Authors note...Thanks so much for reading and the wonderful replies! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! This story is actually all written and finished, but as I post I'm going through and fixing it up as well as rewriting chapters. I have other fics as well that I'll be posting if yall would like! And I'm always writing! Thanks so much again! Now, back to Grace and Eli and the rest of the story...

Did the captain of the Titanic cry?

Grace softly knocked on the door and waited. Nothing. She turned the doorknob and the door opened. She was expecting it to be locked. She walked into his room and took a deep breath. Eli. She always loved coming up here and simply breathing in his scent. It was the only way she was able to get through that first week after he moved away. And after all this time it still smelled exactly like she remembered him. She looked around and realized he was in the shower. She sighed.

Grace wandered around his room looking at everything he'd left there. It wasn't much but there were still some things from all those years ago. His long forgotten belongings from those years she oddly missed when her life was turned upside down and Eli's spiraled out of control. They were the most difficult years but they were also the years when she learned the most about life and love. She sat down on Eli's bed to wait for him. She yawned and laid back, her head resting on his pillow. It was almost as though he were lying there with her.

Eli finished his shower and wrapped the towel around his waist. He was finally sleepy and had his mind somewhat cleared. He sat down on the end of his bed and felt something. A foot. He turned and saw Grace sleeping. He sighed. Eli grabbed his clothes, got dressed in the bathroom, walked back to the bed, and sat beside Grace. As he watched her sleep he wanted to lay with her but knew he never could. He covered her up, kissed her forehead and stood. When he reached his door, he looked over at her sleeping body, and whispered, "I love you Grace. I always have, I always will." He quietly shut the door behind him and made his way to the house. 'I guess its the couch for me tonight. Or I could sleep in her bed since she's in mine. Yeah, I'll sleep in Grace's bed.'

He got to the house and opened the door. Judy was sitting at the table...waiting. She was waiting for Grace, but decided Eli would do. "So Eli, did Grace have a chance to talk to you? She was headed up to your room. She never made it did she?" Judy felt for the two of them. They were so much in love and were afraid to say it. She understood the two of them somehow. Love had never been easy for her either.

"We didn't talk. She got there while I was in the shower and by the time I finished, she was sound asleep in my bed." Eli was finally getting sleepy and didn't want to have to answer a million questions.

"She's asleep in your bed? And you're down here talking to me?" Judy didn't mean for it to sound the way it had and had to laugh.

"Uh Judy, exactly what is that supposed to mean? In case you hadn't noticed, the only reason I'm here is for Grace's wedding to whats-his-name so I would naturally be here talking with you instead of in my room where she was sleeping. Right?" Eli wanted to ask her his own round of questions but was interrupted.

"E, what are you doing in here?" Rick sleepily made his way to the fridge. "See, I asked him the same thing." Judy stated with a chuckle.

"Judy, stop it. Dad, I am going to sleep in Grace's bed. Goodnight." Judy smiled as Eli finished his statement to his father and turned toward the stairs.

Rick took a deep breath and slowly turned to face his son whom he was convinced had now lost his mind. "Stop. You're what? Tell me you didn't say you're going upstairs to sleep with Grace."

"Sleep with Grace? What? Who's sleeping with Grace? Hey Judy, what are you doing here?" Judy laughed as Lily put her arms around her husband and said, "Did you get a snack?" He smiled and said, "No, no snack yet and I have to get an answer from my son. Eli, explain."

Eli could do nothing but chuckle. "Look, Grace came to the garage to talk to me and I was in the shower. When I got out she was asleep in my bed. So, I came in here so I could get some sleep. Decided I would sleep in her bed since she's in mine, which would make sense. Now, its been a long day and I've been driving forever so can I sleep now please?" Eli was now getting frustrated and was convinced they would ask him more questions than he was prepared to answer. "I'm sorry...once I get some sleep I'll be better. I just need sleep. Goodnight everyone." Eli made his way up the stairs to Grace's room wishing all the while she could be there with him.

"What was that about? Rick, is he okay?"

"I don't know Lil, I thought so but I guess he isn't." Rick sounded concerned for his son.

"Don't you see it? They're your kids and you have no clue what's going on in their hearts. They're in love...still." Judy looked at Rick and then at her sister and said, "Oh my god, you really don't see it do you? Lily, how many times have you seen Grace crying today or just sitting there lost in her thoughts?"

"Judy, she's getting married in three days. She's emotional. Her life is changing. What?" Lily was confused.

Judy shook her head and directed her next question to Rick. "Rick, have you ever seen your son this way? Yes, he's had his moods and all, but have you ever seen him like this? Ever? I haven't. What about you Lil? Have you ever seen Eli like this? He's frustrated and Grace is confused and do the two of you know why? My god, will you two wake up please so we can have this conversation. I have to pee...again. Sometimes I hate being pregnant. I do nothing but go to the bathroom. I don't sleep. My head hurts and I can't take any medicine that will help my headaches. My back hurts. My feet hurt and damn, am I swollen. How did you do it so many times Lily? I'll be back and then you two can answer my questions." Judy left for the bathroom as a stunned Rick and a shocked Lily stared at one another speechless.

Lily sighed. "Rick, they're in love aren't they?" It was more of a statement than a question. Lily knew. She knew long ago that her daughter was in love with Eli but she never wanted to admit it to her husband. Now they had to face it and figure out if they needed to say anything before Grace changed her life forever and it would be too late.

"Lil, they can't still be in love can they? Oh, don't look at me like that. Like you never saw it. Like you never noticed their stolen glances when they thought we weren't looking. Like you never noticed how it killed E to move out of the garage when he did and how Grace locked herself in her room for weeks after he moved because she couldn't face anything. And then when he moved away with his band and how that crushed Grace as well. Eli hasn't even been here in two years...not even for Christmas. We shouldn't have told him she had a boyfriend. I know, his band had gigs and maybe that was the real reason. Or maybe he scheduled something with the guys so that he would have to miss the holidays. Lily, my love, our children have been in love for years and because of us they hid it from themselves and it's eaten them alive. Now what do we do to fix this?"

Judy heard their discussion and grinned. "Thank god, you've finally figured it out. You knew all along but now you can both admit it to one another. Next, you help your children. And fast. They're about to throw it all away. Anyone have a plan?"

Eli plopped down on Grace's bed and covered up. He felt enveloped in her scent. He fell asleep faster than he ever had before and dreamed a thousand dreams of Grace. He ignored the sinking feeling in his gut about the wedding as thoughts of his future with Grace took center stage.

Grace awoke to the darkness of Eli's room. He was gone and instinctively she knew. "Where are you Eli Sammler? Are you sleeping in my bed dreaming of being there with me like I'm dreaming of you? Do you have the same tears falling down your cheeks when you think of our future we wont have?" Her heart sank, as she heard nothing but silence. Silence can be deafening. Silence can break a heart. Grace was drowning and couldn't save herself.