The Age of The Masrui

"No." Marlowe answered as she walked back in, crouching down to clean the glass up off of the floor. "Me going up there isn't going to do anything for her, isn't going to fix anything. You need to, she always takes in what you have to say more."

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"People manage long-distance all the time, Cal." Dorian frowned.

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"Mm, you haven't even seen weird yet." Penelope hummed as she kissed him back deeply, lifting her hand up to unbutton his shirt.

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"She's perfectly fine,"

“She doesn’t give a rats ass about what I say.”

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“And lots of people don’t because it doesn’t work. Especially long distance where there’s a possibility of no contact for six months. No... it’s not enough for me. And I was stupid to go along with the whole thing, shes right, it was wrong of me.” Cal set his jaw as he stared at the tv. “I’m better off sticking with my ghosts.”

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“Come here.” Karsi patted the space beside her.

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Alex grinned as he leaned back, allowing her space to do what she wanted.

"She called Caliban in hysterics after what you said, she lobbed a rock across the room after you rejected it. She cares too much about what you say, what you think if anything. She doesn't know how to handle the fact that you are angry at her, you've never been this pissed at the kids before - so you need to go and clear the air with her."

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Dorian got to his feet and moved over to sit beside Caliban then, lifting a hand up to rest it on the back of his shoulder. "Why don't you do the next few months as a test run, see how you feel about it after this one month of no contact. At least you'll always have something to look forward to, every time she is away. You haven't tried yet, Cal."

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Penelope kissed down his neck then, soon moving down to his chest.

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Louis sat himself down beside her, "Are you sure you're okay?"

“No,” Cal shook his head. “Because the more time I spend with her the more it’ll hurt when it eventually ends up being half a year with nothing. It’s best to cut the cord now whilst it’s only a small sting, before allowing myself to feel anything deeper and having it be something that really hurts.”

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“I’ll add bad father onto my resume, noted.” Maddox shook his head before going to the kitchen.

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“I’m just tired, sore. But I’m okay. It’s a very acceptable price worth paying for bringing our baby into the world.” Karsi smiled as she leaned into him.

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Alex let out a noise of content as he shrugged his shirt off, pulling her closer to him.

"Did I say that? No. You think she doesn't care about what you say, I have given you two examples within the last twenty four hours on why that isn't true. She loves you, she knows your pissed at her.. you need to go up there and work out a plan with her on how to address that." Marlowe sighed, voice softening then as she followed him. "Mads, come on... this needs to stop. We all need to come up with a plan on how to address what is going on."

“What’s going on is I’m not allowed five minutes to myself l, I’m not allowed to just grieve. There’s always got to me someone or something just at me. I just want to be allowed to be for five damn minutes without someone shouting my name or reminding me of my shortcomings.”

"I took the kids out all day to give you that room, we have hardly spoken to each other all week. If even looking at me and the kids is bothering you, then we will all leave for a while - I'll tell them it is a holiday." Marlowe suggested, doing her best to keep her voice gentle. "I've not told you any short comings, telling you your children care about what you say isn't a criticism. Do you want us to leave?"

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"I just really think you are shooting yourself in the foot here if you don't give it a good go. You like her, that is huge for you - you can't just let it go, it would be too much of ashame."

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"Mm, I think adoption next? I don't want you going through that again." Louis whispered.

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She moved to kiss his lips once again

“I don’t want to get to the point where I like her so much that six months without her would end up hurting badly. It’s best to cut it here before I get too attached.”

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“I just can’t deal with any of this right now... I can’t. I’m sorry.”

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“I wouldn’t mind doing it all again, but it’s definitely something to discuss when we’re ready.” Karsi nodded.

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Alex kissed her back deeply.

Marlowe offered a hand out to him gently, though didn't step forward; giving him the chance to come to her if he wanted to.

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Louis nodded, kissing the top of her head gently. "You done so well, Karsi. I'm so proud of you, your extraordinary."

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"Bedroom?" She breathed.

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"Cutting your nose of to spite your face, definitely."

“So you’re allowed to cut Astrid off because what she was offering you wasn’t enough but I’m not allowed to cut Alexia off because what she’s offering won’t be enough for me? Having told to half a year without any contact from someone I love at all? That would be torture to me Dorian. Not knowing if they were alive? Doing okay? I was silly to let it get this far.”

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Maddox just shook his head. “I’m sorry but… I can’t be who you need me to be right now.”

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Alex nodded, getting up and taking her hand as he headed to his room.

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“Nothing amazing, women do it all the time.” Karsi laughed quietly, closing her eyes at his touch.

"I don't need you to be anyone but who you are," Marlowe whispered. "I am trying to give you the space you need, but if you need more then I will take the kids and move out until you are ready. You just need to say the word; you need to tell me what you need from me."

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"Don't bring Astrid into this," Dorian whispered. "Point is taken, I just think it is ashame when the two of you like each other. Think it is something you can work through, if you feel like you can't then... okay."

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Penelope followed, pulling her top off of her and closing the door behind them as they faded to black.

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"Still amazing,"

“I need to be good at my job and I need to be a father and a husband and there’s just no room in between for me to just sit and be... for me to miss my dad. There’s no room for anything right now.”

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“It’ll be even more of a shame to have my heart broken later down the line because we can’t offer each other what we need... I shouldn’t have considered even opening up.”

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“You did well for staying awake the whole time too, thank you for not leaving me by myself.”

Marlowe closed the distance between them, arms slipping around to hug him. Resting her chin against his shoulder and rubbing his back to try and soothe him; "It is really hard right now, especially for you. I know... So, two options for immediate short-term solutions; I get the kids in the car and the three of us leave you be for tonight or you get your coat on, I will drive you to the cemetery to see your dad. I'll wait in the car for you, you can have alone time with him."

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Dorian shook his head, "You want to go to a trashy bar with live music and just listen to the band for a few hours?"

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"I could never even dream of it. We're a team."

“I don’t know what’s for the best... I don’t trust my own judgment anymore.”

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Caliban nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

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“If you’d have told me ten years ago where we’d be in ten years… wouldn’t have believed you.”

"Okay," She whispered, turning her head to kiss the side of his head gently. "Put your jacket it on. I'll get the car keys, call the nanny in for a few hours and as soon as she arrives then I will drive you to see your dad."

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Dorian got to his feet, humming, "Somewhere in walking distance so that I get to drink."

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"We've come far," He agreed.

Cal got to his feet too, motioning for him to lead the way.

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“Are you sure?”

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“I love you, and our little family...”

Dorian headed outside then, frowning when as soon as they got to the front of the apartment Alexia's car was still parked outside. Alexia herself sat in the drivers side, staring straight out of the windscreen, her fingers tapping slowly against the steering wheel.

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Marlowe nodded, pulling back from the hug. Squeezing his hands gently before letting go, "I am sure. Dress up warm, it's chilly out there today - think it is going to rain soon. The warmer you dress, the longer you'll manage to stay out there for." She advised, before leaving the room to grab her phone and get in contact with the nanny.

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"Mm," Louis hummed gently. "And now we need a traditional holiday in the next couple of months, right? Like we did with Cain."

Cal rubbed the back it his neck awkwardly before walking up to the car, tapping her window.

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“A holiday sounds absolutely wonderful, yeah.” Karsi nodded with a smile.

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Maddox went upstairs to get dressed.

"Spain?"

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Alexia frowned, glancing to the side and winding the window down. "I quit."

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Marlowe left him be until the nanny arrived, before heading to the bedroom and wiggling the car keys at him. "Come on you, it's time to go."

“You did what?!” Caliban frowned deeply. “Why on earth would you do that? You can’t quit your job Lexi, that’s insane.”

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“Keep talking, it’s getting better.” Karsi laughed quietly.

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Maddox nodded as he followed her out

"Your right, the only future I am ever going to have with anyone is going to be someone in my own field and the men in my field are insufferable. They are wonderful to work with but their priorities are all wrong, and their humour is disgusting - you'd hear better on a commercial ship or a war zone. I want to give us a proper go, so I quit. I'll... apply for a job at an animal shelter tomorrow or maybe an office where they need their analytics checked."

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Marlowe drove toward the cemetery once he was inside. Whispering as she pulled over, "I'll wait here for you, you can have that alone time you need. Take as long as you want; the nanny is going to be with the kids all night."

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"We can put Cain and baby into a kids club in the day, use the spa facilities for us."

“You can’t quit your career for me Lexi... that’s insane. I’m not worth your career at all. No...”

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“You don’t have to wait here all night...”

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“Sounds perfect.”

"I know, but I will." Marlowe whispered. "Now go... when your ready to go home, I'll be here."

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"Well, I already have." Alexia whispered. "So... what now?"

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"I would die for a massage right now."

“You go get your job back. You can’t quit your job for me Lexi...”

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“You and me both... a massage, a hot tub...”

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Maddox nodded, heading off into the cemetery.

Marlowe watched him go, before letting out a small sigh and moving the car seat back to give herself more leg room. Attaching her phone to the sound system and putting on an audio book.

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"Some time in the day just for us,"

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"There is no getting it back. It's competitive - there are always thousands of people waiting to jump into my grave. I imagine one of the vultures have taken my place - it is done."