The two lay next to each other in the dark, trying to regain control of their breathing. Reba was curled up next to Ford with her head to his chest, listening to his heart beat rapidly. A slight smile graced her lips, knowing she was the only one who could do that to him.

"So, he got caught spray-painting the president's car, huh?"

Reba nodded, eyes still closed. "They kicked him and all his buddies out, no questions asked."

Ford gave a short, quiet laugh.

"It's not funny."

"Kind of."

Reba backed away from him and he rolled over, looking up at her as she hovered over him. "That's on his record. How many colleges are going to accept him now that he has something like vandalism going in his file?"

"He'll be fine. Did you lash out at him very bad?"

Reba lay down on her own pillow, pulling the sheets over her. "For your information, I did not. I got him a pillow and a quilt to sleep with on the couch and came back up here."

"I was just asking."

"Whatever."

"Hey." He sat up and leaned over her. "Don't get all weird on me."

"Don't assume things and I won't."

Ford shook his head and laid back down, snatching up the sheets and rolling on his side with his back to Reba. And that was how they both slept for the rest of the night, even after making love and moving earth. It took awhile for Reba to fall asleep.

xXx

The next morning came too quickly. Reba's unspoken vow to never go to bed angry with Ford had just been stomped into the dust. She usually viewed the morning as a way to start over, to make things right, but after their argument and no goodnight kiss, she just didn't feel like getting out of bed.

Reluctantly, she sat up and thought about how the first three weeks of their marriage hadn't been what she hoped they would be. It didn't make a person feel particularly good.

As she stood up, something to her left caught her eye. There, on her nightstand, was a dozen roses and what appeared to be a note from Ford. Reba's heart softened towards him as she picked it up.

I'm sorry for being an ass. I love you.
-Ford

She tucked the note under her pillow before walking into the bathroom for a shower. She'd put the flowers in water afterwards.

After she had her shower and had gotten dressed, she put her makeup on then went downstairs. Jake was sprawled out on the fold-out couch with an empty pizza box on the coffee table. She assumed he had ordered it after he had gotten settled last night.

She sighed as she began to pick up her son's mess, careful not to wake him. Her efforts went unrewarded, though, as he stirred and opened his eyes.

"What are you doing?" He asked groggily, sitting up while rubbing his eyes.

Reba smiled at his disheveled hair. "Just trying to straighten up a bit." Her heels clicked on the kitchen floor as she threw the pizza box out, along with a to-go cup. "Late night?"

Jake nodded. "Brent woke up a little after I got here and we ordered something to eat and played the Wii."

"Jake..."

"Come on, Mom. I'm not thirteen anymore. I know when to stop and go to bed."

"Clearly."

The teenager finally stood up from the bed and joined his mother in the kitchen. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me, thank you." She continued her cleaning in the kitchen before she would have to head to work.

"You never were a very good liar."

"I have to show the old house today, is all. No big deal."

"Oh..."

"Yeah."

"Well, Mom, that is a big deal."

"It really isn't." She poured coffee into her thermos before shutting the coffee maker off. "I have to get going, alright?" She gave Jake a quick hug and a kiss on the head. "Be good today. Don't make too much of a mess."

"I won't."

Reba left the house and took a deep breath as she got into her car. Today would be sort of a difficult day, but she was trying her hardest not to get too sentimental. The old house was just that. Old. And that's how it would stay.

xXx

Reba drove up Oak street with a pang in her heart. The house that held so many memories came into view and she had to bite her lip to keep the tears away. She remembered the day her and Brock bought that house. She recalled the day they moved in. Kyra hadn't wanted to leave the old house and the two had fought with her the whole way to the new house and for weeks after. She had brought Jake home there and realized he would have to be more attached to it than anyone else. He knew it better than anyone. He'd lived there until he went off to college.

Sighing, Reba pulled into the driveway, smiling simply at the roses that still stood tall in the flowerbed by the porch. Someone must have been watering them. She figured it was the elderly neighbor who had given Reba the roses in the first place.

Despite the truck of the potential buyer that was parked in the driveway, nothing had changed. It was still the same old family house to her and it really did break her heart to have to sell it.

Grabbing her fliers, she exited her car and walked towards the front door, finding it unlocked and slightly open. With a puzzled look on her face, she pushed the door open just a little wider and poked her head in.

"Hello?"

She heard footsteps from not far off. As a safety precaution, she stayed outside until she identified the person. She knew for a fact she had locked that door the last time she was there. No one else besides her had a key. No one except-

"Brock. What are you doing here?" She breathed a sigh of relief as her heart began to beat more regularly.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" He opened the door so he could see her better. Smiling, he gestured towards the living room with his head. "You comin' in?"

"You're the one who's interested in the house?"

"You seem shocked. As if something like that could never happen." His smile played only at the corners of his mouth. Reba rolled her eyes at his playfulness. She was so not in the mood to deal with his jokes. She had other clients to attend to.

"If this is some kind of prank, it's not funny. I'm really busy today, Brock."

"Is this how you treat all your clients?"

"Excuse me?"

"I want to buy the house, Reba. I'm not kidding around."

Reba's arms dropped to her sides. "What?"

"I want to buy the house."

"What for? So you and your girlfriend can live in it?"

Brock's smile fell and all the sparkle left his blue eyes. He kind of frowned as he stared at Reba's small frame, feeling that she might attack him.

"That hurt." He said this matter-of-factly, hoping she'd get the picture. He wasn't trying to be rude, but she was wrong for saying that, he thought.

Reba sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Brock, but are you serious? We lived in this house for twenty years, raised three kids here, and now you want it for you and your girlfriend?"

"Why would we live here when we already have the condo? It's not like we need a bigger place. She doesn't want kids, and I don't need anymore."

"So, why do you want this place, then, huh?"

"You didn't let me finish. I know you can't - and don't really want to - handle this house plus yours and Ford's house, so I thought I'd buy it and rent it out. I know you wanted it to kind of stay in the family, so I figured why not?"

Reba tried not to smile. She was embarrassed for jumping to conclusions, but still wanted a reason to be mad at him so she wouldn't look like an ass, but the smile found its way to her face. Brock saw it and smiled with her.

"Figured it was the least I could do, ya know?"

"I think we're past that now, don't you think?"

He shrugged, neither wanting to talk about the end of their marriage, since it happened so long ago. Why bring up old hurt when there were new and more happy things to talk about. Especially Brock buying the house that meant so much to her.

"I guess so."

She looked down and kind of swung her arms from side to side. Brock thought she looked like a little girl and chuckled.

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions."

"I know. It's okay."

She looked up and melted at the sight of his grin. She knew that wasn't a good thing, still being able to go weak in the knees for him. But she figured it was just because he was her first love. Their feelings for each other would never go away and she knew that, but it was still odd.

"So..." She said slowly. "I guess...thank you for buying the place. It really means a lot to me."

"Hey, what are best friends for?"

I know it's been forever and a day since I've updated, but here's the latest chapter. I'll try to update more frequently and I really hope I didn't disappoint with this chapter you all have been waiting so long for!