And the sex, did I mention the sex? Well the sex disappeared. The closest to affection they showed was a little peck on the cheek hello, goodbye, and goodnight. Who would have ever thought that that would happen so such a happy couple? Not me. Ally couldn't hold it in anymore; she had to know what was going on.

"Larry?" Ally tried to grab his attention away from the morning paper.

"Hmm?" Larry responded not looking up from the paper and taking a sip of his coffee.

"What's wrong with us?" Ally was blunt and Larry was stunned.

"With us? What do you mean?" Larry probed.

"Well," Ally shifted uncomfortably. "We just don't, well nothing's ever," Ally stopped; she wasn't getting the point across.

Larry reached across the table for her hand and squeezed it affectionately. Ally looked at his hand on top of hers. "You see that Larry?" she pointed at their hands with her other. "That would have to be the most affection you've shown me since, well, for," Ally sighed, "for a very long time. I can't remember the last time we actually cuddled in the dark after sex. And there's another thing, sex. When's the last time we had sex?" Ally looked at Larry somewhat accusingly.

Larry was taken aback. He didn't expect this from Ally. He had thought she had stopped wanting to be affectionate. For about six months now, everything in their marriage had started to deteriorate. They slowly stopped doing all the little things that matter. It had bothered Larry, but he was just glad she was still in his life after all the hell they had been through. He almost left a second time, afraid of strike three. Maybe this was where it would happen, he wondered. Maybe this is my strike three. "Well honey, I just, thought," Larry was speechless, something that didn't happen often.

"You used to be so playful, and I just," Ally sighed. "I miss that Larry. I miss us. What happened to us?"

Larry started to get defensive. "So is this all MY fault?"

"No Larry! I didn't say that!" Ally exclaimed back at him.

"But you implied it," Larry continued, not missing a beat.

"Larry, I just," Ally gave a soft growl. "I don't see myself or what I do, all I see is what you do. I'm not saying that I'm perfect here! But since you didn't say anything, I didn't think it bothered you. It bothers me, so I say something, and therefore pinpoint stuff YOU'VE done that I've just happened to notice," Ally took a deep breath when she finished.

Larry took off his glasses and started to clean them with his tie, his usual nervous tactic. "Ally," he put them back on, "I don't know what to say. What do you want me to do?" He stopped, thinking for a minute. "Do you wanna do it on this table? Is that what you're talking about? Do you wanna skip work and 'cuddle' afterwards?"

Ally became disgusted. Larry was mocking her and she didn't appreciate it. "Larry," she got up and grabbed her briefcase. "Just forget it," she moved towards the door and as she opened the door she mumbled back to him "have a good day dear," stressing 'dear' of course because she was enraged.

"What IS her problem?" Larry mumbled out loud.

"Ally, do you think maybe you need marriage counseling?" Renee suggested. Ally had stopped by Renee's apartment on her way to work looking for some comfort and the two of them decided to walk to work together.

"Renee! Come on!" Ally was disgusted.

"Well seriously Ally, some people have trouble communicating. You and Larry always had some-" Ally cut her off.

"So he doesn't like to tell me what he's thinking, that doesn't mean we have trouble communicating. I was perfectly able to tell him how I felt this morning!" Ally shot back.

"Well honey, he took it the wrong way, you obviously sounded more disappointed or discouraged, or mad than you meant to be. Care to explain that?" Renee raised an eyebrow.

Ally took one look at Renee and then turned away and groaned. "I don't know what to do!" Ally started smacking her head with her briefcase.

"Ally!" Renee yelled as her best friend kept smacking her head. She DEFINITELY needs help, Renee thought.

*** Ally was sitting in her office fidgeting with her pen when she looked up and saw Larry standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and head cocked, like he always used to do. She thought he looked so sexy when he did that, like he was wanting, and waiting for her.

"Hey Mr. Larry," Ally said. She loved calling him that. There was something adorable about it to her.

"Hey," Larry said, he came inside and closed the door then proceeded to walk over to Ally who was still sitting down.

Ally pulled her chair back as Larry came over behind the desk to her. "Hey," she said again, whispering it this time.

Larry leaned down a little bit and ran his index and middle finger on his right hand down the side of Ally's face as she closed her eyes and melted at his touch. It was so tender, something she had been missing. It was refreshing actually, to feel something you have been deprived of for so long. Ally opened her eyes and looked Larry in his. She started to say something but he put his finger to her mouth, "Shhh," then brought his hand to the side of her face, cupping it. Ally stood up, this was interesting. It was more action than the two of them had seen in how long, Ally couldn't remember.

Larry stepped back a little bit as Ally stood up. This scared Ally and she tried to say she was sorry, but he hushed her yet again. Larry moved towards her ear and whispered softly. "Don't speak," and that was it. Ally remembered to keep her mouth shut, wondering where this was going.

Larry placed a small kiss where her face met her ear and Ally's whole body tingled with excitement. She loved that and she knew Larry used to know that. Well she figured he had forgotten since it had been so long since they'd been, romantic, or gotten sexual. Ally's hands found Larry's and Larry played with her fingers for a minute before intertwining them together and squeezing them tightly, reassuringly. Larry brought her hands up to his mouth and kissed them one after another, never losing eye contact with Ally. Ally dropped her head down; this was so incredible. She almost opened her mouth but then remembered to be quiet. Larry leaned Ally's back towards the desk and she sat down, wondering what was going to happen. Larry ran his finger down the top of her forehead to her lips, and then her neck and furthermore her stomach, slowly, seductively. Ally was losing herself in Larry's touch. She was totally his, and he knew it. Larry brought his hand back up to Ally's face and brought her head towards his as he moved his towards hers. When their lips met, electricity flowed through both of their bodies. Larry had slowly been exciting Ally and the kiss excited him. As they kissed deeply, their tongues met each other, teasing, but tender. It was like no other kiss in the world, and the world, as they knew it, disappeared while they kissed. Larry's mouth started to wander backwards towards Ally's ear and down her neck. He kept moaning, "Ally, Ally, Ally…"

"Ally, Ally, Ally!" Elaine yelled. Ally's head snapped up. She had had her head buried in her arms when her secretary came beckoning her.

"Um, Elaine, I um, what," Ally stopped and took a breath. "What do you want?"

"Well Ally, I'm going home, so if you're staying, you're on your own."

"Um, o-o-o-okay," Ally spat out.

"And Larry called," Ally's head perked up.

"He di-did? Um, well what did he, what did he say?" Ally was flabbergasted.

"He said he'd be home later on, he had a deposition to finish. I'm off!" and with that, Elaine was gone, leaving Ally alone, to ponder her dream, and her marriage, and, and…her life.

Ally sighed as she turned the key to hers and Larry's apartment. Another dull night, she thought. Another dull, lifeless, sexless night. It wasn't necessarily the sex she missed the most, that's just what seemed so, so noticeably missing. Ally entered the apartment and headed towards the stereo in the living room. The barely had the chance to listen to music anymore, she wondered what was in the cd player. She hit play and noticed it was Meredith Brooks, so she turned it up. This is good, a woman playing guitar, very cool. Ally went into her room and kicked her shoes off. The first song, "I Need" how appropriate, Ally thought. Yeah, she needed a lot of things. Ally had changed her clothes by the time the next song came on. A rather upbeat song, but the theme didn't really do wonders to up Ally's mood. "Bitch," meaning that it's okay to change at the drop of a hat. Well despite the catchy upbeat, I don't THINK so! And Ally hit random…maybe the songs would get better. Ally went to the freezer and found a frozen dinner to eat as she heard the next song start. It was mellow, good; it sort of suited her mood. Ally took the plastic halfway off of the frozen dinner and stuck it in the microwave as the lyrics started.

It's seven in the morning, and you're walkin'
Out the door, you've got no time for coffee and I'm
Standin' here rememberin', when my kisses made you late

Ally started remembering that morning with Larry. The conversation about the table and how that got Ally all worked up.

Only take a minute for my morning meditation but I'm
On the phone call waiting clicks I'm under an invasion and I
Feel like I'm a spinnin' ball, in a lottery cage

Ally remembered her talk with Renee about her and Larry maybe needing marriage counseling. She couldn't remember her mind ever feeling so cluttered.

If we ain't makin' love, how can we be lovers
Gonna, post a vacancy sign under the covers
Before it gets too late, I'm gonna say

Ooooo, stop what you're doing and love me now
Ooooo, I'm makin' my move
Come on and love me now

Ally could feel Larry's lips on hers from the dream she had earlier in the office, the dream that felt so real. She couldn't believe it; she was back to her usual neurotic hallucinations. The microwave dinged, signaling it was done, and Ally opened up her eyes. She took the plate out to stir it up and then put it back in the microwave for another minute.

I come home so tired just, wanna put my feet up
You watch Letterman and eat, something old I heat up
Then we both, fall asleep before the rooster, starts to crow

Ally stares at the microwave, thinking of all the reciprocating nights that run together like there was never any difference between them.

No time to fight, we pretend love is so sweet when
When all we're missin' is, words between the sheets
We used to find an hour, between the stop and go

We don't even touch each other anymore, Ally thought wistfully as she looked over to the fridge where there was a picture of her and Larry hand in hand at the park. God I miss his touch, Ally thought.

Whatever happened to stayin' up all night
When the bed became an island, it was just you and I
Our trouble would slip away, when we'd say

Ooooo, stop what you're doing and love me now
Ooooo, I'm makin' my move
Come on and love me now

We used to have so much fun together. Ally remembered just lying down at night, like she had told him before. They would cuddle after unbelievable lovemaking. She missed that time, just lying in each other's arms, listening to one another breath, it was, breathtaking, no pun intended.

Time, Time
Time, Time, Time
All we need a little time
Just you and I
Magic ride

What I wouldn't give for a magic ride, Ally remembered the dream again. No wonder it felt so magical. All dreams are magical.

If we ain't makin' love, how can we be lovers
Gonna post a vacancy sign under the covers
Before it gets too late, hmmm, I'm gonna say

I don't want someone else, but, if we can't work this out…he was the one that said if there's no communication, which at this point it was evident there wasn't, it would lead to the sex. We don't have any, what does that mean?? Ally questioned Larry's advice when she was having the dilemma over whether or not to move in with Brian. He had seemed so self-assured, and now he couldn't even talk to her anymore, or even touch her. Why me?

Ooooo, stop what you're doing and love me now
Ooooo, I'm makin' my move
Come on and love me now

The microwave dinged and it snapped Ally out of her daze. She grabbed the plate and dropped it because of the heat. "Shit!" she said out loud.

"Having problems?" Larry came in with his briefcase and set in on the chopping board.

Ally whipped around. "What the hell? Oh, it's just you," she went back to picking up the fallen pasta dinner.

"What a way to greet your husband," Larry mused out loud. When he noticed Ally wasn't paying attention to him, he decided to try and talk to her. "I'm, sorry, about before, this morning I mean. I didn't mean to sound like the bastard I did."

Ally walked over to the garbage under the sink and threw away the remnants of the dinner. She stood back up and leaned against the sink, looking at Larry. "You're sorry? You're really sorry?" Ally emphasized really in a somewhat sarcastic way. "Let me ask you this Larry, why are we an us if there's nothing here?" she studied his face, trying to get some kind of reaction out of him, hopefully one to shape his ass up. She missed him dammit. "Is there passion? What about love? Oh, and do we talk anymore?" Larry took his glasses off and threw them on the island cutting board next to his briefcase and looked at Ally.

"What do you want me to say Ally? I said I was sorry, can we just forget this?" Larry started to shout.

"Oh, you think apologizing is gonna bring all of that back into this marriage?" Ally snapped back. "I don't fucking think so LARRY!" Ally knew Larry hated it when she emphasized his name. She was pissed, so she didn't give a damn if she pissed him off.

"Why is this such a big deal? Are you horny or something? Do you want attention? Are you not getting enough in your own little mind?" Larry was walking towards Ally while speaking. Larry got in front of Ally, grabbed her arms and kissed her, hard and rough, on the lips. "Is that what you want Ally?"

Ally broke her arms free and shoved Larry back, hard, he hit the cutting board with his back and winced in pain. Ally stormed off to the bedroom and slammed the door. Ally leaned against the shut door and fell to the floor, her eyes brimming with tears.

What the hell does she want from me? Larry was so confused by everything. Ally was making zero sense to him. He didn't know what she wanted or if he could even give it to her. They had a weekend ahead of them and he had no idea how they were going to get through it. Things had seemed fine before, but Larry realized he was deceived. Him and Ally were just drifting farther and farther away. He didn't like it, he had to admit, but what was he going to do if she didn't tell him what she wanted. Was he supposed to just 'know' or something? I know I should know her inside and out, but that doesn't mean I can read her freakin' mind!

The stereo was on, but it had changed cd's. Now a melancholy-sounding song came on and it caught Larry's ear.

Cold and frosty morning, there's not a lot to say
About the things caught in my mind
And as the day was dawning, my plane flew away
With all the things caught in my mind

I don't wanna be there when you're coming down
I don't wanna be there when you hit the ground, so

This brought a tear to Larry's eye. He didn't know what Ally was thinking, and it could be because Ally didn't know what she was thinking herself, she just knew something was wrong. He went over to the stereo and turned it up a bit.

Don't go away
Say what you'll say
Say that you'll stay
Forever and a day
In the time of my life
Cause I need more time
Yes I need more time to make things right

Ally's ear perked up to the chorus of the song on the cd Larry turned up. She was relaxing from her crying but hearing the song made it start all over again. She didn't want him to go away, nor did she wanna go away, but was it happening? Were they going away from each other?

Down my situation, and the games I have to play
With all the things caught in my mind
And down my education, I can't find the words to say
With all the things caught in my mind

Ally could feel her thoughts swarming her head like a disturbed beehive, certain ones struggling to break through and make sense to her.

I don't wanna be there when you're coming down
I don't wanna be there when you hit the ground, so

Don't go away
Say what you'll say
Say that you'll stay
Forever and a day
In the time of my life
Cause I need more time
Yes I need more time to make things right

Ally stood up slowly and turned to open the door, her eyes still brimming with tears.

Me and you, what's going on?
All we seem to know is how to show, the feelings that are wrong

Ally took a deep breath and opened the door to see Larry standing right there about ready to knock on the door.

Don't go away
Say what you'll say
Say that you'll stay
Forever and a day
In the time of my life
Cause I need more time
Yes I need more time to make things right

Ally and Larry looked at each other through tear-stained eyes and Larry reached out for Ally's hand.

Don't go away
Say what you'll say
Say that you'll stay
Forever and a day
In the time of my life
Cause I need more time
Yes I need more time to make things right

Ally walked towards Larry, wiping her eyes with her free hand. Larry didn't lose eye contact.

Yes I need more time, just to make things right
Yes I need more time, just to make things right
So don't go away

Larry touched Ally's face with his free hand and wiped away a tear. "Don't cry Ally, please. We'll beat this," he whispered. "I love you too much to let you go."

"I love you too," Ally whispered back.

Larry pulled Ally into an embrace and Ally just crumbled in his arms. To be held again was the greatest gift she could ever ask for, except to not be let go, ever.

"Don't ever let go Larry, please," Ally begged, her voice muffled.

"I won't ever let you go," was all the choked up Larry could offer.

Feedback is appreciated!
E-mail me at Allygurl018@aol.com