Author's Note: Okay, so I love Marah and all, but she and Lizzie, Tony and Joey aren't exactly going to be the best people in this fic. Marah wants to ruin Sandy and Lizzie wants to ruin Allie, so...piece it together.

Chapter One

Sandy walked down the hall at Mills High School, ignoring all of the comments and laughter coming his way. He hated them. All of them. So, he couldn't afford the fancy clothes and cool things that they all had. So he didn't drink or do drugs, or any of that stuff. They never gave him a chance. He was a good guy...at least he thought he was. He didn't need any of them, and their superficial values--a flash of white light--and the scenery changed. He sat in his bedroom, cowered alone in the corner, crying. He wasn't useless. He wasn't horrible. He wasn't a lost cause. He deserved friends, he deserved to know his mother...his father lied. He could do nothing but cry...until the door to his bedroom swung open, and his father's angry eyes bared into him.

Sandy sat bolt upright, in a cold sweat. He hated those dreams, and it seemed as though they were coming every night. He looked at the clock on his bedside table. Three thirty...one more hour of sleep than the night prior. He figured that was it for that morning. Besides, he'd been surviving on four hours worth for the past few months. Five hours was an improvement. He stood up and stretched. In five hours, he could go visit Shayne in the hospital, but that gave him five whole hours of Sandy time. Five whole hours alone with his thoughts. Five whole hours to recollect the fact that he'd lost the only friend he'd ever truly had. Five hours to confess to the fact that he was a loser, and that he needed a life...

A life...people with lives were overrated. Sandy didn't want to become one of the people that had put him through so much hell. He didn't want to become the kind of person who hurt others, and he didn't want to become the kind of person who drove everything good in his life out. He walked to the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on. He called his attention, for a second, to his newfound family. Reva and Josh had a stone cold commitment...no matter what happened, they seemed to find one another again. Marah had Tony, whom she was miserable without. Shayne and Marina were perfect for each other. Sandy...was perfect for no one. He was a loner, loser...anything bad in the world, Sandy was it.

Pouring himself a thermos of coffee, he went upstairs, combed his hair, got dressed, put his jacket on and went out for a walk. The chill of the bitter December morning air bit at his face, but he shook it off and forced a smile onto his face. The smile wasn't as forced as it could have been, though. The beauty of the snow on the ground and the ice on the lake made it possible for him to really smile. It looked like there were a million diamonds stretched out in front of him, and when he looked at the lake, it looked almost as though it were a clear glass platform stretching out over the water. He looked back to the snow in front of him, then out to the road, watching two cars pass by.

Two cars. Even the cars in Springfield went in pairs. He breathed in a deep sigh, and the cold air was a harsh awakening to his nose. He could almost smell the cold in the air, but the sky looked almost like it would on a summer night...filled with stars, and a bright moon on it's way down out of the sky, to allow the sun it's time to shine. Even the moon wasn't alone. It had billions of stars to keep it company. He frowned and looked away from the road. Turning his head back to the ice for a second, he breathed in the bitter air. December was a strange month. Everyone wanted to spend time with their families...and even though Christmas was already past, Sandy still saw three or four extra cars at almost every house he passed by. Then, at certain houses there were no cars, signifying that those people were visiting someone for the holiday.

He looked back to the road and let off a slight smile. It almost went without saying that Christmas at the Spaulding mansion was an interesting time. He could only imagine old Alexandra Spaulding making plans with Alan, Philip, Beth, Lillian, Lizzie and James for the Christmas holiday. That would be what the world would call Christmas Chaos. Maybe they should make that a movie. Christmas Chaos: A Very Spaulding Christmas...I'd buy a ticket to go and see that one! I'd go twice! He thought as he passed by the Spaulding mansion. Then, when he was almost to where he could no longer see the mansion, he turned around and walked back to it, stopping directly in front. Although it was a madhouse, there was no doubt in Sandy's mind that it was filled with love around this time of year.

God knows that the Spaulding children had to get all of the best Christmas presents. Sandy didn't get a single thing this year, not even from some fan of his radio show. Not that it surprised him. Spending Christmas alone was something that he'd gotten used to. At least this year, he had a visitor. At least this year, Marah had stopped by and wished him a Merry Christmas. But...on New Year's Eve, when everyone was supposed to be kissing their most loved person at midnight? Sandy would be alone. Maybe Reva would let him come to the Lewis New Year's Eve party, although she probably wouldn't because with him there, chances are, Marah would leave. Marah hated him. The only friend he'd ever had...his own sister...and she hated him.

He choked his tears back, trying not to let them freeze to his face. He needed something to make him smile. The Spauldings. He wondered what their New Year's celebration was like each year. They probably all ate fancy cheese off of a diamond encrusted silver platter. He laughed at that thought. The Spauldings lead everyone's dream life. Sandy sighed and sat on a rock in front of the Spaulding mansion, wishing that someday, he could live a life like they did.

~~

Allie couldn't believe that her sister had almost killed her best friend. "So, you sent Ben Reade up to the Bauer cabin, KNOWING that Marina was there with Shayne?" she stared at Lizzie in disbelief. "How in the name of all things good and decent did you think that was going to turn out?"
Lizzie shrugged, looking at her doll with a maniacal look in her eye. "I didn't know that Ben was a psychopath. How was I supposed to know that he was a serial killer?" she asked, a phony innocent look in her eye. "I had absolutely no intention of hurting Marina. I just wanted her to get back with Ben..."
Allie was in disbelief. "Well then, how do you explain Olivia Spencer's fall at the Beacon?" she asked with an angry look in her eye. Allie had met Olivia Spencer, and found her to be a very nice person. "I mean, the carpet didn't tear itself, Lizzie..." she explained.

Lizzie beamed with pride at Allie's statement. "Yeah, I know. I did that. But I didn't mean to hurt her..." she lied through her teeth. "I mean, I started tearing the carpet when I was bored one day and I told old fatso to get it fixed, so she did...and I guess it was just a bonus that I re-tore it and she fell."
Allie's eyes widened in horror. "Lizzie! You almost killed Olivia and her baby! You know, now she's terrified to be near you? That doesn't even bother you at all?" she asked, with a still horrified look in her eyes. "And...Marina--if I even mention your name in a sentence to Marina...she gets all freaked out! The only person you really have left as a friend is Tammy...and you messed that up with the whole Joey scene!"
Lizzie raised an eyebrow. "How did you find all of this out? What, did mom and nana give you the scoop on the past years worth of events in my life?" she asked with a glare in Allie's direction. "They have to tell the newfound daughter everything in the world..."

Allie shook her head. "Actually, no, Lizzie. You give Beth and Lillian far too little credit. I heard this all from Marina, and Tammy updated me on the part with Joey, so don't blame them for this. You need to look to the people who's lives you've messed up, rather than the people who love you!" she leaned against the doorframe in Lizzie's room, ready to leave at any second.
Lizzie grinned. "I know they love me. They love me unconditionally, because I'm a bad girl and they don't believe it when anyone tells them!" she threw her doll onto the floor and smiled maniacally at Allie. "I bet I could knock you out by throwing something at you, and tell them that you just passed out...and they'd believe me!"
Allie rolled her eyes and turned to leave Lizzie's room. "Lizzie, you need to see somebody aside from Christopher Langham. I really think you need around the clock supervision or something. Like...in a hospital or something..." she explained, turning around and seeing the angry look in Lizzie's face. "Before you hurt someone that's only trying to help...like me," she turned back around and left the room without another word.
Lizzie mumbled a couple words under her breath, and then, when she was sure that Allie was out of earshot, she spoke up a little. "Your time's coming sooner than you think, Allie..." she grinned.

Allie shook her head as she walked away from Lizzie's room. How could we have come from the same gene pool? I never went through that phase...I'm sure the Ellis' would have me on the bottom of a lake somewhere...she walked to the door, debating whether to take an early morning walk or not. After quick deliberation, she grabbed her winter coat off the coat rack and opened the door, had a quick conversation with the Spaulding mansion gatekeeper, which consisted of her saying where she was going, and him wishing her a good walk, and then she left. She stood on the sidewalk for a second, debating which way to go, when she looked straight ahead and saw someone sitting alone on a rock.

What do you know...she thought. I'm not the only one who takes three-thirty a.m. walks...she started to cross the road, and as she walked to the right side of the three-thirty walker, she walked up beside him and noticed that he was strangely familiar. Ooh...I know him! The guy from psych class! She grinned as she reached over to tap him on the shoulder. "Um..." she spoke softly and shyly. "Hey...I saw you in my psych class earlier...and I recognized you just a second ago..." she could have smacked herself. She sounded like an idiot.
He raised his head. "Oh...yeah, I recognize you!" he stood up and looked face-to-face at the girl he'd been staring at earlier. "Hi...I'm Sandy Foster..." he held his hand out for her to shake.
She shook his hand and smiled politely, debating whether or not to tell him that she was a Spaulding. What could it hurt? She asked herself. "Allie Spaulding...nice to meet you..." she smiled politely at him. "Hold on...Sandy Foster? As in...'Sandy and the Mole's' Sandy Foster?" she asked with a smile.

Sandy nodded and shrugged, flashing her a slight grin. "Guilty as charged. I take it you listen to the show?" he asked her, a little surprised that Spaulding spawn would listen to Sandy and the Mole.
She grinned back at him. "I KNEW I recognized your voice! I love the show!" she grinned. She'd been an avid Sandy and the Mole listener since she'd moved to Springfield. "Tell Moley that I said he's TOO funny..." she winked at him. "Oh...and that candlelight vigil for Shayne Lewis...that was too sweet..."
He bit his lower lip. He hated that people always thought the Mole was funnier than he was, although, in reality, he was the Mole. "Will do..." he lied, sitting back down on the rock. "And thanks, by the way..." he took a drink of his coffee. "So, what are you doing out so late?"
She shrugged and sat down on a lower rock. "I don't know. Just couldn't sleep, I guess. What about you?" she asked, making herself as comfortable as she could, sitting on her jacket on the rock.

He half-smiled, knowing that the truth would be way too crazy, especially to tell a stranger. "I couldn't sleep either. I guess we're nothing but a couple insomniacs..." the half-smile turned to a full smile as he looked into Allie's hazel eyes and saw her smiling back at him.
She nodded and found herself lost in Sandy's eyes. She'd always considered herself more of a Mole fan, but sitting there with Sandy, seeing him face-to-face, it was almost as though there was no Mole. Those blue eyes were so easy to get lost in. "Yeah, I guess so. But in that place, it's easy to lose sleep..." she stretched. "I think I'd be a lot better off trying to sleep in the snow than in there..."
He laughed and looked back at the Spaulding mansion. "Oh, come on...don't they have waterbeds and fluffy pillows with satin sheets and pillowcases in there?" he asked, looking back at Allie curiously.
She nodded her head and laughed a little. "Yeah, but they are by far overrated, Sandy. Trust me. Give me a cotton sheet, regular bed and plain pillow any day..." she flashed him a million dollar smile.

Sandy grinned a little. "Yeah, but living there with your family be nice. I mean, just...you know, having people around who love you and care about you and stuff?" he shrugged and looked back over to the Spaulding mansion over his shoulder. "I'm sure having Alan and Alexandra Spaulding as relatives must be nice..."
Allie pushed some of her hair behind her ear. "Alan and Alex are oblivious to everyone around them except for them. It's a madhouse in there. It's almost like most people say it is...but Alan is paying for my psych classes, so I can't complain, I guess..." she looked at Sandy, causing her hair to fall back in front of her face.
He yawned, shrugged and stood up. "Hey...I don't mean to be rude, Allie, but I think I'm going to get going. I'm gonna head home so I can maybe get a couple more hours of sleep, then go to see Shayne in the hospital, but I'll see you in class at nine, right?" he asked.

She nodded and smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Sandy. I'll save you a seat..." she stood up. "And don't forget to tell Moley what I said, okay?" she turned back toward the Spaulding mansion.
Sandy laughed and nodded. "I'll be sure to tell him. Nice to meet you, Allie..." he headed back toward his apartment complex to try to get a little more sleep...