1Calleigh sighed as Tim silently walked out of the room. He was going back to their house to speak with his mother. Calleigh walked out of the room as well and entered Ally's room. She felt horrible that she yelled at her. Ally was lying on her side, staring out the window. She didn't like when her parents fought. They both got antsy and hated everyone and everything around them.

"You should be asleep." Calleigh said quietly, sitting next to her.

"You hate Daddy."

"No I don't."

"You hate me."

"Not true. I love you."

"More than Jason?"

"Uh... you two are equal."

"I don't like being equal." Ally grumbled. The trademark Speedle scowl was on her face and Calleigh couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Its not funny."

"You liked being the only kid in the family huh?"

"Yeah. At least then you and Daddy liked me."

"We still do."

"No. You like Jason more."

"No. We need to take care of him sweetie. He's a baby and can't do anything for himself."

"I'm a baby."

"Ally, you're seven years old." Calleigh smiled. "I'm sorry I yelled at you before."

Tim wasn't having so much luck with his mother. He entered the house and she immediately starting bombarding him with questions.

"Where have you been? I've been worried sick Tim!"

"I'm sure you have. We need to talk."

"Hi Tim." Monica smiled.

"How can you two sit here and make yourselves so comfortable in my home?" Tim wondered. "I just wanted to thank you two."

"It was great for me too." Monica said.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Elizabeth said innocently.

"You never liked Calleigh."

"Of course not! She doesn't appreciate you."

"How can you sit there and say that? You never made an effort to know her and you label her by something you hear from someone that didn't like her." Tim said.

"Tim, do you realize what she's done to you?" Elizabeth asked fiercely.

"Yeah. She made me into the person I am now." he replied.

"Then that's not who I thought you were."

"Tim, what your mother is trying to say is..." Monica started.

"Why don't you shut up Monica?" he suggested. "You nearly ripped my life apart."

"Tim you don't have a life! She keeps you tied down." Elizabeth exclaimed.

"No she doesn't! If she does anything, she keeps me sane! And I do have a life. You just think that I'm perfect and need Monica."

"Which you do! You had everything going for you and then you just disappeared!"

Tim sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"I had nothing going for me." he said. "I was stuck in Syracuse with you and Dad and you two are the pushiest people I've ever met. Most parents want what's best for their children. You planned everything out for me. I was going to grow up, inherit the restaurants, and then I was going to marry some rich bitch. Now I know what's wrong with Dad."

Tim's face seared with pain as his mother's hand collided with his cheek.

"You ungrateful little..."

"Calleigh was right."

"No she wasn't!" Monica exclaimed. "Tim, I love you!"

"Stop trying to please my mother and go marry some guy that will pamper you. Don't know who would want to but its better than nothing." he snapped. "And I want you two gone by tomorrow night."

"How could you let your life fall apart like this?" Elizabeth yelled. "This was not how I raised you to be Timothy!"

Tim shrugged.

"I didn't let it fall apart." he muttered, glancing around the room. "I think its going pretty good. I've got a wonderful job, which you are not proud of. I've got a gorgeous wife, who's got a great personality, who you hate. I've got two great kids, who you only like because you hope to make them into little robots one day. If you stay away everything is fine."

"Why did you fall in love with her?" Monica asked.

"Can't help who you fall in love with." Tim replied.

"She ruined you."

"No. She saved me."

S/C

Much to Calleigh and Tim's dismay, a hurricane decided to rip through Florida the next day, stalling Elizabeth and Monica's departure. Even though they weren't getting the worst of the storm, all flights were cancelled in case the hurricane took a turn for the worst. Calleigh begged Tim to let her stay at her mother's but he wouldn't have it. If she went, then he went and he didn't really want to leave the house in his mother's hands. So of course, this gave Grandma a chance to get to know the lovely child that duped John Hagen. Tim eyed the conversation carefully, though Ally was having a good time watching Spongebob Squarepants and was not listening to her grandmother. Tim thought the show was hilarious so he was cracking up, making his mother give him a dirty look.

"Tim, do you think you could watch this somewhere else?" she finally asked.

"No! I'm watching it too!" Ally exclaimed. "Daddy, leave it on."

"Of course. You can talk later Mom. You're going to be here for another two days at least. Let her have fun." Tim said. Elizabeth started to protest but nodded and wandered upstairs. "Hey, stay here alright."

Ally ignored him, already absorbed into the show again. Tim shrugged and took the same path his mother did. Monica poked her head around the corner and saw that neither of the blonde's parents were in the room.

"Hi Ally."

A garbled reply game from the seven-year-old.

"Do you think we could talk?"

"Spongebob's on."

"Oh. Well... I'm sure Spongebob wouldn't mind."

"Daddy's watching it. If its off when he comes back he'll get mad."

"Your daddy will understand."

Tim was a bit preoccupied upstairs anyway. (Get your minds out of the gutter. Lol)