Michael *time jump*

Rae is pacing around her chambers when I burst inside with urgency.

"Oh finally! What is it? The guards said it was urgent and you needed to see me right away. Is a thing alright? Are you okay?" She rambles, looking me up and down for any obvious problems.

I nod and hold her close to me. "Everything is fine. I just- I have a big problem on my hands." I pull a ring out of my pocket.

"Oh my, what is that?" She asks.

"I know it is small. That is one of the problems." I shake my head.

Rae walks over and grabs the ring from my hands. "My god Michael." She smiles. "Is this for Caroline? Oh she will love it! It's the perfect size. Oh Michael it is beautiful." She gushes over the tiny diamond. It is nothing like the one Phillip gave her. I can tell she is trying really hard to be supportive of me.

"I know she would love it. But it is not for her."

"Michael-"

"It's for you." I drop to one knee.

"Stop that right now." She pulls me to my feet. "This is entirely inappropriate and you know it." She shakes her head. "What could you possibly be thinking? Are you drunk?"

"I am thinking that I can not possibly spend another day without being a father to my son or a husband to you. I have done it long enough. It is eating me up inside. I feel like a shell of the man I once was. All my life all I have wanted is to be a father and a husband. And a great one at that! And now I have the opportunity. I just can't stand not being able to do it"

"Michael, stop."

But I do not. "I love you Rae. And I love Caroline. I didn't think it was possible to love two people at once but it is. And I know this will break her heart when I tell her it's over but I have a duty to my son that I can not break."

Rae shakes her head and sighs. But this sigh is not one of love and sadness for our forbidden life together but one of disgust. "You know how close Caroline and I have become, Michael. I can not let you do this to her. Go back to your chambers at once."

I pull her in for a kiss. She just needs a little reminder of what we are; what we could be.

"Michael, stop it!" She pulls away from me, shouting so loud it scares our son to tears. "I don't love you anymore. It is over. I have told you plenty of times." She lifts our son out of the crib to calm him.

"You can't possibly mean that."

"I have thrown all of my energy into loving and raising Henry. You are just going to have to get over this hurdle and get over me! I'm sorry but it has been half a year, Michael! The only person you are hurting is Caroline." She explains.

I don't believe her. She is only saying that to make me leave. She loves me. She loves me just as much as I love her. She never stopped. I know it. Why won't she just tell the truth?

"Half a year too long. I love you!" I shout, only upsetting Henry more.

"Michael, stop. You are going to hurt Caroline's feelings. Please leave." She looks over my shoulder as if to look to someone for help.

"I will find a way to break it to her kindly. Believe me, you are all I want. I need you." I beg.

"I'm afraid you will not have to break it to her. You will instead have to find a way to do damage control and pick up the pieces."

"What?" I turn around as she glances over my shoulder again.

There in the shadows, Caroline stands heartbroken. "I just went to fetch some water for Henry."

"Caroline, I can explain." I plead with her. I never wanted her finding out this way.

"Everything makes sense now. You both told me your stories about that day at the lake but I had not connected them until now." She shakes her head. "It even escaped my mind that Henry's middle name is the same as Michael's."

*
Don't forget to vote and comment!!