They drove for a few hours before they arrived their home in Martha's Vineyard. After putting their luggage away Logan asked, "Ace would you like to take a walk on the beach?"

"That's a good idea, but I would like to take a nice bath before we head to the beach. Do you want to join me? " Rory asked, putting her arms around her husband's neck and looking deeply into his intense chocolate brown eyes

"I thought you would never ask me," he mumbled and started to kiss her tenderly. Fifteen minutes later, they were both lying in the large bathtub. Logan had his arms around Rory's bare torso and placed soft kisses on her wet shoulders.

"I'm glad that we took a few days to come here," sighed Rory and closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the newly won intimacy between her and Logan.

"So am I, more than you can imagine, Ace. I think we should talk about everything that's been happening in the last few years. The problems we have had. I love you, and I don't want to lose you, Ace," Logan said as he was drawing gentle circles with his fingers on her skin.

"I agree, Logan. The last few years haven't been easy for us but we will get through it together, and I love you, my Master and Commander."

Logan's lips tilted up with a happy grin. For years his Ace didn't mention this name. Logan was thrilled to hear her say the nickname; they had used it so many years ago. He and Rory have been together for nineteen years, and they were married for fifteen of those years. Their marriage had not been easy, and they had a lot of bumps in that road.

But they were meant for each other, and that's why it was so important to talk to each other. The unmentioned conversations had to be addressed.

Specifically about Norah. No one was to blame for Norah's kidnapping. Even if the two of them believed it, and they hardly talked about the taboo topic. It hurt them so much.

"Yeah, Ace I want to work through our problems no matter how difficult it is. I want to look forward to having a better future for you and our children."

This was a difficult subject for Rory to talk about and she was relieved that her husband brought it up.

"That's good to know Logan.."

An hour later, they were sitting on the beach looking out at sea. The breeze was cool, but it didn't bother Rory and Logan.

"Rory do you want to talk about Norah? I know how difficult it is for you to talk about her. But I want to help you, please don't shut me out of your feelings as you did over the years. I realize that you never intended to hurt me, but I have every need to know exactly how you feel. If we don't share our feelings, then I can't help you. Rory. I miss you, and I'm at the edge of madness. Please let me help you. I'm here for you. I love you.." Logan held her in his arms and tears pooled in his eyes.

Logan took her face into his hands and searched for the emotions in her eyes that she was feeling at that moment.

Time stood still for Rory, while her husband was staring intensely into her eyes. She knew that she couldn't hide her feelings from Logan anymore. Rory closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath.

Come on Rory you can do it, Do it for you and Logan, she tried to encourage herself. He needs to know how you're feeling.

Her inner voice was motivating her, so she spoke,"I don't have a clue where I should start. There are many emotions in my mind. I'm scared and desperate, Logan. After Norah's kidnapping, I began to isolate myself from any pain. I'm aware that you're suffering too.

I see the torture in your eyes every day since her disappearance. I just wanted to protect you from harm, to protect you so I refrained from talking about any feelings. I see the pain in your eyes day by day since she disappeared.

Knowing that you blame yourself hurt the most. I just don't understand why this had happened to us. Norah was helpless, a baby who needed protection and love from her parents. It freaks me out that I don't know what happened to her, after such a long time. Whether she's living with a new family who is loving our daughter unconditionally or that she is probably dead… Every day my anger grows bigger and bigger, and so I hide from you. I hate them, Logan. I hate them so much. They can't imagine how it destroyed our family. It was their fault that our family nearly broke apart and that you were turning into your father for many years," Rory asserted looking into her husband's face with teary eyes. Logan sighed, hugging her tightly and stroking her back he kissed her comforting her.

"Ace I know that the hate shouldn't guide our lives, and I have those same feelings. I have been fighting against my inner demons, specifically in the first few months. I was so angry about everything; the massive amount of working hours, and that the FBI had stopped the investigations after six months. I even started to think that you and Nathalie were better without me because I was a burden for both of you. So I did what I knew best, I overworked, I ran from my feelings. I turned into my dad, as you had mentioned before."

Logan stopped briefly, looked into his wife's blue eyes and continued.

"Without even recognizing it Ace. I was running away from you and Nathalie. The fear and despair of losing Norah forever have driven me insane.

I was haunted by my dreams where Norah appeared, accusing me that I wasn't there when she needed me the most, and why I didn't protect her enough." he confessed. This time he didn't fight against his rising tears. It was okay for him to cry, to feel the pain and grieve.

Over twenty years ago he wouldn't have dared to confess his feelings because his father kept saying that a man shouldn't cry and wasn't allowed to show any emotions towards other people. Afterall it was a hard process for Logan to show his feelings opposite to Rory, and that it was okay to be sad, angry or happy.

In fact, human beings weren't created to be cold and unreachable. They were here to enjoy every second of their lives without considering too much about the past and to love unconditionally.

Looking at Logan, Rory was speechless. If she had only known what type of fears Logan had to endure, she would have pushed her pain aside to help him.

But Rory didn't want to face the truth about Logan, and she didn't realize that she was turning into a prisoner of her own pain, her own misery. She didn't want anyone to look behind her mask that she put up to protect herself and her children.

Except for her parents and closest friends Finn, Colin, and Robert who were the only ones who could see through her mask and see her pain. They were the lifesavers for Rory and Logan in many ways. Rory turned to Logan, and looking into his watery, reddened brown eyes her heart began to pound hard against her chest.

"Can you explain to me why we didn't talk earlier about our problems? We had lost so many years together as a couple. Why were we so afraid to show our feelings to each other." Logan asked here.

„I was a coward frightened and attempting to hide the fears behind my mask. I was too frightened to show you my real face. I wanted to tell you my secret, but I was so scared about your reaction." Rory wept and wiped away her tears.

Logan was concerned yet happy at the same time, about what she had kept from him for years. But now she was finally opening up to him.

"Tell me, Ace. Please.", he insisted in a low voice, laying his arms around her shoulders and giving her a tender kiss on the temple.

"When I discovered my second pregnancy in early March 2012, I was so shocked and scared Logan. I even considered aborting Grace because I was so anxious to lose another child again. The first thought which popped into my mind was to call my mom after I took the pregnancy test.

Mom and I had a tearful talk, and she was the one who brought me back to reality. Mom told me that the child was a gift and this baby is going to help us through our path of grief, sadness, and hate. She was right Logan.

Grace is a remarkable young girl, and I'm thrilled to have her in our lives, " She explained to him. She looked away; she could barely look into Logan's eyes. She was afraid that she's going to see something, she didn't want to see.

Logan took a deep breath and asked himself why he didn't recognize Rory's behavior and fears so many years ago. He felt incredibly guilty about not paying attention to her feelings. On the other hand, he never took the time to look behind his wife's mask.

"I don't know what to say, except that I'm devastated and angry that I wasn't with you when you found out that you were pregnant for the second time.

God, we are so screwed up, Rory. I want to make us work again as a couple, sharing our intimate feelings, thoughts, fears, and joys, to cry and laugh together again. I don't want to pretend as if everything is ok when it's not.

Rory, I believe we can make it if we try. I don't want to give up our marriage. We've known each other for nineteen years, and of course, we have lost many years of happiness, but we also had many years of joy, I want to make a new start.

You're my life Rory, and you can't imagine how much I love you. I would give everything to undo the past years, which were full of emotions and mourning.", he confessed to her sobbing and clinging to her. He needed her; he needed the us that they were.

"Logan I know that and I love you too, but we can't turn back the time, we can just make the best out of the situation. How about if we write a journal about our feelings? I'm sure that it will help us with all our emotions and struggles, and at the end of the week we discuss it?"

"Sounds like an amazing idea Ace, and I guess we should head back home. I'm so tired.", Logan got up from the beach. "Yeah me too. Let's go," she said smiling softly at him. Together they strolled back to the house holding each other's hands tightly and went to bed.