Celtic's Series
        Dance with Me

"Oh, this is a stupid idea!!" Michelle stared at her misbehaving hair in the bathroom mirror. She grabbed her brush and flung her head upside down and frantically forced the brush through her tangled silk. She flipped her head back over, face flushed, and stared at herself some more. "Well, that's a little better." She picked up a red clip layered in sparkles and fixed it in place above her left ear. Her eyes roamed to the rest of the bathroom. His things. His razor, his comb, his towel. These things gave her a sense of peace, but she quickly brushed off that thought and stared at herself again. She knew he liked her in red, and secretly, she knew that's why she chose to wear her red dress tonight. She picked up her red lipstick and began painting her masterpiece. "I don't get why we're doing this. It's a stupid idea and it's not going to accomplish anything."

Meanwhile, Danny was waiting for her downstairs, going through some family papers while he waited. It was a farce; he couldn't concentrate on anything and with every creak in the house, his eyes shot to the stairway hoping it was her. He massaged his neck with his hands and let out a sigh. He thought about the way things had been going. Constant fighting, constant fear. He wanted to put her at ease, he wanted things to be more comfortable. He didn't want her to be afraid anymore, of anything, especially not of him. So he had suggested that they go out tonight. Not for the sake of appearances, but just to get to know each other a little bit, with no strings attached. He had even picked a place to take her where they wouldn't know anyone, so they didn't have to constantly worry about someone watching them. Tonight would be just for them. When he had asked her, he could tell she was hesitant, but had agreed. She said yes. Even though he knew she said yes because she didn't want to upset him, it was a step. No smart remarks, no fighting, just a simple yes. For now, that would do.

He picked up a pencil and tapped the eraser on the desk, his eyes fixed on the paper in front of him. No reading, just staring… waiting. Creak. He looked up. Creak. It was her this time. She came around the corner of the doorway and smiled. It was radiant. She purely glowed in that red dress. Danny felt the blood surge in his face and he swallowed before he stood up. "You…uh…you look great." He smiled at her.

She smiled back. "Thanks. You do, too." They stood there in an awkward moment of silence, neither one really knowing what the next move was. "You ready?"

Danny cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. I'll get our jackets and, uh, bring the car around." He stumbled around her, making his way to the door.

"You mean Dietz isn't driving us?" She smirked.

He looked back at her. "No, Michelle. I told you tonight it was just us, no family stuff. I meant it."

She nodded, and he disappeared around the door. She looked around the room. It seemed so empty, so desolate. She grabbed her shoulders, defending herself from the silence of the room. Danny came up behind her and gently placed her jacket around her shoulders. She jumped. "Oh! I didn't hear you come back." She smiled weakly.

His heart sank. "We're not even out the door and I've already scared her," he thought to himself. He stood there for a minute before saying anything. "Well, I've got the car ready. So, I guess…I guess we'd better go." He studied her face, searching for any emotion that she would show. There was none. She looked past him, and uttered and simple, "Yes, ok, let's go." She walked past him and headed toward the front door. Danny, feeling the coldness and space between them, followed her without crowding her.

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They pulled up in front of a red brick building. "Danny, where are we? We must have been driving for an hour at least."

"Well, you're just gonna have to come in and see, aren't you?" He smiled at her. "It's just a place I thought we might have some fun, without any pressure from running into anyone we know. No acting, we can just talk, eat, whatever. You know, be normal if we wanna be."

She couldn't look at him, he was being too sweet. She wanted to grab him by the lapels on his jacket and scream at him to stop it, but she dug at her hands instead. She smiled. "Well, let's go in then, eh?" He jumped out of the car and opened the passenger door for her. She took his extended hand and they both felt the tingle of the other's touch.

They walked towards the door, and when they got close enough, Michelle could read the sign above the door. "Utopia." Underneath the name, she lipped the words as she read, "Escape From the Madness… oh! I've heard of this place. It's supposed to be great."

Danny smiled when he saw she was pleased. "Well, I guess we'll just have to be the judge of that, huh? He opened the door for her, and they entered a huge room full of people dancing. There was a large area off to the left layered with tables of people laughing and eating. The place had a different feel to it than Millennium did; there was less tension. She looked around at all the faces enjoying themselves. There was not one sad face, and not one face that she recognized. She felt like they actually had escaped something. She looked up at Danny who was busy watching her.

"Do you wanna get something to eat? I know I'm starving." He took her jacket off her shoulders and handed it to the person standing in the coat room. She suddenly felt exposed and grabbed her shoulders again. He looked at her and sensed her uneasiness. Gently, he placed his hands over hers and leaned in to her ear. "Michelle, just relax, it's only us. Let's get something to eat, maybe you'll feel better." She nodded and let him guide her to a table in the corner of the room.

He sat her in a chair and handed her a menu. She tapped at it, not coherently reading the items in front of her. He held a menu in front of his face, but his eyes were fixed above it, on her, watching her, wishing that he could put her at ease. "Don't push it, Santos, let her relax first."

He cocked his head to the side, trying to relax himself and caught sight of the waitress approaching their table. "Hello, you two. Don't remember seeing you here before?"

Michelle looked at Danny at a loss for words. He got the message and spoke up. "First time here." He smiled politely. "

Well, you guys know what you want? Or do you want me to recommend something for you?"

Michelle was still tongue-tied. "Um, why don't you just bring us whatever the house special is tonight? I don't think either one of can really pick from the, uh, overwhelming selection." He shot the waitress another smile. "

Will do." She took the menus from them and disappeared the way that she came. Danny looked at his wife.

"Is that ok with you? Or did you have something particular you wanted?"

She stuttered, finding her voice again. "No, that's fine. I was having a tough time deciding, anyway." She mustered up a smile to flash at him.

They both sat there, looking down, searching for something to say. He looked up at her, catching her playing with her hair. He was mesmerized by the way she curled those locks in and out of her fingers. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She sensed him watching her and fidgeted nervously. She looked up at him and their eyes locked. He smiled at her. She relaxed a little, and he saw her shoulders loosen up a bit. "Just go slow, Santos. Don't push her."

"So…" she said awkwardly.

"So," he echoed. He looked down at his hands and saw his wedding ring. He swallowed and looked back up at her. "Well, we're here, away from my family, away from the tension, and I think we have more to say to each other when we're home." They both laughed half-heartedly.

"Yep,yep.." she went back to playing with her hair and avoiding his gaze. The music playing turned slow, and she looked out onto the dance floor and watched the couples holding each other. Danny followed her gaze and felt anxious. Would that ever happen for them? Would they ever be able to get past they way they got together? He inhaled slowly, trying to gain control.

He looked back at her, she was so nervous, so unsure. He just wanted to reach out and hold her and tell her that things were going to work out, that everything was going to be ok. He grabbed his water glass and gulped it down.

Michelle rubbed her temples and looked at her husband. Her husband. She still couldn't get used to the idea. "So, um you said your sister is coming to town?" She asked with a new determination to start a 'normal' conversation.

He jumped on it. "Uh, yeah. In a few weeks, when the semester is over. I can't wait for you to meet her. I think you guys will get along great. She's not really into the family business, um, she's actually been pretty sheltered from it, so you guys should have more to talk about." There it was, that clumsy silence again. They both nodded. "Um, so have you thought about going back to school at all?" He drained the last few water drops in his glass.

"Yeah, I think about it a lot. I just thought that I would wait until things calm down a bit, you know?" "Yeah, I understand." He looked at her intently. She was so beautiful.

"Still going after the medical school thing?"

"Oh, definitely. I can't really imagine doing anything else. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't help people." She played with her water glass a little bit, relaxing. This wasn't so bad. "I mean ever since I was a little girl, I've known that whatever I ended up doing, I had to make a difference in someone's life, no matter in how small of a way…"

She went on, the stuttering gone. She was relaxing. He listened to her, enraptured by her words, being moved by them. She was such a beautiful creature, inside and out. He felt his face flush again. The tension started to flow out of his shoulders as he saw her come to ease. He listened intently, never gazing away from her. He didn't even notice when the waitress came back with their food.

"Ah hem," she cleared her throat. "Food's here. Hope you enjoy it. " She placed the plates in front of the couple. She glanced first and Danny, and then at Michelle. "You know, if I'm too nosey, just tell me, but you guys look really happy. And I see the rings. You newlyweds?"

Michelle looked panicked and Danny. "Yeah, we are." They nodded and smiled at each other, him feeling the sting when he saw her tense up again.

"Oh, I thought so. Everyone is talking about the cute couple in the corner." The waitress smiled. "Well, congratulations!" She walked away.

Michelle looked down at her plate. "Well, it smells wonderful." She smiled weakly.

"Uh, yeah, it does." He twirled the fork on his plate, not having the stomach to take the first bite. He took a deep breath, and they both began eating in silence.

They ate slowly, knowing that if they finished, it would be time to talk again. Michelle kept glancing at the dance floor for a distraction. The music died down, and a voice came on over the loud speaker. It was their waitress.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are privileged to have a pair of newlyweds amongst us tonight, over there hiding in their quiet corner." Michelle's face turned crimson and she thrust her eyes shut tight. Danny quit eating at looked at her, and then at the waitress. "Please, everyone, help me talk them into dancing for us!!"

Michelle's mouth flew open wide and she lost her breath. "You've got to be kidding me!" she shrieked under her breath. "Oh my God!"

Danny tilted his head back and let out a polite chuckle at everyone crowding around them. "Oh, well, we're eating right now, maybe later." He tried to wave them off, but they were relentless. "Ok, guys, look, my wife's a little shy, and we just want to finish our dinner, please." He looked at Michelle and tried to fight off the urge to drag her onto the dance floor. She was burying her red face into her hands. The crowd sensed the tension and began to back off.

Danny eyed her gently. "Wow, Michelle, your face matches your dress. " He smiled. She couldn't help it, she smiled back. Genuinely. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and rose out of his chair. She watched nervously as he approached her and held out his hand. She looked at that hand and was flooded with unknown feelings. "C'mon Michelle, dance with me."

She looked up at him, trying to avoid his eyes, but they were catching. Some other force put her hand in his, and he led her to the dance floor.

The crowd cheered, and the D.J. put on a new song for them. Michelle stared at Danny's chest in front of her and cautiously put her hands on his lapels. She felt a little jolt when his hands came around her waist. The music started, and they began to move.


Give it up, Girl, uh yeah
Give it up,Girl

Give it up, Girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl
Gotta give it all
All or nothin' at all
Way it's gotta be

Let down your guard
Give it to me, Baby
It's not that hard to do (It's so easy)
You are a star
You better believe it, Baby
Better off by far if you do

Michelle bit her lip and unconsciously slid her hands up his lapels and grabbed hold of the back of his neck. Danny responded by tightening his grip and pulling her body closer.

You've just got to feel
The way you wanna feel
You know you gotta keep it real
That's the way it's gotta be
You wanna roll with me we can go on and on and on
So

Give it up
And let me love you, c'mon now
Give it up
I give it all to you, so
Give it up
And let me love you
Give it up
Yeah, Baby, give me love

Michelle pressed her face into Danny's chest and felt the thumping of his chest. He leaned his head down and buried his face into her neck. She could feel his breath caressing he ear and she leaned into him. This time he unwillingly gasped and pulled her up and into him

Ready or not
Comin' to get you, Baby
Girl I'm so hot for you
I won't stop
'Til I get what I want
An I wanna rock with you
Ooooo…

If you put your heart and soul inside of me
And let yourself lose control
You are gonna start to see a side of me
You never thought possible

So, Baby
Give it up
And let me love you
C'mon now Give it up
I give it all to you,so
Give it up
And let me love you
Give it up
Yeah, Baby, give me love

Michelle raised her face out of his chest and burrowed into his neck. He smelled so good, she felt her heart speed up. She felt a little drop of sweat run down his temple and land on her cheek. She bit her lip to keep from kissing him. Danny felt a whirlwind of emotions. He ran his hand up her back and squeezed her tighter. He couldn't get close enough. The crowd around them was gone. There was no one else in the room.

Give it up, girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl

Give it up, girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl

Ahhhh, oooooo…
If you put your heart and soul inside of me
And let yourself lose control
You are gonna start to see a side of me
You never thought possible

So, Baby
Give it up
And let me love you, c'mon now
Give it up
I give it all to you, so
Give it up
I Know it's right, so
Give it up, now

The feeling's right and the girls are tight
This is it tonight

The feeling's right and the girls are tight
This is it tonight

The music began to fade and Michelle slowly pulled her fingers out of Danny's hair. He wasn't ready to let her go yet and held her to him. He raised up his head and looked at her face. Their ears cracked when the loud speaker came back on.

"Whooo, hoooo! Now that's what I call a newlywed dance!!" The crowd applauded and snapped the couple back to the present moment. "Congratulations, guys!! Now we'll leave you alone!!"

Michelle pulled away from Danny, and he reluctantly let her go with labored breath. She didn't look away from him this time. He tried to read her expression. She cleared her throat.

"Um, Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, let's go."

He stared at her and wiped the sweat off his forehead. "Um, ok, I'll go get your coat." He hurriedly walked across the room to get her coat. He halfway expected to see a cold look on her face when he returned, having given her time to realize what had just happened. But there wasn't one. He returned and she smiled at him warmly. He tried to control his shaking hands. "Where to?"

"Let's take a walk." He looked at her puzzled but held out his arm for her. She slid her hand around his elbow and they walked out leaving behind the unknown cheering crowd.


All lyrics taken from Joey McIntyre's album "Stay the Same" Copyright 1999 by Sony Entertainment Inc.