Things didn't progress very well at all for Micky and Lori. Lori stopped by the pad only once and at the time Micky was out running some errands. Peter had told Lana to cool off trying to convince Lori for a while, which Lana found really difficult. Lori and Micky were two of her best friends and she wanted them to be happy. Lori spent most of her time moping and by what Peter had told Lana, so did Micky.

"How is this helping them? They're miserable" Lana told her brother one night when he had called to say hi.

"I know but they have to figure it out for themselves" He told her.

"But they're so unhappy I hate seeing them like this."

"I know and so do I but we have to patient it'll all work out I promise."

"It's so frustrating! Why won't they tell each other how they feel? I don't understand, Micky has had girlfriends before."

"He's never been in love before, especially after knowing Lori three days it threw him a little" Peter explained.

"But he's known her two weeks, can't he can say something to her now!" Lana asked the frustration clear in her voice.

"Come on Lan it's not that easy, think about it, can you remember what you where like when you fell for Michael?" Peter asked her. Lana sighed, finally admitting defeat.

"I was exactly the same as Micky is now" she said sounding slightly irritated that her brother had played the Mike card "Okay, I'll back off but I'm not happy about it" She told him.

Two weeks after he had sat at the table and admitted his love for Lori to his Texan friend, Micky approached him again.

"Mike, can I have a word?" He asked a little cautiously.

"Yeah of course Mick, step into my office" Mike told him. Mike had been running through some cords on his guitar hoping to turn them into a new song, but he discarded his 12 string and led Micky to the kitchen table, where Davy was playing cards with Mr. Schneider.

"Davy, do you mind if we disturb you?" Mike asked Davy looked up at him

"No not at all, Mr. Schneider is cheating anyway," the Englishman told them then he looked back at the dummy "YOU WERE TOO!" He yelled and stormed off into his bedroom slamming the door behind him. Micky sighed

"Will those two ever get on?" He asked as he sat at the table and Mike did the same.

"So what can I do for you?" Mike asked.

"I've been doing some thinking" Micky told him.

The two men sat across the table from each other. Micky knew exactly what he wanted to say but he was searching for the right words. Mike was waiting patiently. He knew this was hard for the drummer, Micky had never been very good at expressing his feelings, especially feelings about a girl. Peter was always the one who could come right out and say what he was feeling, he wasn't afraid of admitting it and Mike admired him for that. Finally Micky spoke. "So I guess I should tell Lori how I feel about her," He said. Mike couldn't help it, he laughed.

"Yeah, shotgun, I guess you should" He replied. Micky felt a little embarrassed and also began laughing.

"I feel a little silly," He admitted.

"Why?"

"Because I've been acting so stupid, I've been scared in case Lori didn't feel the same but if I don't ask then I'll never know."

"That's true, so what has this got to do with me?" Mike asked.

"Well I've never told someone that I love them before and I'd like some advice on how to do it" Micky explained. Mike took a deep breath and went back in his memory to the day he had confessed his love to Lana. The memory caused him pain. Things had been so simple back then, he had known he would spend the rest of his life with Lana but they had not worked out, and now he was alone. He snapped out of his regret quickly because if he dwell on it too long he knew he would cry. Micky watched his Texan friend for a few seconds and saw the pain etched on his face.

"Oh, Mike, I'm sorry. I forgot how much you still hurt. Please forgive me. I won't say another word" Micky rose from the table.

"No, Mick, it's okay, please sit down let me help you, you know what Mr. Schneider says" Mike tugged on the string in the chest of the dummy Davy had left behind.

"It's better to have loved and lost then never to have loved at all," Mr. Schneider said.

"So please sit down I'm okay," Mike told him. Micky was a little reluctant at first but he returned to his seat, he felt so sorry for the Texan. Micky had been so upset when Lana and Mike broke up, they had made such a great couple.

"Why don't you guys get back together? I know you still love each other," Micky told him.

"It's not that easy, Mick, sometimes it's better to be apart but lets not talk about that, bleaugh! You wanted some advice so I want to help" Mike could feel the tears in his eyes fighting to get out, but because of his stubbornness he refused to let them. He managed to choke them back "Just be honest and explain how you feel that's all you can do really" He told the drummer.

"And what if she doesn't feel the same?" Micky asked.

"Well, it will hurt there's no denying it, but if you bottle up your feelings and never tell her how you feel, you'll never find out will you, you've got a chance to be real happy here Mick, take it" Mike told him. Micky was silent at first taking in what his Texan friend had told him.

"I'm a little nervous," He confessed.

"I'd be worried if you weren't" Mike told him "It's a pretty big thing you're about to do, life changing even." Mole said.

"Whoa. life changing! What do you mean?" He asked. Mike was a little surprised.

"Well if things go the way you would like you'll be spending a lot of time with Lori."

"I guess, I never really thought about it like that, I'm even more nervous now."

"Do you want to be with her?"

"Oh yeah I really do. I want to be with her right now" Micky said and Mike smiled. Then Peter came in the back door from the beach and Lana and Lori trailed behind. They were talking and the girls were laughing at something Peter had said. Mike smiled a little wider.

"Your wish is my command," He told the drummer.

"Hi guys" Peter said.

"How did you do that?" Micky whispered to Mike and Mike chuckled a little.

"Hi Peter, hi girls, what have you three been up too?" Mike asked them.

"We've been out on the beach and we bumped into Peter, he invited us back for a drink it's pretty hot out there today" Lana explained.

"You've been on the beach Pete? I thought you were going to look for some gigs for us?" Micky added.

"Yeah I did at first but it's such a beautiful day I thought I'd take a walk on the beach then I bumped into the girls" Peter told them.

"You haven't got university or work today Lori?" Mike asked.

"No not today, Mike, I get weekends off" Lori said. The ground floor bedroom door opened and Davy poked his head out.

"Hello girls, I thought I heard your voices."

"Hi Davy" Lori and Lana said in unison. Peter went over to the fridge and got three sodas.

"Do you guys want one?" He asked his band mates.

"No thanks, Pete" They all said. Lori, Lana, and Peter sat on the sofa with their drinks. Micky was feeling so nervous, now Lori was there he had the perfect opportunity to tell her how he felt about her.

"Lori you still okay for dinner tomorrow night?" Mike asked her. Lana and Micky both shot him a face of thunder.

"You guys are going out to dinner?" Lana asked.

"Yeah if Lori's still okay for it" Mike asked again.

"Yeah I am I'm really looking forward to it" Lori answered.

"Groovy" Mike said. Micky stood up. This was it he was going to do it, he wasn't full of confidence in fact he was damn petrified and his voice squeaked a little when he spoke.

"Lori, can I talk to you for a minute please?" Suddenly Lori was filled with nerves as Micky spoke to her directly for the first time since they met.

"Of course you can Micky, what's up?" She asked and turned to face him.

"Do you mind if we go some where a little more private?"

"No not at all" She stood up and looked at Lana who merely shrugged. Lana was screaming for joy on the inside. It looked like Micky was finally going to reveal his feelings to Lori.

Micky climbed up the spiral staircase to his bedroom. He opened the door and entered, the room was a little messy and he cursed himself for being so untidy but thanked God that he had decided to make his bed that morning. There were two beds in the room Micky's bed was against the wall opposite the door and then Mike's against the wall to the right as you entered the room. Each had a nightstand next to it and there was one closet and a wardrobe on the wall to the left. There was a window on the right side of the room just to the right of Mike's bed. Micky scurried around kicking things under his bed as he waited for Lori to join him. When he heard Lori climbing the stairs he sat on the edge of his bed and tried to look as calm as possible. He had left the door open but Lori knocked any way.

"Come in please, take a seat," He told her. As Lori entered the room Micky rose from the bed and closed the door behind her. He noticed Peter and Lana were half way up the stairs and Micky shooed them away. There were no chairs in the room so Lori sat on one of the beds she presumed was Mike's. Micky returned to his seat and took a deep breath trying to find the right words to explain how he felt but as soon as he sat down his mind went blank. They sat in silence for at least five minutes and Lori was resisting the urge to get up and leave, she was far too nervous to be sitting in silence for much longer.

"Micky, I don't mean to be rude but you said you wanted to talk and you haven't said a word," She said finally.

"I know, I'm sorry this is really difficult for me, I've never done this before" He replied.

"Done what before?" Lori asked feeling a little confused.

"Told someone I'm in love with them" For a moment Micky forgot who he was talking to and the words spilled out of his mouth before his brain could stop them. His hand flew to his mouth as he instantly regretted it and wished he could take it back. He looked at Lori who was staring at him her mouth slightly open with shock "Oh god I am so sorry I didn't mean for it to come out like that" He said searching Lori's eyes for any kind of response. Thoughts were finally beginning to form in Lori's head. Alarm bells were ringing in her brain and the first thing she thought was to get out of there as quickly as possible. She stood up.

"I... er... I... I'm... gonna go" She said.

"No please Lori wait I..." But it was too late and Lori was gone.

Davy, Peter, Mike and Lana were all sitting around the kitchen table. They heard the bedroom door open and close and looked up to see Lori flee the bedroom and come running down the stairs.

"Lor, you okay?" Lana asked. Lori didn't answer.

"Lori?" Mike asked worry etched on his face, again Lori didn't answer. She threw open the front door and sprinted away slamming the door behind her.

"I'll go after her," Lana told them and left after Lori.

"I'll go check on Micky" Mike told the other two. He climbed the staircase and went into the bedroom he shared with the drummer. Peter and Davy looked at each other and shrugged, not having any idea about what had just gone on.

As Mike entered the room he saw Micky laying flat on his bed with his hands cupped over his face. Mike was certain he could hear faint sobs coming from the drummer.

"What happened, babe?" He asked softly. Micky wiped his face and sat up.

"I blew it Mike" he told him Mike sat on the bed next to his friend and placed a comforting arm around his shoulder "It came out all wrong and Lori ran out. I doubt she'll ever speak to me again."

"I guess she's a little shocked, that's all. She probably needs a little time to calm down I'm sure she'll be back. Just give her time" Mike said reassuringly.

Lana found Lori sitting on her favourite spot on the beach, not too far from the Monkees pad. Lori had her arms wrapped around her legs with her chin resting on her knees. She was staring at the ocean deep in thought and never even noticed her roommate sit down next to her.

"You left in rather a hurry, is everything okay?" Lori was jerked out of her thoughts.

"Lana? Where did you come from?"

"I've just sat down a couple of minutes ago, you wanna tell me what's going on?"

"No not really, I'm just confused about something that's all."

"About what? Come on you can tell me," Lana said. Lori sighed.

"It's about Micky, he told me. He told me he's in love with me," Lori explained.

"He did! Wow that's pretty groovy, do you feel the same way?"

"I don't know. I mean, I do like him I know I do, but I've only known him two weeks how can any one be in love after knowing someone for such a short time."

"Well I know Micky pretty well and I don't think he'd say something like that unless he really meant it, why don't you go back and talk to him" Lana suggested.

"I wish I could but it's not as simple as that."

"Why not?"

"Because it isn't that's why."

"Okay, come on what aren't you telling me?" Lana demanded and Lori was suddenly staring at a rock in the sand like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. "Lor?" Lana prompted. Lori looked at Lana as if she was about to tell her something, she opened her mouth to speak but then changed her mind and closed it again, her features turned to annoyance.

"Look I'd rather not talk about this right now and if you don't mind I'd like to be alone" Lori told her. Lana didn't want to pressure Lori into telling her something she obviously wasn't ready for Lana to know so she left her alone. Lana walked up the steps that went up to the Monkees pad from the beach. She could see Lori sitting on the beach from the guy's veranda. When she went inside Davy and Peter were still sitting at the table but Mike was nowhere to be seen.

"Hi guys," she said and sat down on the chair she had left vacant a few moments before.

"Hello sis how's Lori?" Peter asked.

"Not good I'm afraid Pete I left her down on the beach."

"So what exactly happened up there?" Davy asked Lana, pointing up at the closed door of the upstairs bedroom

"I'm not exactly sure to be honest."

"And I don't think we should be gossiping about it" Came a voice from above them. Mike was walking down the stairs.

"We're not gossiping, Michael, we're just worried about our friends" Peter told him.

"How's Micky?" Lana asked.

"He's been better, did you manage to catch up with Lori?"

"Yeah I did she's a little out of it. I think it's affecting her more then she's letting on" Lana explained.

"What do you mean?" Mike asked sitting back at the table with them.

"I dunno, I got the feeling she's not telling me the whole story and she looked as though she wanted to tell me something, something important."

"What? You think she's hiding something?"

"Yeah maybe, I dunno, I mean I've only known her a couple of months so I don't really know that much about her."

"She doesn't seem like the type to lie though, maybe she's just in shock," Mike offered. Peter and Davy didn't contribute to this conversation, they just listened and took in what Lana and Mike were saying.

"I agree. I don't think she is lying. I just think she's not telling us the whole truth," Lana continued.

"You can tell all that from a three minute conversation?"

"Yeah from the way she was acting, I just got the feeling there's more to this then she's letting on, call it female intuition"

"Does she love Micky?" Mike asked.

"I honestly don't know" Lana told him. What Lana and Mike didn't realize was that Micky had heard their entire conversation. He was sitting on the balcony listening quietly and felt more confused then ever. If Lana's suspicions were correct and Lori was hiding something from them, what on earth could it be? He desperately wanted to get out of the pad, find somewhere out in the fresh air where he could think and clear his head but he knew he would never be able to slip past his friends without them noticing him and he really didn't want to face them yet, he didn't feel ready to answer their questions, so he went back into his bedroom and quietly closed the door. He tried to make it as dark as possible by turning out the light and closing the curtains, it wasn't half as dark as he would have liked but it would have to do.

Lori was sitting on the beach staring at the waves crashing on the sand. She didn't know what to do about Micky. How could he be so sure that he was in love with her so quickly, they had hardly said two words to each other. She was so confused.