Another couple of weeks went by, and Mike and Addy continued falling for each other. Three days after Addy had told Mike she loved him, he asked her to go steady with him. She eagerly said yes, and Mike had never been so happy. He still couldn't bring himself to tell her he loved her. He knew it had nothing to do with Addy, and everything to do with him. That nagging voice in the back of his head wouldn't stop telling him he wasn't good enough, and that it was all too good to be true. He didn't know what his hangup was. She loved him, and told him so repeatedly, so why did he still think she was going to break his heart? He didn't know, but she didn't seem to mind that he still hadn't said it back. She meant what she had said about being patient, and Mike was grateful for that.
However, hiding things from her father was becoming increasingly difficult. Addy knew she couldn't keep relying on Valerie to cover for her. Which meant Addy was doing a lot of sneaking out late at night, and they weren't seeing each other every day like they had been. Now, it was two or three times a week. Mike hated not being around her more, and she didn't like it either. "I promise Mike, I'm going to talk to him, it's just complicated" she had told him. He tried to be understanding, but he couldn't help but feel a little frustrated. He couldn't understand why her father didn't value Addy's happiness, and would rather her be with Shawn than someone who actually treated her well. None of this was Addy's fault, he knew this was hard for her. She wanted nothing more than to have Mike come over frequently and for her father to drop his stern exterior and welcome Mike with open arms. She had tried to talk to her father about Mike, but before she could get very far he exploded. "If you ever bring that disgraceful boy up again, it'll be the last conversation you have with me!" She knew he didn't mean it, but it hurt her. She hadn't told Mike about the conversation, or that she had sobbed uncontrollably all through the night once her father had gone to sleep. She loved Mike more than anything, and she wanted to share that part of her life with her father, and all he could do was yell and ignore her. Though, she was glad Shawn had stopped coming around. She had hoped he had backed off for good, but she knew his ego wouldn't allow him to give up so easily. It was only a matter of time before he butted in again, and she was frightened to think of what would happen when that day would come. Mike worried too, but never let on. The last thing he wanted was to make Addy upset, she was hurt enough by her father, she didn't need to be worrying about Mike too.
Mike gazed out through the large balcony window, and took in the stormy sea below the pad. They had had none stop rain for three days, and it didn't look like it would be clearing up anytime soon. The large waves crashed onto the shoreline, and the heavy rain beat steadily against the pad. Mike saw the lights flicker a little. They hadn't lost power yet, but if the wind picked up anymore, it was only a matter of time before they would. The guys had been endlessly bored. Mr. Matteson had given them the week off since they had been working so much, and at first they were thrilled. But when the weather turned lousy, all they wanted to do was get out of the house. Mike surveyed his three friends. Peter and Micky were playing an unenthusiastic game of checkers, which Mike knew would end in a fight because Peter always tried to cheat. And Davy was lounging on the couch tossing a ball into the air and then catching it when it came back down. Mike sighed and looked back outside. The wind whipped the pounding rain in all directions, and the downpour was so heavy, Mike could barely see anything. He saw a flash of lighting shoot across the sky before a loud clap of thunder boomed and rattled the house. Peter's head shot up and Mike heard him whimper. "Don't worry Peter, it'll be over before you know it" Mike said. Peter nodded nervously and tried to focus on his checker game. As they sat around and listened to the raging storm, Mike's mind was filled with thoughts of Addy. He hadn't seen her in three days due to the weather, and he missed her terribly. He thought about the last time he was with her. She had snuck out when her father had gone to sleep, and he knew they wouldn't have long together. They sat in his car just a little ways down the road from her house. They talked quietly and giggled and teased one another. Then they both went very still and quiet, as they always did when they had both had enough of talking. Then it was lips on lips, his hands roaming over her body, and hers wrapping around his neck pulling him closer. His fingers would end up running through her hair as he kissed down her neck and she let out sigh after sigh. That was always as far as they went. The passionate kisses and tender embraces had been enough for them. They simply loved being with one another. When they finally pulled away, she gave him a soft goodbye before getting out of the car and running back to the house.
A loud knock at the door startled Mike and brought him out of his memory. Davy stopped throwing the ball, and Micky and Peter looked at each other confused. "Who in the world could that be?" Mike asked, striding toward the door. "Surely Babbit wouldn't be bothering us in this weather" Davy said. "But we've paid the rent, and it was on time for once!" Micky said. Mike reached the door, and looked through the peephole. The storm had made it impossibly dark outside, and the rain was no help either, and Mike couldn't see. He shrugged and opened the door. What he saw broke his heart. Addy stood in the doorway, soaked head to toe, trembling, and tears streamed down her pretty face, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "Mike" she choked out before throwing her arms around him. He pulled her drenched and chilly body close to him, and wrapped her up in his arms before closing the door. She sobbed against him, and she shook uncontrollably. He gently pulled her away from him, just enough to see her face. "Addy, Addy breathe" he said, rubbing his hands up and down her arms trying to warm her up. She certainly didn't dress for the weather. Her thin mint blouse clung to her, and her bell bottoms were soaked, and her feet had to be frozen in her drowned flats. "Davy, get me that blanket" Mike said, and Davy quickly handed Mike the warm knitted blanket from the couch. Mike wrapped it around the still shaking girl, and continued trying to warm her up. "Here, come here and sit down, and you can tell us what happened" he offered, and gently led her to the couch. Davy hopped up and stood beside his other band mates, while Mike and Addy sat on the sofa. Mike kept his arm wrapped around her, and she snuggled in close to him. Her breathing had calmed down, and her tears had stopped, and he could see she was quieting down. "Better?" He asked and she gave a little nod. "What happened?" He asked gently. When her eyes finally met his, he felt his heart break again. She looked broken. "I, I told him" she choked out and Mike knew exactly what she meant. He felt his blood boil and his fist was clenched tight. "Mike, he was furious, he flew off the handle, I, I've never seen him so angry" she cried and buried her head in Mike's chest. "Shhh, it's alright I've got you" Mike said and rubbed his hand up and down her back. Davy turned to Micky, and Micky could only shake his head in anger. Peter felt tears form in his eyes. Mike was the best man Peter knew, and it killed him that her father wouldn't even give him a chance. Addy pulled away and tried to continue her story. "I told him that I was in love with you" she whispered, and despite the situation, Mike couldn't help but smile a little. "I told him that all I wanted was for him to be happy for me, and that he would really like you if he would just get to know you" she continued. "But he was furious" she said, and her eyes looked sad and tired. "I don't even know what all horrible things he started screaming" she said. Mike knew she was lying. She remembered every word. But she didn't have the energy to go through the whole fight, and Mike knew that, and she was grateful he didn't press for more details. "But he said, as long as you're my daughter and live with my money and under my roof you will never see that boy again" she said. Mike then understood why she was there. She locked eyes with him. "Oh, Addy" he whispered. "If he can't accept you, then I don't want to live under his roof, he knows I couldn't care less about the money, and I don't want a father who can be so cruel and unforgiving". The last part she hardly got out. She started to cry and Mike brushed the tears away from her eyes. It was then Mike realized he never heard her car pull up, though the storm could have drowned out the sound. But he didn't remember seeing it when he opened the door. "Addy, did you drive here?" He asked. She wouldn't look at him. "Addy, that's a ten mile walk!" He exclaimed. "I had to get out, and I just..." she couldn't finish he sentence. She was exhausted from the trip, and she was wet and practically frozen. She felt lightheaded and Mike saw her sway a little. He caught hold of her arm right as she was about to topple over. "Hey, hey babe look at me" He said, and she tried to keep her eyes open. "Listen we got to get her warm, and into bed" he told the guys. "Davy, go get those flannel pajamas that your grandad sent you that you never wear. They'll probably fit her" Mike said, and without hesitation the young singer bounded into his room to retrieve the clothes. "Come on, I'll help you to the bathroom so you can get changed" Mike said, and helped Addy stand from the couch. She wobbled a little, but finally got her balance. Mike walked her over to the bathroom, and Davy handed her the soft pjs. "These ought to do" he said with a smile, and she gave him a weak one of her own.
Once she was in the bathroom, Mike turned to look at his friends. They wore mixed emotions. Davy had pity and anger written all over his face, as did Micky. But Peter, Peter just looked sad. Almost as heart broken as Mike. "What are you gonna do Mike?" Micky asked, after a moment. "I don't know" he answered. "But for right now, I'm going to take care of her. Get her warm and rested, and we'll deal with the rest tomorrow" he said, and the others nodded in agreement. "Well listen, why don't you take my bed, and she can have yours, and I'll sleep on the couch for tonight" Micky offered and Mike gave him a smile. "Well thank you good buddy" he said. He heard the door open and Addy stepped out in Davy's pajamas. Her hair was still wet, and she looked dangerously pail and fragile. Mike had never seen her look so tired and broken, and he hoped he never would again after tonight. He walked up to her and gently stroked her cheek. "You feelin' alright" He asked, and tried not to panic at how cold her cheek was. "I will be" She whispered. "Let's get you to bed" he told her. As soon as the words left his mouth, he saw her sway again, and her eyes close. "Addy" he called, and he caught her right before she hit the ground. "Addy, hey babe wake up" he said, gently patting her cheek, but it was no use. "She's beat man, she's had a long night" Davy said softly. Mike scooped her tiny body up in his arms. Mike didn't consider himself to be extremely strong, but Addy felt as though she weighed nothing. And in that moment, Mike knew he wanted to always take care of her. Holding her in his arms, with her pressed against his chest, he felt like a protector, and he'd protect her against anything. "I'm just gonna take her up to bed, I'll see you guys in the morning alright" he told his friends. They each gave him a sad smile, before he carried Addy up the stairs.
He gently placed her on his bed and tucked her under the covers. He took a moment to just stare at her sleeping form. He stroked away the wet pieces of hair that clung to her pale face, and then he traced his fingers across her jaw line and her cheek. He leaned in close, and despite being out in the rain all night, she still smelled like roses, and that made him smile. She was still Addy, broken and tired as she was, she was still the same girl he was so crazy about, and he knew he had to figure this out for her. He gave her a small kiss on the forehead, before quickly changing into his own pjs, and crawling into Micky's bed.
He tossed and turned for what felt like hours. "How in the world does Mick get any sleep on this thing" he mumbled out loud. Micky's bed felt hard as a rock compared to Mike's worn and comfy mattress. But Mike knew, even if Micky had the mattress of a king, Mike still wouldn't be able to sleep. All he could think about was his poor girlfriend in the bed across from him. He couldn't help but feel like the whole thing was his fault. He had come between Addy and the only family she had left. He felt sick to his stomach. He felt tears stinging his eyes. He knew what he had to do, and it was going to kill him. He had to end things with her. If he really wanted to protect her, really wanted to love and care for her like he said he did, then he had to let her go. She needed her father, cold and harsh as he might be, she loved him and he was her family. Mike was not. Mike felt the tears trail down his face and he furiously wiped them away. That image of her on their doorstep would never go away. She looked absolutely devastated, and it was his fault. If he had been wealthy and dignified and someone important, her father would've accepted him with open arms and Addy would be happy. Instead, she had run away and was lying in bed exhausted and heartbroken. He knew he had to call it off, because he wanted to put her happiness before his own. Because he loved her.
He threw the covers away from his body, and quietly crept outside. He made his way down the steps and heard a clap of thunder, and lighting illuminated the room. Mike made his way over to stare outside just as he had been doing before Addy arrived. He let his tears flow freely and quietly down his face as he watched the storm. "Mike?" He heard a groggy voice coming from the couch, and saw Micky slowly sit up. "It's alright Mick, go on back to sleep" Mike said gently, and just as if he had never woken up at all, Micky was out like a light. Mike chuckled a little despite himself. "Mike" this time, the voice was soft and sweet, and it came from the top of the stairs. Mike looked up and saw Addy standing at the top of the steps. "Go on back to bed, I'll be up in a minute" he said, quickly looking away trying to hide his tear stained face. He heard her soft footsteps on the stairs, and knew he had been caught. He heard her stop just behind him, but he still didn't look away from the window. He felt her hands rest on his back as she looked out at the storm. After a moment, he felt her fingers turn his chin so his eyes met hers. "Mike, have you been crying?" She asked. Mike could barely hold back his tears. He wanted to wait and do this in the morning, the last thing he wanted was to do this now. "Look, you need to rest, we'll talk in the morning" he said, gently steering her towards the stairs. "No, Mike, we'll talk about it now" she whispered with insistence. She knew him too well. She knew exactly what he was thinking. "Michael, if you're thinking what I think you're thinking..." she started and he stopped her. "Addy, he's your father, I am not going to get in the way of your family" Mike insisted and he saw a look he had never seen on her before. She was angry. "Mike, I wouldn't have walked all that way in this storm, abandoning my father, if I didn't love you with all my heart!" She hissed and Mike checked to make sure Micky hadn't woken back up and that Davy and Peter's door was still shut tight. "Addy, I care about you too much to see you so heartbroken" he whispered. He saw her eyes soften for a moment, but then she went right back to being angry. "You care about me? Is that all?" She asked. He realized her patience had run out. He knew if he told her he loved her, which is exactly what he wanted to say, he couldn't go through with ending things. But if he didn't, if he lied, he could get her back to her father. He was torn. He knew what he should do, but it wasn't what he wanted to do. Suddenly, the anger was gone, and she looked shattered. "Do you really just care about me?" She choked out and Mike couldn't stand it. "I love you, Addy" he whispered and he saw a tear roll down her face. "I've been in love with you for a long time" he continued. "And that's why I have to let you go" he said, his voice cracking, and his own tears escaping. "You already lost your mom, I'm not going to be the reason you lose your dad" he said. She shook her head violently. "What happened to my mom, was out of anyone's control. This is in my control and it's my decision on how I handle it, not yours Mike" she said stepping closer to him. "If he loves me, then he'll learn to accept us, and if he doesn't...then that's on him. None of this is your fault, or your choice" she said. "So if you want to end things, it's going to be because you don't love me" she finished, bringing her face inches from his. "So, what's it going to be Mike?" She asked. "Are you going to finally accept that you are enough, that I love you and you love me, or are you going to push me out because you think that's what's best?" She challenged. Mike didn't even think twice. He crashed his lips onto hers and wrapped his arms around her waist. The storm outside raged on, the waves hitting the surf with tremendous force, and the lighting igniting the sky. Addy moaned as Mike's tongue pushed into her mouth and he felt her nails dig into his back. He easily picked her up, and her legs wrapped around his waist as he pressed her closer to him. Her hands cupped his face and she kissed his jaw and neck. He heard another loud boom of thunder, and the wind was picking up. He saw the kitchen light flicker, and then they were thrown into total darkness. The small lights they would leave on during the night were knocked out, and Mike knew the power was gone. He ran his hand up under her shirt, and felt the bare skin of her back as he kissed her hard on the mouth. "Upstairs" she whispered, and he obeyed, kissing her all the way.
He walked them through the doorway and kicked it shut with his foot, knowing that any noise made would be blocked out by the violent storm outside. He laid her on his bed and looked down at her. Her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen. Her hair had dried and was now a tangle of curls. The pajamas Davy had loaned her weren't form flattering in the slightest, and clung to her awkwardly. But Mike thought she had never looked better. He was on top of her in the blink of an eye. He kissed her with such intensity, and he felt her shudder. He smiled, knowing he was the one causing that reaction. He felt her hands grab at his night shirt and he helped her pull it off. She gently tugged at his pants, and soon he stood only in his boxers. He then pulled her flannel pants off, and ran his fingers up and down her leg, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. He kissed down her neck and started undoing the buttons on the flannel top she wore. "Mike" she whispered breathlessly. He stopped about halfway down the shirt and looked into her eyes. She looked scared. "We can stop" he said, and he meant it. She had been through a lot, and Mike wouldn't rush her into anything. Truth be told, he was scared to. He had only done this once before, and it didn't go so well. He wanted this time with Addy to be perfect. Not just for him, but for her too. "I've never, um, that is I'm still..." she said biting her lip, and he understood. "We don't have to" he told her, brushing the curls away from her face. "Mike, I want this, I just wanted you to know" she told him and he nodded. "We can go as slow as you want, and if you want to stop, tell me" he said. "I love you, so much" he told her and he gave her a gentle kiss. "I love you Mike" she whispered back. He carefully undid the rest of the buttons on her shirt, and the material fell to the floor. His eyes took her in, and he felt his breathing stop while hers was out of control. He kissed her again. The thunder rolled outside and the rain pounded into the earth. The wind howled wildly, and the lightning danced across the sky. The waves rose high above the water, and came crashing down on the beach. And then, the storm passed. The thunder faded, the lighting stopped, the rain became nothing more than a light sprinkle, and the waves began to calm.