Mark spent his entire week off at the house on Whidbey Island. At the end of the week, Erica came to see him. He was watching the waves crash when he heard the wheels crunching the gravel. He did not turn around when he heard the engine stop, nor did he turn around when he heard the door open and slam close. For the most part, Mark had been left to sort things out by himself. Erica had called every day, but he usually hurried off the phone. She would always ask if he wanted to speak to the girls, and his answer was always the same. The last time they had talked on the phone, Erica told him about her plans to come up at the end of the week. So Mark was not surprised when she stepped up next to him.

"How are you?" Erica asked.

"I'm okay. I talked to Derek yesterday. He said he wants me to come in for some follow up tests and if they're all clear I can go back to work." Mark said.

"Oh, that's good."

"Look Erica, I still don't remember anything, and it's frustrating. When I do go back to work and I come back to the city, I don't think I can stay in the same house as you, Abbi and Grace. I'll get a hotel room or stay with Hannah."

"You don't want to stay with Hannah."

"Why not?" Mark asked.

"She lives with her fiancé," Erica explained.

"Hannah's engaged? Wow, I didn't notice the ring."

"It's understandable. But Mark, you don't have to stay somewhere else. I want you to stay with us. You can sleep in the guest room if you want Mark. Just don't stay away, don't avoid us." Erica pleaded.

"I think it would be best if I didn't stay with you and the girls. It will only confuse them, and me further."

"Maybe the familiarity of the house, of our routine will make something click."

"I doubt it. I've been here in our vacation house this entire week. I've looked at all the pictures and art work and nothing comes to me. Everything is foreign. I'm sorry Erica." Mark said turning to look at her for the first time since she arrived.

"So am I." Erica turned around and got back into the car.

Mark faced the water again and tried not to think about the emptiness he felt inside as Erica drove away.

It had been two months since his accident, and Mark still did not remember anything about his life. He was sitting in the hospital cafeteria thinking, something he was doing a lot of since he lost his memory. He had gone back to work after Derek gave him the all clear. Walking through the halls of the hospital felt the same as it always had, or at least that was what Mark kept telling himself. He saw Erica everyday in the hospital. And everyday he felt like he was walking on eggshells. After going back to work and to the city, he got a hotel room like he told Erica he would. Mark did not feel right about staying in the same house as Erica and the girls; he did not want to pretend everything was alright when it was not. Once a week Erica called and talked to him about things not related to the hospital. He never initiated the contact; he was keeping himself away. Mark also had not seen Grace and Abbi since they were at the vacation house on Whidbey; it was his choice. In the beginning, his reasoning was that he did not want to put on a charade. Children were observant, and he knew that the girls would see right through it. As the weeks wore on, he avoided Abbi and Grace because he felt guilty for avoiding them in the first place.

Hannah had become Mark's only confidant, and even she was upset with him. She talked to him because she was his sister and that was what she was supposed to do. However, she always expressed her distaste of his decision to stay away from his family. They talked on the phone every day and every day she told him the same thing: stop being an ass and be a man. It never worked. Mark looked around the room; each table was filled with lively conversation by the occupants, and here he was sitting by himself. Most people around the hospital had heard about his amnesia and the news about his relationship with Erica was out. But no one was sympathetic. Everyone saw the small change that had occurred in Dr. Erica Hahn and they all blamed him. He closed his eyes; he hated that stare, the one that said you ruined everything and broke one of the strongest doctors in the hospital.

Having finished his meal, Mark stood up from the table and threw out his trash. He then went to check the surgery board. When he arrived, he found Erica erasing one of his surgeries, and putting up her own.

"Hey, I've had this surgery scheduled for a week," Mark said

"Well, it has to wait. The surgery is not going to save the man's life. I need the OR more than you do. This little girl needs surgery today, and right now all the OR's are full. Yours will be the first one to free up, so I'm taking your spot." Erica explained as she finished writing in her surgery. Mark left to inform his patient of the change in the schedule.

That night, Mark got back to his hotel room and looked around. This was never the life he had wanted for himself. He was hurting everyone he knew he loved, his sister and his parents, as well as people who loved him—Erica, Grace and Abbi. He was not that person. He never wanted to be that person and he begun to realize that everyday he avoided Abbi, Grace and Erica, he became more and more that person.

After wallowing in self pity for a couple of hours, a new thought occurred to him. Mark had become his father. By wanting the life he had before—the life he remembered—he was cheating on his family and leaving them alone to pick up the pieces. Mark had told himself he would never be like his father; he would never be the cause of that much pain for anyone who loved him as much as he had loved his father when his father left him and his mother. With the new realization, Mark picked up his keys and left.

Mark looked around the neighborhood he was in and smiled to himself. It really was a nice one. The sun was setting and the street lights were starting to come on. The kids on the sidewalks all looked as if they were racing to their homes before their parents got upset. Mark pulled the car into the driveway of a brick home with black shutters. From the exterior, the house looked as if all was well with the family that resided there. No one could ever tell, just by looking at the outside, that the family inside was broken and in pain.

He sat in the car, with his head on the steering wheel. He was not quite ready to do what he needed to do. Mark was about to open the driver side door when it happened, the first ray of hope in the past two months broke through. He closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to a memory that had been locked away…

Mark had just put Grace to bed, and he was watching his wife place their two month old daughter in her crib. Erica looked up, turned her head and smiled. She put her finger to her lips as she joined Mark in the hallway.

"Hey, is Gracie sleep?" She asked as she pulled the door almost completely closed leaving a crack so they would be able to hear the baby if she needed something.

"Yeah. I had to read two books and chase away any left over monsters, and monsters that apparently followed us here." Mark smiled as they walked to their bedroom. "Did you know we had monsters in the other house?"

"Of course I did. Apparently they only decided to show up whenever you weren't there. I'm not quite sure why that was though."

"Maybe they were afraid of my strength?"

"I doubt it. They probably were scared off by your beauty routine, you are a pretty boy. All those products you use, I'm surprised you haven't melted away." Erica said changing out of her moving clothes.

"That's not nice you know, and I don't use that many products!" Mark said.

"Whatever, you still love me." She smiled.

"It's because I love you that I don't say your heart is as cold as ice," He joked.

"Ha, if my heart's so cold, then you're not getting any tonight."

"I'm kidding, Erica. Your heart is warm and cuddly. Besides, we have to christen the new house." Mark walked over to her and snaked his arms around his waist.

"I know. I would have been very disappointed if you refused to take your comment back. Although, warm and cuddly were not the best words to use. I might just leave you for that." Erica smiled before kissing him on the lips.

"Just because I called you warm and cuddly? You are so hard to please." Mark pouted.

"Stop your pouting you big baby, I'm not going anywhere. You are stuck with me; you'll never be alone."

"That sounds a little creepy, Erica"

"You know you should really stop talking and bed me already," Erica said planting a kiss on the side of his neck.

"Who uses the term 'bed' anymore?"

"Shut up."

Mark felt Erica's lips curve into a smile against his own.

Opening his eyes, Mark got out of the car and made his way up the front steps of the house. He rang the doorbell and waited anxiously on the stoop.

Erica was on the phone when she heard the doorbell ring. She looked out the side window and saw Mark standing, waiting for her to open the door. She ended the call and opened the door. "Hey," she said as she stepped aside allowing him to enter.

"Hi. Where are the girls?" He asked looking around before he crossed the threshold.

"They're upstairs in the play room." Erica closed the door and walked into the kitchen. Mark followed her. She put dishes from dinner into the dishwasher before either of them said anything. "Why are you here? It's been two months and now you're here in the kitchen just standing and not saying anything."

"Did I ever tell you what my greatest fear was Erica?" He asked.

Erica sighed and shook her head. "No you didn't."

He moved closer to where she was standing, but not so close that he would be invading her personal space. "My biggest fear has always been becoming my father and ending up alone. So to avoid that fear I always distanced myself from anyone who ever wanted to get close to me. Really smart for someone who didn't want to be alone right? Here I am now, and I've done to you what I swore I would never do to my family. I don't want to be that person Erica. I don't want to be alone wondering what it would have been like if I tried to be your husband or if I tried to be Abbi and Grace's father. And I've hurt you, by staying away. And I hurt Grace and Abbi by trying not to hurt them. The logic is flawed and it doesn't make sense, I know. And I guess what I'm saying is I'm here now and I want this to work. I need this to work, not for me but for my daughters."

"I've been here, we've been here the entire time Mark," Erica said.

"I know."

"And I know you don't remember, but I told you when we moved into this house that you're stuck with me, you'll never be alone."

"I know that too."

"You know?!" Erica asked surprised. She tried to suppress the urge to jump the man standing across from her.

"Yeah, while I was sitting in the car, I remembered our first night in this house, putting the girls to sleep and our conversation and other things. And let me just say the memory of that night, makes me wonder where the hell you learned to do some of that stuff?" Mark smirked.

Erica rolled her eyes, it was just like him to ruin a potentially sweet moment. Then again neither of them could ever have a real sentimental moment without inserting a joke. "It's a highly guarded state secret."

Mark walked over to Erica, and this time, he did invade her personal space. "I don't remember anything else though. And I'm counting on you to help me through the whole parenting thing. All I remember is that apparently we have a monster infestation."

"We do, but since your pretty ass is back they should be scared to come in the house again." Erica wrapped her arms around Mark's neck as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"We can do this right?" Mark asked.

Erica rested her forehead on his and closed her eyes, it felt good to have him back in her life. "Yes we can."

Mark began to initiate a kiss but was interrupted by the sound of two pairs of feet running through the house. "Mommy, mommy, can we have ice cream… DADDY!!!" Abbi yelled as she ran into the kitchen.

Erica pulled away from Mark and allowed him to bend down and pick up Abbi. Grace followed her sister into the room, but stayed close by her mother.

"Hi gorgeous," Mark smiled.

"I missed you daddy. Do you 'member now?" Abbi asked.

"I don't remember everything, but I do know I love you and your sister and your mommy." Mark explained.

Abbi wrapped her arms around Marks neck before he put her down. Grace walked over to Mark, and he scooped her up in a hug as well, "Don't leave us again daddy. You made mommy cry." She whispered into his ear.

"I won't."

AN:This is the end. I hope you liked my story. I had fun writing it. I took all the reviews into consideration as far as the ending goes, and came up with this. Not exactly how everyone wanted, but it does bring our favorite family back together. Thanks for reading, and for the reviews.