Bubbly

For Average Everyday Insane Psycho.

Summary: With her, he felt free and she felt as if she could do anything.

Michael Corinthos laughed as Starr Manning jumped into the lake, immediatly latching herself onto his back.

"Got you." The blonde murmured into his ear, softly before pressing a kiss to his cheek and letting go of him, giggling.

It was a hot summer day and the two young adults had decided to go for a swim at the Quartermaine home. Edward had grown to absolutely adore Starr, when she and Michael would come to visit. The old man would laugh and smile and seem so many years younger, than he was. It was as if Starr brought a light into the man's life, just like she brought light into Michael's.

"I guess you did." Michael said, turning around to capture her around the waist, softly. He pulled her into him, again, their bodies pressing up against eachother in the cool water. He gazed into her twinkling eyes as he let go of her waist with one hand, bringing it up to stroke her cheek. "You're really beautiful." He breathed out before pressing his lips against her's, delicately.

Starr smiled into the kiss, winding her arms around his neck and burying her fingers into his hair. He was always so gentle with her. He treated her as if she were glass or something and he made her feel so giddy and shy, with his looks and his touches. Especially his kisses. She felt so happy when she was with him. It was something that she'd thought that she'd never feel again, after what had happened to her daughter, Hope and her boyfriend, Cole a few months back. She couldn't help but wonder if Hope and Cole were looking down on her from Heaven. She hoped that they were happy up there and that they were okay with her relationship, with Michael. Something told her that they would be. She did miss them, terribly. She missed holding her little girl in her arms, and although she care a lot about Michael , a piece of her heart would always belong to her first love, Cole. She and Michael had talked about that and he understood it. Especially because a piece of his heart would always belong to Abby, the girl who'd helped him through so much after a dark time in his life.

A voice startled them out of the hold that they seemed to have on eachother. "Mr. Quartermaine wanted me to tell you guy's that he wanted you to stay for dinner!" The chipper voice of Alice said, smiling at them fondly.

Starr let go of Michael, putting some space between them, and blushing as she looked away.

Michael let out a nervous chuckle as well, face heating up. "Thanks, Alice." He gave her a grateful smile that positively lit up his face. "Could you please tell him that we'll be in, in a few minutes?"

The woman grinned at the two kids, fondly. "Of course. You know, it's really great to have you two here. I haven't seen Edward so happy, since Emily." With that, she turned on her heel and left.

"I really love your family." Starr commented, swimming back torwards him once again. She rested her hands against his water soaked chest and leaned in, pressing a quick peck to his lips.

00000

Michael smiled as he watched Starr run from the living room, heading to the bathroom to make herself presentable for dinner.

"I'm happy you kids decided to have dinner with me." Edward said with a grin from his position in his chair.

"Well, Starr loves visiting you." The young man answered sofly. "And so do I, grandpa."

"You better treat her right, Michael." His grandfather said seriously. "She's a sweet girl, and I've never seen you this happy since Abby. This girl has obviously been hurt a lot, in the last few months. "

Michael shook his head. "I'm not planning on doing anything that will break her heart. She's amazing."

000

Starr sighed as she exited the bathroom after putting her wet clothing in the hamper. Running her hands through her damp, tangled hair, she stopped short of going into the living room as she heard Michael and Edward talk. She knew it was wrong, but when she heard her name be spoken, she became curious. Pressing her back against the wall, she could barely breathe as she heard Michael call her amazing. It made her absolutely giddy. Biting her lip to hold back a giggle, she pulled away from the wall and headed casually into the living room. Heading over to Edward, she gave him a giant hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks for inviting us to dinner, Mr. Quartermaine." She said warmly.

The old man hugged her back and pulled away, patting her hand. "I've told you before to call me Edward."

The girl nodded and agreed. A few hours after dinner, Edward had begun to feel tired and had headed off to bed. Starr and Michael had decided to stay the night and were currently sitting on the veranda, looking out at the stars.

Starr's hand rested just over Michael's heart as they curled up together on the wicker couch. She smiled to herself as she felt his arm tighten slightly around her waist, lips pressing a soft, gentle kiss to the top of her head. "You know, it feels like I'm in a dream. I never expected to find happiness, again after I lost Hope and Cole. But you've changed all of that." She spoke softly to him, lifting her head to meet his eyes. She pressed her small, warm palm to his cool cheek. "You made me realise that I should live for them. I'm doing what I love with my singing and I have you. My mom and dad have made up and are friends, again. I have a lot of hope for what the future might bring."

Michael stared into her eyes, feeling his heart soar at her words. Leaning in, he kissed her deeply, hand burying itself in her messy hair. Pulling away, he gazed at her shyly. "You know, you've made me realise what I want to do with my life." He swallowed nervously as he gazed down into her small, beautiful face, wondering if he should tell her what he'd been thinking of, for awhile now. "Back when Abby died, I was intent on being in the mob and getting revenge. My dad and Uncle Jason, and my mom always warned me against. I still wanted to be in the mob, though. That was all I really knew. But as I got to know you, that whole idea changed."

She only stared up at him in confusion, raising her eyebrow curiously. "What do you mean?" She whispered to him, ignoring the pain in her heart at his mention of the mob. She was so happy that he'd changed his mind on that. He was such an amazing guy and to see him lose himself, would've been such a heartbreaking thing.

He sighed. "I want to help kids. I love them and I've been through a lot, so I think that I could. I've been studying to be a child psychologist." With what he'd been through, what his father, and sister had been through it had been pretty to come to this decision. He wanted children going through traumatic things to know that they weren't alone.

Starr let out a giggle, leaning her forehead against his. "I think that you'd be great at it." She breathed, pressing a kiss to his cheek before laying her head on his shoulder and staring up at the sky. It didn't matter what tomorrow would bring. In that moment, everything was absolutely perfect.

A/N: So, when I had Starr and Michael talk about what they wanted to do with their lives, I decided that I wanted Michael to be a doctor. Either a pediatricion or a child psychologist.