Gracia started her day with a long, hot shower. She took advantage of the motel's amenities by using all of the shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and shower cap (though she didn't need it). She turned on the radio as she dried herself, humming along to a familiar tune. Gracia picked up her clothes and grimaced. They were dirty and she felt so clean. You have to do what you have to do. She slipped on her clothing, brushed her hair with her fingers, and packed her bag to leave. Standing by the mirror, she took one last look at herself. She looked like a hobo. She pinched her cheeks for some color and sighed. "This is as good as it's going to get."

Gracia walked to Maes' room door and waited. How awkward was this going to be? Could she ever look him in the eyes again? Just thinking about last night's kiss made her blush. Just do it, just do it, just do it, just do it. She knocked on the door and waited. No reply. She knocked on the door again, except a little harder. Nothing. Was he not in? Gracia put her lips to the crack of the door, wanting to call him but not let the whole motel hear it. "Major Hughes?" Her voice was slightly muffled. "Major Hughes, are you-"

The door swung open. Maes was only wearing boxer shorts and wasn't wearing glasses. His hair was all over the place and he was rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Maes half smiled at his wife. She was bending slightly with her hands cupped at her mouth, her eyes wide and lips puckered. She was adorable. "Come in," he croaked. He held the door open for her then went to the bathroom to wash up.

Slightly dazed, Gracia sat herself down on the side of the bed. She'd seen undressed men before, namely her brother and her vulgar uncle. Her brother was thin and lean. Her uncle was fat and hairy. Maes had the body of a god. Well, not quite, but close to it. He had smooth, tanned skin that spread over his defined muscles. He had broad shoulders, thick biceps, flat abdomen, powerful thighs . . . The man was by no means skinny. For a moment she wondered what it would be like to be wrapped in those strong arms, or to trace the line of his pectorals with her fingers. Stop it! Gracia picked up a radio manual and began to read it, just to keep her mind busy.

Soon after, Maes came out of the bathroom with a white t-shirt on. He pulled on a pair of slacks, threw on a button-down shirt, and stuffed his belongings in his bag. He put on his glasses and looked at Gracia. "How's your leg?"

She ignored the fact that she blushed and replied, "Much better, thank you." If Maes was going to act like nothing happened, she would too. "I can walk on my own now."

"That's great." He checked the room to make sure he didn't leave anything. When he finished, he sat next to her and gently examined her neck. He eyed the color-changing bruise with sad eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Gracia took his hand in hers. "Forgiven and forgotten. Now, let's go, hm?"

They returned their keys to the front desk and walked to the car. Maes opened Gracia's door then went to his side. The ignition started on the first try. Maes looked at his pocket watch, which read ten o'clock. It was much later than he anticipated. Oh well. He turned to Gracia. "You ready to start your new life?"

"Yes, please," she smiled.

Maes revved the engine. They were on their way to Central City.

"Oh, I forgot to you tell you," Maes said an hour into the drive, "I have your money."

"What money?"

"The ten thousand dollars you loaned me."

"I didn't loan it to you. I gave it to you."

"I needed the money to catch the arms dealer, but now that the case is over, I don't need the money anymore."

"But I made a promise to you. I asked you to marry me in exchange for the money. You completed your side of the bargain and I completed mine. You can't go back on your word."

"I'm not going back on my word. I don't need the money anymore and you don't need the marriage. So you're getting back your money and I'm getting an annulment." He quickly glanced over at Gracia. For a brief second she looked hurt, sad, and angry, but she quickly looked away. Damn it, how did I muck it up this time? He reached over to pat Gracia's shoulder, but she flinched at his touch and hastily said, "I don't want anything to do with that money."

Maes sighed. "Gracia, be reasonable. You need money in order to survive. How will you buy clothes or pay for bills or purchase food?"

"I'm going to get a job and earn my money, and I'm going to spend that money on people I love and care for, not inherit money and horde it to myself until the day I die!" Gracia's eyes dared Maes to challenge her.

He threw his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright. I respect your position and your motives. If it were me, I'd probably do the same." His brain wheels began to turn. "And where do you plan to stay?"

"I'm going to rent an apartment."

"With what money?"

"The money that I earn from my job."

"And when are you going to get a job?"

"I'm going to start applying right away."

"I see. And what do you plan to wear to work?"

Gracia looked down at her pathetic ensemble. "These clothes, I guess." She blushed in embarrassment.

Maes felt like a jerk, but it had to be done. "Hm. And, do you think you will be hired?"

Gracia straightened her spine. "Maybe not based on my appearance, but I'm not planning to go into a field that hires based on superficial qualities." She said it with such authority yet was straightening out wrinkles and patting down her hair.

His tone softened. "Just think about it, okay?"

"There's nothing to think about." Gracia turned towards the window and pretended to sleep.

"Gracia, wake up."

Gracia raised her head and rubbed her eyes. She actually did end up falling asleep. "Where are we?"

"Downtown Central City."

Turquoise eyes grew as they absorbed the complete change of environment. The last thing she saw was rows and rows of corn stalks. Now she was looking at paved sidewalks and busy streets. Four story apartments stretched down from one end of the street to the other. Buildings were large but were broken up in sections by brown, red, and blue, brick, stucco, and wood. There were far less trees in comparison to West, but there was still an abundant amount scattered around the city, branches bare but still beautiful. Children were running up and down sidewalks. People were walking their dogs. Couples were holding hands and strolling along.

"It's just like I imagined it," Gracia whispered to the window, "but better."

Maes parked the car on the street. Gracia stepped out when Maes opened her door and was struck by the negatives of the city. It was much colder in Central, the air was polluted, there was a distinct city smell, and the streets were dirty. Gracia smiled. It was a marred perfection that she embraced. She looked around. "Where are we?"

"F Street and Captain Avenue. This," he pointed at a green building, "is one of my favorite restaurants. We need to eat."

"Yes, I am pretty hungry."

The restaurant was a tiny, but busy place. It had an old fashioned rustic atmosphere that appealed to Gracia immensely. The host greeted Maes with a big smile and looked at Gracia. He gave Maes a confused look.

Maes ignored the look and said, "For two."

"Right this way, Major Hughes."

They were seated in the corner at the back of the restaurant. The table was small and they bumped knees several times. After placing their orders, Gracia asked Maes, "When do you think we can get the annulment taken care of?"

"We can go after dinner. We'll be able to make it in time, I think."

"That'll be good. Then I can have that out of way."

A feeling of vexation bubbled inside Maes' chest. He couldn't explain why. "Yeah. Sure."

They ate their meal in awkward silence. When the bill came, Gracia quickly took it. "This one's on me."

"No." Maes attempted to grab it from Gracia, but she held it closer to her chest.

"This is the least I can do."

"Actually, I can think of something you can do that won't cost you a single penny." He wiggled his brows.

Gracia laughed. "I'm not falling for that again. Please, just let me get the bill."

"I have never let a woman pay for me, except for my mother; but really, how could I pay for my own diapers? And you're my wife, so I especially can't let you pay."

"But I'm not going to be your wife for long," she rebutted.

"Touche." He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head. "All the more reason for me to pay."

Gracia couldn't grasp his logic. "What?"

"Exactly!" He slapped down some bills on the table. "Now let's go." Maes quickly stood and walked out of the restaurant.

"Wait!" Gracia called after him. She hurriedly followed him back to the car. Maes was holding her door open with an impish grin. Gracia shook her head, but couldn't stop smiling. "Thank you for dinner. It was very kind of you." She put her hand in his offered one to step inside the vehicle.

"You're very welcome." He kissed her knuckles before closing the door.

Central City's Civic Center was much grander than West City's. The ceiling was high with marble floors and staircases. They walked into an office and Maes asked to see a judge. They were told to wait a few minutes. The couple waited quietly for the first five minutes.

"So," Maes broke the silence again, "this is it."

"This is it," Gracia repeated. Her cheeks turned a pretty pink. "It was fun . . . being your wife."

"Yeah," he whispered, "it really was." He wasn't sure if he would marry again. He never saw himself as a family man; but with Gracia in the picture he could.

The receptionist called their names. "Judge Nerres is ready to see you know."

Judge Nerres was a dark skinned woman with a cloud of black hair and gold glasses. She possessed a very no-nonsense aura. "Major Hughes, Mrs. Hughes, please be seated." She motioned the couple to sit in the leather seats across from her desk. "I understand that you would like to get an annulment."

"That is correct," Maes answered.

"Alright," the judge drawled, going over some paper work. "I just have to ask you some questions and then we can proceed. First of all, we need to determine if you marriage is invalid. Are either of you under the age of sixteen?"

They shook their heads.

"Were either of you drunk or on drugs during the time of the wedding?"

Another decline.

"Are either of you already involved in another marriage?"

They looked at each other. "No," they said together.

"Are either of you mentally or physically incompetent to be in a marriage?"

No.

"Are you blood related to each other?"

"No," they both rushed out.

"Okay, then was either of you forced to be in the marriage?"

They paused. Maes wrinkled a brow. "Define 'forced'."

"Death or serious injury would have been the result of a non-marriage."

"Oh. Then no."

Judge Nerres sat back, a brow arched, her lips pursed. "Based on your answers your marriage is considered valid and you do not quality for an annulment."

Gracia spoke up. "I don't think you understand. We both agreed to get married knowing that we would get an annulment after."

"An agreement is an agreement. That is not force or incompetence. Unfortunately for your case, fraudulent marriage is not grounds for an annulment in Central City. You have to get a divorce if you want to terminate your marriage."

"Oh." Gracia felt numb. Oddly, having to get a divorce made the marriage feel more real. "A divorce. I see. And, uh, what is the process to get a divorce?"

"You have to get the legal papers from a divorce lawyer, have both of you fill out the forms, sign the acknowledgment, and return it to your lawyer to be filed."

"That simple?"

"That simple. Now, do any of you have further questions?" The judge looked a little annoyed for having her time wasted for nothing.

"No," Maes stood and smiled. "Thank you, Judge Nerres for seeing us."

She nodded in reply.

Maes and Gracia returned to the car. It was dark now. He drove away from the civic center and down the street. "I have a lawyer who can help us with the divorce. I'll call him to see when we can make an appointment."

"Please, let me take care of it. After all, it is my end of the bargain."

"Must we always fight when we talk about this?"

Gracia looked contrite at his small admonition. "We're not fighting. Just deciding who gets to do what."

The car stopped in front a red brick building.

"Where are we?" Gracia asked again.

"My apartment," answered Maes. He took her bag and led her up to the third floor. He pulled out his keys and opened the door. His place was a large studio apartment with a window that practically took up an entire wall. The apartment was relatively clean, excepting some strewn about clothes, dishes in the sink, and photos tacked everywhere. His furniture consisted of a small, round dinner table, a lot of shelves filled with books, a desk, a loveseat sofa, and one double bed. It was a typical bachelor's pad.

Gracia put her hand on Maes' arm before they entered. "I'm sorry I keep fighting against you. You're only concerned for my well-being and I refuse your advice without considering your intentions. I'm not in a position to question your decisions. And, I, I will take the money. And I promise that I'll only stay here as long as necessary until I am able to find my own place." There was humility, hope, and determination in her eyes.

Maes smirked. "Who said you're staying with me? I just came here to pick something up."

Gracia's face fell.

Maes roared into laughter. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! You're staying with me whether you want to or not."

"I'm thinking I'd rather not."

He continued to laugh and urged her inside. He dropped his luggage on the floor and headed straight for the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. Make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Gracia called out. She looked at the pictures around the room. Some were professional, but the rest were amateur, obviously taken by Maes. Although he wasn't a great photographer, he still shot the subjects or emotions beautifully. There were a lot of pictures of the military. Many of soldiers, some of places, few of combat. The pictures of the soldiers included candid and posed. Gracia giggled. In the pictures that included Maes, he was mostly doing something wild or goofy. She subconsciously wondered if she would ever see his silly side. He also had pictures of landscapes. And the sky. Gracia loved the sky, and Maes captured some of the most beautiful sky photographs she had ever seen. She immediately felt a deeper connection with the stranger on the other side of the wall.

Wanting to know more about this man, Gracia browsed through the many books on the shelves. Military, government, history, and science filled one bookcase. Classic fiction, modern fiction, and non-fiction novels filled another bookcase. The last bookcase consisted of thick black binders labeled by date, location, or other names she didn't recognize.

The bathroom door opened. Maes took two strides to his walk-in closet. He was grateful to now be able to wear his own clothes and a clean pair of boxers. He slipped on pajama pants and a waffle patterned shirt. While ruffling his hair dry with a towel, Maes asked his guest, "Would you like to borrow some night clothes?"

Gracia didn't recognize Maes at first glance. He had shaved. When realization kicked in, her mouth went dry and she couldn't quite seem to speak properly. "Night clothes?"

A brow arched. "Pajamas."

Pajamas, she repeated to herself. "Oh! No, I'm alright."

"Did you bring any spare clothes?"

She sheepishly looked to the floor. "No."

"Well, you have no choice then because you're not sleeping in my bed with those on," he stated, referring to her dirty apparel. He grabbed a t-shirt and drawstring pants. "Wear these."

Gracia humbly took the clothes. She took off her coat. Noticing that Maes was watching her, she cleared her throat and raised her brows.

"Right." Maes went back in the closet.

Gracia quickly undressed out of her old garments and put on Maes'. His clothes smelled like him: clean and musky and something else she couldn't name but liked anyway. "I'm done," she called out and began rummaging through her bag.

Maes entered the room. His wife was sitting on the sofa untangling her waist-length hair. His clothes were big on her. The v-neckline of the t-shirt was off center, revealing a smooth shoulder. He wanted to kiss that shoulder, then kiss Gracia senseless while pushing the pajama bottoms over her round hips so he could . . . Damn it! Control yourself! "I'll be sleeping on the couch, so you can sleep on the bed."

Gracia waved her hands in refusal. "No, please, I can sleep on the couch. Trust me, I've been sleeping in a bed far worse than this couch. Besides," She looked at the small sofa then at Maes' tall frame, then back at the sofa. "I think I'll be better off than you."

"Didn't you agree with me not too long ago that you wouldn't question my decisions?."

"But –"

"No buts! This is my house and you'll obey my rules." He paused. "Wow. I never thought I would say that. Anyway, you're sleeping on the bed."

They stared at each other, neither of them wanting to back down from their position. Gracia then yielded. "Okay, you win. Thank you, Major Hughes." She moved her belongings to the bed.

"Call me Maes."

"Maes." Aqua eyes met green eyes with a smile.

Oh, but he liked it when she said his name. He had to force himself to look away and busy himself by making his bed. The two got ready to sleep. Gracia fluffed her pillow before hiding under the comforter. Sitting up on her elbow to bid her husband goodnight, she saw a comical yet pathetic sight. Maes was lying on the loveseat with his legs dangling over the end. He had only a thin sheet for a blanket, which didn't even cover the full length of his body. Plus, he didn't sleep with a shirt on even though it was pretty chilly. She couldn't do this to him. "Major Hughes, I mean, Maes, please just sleep on the bed. It's cold and you don't even fit on the couch."

Maes looked over at Gracia. Her shoulder was still exposed. "No." He thought of a logical reason other than not being able to keep his hands to himself. "What if you get sick? How do you think that would make me feel?"

"Well what if you get you get sick? I would feel like pond scum just thinking that that happened because of me when I already owe you so much." Then she got an idea. "Why don't we both sleep on the bed?"

He shook his head.

"Come on, we're both adults."

"That is acutely the problem."

Gracia got out of the bed and began to pull on Maes' arm. "Come on. Please? You're going to catch pneumonia if you sleep like this." She felt like she was trying to lift a car. "Don't worry. I have a fool proof method that will guarantee us not touching each other while we sleep."

Maes smiled slyly. "Fool proof, you say?"

"Oh yes," Gracia nodded emphatically.

"Well," Maes stood and went to the bed, "if it's fool proof, then by all means."

Gracia's eyes lit up in triumph. "Great!" She grabbed the sheet off the sofa and spread it out on the bed underneath the comforter. "Now, you sleep on top of the sheet and I'll sleep underneath the sheet, upside down." She crawled under the sheet and pulled the comforter up to her chin. "See?"

Maes smirked, but followed her instructions, lying on top of the sheet with his head by Gracia's feet. He threw the other half of the comforter over him and mentally scoffed. I wonder how long this will last.

"Maes?" Gracia's voice was quiet in the dark.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Thank you."

He patted her feet. "Go to sleep."

So she did.