Mirrors

I glanced at the clock in Blair's car before getting out and going inside my home. It was four in the morning.

"Thanks for tonight, it was good." I half-smiled before climbing out of the car. He nodded and smiled back, also half-heartedly, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." I replied in a sigh. Neither of us wanted me to go inside, but I ignored the sickening dread in the pit of my stomach and sauntered up the walkway till I got to the door. By this time he had already left, but slowly drove away.

The door was unlocked and the house was quiet, so to blend in I quietly entered in and made my way upstairs. When I got to the beginning of our hallway, I debated whether I should go to my room or our room. I sighed and decided to go to our room, and when I silently opened the door I saw that Hudson was sitting up in bed, typing on his laptop.

He looked at me in the same way I looked at him, with a somber almost impassive expression. "Hi." He quietly spoke.

Shutting the door behind myself I looked down at the floor for a second before meeting his gaze again, "Hi."

He cleared his throat, "Where were you?"

I slipped off my jacket and walked across the room to the closet, "I was with Blair." Spending a short time in the closet, I hung up my jacket and quickly changed into my sleepwear. "How was your evening?" I asked him as I came out, slowly climbing onto the bed.

He shrugged a shoulder and inwardly sighed, "It was good. Joe's a nice guy, it was a good evening."

I just nodded and we sat there in silence, exchanging glances every now and then. I ran my fingers through my hair, catching a knot at times.

"Ave, I'm sorry about what I said at the restaurant. I shouldn't have told anyone without talking to you first." He gnawed at the inside of his cheek, watching me.

"I guess it's okay...people will eventually find out. I left because I needed to cool off. Hudson, I'm keeping this on the down low because I don't want the stupid tabloids to find out. They've finally been settling down, I just don't want them to start up again."

He nodded, "Yeah, I understand completely."

Again we sat in silence and I decided that now was a good time to tell him about Paris. "So Blair and I talked a lot tonight and he invited me to go to Paris with him next week. He's doing a show over there for Fashion Week. I'm gonna go."

His eyes darted up to mine and his lips pursed, "You're gonna go to Paris with Blair?"

"Yes."

He cleared his throat and I could tell he was trying his hardest to keep himself from saying some choice words about my friend. I spoke before he could say anything, "Hudson, you and I have been having a bit of rocky time right now in our marriage. I think we just need some time away from each other for a while."

Silently he nodded, "So...what? Are you gonna be gone for a week? Our anniversary is coming up on the 28th." I was surprised that he remembered the day we first met.

"I know it is, I'll be back before then. We're gonna leave Tuesday evening, that's the 18th, and probably be back on the 27th."

"...okay, if this is what we need." He faltered.

"It is, Hudson. We really need this." I closed my eyes and sighed. I pulled the duvet from under me and I slipped underneath, lying down and getting comfortable in bed.

He watched me, "Are we okay?"

"It doesn't really feel like it, but I'm tired and it's late, let's just go to sleep." I turned away from him and pulled the blanket up to my chin, closing my eyes and praying for sleep to come quickly.