Okay so I gotta admit. I kinda did steal the Ross/Rachel scene in Friends for my last chapter. Sorry! Hope you enjoy.

Chapter 8

Kirsten left her husband in a crumpled heap on the floor. She retreated to the comfort of the pool house. Ryan was lying on the bed with his eyes closed. He had his earphones in. She made her way over to the bed and sat down. That was it. It was over. She had expected to feel something. Some sort of sadness or disappointment. Anything. But there was nothing. She hadn't felt anything but anger toward her husband for over a week now. Maybe it had pushed all her feelings aside and that's all that was left. But then wouldn't she be happy? Or even relieved? She felt totally indifferent to him now. She felt Ryan shift on the other side of the bed, "You okay?" he asked softly. She nodded slightly. Ryan pulled her back until she was lying in his arms. "I know it's gonna be hard but you'll get through this." He said determinedly. Kirsten remained silent. Ryan looked down at a mass of blonde hair and frowned, "Kirsten?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"

"It's over." She answered evenly. Ryan felt as though he'd been punched in the stomach. "What?" he answered in shock.

"It's over." She said again. Ryan could hear no trace of regret or sadness in her voice. He was shocked at the monotone of her voice. There was no quiver or sign of upset. He knew that this was hurting her but he couldn't understand why she wasn't showing it anymore. "I'm sorry." She said. Her tone was softer this time. She sat up and turned to face him, "I'm sorry." She repeated.

"About Sandy?"

"Yeah. For you. I mean when you came to stay with us we were taking you away form all of this. Fighting, arguing, broken homes. It was supposed to be different." Kirsten looked away, "I guess you can wrap life up in a pretty package but it's just the same inside." Ryan nodded.

"It's okay." He answered, "I really think we need to find Seth." Kirsten closed her eyes.

"This is gonna kill him."

"Yeah."

The next day Ryan went into the kitchen to find three large suitcases lined up next to one another. He looked up and saw Sandy rifling through some papers, "What are you doing?" he asked outraged.

"Leaving." He said simply.

"Why?"

"It's over. The best thing I can do now is getting the hell outta here. I can't stay here with Kirsten. It's not fair on her. Or you for that matter."

"So you're just leaving?"

"Like I said kid it's for the best. I'm sorry."

"No you're not. You say you love Kirsten and this is what you do? You run away?"

"I'm giving her some space. She has to figure out what she wants."

"So where are you going?"

"New York. To see my mom. She's still having chemo and I have to be there for her."

"You didn't wanna be there for her a month ago when she started chemo so what changed? Are you doing this for your mom or for you?"

"Ryan, what are you talking about?"

"I mean. Are you doing this to be there for The Nana or are you doing this to try and make yourself feel better. You cheated on your wife so what other way to gain forgiveness than to look after your cancer ridden mother?"

"WATCH YOUR MOUTH! I am doing this because Kirsten needs to be away from me for a while and my mother needs people around her that she loves and who love her."

"Whatever. Have a good trip." Ryan finished and walked out of the kitchen.

Sandy tapped on the doors of the pool house. "I'm dressed you can come in!" Kirsten yelled from inside. Sandy pushed the door open slowly before stepping in to find Kirsten applying makeup in her hand mirror.

"I need to talk to you." He said quietly.

"Sandy, I've said and heard everything I need to."

"No. You haven't heard this."

"What?" Kirsten turned to her husband irritably.

"I'm leaving." Kirsten stared at him open mouthed, "I'm going to New York. To stay with my mom for while before I get my own place." Kirsten's heart skipped a beat.

"You're running away?" she asked unable to believe him.

"No. Not running just flying." He said trying to make a joke but Kirsten didn't laugh. She didn't even smile. She just sighed and looked away. When she turned back he saw her eyes sparkling with tears. He continued, "I am so sorry but I think this would be good for us. It would put everything into perspective."

"Fine." She answered before standing up and marching into the bathroom.

Kirsten sat on the edge of the bath. He was really going. There was a crushing pain in her chest and she could feel an ache in the pit of her stomach. She found herself wiping away tears from her face. Last night she told her husband it was over and she felt nothing now this morning she's hiding in a bathroom crying because he's leaving. She knew herself that she hadn't really come to terms with it last night but now it came down on her like a ton of bricks. She jumped from the bath and raced into the pool house.

He wasn't in there.

She ran out to the kitchen and into the hall.

He was nowhere to be seen.

She pulled the front door open to find only her own car in the driveway. He was gone. She sat down on the front steps and pulled her knees toward her. She had really lost him now. She wanted to hate him. She wanted not to want him but she couldn't. She couldn't deny that she loved him more than anything and she couldn't live without him. Even if that meant forgiving him. She sensed Ryan sitting beside her. He didn't say anything. He simply put his arm around her shoulders and allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. Maybe this would be good. She could get away from him for a while. Think about what she really wanted. But deep down inside she knew she wanted the one thing she could never have. She would never have her perfect husband again because in the back of her mind he was always the guy who broke her heart. The guy who cheated on her and left. It couldn't go back to normal. She was just going to have to move on.

Please, please, please R&R