Her Telling you that the only way the marriage will survive is through a separation is text book BS.
What your are describing seems to be "Caking Eating" with her wanting to stay home while you pay for everything.
I suggest you talk to your attorney about getting back into the house ASAP.
Vets please chime in here.
You have just as much of a right to live there as she does. The Protection order might not allow this to happen but your atty will know what to do.
My Atty has said to me that there is nothing I can do unless she is willing to lift the restraining order. This is the same Atty that will be filing the CH13 for us.
So basically I will be paying the $2K to file the CH13, paying the catch up mortgage payments, paying a portion of the regular mortgage, paying for rent in my own Apt. all the while she gets to live in our big beautiful home and not one thing in her life has changed. If I don't agree to this we lose the 100K worth of equity in our home.
Cake eating at it's finest.
BD Oct 2014 S Dec 2014 D filed Feb 20, 2015 D on hold as money ran out for attorneys and the marital home's future is up in the air