Title: Broken Rating: PG Pairing: makes reference to Colin/Deb and Colin/Ryan Summary: Their marriage is breaking Author's Notes: Wrote this as I was falling asleep last night. One line just came to me, so I tried to write a fic around it. Not sure how it turned out, but ... yeah. Title from the song that just started playing. lol. She listens as the front door opens, gingerly - and she checks the digital clock for the seventh time in the last ten minutes. She pulls the doona a little higher up around her as the footsteps - slightly muffled by the carpet - head towards their bedroom. Her husband slowly pushes open the door. "Hey," she says, sleepily, and he pauses - surprised. "You're still up," he says, tenderly. "Couldn't sleep," she shrugs, as he shuts the door behind him. He undoes his belt, and she watches him for a moment. "Where've you been?" she asks, hoping she doesn't sound as accusatory as she feels. "Oh, Drew took us all out for celebratory drinks," Colin says, as he pulls off his shirt. "Last taping of the year and all..." he trails off, and she nods, slightly. "There was a phone call for you, earlier," she says, slowly, and Colin raises his eyebrows. "Yeah?" he asks, a little distractedly, as he unzips his pants. "Who was it?" She waits until he looks back at her before replying. "Drew. He's sending over a script in the morning." She doesn't blink; Colin looks away first. Her husband pauses for only a split second, though. "Oh," he says, as he climbs into bed. She reaches out and hugs him to her, burying her face in his neck, and he sighs, quietly. He strokes her back, gently, and she takes a long, deep breath through her nose. "You smell nice," she says, softly, and her husband laughs slightly as she brushes a hand over his chest. "Uh ..." he teases, and she reaches up a little so her mouth is closer to his ear. "I like this cologne," she continues, her lips brushing his jawline. "Did Pat buy it for him?" Her husband doesn't answer - and, almost to his credit, his hand doesn't stop moving. She waits for nearly a full minute. "Ignoring me doesn't change anything," she drawls. "It doesn't make it go away," she adds, quietly, as she pulls away, and he pauses again. "I - I know," he finally mutters, and she smiles, sadly, into the darkness; her husband always stumbles a little over his words when he's nervous. "But," he continues, just as softly, "it - it makes it kind of easier." She pauses, staring at what would be the ceiling, if she could actually see anything. "Colin-" is all she gets out, before he interrupts her, pleadingly. "Can we talk about this later?" he asks, and she sucks in a sharp breath, and he waits. "Fine," she finally whispers back. "Tomorrow?" she says, before clearing her throat. She knows he's still awake; she can feel him readjusting the doona; her husband lets out a long, quiet sigh. But doesn't reply.