It was late in the afternoon when Jenna finally returned. She still refused to elaborate on her whereabouts when they asked, just smiled. Alice had finished work early and driven to pick her up. Through the group text, they'd all agreed that tomorrow was better for the meet up, postponing it until the next evening. That meant they could get food and drinks in and also arrange where and at what time. Jade and Tara remained convinced they knew what his news was, but didn't speculate. They'd wait for him to tell them and find out that way.

Steve stared at the text message on his phone, hardly able to believe his eyes. He'd just finished a row of complicated figures, working today in his home office. Every now and then he went back to the living room to ensure the girls had enough food etc. They were still chatting away, occasionally stopping to watch a film. It made Steve's heart swell with love. Now, he stared at the message in front of him to make sure he wasn't miss reading it. He wasn't.

Steve, if you are free, please may I speak with you? In person? M.

He didn't have to guess too hard who'd sent it. But when had he got a phone? Steve knew Jade had asked him to, but when had he actually done it? He smiled to himself as he finally text back.

Hi Michael. I'm just finishing off these figures, I'll be free in an hour if that's ok for you? Where do you want to meet? I was going to contact you myself too. I need to speak with you also.

Are you able to drive up here to Craig and Jenna's? Or shall I come to you? M.

Would you mind? That'll give me a chance to finish this.

On my way. M.

Just over an hour later, Steve heard the soft chime of the doorbell. He headed out before any of the girls could, opening the door and shaking his son in law's hand.

"Michael. How are you?" The killer raised his notepad.

Fine, thank you. What did you want to speak to me about?

Steve led him back in to his home office. He saw Michael looking around and was that approval in his gaze? Steve grinned. "Took me ages to get this how I wanted it. Time and a lot of money I can tell you."

You've done well for yourself it would seem.

"Thanks," Steve smiled again as he sat down in his desk chair, gesturing for Michael to take the one opposite him. "Michael," he hesitated. "I… Well I wanted to apologise again for what happened in that alley. Not the… The first time, the second."

Steve, leave it. It's ok. Really, it is.

"I didn't mean to make you feel…" Again, Steve hesitated. Guilty? Michael Myers? "Well to bring it all back," he finished eventually, somewhat lamely.

For you, or me?

"Either."

It's ok. Forget it. From my perspective at least. I know for you that may be significantly harder and again, I apologise for this.

"Thanks," was all he could say. Taking a deep breath, he changed the subject. He had to, before the memories began to close in on him again. "Did you want to see Jade? She's in the living room if so."

Presently yes. But I wish to ask something of you Steve.

"Go for it." Steve sat up in his chair. When he read Michael's request, his mouth dropped open in pure shock and for a second, all he could do was stare at his son in law in pure disbelief.

What? Normal is it not?

"Um yes…" Steve stammered. "Just I not…"

What you expected from me? No, I surprised myself there too.

Steve smiled at his son in law. "I'd be only too happy to do that for you. If we go now, we can do it. I have the information you need already," Steve grinned. "As for the money, we can discuss that later. Jade comes first."

Perfect. I thank and agree with you. Money etc is also something I wish to speak to you about in due course.

"No rush," Steve grinned. "You're loving and Protecting my daughter. That is worth everything to me, far more than money is."

They headed out to Steve's car and pulled out of the driveway.

"Yeah but it's so romantic," Jenna gushed when Tara rolled her eyes and retold how she'd met Stuart at Jenna's insistence. Jade also suspected it was a changing subject tactic to distract from her secret drive earlier. Which she still wouldn't budge on.

"See?" Jade smirked at her blood sister. "It's not just me who thinks that."

Jenna and Jade smiled at each other as Tara touched her engagement and wedding rings. It was clear to them that whatever she might say to the contrary, she loved telling their story as much as they loved hearing it.

"What about you?" Tara asked Jenna. "How did you meet Craig?"

"Didn't I tell you last night?" Jenna asked.

"Yeah but it's so romantic!" Tara smirked, nudging her shoulder. Jade burst out laughing.

"Touché, ok got me there." Jenna grinned. "I still say yours is better from the romance perspective though. We met at a party. It was a friend of mine from uni. He invited friends who invited friends kind of thing. Craig was a friend of a friend. We started talking, he danced with me and the spark was instant. We swapped numbers, went on dates and the rest is history."

"Now that's romantic," Tara sighed. Jenna smiled. "Not really, it's probably the oldest, "how did you meet?" Story in the book."

"Perhaps, but I love that part about the instant spark," Tara looked dreamily at her rings again.

"See? Caught you!" Jade gave her sister a playful poke. Tara started. "Huh?" Jade and Jenna began to laugh.

Steve smiled at Michael, as his son in law returned to the car. He opened the small leather box in his hand and Steve had to swallow back tears. It was perfect, Jade's favourite style. Michael passed him the receipt and Steve pocketed it, not even looking at the price. He didn't care. He'd sat in his car as he waited, thinking of where he and Jenna had been that morning. He smiled, affection filling his heart. Jenna and Craig were good, kind people. He smiled at the thought of who they'd seen. His trusting eyes, sweet face… Steve couldn't wait until it was all official. Jade would be overjoyed for more than one reason by tomorrow. He, Alice and Jenna were currently the only ones who knew. Sure Jade had seen him a lot, but it'd never been let on to her what was happening in the background. Now, he leant towards his son in law.

"Do you need any further help with…"

Michael shook his head. Alice very kindly went there yesterday while the girls were distracted. It's all perfect. But thank you.

"Brilliant," Steve felt a lump in his throat. Oh Jade, he thought. Just you wait. Is this really Michael Myers? Really?

"Thank you Michael," he said softly. The killer raised an eyebrow. "You've treated Jade as nothing but your princess. I've noticed it all."

Wouldn't go that far. A stone, wasn't it?

"Now come on Man." Steve touched Michael's arm. "Don't hold on to that. She approached you then, after you'd even warned her not to. That wasn't your fault."

So are you saying it was hers?

"It was an accident. Jade desperate to talk to you, you too… um, angry to listen. No one's fault. I can't blame Jade; I can't blame you."

So what about you?

"Michael, that's in the past. The fact I struggle with it is also not your fault. It was horrific yes, but I'd have the same reaction whoever it'd been. Look at what you're doing now. My daughter adores you, so that means so do I. You've never willingly hurt her, you've protected all of us, including me. Plus, something tells me your desire to kill is, no pun meant here, dying."

Damn your daughter.

Steve smiled. "I know. Isn't it annoying when you fall in love? Changes so much in you, doesn't it?"

It seems so. Damn if I'd known…

"You'd have done it anyway," Steve murmured. Michael's eyes narrowed in a glare, but Steve could see right through it. "Yeah whatever," he smirked. "That look's not fooling me. I've been there myself Michael. Keep trying." Steve was sure Michael smiled at him then.

I never meant to; you know.

"Meant to what? Fall in love with Jade?"

Indeed. I intended you all to die. Ok she made me feel things I've never felt before, sex for example, but it was all highly amusing to me. She gave me all your photographs and begged me not to harm any of you. For some reason, I agreed. She begged me that you'd all be safe and I said give me their photographs. I intended it to be a false sense of security, then I'd kill you all anyway. I thought I had the control all the way through. Even when I gave her a key. I'd kill her when she walked in one day. But I couldn't. When Jenna and Craig got burgled, don't ask me why I checked the house. I didn't care about them then…

Steve looked away from the pad at that point. "Oh I think you did," he said very quietly. "You just didn't realise it." He looked back at the long message.

That night I let Jade in to my bed for the first time. I… I needed her close to me. But I still wouldn't have hesitated to kill her if she angered or betrayed me. That was what I said to her when I gave her the key. I don't think I need to tell you what will happen if you're lying to, or betray me? I thought she was lying about loving me, had an ulterior motive. I didn't trust her. I was still intent on killing her in the end.

Steve looked slowly up at his son in law. "When did it start to change?" He asked, his voice just above a whisper.

Michael let out a long breath before typing again. Steve waited, his heart pounding for some reason. Though he couldn't have said why.

Not even when Jade got attacked. I felt no empathy when you freed me, just that I had to protect my wife. But then when I saw her, that huge scar, the way she'd been mentally scarred by it, that was when the first twinge was felt. But I dismissed it. Told myself it was nothing. Then just the way she had to be close to me, the way I seemed to be everything to her…

"Man, you're the centre of her universe," Steve said softly. "I'm not kidding. She adores you. I'll say that as many times as I need to."

Then you told me your story and I saw the emotional state you were in. I didn't even feel anything when Stuart was ill. I protected him because, hell, he was my family now whether I wanted it or not. There was a time even then when I may very well have killed my wife. But then you told me what happened to you at my hands and…

"You…" Steve swallowed. "That was the first time you genuinely felt something?"

I believe so. Or at least the first time I was aware of it. Then I saw your anger when Jade was getting harassed by that guy Scott and I started to think maybe, just maybe…

Steve couldn't help it then. He put his arm around his son in law and pulled him forward in to a hug. Michael didn't resist, just placed his arm around Steve in turn.

"Didn't anyone tell you love is a dangerous thing?" Steve murmured in to Michael's shoulder. "It destroys the hardest person, melts the hardest heart." Michael raised his notepad in his free hand, his other arm still around Steve's shoulders.

Sartain tried; I didn't listen. I felt nothing then, nothing at all.

"Whoops," Steve smiled. "Perhaps you should have listened."

Or perhaps it's good for you and Jade I did not.

"Touché," Steve grinned. "Didn't think of that."

Then we'd argue and I'd see how much it hurt Jade. The night I said I wasn't staying with her. She was in so much pain, so much distress and it was all because she needed me. That… That got to me in a way I still don't understand.

"It's called love," Steve said very softly. "She was hurting because she needed you. Perfectly normal."

It… It did something to me. It hurt. I couldn't… Couldn't take the thought that someone was in pain because I wasn't with them. She wanted, needed me with her. Me. I started saying things to her I never thought I would. Caught myself asking what I was doing, but by then it was too late. Telling her I loved her, that I'd never leave her all night, that I was here for her…

"Say what you like, I think your empathy/love for Jade started way before you realise. The flowers, telling her you loved her that night, your rage when she was attacked, you can lie to yourself Michael but not to me. You wanted to kill those bastards because they'd hurt Jade. Just admit it. You've loved her a lot longer than even you understood." There was silence. Steve smiled at his son in law once more. Michael didn't have to answer this time.

"I know," Steve said eventually. "You don't want to admit it, or maybe you can't. I'm Michael Myers the masked killer, I feel nothing. But I think the time has come when you'll have to. Look at what you're about to do for Jade tonight. That's not Michael Myers, is it? Not the old Michael Myers anyway. Face it, you have a wife who loves you and who you love in return."

The two men looked at each other intently. Neither of them writing or speaking a word. They didn't need to. Steve knew Michael knew he was right. Steve tightened his arm around Michael's shoulders for a moment before releasing him. "Ah, love." He murmured. "Such a deadly force."

Steve?

"Yeah?"

Tell me about Gary?

Steve could hardly believe his eyes. He had to read the message twice before it sunk in. You don't care about me Michael? He thought. Bullshit. It's right there in front of me. He took a deep breath.

Gary Emerson was my best friend from school. We met aged 5. We did everything together. Girls, board games, sport, films, you name it. Learnt about girls together, basically we learnt how to live, together. Most of the kids at school thought I was arrogant; thought I knew it all. Gary didn't. He saw past all of that to the real me. Maybe I did try and wear a mask to the world so to speak, all be it not literal as yours is. But Gary wouldn't let me. He wanted me for who I was. Even then I was interested in numbers, top of my Maths class which is why I think the other kids hated me. I was bullied mercilessly, but Gary stuck by me. Sure we had cross words, but who doesn't? The night you, you found us, he was winding me the hell up. I'd argued with Alice and he was encouraging me to look elsewhere for satisfaction that night. Driving me absolutely mad."

I did wonder. Not often you punch a best friend.

"You saw that?" Steve looked away. "That was the last thing I ever did to him. It's been eating at me ever since. I loved that man and the last thing he felt from me was a punch."

Steve, I am so sorry.

Unlike previous times Michael had written something similar, this time Steve believed him. But he still had to look away to swallow back tears as one fell down his cheek.

So given all that, why follow me, Steve? The mask, your studies, etc?

Steve remembered Jenna asking him that very same question the night before and smiled riley. "You know Michael? I don't know exactly. Maybe it was to show people I could face my fears. For years afterwards I was looking over my shoulder, even after you were captured. You appeared in my nightmares almost every night, this tall, masked guy with a knife. In my dreams though, you finished the job." Steve shivered a little. He could hardly believe he was actually telling Michael Myers all this, but then he hadn't expected to end up as his father in law either. "Like I said to you when I told you. When Jade told me, I wanted to forbid her from seeing you. But I couldn't. Wanted to tell her she'd die before she could even say your name. Of course back then, I didn't know you'd also met her before. Andrew, then when she wrote you that letter. She fell in love with you when you saved her from Andrew, just none of us knew it. I think…" Steve swallowed. "I seriously intended to get revenge. I vowed that one day, I'd kill you. I'd get revenge for you taking my best friend, plus everyone else who'd died. When Lance told me about your kill ride, I felt a bit of that once more. But all Jade wanted was to be close to you and I… I knew I couldn't have done it even if I'd wanted to. But at the time, God Michael I wanted you dead. When you were captured, I wanted to break in there and finish you off. I hated the thought of you being locked up but alive, while Gary was dead at your hand."

Michael was looking steadily back at him and Steve was sure there was sympathy in his gaze. It was unmistakable. Damn Jade had sure changed this man. For better, as opposed to worse. Her marriage vows had certainly been true, that was for sure.

How did you agree to our wedding then?

Steve laughed humourlessly. "Because Alice had no idea who my attacker was. She only found out yesterday. If I'd put up a fight, I'd have to disclose all of it and I couldn't face it. But I promised myself that if you so much as touched a hair on Jade's head in violence, you'd pay the price or I'd die trying, which would've been what happened I have no doubt."

Now, Steve?

"Now I can't put the man who killed Gary and almost killed me and the man who loves Jade as he does together. It's still a struggle sometimes for me to believe it. Then seeing how you held and protected Nathan and how he instantly trusted you, beyond the normal. We all agreed that day it was as if he knew you'd protect him, just not how. That he knew he was safe with you."

This time, Steve could not mistake the smile on Michael's face. He knew then and there that whatever he might say, Michael had wanted to protect Nathan just as much as Nathan believed he did. My sweet little grandson, Steve thought, a smile lighting up his own face at Nathan's constant love of life, happiness and even at 3, kindness towards people. The way he'd give anyone a chance. He was his father in that respect.

"We should get back," Steve said quietly eventually. "Don't want to be late for your date, do you?"

Michael shook his head and as Steve looked at him, he could see unmistakable warmth in his gaze. The two men smiled at each other, as Steve started the engine.

"I dropped your suit down the dry cleaners earlier," Steve said, heading through town. "We'll pick it up now." Michael nodded to him, raising his pad again.

I meant what I said, Steve. I wish to speak to you about money etc. Seem as I'm in this for the long hall, namely the rest of my life, eh?

Steve felt tears once more and had to swallow them back. Oh Michael loved Jade alright, along with the rest of them. It was so damn obvious. "Don't worry about that tonight though," he said. "We'll sort something out. I'll say it again. What you're doing for Jade tonight and have done before is priceless to me."

There was a soft beep, but because Steve was driving he couldn't look. Myers must've realised this and Steve started slightly when a soft male voice filled the car. It took him a second to understand. Michael had pressed the speech button.

"If you need to talk to me about it ever, our past, you can.

"Thanks," Steve smiled over to him. "I think though as long as I don't see a knife with blood on it, I'll be fine. Lance told me you washed the blood off your knife that night. Thank you. I meant to say that before." Again, his son in law just nodded.

After picking up Michael's suit, they reached his and Alice's house and Steve smiled. So far so good. Their plan was on track. Alice had made the necessary phone calls and the men were all there. Jenna was outside, standing by an official looking car. He smiled, excitement flooding him. This would be the first time their little friend would've stayed the night with Craig and Jenna and he couldn't wait to see how it went. All being well, it would be official in a couple of months or less. Michael looked in to the car and Steve saw the flicker of recognition on his son in law's face.

"Please don't tell Jade," Steve whispered. "Not yet?"

Michael ran his finger briefly across his lips and Steve smiled in thanks. They entered the house and Michael headed silently upstairs to change. Alice was successfully keeping Jade distracted with Tara.

"He's here," Steve said quietly to Alice and Tara, the only two who knew apart from he, Craig and Jenna. Alice had deliberately sent Jade to the kitchen for a glass of water Tara had pretended to ask for. "Michaels' just getting changed and then they'll be leaving."

"Brilliant," Tara smiled.

A few minutes later, Michael reappeared fully suited, his shoes gleaming with polish. Alice called Jade, who stepped out of the living room. She opened her mouth to answer and her jaw dropped. Tara, Alice, Steve and Jenna were all smiling at her. Craig had headed out to deal with part two of their secret plans. Michael stepped forward and took Jade's hand, leading her towards the front door and their car.

"See you tomorrow babe," Alice called. "Have a great night!"

"I'm not dressed for…" Jade began. But Michael cut her off with a kiss. The door closed and they were gone. They saw Michael help Jade in to the passenger seat of their car by the hand, in such a way she didn't see the other car parked there. He also closed her door for her.

"I'll say it again, who said chivalry was dead," Alice smiled. "Jade deserves all of this. She took so many risks to be with him, even her life."

"She did indeed," Steve cuddled up to her and put his arm around her waist. She smiled up at him, before reaching up for a kiss.

When Michael and Jade drove off in to the night, Craig nodded and Jenna, the two women and the little boy with them entered the house, running straight to Jenna, then to Craig for a hug. Craig lifted him up, holding him tightly, fighting back tears. He could hardly believe this was happening. He couldn't wait until Jade found out. But right now, her mind would be miles away as her husband showed her he loved her. Craig smiled to himself, asking again, Michael Myers? Really? It's really him? Jade wouldn't know what hit her. Tonight would be one of the best nights of her life and tomorrow? Well he couldn't wait to see her face.

They all entered the living room, Craig still carrying the youngest member of their party. The two women seated themselves as Jenna made coffee with Alice's help, while the young boy with them snuggled in to Craig's shoulder. Craig couldn't wait until this boy could address him the way he'd love with all his heart, which was composed of one simple word.