Author's Notes: My reviewers, you guys rock!!! Thanks so much.... So here's the next chapter.. Enjoy! And as always please review?! Pretty please??

It's almost midnight and I'm sitting in my living room, watching the credits to a movie roll by. Millie's head rests in my lap and she's covered with a blanket. A mess of wrappers is on the table, along with an empty bowl of popcorn and two half-filled glasses of coke. I should probably get up and wake her to get her to bed, but I'm a little too comfortable. I play with her curly, dark brown hair, twirling it in my fingers. I used to do the same thing when she was a toddler. She wouldn't fall asleep unless she was with me. It was amusing, since I was still working then, too. I hear the lock turning behind me, and I turn my head. The door swings open and a flood of light comes into the darkened room. Carter quickly shuts th door and walks into the dark room. He places a kiss on Millie's head before asking me if he should carry her to bed. I nod my head yes and he picks her up carefully, not waking her. He probably wouldn't either, she sleeps like a rock. He takes her to her room, as I make myself comfortable on the couch, spreading my body out and covering myself with the blanket that had been on Millie. I reach over and grab the remote, turning of the TV. I put that down and then pick up the remote for the fireplace, turning the flames on. They shoot an eerie, orange glow throughout the room. Carter's shadow is visible, blocking some of the light. I move my feet to make room for him, but he walks right by, sitting down on the arm chair, behind me, to my side. Things have gotten better since we talked, but they haven't. We still don't know what to do with each other. It's hard trying to rebuild everything, we don't know were to start. I feel like giving in and giving up. I think he feels the same way. But we can't. I don't think that's an option, we're in too deep right now.

"I stopped by to see Hallie today."

I turn around and face him, he looks tired and worn out. He always does.

"Really? How is she?"

I watch him shrug his shoulders. She gets better, but then all of a sudden, she can get worse in a split-second. I pull the pillow closer to me and sit up a little, so at least I'm looking at him. An awkward silence punishes us both and rest my head against the arm of the couch.

"So what's going to happen between us?"

I guess he doesn't feel like wasting time on that topic. I shrug my shoulders. I'm too exhausted to have this conversation, but what Carter wants, he pretty much gets. And he wants this conversation tonight, so I don't think I have much of a choice.

"Optimism has it's place, Carter, but this should not have been one of them."

He looks at me with bloodshot eyes, worried expression. He makes me regret my words in a flash.

"I'm not being optimistic. I'm being realistic."

I start to peel myself off the couch, wanting to go to bed as quickly as possible. I stand up, starting to fold the blanket. I can feel his eyes beating into me, burning through me, almost if trying to will me to make everything go away, for me to be his wife again, for us to be like we used to be, twenty-six, twenty-seven years earlier. I throw the blanket on the edge of the couch and start to clean the glass coffee table from this night's adventures. I see him starting to stand in the shadows, and he stands behind me, but doesn't touch me. I can feel his warm breath against my neck, sending a shiver up my spine.

"I'm not perfect, Abby. I'm as flawed and broken as everyone else. I can't promise you the moon and stars, all I can do is promise you that I will never leave your side. I can't promise you happiness. I can't tell you everything will get better. Me loving you won't make the world a better place, nor will it fix all the problems in our lives. I can't produce some fairy tale ending. We've got problems, problems that we might not ever be able to fix. We've broken our relationship, long ago. We've just held it together with glue and tape, ignoring the cracks and pieces that have fallen off. You can go on believing its not worth it, that I'm a liar and a fool. Do whatever you want, but the truth is, I can't love anyone else, because you're the only one I've truly loved. I'm an old-fashioned idiot. I can try. I have. I've had my share of one-night-stands since you left. But nobody compares to you. I'd rather be alone than without you."

I throw the pillow I had been holding onto the couch. I stand there, drained and distracted for a second longer. His words are still registering in my head, his voice still playing on the waves of light through the room. I don't turn around and look at him. I take a delicate step forward, testing the ground, making sure I don't fall. I walk off into my bedroom, shutting the door silently behind me. I leave him alone in the silence. We both need the silence.