Shadow sat in his car and stared at the house across the street from where he was parked. He looked down at his watch and saw it was 6:24. He'd been parked there for over 30 minutes, and still had yet to find the will to approach the front door. He sat his left hand back down on the steering wheel and noticed the indention on his finger where his wedding ring use to reside. He rubbed the now empty spot with his right thumb taking in how odd it felt not having his sign of devotion to his marriage on display. He needed to get it back. He needed to get her back!

Shadow looked up for his hands as another car park across the street from him. He watched as a young man got out of his car and approached the house with a pizza box in hand. He continued to watch as Static opened the door took the box as he handed the delivery boy his compensation. By the time the other car started up and began to take off Shadow realized this was likely going to be his best opportunity to get them to answer the door. He left his vehicle and slowly approached the door. Once he made it up the steps of the porch he stopped and looked blankly at the door in front of him for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure what he was going to say to her, but he was well aware the words "I'm sorry" would be uttered by him more than once.

After taking a deep breath Shadow finally calmly knocked on the door. After what was likely only half a minute, yet which felt like many minutes to him, the front door opened to a suddenly shocked looking Static.

"You've got some balls." Static half laughed, half growled.

"I just want to talk to Sandy." He stated unamused while only now noticing how badly he had beaten the male squirrel with his few blows.

"You sure you don't want to land a few more punches? Maybe throw some more stuff around, as that seems to be your new favorite pastime." Static crossed his arms and scowled at him.

"I just want to talk to my wife." The hedgehog repeated.

Shadow looked past Static as Sandy came into view behind him. His face went soft as he looked in her tired and worried expression. He took a step forward but stopped as he pushed against Static as the shorter man refused to move out of the way.

"It's ok Static." Sandy gently reassured her friend as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's right. We do need to talk."

Static begrudgingly moved aside to allow Shadow into his house. The tall male rushed up to his wife and attempted to embrace her only to be met with her taking a step back and placing a hand on his chest in an effort to stop him. "Sandy." He pleaded as she looked away from him uneasily.

"Let's go out back." She looked up at him still uneasily. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She looked towards her friend and gave him a small smile.

Shadow clenched his fists and bit his tongue as he tried to push away the anger of her showing affection towards the other man instead of him. He was well aware that since the children were born things had gotten difficult between them, but seeing her prefer another man's company to his killed him. Had things really gotten this bad? How could he have been so blind?

He followed his wife to the back porch and watched her as she closed the sliding glass door before walking over to the railing and leaning on it. He then looked back to see Static standing behind his couch watching the two of them. Shadow turned his attention back to his wife and joined her at the porch railing. "I need to say a few things, and then I'll go."

"I need ta say a few things too, Shadow." She looked away from him obviously upset.

"Let me go first." He asked and took a sigh of relief after she nodded her head in approve as she continued to avoid making eye contact with him. "I'm sorry I haven't been a very good husband lately." He looked away from her as he recalled the distance, he had put between them the last few months. "And I'm sorry for being and even worse father. I've been stressed and it turned to anger and I focused it on you and our children. I've been a fool, and I'm so sorry." He looked towards her and placed his hand only hers as she twitched uncomfortably. "I'll do whatever it takes to get you and the kids back home."

Sandy pulled her hands out from under his and rubbed her shoulder nervously before finally looking him in the eye. He could tell she was pushing back tears. "I slept with Static last night." She looked away ashamed as she hugged herself and looked at the large perfectly landscaped backyard before them.

Shadows was blindsided with emotional agony as he started to get dizzy and have tunnel vision. He looked down and tightly grabbed the wooden railing of the deck in front of him. He focused on his heavy breathing as her words repeated in his mind over and over again. He found he couldn't clench his eyes closed tight enough. There was nothing he could do as the tears started to escape him as he continued to only think about continuing his breathing; which at this point almost seemed impossible as he was overcome with crushing pain.

His words came out softly and horse. "I forgive you." He then wiped away what tears remained on his stoic face before giving her one last pleading glance. "I just want you back." He then turned and made his way through Statics backyard to the broken gate so he could drive back to their house, and pray that she would follow not too far behind him.