Their speed never dropped below eighty the whole ride out of town. They only stopped once so Burt could run into Changs and warn everyone and then get back to Heather and Gracie. Since nobody in town knew of Gracie and Heather they were shocked to see Burt high tailing it.

They were now on the main road out of town and he had slowed down but was keeping careful watch out the windows.

"What about the others?" Heather asked quietly and he winced.

"Well...we do have emergency plans in place now...I suppose that Nancy will call the government like last time" Heather nodded and he knew she felt guilty. He reached across Gracie to put a hand on Heathers knee.

"Hey...You and Gracie are all that matters to me...you two have to be safe" She looked at him and he cleared his throat moving his hand.

"Where are we going?"

"We'll find a hotel for now and wait to see what happens" She nodded he meant wait and see if there was anything left in a few days.

They found a hotel two towns over and Burt managed to get the last room for six days long enough he told Heather to see what happened back home. It was a nice hotel all yellow and blue colors. One bed in the middle of the room a Television at the bottom. In the corner by the large window was a table and chairs and a small fridge. By the door was the bathroom.

Burt drug his bag over by the window and proceeded to check the room while Heather took Gracie in for a bath to calm her down. While the water was running Gracie finally spoke.

"Mama...?"

"Yeah sweetie?"

"Why did those things hurt Mr. Burts house?" Heather sighed.

"I'm not sure...are you hurt?"

"No...But Mr. Burt is" Gracie looked ready to cry and Heather froze.

"What?"

"He's bleeding Mama...look..." Gracie held up her hands and she was right there was blood on them.

"Come on Grace...into the tub" Heather put her in the warm water.

"Wash good...I'll come check on you in a second" She promised before shutting the door.

Burt had binoculars looking out the window and She crossed the room quickly stopping a few feet away. He was bleeding...his vest was on the floor it had blood on it and by his left shoulder his shirt was soaked through.

"What happened?" She moved closer and he spun around.

"Nothing...why?"

"You're bleeding" He looked at his shoulder.

"It's nothing"

"Burt...why didn't you tell me?"

"Why would I?" He looked confused and she spoke before thinking about what she was saying.

"Because I'm your wife" She froze and so did he for a second then he scowled and turned back to the window.

"Since when?" She shook her head he wasn't going to let her help.

"Just...go take care of Gracie...she needs you..." He told her and she waited for him to finish they both knew that he wanted to say he didn't but he kept quiet and she went back in the bathroom.

She stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom. Gracie was in the main room with Burt. They had ordered dinner and she had gone for a shower letting Gracie and Burt out in the main room. Really she just needed a few minutes alone to think. Gracie was out there with her father and she didn't even know it. If Burt didn't tell her soon Heather would.

Heather sighed and ran a hand through her ridiculously curly red hair trying to smooth it down but it was already curling. She looked at the ring on the sink. Her wedding ring. She hesitated only a second before picking it up and slipping it onto her finger. She was amazed at how it felt. Like coming home after a long time away and she shook her head. Why Not? They were married and he still wore his.

She went out into the room to see the lights all turned down low. Gracie was snuggled down under the blankets in the king size bed half asleep. Burt was sitting beside her finishing a story. Heather leaned against the wall and watched a second.

"Thanks for the story" Gracie yawned and he smiled.

"Anytime" She sat up slightly her tiny arms going around his neck.

"I love you Mr. Burt" He froze and it took a second or two before he hugged her back,

"I love you too Gracie" She smiled and snuggled back under the blankets.

He stood and stretched and Heather smiled.

"See...I always knew you could do this" He turned and shrugged.

"She's easy to love...she's a lot like you"

"She acts like you most of the time" He grinned.

"Well...maybe that's why I love her so much"

"Don't do that Burt..."

"What?"

"Try and cover your emotions...you're a human being...you're allowed to feel you don't have to hide them all the time" He looked directly at her.

"Oh I feel...believe me I feel...It's best for now if I do hide it" There was an awkward silence before he spoke.

"I'll sleep on the floor" He started for the bathroom.

"You don't have too...there's plenty of room and I think Gracie would feel better if you were close" He looked at the little girl.

"She's already asleep"

"I'd feel better...if you were close" He didn't say anything just went in the bathroom for a Shower.

She sighed and then crawled into bed next to Gracie. Burt had grabbed clothes before leaving and Gracie was wearing one of his shrits. The sleeves were rolled up and it almost touched the floor but served it's purpose. Heather had only the clothes she was wearing but figured if he was sleeping on the floor she may as well be comfortable.

She slid out of her cargo pants under the blankets and tossed them aside. The shower shut off and Burt came out of the bathroom. He was wearing that long sleeved maroon shirt she loved and his tan cargo pants. She watched him but didn't say anything when he came into the room. She was speechless however when he crawled under the blankets beside kept a good foot of distance between them and he was tensed she could tell.

"Is Grace alright?" He asked and she smiled. Her back was to him but she knew he was trying to ease the tension. On her end there wasn't any she hadn't felt this safe since before she left.

"She's fine...worried about you...so am I"

"I'm fine get some rest you both need it" That was his way of telling her to shut up so she did and before long she was asleep.

When Burt woke up the sun was shining in the windows. He couldn't remember the last time the sun was up before him...probably not since last time he had been with Heather. Speaking of Heather she was moved. She now had her back to Gracie and was curled into his side.

Her head was on his chest and her arm draped over his waist her skinny legs entwined with his. He didn't want to move it felt so good having her this close again. He lifted his head and glanced at Gracie who was curled in a ball and sound asleep a few inches from Heather.

He took a few minutes to just enjoy the feel of her. Her hair was falling loose all over the place in those curls her loved and he decided maybe between her and Gracie he liked red hair. She moved slightly and looked at him. She gasped and was about to move away he tightened his arm around her.

"Burt...I'm sorry"

"No...do you have any idea? how much I missed waking up like this?" she bit her lip.

"You haven't...I mean..."

"Been with anyone. Since you?" She nodded and he pushed her away rolling out of the bed to stand.

"No"

"I thought Nancy had probably moved in and taken my place"

He scowled at her over his shoulder.

"How could I effectively move on when you never told me we were over?"

"I suppose I should have told you I wasn't coming back but you wouldn't have let me go"

"No I wouldn't have"

Gracie made a noise in her sleep and he turned to look at her Heather smiled.

"She is fine...we're safe here"Heather told him

"You were safe at your sisters...it might be a good idea to go back there" Heather sighed and glanced at Gracie before she spoke.

"We can't...remember when I said I only stayed there a few months?" Burt nodded.

"She threw us out...well she threw me out when she found out that I was keeping Gracie"