Hello there! You may recognize me from the several oneshots I've written in this section, but this time I've decided to add a full length story to my credit! Just in case you're wondering, it is a Brock and Reba story, and its set right smack dab in the middle of season six. Anyway, here we go!

Reba Hart sighed deeply as she trudged over from her kitchen to the living room and tossed her purse and briefcase down on the coffee table. She had just gotten home from showing a couple a house for what seemed like the billionth time and hadn't the slightest bit of energy to change out of her rose-appliquéd jacket and ruffled top with matching pants. Instead, she just flopped down onto the couch and closed her eyes, soaking in the stillness of the moment. It was a rare occasion that the house was so peaceful, so she wasn't about to take even a second of that tranquility for granted.

Just as she was floating somewhere between consciousness and sleep, a loud beeping sound startled her up into a sitting position. When she calmed herself down enough to recognize what the sound was, she realized it was her watch reminding her that it was time to take her high blood pressure medication. Reba sighed loudly once more and plodded back over to the kitchen to retrieve her pills and a glass water to down them with. The daily ritual of taking those pills was beginning to get a little aggravating, especially when it disturbed her resting, but she knew it was for the best. After all, with all the crazy stuff that had been going on around there lately, it wasn't exactly like her blood pressure could stay regular by itself.

As she swallowed the first pill and absent-mindedly began to down the second one, Reba's thoughts began to drift to all the craziness that had taken place the last couple of months. After finding out that Cheyenne was expecting another child, Van finally relented to taking the offer with Norris Realty, so he and Reba parted ways and in a matter of weeks he became one of the most valuable employees at the firm. With that, of course, came one of Van's greatest joys in life: money. He received a huge pay increase from Norris and soon he and Cheyenne had more than enough money to buy a beautiful house just a couple of blocks down the street. Although it was hard to leave the place they had called home for so long, they decided it would be best to move as soon as possible to allow them time to settle in before the new baby arrived. There were a few struggles at first, but all in all, they seem to be doing very well on their own.

Kyra, meanwhile, moved back in with her mother just about a month before Van and Cheyenne moved out. At first, tension was higher than ever between her and Reba, but realizing that she only had a couple of months before she went away to college, she managed to tone her spirit down and soon she and Reba were getting along better than ever before. Reba couldn't be happier about that.

Jake seemed to be sprouting up fast as well; too fast, in Reba's opinion. Besides Elizabeth, Jake was the youngest member of the family and after he was gone, there would be no one left but Reba. She knew it would have to happen eventually, but she still dreaded his leaving day terribly. On the other hand, he seemed to growing into a fine young man more and more every day, and she couldn't be more proud of him.

Having finished taking her medication, Reba put the empty glass in the sink and headed back over to lie on the couch a bit more. While all these events were hectic in themselves, it had been nothing compared to what really kept her blood pressure soaring to the skies. It was Brock and Barbra Jean. For a good long while now, there marriage seemed so strained and awkward. Whenever they were together they would bicker constantly and they seemed at their happiest when they were apart. They've even gone so far as to file for divorce, though neither of them has signed the papers just yet. As bitter as she was about their relationship in the beginning, Reba didn't like seeing it fall apart. No marriage deserved to die, in her opinion.

To make matters worse, it seemed that every time Brock and Barbra Jean's marriage went through a strain, Brock preferred to spend his time looming about her house. He claimed it was to spend more time with the kids, but half the time the kids weren't home anyway, so it would always end up being just him and her again. And as cold as she would try to act towards him when he arrived, she would always get sucked into acting like his best friend again; the way they used to act whilst they were dating. Time and time again, they would sit and talk and laugh and then he would leave back to the home where he belonged now, and Reba's heart would break a little each time (though she would be damned if she were ever to admit that). Then he would come back the next day and they would do it all over again. It was a cycle that was blissful yet painful all at the same time and she knew there was no escaping it.

Just as she finished thinking that thought, the door flew open and Brock came sailing in through the front door.

"Hey Reba," he called as he sauntered over and took a seat on the chair next to the couch. Speak of the devil, she thought as she pulled herself up into a sitting position.

"Don't you ever knock," she asked bitingly as she smoothed down her disheveled hair.

"Why," Brock asked with a furrowed brow, totally missing the point as usual. He gazed about the room. "Where are the kids?"

"Kyra's out practicing with the band and Jake's at soccer," Reba explained, hoping beyond hope that he would take that as a hint that there was nothing there for him.

"Oh," Brock replied. "So, you wanna play a hand of poker?" He got up from his seat and walked around the couch to where Reba kept the cards when she stopped him.

"Brock, why don't you just go on home," she asked in an exasperated tone.

"Oh, but Reba," he whined, "It's so lonely over there with Henry being at preschool!"

"What about Barbra Jean? Isn't she supposed to be the one putting up with you now instead of me?"

"She isn't home, she's….somewhere," he answered, looking down at his feet. In spite of herself, Reba felt a tug at her heartstrings when she saw the look on his face. She softened a bit and gave him a sympathetic look.

"Things still not getting better between you two," she asked gently. Brock shook his head.

"Worse, actually. I don't know what it is, Reba! It's just…" he looked up into her eyes and hesitated. "Oh never mind!"

"No, what is it Brock," she gently prodded. She got up from her seat on the couch and walked over to his side to put a comforting hand on his shoulder and looked deep into his eyes. "You can tell me." Brock stared deeply back at her for a second before taking in a deep breath and continuing.

"You know how a couple of years ago I told you that I wasn't happy," he asked.

"Yeah."

"Well, it's starting to feel like that again. Like something's missing; something that's supposed to make me feel happy like I used to be. Only this time, I'm certain it's not golf," he concluded with a small smirk. At his joke, Reba chuckled slightly, causing Brock to feel more at ease. He had been worried that if he told her the truth, she would get angry with him again, just like she did a couple of years ago.

"Well, what do you think it is," she pressed on. Brock shrugged, feeling the warmth of her hand disappear as it slid from off his shoulder. He immediately regretted his shrugging action.

"I'm not sure, Reba. All I know is, I can't keep living like this. I don't think its fair to me or Barbra Jean."

"I understand," Reba assured him. "But you can't just be hanging around here all the time. You know how I feel about it when you do." She turned away quickly and took a few steps away from him, but before she did a hint of pain flashed across her eyes that only someone as close to her as Brock could have detected. Guilt immediately washed over him. Memories of their conversation with the couple's therapist two and a half years ago came flooding back to him, as did her words: Whatever it takes to keep you out of my living room, so I don't have to think about how it was when we together and it was so good. From the look on her face as she said those words, he had been able to tell that he had been hurting her deeply, and the fact that she was nearly in tears when she had told the doctor she had had to get out of there proved it. It had nearly killed him back then, and there he was doing it again!

"I know Reba, and I'm sorry. I really am. It's just…" he turned her around gently with his hand and caught her gaze again, "I really like spending time with you. It feels like old times again; like when we were…" He hesitated to say the next part, but fortunately she supplied it for him.

"Dating?"

"Yeah…" he admitted. Those had been some of the happiest days of his life, and to be able to relive the feeling now, even after all they had been through, was a wonderful miracle. But to his dismay, Reba shook her head vigorously.

"I don't want it to feel like that anymore, Brock. It can't feel like that anymore." She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and stepped around him to head upstairs.

"Reba," Brock called after her, but she refused to stop.

"Just go home, Brock. Call your wife and try to sort things out!" And with that she mounted the stairs and disappeared out of sight. A few seconds later, Brock heard the door to her bedroom slam and echo through the empty house, also echoing the emptiness he felt in his heart. He sighed in frustration and ran his hand through his hair, something he had a habit of doing whenever he was upset. How could he do that? How could he allow himself to hurt her again, even after so many opportunities to learn his lesson.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, he thought to himself as he smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand a couple of times. He desperately wanted to run upstairs after her to try to apologize, but knowing him, he might just upset her more. Well, at least I can add that to the long list of ways I hurt those I care about due to my selfishness. Whoopee, he thought bitterly as he sighed once more.

"I need a drive," he told himself out loud. Brock took one last look of longing towards the upstairs before taking his car keys out of his pocket and heading out the front door.

What did you think of the first chapter? Boring? Pointless? GENIUS?! Ha ha! I'm just kidding! Anyway, I know there's not much going on in this chapter, and I'm sorry about that. This is just what I like to call "The Exposition Chapter" where everything is set up. I promise the good meaty plot is coming up in the next chapter! Anyway, reviews are always greatly appreciated! Until the next update!