Paul never did get a straight answer as to why Stephanie had missed Raw because when he rang home and spoke to the girls that evening none of them were sick and the brief moment he spoke to his parents they seemed well too, he didn't ask to speak to Stephanie nor did he ask about her though.

Early on Tuesday morning he received a text from his Mom inviting him to lunch on Wednesday so that was what he was currently on his way to as he left the office. "I'll be back in an hour or so, I am just going to meet my parents for lunch."

As he walked in to the restaurant and spotted his parents he noticed how deep in conversation the two of them were. "I hope I'm not late."

Springing apart from her husband Patricia hoped that her son hadn't heard anything that they had said because they had been discussing how to avoid any and all questions about Monday. "No, you're not late at all. We came a little early in case you were early so that we didn't keep you waiting as we know you have to go back to work."

Once he hugged both of his parents he took a seat at the table, "So how are you both?"

"We're good thank you; we're really enjoying getting to spend some quality time with the girls. How are you?"

He couldn't help but feel like they were keeping something from him, they were acting shifty and not entirely meeting his gaze. "I'm fine, busy but fine. How is Stephanie?"

What were they meant to say? Ever since she came home on Tuesday morning she had been quiet around them, once the girls had gone to bed she did tell them that she wasn't mad and didn't blame them for freaking out but even so they felt that she was quiet. "All things considered she is doing well."

Glancing at his Father he was confused by what he meant by that, "And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Patricia glared at her husband, now was not the time or the place to get in to it with him over their son's behaviour. "He just means that for somebody under so much pressure with work and holding down the family by herself she is doing okay."

He didn't mean to but before he really thought it through Senior was muttering to himself, "Yeah, for somebody on the verge of committing suicide she was just dandy."

One sharp elbow to her husband's ribs she sent him a death glare, she had heard what he had said, she just hoped that Paul hadn't.

For the time of day the restaurant was surprisingly quiet so it was easy to make out every word that his Father had muttered but he was sure that he had actually misheard him, "If you have something to say Dad then just say it out loud, don't bother muttering."

"Okay fine, you want to hear it you can hear it. I said for somebody on the verge of committing suicide she's just dandy. There, is that what you wanted to hear?" Senior was sick of tiptoeing around his son; it was about time he faced up to the reality of the consequences of his actions.

Somebody on the verge of suicide? No way, this couldn't be about Stephanie, it just couldn't, he was in a lot of denial and he wasn't afraid to admit it.

Mad at her husband she was going to have a serious argument when they got home, she told him not to tell Paul and he went right ahead and told him anyway. "We don't need to be having that discussion now though Paul. How was work?"

"So you are telling me that it is true? That my wife really is on the verge of suicide?" It was the last thing he wanted to hear but he wanted the truth, he didn't want to be shielded from it over some misguided sense of loyalty, if his wife was on the verge of suicide he needed to know because he needed to get her help.

"Your wife is a very troubled woman with a lot on her plate. Yes, one time she did think that everybody would be better off without her around but that was one time and I am sure that her mindset has changed since then. The last thing she needs is you to go rushing in to play hero as I am pretty sure that you are the last person that she would want to know about it so just keep your mouth shut."

How was he meant to keep his mouth shut when he just found out that? "This is my wife's health, my children's Mother for fucks sake; you can't expect me to do nothing."

Senior had had it with his son pulling the concerned husband card. "If you cared so much for her health and wellbeing then you wouldn't have spent three months of your life having an affair would you? You can't go about pretending to be the concerned and loving husband now when you didn't give a fuck about how your actions would affect her back then. Paul the bottom line is that this is actually all your fault and your wife is trying to find a way to navigate through the intense feelings that have been thrust upon her but she is understandably struggling at the minute. Between her feelings for you and her feelings over what you did she is conflicted and I don't think there is anybody in the world that wouldn't be."

When his Dad explained it like that he certainly understood what was going on but he still didn't like it and now he felt even more helpless than he did before. "What can I do to help or make it easier on her then? I don't want to lose her and I certainly don't want the girls to lose their Mom, they need her so desperately."

It was a good question but it was an answer that Patricia didn't have as she was she was struggling to figure out how they could help and they weren't him so the answer for them would be easier. "I honestly don't know Paul. We are trying to help and make it easier on her but she seems intent on handling this on her own and in her own way. Maybe if you intend on coming on Saturday you prove to her that you do still actually care about her but don't go over the top or that will just make her even more mad."

He already did intend on going on Saturday because any chance right now to act like a happily married couple he was going to take, now he was nervous about it but still determined. "I love her, I already planned to come but I am going to come and prove myself to her, I will prove to her that I love her and that she shouldn't give up on anything."

Three short days later and Paul was rushing across town to meet his family at the girl's school, he wasn't late but he didn't want to make her think that he wasn't coming even though he did send her a text to ask what time to meet them.

Having three excited girls was stretching Stephanie's patience so to save her sanity they left a little earlier than originally planned. They were taking a slow walk around avoiding being stopped by everybody as they were all too busy which suited Stephanie, unfortunately that didn't last as she found the nosiest woman in school stood in front of her, "It's so sweet that you have brought your in-laws for support because your husband has skipped out on you. I don't know why you put up with him; he is never there for you or the kids."

Would it be so wrong to slap her in the face for being an ignorant bitch? Her husband was many things but a bad Father was not one of them. She was just opening her mouth to reply when she felt an arm slide around her waist and a pair of lips on her cheek.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late, I had trouble finding some paper to write my Secretary a note and then I couldn't find you guys."

"You could have just texted her."

That woman infuriated him; she was always sticking her nose in to other people's business. "I could have, I also preferred to look for my family the old fashioned way, with my two eyes."

Much to his relief Vaughn spotted him from where she had been with her sisters and Grandparents and came running over to him at full speed, "Daddy!"

Reluctantly letting go of his wife he bent down and wrapped his arms around Vaughn hugging her tightly, "Hello Princess, are you having fun?"

"Yup yup. You gots to see what Rory and Murphs are doing." She let go of his neck before she took hold of his much larger hand with her smaller one and began to pull him along before she took hold of her Mom's hand, "You too Mommy."

Sharing a look with her husband Stephanie couldn't help but smile softly before she mouthed 'my heroes'.

After the initial romantic contact between the two of them they drifted apart because between the girls and his parents there really wasn't the opportunity for them to be close but eventually the girls ran off again closely followed by their Grandparents as they wanted to show something to them leaving Paul and Stephanie together.

He wanted to wrap his arm around her but he wasn't sure how she would react right now so kept his hand to himself. "What did what's her face want earlier? She looked like she was annoying you."

"You couldn't even see my face, how could you tell if she was annoying me or not?"

Now he was going to sound entirely creepy but there was no way of getting out of it, "Uh, umm, I could tell from the muscles in your back and such." Placing his hand on her shoulder he squeezed it gently, "For what it is worth that woman really annoys me."

She took his hand and pulled it around her shoulders before she leaned against him a little, "For what it is worth she really annoys me too. She was saying that she doesn't know why I put up with you as you always skip out on me and the girls. I am so proud of myself for not slapping the taste right out of her mouth. You have your faults but the one thing that you don't do is skip out on the girls, you call them every single night even when you are away in a different time zone and will forego sleep just so that you can stay in contact with them."

He didn't question anything that she did because he missed holding her and as she said they had to act like a loving married couple it would defeat the object. Absently pressing a kiss to the top of her head he then rested his cheek there, "I haven't been the best husband and I know that but I always strive to be the best Father. I now realise that I need to put as much effort in to being a good husband as I do at being a good Father, it is the least that you deserve." About to add on to the end of it something about that being if she took him back he second guessed himself and left that out, either way she may get mad and he would prefer her to get mad for him being too hopeful than for him being too pessimistic.

"You too make such a cute couple. I wish my husband still loved me as much as yours does you."

Where the hell had that voice come from? Reluctantly lifting his head he spotted somebody whose face was familiar but whose name he couldn't remember stood behind them. Releasing his arm from around his wife's shoulders he turned to look at the other woman forcing a smile, "I am sure that your husband still loves you really."

To be polite Stephanie turned around to look at who had spoken and forced a smile, without thinking she wrapped both of her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest, it wasn't the best thing to do in company but despite everything she just found herself forgetting what he had put her through and focussing on how he made her feel and how nice it felt being close to him and in his arms again.

Paul desperately tried not to read too much in to his wife's actions because she had said about them acting like a loving married couple but this was beyond just acting to him, it felt so much more and it was everything that he missed about their relationship. It was a relief when the other woman got called away leaving the two of them alone again but he remained afraid to speak to her because he was terrified that he would say the wrong thing and push her over the edge after what his Dad had blurted out on Wednesday.

The impromptu cuddle with her husband was interrupted when she felt small hands trying to push them apart, looking down she was surprised to see Vaughn pushing at them both so she stepped back, "What's with you little missy?"

"I wants cuddles from you both."

It was six simple words that actually broke Stephanie's heart. Bending down she easily scooped up her little girl and held her close, "You get lots of cuddles."

She rested her head on her Mom's shoulder as she held on to her, "But not Mommy and Daddy squishy cuddles."

Paul couldn't help but laugh at his daughter, she was obviously getting tired but he loved these moments, most of the time. Carefully wrapping his arms around both his wife and daughter he placed his hands on his wife's hips and kissed the top of Vaughn's head, "All you had to do was ask."

Murphy and Aurora returned to their parents with their Grandparents in tow, "Is Vaughn okay?"

So focussed on her youngest daughter she failed to pay any attention to where her other two girls were because she knew that they were safe with her in-laws. "Your sister has just been really busy having lots of fun with the two of you so now she is just getting really sleepy so we will have to go home soon."

"Can Daddy come with us too please? I want a Mommy and Daddy hug too."

"Of course he can." The last thing she wanted to do was seem to be favouring one of her children so there really was no other option but to agree to it anyway.

They didn't stay much longer at the school before they all made their way back to the house.

Vaughn was exhausted so Paul took her upstairs and lay her down in her room before he came back downstairs to be greeted by Murphy stood at the bottom of the stairs looking up at him, "What can I do for you Murphy?"

"Squishy Mommy and Daddy hug like Vaughnie gets."

He couldn't help but shake his head at his daughter, "Couldn't you have waited for me in the lounge with your Mom?"

Once her Dad was in front of her she took hold of his big hand with her two much smaller ones, "I didn't want you to leave, if I waited for you then you had to stay."

Paul didn't know what to say in response to his daughter so he just bent down and scooped her up in his arms pressing a kiss to her cheek as soon as her face was level with his walking her to the lounge where everybody was sat.

She wasn't sure where Murphy had wandered off to but she hadn't returned yet so Stephanie was going to have to go and look for her but before she got up she spotted her husband carrying her in to the room, "Don't tell me she had you wrapped so far around her little finger that you're going to start carrying her everywhere." The last thing she needed was for him to start that.

"Actually no, I just picked her up as she was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs and it was a little easier than her dragging me in here as she wants me to stay for a hug."

Before she could answer him the little girl had twisted a little in his arms and was reaching for her, "Mommy and Daddy squishy hug please."

It wouldn't be fair to deny her the same hug that Vaughn had got as she had asked so nicely for it. Taking a few small steps forward she wrapped her arms around her daughter and her husband pressing a kiss to her daughter's head, "I love you Princess."

Murphy was so happy as she cuddled in to her Father's chest and felt the love of both of her parents surrounding her.

After a minute Stephanie pulled away before she turned to Aurora, "Let me guess, you're too old for a hug?" For the past few days the little girl had been hit and miss with whether she allowed hugs or not so she was giving her some control over them even if it did kill her not to be able to just hug her daughter when she wanted.

Shaking her head their eldest got up from the floor and ran over to her Mom wrapping her arms around her tightly, it felt like forever since she had seen her Mom this relaxed and happy and she wanted to remain in this minute forever.

He felt like he was being a bad Father by not giving Aurora the hug that his other two daughters had had so he placed Murphy back on the floor, "Go and play like a good girl." The way that Stephanie had allowed her to take the lead on the hug made him hesitant to just hug her so he decided to just put the offer out there, "Can I hug you too or no?"

Briefly looking over at him she shook her head, "Not yet. Mommy first, you get a hug when I'm done."

She was so head strong and so much like her Mother he just nodded and waited for his turn.

Once she had given her Mom a tight hug she pulled back, "Love you Mommy."

Bending down Stephanie kissed the top of her daughter's head, "I love you too." She then stood and watched as the little girl quickly covered the short distance between herself and Paul and wrapped her arms around him tightly, after everything that she had been going through it was nice to see Aurora letting her Dad back in and almost forgiving him for it all, whether she was like this with him on another day was still to be seen but for today it was nice.

Whilst his eldest hugged his wife he had got on to his knees to wait for her hug, it had been a while since she had truly hugged him tightly and he was hopeful that they had turned a corner. When she approached him he opened his arms and waited with baited breath, his silent prayers were answered when she threw her arms around his neck and held on tightly.

A hug from her Father was exactly what the little girl wanted but she wanted one thing more, lowering her voice to a whisper she simply said, "Thank you."

Thank you? Confused he needed to ask her more but as she had whispered it he chose to answer that way, "What did I do?"

"You made Mommy happy again. Thank you."

It was like a punch to the gut hearing his daughter thank him for making his wife happy, he hadn't even noticed that she was happy but knowing that she hadn't been happy because of what he had done made him feel terrible but the knowledge that he had been able to make her happy again was a small light in a pitch black room. "You're welcome baby."

As she watched her husband and her daughter together she realised one thing, "Paul, can we talk once you have given Aurora her much deserved hug?"

He didn't know why but when his wife asked him that his heart sank, he couldn't help but think that 'talk' was just a cover for her giving him some sort of bad news. "Sure, whatever you want Steph."

Patricia had spent the last half an hour wishing that she could just pause time and keep this day being replayed forever as Stephanie had been so happy and relaxed too, she had almost forgotten that the two of them had been having problems with the way that they had been acting and she liked it. Her fingers were crossed that whatever was about to be discussed was not going to be bad news because the girls had picked up on how happy her parents were and they had been relaxed and carefree for the first time since they had arrived.