First story up. I really hope you guys enjoy it.

Summary: Akari and Chase fell in love, and life was good. Nine years later, they're on the brink of divorce because of Akari's incident three years ago. When their son goes missing, they have to brace the past, forget their problems, and save him.

I. Prologue

The very first day that he laid his eyes on her, he knew she was something special. She was short and quirky, soft brown hair framing her face in the most perfect way possible, bringing out her dark amber eyes.

He wiped his hands on his black apron, getting rid of the sticky dough that had collected on his fingers, and rolled his purple sleeves up to his elbow, walking over to the edge of the bar as she sat herself on the stool. He leaned over the counter, elbows propped up so that he could rest his head upon his hands. She looked up at him, eyes meeting. "Hi," he grinned. "Welcome to Sundae Inn's bar."

"Hi," she smiled softly, squirming around in her seat to get comfortable. She took another look at him, realizing she had no clue who he was. Where was Hayden, who usually worked here? And Kathy? "I've... never seen you around. Did you just move here?"

"Came last night when I heard there was a job opening at the best chef's little cafe," he replied. "Kathy and Hayden are taking a break today. It's been a while since they've really had one. Can I get you anything?"

"Oh, I don't know. What would you recommend?"

"Anything Yolanda makes is amazing," he remarked, gesturing his head toward the little old cook behind him.

"What about you? Can you cook anything amazing?"

"Nah. I'll get there some day though."

"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes. "Don't be modest about it. I bet you're great."

"Not really."

"I'm sure you're much better than I am. The best thing I can cook is frozen food. Yum," she smiled, rubbing her stomach with one hand. "I bet you're better than you say you are."

He smiled, getting off the counter. "Why don't I just show you?"

"Right now? Because I'm feeling for some yummy bouillabaisse."

"Sorry. Today, I'm serving only, not cooking." He couldn't help but notice the look of disappointment that flashed on her face and smiled inwardly. "What about... Sunday? My place. I'll cook whatever you want me to, and I promise you, it is nothing near amazing."

She quirked an eyebrow. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"I think I am."

The minute he saw her, he knew she was burning with anger. 'Fuck. What the hell did I do this time?' Her long brown hair was a dull color, messily held up in a distraught pony tail with bangs strewn around her face, sticking with sweat. Her dark eyes stood out amongst her face, full of anger and weariness against her gray face. He hadn't seen them actually shine in, well, forever.

He let out a little groan, as she marched up to him at the bar. He wiped his hands off of his green apron and rolled up his sleeves. "Hi," he attempted to greet her.

"Don't you fucking try to avoid this," she warned, as she seated herself on a stool. She rubbed her temples furiously with her finger. Life was hell. She needed something to get her thoughts off of it. "I want some vodka."

"No," he replied firmly, a grimace taking place on his lips. He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets, playing around with the keys that jingled in them. His fingers brushed across a tiny photo frame, a picture that reminded him why he was still there, together with her.

"Don't tell me what to do!"

"Well, I'm in control of the bar today, so I will tell you what to do. You're not drinking any vodka," he calmly said in the coldest tone he had used all day.

"Fuck you," she hissed, her hands jumbling together on the counter in front of her. She was so angrily distraught; she hadn't taken care of herself in weeks. She felt as if her life was at a mess. She only had one child to raise, one husband to take care of, yet she felt as if she couldn't handle anything. What had gone so wrong?

She felt her defense tumble, and she started to break into sobs. She was having a melt down. Her breath hitched, as she attempted to breathe in some air. She didn't know what to do. She couldn't do anything. She knew it, too.

She buried her head into her hands. Her arms were wet from all her tears, but she didn't care. There were other things she needed to worry about.

But she had forgotten why she had stormed into the Inn in the first place. What was it that she needed to tell Chase again?

Whatever. Screw it. Her life was a mess anyway. What difference would it make if she forgot to tell her husband something? Again.

"Akari," he nudged her, his voice soothing and soft, as he watched her break down. It wasn't a first. The number of break downs she had increased, as weeks passed by. She was getting weaker by the second, and he noticed it too. She believed everything everyone told her, and the more they bullied her, the worse she became. He knew she didn't mean to, but she always took it out on him.

She shook her head and wiped her tears at his touch, getting up. "Just... make me some bouillabaisse later," she muttered, grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

"I know."

"Good morning!" he grinned as he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek. Around his bare chest was, of course, his apron. She gave a big yawn, covering her mouth, as her eyes glazed over with water. She smiled brightly afterward, snuggling deeper into the bed, pulling the thick quilt around her.

"Are you cooking breakfast?" she asked groggily, wiping her short, wispy strands of hair away from her face.

"Just for you." He walked away from her bed to the kitchen across the house, flipping pancakes the minute he got over there.

Akari grinned, as she got out of bed, grabbing his shirt in the process and pulling it over her head. She flounced off to the table and sat down. "I'm ready to eat! Serve me!"

He chuckled at her, saying in reply, "Be patient, oh noble one."

"Hurry or... your head shall be off!" She squirmed, trying to think of the actual phrase. "Or something like that. Oh! Off with their heads! Your head. Off with your head!"

He laughed and shook his head. "If you slaughtered my head off, I wouldn't be able to kiss you anymore."

She scrunched her face, her eyebrows narrowing, as her mind comprehended the thought. "Well that would suck."

"And I wouldn't be able to cook for you anymore either."

"Now that would really suck," she replied, frowning. She loved his food, despite the fact that he continuously told her that it wasn't good. She thought it was amazing, and she could live on it. That, or maybe it was just because she hated frozen food. "Well, I guess your head doesn't go off then."

"Lucky me. I get to kiss and cook for this girl every day."

"Really?" she asked, excitement running through her veins. "I get your food every day?"

He laughed. "Of course. Forever."

"Morning," Akari grumbled, as she stumbled down the stairs. She had a huge migraine from staying up last night, taking a walk around the town. As the years passed by, more and more buildings popped up. The supposedly small town had become more like a city.

"Morning," Chase replied, giving her a brief kiss on the cheek.

"What'd you make for breakfast?" she asked, as she grabbed a chair and sat herself down.

"We don't have much in the fridge, so I grabbed some eggs from the coop." He hesitated before saying, "If... that's okay."

"Whatever," she muttered. "You should've gone to the general store and stocked up on the fridge."

"I'm sorry I actually have a job so that I can take care of this family," he replied coldly.

"Oh, please. I make enough to support all of us. Maybe if you actually paid any attention this family, you would've noticed by now."

"I do pay attention to you and to Aiden!" he roared, slamming the pan against the stove. The egg flopped off the pan and onto the stove, creating a sizzling sound, and the kitchen filled with smoke and the scent of something burning.

A cough was heard from upstairs and then footsteps could be heard running down the stairway. "What's that smell?" a boy, about the age of eight, coughed, covering his mouth and nose with his hand.

"Oh, God, Aiden," Akari cried, jumping up from her seat and rushing to her son's aid. She pat him on the back and brought him outside, telling him to quietly wait until the smoke was out of the house. He nodded at her and decided to play with the many farm animals that were outside grazing.

Akari went back inside. "Look what you did, Chase!"

"This," he gestured, "is my fault? It was your fault for accusing me of never paying attention to you guys. I always pay attention."

"When was the last time you actually attended one of your son's soccer games? Did you notice that last week, he brought home a trophy?"

Chase was quiet, thinking of the events that happened last week. He was certain that if Aiden had brought home a trophy, he would've noticed. Surely. How could he have passed that? But he knew he did. Because he was working at the bar. Again.

"Do you even pay any attention to your wife? To me? Do you notice that everyone talks shit about me? Even when I'm there, they sneer in my face."

"I know."

"You know? You know?" she screeched. "You knew, but all you did was just stand there, watching me, as I took it in for three years? I've suffered for that long, Chase."

"I know," he whispered, his eyes softening.

"Then why didn't you do anything?"

"Because... I didn't know what to do."

She glared at him. She didn't understand. There was always something to do. Always.

"I need some air," she breathed, going back outside.

"I'm sorry."

She sat on the soft sand, feeling its wispy hands surrounding her feet. She wiggled her toes, enjoying the feeling of the sand playing between them. She let out a breathy gasp, as she was pulled away from the sand and was sent flying into the air, caught again by a pair of strong arms.

"Chase!" she screamed with delight and then fury, hitting him on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny at all!"

He could only laugh at her attempt to hurt him, smirking as another idea set into his mind.

She noticed that smirk. He was planning something, and she had a feeling it wasn't going to be good. "What are you plan—" Before she could finish her question, the ocean water quickly surrounded her, filling up the mouth that was once going to ask a question. She garbled it and spit it out, as she swum quickly to the surface. "You jackass!"

He smiled lazily, as he sat down upon the sand, feeling the mixture of water and sand come between his toes. "How was your bath, m'lady?"

"It was terrible, you shitty knight," she scoffed, sitting her very soaked self next to him. "I would totally kick your ass right now, but I'm kind of cold and very lazy."

He smirked, as he pulled off his shirt, tugging it over her shivering body. "What were you doing here?"

"Thinking. I always think here."

"About what?"

"My future," she grinned. "I've been thinking about what I want to do with it."

"You're only nineteen," he replied, raising his eyebrow.

"Yes, and you're twenty-one," she said with a comeback. "What are you planning to do with your life?"

"Well, for starters, I'm going to be a chef."

"We all know that," she answered, rolling her dark brown eyes at him. She raised her hands in a big gesture. "Chase's Cafe. Yes. You are going to have your own cafe for sure." She let out a small giggle and fell on her back with a soft thud.

"I don't know about that. My food isn't that great."

She hit him lightly on the shoulder and then closed her eyes. She could feel the sun soaking into her now dry skin. "Stop saying that. I think it's fabulous. Is that all you want? To be a chef? Because it's definitely going to happen."

"Who knows. But I want to marry. Have a wife. A few kids. I want a son, and I want to name him Aiden," he said slowly, drawing his words out with each syllable.

"Why Aiden?" she inquired, curious, opening her eyes to look at him.

"It means 'little fire'. And if you're a fire, you always get bigger, and you always get stronger. If someone puts you out, you just need a little push, and you can accomplish anything."

"Wow," she breathed. She had never really thought that far. All she knew was that... she loved her animals. And she loved ranching and farming. And she definitely wanted a few kids and a husband.

"And... I want this kid... with you." His words came out softly and slowly, as he swiftly turned his head to look at her. His bright violet eyes met her sparkly brown ones, and they could feel the electric charge that surged through them. "I want... my life to be with you because... that's what I see in the future. I see you by my side through thick and thin. No matter what."

He pulled out a blue feather from his pocket and handed it to her. She scrambled back up to a sitting position and gently took the blue feather out of his hand. She gazed at him, her eyes wide with delight.

"I just... I wanted to tell you I love you. And... I was wondering if you'd be by my side. Always."

"Always," she whispered, pulling him into a hug and then a kiss.

Akari sat down on the sand. This was her thinking spot. She just... needed to get away, to listen to the waves crashing down, to feel the sand between her toes, to hear the birds chirping as if they had no care in the world. She closed her eyes and breathed in the fresh air. It calmed her immediately.

"I knew I'd find you here."

"Chase," she acknowledged with a nod, eyes still closed. "What are you doing here?"

"What are you thinking about?" he shot back, stuffing his hands in his pockets, as he watched her sit there intently. He sighed and sat next to her.

"My life."

"What about it?"

She opened her eyes and reverted her gaze to him. "What went so wrong with it."

"It wasn't your fault."

"Oh, no. It's yours. And mine. And everybody else's in this damn fucking town."

"Akari..." he reached out to touch her, to knock some sense into her, but she slapped his hand away.

"God, this place is hell. I wish I had never moved here."

"Stop saying that."

"Why? Because it's true," she cried angrily. "I hate my life here. I hate it, Chase. The people here, they look at me as if I were scum. You, I can't go an hour without arguing with you, or yelling at you, or vice versa. And Aiden... well, he's the only person who keeps me sane anymore."

"Akari, married couples fight. That's what they do. That doesn't mean they don't love each other."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you still love me? How could you? I've become such a narcissistic bitch ever since... that incident three years ago," she muttered softly. "Three years ago, life was so different."

"I do," he murmured. "I still love you."

She gazed at him, searching his eyes for the lie, but she could see love pouring out of his eyes and his words. She knew he had told the truth. "I don't know."

"You don't know..."

"If I still love you."

"You don't know," he repeated firmly.

"We fight practically every minute, Chase."

"But that happens."

"Chase, I don't think so. Chase, I just... I don't think I'm happy anymore. Not with you. Not with anybody."

"What are you getting at?" he asked warily.

"Chase, I... I want to get a divorce."

"A divorce."

"Yes, a divorce," she snapped. "Do I have to repeat everything?"

He was quiet for a few moments, unsure of how to reply. He didn't want this. At all. Sure Akari annoyed the shit out of him really often, but that didn't mean he didn't love her. He did. He wanted to take care of her. He was just... scared... and didn't know how. But... she was so unhappy. He'd only make her unhappier, and if this would make her happy... "Why the hell not," he muttered. "If it... if it makes you happier, then okay. We'll get a divorce."

Whoot. First chapter down. It took me a while to actually gather this plot together, but here it finally is. I just wanted to show you guys the difference between their relationships, past and present. Hope you guys saw that, and I hope you guys enjoyed it. The story will soon pick up its pace. Reviews would be great, and if you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to hear them! :]

xxenchanted