A/N: We are almost through the storm, I promise. Thank you so much for reading! I know you are anxiously awaiting this chapter.

Disclaimed, as usual.

Chapter 26

Dembe's eyes went wide with shock. If his reaction was any indication, she'd been way off base.

"No," he exclaimed, horrified "Why on earth would you ask that? Tell me you haven't been torturing yourself thinking that I…that we betrayed Raymond."

"He thought we did," she whispered.

"What?"

"Red"

Dembe's mouth dropped open. "Ok, I think I need you to back up. I don't understand. Raymond thinks that you and I had an affair?"

"He wanted a divorce. He demanded one," she said painfully.

She'd never seen Dembe so upset "Holy fuck," he hissed. "Has he lost his mind? He asked for a divorce tonight?!"

Dembe's breath was coming faster by the minute, his rage on her behalf a palpable thing. He looked like he was about to explode, and she rushed to diffuse the situation.

"I'm explaining badly. No, not tonight. Oh, Dembe, I think I'm losing my mind."

He took a few deep breaths "Take your time. Back up and tell me everything," he said, his voice soft and even.

She drug a hand through her hair. She was so tired. Just hours ago she'd felt like she could conquer the world. Happy, secure in Red's love. Finally, she thought that everything was going to work out, but now everything was gone.

"Were we happy? she asked. "Did you think that Red and I were happy before I died?"

He didn't answer, and maybe he thought it was a rhetorical question. She sighed and continued.

"I've been having dreams. Nightmares, really. In all of them Red is angry. Furious and yelling while I'm left bewildered and helpless. I had wondered if my insecurities had just manifested themselves in my dreams because Red has been so perfect since I was rescued. I've wanted to tell him that I love him, but the thought left me terrified. Tonight I told him, and he was so overcome. But then I had the worst nightmare yet."

His gaze was full of sympathy "What was your nightmare tonight?" Dembe asked gently.

"More shouting, more anger. The knowledge that he hates me because I failed him. He was shoving these papers at me."

She pulled the papers back out of her waistband and held them out, her hands trembling.

"I got up to look for them because it felt like my world was ending. Now I know why."

Dembe looked at the papers and then looked at her "These are dated for before you were taken. What the-"

"Am I living a lie, Dembe? I don't remember everything. I wish like hell I did. All I have is pieces. He wanted out, he accused me of having an affair with you!"

Dembe just stared for a moment like he couldn't even wrap his brain around the accusation.

"No, we never had an affair Elizabeth. I've never thought of-you're like a sibling. You two love each other, so much. At least I thought that was the case.

She was crying, yelling "I don't know what to do? He wanted a divorce and now he's the perfect husband? How am I supposed to reconcile the two versions of our marriage?"

He cradled her face in his hands to calm her "Obviously there's something I'm missing here, about what was going on with you two before the accident. I only know one thing. When he believed you to be dead, he was destroyed. He grieved for you so deeply, so very much. There just aren't words to convey how broken he was when he thought you'd been taken from him. That was not a man who didn't love you or wanted out of your marriage, I swear to you. The first sign of life he showed was the day that he received the package containing photos of you…After that, you were his sole focus. He was willing to start a war, to die, to get you back."

He paused and took a breath, hugged her.

"I have wondered what went through his head when he came home after your miscarriage and I was staying with you. He was silent and never spoke to me about it, which is irregular. But at the time, I suppose he was dealing with his grief and guilt at being away on business when it happened. Now I wonder if the fool was jealous, and that was the cause of his reticence."

Liz stiffened and drew away from Dembe "I lost a baby?!"

Dembe closed his eyes and cursed "Damnit, I'm sorry. I forgot that you don't remember everything. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry."

But her mind was numb, blank. Her life before her death was an absolute mess. Was it any wonder she blocked it out? Oh, she knew that the drugs were to blame, but in the face of the truth, any sane person would have wanted to forget.

She felt like laughing, she was teetering on the edge of a cliff about to fall with nothing to cushion her fall.

"Tell me about the baby." Her hands hovered protectively over her daughter, as if she could keep her from the same fate.

"You miscarried while Raymond was away on business. You were sick afterward, so I stayed with you and helped you until he could return."

She managed a dry laugh, hysterical, as everything crumbled down around her. She thought that she'd had the perfect husband, the perfect life. She couldn't have been further from the truth.

"I don't know what to do, Dembe." She whispered.

A loud knock at the door prevented him from answering. Red was here. Fear gripped her. How could she face him knowing the truth? She wasn't strong enough to look at the love that always softened his features and know that none of it was real.

"You don't have to talk to him if you don't want to. I can make him go away."

She knew that it would come sooner or later so she may as well get it over with now.

"It's ok Dembe, go ahead and let him in."

Tbc…

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