A/N : This chapter is dedicated to SandyKirsten! Congrats on that little one! Too cute!

This chapter jumps location a lot so I hope it's easy to follow.

Disclaimer : I own nothing, even less in this chapter than most of my works. You'll see what I mean.

The Cooper (Jimmy and Kirsten) residence

It had been a month since the 'altercation', as Kirsten had mentally dubbed it, afraid that if she used the real word she might end up saying it out loud. A month since she had seen or spoken to Sandy. She could not face him. She hated feeling nervous and vulnerable around him. Of course that had been the case ever since they had started dating.

Kirsten Nichol wasn't used to having such little control over her own actions and emotions. Her father's approach to life had taught her that to be a success you needed to be able to keep a certain distance from everything including others. But when she met the handsome senior with the gorgeous blue eyes, all her Nichol training wanted to fly away. Kirsten tried to hold tightly to it, going so far as contemplating kicking Sandy out of the room when she was in labor with Seth.

"Nobody should see you like this." She could hear her father saying. But she didn't take his advice and Sandy held her hand tightly as she experienced the worst pain of her life.

Kirsten smiled to herself thinking of that day. One of her best memories. She stood under the hot spray of the shower, thinking back on the past, how happy she'd once been. How happy they had all been.

"Morning, beautiful!"

Then it was back to reality. Kirsten sighed sadly as her husband broke her reverie.

"Morning," she mumbled back, glad Jimmy wasn't particularly perceptive. He hadn't said anything else and Kirsten returned to enjoying the warmth of the water before something clicked and her eyes shot open. Her throat dried up as she considered the possibility that Jimmy might join her in the shower at any moment. She didn't want to have to dodge his advances yet again. Quickly, she turned toward the shower controls. As she pressed down on the lever and the spray turned into a trickle, Jimmy stepped into the shower.

"Oh," he started.

"Sorry," she said simply before thinking again and adding, "Wish you'd been here earlier." She knew it'd help with appearances if she made an extra effort like touch his check but she couldn't even manage that.

She walked away, bundling up in a fluffy blue towel. She marveled at how easy it had always been to keep things from him. She hadn't let him touch her since the 'altercation'. Actually, they hadn't slept together since before then. But Kirsten couldn't even think about being with Jimmy like that after what she'd done. It wasn't some moral reason; it was purely selfish. Pure and simple, Sandy was better than Jimmy. Kirsten knew she wouldn't be able to stop herself from making every comparison imaginable and doing so would only depress her.

Several minutes later, back in his clothes, Jimmy exited the bathroom. His face was set in a small scowl as he pouted. Before he could say anything, the doorbell rang and he left to answer it. Kirsten knew who it would be. The party started at 7 and the workers were scheduled to arrive at 11. Kirsten looked at the clock on the nightstand. 11:15. Of course they were late; she couldn't count on anyone.

She rolled her eyes before heading back to the bathroom to do her hair; Jimmy's scowling expression still in her mind. She couldn't help but think of the expression he would wear if he knew what she had done. A small pang of guilt and sadness surprised her as it entered her heart.

An hour later, looking as perfect as she could manage, she glided toward her kitchen. She walked past the foyer as Seth was heading toward the door to go to work at the comic book store.

"Party's at 7, Seth," she called to him. He rolled his eyes and mumbled something as his hand pulled on the door handle.

"Oh, Mom," he called out suddenly. Kirsten stopped and turned to face him. "Dad told me to tell my mother that she can't avoid him forever. Mind passing that along?" He didn't wait for any response. Kirsten watched his back as he shut the door firmly behind him.

She and Sandy often, though it was unfair, used Seth as a middleman. It took just a few months before Seth gave up trying to decipher any messages and just played his role as bored courier. So naturally, he thought nothing of Sandy's latest message.

A dull pain made its way through her heart at the thought of who her little boy used to be. What if we'd never came to this town? She let herself think before shaking it off.

As she finally made her way to the kitchen, the workers all kept their eyes on her. The company knew only to send veterans to the Cooper household. They would know exactly who to avoid eye contact with: Mrs. Cooper to be specific. Never get in her way; never speak to her unless she very directly asks you to do so. Those were the understood rules.

Given these restrictions, Kirsten could not have been more shocked when she saw some guy poking his head into the pool house.

"You've got to be kidding me," she mumbled, her heels clacking against the tile as she made her way out to the backyard.

Kirsten sighed to herself, wondering how hard it was for people to follow simple instructions. She confronted the young guy snooping in her home gym. He didn't look particularly shady but she had grown up here. She knew kids of this age, knew what trouble they were capable of getting into. Who knew what his intentions were. When he mentioned Seth, she had to admit she was intrigued that her son had a friend who looked like this boy. Muscular, handsome, athletic, no interest in comic books by the look of him.

But she really didn't have time for this; she had a party to throw.

The Yacht Club

Sandy really did not want to be at this political rally today. Though he could not admit it to anyone, he was feeling very anxious about the party at Kirsten's house. He felt torn in hundreds of different directions. He was excited to watch Kirsten squirm. But scared that she might just ignore him. Or worse, she might cling to Jimmy and hang all over him all night.

At times, he wanted to fight and exchange insults with her but other times, he wanted to pin her in a closet and never talk again.

It was impossible to know what would happen at the party tonight. But Sandy's mind continued to run wild and refused to focus on the rally. So Sandy turned on auto-pilot and no one could tell the difference.

He was shocked when a young guy met him at the door. He seemed completely normal but then he started talking. Sandy tried to keep up with what this guy was saying but he was failing until the mention of Kirsten. He could not control himself as a protective feeling encompassed him. He politely but firmly told the guy to buzz off and leave his family alone. As he walked away, Sandy wondered how many men would still consider their ex-wife family.

Back at the Cooper house

Kirsten rolled her eyes as she caught sight of this boy back in her house. How hard could it be to find Seth? There were only a few places he would be.

As she spoke to the kid, she asked Jimmy to bring her a glass of wine. Upon hearing him approach, she silently sighed in relief. She could definitely use a buzz for today and on into the night. She accepted the kiss Jimmy placed on her cheek, though not as eagerly as she accepted the chardonnay.

She was surprised when the kid addressed Jimmy so directly. Especially when he did not recognize the boy.

Kirsten slightly cringed when Jimmy invited him to the party. She didn't trust this guy in her home and how could she? He'd been nothing but weird.

Kirsten looked at her husband one again before turning to leave. She recalled the smile he'd given her. She wondered if he suspected something before shaking the thought from her head.

The Cohen (Sandy and Julie) residence

Sandy chuckled and shook his head as he watched his wife on the news.

"You're quite the philanthropist."

…

"Yes… and I help people."

Undeniably, Julie had changed since he'd first met her. But occasionally, the old Julie would reappear, ditsy as ever.

Marrying her had been quite the strategic career move. Nothing to help the campaign of a newly divorced man like marrying the county's grieving mother. Their relationship was depressing if Sandy thought about it. So, he simply did not.

He'd never imagined he'd marry a woman for where it would get him. He'd also never imagined that he'd lose interest in sex. But, despite years of marriage, it was still weird between him and Julie. Then again, their relationship had never been about that.

Therefore, keeping himself away from her after his evening with Kirsten was no big deal. Julie didn't notice a thing.

As she walked him out to his car, his mind tried to stay away from his ex. However, when Julie brought up the party, she brought back all his questions and concerns about tonight.

"Honestly, I don't know how you were ever married to that ice queen."

"Well, we were different people back then," he quoted Kirsten painfully.

Back at the Cooper's

Sandy pressed the familiar button and waited. Despite all the years passed since he had lived there, it still felt like ringing the doorbell to his own house.

Kirsten opened the door and saw Sandy standing there with Julie behind him, speaking sternly to the valet.

"Sandy. Hey," she said before realizing how odd her voice sounded considering they usually just glared at one another.

Julie finished with the valet and approached the door. Sandy was simply looking at Kirsten, not sure how to react.

"Kirsten. The house looks amazing. Not that anyone would expect less from you."

"Oh, thanks, Julie. So glad you could make it." Kirsten looked back at Sandy. "You too, Sandy."

Julie's approach had snapped him back to reality.

"Yeah. The bar still where it used to be?" He asked as he strode past her into the house. "With your constant renovating it's impossible to keep track."

"Yeah, it's still there," she said, trying not to smirk at his attempt at an insult.

After an hour of odd looks, Sandy finally found Kirsten alone. She was in a room that had been added to the house in her last renovation. It hung off the informal dining room and faced the ocean. It was her office. He entered, announcing his presence with a tiny hello. She turned from the window and smiled at him through the dim light. Her beauty took his breath away.

"In the past month, I'd forgotten how beautiful you are…" Kirsten blushed.

"On Jimmy's arm." He continued. "Gorgeous," he finished sarcastically. Kirsten's cheeks lost their pink hue.

"Well, Julie looks lovely wrapped around all those younger guys," she pointed toward Julie, who was giggling with a glass of champagne in one hand while her other hand slid down a younger guy's back for a not-so-subtle ass graze.

Sandy turned to look at his wife, and then turned back to his ex-wife before responding. "Better them than me."

"How romantic," Kirsten rolled her eyes.

"Mine and Julie's relationship has never been about the physical. Surely, you could have figured that out."

"So I suppose you've had your own… extra-curricular activities then?"

Sandy chuckled. "No, definitely not. Affairs aren't recommended on election year."

"So, no sex. Definitely not the Sandy Cohen I married."

"Well, I've got my old friend," he waved his right hand at her.

"Ugh," she grimaced dramatically.

"I'll admit it had been a while but we got reacquainted nicely," he winked at her.

She grinned at him before turning to look back out the window. He got closer to her until she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.

"It's weird seeing you clothed."

"Sandy!" she hissed.

"No one can hear us," he assured her, pausing for a moment. "I know you picked this dress on purpose." The front of it was cut so her legs could be shown off. She knew Sandy loved her legs. His hand reached down and began bunching up the fabric.

"Maybe I did," she answered breathlessly as his fingertips grazed her skin. Sandy had finally gotten the hem to her upper thigh when a voice interrupted.

"Mom? Dad?" Seth called from the doorway.

Kirsten's hand flew to her dress pushing it back down.

"Hey, son," Sandy started.

"What, uh, what are you guys doing?"

"You know, bickering as usual," Sandy answered.

Thick though his parents thought he was, Seth was perceptive. Their faces weren't set in a scowl, their tones weren't harsh, and his dad was doing all the talking.

Something was up.

"I'm just here to tell you I'm home, passed out in my bed." He turned to go to his room.

"Seth, wait," Kirsten called, going after him. "Why won't you stay?"

"Because. I don't like these people and they don't like me. Never have, never will."

"It would mean a lot to me for you to be down here. It would be good for the family."

"C'mon, Mom, just say what you mean. It would mean a lot to the company for me to be down here and it would be good for your career."

Kirsten looked at him with a pleading look. "Summer will be here."

Seth glared at her last ditch effort, which was a pathetic one, the last reason he'd want to stay at this party. "Bye."

"Seth. Please."

"I already told you, I'm not going to your stupid party."

"Because Summer Roberts is going to be here? Since when are you avoiding her?"

"Since she got engaged to that burly ding-dong. You have fun." He started up the stairs before stopping and turning back to his mother, who was still looking up at him. "You know, just now, it kinda felt like it used to be. How I'd walk in on you and Dad being highly inappropriate."

"Well, we weren't. And those days are long gone, Seth."

"Funny. What once made me ralph is the one thing I wish I had back." He didn't wait for a response as he turned and headed upstairs, leaving Kirsten to think about what her son had said.

"Hey! It's a great party." Kirsten was startled by a young girl as she browsed the food table.

She couldn't hide her curiosity as she discovered the girl worked for Sandy. She could not help but wonder what inside information this girl could provide.

"How…" is he?, her mind finished but Kirsten knew she couldn't ask that. Way too suspicious. "Well… what's that like?"

Kirsten wasn't prepared for the answer and was left dumbfounded.

"Honestly, it's amazing that anything ever gets done. What with the mayor moping and crying all day about how he's still in love with his ex-wife."

Kirsten couldn't believe it. Still in love with her.

Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe a bigger part of their hearts belonged to one another. Maybe their old selves were still there somewhere.

This day was borderline one of the oddest ones Sandy had ever experienced. Another oddball, this time a young lady, had approached him and started talking about his ex-wife. He tried to dismiss her, afraid to say anything for fear of somehow saying too much.

Then she said something that stopped him in his tracks.

"Mail truck!"

The thought of the amazing times in that truck caused Sandy to track Kirsten down. She was by the grill when he found her.

"Hi, Kirsten," his tone was softer than it had been in quite some time.

"Hi," she answered, her tone just as soft. She smiled when their eyes met.

"I, uh, I know you said you were tired of the subject…" She didn't stop him so he continued. "The other day kind of reminded me of the old mail truck days."

Sandy couldn't believe how much Kirsten's smile grew.

"The mail truck…" She said with such fondness in her voice. "Loved that truck."

"What?" Sandy exclaimed with a laugh. "It took me a month and a half to get you to agree to live in the mail truck!"

"Well, yeah. But Sandy, could you blame me? It was a freaking mail truck! A mail truck! Name one other person who lived in the back of a mail truck. Or any truck for that matter."

"Hey! Plenty of convicts live out of their trucks."

"Wow, Cohen. That's some weak defense."

"What can I say? I'm out of practice."

Kirsten smiled at him before her eyes clouded once again with nostalgia. "Some of my fondest memories come from that mail truck."

"Mine too."

"We didn't fool our son earlier by the way. When he nearly caught us, I mean."

"I'm out of practice with that, too." Their eyes locked and there were so many things they wanted to say to each other.

But before they could try to figure out how, Kirsten noticed Jimmy, Julie, and Summer's fiancé walking out of the master bathroom on the way to the living room.

"That's odd," she mentioned. Sandy followed her gaze and saw what she meant.

"Hmm," he mumbled as they walked toward the living room.

Immediately, Sandy demanded to know what was going on. Then rather wish he hadn't. How could Julie get caught? Didn't she know what that could do for his re-election?

He scoffed quietly at her when she merely thought that he was upset about her infidelity. Surely, she could not actually think he did not know about her affairs.

Before he could correct her, she was attacking his time with Kirsten.

"What're you doing with Ms. Queen of the North over here?"

Sandy was about to defend Kirsten when she said something that baffled him.

"Don't you know?" Kirsten started. "He spends all day crying about me at the office." Her heart was still racing at the thought that he might still be in love with her. She tried to keep her composure.

Sandy scrunched his eyebrows together in confusion but tried to give her the benefit of the doubt.

"What are you talking about?"

"Everybody knows, Sandy."

He tried not to scoff at her. "In the same way that everybody knows how you go on and on about… the mail truck?" He whispered the last few words.

Kirsten couldn't be more outraged. "I never told anybody about the mail truck," she hissed at him. The mail truck was personal and private. He should know that she wouldn't tell anyone about it. It was just like him to ruin the good night they were having by being a jackass. She could have ripped into him right there. Before she could say anything else, the odd girl from earlier walked into the room.

"Well, not according to her," Sandy said.

"Well, she's the girl who told me you spend all day crying."

Both Sandy and Kirsten were definitely ready for some answers from this young lady. They were surprised when the odd boy from earlier reappeared beside her. Sandy finally demanded that they explain what was going on.

The girl, Taylor the boy had called her, was about to start talking but feigned dizziness and disappeared. Finally, her boyfriend reappeared and started explaining things.

"The truth is that each of you saved my life just by being who you are. And right now, none of you are who you are."

Sandy was, once again, having a hard time following this guy but he kept listening. They listened to him talk to Summer and Seth. But it wasn't until the guy addressed Kirsten that Sandy thought the guy might not be totally nuts.

"You may like your chardonnay, but I got news for you, it doesn't like you back."

Sandy had always hated to see Kirsten drown herself in alcohol. The young guy then reminded them all of the Sandy Cohen he used to be.

"You don't wanna be mayor. You're all about saving the little guy."

Kirsten missed that man. The crusader Sandy had been when she met him

"What you two are best at is being married to each other."

After that statement, they couldn't help but look at one another. They heard the boy's pleas as he was escorted away.

"Um, I don't know who that guy thinks he is telling my wife she should be married to someone else." Jimmy said before realizing he was talking to himself. Neither Sandy nor Kirsten had even heard him.

Kirsten could not take her eyes off of Sandy. His deep blue eyes held hers relentlessly. That boy's words repeated in her head.

"What you two are best at is being married to one another."

Jimmy noticed their wordless exchange. "Um…Kirsten?"

She did not respond and Sandy took a step toward her, ignoring the fact that Julie and Jimmy were watching intently.

Kirsten stopped him before he could even start. "Sandy, just because some stranger says we belong together doesn't make it true. It doesn't change anything."

"Perfect timing though, isn't it?" Sandy pushed vaguely.

Kirsten, forgetting that they weren't alone, responded. "Sandy, the other day was amazing, but…"

"Wait. What?" Jimmy cut her off, moving to stand between Sandy and Kirsten, staring at his red-faced wife. "What day? What was amazing?" Her silence and refusal to meet his eyes made Jimmy's heart drop.

"No. Way." Julie said, no hurt in her voice, only amusement.

Jimmy turned to Sandy. "You slept with my wife?"

"Well, in all fairness, you did the same thing to me when she was my wife. So, really it all comes out in the wash," Sandy answered, smugly.

"We never had sex before you two were divorced. Kirsten has told you that."

"Well, I can't trust her on the subject." Kirsten looked up at Sandy, glaring. "It might not have been all that memorable." Kirsten rolled her eyes, knowing where Sandy was headed. "Based on the noises she was making with me, you must not be all that great."

Jimmy started to move toward Sandy. "You son of a b…" Kirsten grabbed his arm trying to stop him from getting himself hurt. He turned back toward her, ripping his arm out of her grasp, recoiling as if touched by fire. "Don't touch me."

"No. Way." Julie repeated, the oddest grin on her face.

"Julie! How in the hell are you amused by this?" Jimmy demanded. "Your hypocritical husband was just upset by your infidelity but he's been sleeping with my wife!"

"Oh, c'mon, Jimmy. Out of the four of us, do you really think that Sandy and I are the soul mates? Or even, that you and Kirsten are? Come on. It's the two of them. It's always been Sandy and Kirsten."

Jimmy looked from Julie back to Sandy before finally looking back at Kirsten, the hurt evident on his face. Kirsten hated to see the hurt there but it didn't affect her as much as she knew it should.

"I can't be here anymore," he said and stalked off to the master bedroom.

Sandy looked back at Kirsten with that gaze of his. For the two of them, they were the only ones in the room.

"Um, I guess I'll just have the papers written up Monday," Julie offered before realizing that the only people paying attention to her were the nosy Newpsies. She shrugged. "You two have fun," she said once again to nobody before walking toward the bar, rather excited about the new freedom of being single.

"Let's go to my office and… talk," Kirsten struggled to say the word. They wordlessly made their way through the kitchen and into her office. Sandy shut the door and flipped the lock. He turned around and stared deeply into her eyes for a second before pulling her into him and kissing her deeply.

Kirsten moaned into his mouth, surprised by the passion with which he was kissing her. She honestly had meant for them to talk when she had suggested it. However, she certainly wasn't going to stop him from doing this to her.

He led her backwards until she ran into her desk. He quickly lifted her onto it and got even closer to her. Her hands ran through his dark hair and she pulled him further onto her.

After a few minutes, she pulled away from him breathlessly. His now free mouth moved to her neck.

"What are we doing?" She asked, panting.

"I figured that was a question I wouldn't have to answer."

"I mean, what are we? What are we going to do?" He looked up at her, a bit confused. "I mean, what happens? Do we start dating?"

Sandy chuckled. "We were married for almost 20 years. What wouldn't I know about you? How much could you have changed over the past three years?"

He returned his kisses to her neck. "Your favorite color is blue but you lie now and say it's red. You still love the musical styling of Duran Duran. You love having your feet massaged and when I do this…" His mouth latched onto that certain spot on her neck and Kirsten's legs tightened around his waist. Her fingers tightened in his hair and she made an almost pained noise. "You do that." Sandy finished with a large grin.

Kirsten was gasping for air. "I love it when you do that."

"I know," he said before kissing her playfully on the lips.

"Well, when you get back, we can finish this and then maybe we'll talk afterwards."

"Get back?" He asked. "From where?"

"You should probably go help that boy. He didn't really do anything wrong. If anything, he was helpful." Sandy stared at her with a look that made her blush. "What?" She asked.

"It's just… that's the nicest thing I've heard you say in a long time."

"Well, the nice version of me is in there somewhere," she said with a small smile.

"I hope so," he told her gently.

He found her hands with his and squeezed them. He leaned in to kiss her softly with the promise of returning. Kirsten smiled at him as he headed for the door.

She had been wrong about them being lost for good. She had been wrong when she told Seth that good times were gone forever.

Yes, perhaps she had been wrong this whole time. The thought made her smile feel permanent.

Hope everyone liked this chapter. This should be the last chapter, unless I get inspired for some fluffy type of epilogue or something. But I really enjoyed writing Sandy and Kirsten in such disarray! So I hope you enjoyed reading! Watch for a new chapter of Mistletoe next!