Author's Notes: Due to a popular demand, the couple in this story will be Chuckie and Angelica. I noticed that this couple is becoming more and more popular so I hope I do this couple justice. I had a lot of ideas on how to portray this couple and I think this one works best…only I hope everyone thinks so too.

Summary: Some things are created by kismet so imagine one night; one truth can shatter everything you believed in.

Age check: Angelica, Sam, Susie: 35

Chuckie: 34

Tommy, Kimi, Phil and Lil: 33

Dil: 32

Second Author's Note: People change as they get older, things happen and people take what life dishes out differently. Life is never what people expect. Shattered By: Starry Nights

"…That had to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard in my life! You don't think often, do you? Just imagine if…oh, I don't know…it didn't work!"

Chuckie frowned. "What do you mean it wouldn't work?"

"Simple. He used that excuse last time."

"Well, I don't see you putting in any good ideas! Besides, how was I to know? It's not like I was there last time."

"That's because you cut me off so that we had to waste time to listen to your half-assed suggestions."

Chuckie sighed and faced her best friend who had just appeared in the room. "What did he do this time?"

"Don't change the subject, damnit! Sometimes, I wonder why I put up with you cause I can't stand you!"

"I didn't do anything to you so I don't know what's your problem."

"To hell with that! You're my problem, Chuckie! You've been my problem since we divorced and I can't take it anymore."

"Samantha!"

"What are you talking about? You divorced me, remember?"

"Only because I heard you had a thing with Missy Taylor."

Chuckie rolled his eyes. "Go to hell, Sam. That's…bull and you know it. Look, he asked me to represent him and I am so you can the hell out of here."

"No way. I'm not leaving until Angelica says so."

"As if two thousand a month isn't enough for you, you have to make our friend take sides."

"It isn't, if you must know. Children should be with their mother."

"And if the children don't want to be with their mother, then what?"

"I've got three words for you…kiss my---"

"Sam," Angelica finally cut in. "Go talk to Phil. He's been screaming for you guys since he saw you walk in."

"Fine." Samantha gathered her papers and headed toward the door. "Just keep that redheaded loser away from me."

        The door slammed shut and Angelica eased into the chair Sam just vacated. She pulled out a cigarette and chuckled softly to herself.

"Hard to imagine that you, softhearted Chuckie was married to her."

"She wasn't like that during all of our marriage."

She blew out a large cloud of smoke. "Just at the end, huh?"

"And most of the middle."

Angelica laughed and leaned forward. "Did you love her?"

He sighed. "I loved her in the beginning. I loved her when we were in law school together. Then the money and the power got to her."

"It's gets to some people."

Chuckie smiled. "You're right. The money…the power… it mellowed you out."

"If you want to call it that."

"It did."

"Mmm." She crushed the cigarette and leaned forward. "So Mr. Big Hot-Shot lawyer, what are you plans for our dear friend Phil?"

"Get him a lesser charge, make him plead guilty, pay the fine. The end."

"Ah, the life of the lawyer."

"Yeah, well. I've got to go."

2 weeks later

"TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE LYING ON THEIR ASSES AND IF I DON"T SEE ANY PRODUCTIVITY SOME PEOPLE WON'T HAVE A JOB BY MONDAY!"

"It's nice to see some things are the same."

"What the hell are you doing here, Finster?"

"It's nice to see you too."

"Too bad I can't say the same to you."

Chuckie paused in his steps but followed the blond beauty. "Tommy told me you were in town."

"Hmm. So there's a reason for this visit?"

"Not really."

She nodded and shuffled some papers around in her briefcase. "Get to the point, Chuckie. I have lunch with a very important company in 5 minutes ago."

"Let's have dinner."

"Sure, I need to have a talk with my cousin about spreading my business."

"No…just me and…um…you."

She paused at her desk. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"I…I…um…"

"Good 'cause I don't accept. Now do me a favor and get out of my way."

Chuckie frowned. "Angelica."

She stopped. "Make it quick and don't waste my time."

"Why do you have to be so mean to everyone for? When I saw you two weeks ago…you wasn't mean as you are now."

Angelica fixed her cool blue eyes on him. "I wasn't expecting to see you again."

"Huh?"

"Tommy asked me to be nice to since I didn't know when I would any of you again and I reluctantly agreed."

"You know, you're just loud, bossy and selfish and mostly just plain mean."

Angelica chuckled, pulled out a cigarette, lit it and brought it to her lips. "Yeah, tell me something I don't know."

"I hate you."

"Trust me…not as much as I hate you."

Chuckie frowned and picked up his briefcase. "Go to hell."

***

"How's Phil?"

"Fine. How are you?"

"Life keeps me busy."

"Where are your headed to next?"

"London."

"Wow."

"I know."

"I saw your cousin today."

Tommy paused then continued what he was doing. "Oh. I thought I told you not to visit her."

"I had business in that area."

Tommy nodded. "I suppose you had some words with her."

"How'd you know?"

"Wild guess." Then as an afterthought he added. "I know how she feels about guys."

"Except for you and Kimi."

"I'm her cousin and Kimi is my wife."

Chuckie scoffed. "Stop trying to hide the truth from me."

"Okay but you already know the truth."

"She sees some of herself in the two of you."

Tommy shrugged. "Forget about her."

        Chuckie watched Tommy pack for few more moments before speaking. "We don't see each other any more."

Tommy paused again but didn't look up. "I know. I'm taking a vacation later next month."

"Good."

"Forget about Angelica. You were doing fine without her."

"I know."

"Good. Come with me so you can say by to your sister then we'll say bye to the twins and my brother then you can go home, sit in front of the TV and forget any of this happened."

        Two hours, a train ride and three drinks later, Chuckie still had his mind on Tommy's attractive but cold-hearted cousin. There was something about her, he reasoned with himself that he liked and despite the bristling way she always talked to him. Chuckie figured there was much more to the story than what he was told. He sighed, all this reasoning was getting him nowhere except drunk. He pushed aside the drink but after a moment's hesitation he poured himself some more rum and coke.

        There was a time in his life when none of this would have matter. Back when he was in law school, none of this mattered. He rarely (if ever) saw Angelica since different paths took the Rugrats to every end of the US. He and Samantha had been dating since they met that faithful night and that relationship had blossomed into something special for him. Then right, before his graduation, he opened the door one early evening while Sam was out working and Angelica was standing in front of his doorway drenched from the springtime rain. She stepped in uninvited and disappeared into the room he and Sam shared and came back 10 minutes later in one of Sam's oversized sweatshirts and pants.

"Is Sam coming home anytime soon?"

"No," he checked his watch. "She won't be here for another 3 hours."

"Oh. You don't mind…do you?"

"No."

"Hmm."

"Do you need anything?"

"I don't suppose you have rum and coke, do you?"

"I think so."

"Thanks."

        When he came back, Angelica was staring at her phone with silent tears in her eyes. He hadn't seen her cry since she was three. The phone rang but she just stared at it and then when the phone finished ringing. Chuckie walked into the room and set her drink down.

"It's over."

"What?"

"Timmy…me…that was…" she sighed and tossed the phone. "We're over."

"Why?"

"He got a job overseas and I didn't…couldn't go…"

"Why not?"

"My job is here. My family is here. I couldn't…then he claimed I was turning into my mother."

"Do you think that?"

"I couldn't…my mother, although I love her, she wasn't the most attentive person in the world. It was always her job first then Daddy and me second. I always resented her for that and I promised myself that wouldn't be me."

"I'm sorry."

She looked at the redhead. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Huh?"

"I was never very nice to you…what are you being nice to me? You should be laughing at me or something."

"I could never do that."

"I guess my cousin's tolerance rubbed off on you."

"It had to eventually."

She laughed quietly and took a sip of her drink. "I should go now."

"If you want."

        She nodded, finished the rest of her drink and grabbed her wet clothes. "Thanks Chuckie."

"Anytime but you know something…"

"What?"

"I don't think you're turning into your mother."

"How would you know?"

"I just do."

She smiled and hugged him. "I needed that."

        Six years and two kids later, Chuckie had all but forgotten about that visit. He kissed his girls good-bye and wished them luck as Samantha took their kids to her mother's house. Chuckie smiled to himself as he picked up a family portrait. Although not very religious, Chuckie mumbled a small thankful prayer just as the doorbell sounded.

"I just saw Samantha pull off so do me a favor give this to her when you see her."

"Hi."

"Oh, come on." Then she sighed. "Hi Chuckie."

"Want to come in? She'll be back in less than an hour."

Angelica looked around and sighed again. "Do you have food?"

"Yeah."

"Then…get out of my way."

*

"I didn't know you were back in town."

Angelica swallowed the food in her mouth and smirked. "No one ever knows exactly where I'm going except for Tommy and Dil."

"How are you?"

She looked down and frowned. "I'm living."

        Chuckie smiled. Just then, Sam came in. for three years, She would drop by unexpectedly and that's when things went wrong in Chuckie's marriage. Sometimes, he would visit her at her hotel room and stay for most of the night. One night, Chuckie came home to an empty house with a think envelope on the kitchen table. Chuckie sighed and stood up. The past always made him feel bad because in his heart he knew…he was in love with Tommy's blonde but harsh cousin. He let his life go because of a few secret talks and midnight discussion with a girl he loved since she was in pigtails.

***

"I need your help."

"Huh?"

"Help me."

"Tommy's gone…just go."

"I know he's gone."

She opened the door for him. "I suppose he told you where I was staying."

He nodded. "You leave tomorrow."

"Why are you here?"

"I need help."

She sighed. "Do you want something?"

"Rum and coke."

She stared at him. "I don't like this. Just go home."

Chuckie stepped further into the room. "I can't. I had enough money to get a cab over here."

"You've been drinking."

He nodded sullenly. "Just enough so I can't drive."

"I'm calling a cab."

He grabbed her hand. He wanted to do this while he had the guts to do so. "I like you."

"Go home…Chuckie just go home."

"No. What is your problem? When you needed help, I helped you. Now help me!"

"It's just the alcohol talking."

"I only had three drinks."

She closed her eyes. "I don't hate you."

"Huh?"

"I don't hate you."

"Where did this come from?"

"Susie. You know she always makes me do the right thing." She smiled weakly and then frowned again. "Damn it. I did hate you. I hated you for going out with Samantha. I hated you for a long time."

"Why didn't you…?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" she sighed. "My pride, mostly."

"I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I do, however."

"I accept."

"I know."

Chuckie leaned against the wall. "You just shattered everything I thought I knew about you."

"Yeah?"

He nodded.

"Good." She reached for him. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes."

Author's Note: Finished! Wow, this is the longest one shot I've ever did…I think. Remember chapters only get put out based on what couple people want to see. Put the couple in the reviews or e-mail them to me. Please review. Until next time…I'm ~*Starry Nights*~