Katie rolled over in bed, desperately trying to sleep. Tonight though, this was proving almost an impossibility and she didn't have to think too hard as to why. She was missing Jason terribly tonight and the reason why was obvious. Her relatively new friend Laurie Strode was clearly in love with Jason's killer. Katie had no idea if there was a history between them and if so what it was, so she was trying not to judge too quickly. But she also knew that within herself, she had to make the decision as to whether she was able or willing to accept the facts as they were, and just try and avoid Michael Myers, or whether she would have to cut ties with Laurie completely.

This second option was not one she liked the thought of executing; she had no idea how Laurie would react. Hopefully she would understand, but there was also how she would feel. She genuinely liked and cared about Laurie. She was clearly a good woman who'd been relentlessly pursued by a man intent on sex and sex only. No woman deserved that.

"Just get some sleep already," she muttered to herself in the darkness. She knew that was exactly what she had to do, but doing it was a whole different story. Maybe she would speak to Andy and/or Lynda, get their thoughts on it. True they were Laurie's friends too especially Lynda, but surely they would at least hear her out, right?

Sighing, she lay back down and closed her eyes, desperate for some if only temporary relief from the thoughts which were spinning around her head faster than any roundabout. One thing she knew for certain was she had to do something, one way or the other for her life to regain any sense of normality or moving forward.

Then there was the million dollars Townsend was giving her. Money like that was life changing, she'd never have to work again. As much as she loved her job in a little convenience store, with that type of money she could wave that goodbye if she wanted to, hell wave work goodbye altogether for the rest of her life. She thought about the last conversation she and Jason had had on the issue. What would he say now if he knew how rich she was about to become? But all the money in the world would not bring him back, she would trade anything to have him by her side right now. If she had known a tour to Thomas Townsend's new attraction 'Doom Tunnel' would cost Jason his life, they never would've gone of course. They were after fake horror, not the real thing.

Katie eventually gave in, got up and put on the kettle for a cup of coffee. It seemed to her right then that the best thing to do was to wait until she and Laurie were face to face once more, maybe even speak to her about how she was feeling, maybe someday far in the future she'd be able to forgive Michael Myers for his crime. Just from the brief interaction she'd seen between them below ground, it was obvious even to her that the two cared about each other, at least to some degree. Carrying her tea, Katie headed back to bed. She was finally starting to feel at least a little tired, so she lay back down and waited for the hot drink to do its thing.

…

When Laurie woke up she was in bed alone. For a second she felt a jolt of irrational panic, wondering if Michael had indeed left once more despite his promise to her the night before. She touched the gold wedding band on her left third finger and hoped with all her heart she was wrong.

Heading downstairs, she soon found her husband in the kitchen and smelt the burger he'd heated up from the fridge. "Morning darling," she said automatically, desperately hoping her face didn't show the brief panic she'd felt. He stood up and came towards her, putting his arms around her and taking her mouth in a kiss. "Yum, tomato sauce," she smirked, licking his bottom lip. He softly chuckled and sat back down, and without thinking she slid into his lap. Immediately his free arm was around her, holding her tightly to him. She rested her head under his chin.

"They're good those burgers aren't they?" She leant forward and took a bite off the end. "Mr. Townsend… Tom bought them over last night before you arrived." Smirking at him, she took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. "Damn, you have that strong!" He chuckled again; it was music to her ears. She highly doubted anyone had ever heard Michael Myers laugh except her.

"I love you," she whispered in his ear. "I love you so much." He leant in and kissed her again, her wrapping her arms around his neck once more and snuggling against him still in his lap. "Come back to bed with me when you're done?" She breathed. When he smiled at her, her heart flipped in her chest. Standing and pulling her with him, he put his dishes in the sink and then once more lifted her up into his arms and up the stairs.

As they lay there tight in each other's arms, Laurie placed her head on his shoulder and finally did tell him. "I thought you'd left again this morning," she gave a sheepish grin. "When you weren't next to me, I… I panicked." He chuckled again, pulling her in for a kiss and raising his left hand. It was only then she saw he too was wearing his identical gold wedding band. Grasping his hand, she touched hers to his with a soft 'click.'

"Here," she said after a while, handing him the gift box Townsend had left for him. "Open this." Looking amused at her excitement, her husband took it and opened it. Laurie couldn't resist looking. Her mouth fell open. There was an incredibly thick notebook at least 1000 pages, and a gleaming platinum pen with the initials MM engraved into it. Townsend must've had that specially made. There was also a safety whistle and a flashlight, along with a mug and other items from the DT gift shop. Finally, Michael opened Townsend's letter. Laurie watched his face as he read and saw his eyes widen in shock. She understood. That was exactly how she'd felt when Townsend had told her he was giving her a million bucks. When he'd finished reading, he looked up at her.

"He's given us all a million," she murmured, nuzzling back against him. He kissed her. "I was thinking, I don't know what you think babe," once again the endearment just rolled off her tongue and she saw him smiling at her. "I don't like this house much, but with two million we could completely change 45 Lampkin Lane, if that's something you want to do. I'm thinking pool, hot tub, all that good stuff." He chuckled and kissed her again, before giving her a slight nod. "My parents are heavy gamblers," she said softly. "They knew I didn't approve, so they basically threw a huge wad of cash at me to get me out of the way. They pretty much live in the casino." She gave him a mischievous smirk. "How do you think I was able to get into Smith's Grove without issue? They didn't care where I was, John kind of became like my father figure for a while." He hugged her close to him and raised his new pen and the huge notebook. When he showed it to her, she almost cried all over again.

I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that.

As she read his message, he gently turned her head towards him once more checking her bruise. "Still stings like a bitch," she admitted and he then did something that was so unexpected yet loving, she now did start to cry. As carefully but tenderly as he could, Michael kissed her injury. "You trying to kiss it better?" She tried to sound teasing, but she was actually more touched than she could or would ever tell him and the tears were pouring down her cheeks to show it. This time it was she to pull him tightly to her and kiss him over and over again. "Fuck I love you Michael Myers," she sobbed. "I never meant to fall in love with you, you know. When I first visited you in SG, I think… shit! To this day I don't even know. But I knew what it was like to be unpopular, hated, treated like a freak. I knew there had to be… or at least must've been a reason for why you… did what you did to Judith and I really wanted to know what it was. Sure I was fucking terrified of you, just like everyone else. But I… I think I also felt sorry for you. But the way you looked at me, that gaze, so cold it made me shiver. John asked me outright 'what the fuck are you doing?' I wasn't even sure. He threatened not to take me up there again, or to demand sex for doing it. Difference between him and Ben though is he wasn't serious. At least," she smiled a little. "I don't think he was, and even if he was he would never have raped me. But I never expected to fall in love with you, never mind marry you! What… what happened down there that night? Did you know I was going to be in 'Doom Tunnel?' Not last time, the first time?" Her husband was silent for a moment, then raised the book again.

I did.

Even now Laurie felt herself shiver. "Really?" Were you intending to kill me?"

You, no. I was intending to do exactly what I did and have sex with you. But I never planned to love you, Laurie. You started having an effect on me I had not seen coming, that's why I… I left. I felt so confused and I had not planned to feel anything for you except for lust.

This was such an honest message; she leant in and kissed him softly. "Love can do that," she whispered. "Didn't anyone tell you that?" He kissed her back, then raised his message once more.

So when I was told I could be released through marriage and that you were willing to do it, inwardly I laughed. It meant nothing to me save for a way out. Or at least, that's what I thought. As soon as I saw you again I felt something… different. But like I said, I believed truly that you wanted that guy and I was so confused by how I was feeling. When I went down into 'Doom Tunnel' two nights ago, all I could think about was you. I didn't know if I was intending to kill you to get rid of these strange… feelings I'd never felt before or what. But then I saw him attack you twice and the second time that you were injured and I had never felt such murderous rage and anger. All I knew was he had to die. I realised then that I felt something for you I could neither deny, nor escape from. Yes the first time I left because I'd had enough, you were an amusing play thing for a while, but I was done. Or at least, that's what I thought.

She read this message in disbelief. Not only was it honest, but it was also the longest message Michael had ever written to her, probably to anyone. She rested her cheek against his and gazed into his eyes. "Were you planning to kill me in the end?" She asked him softly after a moment. He sighed and held her tighter against him.

What do you think?

She smiled a little. "Touché." She leant into him and they started to kiss again. Smiling at each other, he leant forward and picked up the gift box again, glancing into it. He raised the metal badge with 'TT' written on it and raised his eyebrows. "Damn it," she sighed, looking at her watch. "I'm supposed to be at work in an hour." When she'd decided six months ago that completing high school was not for her, she'd quit and found a small job working as a server in a restaurant. The money was shit but the tips more than made up for it. It was then it hit her all over again. If Townsend was serious about giving them all a million dollars, she wouldn't ever have to work again. Michael seemed to detect what she was thinking because he pulled her back to him, raising his notebook.

Don't bother. It's not like you have to anymore if what I've read is true, is it?

She couldn't help but smile. "You're a bad influence on me Michael Myers," she laughed. "Mind you you've held power over me from day one and of course you knew it." He smiled, leaning in and kissing her. She took his face in her hands and looked straight into his eyes. "I'm serious. Ever since that first day I visited you in Smith's Grove you held something over me, but don't ask me what it was because to this day I still don't know. Maybe because you're Michael Myers? Your name alone puts fear into the hearts of everyone within Haddonfield and outside it. Maybe because I knew how dangerous you… were, that you could and would kill me stupidly easily and without a thought if you got the chance. I know you wanted sex with me down in 'Doom Tunnel' and if I'm honest, I wanted that from you too. Maybe it was the… I've just been fucked by a serial killer, thing. I know of some girls who'd swoon over that. But I was still terrified of you and of course you knew that as well. You were playing with us down there the first time weren't you? You were amused by our fear and the fact we were trapped. That's another thing which makes you so scary, you have a damn cruel sense of humour. Killing Jason and then suspending Katie beneath him… Jesus that was…" If she hadn't seen his next message with her own eyes, Laurie wasn't sure she'd have believed it. As it was, she immediately felt tears rush to her eyes as she read it.

I'm sorry.

She read it once then a second time, speechless. It wasn't that she doubted his apology exactly, it was more the fact that she never expected to see or read one from Michael Myers! This time she was the one who leant in and kissed him softly, trying to convey with one kiss that she at least forgave him. "It's Katie who needs to read that," she said softly, her tone gentle and with no judgement in it. "As well as Mr. Townsend. They were his instructors." Another slight nod from him. She pulled him into her arms and murmured, "for what it's worth, I forgive you." He sighed and held up his next message.

Does John know?

"Know what? That we're married?" Again a nod. "No, but I am going to tell him, he and Lynda deserve the right to know. Lynda knows, I told her while we were in 'Doom Tunnel' two nights ago."

You're going to tell me Katie loved Jason now, aren't you?

They were together, yes," Laurie said quietly. "To be honest I thought you'd realised that because of the way you… you know, did what you did." He sighed again.

I suspected so, yes.

"Were you amused?" She murmured. "Did you find the whole thing funny?"

Of course I did.

"Thought as much," she nodded, and felt instantly bad when she heard the slight bitterness in her voice. Michael must've heard it too because he pulled her close and when their eyes met, she saw something she would never have thought she would. Guilt. Pulling him as close as she could, she rested her head back on his shoulder. "Now I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear. "I didn't mean it to come out like that."

You have every right to be bitter and angry.

She sighed again. "It was just so fucking terrifying; Michael. Can't you understand? Pitch black, we're trapped in a dark cave system and there's a God damn serial killer stalking us! We'd also just heard on the radio that a patient had escaped Smith's Grove and I really didn't want to believe it might be you. My friends were adamant it wasn't, but I wasn't so sure. Then once we were down there and people started… dying, I had no choice than to believe it was. Who else would be killing us one by one in very… inventive ways? Andy and I saw what you did to Duncan and Patrick's bodies. Only someone with a certain… type of sense of humour could do that just for kicks." There was a short silence, before she spoke again. "But damn you Michael Myers, I love you. I've loved you for long enough without even realising it! I don't even know what caused it! I was visiting a damn serial killer from behind security glass, who looked at me as though he'd like nothing better than to slit my throat! After he'd done other… things! Yet, I fell for you. You know what Dr Loomis said to me when he told me about the marriage contract? He said 'all Michael's chances hang on you.' I was like what the fuck? But when he explained to me about the marriage thing it all made sense. He knew how I felt about you, though I have no idea how as I never told him. Maybe he saw something when I visited you? I wouldn't put anything past that man. I knew you were doing it purely for your release… or at least I thought I did and that you didn't care about me at all and would happily kill me. For a while after our marriage I found myself hoping you wouldn't come looking for me as I hadn't arranged my funeral yet! But at the same time, there was also a part of me which desperately hoped you would come and find me, because my damn heart needed you! Did you leave because… well, you'd had enough? You just saw me as a sex toy and the novelty had worn off?" He sighed and held her as tightly as he could, before kissing her once, twice. It was clear to her just from this gesture that she was bang on the money. "It's ok," she breathed. "I can't exactly blame you can I? You've probably never felt love in your life. I didn't expect you to fall in love with me. It was just my damn heart that wanted you so badly. I didn't expect it to actually happen." Taking a breath, she finally asked the question she really wanted to know the answer too, if he was willing to give it. "When… when did you start realising you felt something for me?" He kissed her again and then started writing. She waited and for some reason her heart was pounding. Clearly he felt this too because he held her tightly. Finally, he showed his answer.

When I was back in Smith's Grove. I thought about all the times I'd had sex with you and… I wanted more. I didn't of course understand it, I just knew I had to see you again. Then when Dr Loomis informed me about the marriage contract and that you had agreed to do it for my release, all I could think about was at least seeing you. I watched you for a couple of months and saw that guy all over you, so I thought my chance had gone. Nor could I blame you.

"Did you want to kill me?" She asked very quietly. "I mean after you saw me and thought I wanted Ben?"

I cannot lie to you, there was a part of me which did, yes. But the fact I didn't attempt it had nothing to do with the possibility of facing a lethal injection. It was more to do with the fact that these feelings, whatever they were, were not fading and all I could think of was… getting rid of the competition.

This made her shiver a little. "So are you saying you'd have killed Ben even if he hadn't tried to rape me twice down there that night?" He sighed softly.

I don't know.

"Fair enough," she nodded, appreciating his honesty. "But please believe me, I never felt anything for Ben and every time you saw us together, I was trying to turn him down. I tried to be gentle at first, but over time I got more and more annoyed that he just wasn't getting the hint."

After a while I noticed that, which only made me more determined to kill him. But when I saw him do… what he did to you, I snapped.

She couldn't help but shiver again. "Yeah, angering Michael Myers, good way to commit suicide," she tried to smile. He didn't return it.

If he had left you alone like you asked him to do, his death would not have been necessary, my feelings aside.

She nodded. "At least you can control the need to kill to some extent," she kissed his mouth tenderly. "I'm proud of you for that." He scoffed quietly. "No I'm serious," she whispered. Now she understood why she'd felt the prickling on the back of her neck in the months after she'd agreed to the marriage contract, why she'd felt like she was constantly being watched. She hadn't told anyone about this either, because she knew only too well what that would mean. She'd have to tell them about her marriage to Michael for it to make sense, as she strongly believed it was her now husband who was watching her, and she'd just been proved right.

I apologise for putting you on edge like that, but you were never in danger from me, I just couldn't approach. For a while, I wasn't even sure what I felt myself, I didn't know what it was. I just knew I needed you, Laurie, I just didn't know in what way.

She hugged him fiercely. "Now?"

As I told you last night. I love you, Laurie.