Author's Note: Right first off I am so sorry for the massive delay in getting this out to you. There are several reasons, general hectic life, as well as the fact that I struggled with this chapter anyway, also my computer broke and it took a very long to time to get it fixed. Luckily the hard drive was safe so I still had the story. Anyways for those of you still with me, thank you! I hope you enjoy this chapter and reviews are always welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own Waterloo Road or any of it's characters.

It was half past 12 by the time Michael got to Lorraine's. She answered the door, immediately wrapping her arms around his neck and sighing into his t shirt with relief.

"Oh thank god that is over." She said closing the door and walking back into the living room.

"What happened?" Michael asked, sitting beside her on the sofa.

"It wasn't anything I didn't expect, it's just there's no arguing with them. Once their minds are made up, it doesn't matter what I say or anyone else says, they won't listen. They came up with the most ridiculous theories, things about you trying to take my money from me, all rubbish of course, I know that." She explained.

"So what do we do now?" he asked her.

"Oh I don't know, I mean they aren't going to go away, not without a fight and I think trying to get them to accept us, at least at this stage, is asking too much." She was so stressed and wound up she was rambling and kept running her hand through her hair.

"Shhh, stop, its okay, look I think it's time we just face it together, okay?" Michael said rubbing her arms from shoulder to elbow gently trying to sooth her. She nodded and leant back against the sofa closing her eyes.

"Thanks, you know for, being you." She whispered. Michael chuckled slightly putting an arm around her and resting his head atop of hers.

The next morning, both Lorraine and Michael awoke to the buzzing of Lorraine's apartment. Opening one eye, Lorraine looked at the clock, it was 7:30AM.

"Oh my god, it's them." Lorraine groaned.

"Who?" Michael grunted sleepily.

"My parents, again." She said.

"What? Are you sure?" Michael asked.

"Yes, it's 7:30, on a Saturday, they are the only people I know who would get up this early to re-start an argument that took place less than twelve hours ago." Lorraine was now rushing around the room, gathering up clothes and rifling through her wardrobe for a top to wear. The buzzing continued, and it was a couple of minutes before Lorraine went to answer it.

"Hello?" Lorraine said into the microphone, as she had suspected her mother's voice answered.

"Hello, Lorraine dear it's us, Mum and Dad, we wondered if perhaps we could talk, maybe over breakfast?" he mother asked as if this was a perfectly reasonable request, despite the fact they had completely slammed her relationship with Michael the night before.

"Mum it's half seven in the morning, I'm tired and no I don't want to have breakfast with you." Lorraine answered through gritted teeth.

"Oh well okay, but we do need to talk, so we'll be back here at nine, no excuses." Her mother replied, Lorraine didn't bother replying, she knew her parents would already be gone.

Rushing back into the bedroom she grabbed Michael's shoulder and began shaking him awake.

"Michael, get up, quickly, get up. It was them and they are coming back at nine. What are we going to do?" she sat down on his side of the bed as he sat up, pulling on his briefs that were on the floor by the bed.

"Face the music, look they've got to accept it at some point, the sooner they know they can't bully us into breaking up the better." Michael said taking her hand in his, rubbing circles on it with his thumb.

By eight thirty both Michael and Lorraine were showered and dressed, and were sat in the kitchen trying to decide how best to approach Lorraine's parents together. Lorraine sat biting her left thumb nail and tapping her foot against the leg of the high stool she was perched on at the breakfast bar.

"Will you stop worrying, it'll be fine." Michael said placing his hand on hers trying to calm her down.

"Michael, how can you be so optimistic? You saw what they were like last night? They were ready to throw you out my flat. What makes you think it will be any different this time?" Lorraine asked.

The buzzer rang before he could answer.

"Oh god, they're early." Lorraine groaned as she got up and walked out into the hall.

Less than a minute later, her parents were right outside the door, knocking to come in. Lorraine answered the door.

"Mum, Dad, come in." She said expressionlessly before turning and walking back towards the kitchen.

"They began to follow her, her mother had already begun talking, "Look Lorraine we just want to talk about your relationship with that 'Byrne' man, he's just..."

"Morning."

Looking up Caroline realised where the voice had come from. Michael was sitting at the breakfast bar, smiling at them.

"Oh he's here too." Andy grumbled as he entered the kitchen just behind his wife. "Look mate, again we need to talk to our daughter."

Michael didn't move, just nodded, smiled and stayed sat where he was.

"So could you leave?" Andy said slowly, as if explaining something very simple to someone very slow.

"Michael is staying." Lorraine told her father firmly.

"Lorraine this is a matter between you, your mother and myself, I really..."

"Actually with all due respect, I think more than anyone else it's between Lorraine and I." Michael said, "if you want to speak to her regarding our relationship, I'm not going to stop you, but I won't leave if it concerns me." Michael explained. He was firm but polite. Lorraine grabbed his hand under the table, throwing him a small smile, and then looked back at her parents.

"Take it or leave it." She said.

"Fine." Andy agreed. He and Caroline sat down directly opposite Lorraine and Michael. For the first time, they seemed to be struggling to find something to say.

"Well?" Lorraine said expectantly.

Caroline and Andy were not stupid, they knew they had to change tact if Michael was there. Caroline addressed Michael directly.

"The thing is , we're worried about what the nature of your relationship with Lorraine might do to the school and your reputation as well, come to that. I mean teacher and former student. It's just so scandalous."

"I disagree, Lorraine and I had a professional relationship before our personal one, and I've known Lorraine outside of her academic career for many years. The fact that she used to be my student seems kind of irrelevant now, it was so long ago. And please call me Michael" Michael remained calm as he came back against Caroline's 'argument'.

"Oh for goodness sake Mum, don't be so ridiculous. And don't insult our intelligence. You couldn't care less about the school or Michael's reputation." Lorraine scoffed at her Mother's feeble attempt at lying.

"Alright truth be told, we're not comfortable with your relationship with our daughter. You're far too old for her." Andy was less tactful and even less patient than Caroline "We've been through this Dad, Michael is not even that much older than me, it's eight years for crying out loud." Lorraine argued.

"I don't really think our ages are relevant either, especially at our ages." Michael said still completely calm.

"Well what about finances. No offense but obviously how much Lorraine is worth must come into this." Andy said looking disdainfully at Michael.

"Lorraine is worth more to me as a person than any amount of money. She could go bankrupt tomorrow and it wouldn't matter. I'd still be with her." Michael said looking unflinchingly at Andy.

"Surely you can understand our concern, with Lorraine's success and your contribution to that." Caroline chipped in.

"If you're referring to my encouraging Lorraine whilst she was at school, then I can assure you, considering it is part of my job to encourage students to do well, in school and after school, I do not feel I have any right to Lorraine's money at all. I make more than enough money to support myself." Michael explained, his tone was becoming slightly firmer, but his ability to remain calm and relatively diplomatic gave Lorraine's parents no reason to start an argument.

"This whole relationship is a terrible idea!" Andy exclaimed, getting impatient by his and Caroline lack of progress.

"I'm sorry?" Michael asked, getting slightly testy. He knew that Lorraine's parents weren't going to like him, but they were beginning to become plain rude.

"Dad! How can you...where do you...how dare you? You come into my house; uninvited I might add, trying to tell me who to see and what to do. Then you accuse my boyfriend of being with me for my money. What the hell? Who do you think you are?" Lorraine had lost her patience again.

"Look I'm sorry darlin' you know I love ya and I want ya to be happy but you and this man are different people. You live in different worlds. You gonna want different things. I just don't want him to hurt ya." Andy tried to reason with his daughter.

"I can make my own decisions Dad. I don't need help from you or Mum on this!" Lorraine raised her voice now, her facial expression said it all, her parent were overstaying their welcome.

"Look Mr and Mrs Donegan I understand your concerns, but I love your daughter, I don't care how much money she has, or how much younger she is than me. I will never hurt her. I can tell you don't like this, but this is not about you. It's about your daughter, (and me) and what makes her happy. We're happy and we're not giving that up for anything." Michael finished his speech and for a second no one spoke. Lorraine was the first to break the silence.

"I want you to leave. Now." She said to her parents.

"Right well you've made your feelings very clear. Andy I think we can tell when we're not wanted." Caroline turned and headed for the door, Andy threw Michael and dirty glare and followed. As they reached the door, Caroline turned to look at Lorraine.

"Goodbye Lorraine, we'll talk soon." And with that her parents left.

As the door shut, Lorraine exhaled in relief before turning to Michael and smiling.

"Thank you." She said, leaning into him.

"What for?" he asked, laughing slightly.

"For that, everything you said, for putting my parents in their place. It was brilliant!" she chuckled.

"I was just trying to be honest. I love you, for you and I don't ever want something to get in the way of that." He said honestly.

"I love you so much." She told him, leaning in a kissing him.