I hope you're all enjoying this? Please let me know! I think people seemed to have been put off by the description but I would never have Henry cheat on Elizabeth! I don't know whether to keep this on a slow burn or just get down and dirty with it. Anyway, let me know your thoughts/opinions. If you think it sucks let me know!

Henry stepped into his apartment quietly, bracing himself for the stampede of his daughters wanting cuddles that normally greeted him. He frowned as he walked further into the apartment, it was deadly silent.

It was only a little after eight, at least Stevie should still be awake if Alison was already down for the night.

He walked though to the kitchen, stopping to pour himself a drink before heading into the bedroom. "Where are the girls?" He queried, noting Sarah on the bed with a magazine propped in front of her.

She looked up slowly, her gaze lingering on him for a moment before going back to her magazine "My mum took them for the weekend."

Henry took a sip of his whisky, his eyebrows knitting closer together as he thought of their calendar. "Oh... that wasn't planned, was it..?"

She shook her head in confirmation, backing it up with a flat "No."

Henry nodded, coughing slightly "Since when do we make decisions like that without consulting one another? I wanted to spend the weekend as a family."

Sarah's head shot up sharply, as if scolded by his words. "Maybe around the same time you started staying at work will all hours, Henry." She hissed through gritted teeth. "Maybe since you took this job and left me at home to look after the kids, all day!" Her voice was rising steadily, her face reddening "maybe since the time you stopped paying attention!"

Henry paused, his glass halfway to his mouth, in shock. "Sarah, where has this came from..?" He frowned, his voice barely higher than a whisper. "We talked about all of this, you said you were ok with this." He sat on the bed, reaching out to take her hand. "If you want to get a job then we can get a nanny, you can do whatever you want Sarah." His voice was soothing, as if trying to placate a child.

She shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest. "It's not the point Henry!" She huffed, "you don't even see what the point is!"

Henry nodded, running his hand soothingly on her arm. "Then tell me, talk to me Sarah." He whispered.

She shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "You got me pregnant, that's the problem Henry!"

Her words rang in his ears, his eyes staring straight at hers. Speechless, he let her continue.

"We'd only been dating six months, we had sex and bam! I was pregnant" Her trip down memory lane had a particularly viscous tone. "Of course you and your stupid catholic conscience couldn't stand the thought of a baby out of wedlock and you bloody well proposed." She continued her tirade, barely pausing for breath. "I never wanted a baby, or a marriage! You and your ethics guilt tripped me into it!" Her face was growing steadily redder, with no sign of her slowing down. "I wanted an abortion." She hissed, her words piercing Henry like a knife.

Henry stood up sharply, his head spinning slightly. He walked swiftly from the room and straight out of the apartment.

He drove on auto pilot, her words playing over in his head "I wanted an abortion." His mind spun, over and over, his eyes brimming with tears. He loved his girls, with all his heart and he couldn't imagine life without them.

He looked up, finding himself parked in his space on the UVA campus. Not entirely sure how he'd got there, he stepped out of the car on shaky legs; allowing them to lead as he stepped in side the bar on the edge of campus.

.

Elizabeth walked quickly, bordering on a run, as she made her way to the bar. She was already late and it was threatening to rain. She pushed her way inside the crowded bar, pushing her hair from her face as she forced her way between the pack of bodies to the bar.

"Bess!" Her friends calls to her surrounded her as she took the drink offered to her.

"Hey!" She smiled, taking a long sip of her drink, smiling and hugging the group in turn. "I'm sorry I'm late" she smiled guiltily, hopping onto the barstool that was just vacated behind her.

"Not like you" her freshman roommate Jane nudged her, a slight smirk playing on her lips.

Elizabeth held her hands up with a grin "alright, alright" she acquiesced, taking another drink. She smiled at Jane and winked. She was the closest person Elizabeth had on campus; the closest she had come to opening up about her life. If anyone was to ask Elizabeth who her best friend was, Jane would be her top choice.

They laughed together as they were dragged to the dance floor by Jane's boyfriend and his roommate. She downed the two shots handed to her in quick succession. Feeling slightly buzzed as a more up tempo song came through the speakers.

She could feel hands on her hips, the smell of cologne invading her senses as she danced with, well she wasn't quite sure of his name, but she was dancing with someone.

She stumbled back to the bar as the song changed again, letting out an audible "oomph" as her body collided with the hard chest of another.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry!" She took a step back, looking up to meet the face of the victim of her clumsiness. "Oh" she wasn't sure she was even disguising the grin on her face, "Hello, Dr McCord."

.

Henry looked down, feeling a body pressed hard against his. His drink he had only just got sloshed over the side and onto his sleeve. He sighed, looking down at the offending drunk. Coming to a student bar was definitely not a good idea.

"Hello, Dr McCord"

Her voice rose to his ears and he looked down, immediately recognising the voice.

He sat his glass on the bar and looked at her, her bright blue eyes gazing up at him. "Hello, Miss Adams."

She looked at him, her gaze held for longer than was probably necessary. She looked down slightly, noticing the wet sleeve of his shirt. "I'm so sorry" she touched her hand to his sleeve and looked back up at him, her eyes clouded with alcohol and worry. "Let me buy you another drink, please."

Henry shook his head, moving his hand back slightly. Her touch burning into his skin. "There's no need, Miss Adams" he lifted his glass from the bar, noting gratefully that the bartender had re filled it. "Enjoy your evening, Miss Adams" he nodded, walking back to his table.

He smiled as he heard her call after him "It's Elizabeth!"

.

Elizabeth watched as he walked off, her face flushing. She was unsure if it was the alcohol or him. Her hand shook slightly as she downed the shot of tequila from the bartender, turning straight back to the dance floor with a slight stagger and joining her equally tipsy friends.

Henry watched her as she danced, sipping his drink slowly. He couldn't take his eyes off her as she danced, one arm around the brunette girl beside her; the other hand gripping the drink that her male companion handed to her. He downed the liquor in his glass and closes his eyes. Her image burned into his brain as he though over his fight with his wife. Did he still have a wife? He wasn't sure of anything anymore.

Elizabeth took a seat on the barstool, one leg wrapped around the base for some stability; alcohol didn't help her usual clumsiness. She hugged Jane and the rest of the group in turn as they made to leave the bar, lamenting to herself, her friends, anyone who was in the vicinity about the fact that they were leaving to make it to an early study session. She finished her drink, and stood up stumbling to the door to hail a cab back home.

Henry looked up as the door to the bar swung open and a giggle proceeded the person staggering into the fresh air. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her exit the bar, none too gracefully. "Alright there?" He whispered, reaching out to grab her elbow as she propelled towards him.

She giggled again as a hand steadied her, "Dr McCord." Her grin re appeared on her face as she looked up, steadying herself with a hand on his chest. "I'm great" she whispered, conspiratorially; leaning in as if she shared a great secret. "I'm getting a cab."

Henry nodded, trying to hold the laugh in his throat as he watched her. "Why don't I walk you home?" He wasn't sure why the thought of her getting in a taxi alone made him so uncomfortable; the twisting knot in his stomach telling him to get her home safely.

She nodded and grinned up at him, her eyes slightly glassy. "I think you'll have to hold me up, I'm a bit drunk" she whispered loudly.

He offered her his arm, "I hadn't noticed" he replied, matching her crescendoed whisper.

"Just don't tell" she laughed, booking her arm in his as she directed him toward his apartment.

Comfortable silence graced them both. Elizabeth focused on trying not to trip over her converse; Henry contemplating events that led him to walking - arm in arm - with a student.

The cold air was sobering, Elizabeth noted. She looked up at Henry quizzically. "What are you doing out on a Friday at a student dive?"

Henry drew breath and looked at her, insure why he was opening up to his twenty two year old student. "Just needed to get out the house." He smiled softly, looking around the up market neighbourhood. "Are we going in the right direction?" He questioned, hoping she was sober enough to know where she was going.

Elizabeth ignored the question and pointed further up the street in response. She pushed her hair back from her face. "Marriage trouble?" She whispered softly, her thumb rubbing his forearm softly; mortification set in quickly. "Oh god" she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut and hoping "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean... I've had tequila... I shouldn't... shit!"

Henry's breath hitched as she asked, nothing personal had even come up between them; not in the weeks she'd came to his office to question assignments and reading chapters. His marriage wasn't a secret, but it wasn't something he discussed either.

"Elizabeth" he whispered quietly, squeezing her arm "let's just get you home safe."

She nodded slowly, her cheeks bright red, walking the final few blocks to her apartment in a similar silence that had led to their preceding conversation.

"This is me" she whispered quietly, stepping up the stairs slowly and letting herself in, noting that he followed her.

"Nice place" he looked around as they walked up the three flights to her door.

"It was my parents first place" she whispered quietly, so quiet he almost missed her next words "they left it to me in their will." She was unsure why she'd told him, no one except Jane knew her parents were dead.

Henry nodded, taking the keys from her shaking hand and opening the door to her apartment; staying silent as she composed herself. "I'm sorry" he whispered, squeezing her shoulder lightly and swinging the door open.

Elizabeth nodded, swallowing the sobs that built in her throat and blinking back the tears that burned her eyelids. She stepped inside the doorway, "you can come in, if you need place to crash" she whispered, "there's a spare room."

Henry shook his head, watching her fight the tears threatening to spill over. "I'll be fine" he leaned down to kiss her cheek, unsure why, in that moment, he done so. "Good night Elizabeth."

Elizabeth sniffed slightly, the feel of his lips making her cheek tingle. "Good night Dr McCord" she smiled softly "and thank you."

He was unsure what exactly she was thanking him for, but replied with a gracious nod. "I think you can call me Henry" he whispered, he took the stairs two at a time as he left.

Elizabeth watched as he left, biting her lip. As she fell into bed, her thoughts filled with her handsome religion professor. "Henry" she whispered quietly, allowing the dazed after effects of tequila to lull her to sleep.