Mikey heard Tina’s laugh, and then realised how much it had hurt her…He smiled then also….Even through all her pain, she was still glad to see him, and his heart broke even more for this woman he had grown to love as if she were his real mother.

Even through her battered, swollen, cut up face, he could still see Tina’s smile that was bright enough to light up an entire room…He could still see how beautiful she was. And if he could see it, then why in the hell couldn’t his dad?

"Mikey," Tina uttered…Holding her hand out to him.

He went to her then, and immediately took her hand in his.

"Tina…" he started to say, but his voice cracked and tears once more started to spill down his cheeks…

"No baby, it’s ok, please don’t cry" Tina whispered, her heart feeling so much love for this boy who had become like her own. They had a bond that was so strong, and ironically, they had Henry to thank for that.

"Why Tina? Why does he do this?" Mikey asked, his breathing becoming ragged with emotion.

"I don’t know Mikey…I guess I just do things wrong a lot," Tina answered.

"You made broccoli instead of carrots tonight! – Big fuckin’ deal!!" Mikey said, his voice raising slightly.

"SShhh, I know honey, I know…And stop swearing…" Tina soothed, and scolded at the same time…

Mikey stood up a little straighter then. Here Tina was, lying in a hospital bed, beaten to a bloody pulp, and she was still being a mom…Still trying to comfort him…

"I’m gonna tell the cops everything!" He stated to her.

Tina’s eyes grew wide with fright…

"NO Mikey!!! – You can’t!" She whispered.

"I have too…" He replied, "Tina…If I don’t, he’s gonna kill you one of these days…"

God, Tina really loved this boy. But she just couldn’t let him tell the police anything! – She couldn’t bear the thought of what Henry would do…

"Mikey, listen to me?…I couldn’t love you more if you were my own flesh and blood…But we can not tell the cops anything! – Do you understand me? Your father would kill me, you, and Angelica!! – I appreciate you wanting to help me, but I could never forgive myself if something happened to you…Please, tell me you understand…Please promise you’ll say nothing?" Tina looked up at him, pleading with her eyes…

"I understand, but I could never forgive myself if something happened to you either…" He replied

They sat there in silence for a little while, thinking of a way for them all to get out of this horrendous situation…

After a little while, Tina spoke again.

"Maybe we could start putting a little money aside each week in a bank account that your father doesn’t know about?" she suggested.

"Yeah, and I could get a job now? – I’m old enough for most places to hire me!…I could open an account and be the one who puts the money away and dad wouldn’t think anything about it. He could just think it was my paychecks?" Mikey added.

They looked at each other then, feeling an emotion neither one of them had felt in a long time………… Hope.

Hope, that maybe there could be a way out of this hell they called a family.

Mikey heard movement outside Tina’s door then. He looked at her with concern.

"Their gonna come in soon. Are you sure you don’t want me to tell them what happened?" He asked.

"I’m sure. We just can’t risk it! – Your father has always made good on his threats and I’m just not willing to chance it! Mikey I love you and Angie too much to risk any harm coming to either one of you! – So promise me Mikey? -Promise me you won’t say anything?" Tina begged.

Mikey sighed heavily.

"OK, I promise" He answered…

Just then, the door opened, and Angus and Dylan walked in.

"So, are we ready to talk now?" Angus asked, looking at both victims…

Mikey looked at Tina, then back at Angus.

"Tina fell, that’s what happened. She just fell, that’s all." He said quietly…Almost choking on his words