Heather stretched out in the huge king size bed with a sigh she rolled over to face Burt only to find his place beside her empty. She felt sick thinking maybe he had decided to take after her and run out on her like she did him.

She sat up and looked around the hotel room but saw no sign of him. She must have fell asleep and he had left. She glanced at the clock beside the bed and saw the time it was well past time to pick up Grace. She jumped out of the bed and grabbed her clothes off of the floor pulling them on and rushing towards the day care.

When she reached the day care Ariel smiled and waved to her.

"Heather...Burt came and got her...said that you needed your rest"

"Oh...where did he say he was taking her?" Heather felt a little panicky.

"I'm not sure but I'll bet they didn't go far...Gracie was so happy to see him"

Heather tried to think but her mind came up blank and she felt sick. Surely Burt wouldn't take Gracie and leave just to get back at her. She tried to convince herself but as she glanced around outside and didn't see them she grew more worried.

She crossed to the diner and was about to run in screaming that a lunatic had seduced her and stolen her baby girl when she saw Burt and Grace in a back booth. Gracie was enjoying an ice cream sundae and Burt had another cup of coffee.

"Mommy, Mommy" Grace slid out of the booth and rushed over to her Heather lifted her into her arms holding her close.

"Oh...Grace I thought you and Burt had ran off on me" She told her and Gracie giggled.

Burt looked at her briefly then looked away taking a sip of his coffee she could tell he was purposely avoiding her. She put Grace down and she went back to her ice cream.

"Do you know how worried I was when I woke up and you were gone? Then I went to get Gracie and I thought..." Burt interrupted her.

"Thought that I had given you a taste of your own medicine?" She slid into the booth beside Grace.

"I just...got scared for a minute" She watched Gracie dig into her sundae.

"I should order her a decent supper" She sighed and Burt smiled.

"I already did don't worry that's just her dessert I got her chicken strips and french fries"

"Thank you for getting her...but I'd appreciate it if next time you left a note"

"I didn't think I needed permission to get my own..." He glanced at Grace then continued spelling some of the words.

"C-H-I-L-D from daycare" Heather shook her head.

"I'm not used to having someone else watching her"

"She's half...M-I-N-E and I can see her when I want too"

"I just want you to let me know ahead of time" Heather argued.

"You were asleep...I didn't want to wake you up" He was getting irritated and she could tell.

Gracie rubbed her eyes and Heather turned her attention towards her for now. She lifted Grace into her arms and slid out of the booth.

"It's almost her bed time and I want to give her a bath...can we go?" He watched her a second then sighed and stood tossing a tip onto the table Heather started towards the door.

Mary came out of the kitchen and almost immediately recognized them.

"See I told you those fights don't last I knew you to would find a way to make up" Heather blushed at the thought of exactly what had happened when they got back to the hotel btu she smiled at the older woman.

"Oh...what a beautiful little girl. She's yours I can tell" Mary smiled and Burt came over beside Heather.

"Is she yours young man?" Mary asked and he glanced at Grace who was nearly asleep before giving a silent nod.

"Well...you make a lovely family if I do say so myself" Heather sighed and started for the door Burt rushed a head of her to open the door.

They were walking in silence when Heather tried to adjust Grace differently since the girl had gone completely limp with sleep.

"She's exhausted" Burt smiled and Heather shrugged.

"She's had a big day all that playing and besides she always sleeps liks a rock...she's beginning to way like one too" Burt reached out and Heather let him take Grace the girl didn't even wake up.

"I'm sorry I scared you when I woke up you were still asleep and I didn't think it would hurt since it was time to go get her" Heather nodded and they continued to walk.

"Have you decided to tell her yet?" She nodded at Gracie and he shrugged.

"Does it matter if I do?"

It did it mattered to her. She had thought that he had changed his mind about having children that he had decided to love her and Gracie and that maybe just maybe Gracie was right and they would be a family. The three of them maybe even have another Baby or two but apparently all Burt wanted was one last roll in the hay before he kicked them out.

"No it doesn't matter" When she spoke he noticed her tone.

"Is something wrong?" He glanced at her.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know I can't imagine what made you mad...or what I could have done for that matter" He slowed as they reached the hotel and she pulled out her keys shaking her head in disbelief.

"Really? Maybe you should screw me again and then you'll have a better idea" She threw open the door and he winced so that was it.

He had spent his entire dinner with Grace wondering what he would do now and what Heather would be thinking. He had enjoyed his time with Gracie and he could get used to having her around. He could get used to Heather again to sleeping with her nestled against him her touch her kisses all of it would be so easy to get used to but he couldn't do it and hold onto his comfort zone.

Heather deserved a man who could devote his time to her without worrying about his home security and a man who could give her more children without the fear that something would happen to one of them the second he turned his back.

Gracie deserved a father who could love her and play with her in her own yard with grass not a dessert where a worm could eat her at any minute. What could he teach a little girl that would be useful? She deserved a better father than him.

He sat down in a chair Grace on his lap and Heather started filling the tub with water. His little girl it felt so odd to think of that as a phrase he could use but he wasn't about to admit to anyone that he loved every second.

Heather sat on the edge of the tub and wondered what she was going to do now. Grace wasn't going to want to leave Burt now that she was so attached and Heather didn't have anywhere else to take her. She felt close to tears and looking down at the wedding band she had put on her finger just the other night shook her head.

He hadn't came after her before and he wasn't going to now emotionally either. She took it off and almost hissed at the pain in her chest. She was done being Mrs. Gummer first thing in the morning she was going to start making plans to leave. She would take Grace and leave she would get a divorce and she would move on.

She came and retrieved Grace hustling her into the bathroom and Burt was left alone with his thoughts. He noticed however that her ring was missing. At his house she wore it around her neck and when they got the room he was aware it had moved back to her finger and when he had been with her earlier he had noticed it remained there now after they had been intimate it was gone. He supposed she was a little spooked since it had been over six years since either of them had been with anyone but she was pulling away and he knew this time he had to either hold on or let go.