"Don't you understand, mom? It doesn't matter that Claudia's dead. I took care of things for the family, just like Jason and Dad would have done," Michael said rolling his eyes. He was a man, and she just couldn't seem to accept that.

"You should be proud of me."

"Michael! Where is this attitude coming from? You know, I thought I had raised you be different than this," Carly said with exasperated tears threatening to stream down her face. She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"I don't have an attitude," he said his voice getting louder with every wrenching word. He suddenly stepped closer to his mother with his finger pointed out.

"You just don't get it," Michael's sharp words cut through the air forcefully, his nostrils flaring. "You don't take me seriously. Nobody ever fucking takes me seriously. But that's all going to change."

Carly took a step back. She had never seen Michael like this. Where was her Mister Man? Her little bundle of joy she had fought so hard for--against the Quartermaines, against AJ? She couldn't see him in front of her.

All she could see was Sonny.

His eyes were gleaming, daring her to say something, anything so he could prove her just how wrong she was. His rage was coming at her like an angry bull and for the slightest of seconds, she was afraid of her own son.

He took a deep breath, not realizing how much he was upsetting his own mother.

"I want what Dad has," his voice cool now, but with a sharp edge. "I want the power he has over people. The control. The respect. I want it all--and if you think you can stop me-- try me."

With that he stalked out of the house, the door slamming behind him.

Carly staggered back to the couch, her hand over her mouth. Her head was dizzy and she felt nauseous from the words Michael threw at her. What was she going to do? What could she do? Her son was becoming unrecognizable and she couldn't control him anymore. She had never felt so helpless.

One tear made the lonely journey down her cheek. For the first time in months, she wasn't afraid for Michael. She wasn't scared of him, either.

No, all she could feel was her heart breaking for him.

*********

The gray skies over New York carried the sins of the inhabitants below. They held the whispers of unconfessed murders-- the excruciating pain of rape victims--the dirty sheets of adulterers. Slowly they unburdened themselves, each sin turning into a unique crystalized shape, as they descended to the ground below.

One fated snowflake seemed destined for her, like a magnet she attracted it in her direction. It spun and danced in the air, and just like that, it landed on the very tip of her nose.

She ran outside the instance she realized it was snowing. She made her wish right there in the middle of the sidewalk, like she had every year since she was three.

He stood by watching her. He was always watching her, and it was getting out of hand. He noticed everything. How her hair always smelled like honeysuckle. How her eyes smirked at him when he approached her. How she twisted her lips to the side right before she made some smart ass reply to him. The way she tucked her hair behind her ear when she was getting ready to make a serious point. She had five different smiles, he decided, maybe six. But one of them he only saw when he was around. Dante knew he was overconfident most of the time, cocky even, and that it was considered a flaw by some. But, he would bet his life that Lulu Spencer was smitten with him. Even if she couldn't admit it to herself.

Her 5'4 frame was the most powerful thing he had encountered in his six years as a cop. And the walls she put up around her heart? They were scarier than anything Sonny Corinthos could have in store for him.

"Want to head back inside, Ms. Crazy?" He said holding the door open for her.

"Hey, now, Scrooge. You have to make one too." She said grabbing his hand so he could join her in the middle of the sidewalk. Around them New Yorkers hurried by, eager to get inside somewhere, and avoid the bitter cold that was soon to follow the storm.

"Uh, mind running that by me again?" He said scratching his head. "What do I have to make?"

"A wish! Come on, everybody knows you make a wish on the first snow of the season," she said in her best matter-of-fact voice as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I just made mine, now it's your turn."

He cleared his throat and played along. "Okay, is this like a birthday wish or can I say it out loud? Here goes, I wish Lulu Spencer would come back inside so I can finish my pizza and beer."

She glared at him.

"Come on, Dante! I'm not kidding. It only takes two seconds. Just make a damn wish!"

"Ooh I like it when you're bossy! Feisty!" He said approaching her.

"Oh no you don't, you are not getting anywhere near me 'til you make that wish." She said, her tone getting serious.

"You know this really makes me wonder what you want me to wish for. I don't know what kind of guy you take me for Lulu, but all I really wanted from this evening was some nice conversation and good food. You on the other hand seem to have ulterior motives, now, I am happy to fulfill---"

"Just. Make. A. Wish." Lulu said crossing her arms and leaning on her left foot. She shook her head at him.

"Ok, ok. You win."

He paused for a second and thought about what he wanted most in the world. Then he turned to Lulu and smiled.

"Now, can I finish my beer?"

Morgan Corinthos sat on the top step of the staircase. He didn't want to move, want to breathe after the encounter he'd just seen. There were so many things the people around him assumed--that he had no idea what went on in the "grown up" world, that he could be spoken to in patronized tones. But what they hadn't taken into account was that the behavior of so-called grown ups never escaped him. He would never let them know that he knew everything that went on.

He remained silent...for their sakes.

But now he was scared, his heart was thumping and worry was taking the lead over any other feelings. His mother sat visibly shaken on the couch. The yelling had woken him up and he had checked on Jocelyn before taking his current place on the stairwell. His baby sister was sleeping soundly, but he was scared that he would never sleep again.

Where had Michael gone? Would he be ok? Should he go downstairs and console his mother?

"Mom...?" Morgan said after a few moments. Carly heard her younger son's voice and knew immediately he was on the verge of tears.

"Oh honey! Are you ok? Did we wake you up?" Carly said running over to the base of the stairs as she waited for Morgan to finish descending them.

"Mom, what's wrong with Michael? Is he coming back?" Morgan said taking control of his voice. He had to be brave for his mother.

"Morgan, honey, I'm so sorry you had to see that." Carly said in anguish, taking the ten year old in to her arms. "Yes! Baby, Michael will be back, we just had a disagreement, and Michael was upset but he'll be back before you know it."

She tried to put conviction in her words, but they sounded frail even to her.

************

"So is Luke going to be pissed that I'm bringing his cupcake back home so late?" Dante said teasing Lulu.

They were heading back to Dante's car, which was currently parked in a parking garage on Canal Street. It was still snowing out and Dante was hoping to make it to Port Charles before the roads became too dangerous.

"Shut up! You know I live with Maxie, I haven't lived with my dad in God knows how long. Geez, I should have never told you about my Dad's nickname for me, ammunition you definitely don't need." Lulu told him some childhood stories over the best pizza she had ever had and let Luke's little nickname for her slip. By the way, who knew the best pizza in New York City would be in Chinatown and not Little Italy?

"Aww, but I think it's so cute, cupcake!" Dante said unlocking the doors to his SUV.

"Agghh. You are so frustrating sometimes," Lulu said getting into the passengers seat.

"I frustrate you?" Dante said with a huge smile on his face. "Excellent."

As he turned the car on, he put the radio on his favorite classic rock station and looked over at Lulu. They locked eyes and suddenly the mood in the car shifted. An electric charge hung over them like humidity and neither of them moved.

Lulu was a statue--afraid to move in her seat and risk the moment pass but terribly aware of how ridiculous she must look....and he well...he was looking at her like a someone who was dying of thirst in the desert. The only sound in the car was the annoying radio announcer in the background.

"....and if you're thinking about going anywhere near upstate New York tonight, fair warning, Highway 129 AND 82 have been closed by NYPD because of horrendous road conditions. Highways are backed up for miles and wrecks are piling up. Police say to stay put if in the city and seek warm shelter for the night. New York hasn't seen blizzard conditions like these in a decade. Up next, a Jimi Hendrix classic--Angel."