Just a Little Different Ch. 02

"I hate that damn test," Michael growled under his breath as one of the orderlies helped him sit on the edge of his bed. "Thanks, Nick. I'm so sore..."

"Want me to send in Trish to help loosen your muscles up?" Nick asked.

"Sure," Michael answered, lying flat and rolling onto his stomach, groaning quietly. "Otherwise, I'll be nothing but a knot of muscle in a few minutes."

Nick nodded and went over to the intercom next to the door leading out. It's been nearly three weeks since he'd been brought to the facility and Valia told him that he'd be free to go in another couple of weeks. So far, all his tests came back saying he wasn't a threat. Every scientist was really good to him, telling him what they'd be doing, stopping when it got to be too much. Yet, he still wondered what his life was going to be like once he was out. And where was Hannah? He tried calling her, but no one answered the phone. His parents couldn't even get a hold of her. He missed her a lot.

"How's my favorite client?" he heard a female voice ask.

Looking up, he saw Trish, an energetic Asian woman of about 30 walk up to him, a small bag hanging off her shoulder. She was a massage therapist they'd brought in to treat Michael when he worked too hard.

"Stiff and sore as hell," Michael replied, a little smile on his face.

"Just relax and let me take care of you," she told him, ruffling his mane a little, setting her bag on the floor.

Taking out a small vial of oil, she sprinkled it onto his back. After she put the vial back, Trish started working the warming oil into his skin, her strong, talented hands slowly working loose his tight muscles. He closed his eyes and purred audibly as relief slowly crept through his body. Twenty minutes into his massage, he fell asleep.

When he woke up, the lights were dimmed. He got up and stretched, loving how every muscle in his body was relaxed and feeling great. Trish worked wonders on him and she never complained once. Hearing talking outside his place, he put an ear against the door and listened.

"Please...can I just sit in there with him until he wakes up?" he heard a familiar voice say.

"I don't know," one of the orderlies said.

Michael reached over and jammed the button on the intercom.

"I'm up, I'm up," he said quickly. "Let them in."

"You got it, Mike," the orderly replied.

A moment later, the door opened and in walked Hannah. He grabbed her and picked her up, holding her against his chest tightly. She returned his hug, a few tears matting the fur on his chest.

"I missed you," he told her as he set her down. "I've been trying to call you. Where have you been?"

"My parents have been doing what they can to keep me from you," she said, more tears glittering in her eyes. "They called you an animal; wouldn't even call you by your name."

"Hey," he said, gently brushing away her tears, "It's alright. I don't care what they think. I care about what you think. You love me, right?"

She smiled and nodded. He hugged her again, purring softly. After a little while, he led her over to his small kitchen table and sat her down. Grabbing a couple of sodas from the fridge, he set one in front of her, then sat beside her.

"How much longer are they going to keep you in here?" she asked after several moments of silence.

"Couple more weeks," he told her. "Anybody else miss me?"

"Not really," she said. "A few teachers, but none of our classmates."

"I'm not surprised," he said. "I can't wait to get out of here."

They sat and talked for a while longer, then settled in to watch a movie. After the movie was over, Valia came in, looking really happy.

"Good news, Michael!" she exclaimed, standing in front of them. "The board has decided you're not a threat to yourself or others and they're releasing you today!"

"That is good news," he said, feeling both happy and anxious.

"Your parents should be arriving soon to take you home," she said, holding out her hand to him. He took it and gently shook her hand. "I'm glad to have met you and I'm sorry you had to endure our poking and prodding."

"Apology accepted," he said. "And I'm kind of glad I met you and the people who work here."

The trip home was quiet and uneventful, Michael and Hannah sitting in the back of his parent's van, holding hands, Michael's tail wrapped loosely around her waist. When they got back, the two of them went up to his room. Nothing had changed, except the clothes in his closet were replaced with larger sizes.

"Michael! Make sure you get plenty of sleep tonight. You're supposed to go back to school tomorrow!" his mother called up.

"Thanks, mom!" he shouted back.

"So...what--," Michael started to ask Hannah when they were both called back downstairs. When they entered the living room, Hannah's parents were there, watching him very carefully.

"Hannah," her mother said, inching closer to them. "Hon, it's time to go home."

"Mom, relax," she said, putting an arm around his waist and leaning against him. "He's not going to hurt anyone, especially me."

"That's right," he purred, putting his arm around her as well, kissing the top of her head. "I'm still the same person I was before."

"If you are, then why did you have to be locked up?" her father snapped. "We're not going to take any chances. Hannah, get home. Now."

"Fine," she sighed, giving him a brief hug before leaving with her parents.

Michael watched them leave from the front door, hearing them scold her. He spent the rest of the day pretty much doing nothing. When he went to bed, he wondered what tomorrow would bring, hoping it went better than it did today.

The Next Day...

Michael was nearly knocked off balance when Hannah jumped into his arms as he got out of the car.

"I missed you," she said, kissing him. "My parents were so terrible to you yesterday."

"It's ok," he told her, setting her on her feet. "I imagine I won't be feeling too much love from most people."

Putting his arm around her waist, they walked into the school. Everybody got the hell out of his way, not even looking at him. When someone ran into him and he helped them pick their stuff up, they got away from him as fast as they possibly could. Then there was Chase and his buddies. They stayed away, but he gave Michael nasty looks and leered at Hannah. Thankfully, nobody made any comments or caused a scene. But when he got home, there were people on the lawn.

"Get out of here, freak!" someone shouted, throwing a rock at him.

"Hey!" Hannah shouted, getting up in the guy's face. "Leave him alone! He hasn't done anything to you."

"Hannah," her father called. "Come on home now!"

"Dad..."

"I said now. The Coopers don't need us meddling in their affairs."

Before she could argue, her mother walked up and dragged her into their yard. Hannah struggled to go back to him, but her father grabbed her.

"Learn to listen to me, little lady," he growled, hitting her.

Michael ran and tackled her father, roaring fiercely. The smell of urine was sharp as Hannah's dad shook and stared up at him, terrified.

"Listen here," he growled, his face scant inches from her dad's. "I don't care if you hate me. But I won't let you take it out on Hannah. I love her and she loves me. If I ever see or hear of you hitting her again, I will take double out of your hide. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," he said, shaking with fear.

"I'm glad we understand each other," Michael told him, getting up off of him.

Once he was on his feet, he ended up on his knees when someone sucker-punched him. It didn't take long for it to upscale into a riot. The cops showed up, pulling everyone off him. Michael dragged himself into his house. He had a lot of bruises all over his body, a couple of cracked, possibly broken ribs and a black eye. His parents helped him to bed, taping his ribs in place. Once he was settled, Hannah came in.

"Hannah, what about--,"

"Dad's still scared witless and mom wasn't about to stop me," she said, sitting on the edge of his bed, looking him over. "God...look at you."

"I'll be fine in a day or two," he told her. "I don't stay injured for long."

"Still, they didn't have to beat you," she said, lying beside him. "But what happens now? There's no doubt this will just get worse."

"I don't know," he said. He reached up and caressed her cheek. "It'll be ok. We'll get through this."

Two Weeks Later...

Things have only gotten worse. Michael had stopped going to school altogether when everyone made threats and threw stuff at him and Hannah. He couldn't go anywhere in town, every store and business refusing to serve him. Michael could handle the way people treated him, but they treated his parents and Hannah worse.

His mom had been demoted to the lowest possible position at work and her friends avoided her. His dad kept coming home with all sorts of injuries. Hannah...she couldn't show her face in town without being called a depraved slut or an animal's whore. It didn't matter that they hadn't done anything sexual; they just wanted to hurt her, try to make her break up with him. She remained strong in her love.

Michael, however, felt terribly guilty. He was ruining the lives of everyone he cared about in this world. Hearing a commotion outside, he looked out to see a huge crowd out on the lawn, passing out torches and flashlights as the sky grew darker. They were threatening to burn the house down. He went halfway down the stairs, hearing his mom and dad talking. Michael stopped and listened.

"Maybe we could send him to his grandparents' upstate, Jerry," his mom said. "I don't want to see him hurt again."

"We can't separate him and Hannah, Diane," his dad replied. "He loves her so much, it'll just make him miserable."

"But her parents keep her at home all the time. They can hardly see each other now with the mob out there and her parents keeping her away too."

Michael stood up and went back upstairs. He looked out the window above his desk, giving him a view to Hannah across the way; she was reading, sitting on her window seat. She looked so happy, so beautiful. He couldn't let this continue. Turning away, Michael grabbed a large knapsack out of his closet. He stuffed some clothes into it, a comb, a toothbrush and toothpaste from the bathroom. Sitting the pack just under his bed, he sat at his desk, writing a couple of notes; one to his parents, the other to Hannah. After that, he sat in the dark.

When he was certain his parents were in bed and asleep, he took his pack downstairs. Opening up the cabinets, he grabbed a few cans of food, a couple of forks, spoons and knives. A can opener was next and some money from his mom's 'secret' hiding place on top of the fridge. He pinned the note to them to the fridge, then left through the back door. Walking next door, he climbed up the tree between their houses, opening Hannah's window silently.

Creeping inside, Michael placed the note to her on her dresser where she'd see it. Turning, he looked at her, fast asleep. He hated that he was leaving. But if he didn't, she'd never be happy. Kneeling beside her bed, he kissed her. She stirred a little, but didn't wake.

"I'll always love you, Hannah," he whispered. "Goodbye."

Going back out the window, he went into his backyard, grabbed a machete out of the tool shed and slipped into the woods, not once looking back.

*Diane*

"Michael," she said, loud enough that he could hear her through his closed door. "It's nearly nine! Time to get up!"

When there was no answer, she went inside...to find the bed was empty. Worried, Diane went downstairs to find him. Checking the kitchen, she found a note on the fridge. Sitting at the table, she unfolded it and started to read.

Dear Mom and Dad,

I've left home. Please, don't try to come after me or seek me out. I couldn't bear to see your lives and Hannah's life slowly be destroyed just because of me. The three of you deserve to be happy. I'll be alright. I'm pretty much used to being singled out and alone. And know that I'll always love you.

Love,

Michael

Her vision started to blur as tears formed in her eyes. He was gone. Her baby was gone because of the idiots in this town.

"Diane?" she heard Jerry ask. "Is something wrong? Where's Michael?"

"He's gone, honey," she replied, sliding the note across the table. "He left for us."

Her husband was silent as he read the note, slowly sitting across from her. When he was done, he put the note down and took hold of her hands. She couldn't stop the tears.

"The doctors warned us about trying to have kids," she sobbed. "After all the tries, the procedures and we finally conceived, we were so happy. Even when he was born with albinism, it didn't matter. He was alive and healthy. Now look at his life. I can't help but feel it's our fault. I love him so much, but he's being punished for our selfishness."

"Diane...don't beat yourself up over this. Michael is a smart kid. He can take care of himself and he loves us. If he thinks this is best, then we need to respect that. Maybe one day he'll come back to us. Poor Hannah. She's going to be devastated."

*Hannah*

Fresh out of the shower, Hannah thought about maybe flashing Michael before getting dressed, then call him. As she went over to her dresser, she noticed a note with her name on it, in Michael's handwriting. She smiled as she sat on her bed, unfolding the note.

My dearest Hannah,

I imagine you're going to be upset, maybe even angry with me for what I've done. That's ok; I deserve it. I've left home and chances are I'm not coming back. Words can't express how sorry I am for hurting you like this. But it wasn't fair to ruin your life and my own family's. It was tearing me apart to see you so miserable. I will always love you, Hannah. Perhaps one day we will see each other again. Until then, may your days be brighter, your nights clearer and filled with happiness.

Forever yours,

Michael

"No...it can't be," she said quietly, picking up the phone and dialing Michael's number. After two rings, his mother picked up.

"Mrs. Cooper, it's Hannah," she said, "I...I found this note from Michael. Is it true? Is he really gone?"

"Yes," his mother answered, sounding choked up. "You've got to understand; he loves us too much to let us suffer with him. He sacrificed his happiness for ours."

"But...how can I be happy without him?" Hannah said, tears falling down her face. "For the longest time, he was my best friend. Now, he's so much more than that and I don't know if I can live without him."

"All we can do is live one day at a time, for Michael," she replied.