Danny is as big a mess as Michelle, but in a different way, and if he and Michelle are to stand a chance, he needs to answer some important questions. Does he want to be the man his mother raised? Can he continue to live under Carmen's thumb? Does he want to run the family business when Carmen finally decides to hand over the reins? Is he content to wait until that time? If not, what would he like to do?

Danny's life is in turmoil, and it's not just because of Michelle. Michelle is just the tip of a very large iceberg. Danny is struggling to become his own man with an identity separate from his mother, and if Michelle is in his life when he makes that break he might just find himself becoming another of Michelle's creations. What he needs right now is Pilar, someone who loves, understands and accepts him, but even more importantly, someone who understands Carmen.

Michelle could never understand why Danny felt like a prisoner in his own home, but Pilar does. Luckily for us, Danny is a smart guy and he learns from his mistakes. It only took him that one time with Drew to realize he didn't want to go back to his old life, and once he's tired of walking on the dark side, he'll be ready for Michelle to reenter his life. In the meantime Pilar can keep Danny grounded and help him maintain his moral compass, and being arrested will help him regain his focus and control, especially if he discovers Carmen engineered it.

2) Michelle

I'm going to skip the abc's with Michelle because we all know and have discussed how confused and messed up Michelle is right now. Let me just say this, do we really want Michelle to go from being sure she and Danny can make it work, to wanting nothing more than her old life and Jesse, back to Danny in less than a month? Michelle is stubborn, idealistic and at this point frightened. She thinks Danny is bad for her, yet she wants him so much it scares her, but since Michelle is not a self-destructive, live-for-the-moment nymphomaniac like Blake, she's not going to just give into her feelings without considering the future.

Michelle needs time to decompress, to let go of Jesse and what might have been, to let go of the guilt she feels for allowing one love to grow out of the ashes of another before she can accept Danny, their relationship and what could be. Besides, the idealistic dreamer in Michelle needs time to build new dreams and a new future with Danny in the male lead. R&J no longer works, she's in need of a new script, and she may have to write this one herself.

However, before she starts writing, she also has to answer some questions. Is Danny worth the risk? Can she live in Danny's world? Does the promise of what might be with Danny outweigh the known danger and darkness that exists in the Santos family? Can she trust Danny in the long run or will he eventually be perverted by the family legacy the way the FBI agent promised?

3) Fans

I know that Mannyacs loved Manny just the way they were, warts and all, but TPTB know they have a good thing and they're trying to widen Manny's appeal with some good old-fashioned angst. They're also scoring points by slowing down, and removing the force/threat element of the story. Danny is still dangerous and as bad as he wants to be, but Michelle is no longer in danger and is free to do as she pleases. It's like Manny is starting all over, and are in the awkward, getting to know you, should we or shouldn't we phase which they skipped by getting married. Once they've taken care of some necessary housekeeping (Jesse, Carmen), they'll start dating (one should do it) and before you know it they'll be re-exchanging those rings.

By the end of summer, Bill and Pilar, and Danny and Michelle, will be fighting Carmen to maintain control of their lives and relationships. One of the reasons I'm so excited about the addition of Bill to this storyline is because Vanessa and Billy come along with Bill, and I can't wait to see Carmen try her ice queen impression on the supreme ice queen, Vanessa, and I also can't wait to see Billy crowd Carmen's personal space. If we can't have Ed, Vanessa and Billy will definitely do.

Rhonda