Sage frowned slightly at the girl's response and sighed slightly. "I asked that because I want you to be happy as you can be, Mari," he murmured. "It killed me to even think of letting you go, but if you were happier that way that's what I wanted," he explained. "I didn't say that because I wanted to leave you, or because I felt like it was lacking, but because I love you enough to let you go if it was better for you." He tightened his hold on the girl slightly and rested his head against hers, pressing his nose into her hair and pecking the side of her head. "I've never been happier than what I am now," he promised her. "Everyone gets bad days...mine are just worse than normal. Just because I freak out sometimes doesn't mean I'm not happy," he murmured softly. "And it definitely doesn't mean you're not loving or caring for me enough."

Mari nodded softly to him before shaking her head. "But..." she trailed off a little bit, sinking into him a tiny bit more. He was warm, and she still absolutely smelled amazing. "I just want you to be happy... sometimes I feel like im not doing enough. Or when you have to look after me... it's like im not doing my job properly," she whispered after a few moments. She felt his grip tighten on her a little bit, and sighed softly. But at least she knew he was happy. And that he loved her enough that if she ever did want to go, then he'd let her, even if the thought was painful. She wanted him to fight for her if she was ever at the pain, because she'd fight for him... but she supposed letting her leave would be better than anything else. Less painful.

Sage hummed lightly and pressed another kiss to the girls temple gently and shook his head. "Mari, you already do everything," he told her with a bit of a chuckle. "That's the whole point of getting married....you're sharing the burdens you have." He shrugged slightly. "Besides....it's my job to look after you, too, and I can't do that if you won't let me," he murmured softly. "I like looking after you, just like I love caring for Silas. Makes me feel like I'm doing something right." They'd have to figure out a give and take for this kind of thing...but they would. If she still wanted him, then she would make an effort to do that, and so would he.

Mari sighed to him and nodded gently. He was right. They did need to work together... and couldn't do everything herself, and she knew that... so why was she still trying so hard? She hated it. She just want to get along with him... and they normally did. They normally worked with each other so well, so she wasn't sure why this was making it harder. Perhaps it was because she HAD to rely on him. She hated that so much. But they'd get along just fine... she just had to relax a little bit. She leaned into him a bit more before shaking her head. "I know, I know... I just feel like I should be doing things better for you," she told him with a soft sigh.

Sage hummed lightly, rather glad to see the girl accept the fact that sometimes, he was the one who had to do more work. When she leaned against him, he rested his head lightly on the top of her head, letting out a soft huff of air, content with it all. "I know," he hummed. "I feel like I don't do enough all the time," he admitted. "But you feel like I do enough, sometimes even too much. I feel the same way about you," he pointed out. "Don't worry about it so much.... we'll take care of each other, and Silas, just fine," he chirped lightly. By then, the water had started to cool down so he shifted slightly. "Let me out so I can dry off and get dressed and then I'll help you out as there," he hummed.

Mari nodded quietly to the boy before letting out a soft sigh. That was fine... she just had to learn to let him help. She just wasn't used to having someone fuss over her, it'd never happened in her family. They loved eachorher, but they never really cared for eachorher, like at all. "I just need to get used to it... that's all. You're a bit more used to this than I am," she murmured quietly. Sage didn't have many people... but the people he did have, like the doctor and Anya, they all cared for him wonderfully. She'd never had that... so trying to let him look after her was difficult, even though she trusted him to do it. She moved forwards a tiny bit, letting him slip out, watching him for a few moments before sighing softly when he went to help her.

Sage shrugged and hummed lightly and nodded before chuckling slightly. "Took me a few years to be comfortable enough to let people take care of me," he noted with amusement. "I don't think your skull will be as thick as mine," he chuckled, really just meaning that she'd get used to it, with time. It probably wouldn't take her as long as it had taken him...he'd had to learn how to trust first, and that had taken him a long time. He slipped out of the tub and dried off quickly, before turning to help Mari out. He got dressed while she dried off, and then grabbed the fresh dress that was there and helped her lace the back up before patting her shoulder happily. "There, just as pretty as ever," he chirped, pecking her cheek. "Now let's get you back to bed. Beauty rest is good for you," he joked lightly, though the girl was no doubt tired after this...he knew he would be.

Mari nodded quietly. Sage was stubborn as a mule, and they both knew that. It wouldn't be as difficult for her, she knew that too, but on the same hand, he was good at this now. She wasn't. He'd have to put up with her while she got used to things... not just automatically assume she wasn't happy. She was happy... very happy. It was still just a bit weird for her. She got out carefully, wincing ever so slightly before drying off and getting changed. She let him help her with the lace, and admittedly, it did feel very good to be clean. She wasn't likely to bleed much more now that she'd healed up. She went to lean on him a little bit, a small smile crossing her face for the first time in a while. She turned to him and nodded softly. She was tired... very tried, but nowadays she never wasn't tired. She stumbled back towards her bed before flopping down with a bit of a grunt.

Sage felt a spark of satisfaction shoot through him when the girl smiled. Good...that's what he was going for. She might be hurt, but that didn't mean she had to act all depressed all the time. She could laugh, even if she had to stay in bed. He helped her back to the bed, and put the blankets back over her once she flopped down. He would have crawled right in with her, but Silas popped his little head over the side of his crib and cooed hungrily, so Sage grabbed the baby to feed him before he slid in next to the girl.

Mari flopped on the bed quietly, then couldn't help a small smile when she saw the child pop his head over the crib. That was him sitting up? He was so perfect. She hadn't seen her baby sit up, or even start to sit up, but he seemed to have grasped it so quickly... he was just such a wonderful child. She couldn't help but feel so proud of him... she hated that she'd missed him learning, but he was so proud that he was doing it at all. She watched Sage settle down next to her, and she pretty much limpeted onto him straight away, gently tickling her baby's stomach as she rested her head on his shoulder.