A/N: There was something I heard while binge watching season one of The Client List that Riley had said and so it's time I start showing the more problems and cracks to Riley and Kyle's marriage that is most definitely not perfect.

This is just shortly before Kyle leave, maybe two weeks before the pilot. I have decided I will extend this story into the during when kyle is gone adn the after once he returns. Enjoy! xx Mariah

It was the weekly dinner that they took turns hosting at each other's homes and Dale and Lacey had just arrived at Kyle and Riley's home.

"You go see Dale," she smiled. "I've got this."

"You sure?" He asked as she checked something in the oven.

"Yeah," she shooed him away. "And tell Lace to come in here?"

"Alright," he pressed a kiss to her cheek as she grabbed the hot pads.

She pulled out the lasagna and placed it on the stove top. Kyle was gone by the time she stood and she sighed.

Things haven't been going well for the usual pretty happy couple. Bills were piling up and they were both unemployed. The power was going to be shut off on Friday if they didn't pay at least half of their bill. Their cable went out yesterday and their car payment was due soon.

She didn't know what they were gonna do.

She'd put an application in everywhere in a twenty mile radius and nothing was happening. No calls, no nothing.

"Kyle said you needed me?" Lacey asked.

"I need to talk to you," she whispered.

"Things aren't getting any better are they?" Lacey asked.

She looked at her best friend and rubbed her forehead.

"No," she muttered. "They aren't and it's not just money anymore. Kyle and I are fighting about everything."

"What was the last time you had sex?" Lacey replied.

Riley thought to herself and shrugged her shoulders, not remembering the last time they'd actually had a moment alone go well.

"Oh no," Lacey muttered. "That's not good. You two are always goin' at no matter what's goin' on."

Riley shrugged and looked at Kyle who sat on the couch with Dale and a beer.

"He hasn't been in the mood," she muttered. "He's barely home more then ten minutes these days before dinner time and then he's too tired to even watch movie with me. I don't know what I'm doin' wrong Lace..."

"Maybe he's just bored," Lacey shrugged. "Try spicin' things up a little bit?"

"I guess... maybe." She looked over at him and sighed. "Can you go get the munchkins washed up for dinner?"

"Sure thing," Lacey rubbed her back. "Go talk to him."

She looked over her shoulder at her best friend and then saw Kyle set the empty bottle down.

She quickly grabbed a new one and twisted the top off before running over to the couch to give it to him and sit on his lap.

"How are the boys doin'?" She asked about the game as she rubbed the back of his head.

"Down by ten," he muttered. "Defense is terrible tonight."

"That sucks," she sighed and kissed his neck. "Anything I can do?"

"You could let me watch to game instead of distractin' me." He pulled on the hem of her shirt to hide the cleavage and turned his neck away from her. "I can't see the tv with you on my lap, Riley."

She sighed and stood up, fixing the crop top a little as it showed off her figure before walking back into the kitchen.

"What's up with you man? Usually you'd have her in the bedroom before you let her off you so quickly..." Dale muttered.

"I just want to watch the damn game!" He erupted. "Can't I just do that?" He stood up. "I'll go watch it somewhere else..."

"Kyle? Where are you goin'?" Riley slid around the kitchen counter as Lacey brought the kids out all washed up.

"None of your damn business... just leave me alone." He slammed the front door behind him.

"Kyle!" She yelled before grabbing her keys and chasing after him. "I'll be back real soon, just make sure they eat?"

"Yeah, of course." Lacey said as she shut the door behind her.

Kyle's truck was halfway down the block as she jumped in her car and raced after him.

He couldn't keep doing this... keep running away in the middle of everything.

It was starting to scare the kids, she knew that. Katie's Christmas letter had asked for Santa to please have her mommy and daddy stop fighting. It broke Riley's heart.

He drove far out of town and onto the abandoned property she knew all too well.

Braxton Ranch.

Her daddy's property.

She parked beside him and went to go get in his truck.

"Why did you follow me?"

"You have to quit doin' this Kyle... you have to stop running away and just talk to me. You're breakin' my heart by breakin' our kids' hearts." She explained. "You know what Katie asked for Christmas? For us to stop fightin'."

He looked over at her.

"What am I doin' wrong Kyle? Please tell me so I can fix it." She begged.

"Riley," he said.

"Are you cheatin' on me? Is that why you're never home?" She cried. "Am I not pleasin' you anymore? Please tell me Kyle... I can take it."

"It's not you that needs to be fixed Riley," he muttered. "Don't you get that? You're the perfect wife that I don't deserve."

"Kyle," she whimpered. "Don't-"

"Let me say this..." He looked at his wife of over six years and wiped her tears. "I'd never look at another woman, let alone touch her because you're all I need. The day I met you was a hectic day and I never expected to see such beauty and light in some cheerleader, but there you were. You were so easy for me to love with that smile and those eyes. Then Travis came and everything was supposed to change, at least that's what people said would happen. But nothing did, we just became closer and fell even more in love with each other as our son grew inside of you." He paused. "And then we got married when Travis was two just before we found out about Katie. We were strapped and broke for those first few months and things got easier, better as time went on but we always were in that hole of needing more money to get buy then we were used to." He smiled at her. "You've never stopped being the best mother or wife, even when I stopped everything. I've never deserved you, but still love me as though I should."

"Kyle, you deserve so much more credit then what you're giving yourself." She whispered. "You gave me so much Kyle. I was just some beauty queen cheerleader when I met you, I probably wouldn't have gotten pregnant if I hadn't met you. I probably would've gone to college and met some scholar or doctor even, but I never wanted some guy to just hold me on his hip and flaunt me. You've never done that, you've faulted me, sure, but it's never been about that with you. You love me in a way those guys never would've. You saw me at my worst and best. You gave me two beautiful children and I love you more than I've ever loved anyone and never think I don't..."

He looked at her, reaching out to touch her face softly and smile at her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "For not giving you what you need."

"We weren't communicating," she sighed.

"When do we really?" He laughed.

She shook her head and shrugged. She supposed he was right.

Sex was their communication, their way of getting their frustrations out. It always had been.

His lips crashed into hers like a tsunami on the beach, and he pulled her close. They both came up for breath, and he whispered.

"We should go home."

She agreed and kissed him once more, for the road before she got out of the truck and into her car, following him home.