"Karen, no!" I cry, chasing after her. She turns around swiftly.

"You won't listen to reason. Look at yourself! You've waited years to be with Lindsey. You're now married, for almost a decade, you have two gorgeous, amazing children, and he's committed and present. He lives and breathes for you. You almost lost him years ago and you both found your way back. Now you're going to throw it all away for Don? A man who treated you like garbage for years, forced you to have an abortion that destroyed you emotionally and has barely given you the time of day since your affair is the 70s. He's a user and a womanizer....and you want him? I just don't understand you"

"He cares about me."

"And Lindsey doesn't? He worships you"

"I know"

"I think you just like the danger. Your little gypsy soul is restless and you want drama. I can see it in you. You want Lindsey to be jealous, don't you?" I nod, she has me all figured out so I can't possibly deny it now. "You're going to lose him if you keep doing this"

"We haven't done anything. We just kiss, make out a little..."

"But you want more."

"Yes" I hang my head.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing..." The door bell rings and Karen rolls her eyes. "I'm not getting that. Take care of yourself for a while. I have to get out of here."

"Please don't go. You can't!"

"I can and I will, Stevie. You have my number when you want to fix this. Goodbye" She shuts her bedroom door and I'm crying even more now. The door bell rings again and I rush to answer it.

"Don..." I weep.

"What happened?" He asks, holding me as I've fallen into his arms.

"Lindsey left for work in LA...Karen quit. Everyone is leaving me, I'm going to be all alone...."

"Shhh...Stevie breathe"

"I'm alone, I'm so alone"

"No, I'm right here, darlin'. You're not alone. I won't let you be alone." He says, comfortingly. He shuts my front door and takes me to the couch to sit down. "Where are Aria and Willow?"

"Down for the evening I think"

"Alright. Is Karen still here or did she leave already?"

"She's in her room. She's packing. I can hear her"

"Go talk to her."

"She won't listen. I tried."

"Want me to?" I shake my head. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Make love to me" I say "Please, I'm so lonely"

"Stevie..." he says, uncertainty written all over his face.

"Please" I beg, unbuttoning his shirt and running my hands over his chest, kissing any part of him I can reach.

"Not like this..."

"I need you, Don. You said you love me, right? Show me."

"You're not thinking. I'm not going to take advantage of you."

I sit back up, hurt. "You don't want me either?"

"Of course I want you. You're sexy, beautiful...you're crying Stevie and so desperate. I don't want you to hate me"

"Fuck you, Don! Get out of my house!" I shout, pushing him away from me.

"Just let me be here for you. We can talk, we can have a drink or watch a movie...."

"Leave! Get the fuck out! I hate you! Get out!" I start throwing things at him that he has to dodge and he slips out the door. I hear the screech of tires as he pulls out of my drive and I find myself sobbing as I make my way up the stairs.

"What happened down there?" Karen asks, coming out of her room. "I heard yelling"

"Fuck Don and fuck you too! No one loves me, no one cares about me...I'm going to my room"

"Stop, Stevie"

"No! You're leaving, Lindsey left...Don is gone..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I begged him for...contact and he wouldn't do it. He wouldn't do anything. Something about not wanting to take advantage of me..."

"Wow..." Karen says, not quite believing what happened. "He turned you down?"

"So I kicked him out. I don't need anyone, not anymore!"

"Stop it, stop it right now" she says, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. "What is going on with you? Why are you doing this?"

"I'm not doing anything"

"Yes you are! You don't need Don. You needed to not make that album, you needed to not go on tour and now with you leaving again, all of your feelings are bubbling up to the surface and you're going to end up killing yourself. You've been drinking a lot, messing with your marriage and I'm sorry Stevie, but you aren't really 'here' with the girls. They need you, they love you" I cover my face with my hands. "Come here" she says and pulls me into a warm, comforting hug. She continues to hold me as I cry and when she pulls back, she offers me a kind smile.

"Please stay with me, Karen" I beg.

"Get yourself some help. When you have done that, I will come back but I can't see you spiral. I will call Lindsey and maybe he can come home"

"No, he can't know about this"

"Are you going to end it?"

"I don't know" I tell her and she sighs with frustration.

"Then I can't help you if you won't help yourself. Like I said, you have my number. Call me when you gain some sense."

With that, she grabs the bag she was packing from her room. She peeks into Willow's room and I watch a loving smile play on her lips watching my youngest daughter sleep. She goes to Aria's room next and she steps inside briefly.

"Where are you going, Aunt Karen?" I hear my seven year old daughter's soft, small voice ask.

"I have to go away for a while but I love you. I love you and your sister so much"

"Stay!" Aria begs.

"I can't baby. Will you do me a favor?"

"Yeah, anything"

"Look after your mommy, okay?"

"What's wrong with her? Is she sick?"

"No, honey. She's just having a hard time"

"Is that why I hear her crying at night sometimes?"

Karen is thoughtful a minute, stroking my daughter's small hand in hers. "Yes, that's exactly why. Your daddy will be home soon but until then, you're going to have to do a really big job. Take care of your baby sister and help your mommy. She's really going to need it. Can you do that for me, Ari?"

"Yeah" Aria says sadly.

"I love you baby girl. I cannot wait to see you again."

"Bye bye" My little girl says tearfully and gets back into her bed. "Good night"

"Good night. Be a good girl"

"I will" she says before drifting off to sleep.

Karen goes downstairs without another word and leaves. I hear the front door slam shut and I feel so hopeless. I've really done it this time. I have no one to blame for this mess but myself.