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Disclaimer: I don't own the characters...please don't sue…all you would get is….a wrapper….um, a ticket stub….and a twenty? These must be my sister's jeans.

Kirsten set her bag down on the floor of her apartment and smiled. After the weekend at her parent's house, it was nice to be home. Sandy had gone back to his own apartment to drop off his suitcase and to shower, and then he promised he would be back over. The weekend, despite her father's obvious dislike of Sandy, had gone well. Well, better than Kirsten had expected. At least her mother had liked Sandy.

She sighed again and threw herself on the couch, which was where Sandy found her a half-hour later when he let himself in with the key that she had given to him. By this point, Kirsten was fast asleep, and Sandy didn't have the heart to wake her. He just scooped her easily in his arms and carried her into her bedroom laying her on the bed.

"Sandy?" She blinked open her eyes just as he was almost to the door.

"Hey," he said softly. "Go back to sleep." He crossed over to the bed and leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Thank you again for coming with me this weekend," she said softly. "And I'm sorry for the way that my father acted."

"Hey, it's not your fault," Sandy assured her for what seemed like the hundredth time. She felt terrible over her father's behavior, and Sandy wanted to lift some of that guilt and reassure her that he didn't blame her, and he wasn't going anywhere. She had been sure that he would run screaming from her and her overbearing, rude father, but he had been nothing but fantastic and sweet. "Besides, apologize for nothing until you've met my family. Because trust me babe, my mother could certainly give your dad a run for his money." Kirsten gave him a smile and snuggled up against him.

"Is that so?" She asked yawning. He ran a hand through her long, blonde hair and picked up her hand and began to play with her fingers.

"That's so," he replied. "You should go to sleep, you look exhausted."

"Will you stay here tonight?" She asked.

"Sure, let me just go get changed into pajamas," he said getting ready to stand and get ready for bed.

"Maybe you don't need pajamas," she whispered seductively. Sandy grinned and ran a hand down her arm.

"I thought you were tired?"

"Not that tired," she said laughing as he leaned down and kissed her mouth.

"Are you ready to go?" Sandy called through the apartment. Kirsten emerged holding a suitcase. She looked completely terrified.

"I still think there should have been a break between my family and yours," she said for what was the hundredth time. They were flying to New York to meet his mother and siblings, and Kirsten couldn't be more nervous. If Sandy had been scared to meet her father, Kirsten could guarantee that she was twice as scared to meet his mother. Sophie Cohen had called once when Kirsten had been at Sandy's, and Sandy had called for her to answer the phone.

"Hello?" Kirsten had picked up the phone.

"Who is this?" The voice on the other end demanded. "Where's Sandy?" Kirsten was immediately intimidated. She swore later that her voice shook.

"This is Kirsten, he's in the kitchen right now," she said calmly. Kirsten had no idea who she was talking to, but if she was the betting type, she would have put good money that it was his mother. "I can go get him if you would like."

"As long as it's not any inconvenience to you," Sophie sneered. Kirsten wanted to groan right there on the spot, instead she politely handed the phone to Sandy and stayed in the living room so that she could hear Sandy's side of the conversation. She really didn't have to hear Sophie's side, because she could pretty much fill in the blanks.

"Ma, that was Kirsten. I told you about Kirsten...yes I did. She goes to Berkeley too. I told you this…California….Newport…Ma! I did not. Hey! Can I get a word in? Ma, listen to me…Ma! I'm going to pretend that you didn't say that. She does not. She isn't like that…I'm hanging up…as long as I can bring Kirsten…" Bring Kirsten to what? She waited patiently for Sandy to hang up the phone and as soon as he did she berated him with questions.

"Bring me to what Sandy?" She asked.

"To see my mother and sister and brother in New York," Sandy said nonchalantly. No, Kirsten thought right away. She wouldn't go. Sophie was just going to end up hating her and why put herself through that if she didn't have to? She knew eventually she would have to meet Sophie, but she was hoping that eventually was a while away. But then again, Sandy went with her to visit her parents. He had suffered patiently through her father and his rude comments; surely she could deal with whatever his mother would offer up. How bad could it possibly be?

"That would be nice," Kirsten finally said. "I can't wait to meet them."

Now Kirsten was eating her words. She was standing in JFK airport hailing a cab next to Sandy and wishing that she were anywhere but New York. They were staying at her father's apartment, seeing as Sophie's was far too small for Sandy and Kirsten to stay at along with Sandy's brother Ethan and his sister Sarah. And besides, no one was staying in the Nichols' apartment. Kirsten and Sandy would have the entire massive space to themselves. Sandy gave her hand a squeeze and told the cab driver where to go. They stopped by Kirsten's first to drop off their things, and Sandy was once again awed by the amount of money the Nichols had. He had always wondered and envied the people who lived in these kinds of buildings on the Upper West side as a kid, and couldn't believe it when Kirsten gave a small wave to the doorman.

"Miss Nichol," he said giving a nod. She pressed the button for the elevator and Sandy wasn't surprised to see someone dressed in an old-fashioned uniform operating the elevator. The wealthy ate that stuff up.

"Miss Nichol, how are you?" The man in the elevator asked. Kirsten smiled at him.

"Great, and yourself Joe?"

"Oh hanging in there. We were all pulling for Columbia University, Miss Nichol. Hoping that you would live here while you went to school."

"It was on my list, Joe, but I just couldn't leave California," she said smiling at Sandy. Sandy was suddenly struck by the image of Kirsten living in New York and going to school there. She would have probably still been with Jimmy; in fact, he probably would have moved there with her and lived in her father's apartment. Sandy never would have met her, and would not be in this swanky building in the elevator heading towards the penthouse.

"Is this Jimmy?" Joe asked smiling at Sandy. Kirsten turned bright red. "I've heard all about you from Mr. Nichol."

"No, this is Sandy. Jimmy's married now," Kirsten explained. "Sandy goes to Berkeley too."

"Oh," Joe said. "My apologies. I'm a little behind on the news. I gave up gossiping. Although it's awful hard living in this building." He winked at Kirsten and all was forgotten. "It's very nice to meet you Sandy. You're a real lucky guy to get Miss Nichol." Kirsten blushed violently once again and was saved by the ding of the elevator having reached their floor.

"Thanks Joe," Kirsten said hurrying off.

"Nice to meet you too," Sandy said smiling at him. "And I know." He followed Kirsten. She had opened the door and they were standing in the middle of a gorgeous apartment with a park view.

"I missed this place," Kirsten said with a smile. She glanced at her watch and frowned. "We should probably hurry. Isn't your mother expecting us soon?" Sandy knew that she was nervous. Hell, he was nervous about her meeting his mother. His mother had already mentioned a dislike for Kirsten and she had never met her. According to his mother, Kirsten and her family were everything she had fought against. Everything that she had raised him to fight against.

But he loved Kirsten. He still hadn't told her that yet, but he was getting awfully close to spilling those three little words to her. And nothing his mother could do or say could make him change the way that he felt about Kirsten. He knew that she was the one. He knew that he wanted to marry Kirsten and grow old with her. Nothing Sophie Cohen or Caleb Nichol could do or say could stop the two of them from being together.

Kirsten was a mess by the time they reached his mother's apartment building. She was actually trembling. Sandy took her hand in his and squeezed it.

"She's going to love you," he told her.

"That's a lie, but thank you anyway," she responded. Sandy shrugged and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I tried." Kirsten leaned into him as they made their way inside the building. No doorman, and no marbled entrance, but it was charming. And Sandy was beaming as he pointed out the architecture design to Kirsten. She nodded, trying to convince herself not to be scared, and followed him up the steps to the third floor where his mother lived. Sandy knocked twice and they waited in silence. Kirsten tightened her grip on Sandy's hand and he gave her a reassuring smile. She felt as if she was on death row waiting for the executioner. Apparently Sophie Cohen had that effect on people.

The door swung open a young woman was standing there. She had long dark, curly hair and bright blue eyes.

"Sandy!" She screeched throwing herself into his arms. "I've missed you big brother."

"Hey Sarah," Sandy said hugging his sister. "Oh Sarah, this is Kirsten." Sarah looked at the girl standing next to her brother. She was a little older than herself, and she was visibly nervous, twisting a piece of blonde hair around her finger. Sarah had to say, her brother had done good with this one, she was gorgeous.

"Nice to meet you," Kirsten said offering Sarah a smile.

"Nice to meet you too," Sarah said smiling back. Her mother was going to hate her. She wasn't Jewish, and she was blonde and tanned, clearly a California girl. Most importantly, she wasn't Jewish. But from what her brother had told her, Sarah knew that Sandy was crazy about this girl, which meant that she had to be something special. "Come on in." A man stepped in and smiled at Sandy and Kirsten. Sandy had told her that he and Ethan, being only a year younger than Sandy, had been inseparable when they were little. Ethan had been so angry with Sandy when, at 16, he took off from New York. Sandy admitted that only recently had things gone back to being somewhat normal again between him and his brother.

"Sandy!" Ethan said hugging his brother. "This must be Kirsten." Kirsten smiled and extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you," Kirsten said smiling. Sandy took her hand again and led her through the tiny apartment to the kitchen the size of a shoebox. He cleared his throat and a woman turned around. She smiled when she saw her eldest son, but then the smile faltered when she saw the woman holding onto her son's hand.

"Hi Ma," Sandy said stepping forward, and never letting go of Kirsten's hand, giving his mother a one-armed hug. "Ma, this is Kirsten. Kirsten this is my mother."

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Cohen," Kirsten smiled politely at the older woman who managed to offer up a small smile of her own.

"You too," she said stiffly.

"Sandy, where are you staying?" Sarah asked coming from the living room into the kitchen and standing against the counter with her brother. "Ma said that you weren't staying here, and I feel terrible about you having to stay in a hotel."

"Don't worry about it," Sandy answered his sister. "We're staying at Kirsten's father's apartment."

"I thought you were from California," Ethan said frowning. "Does your father live here?" Apparently, Ethan hadn't been informed of Kirsten's financial state, or at least, her father's financial state. Being away at school himself, he had missed out on all the family gossip. Sarah hit him on the back of the head. "Sarah! What?"

"My father keeps an apartment here," Kirsten answered sweetly.

"Oh," Ethan said rubbing the back of his head still. "Where exactly?"

"The Upper West side," Sandy answered. "You should see it. It's incredible. The view from his penthouse is amazing."

"Penthouse huh?" Sophie broke in. "It must be so nice to be above everyone like that." Kirsten nearly flinched at the edge of her voice. Sandy caught the insult in his mother's tone and just tightened his hold on Kirsten's hand.

"Ma," it was Sarah who cut in this time.

"What?" Sophie feigned innocence. "That's why they buy the penthouse. So that they can look down on everyone else." Kirsten remained quiet. She knew that Sophie was trying to bait her, and she wasn't going to take it. Sandy had suffered quietly through her father and she would do the same with his mother. "So Kirsten, what is it exactly that your father does?" Everyone breathed out a silent sigh of relief. Sophie was changing the conversation.

"He owns his own real estate developing company called the Newport Group," she answered.

"Do you plan on working for him?" Sophie interrogated.

"I…I'm not sure," Kirsten finally replied. "I don't think so."

"Kirsten's going to open her own art gallery," Sandy jumped in.

"Oh, and who is going to pay for that? Her father?" Sophie asked looking at Sandy. "And who is going to provide her with the life that she is used to? You? On your public defender's salary? I really don't see that happening." Sophie wouldn't look at Kirsten. If she had, she would have seen Kirsten's head drop down and her fight back the overwhelming urge to cry. This was not going well. No, that was an understatement. This was a diasater.

"Ma," Sandy spoke through clenched teeth. "Could you please join me in the living room?" Sophie glared at him, but stormed out of the tiny kitchen. Sandy dropped a kiss on Kirsten's forehead. "Hey, Ethan, tell Kirsten about Ithaca."

"What?" Sophie asked as soon as they were alone.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"You're being rude to her," Sandy accused. "You don't even know her."

"I know her kind. She's going to want things that you can't provide for her. She'll eventually want someone who can provide her with penthouse apartments and summer houses on the beach."

"You don't know that! She's not like that, and you won't even give her a chance to prove you wrong."

"Sandy, I just want what's best for you," Sophie said.

"No you don't, because if that was true, then you would see that Kirsten is what's best for me. You want me to have what's best for you."

"Sandy…"

"I love her Ma, I love her." Kirsten, in the kitchen, could hear the whole conversation and straightened at those words. Ethan had been trying to divert both Kirsten's and Sarah's attention away from the argument in the living room, but had failed. A minute later, Sandy stormed into the small kitchen, took Kirsten's hand, flashed a quick smile in her direction to reassure her, and then announced that they were leaving.

"We'll call you two for dinner tonight," Sandy said to Sarah and Ethan before exiting the apartment with Kirsten in tow. When they were outside the door, he leaned his forehead against Kirsten's and sighed. "I'm sorry for that. I thought…I thought that she would be at least civil."

"It's okay," Kirsten said taking his hand. "It's not your fault. My father was just as rude to you." Sandy looked at her and his face broke into a small smile.

"I guess you heard everything?"

"Well, you were yelling pretty loud."

"I meant it."

"Meant what?" Kirsten played dumb, and Sandy grinned.

"That I loved you. I do. I love you Kirsten."

"Oh Sandy," she breathed leaning up to kiss him. "I love you too." And they stood there in the cramped hallway outside his mother's door and just hung onto one another. It didn't matter that her father hated him, or that his mother hated her. It just didn't matter. All that mattered was that Sandy loved her, and that was good enough for her. She had never felt this way about anyone, Jimmy included. Even with Jimmy there hadn't been this need to be around him. She literally didn't know what to do when Sandy wasn't there. He made her feel like a bad, sappy Hallmark card. He made her feel complete.

And she loved him.

Okay folks, you know the drill. Please press that little button right down there and tell me what you think of it. The next chapter will be the progression of their relationship now that they've said those three little words, and the faster that you review the faster that the next chapter gets up. So review! Thanks