"I can't do this anymore!" Starr yelled as she turned around to face Cole on the other end of the counter. "This isn't good for the kids and it isn't good for us." Cole lifted his head from looking down at the counter and said "What are you saying?" "I want you out, I'm done with this, and I'm done with you" Starr said not making any eye contact with him. "You can't just be done with me Starr! We have two children! We're married for god sakes!" "That's what a divorce is for, Cole I can't take it anymore, all this fighting; we have already both said things we can't take back. It's over, we're over" Starr said as tears started to fill her eyes. Cole didn't know what to do or say "You are not going to keep my kids away from me" "Of course not you can see them." "Good, I'll go get my things" He said as he walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs. After he left the room Starr put her elbows on the counter and laid her head in her hands and cried.
Hope woke up and went to go use the bathroom when she opened her door she saw Cole going towards the stairs with a suitcase in his hand. She ran down the stairs and after him. "Daddy, where are you going? Are we taking a trip?" Cole turned around and saw Hope there and Patrick was standing not too far behind her. He walked over to them and knelt down in front of them "No, we're not taking a trip. Daddy has to go." "Why?" Hope questioned. Cole looked down at the floor back at his children and took one of their hands. "Mommy and Daddy haven't been being very nice to each other, and daddy can't live here anymore. If we keep this up you two are going to hate us for it. Someday you'll understand." "I don't want you to go" Hope said as she started to cry. Cole let go of her hand and wiped her tear away with his thumb "Hey, don't cry. It's going to be fine; me and mommy can love you more now that we're apart." "I don't want you to go!" Hope said again. "Daddy has to go; it will be better that way. Believe this isn't what I planned for me or you." Starr stood in the door way of the living room crying, but this is what needed to be done she thought. Cole looked over and saw Starr standing there and then turned back to the kids "I love you guys. You are the two most important things in my life." Cole said than grabbed his kids and hugged them while he choked back tears. After he hugged them he stood out but Hope never let go of him. He had to practically rip her off of him as she screamed for him not to go. IT took everything in Cole to walk out that door but he did and when he got to his car he could still hear his little girl screaming for him.
After he left Starr walked over and tried to comfort Hope and Patrick. She picked up Patrick and held him in her arms while she knelt down and hugged Hope. "It's going to be ok. Shhh…Shhhh" She took both kids into her room and they finally got to sleep, but that night Starr didn't sleep a wink.
Starr sat in her bed, alone, staring at a picture of Cole and wearing the one shirt he left. Even after a year and a half she couldn't forget about him, no matter what she did or who she was with she couldn't get him off her mind, but she never let anyone know that. She made everyone believe she was fine, and happy. When in reality she was a mess. Every night after the kids went to bed was when she showed her true colors and the way she really, truly felt. She wished , begged, and prayed that she could turn back time and take back the night she told him to leave, but she also wished he would have fought her on it, that he wouldn't have just left so easily like he did. She wished he would have fought harder for them.
Cole sat on his couch in the dark at 4am, not really sure what to do. He wanted Starr, I knew that since the day he walked out the door, but he screwed it all up. He shouldn't have made it so easy for her to kick him out. He should have never signed those divorce papers, but it was too late now. She was over him, and he had her convinced he was over her to.
Today was Hope's 7th birthday and Starr was having the party at her house. Of course Cole was invited, but it was always very awkward for them, the kids birthdays were really the only time they were in the same vicinity as each other for a large amount of time. The house was filling up Blair, Dorian, Todd, Tea, Dani, Nate, Matthew, Nora, Bo, Jessica, Bree, Ryder, Brody, John, Natalie, Liam, Viki, Charlie, Langston , Markko, and Marty had all arrived and everyone was gathered around the house chatting while the kids played in the playroom.
The doorbell rang and Starr went to the front door to answer it. When she opened the door and she found Cole on the other side. Cole looked at her when the door opened; she still took his breath away. Starr looked at him and said "Cole, come in. The kids are in the playroom." Cole shook his head put the gift on the table and went towards the playroom.
The party was in full swing and it was cake time. Starr stood on one side of Hope while Cole stood on the other holding Patrick on his hip. "Ok Hope make a wish and blow out the candles" Starr said to her little girl. Hope closed her eyes and knew exactly what she would wish for and blew out the candles. "What did you wish for baby girl?" Cole asked. "If I tell you it won't come true." "Ok, I guess we'll just have to wait and see." It was getting late and the party was coming to an end. Blair, Langston, and Marty stayed and helped Starr clean up a little, and Cole stayed for a while to bathe the kids and put them to bed. Once the cleaning was done stay showed the ladies out and thanked them for their help. Once Starr was done saying her goodbyes she went back into the kitchen to finish up washing the dishes. As she was washing them Cole came into the kitchen "They were out before their heads hit the pillow" he said as he walked over to the opposite side of the island. "I'm sure, they had a busy day today…I still can't believe Hope is 7. She is growing up so fast!" Starr said still doing the dishes. "Yeah, it seems like yesterday she was taking her first steps, saying her first words, her first birthday" "It seems like it's just flying by and I hate it. Soon she'll be dating and going to proms." Starr said turning around from doing the dishes. "Nah, I saw we lock her up until she at least 30 and home school her" Starr laughed and looked up from the floor and looked at Cole, Cole looked up at her to and said "Do you ever miss me?" "Cole-" "Do you ever miss me?" "Cole, we've over for a long time." "I didn't ask you that. I asked if you ever miss me. I know I miss you, every second of everyday" "You have a funny way of showing it" "What do you mean." Cole asked. "You gave up on me!" she said raising her voice. "I gave up on you? You kicked me out!" "Why didn't you fight for us, why didn't you push me harder to try and make it work? I got those divorce papers back less than two days of filing for them!" "I did that because that what I thought you wanted. I wanted you happy and if me being without me made you happy than I sure as hell was going to do it, and if you were happy I would find a way to deal. I loved you too much to keep hurting you!" "We hurt each other, this is not all of your fault" "No it is, I should have been chasing you, I should have been trying to prove that you were all that mattered to me. I should've said all the things that I kept inside of me, and maybe I could have made you believe…that what we had was all we'd ever need" Starr had tears in her eyes, she didn't know what to say. Neither one of them had ever had a conversation like this in over a year, they have barley even had a conversation at all. "Starr…I still love you." "You do? Even after everything that's happened? Everything we've said" Cole walked over to Starr and took her head in his hands and said "I never ever stopped! Not even for a second". Starr looked up into his eyes and closed her eyes and laid her cheek in his left hand, she than opened her eyes and lifted her head "I love you to".
Finally, they had finally admitted their feelings, but that was the reason that they never wanted to be in the same room alone that long with each other. They both knew it would come out whether the other felt the same or not.
Cole leaned down to Starr and planted his lips on hers and they shared the first kiss they had shared in years.
The kiss was so sweet; they didn't want to break from it. When they finally did, sometime later, all they could do was stare into each other's eyes. They couldn't believe they had found each other once again, but they were so thankful they did. Starr smiled at Cole and reached up and caressed his cheek. She brought his lips to hers again, giving him a drugging and unforgettable kiss. She broke the kiss, moved her lips to his ear and whispered, "I want you" Cole was so surprised to hear those words. This is what he had wanted for so long and couldn't believe it was happening, and he wouldn't let this moment be passed up. "I want you too Starr." he replied, in a soft soothing voice. She smiled at his response, took his hand and led him up the stairs to the bedroom.
They got to the bedroom and Starr closed the door quietly. She walked over to Cole and he took her hands in his and laced their fingers together. She smiled at his gesture and he smiled in return. He inched his face closer to hers until finally their lips met. It didn't take long for things to progress, due to their undying passion for one another. She removed his shirt as he did hers. They stood there kissing, getting lost in their kisses. Cole led Starr over to the bed, their gazes never leaving each other. She laid down and he hovered over her body. He kissed her neck and down her chest and eventually removed her pants and under garments as he loved her body. He removed his own as well and they were finally as close as could be, skin on skin and they loved every part of it. Starr looked into Cole's eyes and could see his love for her. She couldn't understand why she ever told him to leave that terrible day and she didn't want him to ever leave her ever again. "Are you sure about this Starr?" he asks her. "Never been surer, never wanted anything more. I want you now and forever." Cole smiled and kissed her like never before, letting her know he wanted the same thing. Passions took over and they couldn't fight the ecstasy anymore. They finally became one and started to make love. Everything about this moment together felt so right, and they knew then that they never wanted to be apart again. Their love continued on for hours, they took time loving and showing their appreciation for one another. They felt perfect and it didn't even seem like they were apart.
After several hours of love making Cole laid on his back with Starr's head on his shoulder with their hands intertwined (A/N as G would but they were having "handsex" Tee Hee). Starr moved her head laying her chin on his chest and looked up at him and said "Do you have any idea how long I've waited for that?" "About as long as I have" Cole replied with a smile and looked down at her. "I never ever want to be away from you again. I'm so sorry I made you leave" "Hey…look at us, does it look like I'm going anywhere?" Starr looked down at them with the sheet covering their naked bodies "I guess so." "I'm not going anywhere. A whole army couldn't keep me away from you. We will never be apart again" Cole said looking at her lovingly. "Promise?" "Promise…pinky swear" Cole said has he stuck his pinky out and Starr took hold of it and shook it, then pulled his head down to kiss her. When the kiss broke she said "I love you Cole Thornhart" "I love you Starr…Thornhart!" and they had the most peaceful night sleep they have had in years.
The next morning Cole was the first one up in the house and decided that he would make them a family breakfast to celebrate their family coming back together. Starr woke up and noticed Cole wasn't next to her than went to see if he was in the bathroom and he wasn't their either and then she got to the top of the stairs and smelt her favorite… Chocolate chips pancakes cooking and walked down into the kitchen. She walked in and stunk behind Cole who was in front of the stove and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his back. "Good morning gorgeous" Cole said turning around smiling "Good morning handsome, how did you sleep?" Starr wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his around her waist and replied "Best sleep I've ever had" Starr smiled and leaned up to kiss him. As they kissed both felt happier than they have been on the last 2 years, this is exactly how it should be, what they both wished for has finally come true. As the kissed they were interrupted by muffled laughter coming from the door way, they broke the kiss and looked that way and saw their two children standing there with their hands over their mouths laughing. Starr and Cole both smiled and let go of eachother and Cole said "Who wants pancakes?" Hope and Patrick's eyes both lite up and at the same time both yelled "Me Me Me Me!"
Starr and Cole explained to the kids how they were going to be a family again and how it was silly of mommy and daddy to put each other and them through what they had for the last couples of years. The kids were ecstatic that their mom and dad were back together and they were going to be a family again. They were all finishing the last of their breakfast and Hope whispered to herself "My wish came true".
I would really like to thank Hayley for writing the stuff in bold for me, you are the best! I hope you all enjoyed it!