Finally a home~ Private

"Eleanor..died just a few hours ago....Heart attack." Joshua said, looking up at Marley. Now this would really kill her. Getting up, he hugged her tightly, knowing this would have her burst into tears.

Marley stood there in shock. Momma was the last part of her family, she meant everything to her. "no... No... She can't...." She started shaking and hugged him back tightly, sobbing into his shoulder. "No...."

Joshua held onto Marley tightly, trying not to cry as well. "W-We'll meet you at home..." he said, sniffing and hanging up. "C-Come on, we gotta go." he said, trying to get up but couldn't find the strength. He was devastated.

She hung onto him, sobbing. "Everyone Joshua... My whole family...." she got out before breaking down in tears again.

Joshua rubbed Marley's back, trying to console her. "Baby, you still have me and my parents.." he muttered, kissing her head.

Her hands gripped onto his shirt like she would fall if she didn't and she cried into his chest. "Don't leave me... I wouldn't know what to do if I lost you."

Joshua shook his head, shaking. "Never. Not even if Death was telling me to. God, I love you too much to die on you...or leave." he said, hugging her closer and kissing her softly.

Marley looked up at him and sighed. "I've lost them all though... Daddy, Mom... John, Poppa and now Momma... It isn't fair! I didn't do anything to deserve this! When is my life going to get good again? I'm tired of all this bad!" she said then started crying again.

Joshua nodded, listening to Marley's concerns and fears. Of course she would be tired of so much tragedy in her life. "Baby, after this...I'll make sure everything I do will make you happy." he swore, kissing her passionately.

She kissed him back, pouring her soul into the kiss. "I don't want to see her body." she whispered, shaking her head after she pulled away from the kiss. "I don't want to... Please don't make me."

Joshua sighed, staring at Marley. "You have to face your fear, Marley. Wouldn't you want to see your grandma one last time?" he asked, knowing it was painful but still..it was family.

She shook her head. "I don't want my grandma's memory scared by the sight of her dead body..." She said.

"Do you want me to go?" Joshua asked, caressing Marley's cheek, kissing her head.

She sighed. "I don't know..." she said, trying hard not to break down again.

Joshua closed his eyes, trying not to break down again. "Then I won't....Ok? I'll just come by my mom's real quick and I'll be back." he said, kissing Marley's head and rubbing her shoulders.

She nodded, then shook her head. "I was wrong... I want to see her. I want to see my grandma one last time. Later, during the funeral though." she said.

Joshua nodded. "You want to head to my mom's?" he asked in a soft voice.

She shook her head. "She's just going to be all over my trying to hug me and comfort me and the only one I want doing that is you. I'll stay here. Get me some chocolate while you're out?"

Joshua nodded, sighing. "Chocolate? Ah, ok.." he said, getting up and stretching. "I'll be back." he addded as he went to the counter and grabbed the keys, going out to the parking lot to get into the car.

Marley went to the couch and pulled her knee up to her chest and sobbed into it. Eventually, she fell over and cried herself asleep there on the sofa.

((O.O Duuuuude.....What if Marley had an affair by accident because Joshua had yet to give in? *lighting strikes*))

Joshua drove to his mother's, seeing a very sad woman at the door. As a nurse, she was very personally injured by the death. She did all she could to save Eleanor, but it wasn't enough. Getting out, he hugged her tightly, already taller than her by an inch and seeming more and more like his father everyday. He would be back home permanently the next three days which was a relief to both of them, especially Elizabeth. It took two hours to calm her down and coming home with chocolate ice cream and two large bars of hershey's, he saw Marley on the couch. "heh..." he chuckled, putting away the things and rubbing her back. "Babe?"

Slowly, Marley woke up. "hi." she said, seemingly calm. That's how she coped. She broke down once or twice and then she was pretty much alright. She was depressed and would sometimes space out. But, otherwise she was able to function and keep going with her life.

Joshua smiled. "Hey....Let's get you into a shower, ok?" he asked, kissing her cheek. He helped Marley up, knowing she'd be weak. Crying that hard took a lot of energy out of someone. He knew the feeling and he could see it in her eyes and on her face.

"Will you shower with me?" she asked, walking with him. "I don't mean sex... I just want you with me." she said. She was weak and she was tired and she felt clingyer than usual.

Joshua nodded, hugging her once inside the bathroom. "Don't worry, I'll be with you the whole day tomorrow. I'll get the day off." he said softly, kissing her head and helping her take off her clothes. He could feel himself get a tad turned on, but with that brace on her, he almost immediately demolished the attraction.