Seth POV

I groaned aloud, feeling tiredness spread through my bones. I stretched my arm out to feel the place next to me, and there under my hands was the skin of Maria. Suddenly I was so far away from her and I quickly pulled myself closer to her; almost landing on top of her. I wrapped my arms around her stomach and pulled her close to me.

"Good morning honey." She said in her groggy morning voice, god even that I loved. 3 years into marriage and I still loved hearing her in the morning. Never had I ever thought I'd hear myself think that.

"How did you know I was awake?" I replied, fiddling with my silver marital ring, my eyes still firmly shut. As long as they were closed I wouldn't need to get up... or I tried to think like that anyway.

"Living with you for half a decade has taught me one thing, when you move you're awake. And also when you flop on top of me it means your awake." Though she sounded annoyed I knew deep down she was only playing so I giggled, snuggling my head into her neck.

"What's the time?" She asked me after a few minutes of blissful silence.

"Too early."

Maria leaned up slightly so she could see our alarm clock. "It's 11:30."

"Too early."

"Seth!"

"What?" I said as Peter, hoping to make her laugh. God I loved it when she laughed. And she treated me to that wonderful, musical laugh of hers and as I sat in awe of her she was trying to get up and leave the bed. I wrapped my arms around her waist as she stood up, my eyes flickering open to find her.

"Seth I have to get ready."

"No. You can't leave me."

"I'm just going to the bathroom."

"That's too far away."

"Honey, I'm going to Texas tomorrow how the hell will you survive."

"I'll come with you!"

"You have work."

"Screw work I own the damn series and if I want to be with my wife I'll bloody well do that." I tried to calm myself down, knowing that being angry wouldn't solve anything.

"... Seth... You know I love you and all but-"

"But what?" I asked confused, sitting up in bed and running a hand through my tousled bed hair.

"Well it's just my family doesn't really... you know... like you."

"I found that out at our wedding!" I snorted. Maria's family couldn't stand me since I wasn't a Christian like them and they thought she should have ended up with a little Christian farmers boy who would have already provided them with grandchildren and not a 'devil' such as myself.

Maria sighed, she really did hate it when we talked about her family. "Maybe if I go with you, I can try to build some bridges. We can talk about having children in front of them and all that stuff." I was suddenly grinning at her, excited by the idea that me and her would be on another road trip together.

"I promise I'll be on my best behaviour." I said with a wink, pulling my best puppy dog eyes.

"Ugh fine. But that's an unfair advantage!" She whined leaning down so our faces almost touched. Her lips were so close to mine, mere inches away. I leaned up and closed my eyes, ready to be engulfed by the sweet taste of her.

For a few seconds I lingered, lips pouted eyes closed just to hear footsteps walking away from me. "What the..." I whispered as my eyes opened to see Maria giggling from the doorway to the bathroom.

"Hey, hey get back here. I want that kiss!" I moaned, pointing to the bed where I sat eagerly waiting.

"Come here and get it!" She teased, biting gently on her lower lip. I exhaled loudly, well I wouldn't be getting into work any time soon... Alex would be able to oversee everything going on in the office for a few hours, it was only a run through of the newest script.

For the second time this morning I was pulling myself out of bed to reach Maria. A few minutes before she had left the bedroom and wandered downstairs to the kitchen to make us lunch.

"God it's late." I mumbled to myself, stretching as wide as possible. "Alex it going to kill me." It was 1pm, the read through would be over by now and people would be back off to their stations. Hopefully Alex had got everyone in order and under control though I'm sure Seth was causing trouble left alone with Mike. As quickly as possible I pulled on an old pair of jeans and grabbed a grey button up shirt from the closet, while rushing down the stairs pulling it on trying not to slip, fall and break my neck.

"Smells good but I'll just take toast." I said, buttoning up the first few buttons on the shirt.

"That's why I made you some." She laughed through a mouthful of porridge. "So attractive." I chuckled back, grabbing two slices of toast from the plate on the counter.

"Isn't this why you married me?"

"Absolutely." I leaned in and pressed my lips against hers, snaking my arm around the back of her neck, bringing her closer to me.

"I don't want to go to work." I moaned into her lips doing the rest of my buttons up as I spoke. "You'll be home in 7 hours and all of our stuff will be packed ready to go in the morning. The flight is booked for 6am so we'll be in Texas bright and early."

"I can't wait."

The drive to work was a tedious one, where I sat in the car humming along to Frank Sinatra... really nothing new there. Work would be boring as usual, people would moan, we'd be sued for something we said and then I'd get to go home and pack. I guess I should decide who's in charge of the cast while I'm away but I already know it's Alex. I wish Maria could have come to work today everyone loves her there and she makes it so much more fun...

Outside rain pounded on the windows begging to be allowed inside of the karaoke bar. Mila was sat on my left and Seth Green on my right, I'd already been up and sung a bunch of times and I was beginning to feel worn out by it.

"Anyone want anything else to drink?"

"No thanks." Alex said checking her phone for messages from her husband.

"You paying?" Seth asked, holding up his glass.

"Obviously he is." Mila chuckled.

"Then I'll have one." Alex chimed in grinning at me.

I sighed to myself but pushed out my chair and squeezed through the crowds to get to the bar. "2 red wines, 1 beer and 1 jack Daniels." I turned to my left only to see a stunning blonde sat talking to a brunette. Bravely I tapped her shoulder and tried to introduce myself.

"Hi I'm Seth."

"Not interested."

"You don't even know what I was about to say."

"How do I put this, you have something between your legs that doesn't appeal to me." She smiled a sarcastic smile before collecting her drink and walking towards the opposite side of the room; to show the brunette laughing at my failed attempt at romance.

"Well done Casanova." She said chuckling into her drink.

"Yeah har har." This hadn't turned out to be the greatest night of my life, but I guess more drink would fix that. The bartender placed the drinks in front of me and I handed over the money and waited for my change.

"All that for you champ?" The young woman asked nodding towards the drinks.

"How could I resist getting blindingly drunk after such a fail at wooing someone." I definitely felt bitter as I took a small sip of my drink.

"I know the feeling." She turned back to her drink, her gaze becoming steely as she stared at the drinks behind the bartender.

"Seth." I said, sticking my hand out in front of me. My palms slightly sweaty.

"Huh?"

"My name... it's Seth." I stuttered ever so slightly, unsure if I should just go back to the rest of the cast.

"MacFarlane I know. Maria." She shook my hand, smiling a polite smile as she did so. I could feel many stares on the back of my neck as I grinned at her.

"SETH! Stop flirting and bring me my drink." Alex called, causing the others to laugh at me.

"I'll be right back." I whispered to Maria holding my finger up before picking up the tray of drinks and carrying them as quickly as possible over to where the cast were seated.

"Seth's getting laid." Mila sang a chorus of, while Seth Green mimicked two people making out.

"I hate you all." I whispered but grinned all the same. Maria was rather pretty.

"So how about I give you my number?" I asked holding out a piece of paper that I had scribbled my name and number onto earlier hoping that she would take it. It was now 1am and we had talked for most of the night.

"Sorry Seth but I don't want to sleep with you."

"Ouch, my feelings have taken a devastating blow; will I ever be able to date again! Did it ever occur to you that I just wanted to be friends." I said, doing my very best to do the voice of Quagmire in my half drunk state.

"Okay then. Friends. Yeah. I can do friends." We both sat in silence for a few seconds but then she giggled at what she had just said.

"I bet you do your friends." I laughed, pushing the paper into her hands. "Please ring me."

"Alright then tiger. Speak to you soon. But just in case I lose your number here's mine." She scribbled her number onto my palm and turned to walk away leaving me standing under a street light.

"Bye." I called after her, raising my hand to wave. She turned around and chuckled, waving back.

I punched the numbers into my phone and after two rings Maria answered. "Easy now tiger, you're coming off a little eager."

"Hey I want to take a shower tonight, wouldn't want your number to be lost forever now would I?"

"I guess not, that would be a disaster."

"Well... " There was silence for a moment, while I blissfully smiled at the phone. "Good night." I whispered, shutting off my phone. I definitely could not wait to call Maria again or just see her... she really was beautiful. But in a strange way, one that I normally wasn't attracted to at all, she had sharp green eyes, long brown hair and a soft face that looked like it liked to laugh.

I swear if my life was a movie I'd be singing all the way home. And just like that that's how I found myself humming a tune in the rain, happily skipping down the street to my car.

"Seth!" Alex loudly spoke in my ear, snapping me out of my little day-dream. "Can't you ever pay attention for more than 5 minutes."

"Yes. When Maria is around I pay attention for hours." I was mumbling to myself, staring at the drink in my hand.

"Well it's time to go home now."
"I still have work to do." I wanted to go home. I wanted to curl up in bed with Maria and happily forget the world outside of our bedroom. But since I had taken so long to get in this morning I was having to work extra hours to catch up on the late work.

"Go home Seth." Alex whined pulling her coat on as she spoke.

"I'll be gone in an hour I promise."

"I'll call Maria in an hour. If you aren't home I'm coming back to beat your ass." She said, her threat the most real it had ever been. Out of everyone Alex had taken a shine to Maria the most and had threatened me multiple times even after we got married that if I hurt her she would hurt me a thousand times worse. I believed her.

"I do not doubt you." I turned my head back to the paper in front of me and started sketching the outline to a new character I had in mind for the newest series.

I felt my mind begin to tug and pull away from reality and before I knew it my hand was controlling itself, drawing whatever it saw fit to draw.

1 hour later, dribble was falling from my mouth and onto the paper in front of me. My eyes were closed and my head was pounding like a marching band's drum.

"I swear to hell Seth get the fuck out of that chair and get your ass home! Your wife loves you now fucking get home before she starts freaking out and thinking you're cheating on her with someone half your age." Alex wasn't angry I quickly realised... she was in a god damn rage. "She trusts you though so she wouldn't think that because she is a NICE PERSON!"

"Holy fuck Alex. I'm going home I must have just passed out on the table. Sorry." I quickly began to gather myself, stacking my papers and pulling on my jacket. I knew she was mad at me. It was way past 11pm and I still wasn't home. I wanted to be. That was all I wanted, to be curled up in bed wishing tomorrow morning wouldn't come along. But it would, just like it had every other morning. Alex was fixing me with a steely gaze and all I could do was throw my hands in the air. "I'm moving." I flicked off the light and we both left the building.

I unlocked the front door as quietly as possible only to find that Maria was awake on the sofa, watching a film on the big screen TV. It was the film that her and I had watched on our first date – Moulin Rouge. Though not my first choice of film to watch it had good singing, good acting and a nice old sad ending to make us both feel the tears.

"Hi honey." I said, making my way over to her curled up form. I rested at the edge of the sofa, near her feet.

"Hi." She said not moving her stare from the screen a blanket was pulled up to her chin and her hands had a tight grip on the remote.

"Please don't be mad."

"I'm not mad." She said, once again not moving her eyes from the screen. "I'm just tired."

"Of what?" I asked sitting down next to her and placing my hand on her ankle.

"Your hours. The fact that you can't even make it home for a late dinner any more; instead it's more like a midnight snack." I could sense that she wasn't really angry, she had never been angry before, she was only annoyed. And that was worse than anger. Anger could make you productive, it could fuel you and change your life... being annoyed just ate at you until you were consumed by it.

"I know. I'm so sorry it's just I had a tonne of things to do and I would have been home an hour ago but I fell asleep at my desk. Alex was pissed. And now you're pissed... I've screwed up again haven't I?" I reached to my right to grab a bottle of Jack from the table, always helps to calm the nerves.

"Just a bit. But on the bright side all of our stuff is packed and we leave for Texas in the morning."

"We should go to bed then." I said taking a swig of the fine amber liquid.

"That we should."

"Go Texas." I half cheered as Maria turned off the TV and laughed, pulling me from the sofa and up the stairs.