folding his hands briefly in front of him. He didn't want to hear how it went, but he knew he had to ask. He felt awkward, and he motioned his hands out in front of him, then folded them again as he spoke quietly.

"How did the counseling session go with Austin?"

Carrie looked at him with surprise, wondering how he knew where she had been. Then she decided it didn't matter how he knew, and just answered the question.

"I thought that he wanted to work on our marriage, but ah… he stormed out of the therapist's office in the middle of the session." She looked down, still not believing what had happened, then turned toward Mike as she continued. "And THEN I learned that he and Sami are moving into Kate's guest house…" She looked away again, giving a conceding nod. "And now this."

Mike looked at her in disbelief, but at the same time, his heart jumped at her words. The worse things went with Austin, the more she would realize she belonged with HIM. Yet his heart quickly broke at the sight of her pain. He so much wanted to take her in his arms and comfort her, and make everything alright. He took in a breath as his hand slowly reached out for her.

Carrie saw his hand move toward her, and she quickly pulled away from him. She grabbed her purse and stood up, walking a few steps away. She had promised herself she'd do everything she could to save her marriage, and she knew she couldn't let Mike comfort her. That's how all of this got started in the first place. But she didn't leave. Instead she just stood there with her back to Mike, clutching her purse in front of her.

Seeing Carrie pull away from him was a stab in his heart, and Mike stared at her with a wounded look. He immediately got up and stood behind her as he filled with sadness. How could this have happened? How could they have been so close, so intimate… and now she wouldn't even let him touch her. He couldn't bear it any longer.

"Dammit, Carrie, you're not alone! I am HERE for you." Again his hands flew out in the air in exasperation.

Carrie set her purse down and turned toward Mike with an anxious look on her face. "Mike, our lives are such a mess - and all because we were selfish!"

Mike couldn't believe her words. How could she call their love selfish? He shook his head as he leaned toward her and forced his words out.

"We made a mistake! We should have waited for you to leave Austin before we made love. But that's between you and me and Austin. It's nobody else's business!"

Carrie was as frustrated as he was with all this. "Well people are trying to MAKE it their business."

"I will NOT let you pay for a MISTAKE by having your name dragged through the mud in Ali's lawsuit!" His earnest words dropped almost to a whisper. "I will sacrifice ANYTHING to protect you, Carrie."

Mike paused as Carrie stared at him, her face filled with turmoil. She had so many thoughts and emotions rushing through her, that she couldn't connect anything in her mind. She just wanted to run away from all this and not have to deal with it. But she found she couldn't move.

Mike's look quickly changed as his arms ached to reach out for her. He just wanted to hold her. If she would JUST let him hold her. Didn't she know she was his very existence? He looked deep into her eyes, letting all his love flow into her, and spoke softly from his heart.

"I love you more than you could ever possibly know." He paused as a faint smile came to his lips. "It's okay-just let me hold you." His eyes pleaded with her, begging her to let him through this wall she had put up.

Carrie was trembling inside, and her head was swimming. She didn't move as everything that had been happening crashed together in her mind. But she couldn't look away from Mike. He loved her so much. And she knew no matter how hard she tried to resist, she still loved him with all her heart. She held herself back, yet she wanted to run into his arms and let him take her away from all this. Finally she took a step toward him.

Mike's heart raced as he saw Carrie move closer and he reached out, speaking softly in a voice filled with emotion. "It's okay…"

The sweet tenderness of his words filled Carrie with warmth and she thought she would cry. Her heart pounded, and her mixed emotions welled up in her throat. She suddenly felt everything inside of her give way as she let herself step into Mike's arms and he took her in. He gently assured her again it would be okay, and she slid her arms around him and laid her head against his cheek.

Mike embraced Carrie with all the love in his heart and he burst with joy inside at the feel of her in his arms again. He held onto the back of her neck pulling her close to him, and breathed her in. He never wanted her out of his grasp again and he rocked her lovingly.

Carrie knew she was home as Mike's strength surrounded her, and the power of his love flooded through her. She barely heard him as his whispered one more time - it's okay… As he continued to hold her close and rock her, she knew somehow… it really would be okay…