He stared out at the ocean beyond the dunes, watching as the waves rushed rapidly upon the beach in the distance, crashing with the kind of power that makes your heart beat faster and yet, makes you feel unbelievably calm at the same time. They'd been sitting in that same position -- his arm wrapped around her waist and her head leaning carelessly against his shoulder -- for over an hour. He wondered if maybe he should be the one to pull away from the comfort to go in and check on Mia... but no. He was sure she was fine and besides, her window was open... right above where they were sitting, they would certainly hear if she cried out for one of them in the night.

He felt good there, good with her in his arms. It felt right. Comfortable. The way it always had from the very first time he'd held her all those years ago and known for sure that she was the one person in the world he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving.

Even the silence was comfortable. It was awkward at first. Awkward how they sat there for long minutes at a time and said nothing at all. But with her head on his shoulder and her hand resting against his knee, his hand tucked between her legs, their feet tangled together at the bottom of the stairs, even the silence had grown comforting. Maybe this was how things were supposed to be when the world got too tough.

He sighed, watching as a couple walked by on the beach, hand in hand, giggling. The guy stopped for a moment, leaning down quickly to kiss the girl on the lips, she kissed him back for a few more moments and they continued on their way... happy, comfortable... in love.

No. That was how things were supposed to be.

He stared down at her there in his arms and silently wondered exactly when their lives had changed. When had things gotten so bad that they couldn't even talk to each other?

A year ago life was wonderful.

Nine months ago, things began to fall apart.

And today. Today they were spending the final day of their family vacation sitting on the steps of the beach house together, their divorce papers upstairs on the desk in the bedroom, not talking to each other at all.

He felt her shiver slightly at his side and he pulled her closer to him, wrapping her more tightly in his arms to try and keep her warm. Despite everything they were going through... despite it all... he still loved her. He'd signed the papers for her. He'd signed the papers because it was the only thing he knew to do. It was the only way he could think to possibly help her get better. Whatever she wanted right now... he'd give her.

Whatever.

He looked down at her again, her eyes closed, her face pale, her lips bright red in the light from the doorway. He wanted to kiss her then... to hold her tight and never let her go. He wanted to make love to her... but he knew, deep inside that doing any of those things right then would be insane.

Insane... just like she was.

'Insane.'

He hated that word. He hated all of those words -- insane, crazy, manic, depressed. He hated those labels... those definitions for conditions his wife may possibly have. Especially since he didn't believe it. Didn't believe his wife had anything but a hard time dealing with all the shit she'd been through in her life. All the crap he'd take away if he only had the power.

But she wasn't insane.

'Lost' was a good word... a better word. He liked to believe his wife was just lost. 'Lost', he thought as he stared into his wife's saddened eyes... if Gracie was just lost then there was always a chance that he could find her somewhere deep down inside herself, and then... then he could bring her back home and make everything okay again.

He stared back out towards the water, pulling her closer into his arms, holding her tight and never wanting to let her go again. He felt like Leonardo Dicaprio in the Titanic. He knew he had to hold on as long as he could even though the boat was sinking around him... but the water was freezing cold and his body was already going numb and as much as he believed he could hold on forever he knew deep in his heart that there's only so long a person can tread water before they eventually have to give up the fight.