"Hi..." Alexx walked into the break room and was surprised to find Tim sitting at the table, playing with his wedding ring. "I didn't think you'd be in."

"I've taken two weeks off. I'm going to go insane if I stay home any longer." he muttered. Alexx smiled sympathetically and grabbed her lunch out of the refrigerator. "Alexx?"

"Yeah Timmy?"

"Do... do you think that... do you think that if there were someway for uh... Calleigh to... communicate she would?" he felt stupid but he kept having that dream and every time he saw her, it hurt and he always woke up crying or moaning her name. Alexx patted his hand and nodded.

"It sounds like something she would do." she said. "Why? Strange things going on?"

"No I just... keep having this dream." Tim said, sliding his wedding ring back on.

"Tim, did you go talk to the department therapist yet?"

"No. I'm not going to."

"Oh sugar, don't be stubborn about this."

"I don't need some shrink telling me how to get over my wife."

"No one's saying get over her. Tim, you're not the same. We can all see that. Maybe you just need someone to talk to."

"I'm talking to you." he said quietly.

"What's wrong Timmy?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh you're never pleased!" Alexx exclaimed. "You want someone to talk to but then you don't want to talk."

"I don't want to talk about Calleigh."

"Fine. No one said we had to. How are the kids?"

"Broken up. Not their selves." Tim muttered. "Alexx, I can't take care of them. Two of them hate me and one practically doesn't know me."

S/C------

"...she smiled as he swept her up into his arms." Abbie read dully. "Things were wonderful between them..."

"Abbie, stop." Ms. Jackson shook her head. "Can you read with a bit more enthusiasm?"

"I don't feel like reading." she said quietly, pulling her hair into a messy ponytail. Jen raised her hand.

"Jennifer, continue."

"No, I have a question." she said. "Why are we reading this?"

"It's in the curriculum." Ms. Jackson replied. "Read."

"No. It's so... illogical. This doesn't happen in real life. Don't you think that the educators of Miami would rather us be filled of realistic knowledge than reading pathetic fairy tale endings?"

"Jennifer, this is an advanced English class. It's not second grade and we read Cinderella."

"Then why does it seem like that? No one is happy like this in real life! It's not perfect! If it was perfect, then people wouldn't hate each other. If it was perfect, then... then... then..."

"Jen..." Abbie started. Jen shook her head and ran out of the classroom. Abbie got up and followed her out. "Jenny, wait!"

She followed her into the bathroom and Jen collapsed onto the floor, crying hysterically. Abbie sat down next to her and pulled her into her arms.

"Jen, shh... it's okay."

"No it's not." she cried. "I miss Mom so much."

"I know. I do too."

"She... she was the only person that actually understood how I was. We were really close."

"I know you were." Abbie pulled her pocketbook over to her. She pulled her cell phone out and Jen wiped her eyes.

"What are you doing?"

"Calling Daddy. You can't stay here like this."

"Abbie, I'm sorry." Jen started crying again.

"For what?"

"How I've treated you. Mommy... Mommy was my best friend okay and when I saw you sitting there I thought that things were going to change and began pushing her away and she probably thought I hated her and I never told her I was sorry."

"No, Jen she didn't." Abbie was crying silently now too as she dialed Tim's cell phone.

S/C------

Tim was jolted from his thoughts as his cell phone rang.

"Speedle."

"Dad..."

"Abbie? Honey, what's wrong?"

"Um... uh... look Jen started freaking out in English and I... she can't stay here. Can you come pick us up?"

"Yeah. Of course. I'll be right there. Okay?"

"Okay."

S/C-----

"Look at Speedle over there, his nose buried in a book."

Nicky tried to ignore the other kids as he heard them talking about him.

"Hey Nicky, why don't you come play with us?"

"No. I'm good." he muttered. One boy, Johnny, walked up and knocked the book out of his hands. "Stop!"

"What are you going to do about it? Run to Mommy?"

Nicky's green eyes flamed with anger.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"I'm not kidding Johnny. Just leave me alone."

"Baby." he taunted.

S/C-----

Tim had barely gotten into the car after picking Jen and Abbie up when his phone rang.

"Speedle."

"Mr. Speedle, this is Mr. Parker, your son's principal."

"Um... yeah. What's going on?"

"Nicholas got into a fight."

"I'm sorry? My... My son? Mr. Parker you have the wrong kid. My son can barely throw a punch."

"Well apparently he can. He gave another student a black eye. I'm going to need you to pick him up."