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Elizabeth was beyond exhausted, but she was so glad to finally be walking into the comfort of her own home. The past few days had been exhausting mentally, emotionally, and physically. Stevie and Jason had both texted her saying they wanted to talk to her once she was home. They both claimed they missed her, but she had an inkling something was being put into play. She had texted Henry a few other times, but all she got in return were short one or two word responses. She knows she screwed up, and would do anything in her power to make it up to him. He needed to blow up at her, and if thats what it took to get him talking to her again, she would take it. He needed a release and a touchstone, and she was bound and determined to give him this.

"Hey guys" she said, exhaustion all over her voice, as she walked into the family room where everyone had been watching TV. "Hey mom!" The kids exclaimed, as they all got up to give her hugs and kisses on the cheek. Henry had been dozing on the couch so she leaned down to kiss him on the forehead. "Hi baby, I've missed you" she said to him, as he slowly opened his eyes, only to look past her instead of at her.

"Hi" he said in reply. He was happy she was home, but he still was not ready to be okay with everything. He usually didn't hold grudges, but this was one he just couldn't let go of, not until he learned of Dimitris fate, and if he never did hear what happened to him then he just wasn't sure what he would do.

All three kids noticed this and immediately shot looks to each other across the living room. They had to get to the bottom of this the best way they could, and fast. The plan was being put into place before they thought it would be, but it was happening now.

"Hey mom, can I talk to you?" Stevie asked

"Sure baby, do you want to follow me up to the bedroom so I can change into more comfortable clothes?"

"Yeah, thats perfect, I kinda wanted to talk to you alone anyway." Stevie replied silently thanking God her mother wanted to change clothes. She gave Jas a look and told him to wait a few minutes before joining in on the conversation. Having herself and Jas tag team was part of their plan, and it let Allison time to talk to their dad alone also.

Walking into her parents bedroom following her mom, she had glanced around to see if anything had been out of place, or missing. Not really knowing what she might be looking for, but more of a curious glance to see if there were clues as to what might be going on between them. She had sat down on their bed while her mom went into the closet to change.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Elizabeth called out to Stevie while slipping her blue sweatshirt over her head.

"Um, well, I'm not sure how to say it….uhh.." Stevie stammered, unsure of how she wanted to get it out in the open. What they were both unaware of was Jason standing just outside the door to their parents bedroom. Noticing that Stevie was having a difficult time bringing the subject up, he entered the bedroom.

"What she is trying to ask is what's going on with you and dad?" Jason spoke up, making his presence known to both his mom and his sister.

Elizabeth stopped dead in her tracks when she heard what Jason said. They did notice, and it was obviously affecting them the way it was affecting herself. Now what was she to tell them? She couldn't completely tell them the truth, but she had to give them something otherwise they would keep asking questions. Looking at her babies wondering when they had gotten so big, she began to speak. Starting off with a heavy sigh "Well guys, something happened in Switzerland that I really had no control over, I was basically forced into a decision, a decision that effected dad and one of his students." She started, pausing to catch her breath and gather her thoughts. "You know I really can't talk to much about what happened, but with dad already losing one student to suicide, and now this one has gone missing, its just really bothering him. He is extremely upset with me right now, I'm not sure how long he will stay mad at me, but believe me when I say I am trying to fix this. I don't like it anymore than you do, and obviously its beginning to show since you've come to me about this." She stated, looking at Stevie and Jason noticing concern radiating off their faces.

She had paused to let them take it in, and respond if they had wished.

"But why is he so mad at you for a decision you really had no say in?" Stevie asked, trying to gather everything in her head. "I have never seen him like this, not even when you were in the CIA making calls all the time that were not normally something you would do. You guys are each others touchstones, there's nothing you can't work through together, talking it out."

"Yeah you and dad are a team, you always work though things, no matter how hard they seem. Why does this change things?" Jason spoke up with a slight hesitation in his voice.

"We are a team, and we always will be a team. I think dad just needs to break, he has had so much going on this semester that he can't get his feelings out like he needs to. With my schedule we haven't really been able to talk things out like we normally do." Some of what she said was true, others were a tiny lie. She knew Henry was bothered still by Ivans death, and now that Dimitri was missing it had all started to bottle up inside, and if he didn't start talking to her he was going to blow.

"Do you think we can all have a nice dinner? Would dad be up for that? We were working on setting up a nice family dinner for all of us once you guys had returned from Switzerland, but maybe you and dad should just have a nice dinner together instead." Stevie relayed.

"Stevie, I think the family dinner is a perfect idea, it might get dads spirits lifted a bit." Elizabeth replied, walking over to the bed, where Jason and Stevie were both seated. She took them both into a hug, kissing them on their heads. "You guys really are wonderful, you know that? I know you are worried about dad and I, but NOTHING is going to change how much we love each other, and how committed to each other we are. Team McCord always comes out on top." She continued, not sure who she was really trying to convince, the kids or herself. "So why wasn't Aly in on this little ambush? Or is she tasked with talking to dad?"

"Yeah mom, we thought since dad and Aly had a little bonding time in Cuba, it might be good for her to talk to him" Jason answered.

"Hey dad, can I talk to you?" Allison asked, standing beside her dad as he worked at his desk.

"Yeah, what's up kiddo?" Henry replied sitting up a little straighter in his chair, closing his laptop.

Aly wasn't sure how to start her questions, and she wondered how Jason and Stevie were making out upstairs with their mom. "Are you okay? Are you and mom okay? Some of my friends' parents act like this, and they are divorcing or are already divorced or separated." She started, "Ever since you came back from Switzerland without mom, you've been ignoring her calls and texts, you didn't look at her when she came home tonight, you practically flinched when she kissed you hello on the forehead." "This isn't you, please, what is wrong, we all know something is off and we don't like it." She admitted to her dad, looking at him the whole time she spoke, trying to gauge his reaction to her words.

Henry was taken aback with Allisons abruptness, he wasn't sure why he was, but he was. "Well Noodle, you're correct, things are off but it's nothing you need to worry about. I'm just upset with mom about a few things, and honestly I don't know why I'm so upset with her she didn't really have a choice in the decisions that were made. I am still shaken by Ivans suicide, and now I have another student who is missing because of a choice mom and President Dalton had to make."

"If you know its not moms fault, why are you so upset with her? I've never seen you block her out like you have been lately. She tries to talk to you, to get you to talk to her, and you shut her down. Dad you were her touchstone after Iran, you were strong for her when all of her friends kept getting killed, why aren't you letting her be there for you? You guys have always had great communication skills, Jason, Stevie and I have ALWAYS admired how you two can talk about everything and anything and always find a resolution. Please dad, let her in, you are scaring me and if you are having that effect on me, just think of what it might be doing to mom." Aly pleaded with him.

When did his beautiful little Noodle become such a smart intelligent young woman? She was right, and Henry knew he was being unreasonable to Elizabeth he would make this up to her. "Hey listen to me Noodle, I don't want you guys to worry about mom and me. Nothing is going to change how much I love her, and always will love her, there is nothing she could do that would make me stop loving her, or even fall out of love with her. You don't need to worry about us ever separating or divorcing, we are in this for the long haul. Sometimes things just happen that make you upset at each other, but its nothing we wont get over."

"You need to talk to her then, really talk to her." Ali pleaded again. "Also, you never told us what you would want for a nice McCord family dinner, I think we could all use a night together as a family."

"You're right, we do need a family night. Why don't you go find your brother and sister and get something for dinner, you guys choose tonight, and mom and I will pick for the next night. Okay?" "I have someone I need to talk to." standing up from his desk chair he pulled Ali in for a hug,kissing her on top of her head thanking her for her little chat. It really had made him wake up and see how unreasonable he was being, he left the office on a mission to find Elizabeth.