Same Disclaimer applies…

THANKS FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS!! This is my first, yes, and thanks for saying it didn't seem like it. I read A LOT of them though. :-D Please continue reviewing…it makes my day.

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The doorbell rang. For the first time in her life Kirsten hoped it was Julie Cooper. Luckily she was right.

"Kirsten!" Julie gave her a hug and walked inside, "How are you feeling?"

"Fine," Kirsten looked at her, "Hey Marissa."

"Hi Mrs. Cohen," Marissa said, heading towards the pool house.

"Julie, sit down in there, I need to talk to you before Jimmy gets here," she motioned Julie towards the couch.

"What's wrong?" Julie questioned.

"Jimmy doesn't know!!" Kirsten cried, pacing back in forth, she had slept all day while Seth and Ryan were in school.

"Yikes, and he's coming?" Julies face got big, she knew that she would say something wrong through dinner, "by the way, you look great!" Julie was telling the truth, her hair was looking great, but she was more trying to change the subject. Before Kirsten got to reply, the doorbell rang again. Kirsten walked towards the front door.

"Hey Kirsten!" Jimmy gave her a hug, oblivious to the support she really needed.

"Jimmy!" she smiled returning the hug, she had always been polite. The first thing he noticed was a bruise, probably from Julie's hug.

"What happened to your arm?" he asked grabbing her wrist to show her, he watched as a bruise formed where his hand had been, "God, you are sensitive."

"Jimmy, we need to talk," she told him, "Sit over there." She motioned towards the couch where Julie was sitting.

"I would have told you first, but I had to tell Julie because of my dad," Kirsten explained, as Sandy walked into the room, "I found out on Wednesday that I have leukemia." She was used to explaining this to people now.

"Wow," Jimmy has a lost expression on his face, "I'm…I'm sorry Kirsten…"

"I think our food is ready…" she changed the subject, "I slaved in the kitchen over it." Julie snorted.

"Get the kids," Kirsten told Sandy, taking a place at the table. Jimmy was silent, he didn't have anything to say.

"So Jimmy, how's everything with your new boat?" Julie could tell that Kirsten wanted to change the subject, she knew that Jimmy wouldn't be able to handle this.

"Fine," he shrugged, focusing on his beef and broccoli. Ryan and Marissa came in the front door, giggling relentlessly, grabbing onto Ryan's arm, "Sorry Mr. Cohen!"

"What happened?" Kirsten asked.

"The two were having a little love fest on the bed," Sandy looked around, wanting to change the subject.

Suddenly Jimmy broke out, "Kirsten, I'm sorry, I wish I had known, this is really awkward."

"Jimmy, its O.K! Lets eat in piece," she said, taking a tiny bite of rice. The whole day not all she had eaten had agreed with her. Her stitches also killed her. She smiled anyways, "Please excuse me." She knew she was about to throw up. Her stomach was not yet ready for anything so exotic.

Sandy knew that his wife was sick, so he decided to change the subject, "So how was your first week back at school?" He motioned the question towards Ryan and Marissa who had been silently been eating Chinese.

"Great," Ryan told him, lifting his eyebrows.

"Fine," Marissa smiled at him.

"Well this has been an awkward dinner," Julie Cooper took her last bite of rice and took her plate into the kitchen.
"Marissa, we need to get going, tell Kirsten I said bye, and tell her I said I hope she is feeling better," Julie stood up and motioned Marissa.

"Mom!" Marissa cried, "I'm not even done eating…I'll come home later." With that Marissa stared at her chicken and took another bite.

"Fine," Julie rolled her eyes, "I'll see you later." Julie had suddenly lost her recent nice touch, something was wrong with her.

"Julie, are you all right?" Sandy asked, grabbing her arm.

"I can't take this anymore," she told him, "the silence, everything, just treat Kirsten normally, that's what I would want. She is my step-daughter and I can say what I want." Sandy had never thought that Julie took the step-mother thing seriously.

"Wow," Jimmy looked at Sandy, "Just Wow." Julie had basically marked the end of dinner, but Kirsten was confused.

"Who was yelling?" she questioned.

"The wicked witch is back, she is calling herself your step mom," Sandy explained, as Marissa chuckled about her mom.

"Why does Julie Cooper have to be involved in everything?" Kirsten sat down at the table at put her hands on her forehead.

"We're going to the pool house," Ryan announced, knowing that the adults were about to have a long talk on Julie Cooper. Something he did not want to get involved with. Instead the whole table was quiet, and Sandy and Jimmy continued picking at their food.

"I have to go," Jimmy said, looking at his watch. He felt awkward sitting at the table, "I'll see if I can come see you on Monday." With that, Jimmy was out the front door. Kirsten and Sandy were left at the table, Kirsten collapsed into Sandy's arm, mad and sad, she just sat there bawling.

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"Bye," Seth kissed Summer on the top of her forehead.

"Bye Cohen," Summer smiled at him. She loved Seth.

"I have to be really quiet…I'm like three hours past curfew," and with that Seth was quietly in the front door. He saw his mom asleep on the couch, in his dad's lap.

"Seth Cohen," his dad gave him the look, "Where have you been?"

"Well…actually ice-skating and to a movie," Seth smirked, "Summer used to figure skate."

"So did your mother….SETH…your late," he couldn't stay on task with the thought of when his wife and him went ice skating when they were younger. Suddenly the backdoor opened and Ryan and Marissa popped through.

"Looks like the famous couple is baaack," Seth announced, waking his mother. Her eyes were red and she looked awful.

"You all right?" Seth asked his mom.

"mmmm…sleepy," she collapsed back into Sandy's lap.

"Bye Marissa…Seth you'll here more of this in the morning," Sandy took his wife in his arms and walked towards their bedroom at the same time Marissa kissed Ryan.

"Yep…the famous couple is back," Marissa waved at Ryan, and he just grinned back, walking towards the pool-house.

Morning

"How was your date with Summer?" Ryan asked Seth, cramming a spoonful of Captain Crunch in his mouth.

"We went ice skating," Seth told him, "She can do all those fancy spins and stuff, she is so graceful on the ice. She was an ice skater when she was younger, and she thought it would be fun to go to the Newport Ice House."

"Sounds fun," Ryan looked at Seth, "Marissa and I just hung out in the pool house…and ate dinner with Julie Cooper and Jimmy Cooper…your grandpa disappeared to San Francisco to clear his mind."

"You got your boogie on?" Seth raised his eyebrows. Ryan laughed and slapped Seth's arm.

"My mom used to ice skate," Seth told Ryan, "She was really good like Summer, she was so graceful, we used to take family trips to ice-skate. She would show off."

"I guess not so much anymore," Ryan shrugged, as Sandy walked into the kitchen.

"Seth you are off the hook for last night, that's your freebie, Ryan gets his later," Sandy gave him a look, "I don't feel like arguing about this one." Seth gave his dad a thumbs up and focused in on his Captain Crunch.

"Where's mom?" Seth asked.

"Sleeping still, she is pooped," Sandy informed the boys, "Why don't you guys get swim stuff, I thought maybe we could go down to the beach today, and surf or something."

"All right," Seth shrugged, turning towards Ryan.

"Sounds good," Ryan lifted his eyebrows, getting up and walking to the pool house.

"Mmmm…" Kirsten stood at the door, looking like she wanted to collapse, "I want to go to the beach too."

"Ok, you can bring a towel and sleep," Sandy looked at her.

"I'll go get ready," she turned around and walked slowly towards the bedroom.

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The family walked down the beach access towards the beach. Sandy had his surfboard in his hands and Seth dragged his behind him. Once they got to the beach they found a spot for their towels, and Seth and Ryan ran towards the ocean.

"Go on," Kirsten told Sandy, "I'll be fine." Before she got a chance to settle she noticed familiar figures walking down the beach, the "Gatekeepers of the Community" the group of ladies she often formed social events with. She was in charge of them, but it looked like they were having a meeting without informing her.

"Ladies," Kirsten said, sitting up. They looked at each other nervously.

"Hey Kirsten," Julie stepped in front of the group.

"What are you guys doing? If you are planning an event you cannot have one without my consent," Kirsten gave them a cold smile.

"We were just talking," one lady, Cindy, told her.

"About me I'm sure, about how I shouldn't lead you guys, something stupid like that," Kirsten looked up at the ladies, "I thought people like you were supposed to have support for friends in need." The ladies looked at her with wide eyes.

"See you later Kirsten," Julie gave her a cold stare. Kirsten just turned around and fell asleep on the blanket.

"Ladies, is there a problem?" Sandy asked, coming back up from the beach.

"Can I talk to you in private?" Julie asked Sandy.

"Fine," Sandy asked, following Julie over where Kirsten couldn't hear them talking.

"Control your wife; we are planning a charity event in honor of her, OK?" Julie gave him the look, "We don't want her knowing!"

"That's nice of you," Sandy was about to laugh, it was funny that his wife was going off at her little tribe of women and they were doing something nice for her. Sandy walked back over to his surfboard. His wife could take Julie Cooper.

Soooo how was this chappy? Thanks for reviewing and please continue…