1Disclaimer: I own anyone you don't recognize. The rest belong to Zuiker.

-S/C-

Tim rested his head against the head rest of the driver's seat and pulled out of the driveway. He felt bad for Calleigh. He really did. Yes, they loved their kids but it was getting a bit overwhelming. Ally was jealous of Jason, who cried, a lot. Tim, at least, had work to escape to while Calleigh was still on maternity leave. There were other problems arising, though they weren't know yet.

-S/C-

Calleigh's head lifted off the couch when she heard the door open and close.

"Thank God you are home." she muttered. "You have been getting calls nonstop today."

"From?" Tim asked, sitting next to her.

"Your mother." Calleigh spat. Tim raised an eyebrow, now knowing the reason for his wife's hostility. After eight years of marriage, Elizabeth Speedle still wouldn't or couldn't accept her daughter-in-law. Tim really thought it she wouldn't.

"Oh. What did she have to say?"

The phone rang.

"Why don't you see for yourself?" Calleigh snapped. "Every time I pick the phone up I get a lecture on how I'm not good enough for you."

Tim grabbed the phone to stop the incessant ringing and dreaded hearing the voice he knew would soon fill his ears.

"Hello?"

"Finally!"

Tim groaned to himself.

"Do you even live there anymore?"

"Yes. I've been at work all day. You should've called my cell phone instead of annoying Calleigh all day."

"Oh you're defending her are you?"

"She is my wife."

"And I'm your mother."

"Well..." Tim couldn't come up with a come back.

"Exactly. You like me more."

"Um..."

"I'm coming for a visit. I haven't seen Jason at all."

"That's okay."

"Right. That's why I'm coming."

"Mom I..."

"No Is Timothy! I know what's coming. 'I don't think Calleigh would like that.'"

"Well..."

"Don't you have a mind of your own anymore?"

"Yes but..."

"No! I'm coming."

"Mom you can't!"

"Oh I can. Someone needs to take care of those children of yours when you're not home!"

"Calleigh does!"

"And they'll turn out just like her."

"Well that's good! At least they won't be like me!"

"You were such a good child Tim..."

He rolled his eyes. His mother obviously did not know who he was. When he was a kid he was a quiet bookworm that locked himself in his room everyday after school. When he was a teenager he was a rebel. He snuck out of the house in the middle of the night to ride his motorcycle and hang out at clubs with his new friends.

"...never gave us any trouble."

'Great. She's still talking.' Tim thought.

"Mom I have to go."

"Oh is your master calling?"

"No. I'm going to bed and she's not my master. You make it sound like I'm a dog."

"No. She's..."

"Don't even finish that sentence." were Tim's parting words. He tossed the phone onto the couch and looked at Calleigh.

"I don't even want to know." she muttered. "I really don't."

"Well when she shows up at the door in about a day or a week, you will want to know."

"I'll kick her out onto the curb." Calleigh said. "No offense."

"Why do you two hate each other?" Tim asked.

"She never liked me and hey why try liking someone that hates you?"

"Can you at least be civil for me?"

"Only if she can. I know about every trick in the book that your mother can pull. 'Oh come home Tim. Oh divorce her, she's not good enough for you.'"

"But, if you haven't realized yet, I haven't fallen for any of them." he said, kissing her. "And I'm not good enough for you. You deserve someone like... just someone better."

"I don't think I would've stayed around for eight years if I didn't love you."

"Well now you know my answer."