*shyly appears from dark cave* H-Hi everyone... So I've been gone again, for a very long time... I'M SORRY! SO SORRY! I hate making excuses but I'm afraid I was held back by health and school problems, so I had to take a break from Fanfiction. I do hope you understand. Anyway, I managed to spare time to give you another chapter for this (I haven't abandoned it - don't fret!) and I don't really know how frequently I can upload (I don't have the dreaded writer's block though *phew*) but I promise at NO POINT WHATSOEVER will this story be ditched. Here's chapter 7 - enjoy!

P.S - I own nothing, except for the plot (and Jake)


With a blank expression etched on his face, the green-clad chipmunk surfed the internet, looking for nothing in particular. To put it more simply – he was bored. Theodore was sure he'd visited every recipe webpage and been through all the Google results for the word food. This wasn't a typical way for him to spend his evenings, but once dinner was out of the way, there wasn't much else he could do. Usually he'd make supper for Eleanor and himself, but recently his thoughts have been preoccupied. He can't cook with a troubled mind – it would certainly produce a lacklustre meal. Unfortunately for the rotund chipmunk, his girlfriend can read him like a book.

"Theodore?" Her voice called across the living room from the sofa.

"Mmm?" He clicked aimlessly on a link that would take him to a website he had already visited.

"What's wrong? What are you thinking about?" She paused, taking in the sight of her counterpart slumped in his chair. "You don't look content."

Theodore inhaled sharply, drawing his thoughts together. His mind took him back to a couple of days ago, when he insisted that their future be kick-started. No progress since that day. Surely wasn't his fault, right? God, sometimes he wished he too could have some of her naivety. She played the innocent card to perfection, making it out like nothing's wrong with a sweet sparkle in her chocolate brown eyes, when in reality both can clearly remember that foggy night halfway across the world. Blood stained cheeks, lifeless eyes, bruised body. He wants to forget; if he hasn't erased it, surely Eleanor hasn't either... Sometimes it's difficult to move past the fact he saved his beloved Ellie from freezing and bleeding to her death in a dark alleyway. The mere memory gives him icy chills.

"Eleanor," he began, slowly. "I-I've been thinking, again..." He flexed his arms, careful not to approach this in the wrong way.

"What's the matter, Teddy?" Oh no, not the nickname. This made it harder to be serious.

"Eleanor, I-I really think... I mean... We should get in touch with Jake." The words came out differently to how he had expected. Now he was unsure of the mood he'd just created. Mentioning the man's name shocked both into a wary silence. Theodore refused to turn around. He was frightened to see Eleanor's reaction. All he could hear was the unsteady breathing of his partner, the television filling the emptiness.

"Oh," she finally breathed, eyes fixed to the ground. She was afraid to look at her counterpart. Looking at him now may spark a series of tears. He meant well – she knew that. They had to move on, for the sake of their future. To build a new house, you must remove the crumbling foundations of the previous. Rising shakily to her feet, she bit her lip. What happened to the confidence she sported not that long ago? Why was she acting like this? Was it really that hard to initiate an attempt at a divorce, or whatever it was she was to do first? What would she say to him? Where would she begin? Her train of thought was interrupted by the sound of Theodore's voice, startling her in the process.

"We keep saying that w-we will, b-but we never do. We'll get nowhere if we continue this way." He turned around, surprised to see the chipette standing. As soon their gazes locked on one another, a strange moment was created. Neither could look away. Theodore searched for the slightest hint of trust in her pools of brown; he wanted to be sure that she still believed in moving onwards to their hopeful future, that she still believed in him. Eleanor found herself trapped in his sea-green eyes, drowning in them. The sincerity he possessed made her stomach tighten.

"I know," she whispered, taking slow steps towards him. "A-and you're right." With those words, she quickly glanced away, rubbing her arm. The tense atmosphere made her quiver, cold sweat forming on her forehead. Too many horrible memories rushed to her head, making her legs tremble under her frame. She was beginning to misinterpret his concerned stare for a piercing one. His green eyes looking darker by the minute. She waited for the hand to rise. Just waited. That name... that name! Why did he say it? Why?

"Eleanor?" Theodore watched her odd behaviour, his palms sweating. Maybe he shouldn't have said a thing... He extended a hand out, trying to comfort the edgy blonde only to receive a loud whimper.

"D-don't... please... p-please," she backed into the wall, tears streaming down her round cheeks. "Don't hurt me... I-I'm sorry... It's my fault..."

Astonished by her actions, the chipmunk's features softened whilst his hand flopped to his side. His head shook frantically as he struggled to help. It was an episode, another episode. The first after nearly 14 months. His eyes watered tremendously as he felt too useless to control his hysterical girlfriend. She sobbed uncontrollably, hands tugging at loose strands of hair. It'd never been this bad. This couldn't continue. Not anymore. He couldn't watch the once powerful, strong-minded Eleanor be rendered a fragile, emotional wreck like this. It ended tonight.

"Ellie," he lunged forwards and held the shuddering chipette in his arms, beads of sweat rolling down his face, infused with the fat tears that leaked from his eyes. "Listen to me, listen to me."

"N-no... Theodore, p-please..." She hiccupped, and gasped for air. "I-I'm fine."

"I-I'm not going to hurt you," he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I would n-never do such a thing. Ellie, listen." He stopped, trying to think of the right things to say.

Eleanor's erratic breathing slowed at the tenderness of Theodore's voice. He continued to stroke her hair with one hand as the other lay atop his counterpart's hands. She shut her eyes, trying to find solace in his tight embrace. She let her back rest against his chest, her face flushed red.

"I love you with all my heart, and I'm never going to let you feel this way. T-there's no shame in remembering. I know you're afraid. None of this is your fault." He stopped for breath and pulled back to look at Eleanor, turning her by the waist. "B-but I need you to trust in me, and let this first step happen. O-of course it'll be hard to forget. I still remember too, Ellie. Listen, when we begin this process, things will only get better from here... I promise."

Her eyes were gleaming with unshed tears, soft whimpers occasionally escaping her lips. "T-Teddy..." She knew how hard this was for him. One thing she hated more than her estranged husband was her episodes. One memory was all it took for her to break down into tears and plead for mercy, her surroundings melting and distorting until they resembled her old home in Sydney. So to prevent them, she had to be blissfully unaware. What embarrassed her and hurt her was that it happened in Theodore's presence. What must he think of her? She wanted to end this madness. She wanted to gain her sanity again – become Eleanor again. "Teddy, I-"

"Shhh," the green-clad chipmunk pressed a finger to her lips, rubbing a hand up and down her arm. "We both knew this wasn't going to be easy. I knew there would be times like this when I chose to be with you, and I'm still here, aren't I? We're not going to back out of this now. You're going to get the freedom you deserve, starting tonight. We're finally doing this Ellie... together."

Theodore felt his own nerves calm when he spoke those words. He wasn't sure where they had come from, but deep down he knew it was the truth that nestled in his heart. Usually this is how he would have to help his girlfriend come to after an incident like this, almost like he had acquired experience in nursing Eleanor to recovery. It had been so long since he had to do this, but like he promised himself – this would end tonight.

"You... I love you so much, Theodore Seville." It was all Eleanor could muster in this tender moment. No dish she cooked could be sweeter than the man standing before her, shooing away her demons for what he claimed would be the last time.

"I love you too," he replied, smiling warmly at her, filling her heart with joy again. He squeezed her hand before letting go, and heading towards the computer again. "You know what we need to do now, don't you?"

"Yes, I-I do." Eleanor said, trying to mask the apprehension in her voice.

"H-How... do you suppose we could contact him?"

"I... I don't have his cell phone number since I got rid of my old phone... b-but I still have his e-mail address." She looked shyly at the computer, taking small steps towards the machine.

"T-then... I guess we're doing this through e-mail." The chipmunk pulled out the chair for his counterpart to sit upon it, receiving a confused look from the green-clad chipette. "D-do you want to type the message? I-It would seem like the reasonable thing to do... I-I mean, you don't have to-"

"-It's fine... I'll... type the e-mail." Cautiously, Eleanor took a seat on the leather chair and swivelled around until she faced the computer screen. This was it. This was it.

"Remember, I'm right behind you... literally." Her counterpart rubbed her shoulder and planted a kiss to her cheek. That gave her the internal strength she needed to put her fingers to the keys beneath her.

After what seemed an eternity, the pair had finally formed an end product.

Dear Jake Walters,

After almost two years of being apart, I feel that the time has come for me to take action. That is, I want a divorce. I no longer love you, and I shall never forgive you for what you have done to me. Every day, I am rebuilding my strength after you took that from me and now I have Theodore, my sisters, and their partners by my side to support me every step of the way. A divorce is what I need to begin my new life away from you and to completely move on. I shall be getting in touch with a lawyer soon should you reply to this message, and I sincerely hope that you receive this and decide to also move on.

Yours, Eleanor (your estranged wife)

Eleanor had actually wanted to add in details regarding taking him to court for what he did, but Theodore urged her to take it step at a time. Now that the message had been typed, a new burst of confidence blossomed inside of the chipette. Piece by piece, she can come back. The sun will shine. With an affirming nod towards her boyfriend, she placed her hand on the mouse and clicked on the button that would change her life hopefully for the better.

Send.


I never know if I'm writing these kind of moments well enough, as I don't go through beta, just me re-reading it. ):

Okay, so we know now why I've been absent for so long, but the point I will stress here is updates will be sporadic. I won't abandon this story though, despite the fact I worry about where it's going and if it's actually any good, but hey-ho life is a highway. I just won't be on here as much as I'd like, that's all.

Please don't forget to review - your opinions count, they really do... especially at times like these! ^_^

Peace, love, and COOKIES! ~ MissSteph22 x :)