They left Mari's house and walked to the beach. Anna asked, "Sam, what did he say to you?"

"He said, 'She can't go home now.' I agreed, but Anna, he was pretty upset."

"Did you see how he didn't want me to mention Nadine in front of Mari? I really think he likes her, so we're just doing him a favor."

Anna had no regrets about what they did. The kids would never welcome her at her old school, so she might as well have left with a bang or a loud explosion.

Cole took her hand as they walked down the beach. She didn't care if anyone knew they were dating, even Cassie

"What happens next?" Cole asked.

"I don't know. He goes back to work until he decides he misses me too much."

Cole said, "That would be like a day."

Anna smiled and leaned into him.

Sam said, "You two better be good. My dad and Mike are best friends. If he has to pick a side, he may pick Anna's and Alison will be pissed. You two could be responsible for their divorce."

Cole exclaimed, "Sam don't be ridiculous! First, my mom would pick Anna over me. Second, they would never get a divorce. It's obvious they still have sex."

"Cole, I don't want to think about that!" Sam exclaimed.

"Fine, if I hurt Anna, my mom would send me to live with my dad."

"Just like psycho Shelby. I wonder what Shel will say when she finds out I won't be living with her and George." Anna made a gagging sound, as she said George's name.

Cole said, "I'm afraid to meet your mother."

"Maybe you won't have to." Anna knew it was wishful thinking. Knowing psycho Shelby, she would surprise them with a visit.

Sam said, "Let's go see about dinner. I'm going over to Rory's later."

Anna was sleeping at Mari's, but she spent a lot of time at Cole's. Maybe she should let her dad know, but she hoped he was too busy falling for Mari.

Mari was waiting for Mike to return from Portland. He had been gone for almost three hours and she had begun to worry. She was afraid the news from Turner had upset him, but when he came home, he looked surprisingly relaxed.

"How's the baby?" She hoped to gauge his mood.

"She's doing great. Have you had dinner? I know it's late."

It was seven o'clock, and she had eaten on her own. They hadn't made plans, and she felt awkward waiting. They had gone on a couple dates and shared a bed but were they dating?

"I'll walk up and grab a sandwich. Do you want to come with me?"

She always wanted to be with him. Nodding, she fell into step next to him.

"Did you have a nice visit with Tim?" She didn't want to pry.

He shrugged. "I told him the latest from Turner. He said he had shared the adoption with friends, so now everyone will put it together."

"I'm sure he's just happy to have his daughter."

"Yeah, whose conception was a crime. I really don't know when this mess will ever end."

"Well, I have my own problem."

"What's that?"

"My mother is coming for a visit tomorrow."

"When did you last see her?"

"Before I left the burn unit. I'm assuming she's willing to acknowledge me now that she's seen pictures where I look almost normal."

Mike stopped walking, and she turned back to him. "Almost normal? You look amazingly beautiful."

A warm shiver ran through her. She reached her hand out and he took it before he started walking again. She kept thinking of their kiss outside the bathroom. She wanted his towel to fall. She wasn't even worried about her shoulder with Mike, because he would never make her feel uncomfortable. If she bared all he would kiss it. If she kept a shirt on he wouldn't say a thing.

Suddenly remembering, she said, "Lana invited us to dinner tomorrow. She said something about Ryan loving to grill."

"Sounds good. Mari, I was planning to tell you. I needed to go on Sunday, but now with the mess, I don't know what to do."

She felt her heart drop. She didn't want to say goodbye to him. She needed to make the most of the time they had together.

He insisted on buying her an ice cream cone. "I know you're sweet enough." He teased and kissed her. "Delicious."

She had never wanted a man like she wanted Mike. Unfortunately, when they returned with Mike's dinner, her father and Melissa were home.

Mari commented, "Grace must be in bed."

"We were hoping to spend an evening with you, my Maribelle."

She was crunching the last of her cone. When she finished, she said, "Dad, did you know that Ruby is coming tomorrow?"

"What? Why on earth? She hasn't seen The Point since before the twenty first century!"

"I don't know. She's leaving on Monday morning."

"Where is she planning on staying?" Melissa asked sounding displeased.

"Here, but we don't even have a room. She wouldn't listen when I tried to explain."

Mason picked up his phone. "She's not staying here."

Mari watched as he searched on his iPhone before placing a call. "I'm hoping you have a room available for this weekend. Two nights... Saturday and Sunday. A cancellation perfect." He turned to his wife. "She'll be staying at the inn." Then he stood and walked out of the room to finalize the reservation.

When he returned, Mari said, "We have plans to go to Lana's for dinner."

Melissa said, "Jeremy and Frankie will be here. We can all have dinner together. Just like old times maybe we can even play some cards."

Mason laughed. "It's nothing like old times. You're my wife and Ruby knows she can't get anywhere, if she flirts with Jeremy."

Mike ate his sandwich as she discussed her mother's visit. She could only imagine what Ruby would think of Mike. Who was she kidding? He wouldn't meet her mother's standards, but she didn't care. Her father had pulled her aside to tell her he liked Mike.

Mike wanted to be alone with Mari, but he understood that Mason wanted time with his daughter. He spent enough time away from Anna. Mason hadn't seen Mari in a year, although that might change now that Mari could travel if she chose.

When he went home to save his job, he would be there indefinitely. He couldn't take the time off that he had been taking now that Schlosser was on his back. Could he leave Anna again? Maybe he could send her home with Tim, but they would still be apart. Tired he left the others to talk and went upstairs. He started to read, because he was waiting for Anna, but he was hoping Mari would join him.

Anna came home just before eleven since that was everyone's curfew. He had his door open, and she stopped.

"Are you alright, dad?"

"Yeah, baby girl. It was an eventful day."

"Dad, I won't lie. I'd rather stay here."

"I dare you to tell your mother that."

"Psycho Shelby gave me up months ago."

She sounded more angry than sad. He wanted to chastise her for calling her mother names but didn't have the energy to fight that battle.

"Well, you're here until we figure things out."

She kissed him and left. A few minutes later he heard the humming sound. He could almost forget that she had just had a baby if it weren't for the pumping. He was proud of her for helping the baby.

He watched as she went downstairs to the fridge, but she must have to stopped talk. He was coming out of the bathroom having brushed his teeth when Mari and Anna ascended the stairs together laughed at something.

Anna stopped and kissed his cheek. "I love you, daddy."

Mari smiled at him, as he replied, "You too, baby girl."

Anna popped into the bathroom. Mike asked, "If I leave, do you want her to go back to Bryan's."

Mari walked to his door and shut it then she stood at her own bedroom door as if inviting him in. "If not when?"

"I honestly don't know what to do." He sighed.

She held her arms out, and he went into them willingly. "She can stay. You can stay here too, if you don't go or until you do. I want you to stay with me... to be with me."

He kissed her. He always wanted to be with her, but he suspected that she was saying something different. He didn't know if it was a good idea. When her hands found their way under his shirt and he felt their warmth on his bare back, he wanted to feel her soft skin. He wanted to feel all of her. Could he walk away if he did?

Mari wanted Mike, and she felt like this was her chance. She secretly hoped he wouldn't leave her, but if this was part of their farewell she wanted it to be special - a night to remember always.

She had never taken the lead before, but when she felt him her hand brush his shorts. Her heart was beating faster than it should when he pulled away and looked down at her with dark questioning eyes.

His voice sounded strange. "Are you sure?"

She couldn't speak and nodded instead. He lifted her and dropped her on the bed. When he laid down beside her, he said, "Let me know if you change your mind."

They took their time, but eventually their clothes were strewn around the room. When he had attempted to pull her shirt off, she stopped him. "It's worse than my face."

He kissed her. "It's part of you. Your past makes you the woman you are."

Tears filled her eyes when she heard his words. She already knew she loved him but acceptance of her scars proved just how much. She took her shirt off as her heart was beating so loud she thought it might explode.

He immediately kissed the rough scarring on her shoulder as he had her face that first time. It wasn't just Amy's makeover that made her feel beautiful it was his kisses. He looked at her exposed body with lust and she felt beautiful. When the moment came she blushed as she pulled out a condom. He looked surprised.

"Thank Lana. Someone left a box behind in a cottage. She joked about how she obviously didn't need them. Then she said, 'With a hotty like Ohio' in my house. Well she figured I'd need them. It was before Amy's visit so I took them but didn't believe I would ever need them."

"I would want to make love to you even if you still wore your hood and stayed home. Once I kissed you it was all I wanted to do."

Mari never remembered it being like that ever before. They were sober and so in sync and full of passion. Too often in her experience sex had been about the climax and not the connection. With Mike it was about both and so much more.

With her head on his shoulder, she said, "That was amazing."

He replied, "It was more than amazing."