They looked forward to the quiet morning at home that Christmas. They all sat in the living room with coffee, cinnamon rolls, and hot chocolate. Ned and Alexis sat next to each other on one end of the sofa, his arm around her. Christmas mornings were relaxed now that their kids were older; they sat and passed gifts and just genuinely enjoyed being at home all day and spending time with their children.

"Addie, how's your head this morning?" Ned asked, not quite sure he believed the story he had been told. He saw her by the elevator and she was very clearly upset and/or having some sort of anxiety attack.

"Better thanks," Addison replied as she took a sip of the tea she was drinking.

"You actually had a headache? Because I saw you confronting Joss by the nurse's station. I don't buy it" Krissy said, questioning her sister's version of events.

"Who are you to tell me whether or not I actually had a headache? Honestly. " Addison said exasperated that her sister felt the need to chime in. She wasn't wrong, but also it wasn't her business.

"Whoa, you're speaking to me? Finally." Kristen announced, shocked.

"Well you seem to think you know what was going on. So go ahead tell me."

"I think you were fighting with Joss and then bailed before Mom or Dad caught you causing drama because you didn't want to be in trouble again. You just can't handle not being the center of their attention." Kristen called her sister out. She was old enough to handle the truth and from her perspective Addison had been craving her parent's attention since the day she entered their lives.

"Oh my god, really?! Joss approached me and you have NO idea what is happening in my life, Krissy. None. So spare me."

"Well maybe if you weren't so overdramatic about Thanksgiving–"

Owen groaned. "Can't you two just fake it for today?" He was so tired of his sister's constant need to prod each other.

"No, I can't sit here and pretend she's not butting into things that don't concern her. So much so that now she thinks she can tell me when I can and can't have a headache. Like that's in my control? Why can't you just be my sister?" Addison stood and walked closer to her sister, who was sitting in the chair opposite her.

"Addie, I am your sister and I do care about you." Kristen said, sincerely. Maybe Owen was right. They needed to try.

"Addison, Kristen, please…it's Christmas." Ned said.

Addison took a deep breath. "Sorry. I didn't mean to ruin the morning." Addison said to her parents as she sat back down.

"You didn't, peanut, just put it aside for now." Alexis said.

Kristen rolled her eyes. "She's playing you two. How do you not see that?"

"You are so wrong about so many things, Krissy. You have no idea what it's like to be me. I'm not the perfect daughter like you."

"And you think it's so easy being me? Please. You wouldn't last a day in my shoes."

"I know that! I've tried ok! I'm still trying!" Addison yelled, standing again.

Owen looked at his mother for an escape; she nodded. "Thanks." He said as he headed up the stairs towards his room. Leaving a pile of gifts on the sofa.

"Addie…" Ned said and then sighed. He had hoped they'd helped her understand they loved her for who she is.

"We told you that's not what we expect, sweetheart." Alexis added and stood, stepping closer to her younger daughter and ran her hand through her hair.

"What did I miss?" Kristen asked, picking up on the vibe shift in the room.

"Nothing. If you needed to know, you'd know." Addison said, indignantly.

"Kristen, can I talk to you in the kitchen?" Alexis asked. Maybe separating them, having a heart to heart would help.

"Don't tell her, Mom. Don't." She had told her parents she didn't want Kristen to know about her diagnosis. It would be one more thing Kristen used to show how incapable she was at everything.

"I know where you stand." Alexis said and she kissed Addison't head. "Stay here and talk to your father ok?"

"That's a good idea." Ned agreed as Kristen stood, exited the living room with Alexis and went into the kitchen.

"Don't take her side, Daddy. I know you think she was right." Addison said as she sat down next to her father.

"We're not talking about Thanksgiving, princess. This is bigger than your fight on Thanksgiving."

"Oh." Addison said, surprised.

"You still think we expect you to be perfect?" Ned asked, perplexed, slightly hurt. He thought Addison had started to understand that wasn't reality. But then again, her perception was her reality.

"Sometimes. But I know it's mostly all in my head. It's hard not to think that, it's how I've felt my whole life."

"How can I help, princess? I don't want you to feel this way. I love you."

"I'm not sure. Dr. Winters says it's just going to take some time."

"But if there's something, you'll tell me right?" He wanted to help her.

"Yeah and I know I go to Mom a lot and I'm sorry." She felt guilty for not turning to her father more. He was there for her, but she knew her mom understood how she felt better than anyone else.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Just know I'm always here, too. I'll listen or help you problem-solve whatever you need."

"Thanks, I know I can talk to you. Talking helps a lot, actually."

"So maybe you should try talking to Krissy. Not fighting with her; talking with her."

"I can't help it. She just thinks she knows everything and is always right and it's infuriating."

"She loves you and she was just trying to look out for you."

"I love her, too, but she doesn't understand what it's like. School was different for her. She doesn't have all these thoughts making her second guess everything she says or does."

"I bet if you tried to explain that she'd listen, Addie. All she wanted was to help you."

"I know that." She reluctantly admitted.

"I know you didn't want us to tell her about your diagnosis, but I think it would help you understand each other."

"Maybe." Addison reluctantly admitted.

"Addie, was she right about last night? Did you want to leave because of Joss?"

"No, she was totally off base. Well, I mean maybe Joss was involved in why I wanted to leave, but the conversation she saw…that's not what upset me. That's not why I forced Mom to take me home."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Not really." The last thing she was ready for was to talk to her dad about how she felt about Cam.

"Does your mother know?"

"She does. I told her not to tell you. I'm sorry. I know it wasn't fair of me to ask her to keep a secret from you. It's just kind of personal …"

"It's ok. You tell me when you're ready. But you're ok?"

"I'm ok. Should I apologize to Krissy? Because I still think she owes me one."

"I think that would be a good idea. A good place to start."

"Thanks, Daddy. I'll go try, but if she jumps all over me again…"

"Just try." He said, knowing she had her mother's temper and Kristen had his defensive streak when she thought she was right.

Simultaneously, in the kitchen, Alexis was standing by the island trying to reason with Kristen. "So what is going on that she doesn't want you to tell me?" Kristen asked, concerned for her sister.

"She's just navigating a lot right now." Alexis said, trying to keep it vague but also give her oldest daughter enough information to give her some perspective.

"The drama on myFace is still happening? Why wouldn't you stop that?" Kristen asked, abruptly.

"Kristen, don't jump to conclusions. This is bigger than myFace and what happened on Thanksgiving and I'd appreciate some respect. I'm your mother and I'm hers. You don't get to question my parenting decisions."

"Right, sorry. I just don't understand why you're all deliberately keeping me in the dark. Does Owen know what's going on?"

"He does and I'm sure once you find a way to build back some trust with Addie she'll want you to know as well. She loves you. She does."

"And I love her too, but she was wrong. Why can't she just own that? Why are you and Dad making excuses for her behaving like this?"

"We aren't making excuses for her. We're talking to you both."

"Well it seems like you are. You'd have never let me get away with acting this way."

"Kristen, you're older. She looks up to you. I've told you; you need to figure out how to repair the relationship with your sister. You're the one who broke her trust. Even if it was coming from a good place."

"She's acting like a two year old."

"She's acting 14. Just try, Krissy."

"I was just trying to look out for her. Why can't she see that?"

"Because she's 14 and unlike you she's quiet and shy and is trying to figure out who she is and where she belongs. Your sister likes to try and solve her own problems. She worries about disappointing us."

"Why are you taking her side? You always take her side."

"Now whose acting 2? This isn't about sides. It's about the fact that you're sisters and you need each other, so make an effort Krissy."

"I will if she will."

"If she will, what?" Addison asked, walking into the kitchen after finishing her conversation with their dad.

"Try to move past this argument with your sister." Alexis stated.

"Well if she'd act like my sister instead of trying to fix my life and act like my parent, maybe I could."

"I wasn't trying to–" Kristen said, defensively.

"Yes you were! You didn't trust me as your sister to know what I could handle and what I couldn't." Addison cut in.

"Addison, please just listen to her." Alexis pleaded.

"Mom, I don't need to. I know what she thinks." She told her dad she'd try, but Krissy was too defensive. It was pointless.

"I am not doing this with you again, Addie. When you want to actually have a conversation about this, let me know." Kristen said, walking away.

"The two of you are too stubborn for your own good. You're sisters, Addie. Try, please, just try."

"I know we are. Daddy said basically the same thing."

"Then, stop blaming her for telling us about myFace."

"Blaming her? She did it."

"Addison, you messed up. You paid the consequences. We would have found out eventually and the fact that she told us when she did just means your situation didn't get worse. Just put it behind you."

"Why are you taking her side? You always side with Krissy." She watched her mom's reaction, "What?"

"She thinks I always take your side, peanut. So just figure it out and find common ground, ok? You need each other."

"Daddy thinks I should tell her everything that's happened since Thanksgiving."

"I agree. I think you should. She's part of this family and should know. Maybe if you both took time to try and understand the other's point of view you'd be able to communicate again. But it's your decision."

"Maybe you should listen to your own advice, Mom."

"I can't believe you just said that. Addison, I love you, but that was uncalled for."

"Maybe it was a bit too far. I know you and Daddy are trying to stop fighting."

"No, maybe about it. It was. Please just go find Krissy and work this out. We can't spend the next month like this."

"Ok, because it's Christmas, but Mom, if she betrays me again, please take my side next time."

"You're both my daughters. I'm on both of your sides, Addison."

"I guess that's fair. I'll go find her." She said as she started leaving the kitchen and she passed her father on the way in.

"Try," he said as he looked at her in passing.

"You ok?" Ned asked as he walked up behind his wife and placed his hand at her shoulder.

"How much did you overhear?" She turned to face him.

"Just the tail end. So, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just hate seeing them like this and I hate that they both think I favor the other."

"There are times…" Their daughters weren't wrong. They both had moments when he favored Kristen and she favored Addison.

"What? You think I have a favorite child? A favorite daughter?"

"Don't we both?" He hated admitting it might be true. They loved all three of their kids, but they connected with their children differently.

"No. We don't." He looked at her skeptically, "We don't."

"I'll let you work that out for yourself. The girls…They'll figure it out. They always do." He said as he hugged her.

"Ned?" She said quietly. Her daughter's comment about taking her own advice playing in her head as he held her.

"Hmm?" He said as he kissed the top of her head.

She pulled away to look at him. "I made a decision you need to know about." She stepped out if his arms, out of his reach, and walked towards the windows.

"You're representing Morgan. I know. I knew the second you told me you took that meeting."

"I don't want this to come between us." She said quietly, turning back to face him, searching his eyes.

"You know how I feel." He matched her tone. He stepped towards her.

"I do, but it's my career. It's my choice to make." She reminded him.

"Just like saying no to Chief Counsel is your choice." He added. He knew he shouldn't have, but he did.

"We agreed to table that until you had the votes for CEO."

"So there's a chance?" She looked at him regretfully. "So what you mean is, we tabled another argument and you haven't even thought twice about it."

"Honey…" She looked at him, and took his hand.

"Listen, it's Christmas and I don't want to fight. I truly don't." He couldn't understand why they were unable to see this as anything other than a black and white issue.

"Me either." She said in agreement. They needed to find a way to meet in the middle, she just wasn't sure how. He squeezed her hand, and she touched his arm as he left the room. She knew that he needed some space to process her decision, even if he felt like he already knew, and so she stayed in the kitchen with her coffee, while he went to the living room.

Upstairs, Addison stood outside her sister's slightly ajar door. She didn't want to, but she promised her parents she'd try and so she did. "Krissy?" She asked, poking her head in.

"Addison? You can come in." Kristen said, surprised. She didn't think her sister would cave in so soon.

"Thanks." Addison walked fully into the room.

"Do you need something? Because I'm tired of fighting about this." Kristen said, setting down the book she was reading. Her sister had given it to her months ago, before she left for school and she never fully gave it a chance. She had thought maybe this would be a way to build a bridge.

"Yeah, I promised Dad I'd try and actually talk to you. So I'm here." Addison said, standing in front of her sister, who sat on the window seat. She noted that she was finally reading the book she had given her. She knew she'd like it. The main character viewed the world through her love of math. It was a book she only got in hopes of finding a window that would help her understand her sister.

"You get that I just wanted to look out for you, right? That what those kids were saying isn't right and doesn't define who you are." Kristen tried to explain. She truly did just want to help her.

Addison sighed, "I know. But I also wasn't innocent and I didn't want them to know how I reacted to it." Addison said as she sat cross legged on her sister's bed.

"I'm sure whatever you said was deserved."

"Thanks."

"Addie, if you had told me they didn't know you were on myFace…I would have helped you." Kristen said, joining her sister on the bed and sitting across from her.

"You're in Boston and I don't need everyone's help." Addison said, slightly annoyed that Kristen thought she couldn't handle it alone. Kristen had always tried to help her with everything since she was a little kid and it drove her insane.

"Mom said there's more going on…" Kristen wanted to know what was really happening. She felt out of the loop and disconnected from everything with their family lately.

"There is. You're my sister, so I guess I agree you should know, but please don't go telling everyone. People think I'm a freak as it is."

"I won't, what is it?"

Addison took a deep breath and then said it out loud. "I have anxiety."

"That's not exactly a secret, Addie. You've always been cautious and a worrier."

"No, I legitimately have a diagnosis. I have what's called Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I'm in therapy for it."

"Oh, wow. When did that happen?" Kristen was surprised no one said anything to her.

"A couple weeks ago, after I had a panic attack when Mom and Dad were fighting and Mom said she wanted to separate."

"Wait— what? What happened?" She was shocked it was that bad. Not just her sister's anxiety, but that her parents were actually talking about separation.

"Exactly. Basically school has been a nightmare and there was this hottest freshmen list of girls to pressure that ended up online and then with them fighting I kind of freaked out for real. I can usually control it, but it sent me over the edge and they hauled me off to the doctor and now I know what's always been wrong with me. Why I'll never live up to the expectation you set for me."

"So that's what you meant this morning? You've been trying to do everything I did?"

"Sort of. At least when it comes to grades. But school is harder for me and Mrs. Ryan keeps comparing me to you. It's a lot of pressure."

"You need to chill. I'm not perfect, just ask Mom."

"I know you and Mom fought a lot. But it was because you were so driven, Krissy. Sometimes you're kind of blinded by your goals and you insert yourself into things that have nothing to do with you."

"I messed up a few times, Addie. It wasn't just because what she wanted for me didn't align with my own goals."

"I know that, too."

"So, you need to be yourself. Mom is on your side. She always is."

"She wants to be on yours too, Krissy. Sometimes you don't let her, it's why you fight."

"You might have a point." She agreed and then changed the subject. "What is this list of girls to pressure… into sex?" Addison nodded. "And you're on it?"

"Yes. It's a combination of popular girls and girls they think will do things to be popular. I don't think I need to tell you which one they think I am."

"Mom wasn't exaggerating. You've been handling more than most." Kristen had compassion for her sister. She had no idea.

"No she wasn't and yes I have. So, I kind of need my sister to be my sister and not my parent right now. Ok?"

"I'm sorry you feel like that's what I was doing."

"I forgive you. But you owe me. Agreed?"

"Agreed. But can we go back to Mom and Dad…Mom really wants to separate?"

"Who knows. They've been trying, but there's still a lot of tension."

"Owen said things were bad…" She started to put pieces together.

"He wouldn't make it up. We kind of need you to run interference. Dad wants Mom to work at ELQ. She doesn't want to. He won't let it go and now Mom is considering working for Sonny again to represent Morgan and it's sending Dad into a spiral about her safety."

"Well, she did almost die twice. You almost died, too. I get why Dad would be upset."

"What do you mean twice?"

"Well you know about the explosion. But before any of us were born there was a shoot out at the police station. Sonny saved her life."

"How do you know this?"

"I had to look something up. Confirm a few things some kids at school were saying once and well, their love story was a media shit storm for a while. I got lost in everything that was out there and found the article about it. It happened on Christmas Eve."

"So if I were to just enter their names into the search engine…"

"Don't do it. No good will come from that. You don't need to know this. They don't even know I do."

"Gotcha." She wondered if they knew the same thing.

"Promise me you won't go down that rabbit hole, Addie. It's not good."

"I don't need more reasons to think they're getting divorced, trust me. I promise."

"Good. I'm going to go see what's up. Maybe Dad will say something if I bring up ELQ."

"Thank you." Addison was relieved. If any of them had the power to get through to them it would be Kristen. She got up off her sister's bed and went back to her room. She had to think about how to handle the situation with Cam and Joss.

Owen walked into the kitchen, looking for his mother. Earlier, he was on his way into the kitchen to grab a snack and had overheard her telling his father that she was representing Morgan, and now he wanted to know why. It didn't make sense considering everything that happened at school that fall, but he didn't stick around to listen to what her rationale was for fear they'd start fighting about it. He found her sitting at the counter with coffee, picking at a cinnamon roll they had made for breakfast at his suggestion. One thing was clear, his parents had disagreed and either fought or came close to it. He could always tell by the way they retreated to different parts of the house, but he had to ask her.

"Hi, O." She smiled at her son. "This was a good idea. These are very good."

"Thanks. The coast clear?" Between his sisters and his parents, the morning was intense.

"Your sisters are either avoiding each other or talking it out. Only time will tell."

"I hope it's the latter."

"You and me both," she smiled in agreement.

"Hey, can I ask you something?"

"You can ask me anything. What's up?" She was interested. Owen seemed to go to Ned more and more with whatever was on his mind. She welcomed the opportunity to talk with her son.

"Mom you aren't really going to represent Morgan, are you?" Owen asked concerned.

"I told your dad I was." It was not what she expected and she was caught off guard a bit.

"You can't. Just don't do it." He said rationally. Calmly.

Alexis watched her son, trying to figure out where this was coming from. "Owen, what's this about? Did your dad put you up to this?"

"Dad would never get me involved in one of your arguments." Owen replied, a bit surprised.

"He's right. I can't even believe you'd think that." Ned stated, walking into the kitchen and placing his empty coffee mug in the sink.

"Well I don't know what to expect from you recently. So who knows." Alexis replied to her husband.

Owen sighed, and left the room unnoticed. So much for trying to be better he thought as he walked into the hall. His friends were probably online by now and he wanted to try the new game. He couldn't listen to them anymore and he felt guilty for being the reason another fight had started.

"Clearly our son has concerns. Maybe you'll listen to him." Ned looked at his wife.

"Owen what's this about?" Alexis turned to her son, but he was gone. She turned back to her husband, "See what you did?"

"Me? You accused me of using our son to persuade you not to represent someone who is connected to the mob, Alexis. You should know better. Whatever we disagree about, I'd never use our kids like that."

Out in the hall, Kristen passed Owen, who stopped her. "I wouldn't go in there if I were you."

"Why?"

"I wanted to talk to Mom about Morgan. She assumed Dad put me up to it, he walked in, and now they're probably at it again."

"Really? It's that bad?"

"I told you. Even the smallest thing triggers a fight. They were doing ok for a bit, leading up to Christmas, or maybe they were just better at hiding it from Addison and me. They know we can't stand it."

"I'm sorry, O. Stay here." Kristen said as she stormed into the kitchen. "I can't believe you two!"

"Kristen." They said simultaneously.

"All Owen wanted to do was talk to you Mom. That's it. Why are you jumping all over Dad?"

"That's not what's happening, Krissy. You haven't been here. You don't know what's going on." Alexis said, annoyed at her oldest's accusation.

"Yes I do. How could you accuse Dad of using Owen like that?"

"Krissy, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but–" He didn't want to see their daughter take sides.

"No Dad, someone here needs to be an adult. Did you know that Owen had been texting me almost daily when I was at school. Asking if you've ever been this way before. Asking what I remember from when he was little. And Addie just told me she is so worried you're getting divorced she had a full blown panic attack?

"You two talked?" Alexis asked, surprised.

"We did, so can you both just stop?"

"I'm going to go talk to him." Alexis said to Ned, who nodded. "He downstairs?" She asked her daughter.

"Probably." Kristen said and then turned to her father as her mother exited the kitchen. "So, Seriously Dad, what are you doing about ELQ?"

Alexis walked downstairs to find her son playing a video game, headset on, completely engaged. She felt terrible for pulling him into the issues she had with Ned. She never should have said it. She knew Ned would never put any of their children in the middle.

"Is that the game we got you for Christmas?" Alexis asked as she approached.

"Hang on a minute guys." He took his headset off. "Yeah. What is it, Mom?"

"Can we talk for a few minutes?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess." He put his headset on. "I gotta go, but I'll be back in 20." He pulled his headset off as Alexis sat on the table across from him.

"I'm sorry I put you in the middle Owen. You're right, your dad would never use you kids to get to me and neither would I. I wasn't thinking. I reacted because of my history with Sonny and my history with your father surrounding that. Can you forgive me?"

"Yeah, of course. I understand why you'd jump to the conclusion...I'm over it. Is that all?"

"Well no. You wanted to talk to me and I want to hear what you have to say."

"Really? Because it didn't sound that way." He was skeptical. He knew his Mom and once she made up her mind about something it was hard to get her to change positions.

"Yes. So what is it about Morgan?" She knew how her husband felt. She never expected her kids to have feelings about it as well.

"I just don't think you should do it, Mom. It kind of goes against everything you stand for."

"What do you mean, O?"

"Well, you always taught me that we all need to take responsibility for our actions and defending him to get him off the hook for something he absolutely did…it just doesn't make sense. I feel like it goes against what you believe."

"He's struggling with his mental health. There are reasons he's been acting out more than normal. I also believe that people deserve a highly qualified defense. The justice system has to do its job." Her son had a point, but didn't have all the facts.

"That may be true, but Mom, he's the one who posted the list on myFace. Yes, other kids helped him create it. But he broadcast it to basically the entire school. How can you defend someone who did that to Addie?"

"He is?" She wanted more details.

"How do you not know this? The school did this whole thing. We all had to sit in sexual harassment and cyberbullying for dummies during extended homeroom. Kids got suspended and everything. He was suspended when he was arrested. That's why."

"I suspected, because of what you sent your dad. But I really only know what your school sent out to parents and what your principal told your father and me; because it involves minors, and there's a right to confidentiality. The school had an obligation to protect people's privacy."

"So now that you know for sure. How can you do it? How can you defend him?"

"Well you've certainly given me something to think about and I appreciate that you felt comfortable enough to have this conversation with me, Owen. I'm sorry again that I wasn't receptive at first."

"It's ok, I understand. Your job is important to you."

"It is. But you're more important. Always. Understand?"

"Yeah."

"I'll let you get back to your game with your friends. I love you, and I'm so proud of who you are becoming."

"I love you, too." He said as she stood, walking towards the stairs, stopping to place her hand on his shoulder before fully walking to leave the room.. "Wait– hey, Mom?" She turned around and looked at her son. "I think maybe Dad is just scared. You know after what happened to you. So maybe you could find a way to remember that, too?"

"You're so intuitive, Owen. And I promise you I'll think about what you said."

"Thanks." He said as he put his headset back on.

Alexis stood there and watched her son for a few minutes. She was in awe of how mature he had become this past year. He looked out for the people he loved and he wasn't afraid to speak up when necessary. He was even tempered, cool headed, and rational. He needed more attention from them both. He had learned how to exist in the middle and had more to say. She was certain of that.

She walked back up the stairs and looked for her husband. She owed him an apology, too. After checking the living room, she went to the kitchen where she saw him through the windows, standing out on the back porch watching the snowfall.

She went outside and stood beside him. "It's cold out here. Why don't you come inside?"

"That's because you came out without a coat." He said looking at her and then turning his attention back to the snow glistening off the lake in the distance.

She watched him, unsure what he was thinking and then finally spoke. She kept it neutral. She didn't want to fight. She was so tired of fighting with the man she loved more than anything. "The snow is certainly pretty, a white Christmas. Are we supposed to get a lot?"

"No I don't think so." He replied as they both stood there silently.

"I'm sorry, " she said, sincerely, suddenly. He turned to face her and waited for her to continue. "I never should have accused you of putting Owen in the middle. It was impulsive and reactionary. I know you wouldn't do that. Neither of us would do that."

She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm and he watched her trying to repair the damage, freezing, and took his coat off, put it over her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "I appreciate that. The only thing we agree on right now is that our kids deserve better from us and we'd never use them like that. I'm sure what you said hurt Owen, even more than it did me."

"We talked. He's ok and he's given me a lot to think about."

"Like?" He asked hoping she'd expand.

"Like how we've deteriorated to the point that my son can't even try to have an open conversation with me about his opinion, without me associating it with you and what you'd prefer to see me do."

"Are you blaming me for that?" He was taken aback. He didn't want to lead them into a fight, but he reacted anyway.

"No." She said and kept her composure. "I'm blaming the both of us. That the tension is so high, this is who we've become. What we're doing isn't working."

"We've had some moments recently when I thought we were getting past whatever is happening to us."

"We have." She paused and looked out at the snow. She had to say what was on her mind. She owed it to them both to be honest. "But we're clearly not. Maybe we're too close to it." She turned back to face him, "To each other."

"Alexis…?" He knew where she was going and he didn't want to hear it and he damn well wasn't going to let her dance around it to try and get him to be the one to say it.

"Maybe we should separate, Ned. Just until we figure out a path forward. I don't ever want to do that to one of our kids again."

"You're right it's freezing, we should go inside." He said walking past her and towards the doors.

"You just want to ignore this?" She asked and he stopped, turning to face her once more.

He sighed, "No, but I don't want to fight about it either. I'm so tired of fighting."

"Then tell me what's on your mind." She stepped closer to him and he took both her hands.

"You really think separation is the answer?" He asked calmly. She was trying. He could, too.

"I don't know." she said quietly.

"I love you, do you believe that?"

"Yes." She hesitated, "But maybe love isn't enough anymore."

"You can't mean that." She didn't respond. "You can't honestly believe that?"

"Yes." She looked at the hurt in his eyes. "I don't mean to hurt you. I really don't."

"I believe that. So, what do you think we should do? Because I'm certain separation isn't it."

"Maybe we should go away? Away from work, away from the kids, away from it all. There would be nothing to distract us or pull us in 20,000 other directions. It worked once before."

"Can you get away right now? You're in the middle of that toxic waste dumping suit and other things I won't name. And I.."

She leaned in and impulsively kissed him to stop him from listing all the reasons they shouldn't. They had to try. "Just a weekend. Hell, even if it's just one night, we need time to figure it out, before we destroy each other and there's no coming back. Unless you have another idea…I'm willing to listen. I don't want to throw this away, Ned. I don't want to lose you, but I feel like I could."

"I don't want to lose you either." He said as he pulled her close.

"So we're trying this then?" She said as he held her.

"Yeah, this is a good plan." He spoke into her hair.

"Friday?" She pulled away slightly and searched his eyes.

"Friday." He agreed as he held her tight. They were going to find a way to move forward. They had to.

That evening, Addison laid in her room. She looked at the message Cam had sent earlier in the day. She needed to respond. She felt awful for letting it sit there as long as it had. She just didn't know what to think. She saw them kiss. It hurt to think about, but maybe it was a misunderstanding. He was her best friend. She couldn't just not talk to him. She needed him in her life.

Cam- Merry Christmas, Adds. I hope your headache is better.

Addison- You too, Cam. And it is. She typed a simple reply. Returned his message. Three little dots immediately appeared on her screen. She was shocked. Was he waiting for her to return his message all day?

Cam- Still want to hang out this week?

Addison-Are you sure?

Cam- Why wouldn't I be?

Addison- I'm being stupid, yeah let's meet up. Rice Plaza tomorrow? Maybe her mom had been right. Maybe it wasn't what she thought.

Thumbs up emoji

Smiley face.

Addison opened her message with Sophie.

Addison- Meeting Cam in Rice Plaza tomorrow.

Sophie- Good. I thought for sure something was happening between you two last night. And then you just disappeared…

Addison- Yeah.

Sophie- ?

Sophie put her phone down on the coffee table quickly and went to get the soda she had left in the other room. As she walked away, Joss looked at her screen. She was texting with Addison. She took the phone.

Addison- It's a long story, want to meet at Kelly's beforehand?

Joss unlocked her sister's phone, scrolled up and read the message. She thought for sure the kiss would have at least stalled them from getting together. Sophie walked back into her dad's living room.

"Hey what are you doing?" Sophie said, annoyed. She really needed to change her code now that her sister knew what it was.

"Your phone went off. That's all. It's Addison." Joss replied innocently.

"Keep your hands off my phone." Sophie said as she took her phone and walked out of the room as Joss thought of reasons why she could be at Rice Plaza tomorrow. All she needed to do was figure out what time Sophie would meet Addie and then plan to be there waiting.

Soph- I'm in for Kelly's.

Addison- See you then

Addison put down her phone and pulled out one of the books she had gotten for Christmas. She was glad she tried to put the incident at Thanksgiving behind her. She'd need Kristen to drive her to Kelly's tomorrow and now she could pick her brain about everything going on with Cam. Her mom was great, but she really needed her sister.