Here's the final installment for tonight. It's a bit longer than the others but it's still not overly long sorry! Hope this is better than the others though!

He just needed to be there

Sandy Cohen was on a mission, a mission to get his girlfriend back. 'Back' he thought. Since when didn't he have her? It's not like they ever broke up, so why is he trying so hard to get her 'back'? He chuckled as the voices inside his head contemplated this. You can't get something back if you haven't had it taken away from you. But Kirsten had left clearly upset last night and by the way she had sobbed and shook uncontrollably in the run-down bus stop, she felt like she had lost something.

He ran into the gift shop he passed everyday on the way to Kirsten's dorm and purchased a golden teddy bear holding a heart, just like Sandy held his heart on his sleeve when he was around Kirsten. He loved her so much, but he had never actually said "I love you" to her yet. He was waiting for the perfect moment, when he knew that they would remember it forever and cherish. He knew that she was the perfect woman for him. At first, he was attracted to her because of her classy beauty but once he got to know the reach Kirsten Nichol, he fell in love with her even more. He knew that she was the one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, the one he wanted to have children with, the one he wanted to grow old with. He just needed to make sure that Kirsten knew that, and knew that he wasn't going anywhere, no argument or fight could change that.

KNOCK, KNOCK

An alarmed Kirsten cautiously walked towards the door, afraid to face the world. She peered through the peep hole and saw Sandy in not much better condition than she was. She never realised how much of a toll it had taken on him as well as her. 'He definitely is a keeper' she thought as she remembered her grandma saying the first time she met Sandy, the last time she saw Kirsten.

KNOCK, KNOCK

The second set of knocking extracted Kirsten from her thoughts and she slowly, carefully opened the door, scared of who and what she was letting in. Sandy just stood there, staring at her in awe. This was the girl who was always perfectly done up. She stood before him, in the worst condition she had been in since that horrible time in Aspen when she blew all the fuses with her hairdryer and she had to go without a blow-dry for a week. She no longer looked like the compose, perfect Kirsten Nichol everyone knew her to be, she looked like the person hiding deep down inside her that only Sandy knew about. She had taken away the protective shell she had learnt to put up from her father and there she was standing in front of him, vulnerable and even more amazing to Sandy.

Both, aware of the fact that the previous night was their first major argument, acted careful around each other, observing the other's reaction. Sandy extended his arm out holding the golden teddy bear and gave it to Kirsten.

"I'm so sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am, but I want you to know, I'm not going to give up on you. I'm not going to leave you and I'm certainly not going to let the fact that we are so different, affect out relationship. Because what we have is special and I don't want anything to come between us. I just hope you feel the same way… I love you, Kirsten Nichol. And I hope that you know that because I would never want to hurt you. I love you."

He closed the gap between him just in time before she collapsed on him as her knees gave way. He swept her off her feet with that speech in more ways than one, and she knew for certain that he was the one for her. He was the one that got her, the one that knew what she was thinking, the one that knew how she was feeling. The one she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

"Oh Sandy… I love you too. I love you more than words can comprehe…"

Her words were cut short as he leant and softly kissed her, reaffirming his love for her. She smiled at him, her 'Sandy' smile, and their lips met again, this time more passionate. They hugged each other tight, sorry for hurting their significant other. Sandy was the first to break away, but the childlike Kirsten still clung on for dear life, relenting to let go, afraid that they might begin another argument.

"I can't believe it. My mother's an alcoholic." The words stung the air as the reality came true once it was said aloud. Her bottom lip trembled, as she realised she had to leave Berkeley, leave Sandy, leave her life.

"Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to stay here? Are you going to move? Then what lease are you going to look for; month to month? Week to week? Are you going to commute? Then what freeway is your choice of freeway?"

"SANDY!" Kirsten exclaimed, a hint of humour in her voice. "I… I've… I've got to go back. I can't let her cause more damage to herself than she already has done. But I don't want to leave you, the man I love." Her voice broke at the end, tears threatening to run down her face.

"Well you can't seriously just leave. What about what we have? Doesn't it mean anything to you? I love you Kirsten, I LOVE YOU! What more do you want? Will I ever be enough for you?"

Once again, the tears began to stream down her face, quickly turning into heavy sobs and inconsolable shaking. "She's my mother Sandy, my mother. I have to go, I don't have a choice. I don't want to go but she needs me. You know you would do the same." She whispered in between sobs and she tried to regain her composure but failed.

Sandy, feeling guilty for causing the uncontrollable tears, reached towards her and pulled her into an embrace. Struggling at first, Kirsten resisted and tried to get out, wanting to be alone right now so she could pack and leave without the emotional goodbyes but she eventually she gave up and let Sandy comfort her.

"Sshh… Don't worry, everything will end up okay. We'll work something out. I don't want to leave you but I will let you go if you must. Just remember, I will always be here waiting. Remember this Kirsten Nichol, I, Sandy Cohen, love you. Remember that"

With that, she collapsed completely, overridden with emotions, and Sandy carried her and laid her on her bed. Though her heavy sobs, she whispered "I don't want to go, I have to go" and they slowly kissed a goodbye kiss to what might have been if the circumstances were different.

You know the deal, read and review please! Ciao!