She walked out of Kevin's office, on edge. He pushed her to think about what she had experienced, what her husband was experiencing, and the stress this was causing both of them. It had put them at odds at a time when they should be coming together. She looked for him, but he wasn't anywhere in sight and then as she rounded the corner she ran into Bobbie. "Have you seen Ned anywhere? He was supposed to meet me here."

"Alexis, how are you?" She was genuine.

"I'm doing as well as I can be. So, have you seen him?"

"I have and I told him I'd wait for you."

"Oh," she was surprised. "Did he say where he was going?"

"Walk with me," Bobbie said and Alexis followed. "Ned went to a bereavement group for parents that meets here at the hospital."

"He what?" She was shocked and confused.

"We were talking, as he was waiting for you. I suggested it. After what you've been through, it can help to talk to people going through the same loss. I can take you to him, if you'd like."

"Please, I didn't realize…, yes please take me to him." She said as it suddenly hit her that he was suffering just as badly and she hadn't been there. Maybe Kevin was right. Maybe she was blinded by her own reality that by pushing him away, she unintentionally caused him to feel isolated, alone, and like he couldn't rely on her.

He sat there and listened to parents share their story. The loss felt by all in the room was palpable and many were struggling with the holiday that was looming over all of them. He didn't intend to speak, but hearing the stories, knowing he'd feel validated, it moved him to share his feelings with the group of strangers. "Like many of you, I never imagined that this would have happened…it's been almost a week..my newborn son, gone in the blink of an eye. Nothing happened the way it should have." He paused, trying to keep his emotions in check. "The events of that night, I can't seem to think that they could have been avoided. That I could have done things differently, gotten there sooner. Maybe I could have gotten him to the hospital, and he'd be here right now." He paused, and looked down as he gathered his thoughts.

As he did Bobbie walked Alexis into the room and she sat down in the back, unnoticed by him. "And you see my wife, she got to hold him, she has this memory of holding him… alive, seemingly healthy. And a small part of me is jealous of that, because the only memory I have is the sight of her unconscious and finding him, holding him, so still and lifeless." He continued as his voice cracked. " I'm trying to be the strong one, hold it all together because the person I need most right now, she hasn't fully accepted that our son is gone and it's like walking a tightrope. It's ok if you don't look down, as long as you don't fall, but if you do.." he let his sentence trail as he gathered his thoughts.. "So here I am talking to a room full of strangers because I'm afraid of that fall. Of what will happen if I say the wrong thing because I can't lose her, too. So I'll just stay present and keep looking straight ahead and hope that this will get easier. That soon we will be able to make decisions together, like giving him a name….we never even gave him a name…anyway, thank you for listening."

She wiped the tears that had fallen as he spoke. She hadn't fully let herself see how much he was struggling, too. And he was right, they hadn't given him a name and that alone broke her heart. Their son deserved a name. And her husband should have been able to talk to her, but she had dismissed his reality and made it impossible.

The meeting ended soon after he spoke and he walked over to the side table and took a bottle of water. Bobbie had been right, it had helped, he only wished he could share how he felt with Alexis. A woman approached him and he smiled gently at her. "Your wife, she's lucky to have you." She said as she took a bottle of water and Alexis walked up behind him and placed her hand at his shoulder.

"Yes, she is." He turned at the sound of her voice and she hugged him lightly. "Hi," she said as the woman looked at the two of them and walked away.

He was surprised to see her and then saw Bobbie standing there out of the corner of his eye and knew she had gotten Alexis there. "Hi." He leaned in and kissed her lightly. "How much–"

"Can we go somewhere where we can talk?" She interrupted.

"Yeah. That's a good idea." He said, and took her hand as they walked out of the room.

They ended up in the chapel and she walked over to light a candle and he followed, placing his hand at the small of her back. They stood and watched the candle light flicker, neither sure how to start the conversation.

"Owen." She said quietly, speaking first.

"What?" He was caught off guard, confused.

"You said we hadn't given him a name. What do you think about Owen?"

"Owen," he said processing. "I like it."

"Owen Edward Ashton."

"You want to name him after my grandfather? Really?"

"No, after his father." She brought her hand to his cheek. She paused and then looked him in the eyes, "I owe you an apology."

"No you don't." He replied, taking her hand.

"Yes, yes I do. I've been so consumed by my own grief, I haven't stopped once to think about how this is affecting you and for that I am deeply sorry."

"I don't want to make this harder for you." He said bringing his hand to her face and then pushing her hair behind her ear.

She looked at him with empathy, "You can talk to me. I won't break. Promise."

She took his hand and they walked over and sat in the first row of the chapel. "Honestly, I think I've been so focused on you, so that I wouldn't have to think about how I feel."

She ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. "And..?" She gently coaxed.

"I can't help but feel like I should have been able to stop this from happening. And there are times when I look at you, and I flash right back to that night."

She looked at him sympathetically and pulled him into an embrace. "This is not your fault."

"But isn't it? Jillian wouldn't have even entered our lives if I hadn't withheld what happened in London from you. If I had shut it down and came home the moment she started to pursue something."

She pulled away and took his face in her hands. "You assured me this wasn't my fault, and you need to hear me when I tell you this isn't yours either. You couldn't have changed this."

"If I had gotten there sooner? What if–"

"Don't do that to yourself." She whispered as she brought her hands to his chest. "Neither of us are at fault here, neither of us can change what happened."

"It sounds like talking to Kevin may have helped?"

"Yes and no. He wants me to see him again." She said quietly.

"And you don't think you need to do that?" He asked gently, knowing his wife.

"I just don't see how sitting around talking about my feelings is going to help get my memory back." She dodged, not quite ready to tell him that Kevin was concerned. "I'm not sure how to, what did he say? Go about the business of living…but I know that I have to, for Kristen, and for you."

"If it helped even in the smallest way I think you should continue, but I love you and I'll support you, whatever you decide. You know that, right?"

"I do and I'm not sure what the right thing is for me, for us to heal, but I do know that our family is what matters most. So, let's go get our daughter and go home, Ned. We need to be a family again."

He nodded in agreement, took her hand and kissed her palm before they stood up and walked out of the chapel and headed for the Quartermaines.