The past is often better left in the past. Begin!

Universe*

~Normal POV

It was a relatively normal day when it happened. Such is the case with major events in your life, or relationships, things start out normal and then change a lot in a single instant. And that's exactly what happened today.

Quigley and Fiona had their first major fight.

Arguments in a marriage are not uncommon. It's a given that eventually there will be conflict, even in the happiest of relationships. But when a married couple has a fight, it's usually not the end of the world either. This couple loved each other very much, and that's precisely why the fight happened to begin with. It all started this day when the two were out for coffee together during their lunch breaks from their jobs. Their son Sam was on an overnight school field trip with his cousins and wouldn't be home until late tomorrow afternoon, so they were on their own today.

Now when Duncan and Violet had their first major fight as a married couple, it had been resolved in a couple hours. They both realized they were fighting about nothing important and forgave each other for getting so upset. When Klaus and Isadora had their first fight, it was over in a single day. The two couldn't stay angry at each other for very long, and wanted to make up and continue their happy relationship. They couldn't even tell you what they had been upset about now if they tried. Despite the closeness of the family, when these moments happened, the other family members did not want to be involved. The individual relationships were always put first, and the others did not wish to interfere with things that were so quickly resolved.

But when Quigley and Fiona had their fight: it was on a topic that all of them were well aware would get brought up at some point. A topic that Quigley wanted to forget, and avoid at all costs in his happy marriage, but Fiona knew it all too well and it was finally going to be brought up.

Quigley and Fiona were enjoying their lunch break together in peace when it happened:

"Quigley? Is that you?"

The two looked up to see a strange woman had stopped by their table. She looked to be the same age as Quigley. (Fiona was two years older than him.) Fiona raised a brow at this mystery girl and then gave her husband a wary look. This wasn't going to end well.

Quigley, however, didn't seem to recognize the girl despite her recognizing him, "Uh, I'm sorry do I know you?"

The girl nodded, "It's Vanessa, the girl you went to junior prom with when we were thirteen. Is this your new girl?" She gestured to Fiona.

"I'm his wife actually," Fiona replied calmly while glancing at her wedding ring.

Vanessa looked confused, "Wait you married this asshole? What'd he do; knock you up?"

Fiona cleared her throat, "For your information, miss, I got pregnant after we were married. Our son is on a class field trip."

Vanessa gave her a curious look, "I'm surprised you got him to marry you to begin with. He went to the prom with me, but left with my former best friend Valerie. He's probably stringing you along until he finds someone hotter."

Quigley looked hurt, "Look I may have been an asshole back then, but I'd appreciate it if you'd not say such things to my wife. I'm a changed man."

Vanessa snorted, "Yeah right... I wish I had gone to the prom with your brother instead. He wasn't interested in me, but he was at least a faithful man. What happened to your triplet siblings anyway?"

"Both married now, got one kid each too," Quigley replied, "Both girls."

"And I assume you're a protective uncle too," Vanessa commented dryly, "Men like you are such hypocrites. But I managed to find myself a faithful man, who doesn't have a wandering eye. Have a good day, Quigley." She turned to Fiona before saying, "Just don't say I didn't warn you; I'd hate to see another girl get her heart broken by Quigley Quagmire."

She walked away. Quigley gave his wife a guilty look, "I'm sorry if she upset you..."

Fiona grabbed her purse and stood, "I have to get back to work anyway, my break is almost over. I'll see you at home, Quiggles."

As she walked out of the building and out to her car Quigley sighed heavily, "Shit, I'm in trouble..."

~…

Fiona spent most all her work day replaying the scene over and over again.

"Isadora did say he used to be like that..."

"What if... no, I shouldn't be thinking like that! Quigley is a faithful husband... right?"

She momentarily took off her glasses to put a hand to her face in frustration. She was supposed to be working. She was sitting at her lab table trying to do tests on a new spore sample she'd received today, but she simply couldn't concentrate.

With a heavy sigh, Fiona quietly came to a conclusion: She would confront her husband when she got home. Keeping that thought in mind, she managed to get back to her work.

~...

Quigley got home from work before his wife; something he was actually quite grateful for. Sam still wasn't home from his field trip yet, and the rest of the family members were in their homes already. It would give him a chance to talk to Fiona in private. He felt anxious. He had seen the look in her lovely eyes when she left. She was mad... and he was in trouble.

Quigley used to be something of a ladies man back in the day. When he was 13 he had already kissed 10 different girls. He was a respectful boyfriend when he was with those girls. He never did anything without consent and wasn't typically the jealous type.

"Well that's not entirely true I guess... there was that one girl who confused Duncan for me and wouldn't stop flirting with him because she was a complete airhead. I got pretty upset about that when she tried to kiss him, but that was just the one time. And it wasn't Duncan's fault. He was just caught in a bad situation."

Nonetheless, he never stayed with those girls for very long, a few weeks at most. Sometimes he would break up with them, or on a few occasions they would break up with him. But he was different now. He had grown up and found a woman he had truly fallen for. And he wanted to show her he had changed.

He looked up at the sound of the door opening and Fiona entered the room. She glanced at him before setting her bag and a pile of work papers down without a word. He swallowed nervously; she looked mad. Anyone who knew the Baudelaire/Quagmire family well knew that the women of that family were all particularly infamous for having fiery tempers, and his wife was no exception.

He took a deep breath and started the inevitable conversation, "Fiona-"

"Just tell me Quigley because I'm curious: why?"

"Why what?"

"Why were you like that? Why did you have to be like that? How do you think I feel thinking about the fact that my damn husband used to treat girls like that?"

"Yeah I get it! I know it must have hurt like hell! But if you'd just let me explain!"

"Then do it," She sat down in an armchair and glared at him through her glasses, "Tell me."

He gave her a sad look, "I'm not proud of what I used to be like. I didn't even remember that girl's name until she told me. When I reunited with my siblings in the ruins of the destroyed V.F.D. headquarters, do you think I enjoyed hitting on my brother's girlfriend? I didn't! I was an asshole. I was a terrible guy who seemed like he'd never commit to someone but I had a reason. It may not be a good reason, but it's a reason. And that reason is because I... I didn't know where I might find the one."

She raised a brow at him, "The one?"

"Yes, the one. My siblings always said that I'd settle down once I found the perfect woman. They might have been joking some of the time but they were absolutely right. I wanted to find the perfect woman and I didn't know where I would do that. It could have been anyone. So I was young and stupid and I thought... just go through the possibilities. So I did exactly that. I left that girl at that dance because she was bossy, and possessive; she didn't like that other girls kept looking at me. I went for her friend because she was nicer, and I thought it would work out, but that didn't either."

"Then what happened?"

"I met the one."

Quigley moved to sit closer to where she was and grabbed her hand, "I met the perfect woman on a submarine, years ago. She was the captain's stepdaughter and when I met her I was looking over the ship's sea maps because I was interested in them. She came over and told me to not mess with her stuff without her permission and I locked eyes with her for a single instant. And in that moment I thought to myself: it's her. I saw a beautiful woman who took no shit from anybody. I saw a woman who was smart, and passionate about her interests, but also gentle and kind to others. And after getting over the shock of seeing someone so absolutely lovely, I knew I had to introduce myself."

He smirked a little and kissed the back of her hand, just as he had done when they met. His smirk grew when he noticed her trying to hold back a smile.

"What happened after that," She asked. The pink blush behind her glasses didn't go unnoticed by him.

He pulled her up with him as he stood and locked eyes with her, "Well... I had to leave her for a couple days. She had to go to a very dangerous place called Hotel Denouement with her stepfather for a secret organization meeting that she didn't even get to attend. And I was worried beyond all reason that after practically just meeting her, I might lose her. So, before I left, I kissed her."

Fiona let herself smile this time, "You did."

"I had never felt more relieved in the world when I saw that you were safe. And when I helped you convince your stepfather to let you live a life with me on land I knew I would never let you go again. Sure I was a selfish guy back in the day. I was young and stupid. But I found myself the perfect woman, I got her to agree to go out with me, I managed to charm my way into her heart, and now years later, I'm married to her and we even have a kid together. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

She wrapped her arms around his neck, "You know... I wouldn't have it any other way either."

He kissed her deeply before responding, "So am I forgiven?"

She chuckled, "I suppose so..."

"Ok that didn't sound very convincing. Guess I'll have to make it up to you somehow."

"What did you have in mi- Quigley! Put me down right now!"

Quigley smirked and set her down on the couch before climbing on top of her, "There, I put you down."

Fiona pouted a bit, "That was rude."

"No, rude is me taking away your ability to see," Quigley demonstrated this by gently removing her glasses and setting them on a nearby table, before he started kissing her neck affectionately.

She started giggling, "Quigley, you know I don't have any depth perception without my glasses."

"Eh, they'll be useless in a few minutes anyway," He replied slyly, "They'll be fogging up too much."

"Oh..."

He continued kissing her neck before adding, "I love you, Doll, now let me make it up to you..."

~The End

What? They're married. They can do whatever they want.