Finally a home~ Private

Joshua stood by the end of the counter, seeing a small bit of meatloaf cut in halves. Heck, there was a nice piece of cake out for Marley as well. "Well, the cake is for you, Marley. Especially what's left of the meatloaf if Joshua doesn't eat it all." Shawn grinned, trying to make the two get along. Joshua chuckled. "Yeah, right." he said, taking two slices out of six and eating his quietly. Elizabeth wasn't much hungry, but she took one. "So, was it pretty bad back home, Marley? If you don't mind me asking.."

Marley's smile faded drastically and she nodded. "The war is still very real there. It wasn't what I thought it would be... It only caused more pain." she sighed. "A lot of nights I would cry myself to sleep because I knew I made a mistake into leaving the U.S." she said, adding the u.s. part so that they wouldn't think she was talking about leaving Joshua.

Elizabeth knew all too well about that smile fading and such. She just had to ask however. "Well, you're safe here and can live much better." she said, smiling weakly. Joshua coughed, finishing his meatloaf and grabbing a can of mountain dew from the fridge. "So you'll be staying here I take it?" he asked, looking at Marley as he took a sip and looked away. Shawn noticed the tension in the air.

Marley smiled at Joshua and got up, getting her own can, passing him. "Yup. For a little while until I can get the job I want." she said, sitting back and eating her meat loaf.

"Which is Disney, by the way folks." Joshua snickered. Shawn only grinned as Elizabeth only chuckled. "Don't tease her. You used to love Disney as a little boy, young man." Shawn warned, punching him playfully in the arm. Joshua stuck his tongue out, nodding. "Yeah, now I'm just apalled by how many movies they've come with....Geez." he mumbled, rolling his eyes. "Anyways, you want me to bring Max out here tomorrow? Have him stay with you til you find a job?" he asked, smiling at Marley.

She smiled at the thought of Max and shook her head. "I guess I could go to the apartment and see him. I've been gone for a while, I don't know how he'll react to me."

"W-Wait, right now?" Joshua asked, gulping. He hadn't exactly cleaned up much in the last week. He had been busy doing night shift calls, he had signed up to let his patients parents call him when an emergency came. He liked to do house calls. "What, you didn't clean up?" Elizabeth asked, grinning. Joshua sighed, scoffing. "Eh, it's not that messy..." he mumbled. "Wanna go now?" he asked.

((Max by the way XD))

She shook her head. "I didn't mean now. I meant later... tomorrow maybe." she shrugged. then she thought for a moment. "Maybe it will be better if you just bring him to me."

Joshua nodded, thanking god that she decided not to do it now. Max wasn't a necessity to bring them back to old memories in the old apartment. "Yeah, I'll bring him over tomorrow. Today's my day off so, I got lots of stuff to do tomorrow. I'll be going now." he said, kissing his mother's cheek and hugging Shawn. "Uh...take care, Marley. I'll be seeing you with the dog tomorrow." he said, waving and walking out while biting his lip. He swore he took the deepest breath after leaving the house and getting into his car. "God...she's changed and, I don't know how I can even get close....We can't be the same after all those years..so many problems." he muttered, turning on the car but staring at the wheel. He was flooded with memories, good times, and so many passionate nights. "What a time..." he smiled weakly, driving out of the driveway slowly while staring a bit at the window, almost expecting Marley to see him off.

Marley went to the living room window and watched Joshua drive away. She knew that they would be able to tell she had feelings. She felt empty again now that he wasn't in the room.

Joshua then got home, being tackled by a very large labrador. "Agh! Geez, Max! Do that to Marley tomorrow, huh?" he laughed, patting the licking dog's back. He was pretty healthy since he never had anything else to take care of. Everything was paid on time most of the time and the apartment was always clean. Except today. He sighed as he pushed the dog off, getting up and patting away any fur that stranded themselves on his clothes. "Sheesh, I gotta brush you later..." he mumbled as the dog whined. "Well..off to cleaning and then to a marathon of..True blood, I guess." he shrugged as he got the vacuum. He thought did miss Marley. He remembered that she would somtimes be upstairs just waiting for him..now he really missed that.

Marley went back to the kitchen and sighed. "It's good to be home." she said to Elizabeth and Shawn. She tried hard not to show how much she missed Joshua. She didn't want them knowing but she knew they would be able to see it.

Elizabeth and Shawn both stared at Marley with pity. The poor girl was just keeping her feelings hidden, for the sake of them both and everyone around it seemed. "Yes, it's good to have you finally home. But..what about your marriage to Joshua? What do you want to do with it?" Shawn asked, wondering what her true feelings were about that at least.

Marley's eyes went wide and she stared at Shawn. "I.... I suppose I'll file for a divorce." she said, playing with the ring around her finger.

"Do you really want to do that?" Shawn asked, staring at his daughter in law sternly.

She didn't take her eyes off of him. He could easily see right through her, she knew that. But she was still going to lie. "Yes. I don't love him the way I used to."

"Alright....If it gives you freedom and happiness, it's fine by me. At least you're doing this with dignity and honor." Shawn said, smiling weakly. Elizabeth stayed silent, sighing. "Um, would you like to take a shower and rest?" she asked, trying to disturb the awkward air between Shawn and Marley.

Marley stayed staring at Shawn then looked at Elizabeth. "you two know, don't you...?" she asked about her still loving him.

Shawn and Elizabeth chuckled. "A little bit yes..it shows in your eyes." he said, smiling. Elizabeth sighed. "You can still try to make amends or try to make it work.." she said, hoping it would be so.

"It's been so long though..." she mumbled, sitting at the counter stool. "We both have changed and I broke his heart... I left." She shook her head.

"He's not so clean either. You both hurt each other, but you can still repair the damage. We know it all too well.." Shawn said, hugging Elizabeth. "He came sobbing to us after you left, around a few hours and spent a whole week just not even calling or talking to us. Even up til now, he's not the same son we had when he married you. He misses you, I know so." he added, Elizabeth only tearing a bit.

A tear ran down Marley's cheek and she sighed. "I miss him too." she looked at the ring on her finger and bit her lip. "I wouldn't know what to say to him though..."

"Well, we can't help you in that sense. It's your marriage, all you can do in one is learn and hopefully repair the mistakes if possible, or move on and try to get along. But I'm sure that over time, Joshua might spill his guts or at least let you know his feelings in his own way." Shawn said, wrapping an arm around Elizabeth. "Marley, why don't you just take a shower and just relax, take a walk." she asked, smiling weakly.

Marley sighed, nodding. "Alright...." She said softly. She went upstairs and took her shower. It really didn't calm her nerves. She was still as sad as ever.

Joshua however laid in bed, looking over. The same pillow laid there but obviously had to be cleaned. He couldn't keep it as it was when she left. Elizabeth had set up Marley's bed already, having kept her room in case she ever returned in an occasion such as this. The next morning, it would be chaotic. Max obviously would be excited to see his master again, probably never stop licking her.