With a dreadful, sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, Jeffrey none-too-gently shoved Lili off of him and stood up. He winced and turned to face his fate, only to find that his wife was no longer in the doorway. In fact, she was nowhere to be seen.

But he wasn't about to let that fool him. Running a worried hand through his hair, he sighed and hurried out of the room, ignoring Lili's complaints. He wasn't really sure where he was going. He had to find Skye, but where could she possible be? Knowing her, she might already trying to hitchhike back to Boston. Somehow, he find himself at the doorway to the kitchen. Churchie took one look at him, slumped against the door-jam, and hurried over.

"Jeffrey! What's the matter?"

He just sighed and shook his head. "It's a long story. You haven't seen Skye, by any chance, have you?"

Her kind face wrinkled into a concerned frown and she shook her head. "No, I haven't, but I heard the front door slam a minute ago."

He didn't wait to hear anything else she might have said. Skye was the only one in the house who would go around slamming doors. Once he got outside however, he realized that he wasn't really any closer to finding her. Now he just had it narrowed down to the entire world outside of his house. He wouldn't have put it past his wife to catch the first plane back to Australia. Oh, why couldn't she just yell at him and get it over with?!

As if in answer to his question, the sound of a faint but undeniable recognizable scream of frustration filled the spring air. Thrilled to finally have some coordinate to head towards, Jeffrey took of in the direction of the noise as fast as his feet would carry him. He was rewarded by the sight of his wife pacing around a small clearing, kicking the surrounding trees in irritation.

He sighed in relief and rushed up to her. And then promptly took a large step backward. She had turned towards him, and it had been a long time since he had seen her beautiful face so full of anger.

He winced, preparing him self for a royal scolding, but it never came. Rather surprised - had she actually decided to hear his side of the story for once? - he looked at her quizzically. That answered his question. She had no intention of forgiving him, but she was expecting him to explain anyways. Sighing, he began.

"Look, Skye, I know what it looked like, but it really wasn't."

She just raised an eyebrow at him. Okay, so she wasn't going to make this easy for him.

"Look, I burned my hand, and she wanted to take a look at it, and then we tripped. That's when you walked in."

"Okay, then." Her voice was the iciest he had ever heard it. "Let's take a look at your hand, shall we?" She grabbed his hands.

"No, Skye - you don't understand -"

"Oh, don't I? Then perhaps you can explain why your hands don't show the slightest bit of burning?"

"Well, they didn't really get burned -"

"Well then why did Lili want to look at them?! Or, don't tell me. She just wants to look at you in general?"

"Skye, you aren't being very fair.."

"I'M not being very fair?! Oh, that's rich, considering what you've been up to! I'm not the one who was lying on the floor with another woman on top of me! Do you really think that was fair?!"

"Skye... I told you. We just tripped!"

"Well, neither of you seemed too anxious to right yourselves!"

"It had just happened!"

"That doesn't matter, Jeffery. There must have been a thousand ways to avoid that situation! You just didn't want to! Look, Jeffrey: I realize that having a pregnant wife can be boring. There are a lot of other things you have to think about, and I'm not as much fun as I used to be.

"But you married me! For better or for worse if you remember! I have kept my end of this bargain very well, Mr! And when we got married, I assumed you would do the same! But no! You weren't satisfied! You had to go and mess around with someone you have claimed to hate for years.

"How do you think that makes me feel?! I thought you cared for me, no matter what! And then I walk into a room and find that! How could you do that?! Or are you such an idiot as to think that I wouldn't find out?! I have never been so disgusted with a person in my entire life!"

Fighting back tears which she swore she would never let him see, she turned around and tried to control her breathing. She was furious with him, sure. But there was something else, too. When she had walking into that room, she had felt something in her snap. And now it felt like the rest of her world was crumbling all around her. Everything she had grown to count on had disappeared and she didn't know what to do.

"Look, Skye... Will you please let me explain? It really wasn't what you think... I'm so sorry -"

She was done. She was done with all of his fake comfort. She was done with the way that he looked at her, as if she might crumble at the slightest touch. She was done with his pity. And it was about time he knew it.

"For God's sake, Jeffrey! Just shut up, will you?"

She took a deep breath and captured her tongue between her teeth, holding back an infinite stream of shouting that was dying to be heard. They had had enough of that already. This was the time to be in control. The last thing she wanted to be was a sobbing, dependent wife. If she was going to end this, she was going to do it calmly.

"Look, Jeffrey. You don't have to apologize. It doesn't matter, at this point. We both know what happened in there, no matter how hard you try and deny it. I'm sorry."

Jeffrey's hand on her arm spun her around so they were looking at each other, their faces mere inches apart. His face was white, but it was his eyes that struck her. They were huge, and filled with horror. He swallowed thickly, as if nervous to speak.

"Skye. What are you saying?"

She looking back in the eyes, defiantly, as she thought about how to word her answer. She wanted to make this as painful as possible, despite the fact that she knew every word she spoke would hurt her has much as it did her target.
"I'll let you know when the baby is born. The last thing this world needs is another child growing up with only one parent."

Oh, how she meant that. She didn't want to be an single mother. She wanted to go through it with him at her side, but not if it meant that she would have to look him in the face every day and know that he wasn't loyal. The expression of pain that took over his face as her words registered made it hard to breathe. It wasn't supposed to hurt her this much. Him, yes. Her, no. But it made no difference. It was all his fault, and now he was paying for it. They both were.

"Skye, no - please don't do this. Skye - will you please just let me explain? You can't do this!"

"Oh, can't I? Well, then, Jeffrey Tifton, you're in for quite a shock."

"Skye!" His voice was pleading. "Please?"

Blinking back her tears, she turned away from him. And as she did, she heard something. It was the high pitched call of Lili Spencer, and she was calling Jeffrey's name. The sounds of footsteps drew closer and Skye made up her mind.

She wasn't going to let that evil woman get away with this. Her mother-in-law might have won the war, but Skye was going to do everything in her power to make sure that she never found out about it.

Frowning in determination, she whirled back on her husband and pressed her lips to his in a deep, desperate kiss. She ignored his surprised exclamations, and concentrated on making it look like she was enjoying herself. And she hated that fact that she didn't have to try very hard. Because, in all honesty, she was enjoying herself. She had always liked Jeffrey's kisses, and this time even more so because she knew it was the last time.

His lips were firm against hers and his hands ever so gentle as they cupped her cheeks. Had he been thinking clearly, he would have realized that she had an altering motive to her actions. Had he been thinking clearly, he would have realized that it was very unusual for Skye to be kissing him so soon after what had just happened. Had he been thinking clearly, he would have been a bit more suspicious. But clear wasn't the word to describe his thought process. His whole mind had been overcome by oh! and ah! and god! how could I ever have almost lost this?

It was the sound of an indignant huff that jolted Skye back into the reality of why she was doing this. A bit reluctant, she pried her lips from his and extracted herself from his tight grasp. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she turned in the direction of the noise. Lili Spencer leaning against a tree with her arms cross, glaring at them.

Skye, in turn, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the intruder, daring her to speak. Lili was never one to shirk from a challenge, and so she did just that.

"Well, well, well. You certainly are a flighty one, aren't you, Jeff, darling."

But he didn't answer. He was staring at his wife, mentally slapping himself for not seeing it sooner. He had, stupidly, believed that Skye had kissed him because she wanted to; because she had forgiven him. Now he saw that wasn't the case at all. She hadn't forgiven him - she was using him and his emotions to win a game, and that was all. His mother had one the war, but his wife was determined to claim the battle. He had never imagined anything could be as painful as that knowledge. And then Lili was speaking again, and he forced himself to pay attention, if only to distract himself from the ache of his breaking heart.

"Did he even tell you what happened, Skye, dear?" She received only an icy glare in return. "I didn't think so. Well, you might be interested to know that -"

"No! You know what? I don't want to know. I don't want to listen to your petty little lies. Nothing happened back there, and we all know it! You are a lying thieving, conniving scoundrel and I don't believe a word you say! Jeffrey would never do anything disloyal, and neither you nor anyone else could make me believe otherwise!"

"Oh, temper, temper, temper, Skye..." Her tone was mocking, but she had taken a few steps backward.

"No! I have a right to lose my temper. You are an idiot, and a jerk, and a few other unspeakable things. Now get out of here and leave my husband and me alone before I decide you punch you right in your nose-job!"

Lili didn't need to be told twice. She turned on one sparkly high heel and ran back towards the house. Jeffrey, thrilled and trying as hard as he could to contain his relieved laughter, moved closer to his wife.

"Oh, honey. You see, I told you nothing -"

She slapped him. Hard.

"Owww! What was that for?!"

Her body was shaking and there were tears in her eyes. "You are a jerk, Jeffrey. You were going to let me divorce you and go through my entire life believing that you didn't care! How could you do that?!"

"Oh, Skye..."

"No! Don't you dare 'oh, Skye' me!"

He sighed. "Skye, what can I do for you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just shut up and kiss me, will you, you big jerk!?"

He chuckled and gladly complied. And it was bliss. As she moved her lips in time with his, the tears she had been holding back all afternoon broke free. Once they started, she couldn't control them anymore and soon torrents of tears were streaming down her face as she sobbed into his shoulder. His arms secured themselves around her waist and buried his face in her hair.

"Skye?"

"Yes?" She hiccuped slightly as she tried to regain her dignity.

He pulled back ever so slightly; just enough so that he could see her face. "I am so, so sorry."

"Good. You should be. But, I'm sorry, too. I should have trusted you more. It's just - well, seeing you two like that - I didn't know what to..." And then she was crying again, and cursing the hormones that made her so emotional.

"Skye, what made you finally believe me?"

She flashed him a watery smile and chuckled slightly. "Lili. She was so perfectly awful. I knew that no one in his right mind would leave his wife for her. And, honestly, though you are many things, Jeffrey Penderwick, you are certainly not insane."

He grinned. "And I don't have a head injury, either?"

"Definitely not."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him heartily on the lips. Perhaps this vacation wasn't a complete waste, after all..

Gosh, I am so sorry, guys. I really, really meant to update sooner, but things have just been insane over here. Things should be more regular now. :-) I hope...

babybeluga747 - Aww. Thank you!

Guest I - Hahaha. Me neither... :-)

The One You Never Suspected - Hahaha. Thanks! I'm glad you are enjoying it.

Babybubble262 - Thank you!

Smokepaw - Thanks! Yeah, I know... I like cliffhangers. :-)

iluvzhorsez - :-) Well, I usually try and update every few days, but these last few chapters have been coming rather spottedly. I should get back on track here soon, but the last few weeks of school are always crazy.

Guest II - Haha, I agree... :-)

JayBirdBlue - Hahaha. Thank you! :-)

Randomsarcasm42 - Short but sweet... :-)

Guest III - Thanks!

Isc01 - Hahaha. Wow, thank you so much for that compliment. Those are the sort of things I love to hear. :-)