Everyone in the room was silent for a few moments.

Seth, Ryan, Summer and Sandy were simply surprised at the news while Kirsten and Kaitlin were shocked.

Kirsten knew that it had to come out eventually, but she felt sorry for both Julie and Kaitlin when she saw the teenager's shocked expression.

Kirsten could visibly see the wheels turning in everyone's heads.

Julie Cooper-Nichol-Cooper-Roberts-Atwood-Bullit-Atwood-or something was pregnant- with an actual child- her third child to be exact – the child that would be born without having met her or his sister Marissa.

Should she say something to make it easier? She didn't know if Julie even wanted her to clear everything up- it wasn't exactly her business and it was a huge thing.

Kirsten felt torn when nobody said something but thanks to her definitely too-chatty son the problem solved itself.

"Um… Jules I bet mum is thankful that you support her so much that you could almost think you are the pregnant oldie" Seth started and added a "Love you mum" before he finished his sentence "but that's not necessary".

Kirsten looked apologetically at her best friend and tried to read her eyes, but she was looking at nothing but her now oldest child.

And well Kaitlin just didn't look at anybody- she looked like she just looked into space – dazed.

"Seth I don't think Julie didn't know what she was saying" Sandy stopped his son from saying anything else and looked at Kirsten for confirmation who just nodded -Yes Sandy you were right!

"Look guys, I'm sorry, I know I should've told you but I wasn't sure and I… well… now you know and it's just like it's with Kiki right?" Julie spoke up and tried to sound cheery and casual, which didn't work at all. Her nervous ramble only made it worse.

Kaitlin jumped up and off her chair "NOTHING is like it's with Kirsten, mum! NOTHING. I don't need a new sibling. I don't need a new DAD OKAY? She screamed at Julie, clearly referring to her dislike for Frank.

She left the room without turning back.

-

After Kaitlin's outburst, everyone stayed quiet until Julie apologized for Kaitlin's and her own behaviour cleared up their plates without another word and left the table.

Kirsten stood up immediately after, but Sandy grabbed her arm before she could leave "Baby are you okay" he whispered to her in this special concerned tone of his.

Kirsten turned her head to him and nodded, smiling lovingly before she said, "excuse me" to everyone else and went after Julie.

The rest of the big family stayed at the table and Seth quickly made sure to entertain the others with weird stories and silly jokes- mostly about himself. Sandy, who was the only adult left downstairs, however stood up after a while and went up to his bedroom to wait there for Kirsten's return while getting ready for work.

-

"I ruined everything Kiki. I mean I was so stupid! I shouldn't have made this mistake- I should've told her when I found out that I am pregnant" Julie said pacing up and down the room.

"Julie!"

"No I mean, what's gotten into me? Frank was one problem but I can't go through this again, not with my baby, not with Kaitlin"

"Julie!"

"Kiki it's over. Everything's over"

"Julie! Honey, stop it" Kirsten said sternly as she got up off the bed and wrapped her arms around her friend to stop her ramble.

"Nothing is over or too late. Kaitlin is shocked, who wouldn't be? She is a teenager Julie, it wasn't easy for her. Jimmy, Marissa… you are the only one left for her and she had to deal with a new dad. And about that, you should talk to her about Frank soon. About him and about the baby".

Julie looked at her friend and held back the tears. She simply nodded before burying her head back in Kirsten's shoulder. She just needed the comfort.

What was she going to do?

-

It took Kirsten several minutes to convince Julie to talk to Kaitlin and it took her even longer to help Julie getting Kaitlin to open the door. After she made sure that mother and daughter wouldn't kill each other and would talk, she made her way to her own bedroom expecting it to be empty.

"Honey why aren't you at work?" Kirsten asked when she closed the door and went over to the bed where her husband was lying and waiting for her.

"Told Spitzy I'd work tomorrow instead of today and he said it would be alright and just changed my shifts" He explained and welcomed her on the bed with open arms.

Kirsten smiled because she was glad that she could spend a day with her husband after a crazy morning like this one.

They stayed silent for a few moments while Sandy pulled his wife down and half on top of him before either of them even thought about speaking again.

"What was all that about?" Sandy asked motioning to downstairs.

Kirsten sighed and while she rubbed his chest absentmindedly, she sighed and whispered "Well Julie is pregnant". Sandy would have chuckled if he didn't know how upset she was.

"Thanks honey I got that" he said but not in an inappropriate way. He slowly stroked her blonde curls and whispered "Why haven't you said anything?".

"Because I promised Sandy" Kirsten said and hoped he'd understand- it wasn't like she didn't trust him, she just took the bond between best friends and their secrets very seriously.

"Okay" Sandy said and kissed her hair. He knew better than to start a fight with his pregnant wife- he knew she would've told him if it was something really serious- she knew he'd find out eventually anyway.

"I just… everything was so… confusing and well I think now it's even worse" Kirsten said and looked up at her husband who listened to every word she was saying.

"Maybe it's just me but could it be possible that Frank and Julie, well, have problems?" Sandy asked and rubbed his wife's back when she nodded.

"They broke up"

"Oh"

"Frank couldn't deal with the whole pregnancy-thing"

Sandy pulled his wife a little tighter. He couldn't imagine how someone couldn't be happy about becoming a father- it was one of the most amazing experiences of Sandy's life and he was over the moon that he had the chance to live it again with Kirsten.

"Poor Julie. I wouldn't exactly put her as a lucky woman" Sandy simply said and Kirsten agreed. Julie Cooper and lucky were two words that couldn't be used in the same sentence.

They both fell in another silence, lost in their own thoughts while they cuddled close. Kirsten really hoped that Julie could talk to Kaitlin and she'd calm down.

Something Kirsten didn't know was that Julie was lying to Kaitlin right this second. She lied about the baby's father, which was the only reason Kaitlin stopped screaming in the first place. She thought Bullit was the father of her new sibling, which was a complete new situation for the young girl: she loved Bullit, she wanted a father like Bullit, she wanted her old family back: Mum, Dad, Kaitlin and… a sister or at least a little brother she could teach how to be cool .

But it was just a lie. Julie and Frank knew and Kirsten assumed it had to be Frank's but Kaitlin didn't know because Julie had decided to lie to her for her own reasons.

-

Sandy and Kirsten lay in bed for at least another half an hour because the kids had already left for work or shopping and Kirsten didn't want to interrupt Julie and Kaitlin in their important talk.

"Sandy?"

After Kirsten broke the long silence, she looked up at her husband to see his eyes watching her.

"Yes love" he answered and couldn't resist when he kissed her soft lips before she even got the chance to say what she wanted to say.

Kirsten smiled and stroked his cheek.

"I miss our 'old' house" she said and Sandy simply nodded.

"Me, too."

"I mean, it was so nice of Julie to let us stay here but I miss falling asleep on my own couch and I miss wearing my pyjamas all morning when I'm not feeling well and I miss sleeping in my, in our, bed" Kirsten said and sighed.

Sandy smiled down at her. Some, many, men might freak out because of their pregnant women and their hormones but Sandy loved the way Kirsten sometimes started to talk and talk and talk and wouldn't stop until she was finished. He loved how openly she could speak about her feelings and how loving she became. It wasn't like she wasn't always gentle and kind but since she found out that there was a new life growing inside her, she became so soft, like only a mother could be.

"I love you" Sandy said and Kirsten grinned.

"I love you too?" Kirsten answered but it sounded more like a question than an answer because of the sudden change of subject.

"You must be the most beautiful and cutest person in the world" Sandy whispered so quietly that she barely heard him.

He was thanked with a gentle kiss.

"I bet you won't say that anymore when you have your little daughter in your arms" she teased him and Sandy giggled before he got serious again.

"I'm having her in my arms" Sandy stated and motioned with his head in the direction of his hand which was rubbing her belly, which caused Kirsten to smile lovingly again.

"Plus she is already more beautiful than anyone knows" he said like it was a fact that wasn't debateable.

Kirsten smiled amused "Really? Have you met her and I missed it, because I don't think I've seen her yet" she asked jokingly and kissed his chin.

"Well baby I just know she is. Look at her mother! The most beautiful person and a not too bad daddy nothing but something incredibly …perfect" he explained and Kirsten kissed him hard on the lips.

Just talking to Sandy and hearing how excited he was about their little accident made Kirsten feel exactly the same.

"I think her daddy is much better than he thinks" she said and smiled at him while their noses were rubbing together.

"Well he had to do something right to be allowed to love her mummy" Sandy said and received another long kiss that was filled with love.

The lovely kiss quickly turned into a rushed sloppy one and to both partner's surprise, Kirsten took control – talk about hormones!

-

"So it is not Frank's?" Kaitlin asked for the millionth time. Secretly she knew it just couldn't be Bullit's baby- it would be too good to be true and she knew that her mother had changed about the boyfriend-department. As hard as it was for Kaitlin, she knew her mother loved Frank, but she thought about herself for once and tried with every single part of her heart and head to believe what Julie had told her.

The baby's father is Bullit and everything will be okay.

Julie nodded again and wondered why it was so hard to lie to her daughter – she was Julie Cooper-Nichol, the queen of gossip, scandals and lies. Or at least that's what she used to be.

Maybe the redheaded woman had really changed or maybe she tried to but there was always a little part of the old Julie in her head that made it possible to lie to the person you love most.

Kaitlin swallowed deeply before wrapping her arms around her mother's shoulders. Everything woud be good. Everything would be good. Everything would be good.

-

Kirsten stroked her lover's back up and down while he lay on top of her and placed sensual kisses up and down her neck.

They were both breathing heavily into each other's shoulder, their chests moving quickly up and down in a steady rhythm.

Sandy lifted his head after a few moments to smile down at her "Wow. What did I do to deserve this?"

Kirsten blushed furiously when she thought about her behaviour a little earlier- that was definitely not her usual behaviour or well, planned.

"I … umm… "

"Hormones?" Sandy asked and chuckled at her flushed face, knowing that his little joke wasn't the only reason why her cheeks were so rosy.

"Yup" Kirsten quickly agreed, accepting the excuse.

The couple fell in another silence and Sandy didn't even bother to roll off of his wife, knowing that she enjoyed the warmth of his body as much as he was enjoying hers- theirs.

Their peace was broken with a gasp.

"OH MY GOD" Kirsten said alert all of a sudden.

Sandy's head shot up and a worried frown appeared on his forehead.

"I totally forgot about Julie. And Kaitlin. And everyone except for myself" Kirsten said and her mood changed quickly to 'depressed'.

"Shh baby calm do…" Sandy started to say but his wife had already interrupted him "DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN OKAY?" she said and sounded angry all of a sudden. Sandy knew it was just because of the pregnancy and secretly found it quite amusing.

"I am the badest person in the world" Kirsten started to cry and Sandy had to suppress a giggle "Baby, badest?" he asked and regretted it when Kirsten hit his arm "YES ANY PROBLEMS MR.PERFECT?" she asked him angrily before trying to push him off her.

Sandy grabbed her hands in his before saying "Calm down, baby, I bet it was better that they had some time alone, you can still get dressed and go and talk to them" Sandy told her and kissed each of her clenched small fists which relaxed immediately under his touch.

Kirsten just looked at him and smiled widely. Sandy could practically read the words 'Thank you' in his wife's eyes.

Before Sandy could smile back however, he found himself lying underneath his wife, his hands pinned over his head.

"You, are, the, perfect, husband, and, your, little, speeches, are, so, sexy" Kirsten murmured between sloppy kisses she placed on his mouth.

Sandy enjoyed Kirsten's mood swings for a few moments before he grabbed her upper arms and pulled her slowly away from him before it could come to something Sandy couldn't and didn't want resist to.

"What's wrong? Don't you want to?" Kirsten asked while she placed kisses all over his face.

Sandy enjoyed the unrestricted view of his wife's breasts in front of his eyes for a second and then murmured "Yes I want to but I don't want you to kill me after for making you have sex while you wanted to go and talk to Julie".

Suddenly Kirsten's kisses stopped and she practically screamed "JULIE".

"Yeah that was my point" Sandy said but before he could say anything else, the door swung open and the couple was surprised by the vision of, well, Julie.

"I heard someone calling my…" Julie said and gasped in shock when she saw her friends in bed, only half-covered in the satin sheets.

Kirsten quickly grasped the sheets around her body and rolled off of her husband. Sandy almost didn't manage to stop his wife from exposing his manhood in front of their friend.

"I am, guess you two didn't call me?" Julie asked embarrassed and turned around when she watched Sandy trying to cover himself.

"No, well, yes, we kinda did, but it was umm… we called your name but…we didn't want you to er…come?" Sandy rambled and Julie turned back around to her friends, a shocked expression plastered across her face.

"EWWW you screamed my name during sex?" she asked and the couple blushed.

"No! Of course not! I didn't scream anything" Sandy said and chuckled before he said "she did" he added and motioned to his wife.

Julie was just about to open her mouth to say something when Sandy said "Err of course not because she was having an err I think we should just forget that the last five minutes ever happened" Sandy said and Kirsten nodded rapidly- she couldn't agree more.

Julie turned towards the door and said "Just so you two know, I might be Julie Cooper-Nichol but I am not in for a threesome with two of my best…"

"JULIE" Kirsten was the one that interrupted this time.

"Fine have fun kids" and with that Kirsten's step-mum, yes her step-mum, left the room.

Kirsten buried her head in her hands before she said "I guess, I will, talk to Julie in, say, 5 years, when she doesn't have the image of us in bed in her head anymore".

Sandy couldn't help but chuckle "Aww baby" he said and kissed her head.

"Go and talk to Kaitlin then" he said and Kirsten uncovered her face so she could look at him.

She smiled at him again- this same smile she used earlier- this 'you are perfect smile' and Sandy was slightly scared that his hormonal wife would want to rape him again but she simply leant into him and left a soft kiss on his lips before she swung her legs out of the bed and started to get dressed.

"Baby?"

"Sandy?"

"Hurry up. I just love your mood swings especially the 'I'm horny mood'"

Gasp. "SANDY! Don't say 'horny', especially not in front of our daughter"

"Honey you are ruining all the fun already. I want my horny wife back" he whined and Kirsten couldn't help but chuckle "Just shut up"

"Oh so horny is forbidden but SHUT UP is part of our approved vocabulary?"

"Exactly"

"Because…?"

"Because the horny wife said so"

-

"Kaitlin, honey, can I come in?" Kirsten asked after she knocked softly on Kaitlin's door.

A mumbled "sure" could be heard from inside and Kirsten allowed herself to step in.

Kirsten giggled when she saw why she could barely understand the teenager.

"Mhhh chocolate, you do realise that I won't leave the room again?" the older woman joked and Kaitlin choked on the piece of chocolate in her mouth while she tried to stop herself from laughing.

"So…" Kirsten said as she sat down on the floor in front of the teenager's bed.

"I just wanted to check if you were okay" Kirsten admitted honestly and accepted the chocolate stick Kaitlin offered her.

"Before we start this serious conversation kind of crap convo, why are you sitting on the floor?" Kaitlin asked and Kirsten looked surprised at the question.

"Err because… it's comfy"

"And beds aren't?"

"No"

"Well then what's up?"

"I just wanted to see if you wanted to talk? You know about err…this morning"

"Do you mean talk about my 43-old mother that is pregnant with a child whose father she doesn't love?" Kaitlin asked bluntly referring to Bullit. Julie might have been over the two of them splitting up, but Kaitlin was not- not that anybody cared.

Kirsten was sure Kaitlin knew the truth and thought she was talking about Frank who just left Julie.

"Well, yeah" she asked a little surprised. "I mean you can talk to me, if you want, nothing that will be said will leave these 4 walls," Kirsten offered and stroked Kaitlin's knee with one hand because it was the only part she could reach, while she chewed on her piece of strawberry chocolate.

"You wanna know something kiks?" the young girl asked rhetorically before answering the question. "Yes a normal girl would want to talk about this crap over and over and over again because it's , ooh lord, such a traumatic step in my life, but honestly I am not normal and I don't exactly feel the urge to talk about it again" she said but her tone was not offending, she simply told Kirsten the truth.

She understood and nodded and was just away to TRY to stand up when Kaitlin grabbed her arm "Hey. I really don't want to talk about it again, at least not now, I want to try to forget this for a while so how about some quality Niece-Aunt-time?".

"Oh, so you see me as your old fat aunt huh?" Kirsten said but was secretly incredibly relieved that the conversation had turned out that way.

"As my funny, pretty aunty Kiki, yup" Kaitlin said in a childish voice and made Kirsten laugh.

"Okay so… a match on the playstation?"

"Fine but I'll win"