Thank you to Sunny, Mariana, ally, Sheryl, itsallOC, Michelle, Jen, Lauren, Natalie, Karen, beachtree and Panz for your awesome reviews – especially those that review every chapter. I'm really pleased you guys keep coming back to read more.

I had really bad writers block for this chapter, which is why it's taken so long to write. I've tried to make this chapter as fluffy as possible, as that woman turns up next episode so there's not going to be much happy Kandy for a while.

The Ex-Factor

Sandy was lounging in the family room by the time Kirsten got home. An old horror movie was playing on the television and he held a bottle of beer in his hand.

"Hey," Sandy greeted her.

"Hey," Kirsten said, cautiously sitting down next to him. She paused, trying to judge his mood. "If you're still angry, you have every right to be."

"Oh, well that's good to know," Sandy said, amused. "But here's the thing: I'm not angry at all."

Kirsten looked curiously at him.

"Ever since I left the law firm, your father's been grooming me to be his henchman," Sandy explained. "And I've been letting him. I think in some way, I've just been postponing the inevitable."

"And that is?" Kirsten questioned.

"Figuring out what to do next."

"Sandy, we can still make your housing idea work. I'm gonna go on record recommending the project," Kirsten promised.

"Oh, I appreciate that," Sandy said, running his hand over her leg. "But I'd rather you didn't. Julie's magazine is always gonna give me the heebie jeebies and business-wise, it's probably your best bet. Besides, if I work with you, your father will ambush us every time we try to have a date."

Kirsten smiled. "That was the worst date we've ever had, wasn't it?"

"A double date with your father and Julie Cooper. Sounds like the plot of this movie," Sandy said, looking towards the television screen.

Kirsten laughed and leant back against the sofa, resting her head on her hand. She watched him watching the television.

"I'm sorry we couldn't make your housing idea work," Kirsten apologised.

Sandy heard bitterness in her voice and he looked questioningly at her. Kirsten shrugged.

"Maybe I just wanted the Newport Group to do something good for a change," she said sadly. "Something worthwhile, you know?"

"I can think of lots of worthwhile things you can do," Sandy suggested playfully, leaning towards her and kissing her softly.

Kirsten smiled, reaching over to rake her fingers through his hair. "I guess there's only room for one crusader in this family, huh?"

"That's right," Sandy said, nodding his head resiliently. "I'm back on the path of self-righteousness, honey, and no-one can stop me!"

"So, what are you going to do next?" Kirsten asked.

Sandy leant back into the sofa, lifting Kirsten's legs as he did and placing them on his lap. Kirsten watched as he carefully took off her shoes. She smiled, moaning softly as he started to rub her feet.

"Well, first I think I need to find an office. I can't keep working from home. I have the Newport Housing Initiative work, and a couple of other potential clients. I've still got some contacts from the P.D.'s office. It might take a while to get off the ground," Sandy mused.

"Well, I'll help you any way I can," Kirsten offered. "If you want help finding an office? Hey, and you know, you've already got the perfect picture to hang up because we've still got that giant picture of Julie!"

Kirsten giggled as Sandy shot her a terrified look.

"Don't even joke about it, honey," Sandy said.

"A magazine about Julie Cooper for Julie Cooper," Kirsten continued. "Her face is going to be everywhere – shops, newspaper stands, probably even billboards knowing Julie."

"Ok! Enough!" Sandy cried. "What are we thinking, letting Julie do this magazine?"

Kirsten shook her head in amusement. "I don't know. She's planning on selling Newport as an 'aspirational brand'."

Sandy frowned. "Aspirational? Is that a real word?"

Kirsten laughed. "I don't think so."

She paused and suddenly took her feet away from Sandy's grasp, bending her left knee and moving her leg around him, nudging her toes between his back and sofa. Sandy looked inquisitively towards her, his eyebrows raised. Kirsten's eyes danced.

"I think I owe you a massage after tonight," she said.

"You know, I think you do," Sandy teased, twisting around so that his back faced her.

Kirsten ran her hands up his back and started to massage his shoulders, pushing her thumbs down into his skin.

"You're tense," Kirsten said.

Sandy grunted.

Kirsten leant into him, nuzzling her nose into his hair and leaving a kiss on his neck.

Sandy grunted again, more softly this time, enjoying the warmth of her lips. He smiled. "Don't stop."

Kirsten laughed and continued to massage his neck and shoulders. They heard the sound of the front door and they both turned to see Seth and Ryan walking down the corridor looking gloomy.

"Good night, fellas?" Sandy asked.

Ryan sent him a look and even Seth only shrugged. Kirsten raised her eyebrows.

"Everything ok?" she asked.

"Girl trouble?" Sandy teased.

Seth faked laughter and Kirsten jabbed her finger in Sandy's back.

"Hey!"

Kirsten opened her mouth to ask again if everything was ok but paused, frowning and sniffing the air.

"Why can I smell the ocean?"

"Ryan decided to take a little swim," Seth said. Ryan redirected his trademark look towards Seth.

"In the middle of the night?" Sandy asked.

"Why?" Kirsten followed.

"It's, uh, a long story," Ryan said, not wanting to tell Kirsten that her sister had got drunk and was now passed out at home.

"Well, did you take a shower?" Kirsten asked, her motherly instinct kicking in.

Ryan looked incredulously at her. "I dried off and changed my clothes," he offered.

Kirsten rolled her eyes. "Go take a shower, now!" she ordered.

Ryan opened his mouth to protest but Kirsten shot him her own stubborn look. "Now."

Ryan sighed and headed out towards the poolhouse. Kirsten's eyes fell on Seth, who had made himself comfortable one of the chairs and was sat quietly watching the horror movie. Sandy looked over his shoulder at Kirsten, his eyes glinting with mischief and he tapped on his shoulder. Kirsten bit her lip to stop herself from laughing and started to rub Sandy's shoulders again.

"Hmm. Oh yeah, right there, honey. Oh, that's the spot."

Seth looked over at his parents and grimaced. "Eugh. You guys are so…eugh."

He stood up and scowled, before stalking back down the hallway.

"Goodnight, son," Sandy called after him.

Kirsten finally let out the laugh that she had been holding in, dropping her head against Sandy's back.

"Every time!" Sandy said proudly.

Kirsten let her hands fall from his shoulders and wrapped them around his stomach, resting her chin on his shoulder. She tugged at his earlobe with her teeth and kissed his neck lightly.

Sandy turned his head towards, his lips searching for hers. He found them and kissed her deeply, linking his fingers with hers.

"Next time we go on a date, can it be just the two of us? We haven't spent any time just the two of us for ages," she said.

"I like that idea," Sandy said, leaning towards her and rubbing his nose against hers.

A scream from the television made them both turn their heads.

Kirsten frowned. "What are we watching?"

"The House on Haunted Hill."

"Any good?"

"It's like a night in the Cooper-Nichol house," Sandy said.

"Scary then?" Kirsten laughed.

"You have no idea."

Both lacking the energy to move, Kirsten snuggled down into the sofa and Sandy's body fell against her chest. She kissed the top of his head. They fell silent as they watched the movie together.

"We're burning that picture tomorrow, by the way," Sandy spoke suddenly.

When he got no response, he lifted his head slightly to see Kirsten's eyes closed, sleeping peacefully. Sandy turned back to the movie, too content in her arms to move.

What was it about watching movies that made her fall asleep?