-1Chapter Six

"Michael, calm down! We don't even know for sure if they're out there or not." Kevin tried to reason with his now frantic brother as they entered the dark apartment. The power was still out.

"It's the not knowing that has me worried, Kevin." Michael said sharply. "Lauren was furious when she left here and now she's disappeared. I don't know where she is, I don't know if she's alright..."

"And she's with mom." Kevin pointed out.

"I could care less about Gloria right now." Michael poured a glass of scotch and drank it down. "All I want to know is that my wife is safe."

"I'm fine." Lauren said from the doorway, her voice barely above a whisper. Michael turned around at the sound of her voice. The apartment was pitch black, all he could see were her eyes.

"Lauren." Michael sighed in relief as he went to her. He gathered her up in his arms and held her tight. "Sweetheart, you're freezing." He soothed, running his fingers through her damp hair. He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes as he cupped her face in his hands. "Where were you?" Lauren looked up at him slowly.

"Fixing things." She said simply. Michael smiled at her, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm gonna go." Kevin interrupted, squeezing past Michael and Lauren to get to the door.

"Are you sure? It's still pretty bad out there, maybe you should stay here and wait it out?" Michael asked, concerned.

"No, I'll be fine." Kevin reassured his older brother. "You two need some time alone. Besides, I should go back to the Abbott's to check on mom."

"No." Lauren blurted out as he was walking out the door. He turned around and looked at her, confused. "Gloria's fine, Kevin." Lauren continued. "She doesn't need you. Not anymore." Kevin glanced at his brother, not sure of how to respond to that. Even though he was just as confused by Lauren's words as Kevin, Michael nodded at his brother to go ahead and leave. Obviously something had gone down between Lauren and Gloria, Michael was determined to find out what that was. But first...

"Alright, let's get you warmed up." Michael said soothingly as he began removing her soaking wet jacket. "I'll draw you a hot bath."

"We have to talk about this, Michael." Lauren said, sternly. She didn't want him thinking that all was forgiven.

"I know," Michael said, solemnly. He wasn't looking forward to answering the questions she was sure to ask, but he knew he owed her that much. "Just let me do this for you first," Lauren looked at him skeptically. "Please." Michael pleaded. As usual, she could deny him nothing.

"Okay." And with that Michael lead his shivering wife into the washroom where he hoped the steam and lavender scented bubbles would be enough to wash some of her anger away.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As Michael walked around the living room lighting scented candles to combat the darkness, he couldn't help but think of the many times he'd lit candles before to create a romantic atmosphere for his wife. He wished that this was one of those times, but he knew that tonight it would take much more than ambiance to impress Lauren. What she wanted was the truth, and he was determined to give it to her. Even if she hated him for it.

"Should I call the fire department?" Lauren asked as she slowly entered the room. Her hair was still wet from the bath, face scrubbed clean of makeup. She looked like a child in her oversized terrycloth robe. Well, a very pregnant child.

"The fire department?" Michael asked, cautiously moving closer to her.

"Surely this qualifies as a fire hazard." Lauren motioned to the brightly lit candles that covered practically every flat surface in the apartment. Michael laughed nervously.

"Well, you know me. I never can resist playing with fire." Michael offered her a sad, self deprecating smile.

"No," Lauren nodded somberly. "No you can't. And I'm always the one who ends up getting burned." There were tears in her eyes, he wanted to wipe them away. But that would require movement and the painful truth behind her words had paralyzed him.

"I never meant to hurt you." Michael whispered.

"But you did, Michael." Lauren said sharply as she made her way over to the couch and eased herself down onto it. "Your hurt me, and I hate myself for letting you."

"Lauren," Michael started to interrupt, but she kept talking.

"I wanted so badly to believe you when you promised me no more secrets. But I think a part of me knew that it was a promise you couldn't possibly keep," She wasn't looking at him then, she wasn't looking at anything. The candlelight reflecting in her eyes showed an emptiness that both captivated and terrified him. She was miles away. "When we first started to become…friends," she smiled fondly at that and he did too, both recalling the warm summer day in August when they 'broke up' and shared their first kiss. "I could tell you were a very private person, and I respected that. But I was determined to get you to open up with me, to let me in."

"And you did, Lauren." Michael said as he gingerly sat down on the other end of the couch, leaving a few feet between them. It felt more like miles. "I told you things that I have never shared with anyone else in my entire life."

"I know," Lauren smiled warmly at him, her anger leaving her for the time being. "I felt like a little kid on Christmas morning every time you would share another piece of yourself with me. I wanted to slowly unwrap all of your secrets, all of your demons, until I had collected all the beautiful pieces of this mysterious man who I was quickly falling dangerously in love with." There were tears in her eyes again, though he had a feeling these were happy ones.

"You changed my life, " Michael admitted, happily. "I'm a better man because of you, Lauren." Then he remembered the reason why they were sitting in the dark, not touching. "At least, I try to be." Silence fell over the room then, though it was a comfortable one. Lauren openly gazed at him, seemingly contemplating what to say next. He knew the hard questions were coming and he dreaded having to answer them.

"Why did you lie to me, Michael?" He stood corrected. Sometimes it was the simple questions which proved most difficult to answer.