Disclaimer: Don't own. If you did, you'd totally notice. Because the show wouldn't suck as much. And Babe and Krystal would have been abducted by aliens a long time ago.
Title: The Dance That We Do
Author: Jayta
Rating: PG13
Show: All My Children
A/N: If you want an explanation for this chapter...well, don't look at me. It just was there. I have no clue what I am doing. Hey, I never said I did! Just check my bio!
A/N 2: Angst. Up and down. Isn't that what you wanted Liz? Anyways girls, I can't say this is a squeal fest, but I tried something. Let's just call it an experiment. Hey, you have to have some exposition.

Chapter Ten: Dismissed

If he wanted to play it that way, fine. It was fine with her. Kendall hopped around on one foot, as her ankle was still quite tender from slightly spraining on their little 'day out'. I don't need him. It's what I wanted all along. It was what this whole trip was about.

It had taken another day to arrange a court date for their divorce. In the meantime, Zach had successfully managed to avoid her for the whole day. "Well, he can take a flying..."

"Talking to yourself again?"

Kendall spun around to see Zach leaning comfortably against the entrance to the bedroom. He was wearing a light blue button-up with a casual grey suit jacket and a pair of grey slacks. He managed to make casual look so inviting, even though he stood there with an irritating intent. "I didn't know if you were going to show up," she scoffed, throwing cream shawl over top of her off-the-shoulder wine-colored summer dress. "Not that I couldn't have handled this myself."

"We got into this marriage together, and we'll leave it together," he said casually, walking over to the bed, a few feet away from her. "So you're ready?"

No. No, I'm not. "Yes," she said firmly. "As ready as I've ever been."

Zach was so self-assured. It seemed as if this whole procedure didn't even phase him. And this was coming from the same man who had professed his undaying love for her only a day before. I'm doing the right thing. As much as she tried to reassure herself, Kendall could feel the weakness seeping through - doubts, regrets.

"Great," he chirped.

"You don't have to act like this is the greatest thing since sliced bread," Kendall growled irritably, spinning around on one foot, trying to keep her balance. "This is a divorce for pete's sake."

"Is something wrong?" He came up along side her and steadied her by grabbing her arm. "Because you sound a little upset?" Zach said curiously.

"I'm fine," she snapped, pulling away from him. Unfortunately in doing so, she lost her balance and as she put her bum foot down, the pain became to much, and she winced at the sharp stabbing pain.

"Would you let me help you?" he said. She could hear a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"I can manage," she said, gritting her teeth, as she waited for the pain began to subside.

"Would you stop being stubborn?" Zach grasped her shoulders and his eyes met hers. "And let me just help you, since you refuse the aid of crutches?" He paused a moment, his eyes darting across her face. "It's not a vice, to need someone," he said softly.

As Kendall stared into those dark brooding eyes, she saw a flicker of something. She couldn't put her finger on it. It seemed like regret mixed with longing. You're just imagining things. Her heart sped up at the nearness of him. Why did he have to have that effect on her? "Fine," she breathed, her gaze trailing down to his lips. He had only ever kissed her once, but she had been left breathless. There was a knock at the door, and she was drawn from her reverie. Meeting his gaze, she stiffened and took a half a hop back. "Fine."

One arm snaked around her waist, holding her tightly, while the other held her other hand. She felt his strength, and part of her longed to have them hold her always. No, stop it. Kendall could not go back there. They had settled this. The man had abandoned 'his love' at the drop of a hat. He hadn't fought for her. He hadn't done anything.

Of course this divorce is the right thing.

--&--

"Mr. Beckham, thank you for coming."

Kendall had no idea who the stranger standing in their honeymoon suite was. He was tall and lanky, dark brown eyes and dirty blonde hair. Dressed in a well-pressed suit, he looked the part of a professional. "Who is this?" Kendall frowned.

"Mr. Beckham is our lawyer, dear," Zach informed.

"Well, it seems you had a little accident during your stay here in Haiti?" he observed casually, glancing over at Zach. "Good thing this is an amicable divorce." He chuckled to himself.

Kendall didn't bother cracking a smile. "Let me assure you it was less than funny." Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Zach glance over her way, a look of bewilderment at her attitude. She ignored him. "Well, is there anything I need to know beforehand?" she asked in a business-like tone. "Or do we need to sign and get the judge to throw us some confetti?"

"I can see this is a good time for the proceedings," Mr. Beckham remarked, his eyes giving her the once over.

"Enough with the color commentary," Kendall snapped, not in the mood to hear how she was probably the reason for the whole proceedings - though technically she was.

"Well, it should be easy enough," Mr. Beckham coughed uneasily. "I just need you to sign these papers and show up at the courthouse."

"Then what?" Kendall wanted to know exactly what would be happening. Did she have to testify? Would she have to say nasty things about Zach? That would be easy enough at this point.

"It should be cut and dry," he explained. "The judge will review the reasons for the dissolvement, and nothing against either of you, I think the judge won't have a problem understanding why these proceedings are occurring."

Nothing against you... Kendall glanced over at Zach, who seemed to be listening intently to the lawyer, and shot daggers at him. He sure knew how to pick them. She sighed and nodded, waving a dismissive hand at the irritatingly biased lawyer. "Fine," she replied. "Then let's get this over with."

"Can you give us a minute?" Zach said to the lawyer.

She felt Zach's hand rest on her shoulder. Stiffening, Kendall forced herself to meet his gaze, which was searching and questioning hers. "What?" She bit her tongue, as the word came out harsher than she expected. It wasn't until the lawyer arrived in their room, did the words of his declaration suddenly begin playing over and over in her head.

"You are stubborn and hard-headed; you are intelligent and beautiful. You have the most generous heart, and love unreservedly. Y-You put a hundred percent into everything that you do, and that includes love. You would sacrifice anything for someone you loved, and that leaves me speechless...What I'm trying to say, Kendall, is that I'm in love with you. I've fallen in love with you."

"Do you want to go through with this?" he asked seriously.

Kendall couldn't believe the words coming from his mouth. Now he asks? "What do you mean?" she said, bristling at the question.

"You just don't seem to be in the right frame of mind..."

"There's a right frame of mind going into this thing?" she exclaimed with a scornful laugh. He seemed to take her anger and frustation in stride. As always. Always calm. Always in control. "I believe Mr. Beckham, barrister and solicitor, seemed to think it was exactly the place we need to be."

"Kendall," he hedged, seeming to search for the right words.

"Zach," she sighed. "If you're looking for me to be joyful and happy about this all, don't worry. Once we sign those papers and we're on our merry way..."

"Right," Zach replied, nodding if finally understanding the situation. He took a deep breath and smiled at her, holding out his hand. "Then, shall we go?"

"Let's," Kendall said, plastering a smile on her lips.

This was how it was supposed to be. He didn't love her. It was obvious. And she would let the judge know that.

--&--

"Irreconcilable differences?" murmured the judge. Glancing up at the two parties, "Well that's a new one." His tone was droll and by his expression, this was probably the one hundredth proceeding he had resided over.

"Judge Latsfvah," Mr. Beckham coughed. "It's really quite simple."

"I'll be the judge of that," he frowned, his bushy grey eyebrows melding together. The pair of almost black eyes darted between Kendall and himself.

Zach watched Kendall from under his lashes. She sat across from him, her brow furrowed as if something were on her mind. In fact she hadn't spoken since they left the hotel. It worried him. She seemed to be taking this a lot harder than he expected. Even though she had asked for it and seemed to rejoice that it was going to finally be over, Zach couldn't help but think maybe he had done this too soon. She was still emotionally vulnerable after losing the baby after all. Of course, I had to jump the gun on this. And now, she seems to be suffering more now than ever.

"Now why don't you explain to me why a couple of Americans are knocking on my door?" His thick accent rumbled in his throat. "Is your judicial system failing, that it can't handle a symple divorce?" he scowled. "Or do you feel the need to throw our humble nation a bone?"

Zach had never met a judge quite like this one; and by the expression on Kendall's face, she was thinking the exact same thing.

"Can we just sign these papers and get it over with?" Kendall grimaced.

"In a hurry, Mrs. Slater?" Judge Latsfvah said, eyeing her carefully. "Because we can postpone these matters. Since I still believe this is my courtroom, less formal as it may seem."

Kendall remained silent.

"So...," the judge flipped through the file, "tell me exactly is the cause of these 'irreconcilable differences'."

"Judge Latsfvah, the case is clear cut. An amicable split between the two parties - fifty-fifty in matters of settlement," Mr. Beckham jumped in. "They, as many of the couples that pass through your courtroom daily, rushed into this marriage headlong with out any real thought."

"Ah," Judge Latsfvah held up his right hand in front of their lawyer, and his gaze fell upon Zach. "Why don't you explain, Mr. Slater."

Zach shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He hadn't expected to explain in detail the downfall of their marriage. Of course he could not go indepth with the truth about how it had all been a business deal. He sensed that would definitely not go over well with this judge. "Ah, well," he coughed, glancing up at Kendall, who seemed to be waiting expectantly for the weaving of this tale. He heard the clatter of keys halt, as he paused a moment to think of what to say. Zach had forgotten there was a stenographer in the room - the fact that suddenly struck him as odd. "Our marriage wasn't quite the stuff made of fairytales. Kendall and I got married fairly quickly during her mother's recent marriage."

"Yes," the judge said, leaning back in his swivel chair. "Go on."

"I guess you could say it was just a spur of the moment thing, really," he explained, watching Kendall's interest in his little tale grow. "And we both out of hard relationships rebounded into this marriage."

"So, you agree with this recounting, Mrs. Slater?"

"Uh, yes," she said uncomfortably, her eyes never leaving his.

"Well, I certainly can see why it seemed doomed from the start," the judge sighed. "Typical Hollywood romance gone bad. Will you people never learn? Love does not come in the form of a script. It is hard work. It takes commitment." He shook his head and gestured to Kendall. "Continue on. Explain the circumstances which led to the dissolvment of this marriage."

"I-It's simple, your Honor," Kendall stammered, sliding her hands down the front of her dress, smoothing out the non-existent wrinkles. "Uh..."

Zach tilted his head slightly, as Kendall seemed to lose focus all of the sudden. It was as if she was lost in thought. He had set up an easy tale of wreckless American lust gone wrong. All she had to do was explain how this really hadn't been a marriage based on love, trust and friendship.

"Mrs. Slater?"

"She gets a little bit of stage-fright," Zach interrupted, trying to take the pressure off of Kendall, as all eyes were on her. "But I can tell you that we both readily admit that this was a mistake on our part..."

"Hey," Kendall interrupted, sitting up in her chair, as if suddenly awakening from a long sleep. "Don't speak for me. I can speak for myself."

"I wasn't trying to..."

"I know what you were trying to do," she spat, shaking her head. "What you always do. You try to micro-manage the problem. Or completely ignore the fact that it exists."

Zach was lost. He had no idea what was going on. Suddenly Kendall was coming off like a woman scorned. Sometimes he wished he knew what was going on in that beautiful head of hers.

"Listen, this man is a liar. A liar," she said, hitting the table for emphasis. "Nothing out of his mouth is the truth. He is like a silver-tongued devil. Yeah, that's it. He tells you one thing, and then turns around and does everything to the contrary."

Judge Latsfvah leaned forward, his brows raising at this interesting turn of events.

"You see," she breathed deeply, her hands gesturing wildly. "This is the reason why I can't trust him. And what kind of marriage is based on nothing but lies? Of course I can't trust a man like Zach Slater. I mean look at him! He's gorgeous, and he knows it. He uses it to get his way.

"And he's charming. Oh, I don't forget charming. The way he looks at you could make any girls swoon." She pointed at Zach, who seemed to grow more intrigued by the word. "Don't take that as a compliment because it's not."

"Judge Lats...," Mr. Beckham tried to intercede, his eyes darting frantically around the room, trying to figure out what was happening to his case.

"Shh," the judged hissed, waving his gavel at the suave lawyer. "Now Mr. Slater, do you have any response to these accusations?"

"Um..." Zach eyed the judge who seemed to be taking giddy delight at what was happening in his courtroom.

"Were you this dishonest cad, this woman is describing? If so, I can see why she would want to get as far away from you as..."

"Wait," Zach frowned, placing his hands on the boardroom-like table. All of the sudden this had become anything but amicable. In fact, everyone was siding with Kendall. "This is just...just absurd."

"Now I'm absurd?" Kendall exclaimed, flopping back into her chair, her arms folded across her chest. "You really know how to charm a girl. See why I need a key to this...thing!"

"Mr. Slater," Mr. Beckham said through clenched teeth and a smile. "You need to get a hold of..."

"Kendall, this isn't the time," he said out of the corner of his mouth. His eyes locked with hers. Zach had no idea why she was acting out like this. She turned away from him.

"Was there some indiscretions on his part?"

"There were no other women," Zach replied bluntly, growing slightly annoyed at the judges' line of questioning.

"Of course not," Kendall muttered, almost inaudibly. "That would have been something I could have dealt with."

"Kendall, may I have a word with you, in private?" Zach asked, trying to restrain the frustration growing inside. "Please, maybe we have a recess..."

"If he hadn't said those words, everything would have been fine..."

"Words?" the judge frowned.

"He just lied to my face..." she continued on. Kendall was lost in her own world.

"Mrs. Slater," Mr. Beckham whispered, almost pleading.

"What does he know about love?" Kendall suddenly exploded, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Mrs. Slater!" Judge Latsfvah tone and demeanor suddenly changed. He seemed to have regained some modicum of decorum and was not pleased at her behavior.

"How can people go around telling them they love them out of the blue when it all was a sham anyways," she said, again muttering to herself.

"Mrs. Slater," the judge repeated himself again, trying to regain some order. "Please refrain from..."

"I should have known better to think..."

Zach watched as Kendall began to unravel in front of the judges. She was hurting; he could see that. But what it was that had brought this whole thing on, was beyond his comprehension right now.

"Declaring your love the night before..." Her words were jumbled together.

"Wh-What?" The judge shook his head in confusion. The expression on his face unexpectedly changed from confusion to irritation. "What did you say, Mrs. Slater?"

"I should have known better to, dot dot dot," a woman's voice spoke, "Declaring your love the night before...my best guess would be, 'our divorce'?" All eyes turned to the stenographer, who pushed up her fashionable chocolate brown-rimmed glasses, and smiled sheepishly. "Uh, did you not want me to read that back to you?"

"Enough!" Judge Latsfvah bellowed, slamming his gavel down on the wooden pad. "I've had enough of this! This isn't a hearing, it's a circus! And it stops now."

"Your Honor," Mr. Beckham cooed, "my clients are in a highly emotional..." Before he could finish, he was silenced by one look from the judge.

"This is the worst display I've witnessed by a grown woman and grown man, in the last five years!" he exclaimed. He motioned for the stenographer to bring her tape to him. "Reading this," he lifted the white paper in his hand, "is like read a television show."

"We are sorry," Zach glanced up at Kendall, who seemed to be stewing in her own indignation. "Your Honor. We did not mean to make this a..."

"I've heard enough," Judge Latsfvah said with a bang of his gavel. "This session is dismissed."

"W-What?" Zach hadn't been expecting this. This declaration also seemed to bring Kendall out of her daze. Her gaze met his and they looked at each other in bewilderment.

"But you can't do this," Kendall exclaimed, jumping up and leaning towards the judge. "We're here to..."

"From the sounds of it," the judge replied, staring her down back into her seat. "It doesn't know what you want, young lady."

"But your Honor," Zach hedged, not understanding how he could just dismiss them like this. "We..."

"Not another word," he warned, pointing his gavel at Zach. "Or I will hold you in contempt of court."

"Mr. Slater," Mr. Beckham pleaded, grabbing hold of his arm. "Please sit down."

"This is not some stage you can bring your theatrics to," Judge Latsfvah lectured. "And if I see you in my courtroom again, I will throw the both of you in jail." With that, he snapped his wrist, causing the gavel to bang loudly against the table. "You are dismissed." Sweeping his robe from under his feet, the judge exited the room.

Zach sat there a moment, stunned. Never had he seen something get so out of control. It was something he could have never predicted.

"Well, who put the rotten egg in his robe?" Kendall scoffed, pushing her chair back and wiping away an invisible piece of lint from her skirt.

"What the hell was that?" Mr. Beckham cried out, slamming his briefcase on the table.

"Hey," Zach growled, stepping around to Kendall's side of the table. "There's no need to yell."

"Are you kidding me?"

"What is your problem?" Kendall exclaimed irritably.

"Why don't you answer that?" Mr. Beckham replied, as his eyes darted between them. "And then when you figure it out," he snapped the clasps on his briefcase closed, "don't call me."

Zach watched as the highly recommended lawyer stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. He hadn't particularly liked the overachieving brownnoser, so it wasn't a big loss. But out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a crooked smile play upon his wife's lips.

"I guess we need to get a new lawyer," Kendall quipped. He tilted his head, furrowing his brow at her behavior. "What?"

"Care to tell me what that was about?"