DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything.

It was already past midnight and Sandy still hadn't returned home. Kirsten was worried. She prayed that when he said he needed to "get out of here" he didn't mean that he was going to really take off for good. She decided to call his cell phone. No answer. She contemplated whether or not she should head out to the beach to look for him. 2 seconds later she was walking out the door, hoping that the boys wouldn't wake up to find her note on the kitchen table saying that Sandy and her went out for a bit. Kirsten knew Sandy was angry with her but she had to find him and talk to him some more. She couldn't let him slip away.

Sandy was sitting on the sand. Had it not been dark out, Sandy would have been surfing, his favorite thing to do aside from being with Kirsten. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed within the last few hours. Now, all of a sudden he was a father of 2 kids. He thought about Kassandra. He hoped she grew up in a good environment. Of course Sandy thought that he and Kirsten could have raised their child best, but he prayed that this couple provided Kassandra with everything she needed emotionally and financially. Sandy then thought about Seth and how he has an older sister. All this time Seth struggled to fit into Newport and needed a friend, little did he know he had an older sister who could have been there with him. Sandy picked up a seashell and threw it into the water. He was angry with Kirsten for not telling him. Had she told him the truth right from the start things would have been better for everyone...himself...Kirsten...Kassandra...Seth. Suddenly Sandy heard footsteps coming toward him, feet shuffling in the sand. He turned around to find Kirsten walking towards him.

She wasn't sure what to say when she found him, but she just knew she had to stop him from walking away. Once she found him she hurried onto the beach, still unsure of what to say.

Sandy turned back toward the ocean, saying, "How did you find me?"

"18 years isn't for nothing. You think I don't know your exact favorite place to be on the beach?" she asked looking right at him.

"I don't know." It was hard to tell what Sandy's emotions were at the moment.

"Sandy please...please don't walk away," she said almost too forcefully for how calm Sandy was.

"Walk away?"

"Yeah. Please don't walk away from this marriage. I know I caused havoc but please...you really scared me tonight when you left."

"Who said I was walking away?"

Startled, Kirsten reminded herself that Sandy never said he was leaving for good. A bit embarrassed, she replied, "Well I just got scared. I thought when you said you needed to leave you meant permanently."

"You think I'd leave without taking my surf board?" he asked jokingly, but still looking at the water.

"No, you're right, that's true." Kirsten kneeled down next to him hoping to get him to look at her. "Sandy whatever you want to ask me or say to me, I'm not going to rush you, but when you want to talk about everything I'm here."

Turning his head slightly, he noticed that Kirsten had a photo album with her. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's just some stuff I thought you might want to look at. It's everything I have." She handed him the album.

"Thanks. I'll look at it later." He knew that once he looked at the pictures of Kassandra he would start crying again. Right now he just wanted to sit and figure everything out in his head.

Kirsten got up, seeing that Sandy probably wanted to be alone right now. "Well, I'll leave you alone. But remember, when you want to talk, let me know." She headed back up the beach after he simply replied "Okay".

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Surprisingly, all of this had gone on without Seth or Ryan knowing. When Sandy walked in at about 2am the next morning, he found Kirsten sleeping on the couch. She had decided to sleep on the living room couch because she wasn't sure that Sandy wanted to be close to her that night. Sandy slept in the guest's bedroom that night. It felt too weird to sleep in their bedroom alone. He looked at the photo album of Kassandra that had some letters from the couple. Seeing his beautiful daughter made him determined to meet her in person.

The cell phone alarm woke Kirsten up at 7am. It was earlier than the usual time her and Sandy got up, which was after some morning love and cuddling. But today she wanted to wake up before the boys got up in fear that they would suspect something was up if Kirsten was sleeping on the couch.

Kirsten headed toward her and Sandy's bedroom, unsure whether or not to go in if Sandy was still in there. When she got to the top of the stairs, she noticed that the bedroom doors were open and the bed was made. So tired not even thinking that maybe Sandy was in the bathroom, she walked in and got some clothes out of the closet, only to turn around and walk right into Sandy, who was bare-chested with just a towel around him.

"Hi, sorry," she said quickly, "you know, if I would have known that you make the bed this good, we would have never needed Rosa."

"We still need her...I didn't make the bed."

"Oh."

"I didn't sleep in here. I slept in the guest's bedroom."

"Oh." She didn't know what to say. Was it good or bad that Sandy didn't sleep in their bedroom? He could ask the same for her, she thought. She headed into the bathroom.

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Kirsten walked into a filled kitchen. To her surprise, Sandy seemed in a good mood and was conversing with Seth and Ryan.

"Morning, mom," Seth said.

"Good morning, Kirsten," Ryan said.

"Morning boys," she said trying to be herself. She had no idea how to speak to Sandy in front of the boys. She went to grab a bagel to try to hide her uncomfortable-ness.

"Oh thank you so much for not making me start my morning by seeing you two kiss each other like crazy, like usual. Right Ryan, isn't this nice for a change?"

"Yeah, sure," Ryan replied, never to admit to Seth that he didn't mind the Cohens' early morning kissing that he and Seth were witnesses to everyday.

"Son you spoke too soon," Sandy said as he went over to Kirsten. She looked up surprised, and he hesitantly moved toward her and gave her a kiss on the lips. When their lips parted, he kissed her again, moving his tongue to encourage her to kiss him back. She did, but a bit awkwardly.

During this put-on kissing scene, Seth replied, "Actually, I don't think I spoke to soon because Ryan and I are getting out of here before this goes too far. Come on Ryan!"

When the boys left, Sandy and Kirsten immediately pulled apart. Kirsten didn't know what to say or do. She just stood there.

"The tongue meant kiss me. Don't let the boys think something is up."

"Okay. I wasn't expecting that, but, okay."

"You know I want to tell Seth and Ryan, but I'm just not ready to right now."

"Okay." Kirsten didn't want to start the day off on a bad note so she stayed quiet.

"After look at the photo album, I was thinking...I want to meet Kassandra. I have to. I have to tell her that I'm really a good person and that I'm here for her now."

"She might not know about us."

"I want her to. Why shouldn't she?"

Meanwhile, Seth and Ryan, who had been in the pool house, were walking through the open doors into the kitchen.

"Because don't you think that it will put an idea in her head like...why did they give me up?" Kirsten snapped, starting to cry again.

Seth turned to Ryan, confused since his parents were just madly in love a few minutes ago. When they got to the tv room, Seth said, "Woah, I'm glad we are heading out because that fight doesn't sound too nice."

Back in the kitchen, Sandy was saying, "If you tell her the truth...and not lie like you did to me...I'm sure she will understand."

"Sandy you don't know that. She could end up worse knowing about us then she is not knowing about us. I don't want to make things harder for her."

"Well I can't not meet her. I have to tell her I'm her real father."

Seth turned to Ryan, saying, "What? Did you hear that, man?"

"Yeah, I did. Sounds really serious. You have a sister?"

"Not to my recollection!"

"Really? Um...okay...well I'm not really sure. Maybe they are talking about someone else," Ryan replied, hoping he didn't put things into perspective for Seth, who was confused.

"Yeah, umm, they better be because that would just be outrageous!" Seth said much louder than he intended to say it.

Hearing Seth's voice, Sandy and Kirsten ran into the tv room.

"Yeah, so, what's this I hear about dad being someone's real father? He's my real father. Ryan can tell you that. He even says we look alike. I'm your only kid, right dad?"

"Seth...Ryan...sit down...we have to talk..." Sandy said, unsure of what he would even say next. Kirsten sat down nervously next to Sandy, she wasn't sure how they were going to bring this up or what to say.

TBC...

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