Justin awoke to find the other side of the bed empty. In fact, the room was completely empty. All of Tabitha's belongings were gone. He jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to Ariel's room. He found Ariel and Tabitha packing Ariel's things into boxes and suitcases.

"What's going on here ?" Justin demanded.

"We're moving back to North Carolina," Ariel replied with a sob.

"WHAT ?"

"Ariel, will you please get Adam up and put him in his bouncer ? I'll be in there in a few minutes."

"OK, Mama."

"Tabitha, what's going on ? Why are you moving ?"

"I can't stay here any longer. Last night was a huge mistake and I have to get as far away from Lance as possible."

"What are you so afraid of ?"

"I'm afraid that I'll get pregnant again and that he'll leave me again !" Tabitha shouted as she stuffed clothes into a suitcase.

"Tabbers, just calm down. You need to think things out before you make a rash decision like this. Why don't you talk to Lance first ?"

"I can't. I need to get away."

"No, I'm not going to let you leave. You have to stay. You are not going to be the one that runs this time."

"Justin, stay out of this. It's not your business."

"Yes, it is. It involves two of my best friends and that makes it my business. Please, think about what you're doing to Ariel and Adam."

"Don't bring them into this," Tabitha spat angrily.

"I'm calling Lance right now. He has a right to know how you're feeling and to know why you're leaving."

"Drop that phone. He doesn't have a right to know anything. We're not in a relationship anymore."

"Yes you are. You have a daughter and that will always connect you," Justin retorted as he dialed Lance's number. He ducked as Tabitha threw a shoe at him and he walked out into the hallway to talk to Lance.

"Hello ?" a deep voice answered sleepily.

"Lance, you have to come over here right now. Tabitha's packing her stuff to move back to North Carolina. She's really upset about last night."

"Justin, get off the damn phone," Tabitha warned. She grabbed the phone from him and smashed it against the wall. Justin was so stunned by her actions that he didn't even try to stop her as she carried a box of Ariel's belongings down the stairs. He couldn't believe what had happened in just a few hours.

"Tabs, how are you getting all of this stuff to North Carolina ? It won't all fit in your van. And what about your job ? You can't just pack up and leave your life like this," Justin protested as he finally shook off his shocked state and followed her downstairs.

"I called one of my friends in NC and he called a moving company to bring all of our stuff back there. All that I'm going to have in the van is the three of us and the stuff we'll need for the drive."

"Mama, why do we have to leave ?"

"Ariel, I told you. We can't stay at Uncle Justin's house forever. I want to move back to where all my friends are."

"But Mama, aren't Uncle Justin, and Uncle Chris, and Uncle JC, and Uncle Joey, and Daddy your friends ?"

Tabitha sighed. "Of course, but I want to move back to North Carolina. Remember Alyssa ? You used to stay with her when I worked nights. You guys had a lot of fun together."

"Yeah we did. Will she watch Adam too ?"

"Sometimes, but I'll be at home at night so she won't have to watch you as much."

"Cool," Ariel cheered as she ran upstairs.

"I can't believe you're lying to your own child," Justin scolded.

"What do you mean ?"

"You told me last week that Alyssa and her husband moved back to Virginia. How can you tell Ariel that she'll see them again ?"

"Shh. That's the only way that I can get her to leave here. She'll adjust. Maybe I'll move to Virginia in a few months, I don't know."

"Will you please reconsider ? Just stay for a few more days until you're thinking more clearly."

"Justin, for the first time in years, I am thinking clearly. I have to do what is best for my children."

"Let me go with you."

"WHAT ? Justin, you have your career and friends here. You can't leave. That'd be crazy."

"And it's not crazy for you to leave ? You have a career and friends here too," Justin pointed out.

"It's not the same. I can work somewhere wherever I move. You have to stay here to have a career."

"That's not entirely true. I can write anywhere and I can fly back to Orlando anytime that I need to. My career takes me all over the United States anyway."

"Yeah, but you guys can't be separated even if you're not touring together anymore."

"OK, apparently this argument is going nowhere," Justin finished with disgust. He was tired of the circular argument that had been going on between him and Tabitha and Tabitha and Lance for months. "I give up," he conceded as he picked up a box and carried it outside. He spotted Lance running up the driveway, dodging boxes and movers.

"What the hell is going on ? Why did you hang up on me ?" he accused Justin.

"That wasn't me. Tabitha grabbed the phone from me and smashed it against the wall. She's moving back to North Carolina TODAY ! I've tried to stop her, but nothing I've said worked. You have to stop her from leaving."

"Who's to say that she'll listen to me ?"

"Lance, this is between the two of you and you have to help her see that the past is not going to happen again. Please, don't let her leave."

"OK, man, I'll do my best," Lance promised. Just at that moment, Tabitha walked out of the house, carrying Adam and his diaper bag. When she saw Lance, she turned and walked back into the house. "Tabitha ! Please, talk to me for a minute," Lance begged.

"No ! I have to go," she protested. She put Adam in his playpen and set the diaper bag beside of it. Lance watched as she went into the kitchen and pulled a drink out of the refrigerator.

"You're not going to do this to yourself," Lance reprimanded her as he grabbed the bottle from her hand. He opened it and poured it down the drain. Tabitha responded by pulling another bottle from the refrigerator. She managed to open it and drink from it before he snatched it from her and poured it out as well.

"I can do this all day long," Tabitha stated with a smirk.

"So can I," Lance replied, "but I'm not going to." He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her into the living room. He sat her down on the couch and sat in the chair beside her. "I want you to listen to me."

"I don't want to listen to you. I've heard enough. I'm leaving and nothing you can say can change my mind."

"Don't be so sure. Just listen."

"Lance, just leave me alone," Tabitha spat at him as she stood up.

"No, that's the problem. I can't leave you alone. I'm in love with you and our daughter. No, scratch that. I'm in love with you and your children. I want them to be OUR children."

"No."

"Excuse me ?"

"No, they're not going to be OUR children," Tabitha mocked. "They're MY children and that's the way it's going to be."

"Why are you so stubborn ? Why can't you admit that you're in love with me ?"

"Gee, aren't we the cocky one today ? I guess that's what happens after you get me in the sack."

"Oh, so that's it. You think that I intentionally slept with you so that we'd get back together. For your information, I didn't plan on us sleeping together."

"Really ? It seems like you had all the right words and moves last night."

"Me ? You're the one that kissed me last night, remember ?"

"Only because I'd had a few drinks," Tabitha retorted. She regretted those words as soon as she said them, especially after she saw the hurt in Lance's eyes. She got up from the couch and started pacing across the living room floor. Lance sat silently on the couch, processing her last statement. Maybe she really didn't love him after all. Maybe she was too drunk to know what she was doing the night before. No, he couldn't believe that. There was too much passion between them for that to be the case.

"Tabitha, will you please be straight with me about how you're feeling ? If you really don't love me, then convince me of that. And lying does not convince me."

"Fine. What do you want me to say ? I love you ? Please don't leave me or our child again ? Do you want me to beg you not to leave if I get pregnant this time ?"

"You think you're pregnant ?" Lance was astounded by this thought.

"Well, there's always a chance. It's not like we used protection or anything."

"You're not on birth control ?"

"No, I'm not. And it's not like I planned on sleeping with anybody anyway."

"Good point. I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for ? Did you plan on us sleeping together ?"

"No, I swear that I didn't. You have to believe that."

"I don't HAVE to believe anything you say, but I believe that you didn't plan last night."

"I know that trusting me is a hard thing to do, but I want another chance. Just tell me what I can do to win your trust back."

"I don't know if there's anything you can do."

"Will promising you that I won't leave if you are pregnant help ?"

"Not really."

"I didn't think so. I guess the record of me leaving and Darden leaving you with a child hasn't helped you trust anyone. I understand that, but can you give me another chance anyway ?"

"I don't know. I need some time."

"OK, that's a start, at least. Will you stay here while you're deciding ?"

"It's not going to help if you're here all the time. I still need to go away for a while."

"What if I went away for a while ? You stay here and I'll go back to Mississippi for a vacation."

"You'd do that for me ?"

"Of course. I'd do anything for you."

"OK. It's a deal," Tabitha agreed finally. She still wasn't sure about this, but she decided that she could at least stay in Orlando for a little while longer, especially if Lance went to Mississippi.

"Great. Now, let's get your stuff moved back in here." Lance wanted to grab her and hug her tightly, but he held back. He didn't want to undo the conversation they'd just had.