They waited for all three of their children to be home. It was early evening and they both dreaded the conversation. The hurt of the morning was still raw for Alexis and deep in her heart, she had started to question whether it was the right call. They had been quiet, but close the rest of the afternoon. Small touches on the arm or his hand on the small of her back as he walked past her, small intimate moments that made her heartache thinking those might be the last ones. It took everything in her not to second guess the conclusion she came to that morning. And now, they had to tell their children. The three best things they had ever done together. The best part of them.

Alexis sat on the sofa next to Addison, Owen sat beside his youngest sister, while Ned and Kristen sat in the chairs opposite them. Their kids were quiet, they could sense how serious the conversation was about to be, having been called together. Kristen could barely look her mother in the eye and Alexis took notice. "So, we need to talk to you. Dad and I have come to a decision you all need to know about."

"No!" Addison cried out.

"You haven't even heard what we have to say, sweetheart." Ned responded.

"I can just tell. Why would you do this? You love each other. I know you do."

"We do, we really do. And your instincts aren't wrong Addie. We are getting a divorce. But it's because we love each other enough to know that in order for us to be happy, to do what's best for you we need to be apart, I'm sorry." Alexis said, trying to explain.

"Daddy, you promised. You promised me this wasn't going to happen!"

"This is absolutely ridiculous. How can you let her do this?"

"Your mother and I made this decision together, Kristen."

"No, I don't believe you. Mom has been pushing you away for weeks."

"Kristen just because you're an adult doesn't mean–"

Alexis interrupted him, "It's ok, she can be angry. She has every right to be angry."

"I won't let her blame you when this is coming from both of us."

"I refuse to believe that. She's just angry about this morning." She said looking at her mother.

"That's your choice, bug." She tried hard not to focus on her daughter's role in the vote and instead focus on making this ok for her other children. "Owen, you're pretty quiet…"

"I guess I just saw it coming…"

"How do you feel, buddy?" Ned asked their son, hoping to get him to open up.

"I don't know. Last night, this morning, it felt normal and now everything is changing."

"What isn't changing is how much we both love all three of you." Alexis added.

"Your mom is right, you are the best things in our life and you can still come to either of us with anything. We're a family, whether your mom and I are married or not."

"Where will you go? When will we see you?" Addison asked, trying not to panic as her world as she knew it was being upended.

"Your mom and I need to work that out, but I'll be at the Gatehouse for now."

"Did you even ever really want to marry, Dad? Honestly, Mom, how could you do this to us?"

"Hey! You don't get to talk to your mother like this. And I'm sorry Kristen, I love you, but this is going to affect your brother and sister's day to day life more than it will you, so please just stop. No one should be taking sides here." Ned said frustrated. It was Kristen's actions that morning that pushed them over the cliff.

"Your father is right; no one should be taking sides. But, I want to know why you would even ask me that question. Of course I wanted to marry your father."

"Because you flagged down a semi and left Dad at the altar Mom! That's why."

"What do you think you know? Addison, what did you tell your sister?" Alexis asked.

"A simple internet search is all it would take. Everything that happened was pretty well documented."

"I didn't say anything! I swear! I know you wanted to marry Dad and I know Daddy forgave you for that because he loves you. I don't understand why you both can't just compromise. Please don't divorce. Please. I need you both."

"Shh, it's ok, you're going to be ok." Alexis tried to comfort her youngest and rubbed her back.

"Kristen, just stop, you're upsetting your sister." Ned said firmly and a little taken off guard that this is where the conversation was taking them.

"No, I believe that's the two of you and Addie didn't tell me anything. I looked it up myself years ago when some idiot at school asked if my mom was Eddie's Angel. So, I know you only got married because you were pregnant with me. It's simple math. Plus, you two were separated when I was little! You only got back together because of Owen. This whole family is a lie."

"Kristen Lila Ashton, you couldn't be further from the truth. And you have no idea what you are talking about." Ned replied, taken aback.

"That day was the biggest mistake of my life, but I love your father. I did that day and I do now. He knows that, and the reasons for what I did or how we got past it, well that gets to be between us. There are some things you don't need to know."

"That's basically saying you did only get married because you were pregnant. Because you had me."

"No. I'm saying that some things get to stay between your father and me. Just because you're our child, doesn't entitle you to know everything about our relationship."

"Kristen, this is ancient history. It has nothing to do with why we are divorcing."

"Oh I'm pretty sure it does."

"I don't even recognize you right now, Kristen, and just so we're clear finding out I was pregnant with you..that just reaffirmed how much we wanted a life together. That our love for each other could create this beautiful little girl. You linked us for life, whether we had decided to get married or not. We loved you from the second we knew about you."

"I've never doubted you love me."

"Well good. And this nonsense that we only stayed together because of your brother? You were, what? Five? What do you remember?" Alexis asked, trying not to let her annoyance show.

"Dad, you left every night for weeks and Mom, you were upset all the time. And you fought…a lot. Sometimes I think you only stopped fighting because I was there. Then all of a sudden I was going to have a brother and we moved and things seemed normal again."

"There's no question we hit a rough patch when you were little. But we stayed together because we loved each other and we wanted this family. It would have been easy to divorce then, but we chose to fight for each other. And when Owen came along…he was and is a gift from the universe that simply reminded us that this family was everything your mom and I both ever wanted," Ned explained.

"Can we put this to rest now Kristen?" Alexis asked.

"Why aren't you fighting for each other, now then? Owen interjected. "If you've been through all of that. If you love us and each other that much, then why are you giving up and doing the easy thing now?"

"We wouldn't have made this decision if we thought there was another way, O. Your dad and I, we're just going in different directions." Alexis said, trying to explain in the simplest way possible.

"When are you leaving, Daddy?" Addison asked.

"Tonight, sweetheart."

"You really can't change your minds?" Addison pleaded.

"I'm sorry, but this is happening, peanut. We want you to keep talking to us about how you feel though. All of you. We want to do anything that will help make this easier for you."

"I need some time by myself. Can I go up to my room? Are we done talking?" Addison asked. She couldn't listen to them try to justify it anymore.

"Sure. We love you." Alexis agreed.

"Can I go, too?" Owen asked and his parents nodded as he stood and followed his sister out of the room and up the stairs.

"I knew I should have transferred to PCU. I knew you needed me here. I should withdraw. I should come home. I can finish school in the fall."

"You couldn't have stopped this," Alexis stated.

"I'm going out. I don't know when I'll be back." She couldn't stand to be around her mother. She knew that maybe she had crossed a line that morning, but she knew her mother was the reason they were divorcing and she couldn't stand to stay there and watch her Dad just let it happen.

"Krissy…" Alexis tried to reach her oldest. She was furious with her, but she didn't want her to pull away and she didn't want to push her away further.

"Just give me space. I can't talk to you right now."

"Ok." She turned to Ned as Kristen left, "That didn't go at all like I hoped it would. What have I done?" She asked as she sat back down on the sofa.

"It's not just you and she'll see that eventually." He said as he moved to sit next to her.

"I'm worried about Addison,.. and Owen, he asked some tough questions."

"She'll be ok. She's going through a lot right now, but she'll be ok. She's strong, like you. We're both still here. We're both still her parents."

"But Owen, are we taking the easy way out? Am I wrong about this?"

"You know what I think."

"But you agreed."

"I did. And after that conversation, I don't want to send them mixed messages."

"So I should stop second guessing this?"

"Look, nothing is finalized, there's still time. But divorce is hard. It's hard on all parties. There is no simple way to do this. It's why I swore I'd never do it again. But here we are."

"I'm so sorry."

"I should probably go pack some things."

She sat there silent as reality started to hit her, and then quietly whispered, "Ok."

He paused, and their eyes met; then he finally stood and went towards the stairs, leaving her there sitting on the sofa. She wiped a few straw tears and stood herself. She went towards the kitchen. She wasn't sure she could watch him leave. Divorce made sense a few hours ago, and now she was afraid she'd throw every rational thought she'd had that morning away and ask him to stay.

About 30 minutes later, he came downstairs, a small suitcase packed. He went and placed it by the door as Addison came downstairs.

"You're really leaving Daddy?" She asked, standing on the stairs.

Hearing his sister, Owen came into the foyer from the living room. Ned looked at his son and then his daughter, who was visibly upset. "I am, sweetheart. But we'll see each other and when we don't I'll call you. I promise."

"Can't you at least stay for dinner?" Addison asked.

Ned hesitated to answer as Alexis came out from the kitchen at the sound of their voices.

"Can you?" Owen asked, hopeful. Maybe a family dinner, with everyone getting along could stop this in its tracks. "Do you really need to leave right this instant?"

Ned looked at his wife, his soon to be ex-wife. It broke his heart to think about. "Alexis…?"

She made eye contact with him and looked at the desperation on their teenage children's faces. "Stay for dinner, Ned. There's no rush, truly."

A few hours later, Chinese take out put away, the kitchen clean, they all stood by the door. Saying goodbye was hard. "Dad…" Owen said as he hugged his father.

"Watch out for your sister, buddy. I love you. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Owen nodded as he backed out of the embrace and then Ned turned to his daughter, the tears in her eyes gutted him. "Don't cry, princess, please."

"I love you so much, Daddy. Please stay. You and Mom can work this out if you stay. I know you can."

"I've got to go, Addison. I love you, too. More than you'll ever know." He said as he hugged her and then wiped her tears. Addison hugged him again quickly and he kissed the top of her head before she let go and started to head up the staircase following her brother's lead. Leaving their parents alone to say goodbye.

Watching him say goodbye to their children was killing her. She didn't think it would be so hard. Why was it so hard when they agreed it was what needed to happen just a few hours earlier. He turned to her and their eyes met. "Lex…"

She was trying not to let the tears fall as she stood there and looked at him. She knew what he wanted to say, but couldn't. She felt the same. He knew she felt it, too. He picked up the suitcase and then she finally spoke, "Ned,..." He turned to look at her. "I don't want to wake up alone tomorrow." She finally broke.

He put down the suitcase and stepped towards her. "We made our decision." He paused, she was breaking and it was tearing him apart as well. "Now we need to face it." He leaned in and kissed her, just one last kiss. She responded and he pulled away. He couldn't say goodbye, instead he took her hand, squeezed it and walked away. He picked up his bag, walked out the door and closed it behind him.

She stood there speechless, tears falling freely, and sat on the bottom steps. Shell shocked. She thought this was what needed to happen. He agreed, this was what they wanted. What they felt needed to happen. Why did he agree when he didn't think it was right? She knew him and she knew that's how he truly felt. Her mind couldn't process the last 24 hours and she felt pulled in two completely opposite directions.

Later that evening she walked into their bedroom. He wasn't there. He wouldn't be there again. She went to grab her favorite pajamas; she took a t-shirt he left behind instead. She needed to feel close to him. She reached for her phone. She wanted to call him. She resisted the urge. She looked at the rings on her finger. She couldn't take them off, not yet. She glanced at the clock, when she realized what time it was she worried about her daughter. She hadn't seen or heard from her since earlier that evening. She sent her a text. Are you ok? It's late…

I'm fine. I'm staying at the Gatehouse with Dad.

I love you, Kristen.

"Who was that?" Ned asked Kristen as he sat with his daughter.

"Mom." Kristen said matter of fact.

"She's probably worried about where you are…"

"I told her I was here. I can't talk to her right now. Not after what she just did to our family Dad."

"Krissy, this really is both of us. We couldn't keep fighting. We were hurting each other."

"It was what I did, wasn't it? Making that motion at the board meeting was the final straw…"

"She thought I was involved. I tried to tell her I wasn't. I really wish you hadn't done that Krissy."

"She didn't believe you?"

"No, I think she did. Maybe. It's between us. I don't want you in the middle and I don't want you blaming her."

"But I can stay here, right?"

"Just promise me you'll talk to her. She loves you, Kristen. You're our daughter and she loves you."

"I know. I love her, too."

"Is whatever you did to get Michael's vote going to come back at us? I need you to be honest with me. Let me help you get out of whatever this is…"

"There's nothing to get out of, really."

"Kristen, you don't have to fix everyone's problems. Your mom and I, we want more for you…"

"I know… Are you sure you're ok, Dad?"

"I'll be fine. I just need some time." He said as his daughter who nodded left him alone downstairs. He took out his phone and stared at his wife's number. He wanted to call her. He wanted to text her. He knew he shouldn't. They needed to learn how to go on without each other. The more he sat he questioned why he agreed. Why was this what she wanted? He couldn't wrap his head around why she thought this was the only path forward for them. He couldn't wrap his head around why he gave up so easily.