Hal and Parker were sitting at the table in the kitchen, patiently waiting for Emily to arrive so they could get started.
It was already 30 minutes after the time Emily said she'd be there and Hal was constantly checking his watch.
He remembered the call he got from Carly yesterday.
"She was really upset yesterday, repeating over and over again how she hurt you and how she doesn't and never did deserve your love. I just thought you should know, because the state she was in just now, it wouldn't surprise me if she didn't show up tomorrow morning"
He had tried to convince Carly that Emily would show up and things would be fine, but now he knew she had been right. Whatever guilt Emily had placed upon herself was weighing on her and it was keeping her from trusting him and trusting their love.
He glanced at his watch one last time and made a decision.
"Go get your coat Parker, you're gonna go stay with your mommy for a little while"
Parker immediately did what his father asked and Hal grabbed the phone. Dialing her cellphone number, he held his breath and released it when he heard it ring and not go straight to voicemail.
His relief quickly fadded however, when the phone kept ringing and eventually did go to voicemail.
'Come on Munson. You remember what Carly said. If she does't show up here because she thinks she's not worthy of you, she's not gonna pick up the phone. You're gonna have to go see her yourself'
Parker entered the kitchen with his coat already on and looked at his dad a little insecure.
"Daddy? Is everything okay?"
"Everything is fine buddy" Hal tried to reassure his son. "I'm just going to go look for Emily so she can help us with your room. I know how much she wanted to help"
That seemed to satisfy Parker and he immediately opened the door and ran to the car.
"Will you come pick me up when you find Emily?" He said, bouncing in his seat.
"You bet I will. I'm gonna go find Emily and then we're gonna come pick you up together and we're gonna make you the coolest looking room you have ever seen"
Parkers face lit up and Hal hoped that he could do the same to Emily when he found her.
Their day together yesterday had reminded him of exactly how much he loved and missed her smile and pretty much everything about her and he was not about to give it up again, because she was too insecure to believe in them.
Ariving at Carly's, the front door immediately opened and Carly came out. "Hal?" What are you doing here?"
Was it his imagination or did she look nervous? 'Nah, it's Carly, why would she be nervous when I'm around?'
He shook of the thought and helped Parker out of the car. "Could you watch him for a while? I need to go find Emily"
"Find her where? What happened?" Carly asked him, taking Parker by the hand.
"You were right about her not showing up. I have to find her and convince her that she's wrong and that we can get through whatever is bothering her together"
Hal got in the car again and promised Parker he'd come pick him up as soon as he found Emily. Then he quickly steered the car towards Susan's.
When he got there, he didn't see Emily's car, but he got out and knocked on the door anyway. Just because her car wasn't there, didn't mean she wasn't.
It took a few minutes, but finally Susan opened the door and was surprised to Hal standing there.
"Hal? What are you doing here?"
"Is Emily here?" Hal asked, not wasting any time with small talk.
"Emily? Why would she be here? I think you'd have more luck finding her at Paul's place" While saying it, she couldn't hide the look of disgust on her face.
Hal smiled because of it, but didn't really take too much time to think about it.
He was already starting towards the car, but quickly yelled "Emily broke up with Paul" to Susan and was gone before he could see the huge smile forming on her face.
Hal quickly got in the car again and started towards the penthouse. He knew he shouldn't even think she could be there, but his insecurity won over and he also knew he shouldn't just assume she wasn't there because it was always an option.
When he arrived, he didn't even bother to wait for the elevator and quickly dashed up the stairs.
Knocking on the door, he waited for Paul to open. He knocked agian and started to get impatient. Just as he was going to knock again, the door opened to reveal Paul.
"Hal? What the hell do you think you're doing here this early?"
"Is Emily here?" He immediately asked and looked around the penthouse.
"No she's not, she broke up with me as you very well know. What did you come here to do? Gloat?"
"Look Paul, I know that things between us have been bad. Horrible actually, but this isn't about you and it's not about me either. This is about Emily and right now I really have to find her"
"I haven't seen her" Paul said and closed the door.
Hal leaned back against the door and took a deep breath.
"Think Munson, where else could she be?" he asked himself out loud, while starting towards the car again.
Suddenly he remembered how he thought Carly had acted nervous when he got there. 'Was that more then my imagination?'
He decided not to risk it and went back to Milltown. When he arrived there, Carly immediately came rushing out again, making him think Emily was there even more.
"You're back soon. Did you find her?" She asked him.
"You know very well I didn't find her Carly. Where is she?"
"I don't know what you mean" She tried to convince him, but she knew it didn't work when he gave her his detective gaze.
"She's inside with Sage" She sighed in defeat and he quickly went up to the house.
"Did you get rid of him again?" Emily asked when she heard the door open. She didn't even bother to look up who it was, because she was too busy changing Sage's diaper.
"No she didn't" Hal said, causing emily's head to shoot up. She finished changing Sage's diaper and got up with the little girl in her arms.
"Where's Carly?" She asked, looking extremely nervous.
"She's upstairs with Parker, I told her we needed some privacy"
"Oh" Was all she said, while Hal took Sage from her and gave the girl a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey beautiful, how you doing?" He smiled when Sage laughed and Emily couldn't hide the smile that crept up on her own face when she saw how adorable Hal was with the little girl.
"Why didn't you show up this morning" Hal asked, turning his attention to Emily.
She tried to think of an excuse and stammered a little, before finally telling him the truth.
"I don't deserve to spend time with you"
"What are you talking about? Ofcourse you do" Hal wasn't surprised at her admittance after his talk with Carly yesterday, but that didn't mean he agreed with it.
"No I don't, okay?! I deserve someone like Paul. Someone who never completely loves and respects me, someone who is in love with someone else and someone who doesn't make me happy. I don't deserve someone as wonderfull as you, who loves and respects me with all he has and who makes me utterly and completely happy"
She took a deep breath and went on before Hal could interupt her.
"There was a time when I thought I did deserve all of that and you, but I know better. I knew it when you found out about Chris and I really thought I had learned from that, almost losing you, but I did it to you again. I got together with Paul and I don't think I have ever seen you look as hurt as you did when I told you that I had slept with him"
She saw him close his eyes at the last sentence and knew she was right, she didn't deserve him.
When Hal finally spoke again, he didn't say what she expected.
"Are you done?" He asked, smiling at Sage who was half asleep in his arms.
All Emily could do was nod and Hal thought about his words carefully. He had to convince her that she was wrong, but he also had to make sure she didn't run away from him before he was done.
"You're right, you did hurt me. But..." He quickly continued when he saw her drop her head.
"But I love you. Do you hear me Emily? I love you, okay? Sure I was hurt when I found out about Chris and probably even more hurt when you told me about Paul, but that never stopped me from loving you. And don't you dare say you deserve someone like Paul, because that's not true!" He said, his voice rising.
"You made a mistake, we all make mistakes, but that doesn't mean we don't deserve to be happy. I wanna be happy and I got news for you, I need you in my life to do that"
When he saw the shocked look on her face he smiled.
"I knew that would get your attention. I need you in my life to be happy Emily and you know? I think you need me to be happy as well, am I right?"
She hesitated for a only a few seconds before shyly nodding her head.
Hal looked at Emily and then at the sleeping girl in his arms. He desperately wanted to take Emily in his arms, but that wasn't going to work with Sage asleep in them. He quickly called upstairs to Carly and handed Sage to her.
When Carly was back upstairs, Hal turned back to Emily and noticed that she had turned her back to him and was now facing the fireplace.
He walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. He felt her shiver and moved his hands up and down her arms.
"I need you" He whispered.
She turned around and when he saw the tears on her face, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her.
She stiffened for a few seconds, befor eh eflt her relax and snake her arms around his waist. She grabbed the back of his shirt and clung to him like her life depended on it.
Hal just stroked her hair and her back and kissed the top of her head. When she pulled back slightly, he whiped away the tears from her face and smiled.
Suddenly he noticed how close their faces were and his breathing deepened. He wanted nothing more then to kiss her right then and there, but he wanted Emily to take the initiative, so he waited.
He didn't have to wait long, because after only a few seconds, she linked her arms behind his head and pulled his mouth down to hers.
He put his arms around her waist and pulled her as close to him as possible, as to assure himself she wouldn't go anywhere.
She nibbled on his lower lip and he immediately opened his mouth, dueling his tongue with hers.
A moan escaped from the back of her throath and she moved one of her hands from the back of his head to the front of his shirt, toying with one of the buttons.
When he felt her trying to undo the button, he pulled back breathlessly.
"We can't do this here" He said, touching his forehead to hers.
She sighed in understanding and smiled at him. "I know, we have a room to decorate"
Hal laughed and pulled her to him in a hug again. "I missed you" He said and planted another soft kiss on her lips.
"I missed you too" She stepped away from him and walked to the stairs.
"I there someone upstairs who wants a new room" She asked, immediately followed by Parker bouncing down the stairs.
"Hey buddy, you ready to go?" He nodded furiously and grabbed his coat from the chair, putting it on.
"Ready" he proudly said and Hal, Carly and Emily all laughed.
Hal looked at Carly, who was holding a still sleeping Sage in her arms. He kissed the top of the little girls head and kissed Carly on the cheek.
"Thank you" he whispered and stepped back. He ruffled his sons hair and opened the door.
"Ready mrs. Munson?" He asked, smiling.
"Never been more ready" She said, having missed being called that.
She grabbed his hand and together they left to go home.
THE END