I arrived at home on Sunday evening and I asked my best friend to babysit our kids for the next two nights. It didn't matter that my heart had changed… Bill deserved the truth even though it will hurt him. I heard his key turn at the door; I was waiting for him in the living room. My heart was racing and my hands were shaking. I gathered my nerve and asked him to join me. How do you start a conversation like this? I figure it was like ripping off a bandage… the quicker the better. As I told him, I saw Bill's emotions clear across his face... shock, betrayal and finally anger. He slammed his fist on the coffee table and without another word he swiftly left the room. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Scully's are known for their temper, this was the first time I was on the receiving end of it. An hour later he came back into the room, "You have until Friday to pack your belongings and leave this house. Don't EVER come back." He slammed the door shut causing our family picture to fall and shatter. How ironic.

So I packed my life into two meager suitcases and five boxes. The kids were upset but they were use to being without their Dad for stretches of time… I explained this would be no different except we will be living somewhere else. I've never traveled this far away from home without Bill… it felt liberating but nerve wrecking at the same time. I didn't know where to go… I don't know how but I ended up on Maggie's doorsteps. I knocked on the door and she looked worried and sighed a look of relief when she saw me and the kids. All she had to do was hug me and the dam broke. I was emotionally spent and it all came out in that instance. She welcomed me and the kids with open arms and promised that she wouldn't let Bill know we were there. She listened with an open heart and asked if I was sure if I knew what I was doing? She knows firsthand that being a Navy wife can be hard and lonely. "Tara, you are so strong... are you sure you don't want to work this out with Bill? I am sure that if you explain it to him, he may surprise you." I then had to confess to Maggie that my heart was not in it anymore. She gave a quiet "Oh" and said no more. My cheeks were burning with shame as I sat there and wept.

A week later with her help, I was moving into a small two bedroom apartment and settled the kids in their new school. One afternoon when I was sitting alone, Walter came into my thoughts. I ached to hear his voice again… to tell me that everything was going to be ok. I wiped my eyes and picked up the phone. Two hours and many tears later, he was knocking on my front door. I opened it and my heart fluttered as he stood there for a moment not knowing what to say. He took me in his strong arms and hugged me… that was all I needed to know.

The kids accepted Walter as Mommy's friend and enjoyed the time he was able to spend with us. We spent a whole weekend sightseeing the monuments in Washington. Matthew took photos of every building, tree and shrub he encountered... as he showed me what he captured, one picture stood out the most, it was a picture of Walter and me holding hands. Matthew snapped it while he was walking behind us… I am laughing and Walter is leaning into me and saying something funny. I was a little surprised to see such an intimate moment caught on film but more surprising was that I looked really happy. It has been a long time since I laughed like that.

Later on that evening Matt made his daily call to Bill and he started telling him about all of the great places that Walter showed him. I can hear Matthew from the living room and his enthusiasm was quickly cut short when he called for me and said that Dad wanted to speak with me. With much dread and took the phone and Bill was furious and started to yell, "How can you cheat on me in front of the kids?!" he demanded, I quickly tampered my own anger and reminded him that it was he who approached me that night at the bar…how things quickly escalated and became intimate that same night, all while he was committed to someone else. It fell on deaf ears. "We are STILL married; the mother of my children will NOT act like a cheap whore in front my kids!" After much berating, I had enough and hung up on him. My anger only solidified more than ever that I didn't want to be married to Bill anymore and I was going to do something about it.

Matthew and Kat adjusted comfortably to their new living situation as they were accustomed to go weeks even months without seeing their Father. They both seemed happy at their new school and were easily making new friends along the way. One day after I dropped him off, I overheard him say to his friend that his Mom was dating a very cool FBI guy. I felt relieved to hear him say that. Later the same night we had dinner at Maggie's. I was helping clear the table when she cleared her throat, "Bill is stopping by to speak with you; I thought it would be a good idea for him to come here so we can come to an agreement as to what is going to happen next." I knew in my heart she wanted to be here in case she needed to bring Bill in if his emotions got the best of him. The Scully temper is a force to be reckoned with. I sighed and nodded my head. I knew that this moment was going to happen sooner or later, might as well get it over and done with. A short time later the doorbell rang; I subconsciously went to adjust my band and realized I was no longer was wearing it... After the kids gave their kisses and said their hellos, I asked them to go play outside for a while. Matthew looked at me and then and Bill, "You are not going to yell at him are you Mom?" I shook my head no and smiled at him. He then turned to Bill, "You are not going to make mommy cry again?" While looking at me, Bill swallowed hard, forced a smile, "No Son, I won't… now go on and keep an eye on your sister." Matthew was satisfied with our answer and ran off to find Kat. When I turned again, the smile was replaced with an angry scowl. I instinctively stood taller and braced myself for the storm.