Sebastian wrestled with the door lock, muttering every curse word imaginable under his breath as he tried desperately to get the door open so he and Milo could get out of the bitter cold. With a final tugturnshove, the door creaked open and the boys rushed inside.

?Just make yourself at home, yeah? M?wife?s not here, so don?t worry about putting your feet on the furniture or anything.? Bastian grinned and tossed his keys onto the table as he moved through the foyer. ?Living room?s in that direction.? Bastian pointed Milo the right way and was soon on his way to the kitchen.

?How is Erin, Crabby?? Milo took off his jacket and tossed it over the back of the couch before settling himself onto the plush furniture piece.

Bastian, whilst looking for Ivy, made a small face. ?She?s great,? he lied. ?Real busy, though.? He fumbled into the kitchen and peered around for their cook, but she was nowhere to be found.

?Oh yeah,? Milo commented loudly from the living room. ?I remember you saying something about her never really being here when you?re home. Funny, that.?

?What do you mean?? Bastian responded distractedly, his eyes finding a note on the counter.

?The way I see it, folks get married to be closer to each other, right?? He waited for Bastian?s response and when he didn?t get it, Milo got up and padded around the main level of the house looking for him. ?Sebastian??

He wasn?t listening anymore. He was reading the note?and then again for a second time. Then a third. What the hell was this?

?Crabby?? Milo spotted him in the kitchen. ?As I was saying, folks get married to be closer and then it turns out with everyone that I?ve talked to that they just drift further apart.? He paused in the doorway, eyeing Sebastian with concern. ?What?cha got there, friend??

Sebastian?s heart plummeted. That sinking feeling of desperation and drowning overtook him all at once and he had to grip the counter?s edge to keep from dropping to his knees. What did this letter mean?! ?Milo?I need you to do me a favor.?

Milo looked stricken. ?Y?alright, Crabby??

?Milo, please??

?Sure, mate. Anything.?

Sebastian bowed his head. ?I need you to go back to work ? I?m not in the mood to eat and I?m not in the mood for company. I also need you to tell Dave that I?m not coming back today.?

?Bast, what?s wrong, man?? Milo was at a loss.

?Milo! Just go! Please?!?

When the front door closed behind Milo after he left, Sebastian waited exactly 10 seconds before screaming in anger, clenching the note in his hands and slamming the cupboard door shut that he had begun to open a few minutes earlier. It bounced back and opened wide, which angered Bastian more so it was once again slammed. This time one of the hinges broke. The cupboard door hung at an awkward angle.

He stormed out of the room and found himself in the living room where he sat down on the couch to read the letter again. First thing he noticed was that she used his full name. She never did that. And what was this about something wrong with her? What had happened? Why would she think he?d react in a certain way?

?And I?m afraid that once you know how I feel, you won?t love me.? He had to read it aloud to actually grasp the words. ?What does she mean by that?? Yes, he was talking to himself. A million different things were going through his mind. Was she saying that she didn?t love him anymore? That she didn?t want to be married? What did she mean?!

??you thought everthing was fine, maybe it would be?? He paused, skimming over the rest of the letter before crumpling it in his hands. ?And it?s not signed with love. God, I?m such a jerk?what could I have done??

And with that, he set his elbows on his knees and put his head in his hands. And waited.

Sebastian was indeed still on the couch and was rather perturbed when Erin just flew on by without even acknowledging him.The letter in his hands was crumpled even more as his fist tightened around it. He waited rather patiently, surprisingly, and was still sitting on the couch when she got back. Deep creases were etched into his skin, wrinkling in a concerned frown as he'd just heard her vomiting. What was the first thing that came to mind? Are you pregnant?!

No... no... She shook her head, looking at him strangely. Did.. you read it? A brow raised a bit. She was feeling better, mainly becuase the empty from the vomitting was strong feeling. Bad, bad Erin. She was pretty sure the letter spoke for itself.. or at least for her strange behavior. Right around line one.

Sebastian glanced down to the pitiful looking piece of paper all crushed up in his grasp. He cast it onto the coffee table, struggling to remain angry. Why? He didn't know...Erin did this to him so often, yet he could never seem to maintain any sort of front around her. ALright, so she wasn't pregnant. THat was a REALLY good thing. He stood and in two long strides had her in his arms. Comfirmation of unfertility came first and now this came second. Are you alright? he breathed into her hair.

No... not at all She clung to him as if clinging on for dear life. A sniffle or two, but not crying yet. It's just not fair... Opening up wasn't something she had done yet, she had been waiting for something, someone that seemed safe, and she wasnt' even aware he had been angry... it just seemed safe. Completely not fair... She was mumbling into his shoulder. He could probably feel his shirt start to get wet.

He cradled her gently, crooning softly into her ear; his hot breath washing over her flesh. Running one hand in a circle over her back, Sebastian began to pray silently in his head for guidance. I'm sorry about Storm, love. He sounded hurt, but far from the point of tears. This place seems to have an affinity for taking away or ruining anything you hold dear.

It's not just here... A bitter reply softly added. But it was let go soon enough. Sorry I didn't tell you sooner... I just wasn't ready yet. Not much more to say quite yet, just more sniffling.

Sebastian released her then, struggling to speak his mind like she had always wanted him to. What he really wanted was to take her upstairs, kiss her and tell her everything was going to be alright - but that's not true anymore. Nothing was ever going to be 'alright' ever again. Too much had changed. Come sit with me, Erin. He gestured to the spot beside him as he sat and then reached for the pathetic looking piece of paper and unwrinkled it. Tell me what all of this means.

Erin followed him to the couch sitting and taking the note. Her eyes crinled a little, she didn't think it was so anger inducing... A bit of a shrug. That I didn't tell you about Storm... becuase I was too upset to understand it, or accept it... That was most of it, really... That I'm sorry. That I'm ready to talk, and stop all this secretive moping... That I needed you, and wasn't sure how to ask. That last part wasn't explicitly there, but, she figured it was between the lines.

If he could have melted with relief anymore, he'd need to be contained in a bucket. His head dropped forward in a lazy sort of bowing gesture and he sighed. I'm always here for you, baby. I need you too. Just because life isn't....wasn't terrible for me doesn't mean that I don't need your closeness or doting affection. I feel like I've been pushed away. He shrugged, lifting his head. And I don't want it to be like that. Baby, there is *nothing* that you can't come to me with. I will *always* be here for you.

No.. no.. it's not you. I haven't been talking to anyone, really. Kind of a lie, but she'd explain the Everett thing once she was done with this thing. Not about this. Okay, that was true. I just wasn't ready yet.. I needed time. It's... too much. She is such a good friend. Tense not corrected yet. I didn't mean to push you away.. I just needed the day to collect myself. A long pause, shuffling her feet, voice lowering. I didn't want you to see me like that.

Sebastian reached for her hand. I'm your husband. Sweetheart, if I can't see you at your worst, I can never help you. I've been worried....you're scaring me. He knew about her...mental issues. You've been distant...and then I find your Bible in the yard, our mirror is missing and Ivy won't talk to me about anything at all.

She's just... Erin didn't know what she was just doing. She hadn't even seen her since the little outburst. I... I was angry. A long sigh, looking at her nicely polished shoes for a long moment, shuffling them again. I broke the mirror. Such an understatement.... and the window, that was me too. Just... I'm at the end of my rope. Her voice cracked. I can't take any more of this.

Bastian traded holding her hand for putting his arm around her. A kiss was pressed to the crown of her head. You may be at the end of your rope, sweets, but I'm the chair you can stand on to prevent suffocation. What morbid imagery. Tell me, Sweets. Tell me what's going on inside that head of yours.

A little tug of her lips at the first comment. It was somewhat appropriate she nodded a bit. Then he asked that. It caught her breath in her throat, it sucked the wind from her lungs. Such a hard thing to answer. To let it all pour out. Or not? She took a breath. I'm scared. And angry. And... confused. i don't believe it, but I have to. I can't let myself believe it, but there isn't much else to do about it. And I asked Alain to help, and he all but laughed at me. I haven't seen Lydia in almost two days.. and I just... I threw that Bible out the window. It was like a child confessing to stealing from the cookie jar. A bit terrified of the reaction, but needing to get it off her chest.

Sebastian held his breath. How should he go about this? His wife was in a very delicate state and if he just told her that no, Storm was dead, she'd be liable to lose it. He was just now at the point where she was beginning to open up to him and he wasn't going to risk losing this so soon. Baby, I don't know what to think, to be honest. I mean, I didn't even know about it until I read your letter. I don't know how I could've missed the posters you talked about, but I know even less than you. Would there really be a body, though, if she was burned...alive? He winced, tilting his head to brush a kiss across her forehead. But if you believe she's still alive, then perhaps we should do some investigating?

Yeah... yeah. I know. It's... She sighed, leaning into him, clenching her eyes closed. I'll speak to Issy about it. She knew he didn't really believe her, but she was touched at the effort. A burning need to change the subject took over as she rest there. We need to see each other more, Sebastian. Work less... I'll, I'll cut back on the store. Make time to be here, you know? I miss you...

Shifting one last time, Sebastian positioned himself so that he was facing her and looking directly into her hazel-y eyes. Fingers reached up to stroke her neck softly, tracing the delicate curve of her shoulder and on down her collar bone. I guess I have been hiding at work a lot, huh? It's just that we've been so busy with rebuilding and... he trailed off, closing his eyes. He shook his head and leaned forward to kiss her chastely. No, no more excuses. You're right, we do need to spend more time together. I miss you as well, love.

Erin kissed him back, smiling a little. It's okay, I understand. And she did. Erin just didn't trust herself to live completely separately from him. That she would quickly and efficiently shut down again. I just.. well, I know myself. And if we don't keep talking. Like this. Just... lying together.. it'll happen again. A pause, running the back of her hand over his cheek. I don't want to lose you. And I'm so scared I will. Erin pressed her head in the place where his shoulder met his neck. I know, it's crazy, that I worry so much. But... everyone I ever knew left me. Eventually. And, I don't think I could live without you. Just over a whisper, these little confessions.


Sebastian pressed into her, trailing his hand down her side and over her hips which he pulled against his own. It was hardly a sexual move; simply a sensual way to be closer. He wouldn't answer her right away. In fact, he was going to take his merry little time in answering the lovely flower before him. Instead, he cupped her jaw with his free hand and brought his lips down on hers, beginning with soft, flutter-like kisses. Gradually, the kisses deepened and both hands came up to stroke her cheeks. For once his need wasn't feral or dominating...even possessive. He simply wanted her. All of her; and again, not so much in a sexual way, but in a sense of closeness. His lips parted, revealing another imploring member as his hands then curled into her hair.

Finally, when Sebastian found he was able to tear himself away, he nuzzled her cheek and breathed hotly into her ear. I'm not going anywhere. He felt the need to be honest, however. The only way that would ever happen is if I was cheated on, but you'd never do that. He kissed her ear with feather-soft grace. You're not going to lose me, so stop worrying.

Erin smiled, clinging to him during the kiss. She nodded at his words. She wouldn?t do that. Erin had been known for her friendships with men, sure(really she just had so much more in common with them than with women. But that was another topic for another day) , but she never had taken it past friendship. Never had planned to. She ran an arm down his side ,cherishing him for that moment. I'll try. Really, I promise. What more was there to say? She nuzzled him again, pressing her forehead to his to meet his eyes again.