The next morning Peter was still on the fence about how to take Micky and Davy's reaction to Mike's "alone time". He knew they were happy that Mike seemed to let his guard down a little bit, but it seemed they were too focused on it. Even once they had gone to bed, Davy continued talking about it. He told Peter he never thought Mike could even have feelings like that, much less act on them. It really grated on Peter's nerves.

When Micky and Davy came into the kitchen for breakfast Mike had already gone out. Peter didn't bother asking where, Mikes somber face told him the guitarist was in no mood to be questioned so he left it alone. When and if Mike was ready to talk, he would.

"Morning, Pete," Micky said as he sat down with a bowl of cornflakes.

"Morning," Peter mumbled.

"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Davy asked as he too sat down for breakfast. "And where's Romeo this morning?"

"If you're talking about Mike he left earlier," Peter said with an edge of irritation. "I didn't ask where he was going. I'm not his keeper. And this is exactly what's got my 'knickers in a twist'."

"Mike?" Davy asked. "You should be happy for him. Maybe he's gone off to see whatever girl was occupying his mind last night." He laughed heartily to himself while Micky chuckled and Peter glared at them.

"You guys should just leave him alone," Peter finally said. "You've done nothing but tease him since last night. Even if he did meet a girl it's none of our business unless he wants it to be."

"Cool it, Peter," Davy said. "I'm happy for him. Why is this bothering you so much?"

"I can't really say…" Peter whispered, looking away. Micky and Davy exchanged a look.

"I think we better tell him, Davy," Micky said. "I think he's taking this the wrong way."

"Tell me what?" Peter asked.

"Mike told us what happened with his ex-girlfriend," Davy said with a frown. "It's really awful what happened to him. That's why Micky and I are so happy for him. He deserves a girl who isn't a complete psycho. Maybe we don't always express it in the best way possible, but that's all."

"Yeah," Micky added. "We aren't teasing, but we've been really concerned since he told us. A lot of things started making sense, like why he never goes after the girls at our gigs and why he's always so uptight."

"And why he was so worried about Leanne hurting you," Davy said.

"So he told you everything?" Peter asked, somewhat relieved that Davy and Micky weren't being as insensitive as he originally thought.

"Yeah, it was the night you spent at Leanne's house," Micky said.

"We were all sitting around talking about how excited we were for you and Mike just looked so upset," Davy continued. "We asked him what was bothering him so much. He didn't want to tell us, but we wore him down because we just couldn't stand seeing him so hung up..."

"Mike," Davy said. "Something's bothering you. We both know it. You've been walking around here looking like someone died since Peter started seeing Leanne."

"Yeah, what gives?" Micky asked. "We're your friends. We're here for you."

"Don't worry about me," Mike sighed. "I'll be fine."

"That's what you always say," Micky cried. "Why don't you trust us? Something's obviously on your mind. We know it, Peter knows it, and hell Leanne probably knows it. Why won't you let us help?"

"I don't see how you could possibly help," Mike said.

"How can you be so sure if you won't even tell us?" Davy asked. "We're worried about you, Mate. It isn't right walking around like a zombie all the time. Please just let us know what's going on."

Mike sighed and looked back and forth between Davy and Micky. He knew what they were saying was true and he did trust them. He just never wanted anyone to know about what happened. He was embarrassed. But he did tell Peter. It wasn't right that he continued keeping it a secret from Micky and Davy. Besides, clearly he wasn't being as discreet as he thought he was.

"Ok," Mike sighed. "I'll tell you." He repeated the entire story, just as he had done with Peter. He saw his friends faces change from worried, to panicked, to sad and he couldn't hold his tears in. When he finally finished the story he was crying into Micky's shirt while Davy wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

Micky and Davy stood there, staring down slack-jawed at Mike. They couldn't believe what he told them. How could this have happened? How could one person be so devious and manipulative? And what's more, how could Mike have fallen for it? He was always the one looking over his shoulder. He was the one who kept them out of trouble, their father figure, their rock. How could he be all that and at the same time be the broken man sitting between them, crying his eyes out and leaning on them for support now?

"Mike," Davy whispered. "It's ok, Mate. We're here for you. I'm so sorry that happened to you, but we're here. We won't let anyone hurt you like that again."

"He's right," Micky added. "We've got your back. We're your friends. It's ok to be scared, but you gotta pick yourself up and keep going." Mike looked up at them and wiped the remaining tears from his eyes.

"Thanks, fellas," he whispered. "It's been 6 years and I still don't think I'm ready to try again. Seeing Leanne and Peter made me think that maybe I could try again, but I just can't." Micky and Davy frowned at him, but Mike continued before either could say anything. "When I do though I promise you guys will be the first to know." Then Mike cleared his throat and slowly walked upstairs to his and Micky's room and closed the door behind him, leaving Davy and Micky in shock.

"So you see, Peter," Davy said. "We aren't being hard on Mike or trying to tease him. We're just happy to see even the tiniest bit of change in him."

"We want him to be happy," Micky said. "We want him to know what it's like to be with the right person. He still far off from that, but this is such a huge step for him. We want him to know we're here for him."

"That does make me feel better," Peter said. "But I still think we should let him be. Like he said, we'll be the first to know when he thinks he's met someone worth trying for again and when he does we have to be as supportive as we can. I don't think he's met a girl though."

"What do you mean?" Micky asked.

"Do you know something we don't?" Davy asked. Peter blushed. He hadn't meant to say that last part out loud. Oh well, too late now.

"Last night you said Mike was out on the deck before you saw him right, Davy?" Peter asked.

"Yeah, why?" Davy replied.

"I took Leanne out on the beach last night and we had an intimate moment on the sand in front of the Pad," Peter said blushing. He was past trying to shock Micky and Davy with dirty language and details.

"Oh," Davy said.

"Oh!" Micky echoed, eyes wide as saucers.

"That's why I think we should leave him alone," Peter said. "He's confused, or jealous, or lonely and we don't need to feed those feelings. It's still a start and I'm glad for that, but I think we should tread carefully with him."

"Yeah, I see your point," Davy agreed. "No more teasing."

"Alright," Micky said. "But, Pete, aren't you a little weirded out thinking he might have been watching you?"

"No," Peter replied thoughtfully. "I probably should be, but I'm not. It's weird, but I know Mike isn't after Leanne. He would never do that, especially after… well you know. And I highly doubt he's after me."

"True," Davy said, chuckling. "Even if we didn't know what happened we'd know he'd never go after someone else's girl. Or one of us for that matter."

"So what do we do?" Micky asked.

"For now we wait," Peter said. "And if we come up with something in the mean time we discuss it before saying anything to Mike. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Micky and Davy echoed.

When Mike didn't come home by the afternoon Peter was beginning to worry. It wasn't like him to be gone so long without at least letting them know where he was going or how long he would be out. Micky and Davy didn't seem to be worried. They told Peter to relax and just let him have his time. They were both off to some club to find some new girls and Peter was left with his thoughts. An hour after Davy and Micky left he couldn't take it any longer, he called Leanne and told her to meet him on the beach.

"Peter, what's wrong?" Leanne asked when she found Peter sitting in the sand.

"How did you know something was wrong?" he asked.

"Peter," she said, settling in the sand next to him. "I could hear it in your voice and I can see it on your face. What's going on?"

"Well," Peter said with a smile that quickly disappeared when he realized he had to tell her the whole thing. "Now don't be weirded out or upset ok?"

"Ok," she replied, her worry growing with each passing moment.

"I think Mike saw us," Peter spit out.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Last night, when we were out here on the beach. I think he saw us… you know."

"Oh, ok. Does that bother you?"

"Well, he umm… took care of himself after," he muttered. Realizing how it sounded he threw his hands up in an attempt to stop any unpleasant thought she might have. "Now before you get any ideas I don't think he's after you or anything like that. It's just that he hasn't done anything like that since that girl and Davy, Micky and I are worried about him. He wouldn't even look at me this morning so he left and hasn't come back yet. The guys said not to worry about it, but I can't help it. It's not like him."

"I don't think Mike is the type of person to think of someone else's significant other that way," she said. It was nice of him to make sure she didn't think poorly of what Mike did, but she knew Mike just wasn't that kind of guy. "He went to such great lengths to make sure I wasn't out to hurt you, he wouldn't do that and then go after me or anything like that. But I get your point, it is strange that up until now he hasn't had any feelings like that. Maybe the reason he hasn't come home yet is because he's embarrassed about what happened."

"Why would he be embarrassed about that?" Peter asked. "It's a natural reaction. It happens to all of us."

"I know," Leanne said. "But maybe he's embarrassed because he reacted to what he saw knowing it was me and you. If that's what happened."

"I never thought about that," Peter said. "Mike is a very keep to himself kinda guy. I can see why that would embarrass him. I'm pretty sure that's what happened. Nothing else really makes sense. Davy thought he met a girl, but there was no time for that to happen and I know he was out on the balcony when we were out here." He turned and pointed to it. "Look you can see it clear as day from here."

"You're right," Leanne replied, looking where Peter pointed. "That probably is exactly what happens, but you have to give him time Peter. He'll come to you sooner or later, I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, babe," Peter smiled. "That was just what I needed. Do you wanna come have dinner with us?" He helped her up and turned in the direction of the Pad.

"I would love to, but I think Mike's going to need you when he gets home," Leanne said, kissing Peter goodbye. "We'll go out tomorrow and you can tell me all about what happens."

"Thanks for understanding," he kissed her goodbye. He made a note to do something special for her the next day.

Mike sat under a tree in the park, quietly playing his guitar and doing his best not to think about what he saw the night before. He was still disgusted with himself. He couldn't even stand seeing Peter at breakfast because he felt so guilty. He never should have let his guard down, never should have told anyone about Kalina, but it was too late now. They all knew and Mike knew it wouldn't be long before they were scheming something to make him feel better.

It wasn't that he wouldn't appreciate what he knew they would try to do, he just wasn't ready. He wasn't sure he would ever be ready to put his heart out there again. It had been so long he wasn't even sure he knew how. Sure he'd met and talked to chicks over the years, Ms. Farnsby that he met through the answering service and Ms. Buntwell from Renaldo's, but it wasn't like it meant anything. He thought he was saving Ms. Farnsby from taking her own life. He kissed Ms. Buntwell, but only as a distraction so that the guys could do their thing. He liked the feeling well enough, but it was only a physical reaction, it still meant nothing to him. He was better off that way.

As he sat there, thinking and playing, he was completely unaware of the time that passed. By the time he looked away from his guitar the sun was setting and there was a small pile of change and dollar bills inside his guitar case. He hadn't even seen anyone come up to him. Unsure of what happened, but grateful just the same, he counted it out and it ended up being $30. He smiled to himself, a real genuine smile for the first time in he didn't even know how long, as he walked back to the Monkeemobile. Well at least I'll always have music.