Author's Note: I just watched the entire series for the first time and decided to write what I think happened afterward. It will be very-Carmela centric. The story will take place over several chapters. Please review and enjoy!

Chapter 1

"When I met him, I was so young. He was charismatic. Wild. Dangerous. Tony swept me off my feet. He could really woo you, you know?"

Dr. Melfi nodded to acknowledge she was listening.

"At first, it was exciting having a man in the mob. He took care of me. Bought me all kinds of nice things I wasn't used to having. It made me feel important."

Carmela fiddled with her hands in her lap, as Dr. Melfi waited for her to continue.

"I began telling myself that if I had my faith and chaired the bake sales at church, I wasn't a bad person. I could ignore what Tony really was, and I wasn't just as guilty."

"You didn't kill anyone," Dr. Melfi reminded her.

"I blame myself for staying with him for so long, for loving him. I told myself it was his mother's fault. She was a horrible woman. For Christ's sake, she tried to have him killed!"

Carmela paused, thinking of the absolute clusterfuck that was her life for so long.

"But the cheating. It broke me for a while. Then I did what I always do, and I turned a blind eye as best I could. I didn't want to break up our family. And truthfully, I still loved him. I love him to this day." She sighed heavily, feeling herself getting worked up. "How can that be? How can I love a man like Tony?"

Carmela began to sob. She hated herself for staying with him as long as she had. She just wanted a nice life. Why did it have to come at such a cost?

"We can't help whom we love, Carmela," Dr Melfi said. "And it's important for you to realize that you can't fix a sociopath."

Carmela dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. Dr. Melfi noticed she was still wearing her wedding ring. "You really think he's a…a sociopath?"

"Unfortunately, I do," Dr. Melfi said, calmly folding her hands in her lap.

"What does that even mean, Doctor?" Carmela's voice came out as a desperate screech.

"It means that due to genetic and environmental factors, Anthony lacked the ability to empathize or take responsibility for his actions. He was prone to violence, lying, and manipulation."

Carmela tried to process this information, but she only felt more confused and grief-stricken. "Are…are you saying he was incapable of love? That there was no goodness in Tony?"

"It's unlikely that Anthony did anything that didn't serve his own interests. Sociopaths are driven by their own impulses and needs."

Carmela felt like she'd been stabbed in the heart. She held a hand to her chest, completely overwhelmed with what the psychiatrist was telling her. Had Tony never truly loved her?

"This is a lot for you to take in, Mrs. Soprano. I think it might be best if we stop here for today, but I want you to come back in two days so we can work through this some more," Dr Melfi said, standing and straightening her skirt. She added, "I don't want you to think that Tony didn't love you at all. I promise we will sort this out more on Wednesday."

To Be Continued…