Stanley Walker strolled down the busy streets of New York, grumbling under his breath. He hadn't been back in the city for five years and as he was bumped again by a passerby he remembered why. He came to the end of a street where there was a clearing and took one step when something small suddenly ran into his legs. He looked down to see a little girl around 5 or 6 staring up at him with large blue eyes and chestnut brown hair. There was something vaguely familiar about the girl, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Vivienne Rose McFarland!"

Stan's eyes widened when he recognized the voice of his ex-wife and he looked up to see her running in her designer high heels towards them. Her eyes were set on her daughter who was hiding behind her own hands as if that would block Karen from her view.

Karen reached the pair and she crouched down in front of her daughter, yanking her hands from her face so she could look into her eyes. "Excuse me, little miss, but just what do you think you are doing running off like that?"

"Mommyyyy," the little girl whined. "I'm tired of shopping for dresses. I wanna go to the toy store!"

"That does not mean you can run off without me or daddy!" Karen exclaimed with a shake of her head. Realizing the man that stopped her daughter's momentary escape was still standing there, Karen glanced up to apologize. She immediately recognized his face and her voice caught in her throat. "Stanley."

Stan smiled and reached a hand down to help her stand so they could properly face each other. Her tiny hand grasped his, accepting his offer, but once she was balanced and standing, her hand slid from his grasp. "How are you, Kare?"

Karen licked her lips and brushed a piece of hair behind her ear as she smiled shyly at the large man. "I'm great, honey. How are you?"

Stan shrugged and gestured about the crazy hustle and bustle of the city surrounding them. "Well, I'm back in New York for a while."

Karen nodded and was about to respond when Vivienne tugged on her hand impatiently.

"Mommyyyyyy!" She stomped her foot in frustration. "The toy store is just over there! Can't we go, please?"

"Vivienne Rose," Karen said in a warning tone and Stan chuckled as the little girl sighed in exasperation, reminding him of her mother. "I am having a conversation right now. Do not be rude." She looked back at Stan and nodded her head towards her daughter. "Stan, this is Vivienne. My daughter."

Stan held out a large hand towards Vivienne to which the little girl slowly raised hers so they could shake. "Hi Vivienne. I'm Stanley."

"Hi," she said meekly, dropping her hand after they shook. She then held up her fingers, showing her age. "I'm six!"

"You are?" Stan replied enthusiastically. "You're a big girl then, aren't you?"

"Yup!" She nodded and then looked between Karen and Stan, a pout on her lips. "Hey, you're the man from the picture!"

Stan raised his eyebrow curiously at this and stared at Karen who coughed uncomfortably, her cheeks red as she blushed. "Picture?"

"Uhhh," Karen stuttered with a nervous smile. "I have a picture of us on the mantle in the library. From when we went to Paris on our anniversary."

"Do you now?" He smirked at her, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"All right," Karen rolled her eyes. "Don't read anything into it, Mr. Walker."

They stood in silence for a few moments, a million questions running through their minds, but neither voiced them.

"Do you," Stan began to say, but stopped himself, suddenly self-conscious. "Er, that is if you're not busy-"

"Coffee?" Karen suggested with a knowing smile.

Stan let out a sigh of relief and grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'm free Saturday morning."

Karen nodded her head. "I'll see you then." She looked down at Vivienne and patted her shoulder. "Say goodbye to Mr. Walker, V."

"Bye Stan!" the little girl exclaimed with a wave. "Nice to meet you!"

"It was great to meet you, Vivienne," Stan said honestly. He reached his hand out to Karen and she placed her hand in his. He paused when he saw the giant diamond on her ring finger, but brought it to his mouth and pressed a small kiss to the back of her hand anyway. "I'll see you Saturday, Kare."

Karen said nothing, just acknowledged him with a small shake of her head before she turned on her heel and walked off in the direction she came. He chuckled when he saw Vivienne dig the heels of her shoes into the pavement, shouting about the toy store. He observed Karen crouch back down as the little girl began to openly cry in the middle of the sidewalk. Karen said something to her and Vivienne nodded as she sniffled, trying to calm down. He watched Karen pucker her lips and Vivienne pecked her mother's mouth before wrapping her arms around her neck. Karen lifted the girl into her arms and the pair disappeared into the crowd. Stan ran a hand over his face and let out a breath, turning down the corner where he originally stopped and continued his trek to his offices.


"You're doing what?!"

Karen sighed and rolled her eyes as she climbed into the bed beside Jack. "Its not a big deal, Poodle. We're just having coffee."

"But- but its Stan!" Jack exclaimed dramatically.

"What is your point?" Karen asked, growing frustrated with the conversation. She pulled the covers up to her chest and snuggled deep against the plush mattress and pillows.

"He's your ex."

"Jack, you have lunch with your exes all the time," she reminded him.

"That's different." He pouted and crossed his arms over his chest as he sat against the headboard of their bed.

"How is that different?" She laughed humorlessly. "We're not even sharing a meal together. It's just coffee!"

"Its different because I was never in love with any of my exes."

Karen opened her eyes at that and looked towards him. His eyes were downcast, staring at the duvet that came up to his waist. She rolled over and wrapped her arms around his waist under the covers, resting her head on his stomach. She smiled when she felt his fingers twist in her hair, playing with the long strands. "You know I love you, Jackie."

"I know..."

His voice was small and she felt him let out a long sigh. She grinned and lifted his shirt where her head was resting, pressing small kisses to his abdomen. She trailed her lips up his chest, raising the shirt higher as she went. She pressed her knee into the mattress between his legs, straddling his thigh, and tugged the shirt over his head as he assisted by raising his arms. Once the shirt was off, Karen raked her nails gently down his muscular chest and flicked her tongue over his nipple. Jack gasped and put both hands on either side of her face, guiding her up to him. Their mouths met in a heated kiss and Jack rolled them over, but their bodies got tangled in the sheets.

With a few soft chuckles, Jack yanked the blankets down and Karen kicked them off. They smiled at each other and he hovered over her, resting his weight on his forearm by her head, his other hand caressing her bare thigh under the silky nightgown she wore and their mouths fused together again. Karen tickled his arm with her fingertips and tugged gently at the hair on the nape of his neck, her tongue twisting with his. They sighed into the kiss, molding their bodies together.

After a few minutes, Jack pulled away and stared down at his gorgeous best friend, his thumb stroking her cheek adoringly. "I love you, too."


Stan looked around the coffee shop, his leg bouncing under the table with nerves. He checked his watch again and bit his lip as the minute hand turned to the three. She was only 15 minutes late, something Stan was very much used to during their marriage, but now it made him increasingly anxious. He took a sip of his coffee and winced as the scalding liquid hit his tongue.

"Mrs. McFarland!"

Stan choked on his drink, sputtering it out on to the table in front of him. He set the cup down and grabbed some napkins, cleaning his face and the table as he stared at Karen in the doorway where a barista had greeted her.

"The usual today?" The young man asked and Karen nodded, her eyes scanning the room.

She settled her gaze on a wide-eyed Stan and grinned, waving across the room. "I'll take it at that table over there, Johnny."

"Sure thing."

The barista walked off behind the counter to get her drink started and Karen made her way to the table where Stan sat. "Hiya, honey," she greeted him nonchalantly as she sat in the chair across from him. She set her purse on the table and crossed her legs.

Stan cleared his throat and sat back in his chair, observing her as he spoke. "Good morning... Mrs. McFarland."

Karen blushed under his scrutiny and the use of her married name, licking her lips. She picked an imaginary piece of lint off her skirt, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Here we are," Johnny said, setting a steaming mug down in front of Karen. "Sir, would you like some more coffee?"

"Please," Stan raised his cup and the boy filled it with a smile, but Stan had his eyes fixated on his ex-wife. Once the barista made sure they were okay and thanked Karen for her generous tip, he left the former married couple to sit in silence, staring at each other. "So you and Jack are...?"

Karen nodded, twisting the wedding band and large engagement ring around her finger. "Three years this June," she explained. Stan only looked slightly surprised to which Karen grew curious. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, a gesture she made when she was nervous. "You knew, didn't you?"

Stan raised an eyebrow, a smile playing at his lips. "That you were in love with him? Yes." He folded his hands and leaned his elbows on the table, staring deep into Karen's eyes.

"You didn't say anything," she commented, slightly confused.

Stan shrugged. "What was I going to say? I wasn't about to tell you to stop hanging around someone who actually made you happy."

Karen frowned and reached across the table to place her hand atop his. "Despite what you think, I was happy with you, Stanley."

He snorted and shook his head. "I got myself thrown in jail, I cheated on you, faked my death-"

"Hey," Karen cut him off. "We had a few good years before that shitshow near the end."

He chuckled at that and she joined in with a little snicker. "So Jack is... what? Straight? Bi?"

Karen laughed, taking her hand off his and grabbed her mug. "Who the hell knows what he is," she said honestly. "Who would have thought that after one night together that I would be married to my gay best friend and have a kid?"

Stan grinned and sipped at his coffee. "She's beautiful, Karen," he told her. He adored the smile that graced her lips at the mention of her daughter.

"Thanks, honey." She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. "So, how have you been?"


Karen walked through the doorway of the manse, setting her purse on the table and kicking off her heels. She heard loud squeals of laughter followed by heavy footsteps from upstairs and rolled her eyes with a smile. She started up the staircase and just as she reached the top she saw Jack and Vivienne round the corner, both stopping almost comically at the same time when they spotted her.

"Its mama!" Jack exclaimed, pointing at Karen.

"Get her!" Vivienne shrieked.

The two started off down the hall towards Karen who was vigorously shaking her head. "Hey! Don't you dare! JACK!" She turned and immediately ran the opposite direction from where her husband and daughter were chasing her. She was too late, however, and she screamed when she felt Jack grab her around her waist, hoisting her in the air while Vivienne laughed hysterically. Karen squirmed in his arms as Jack began tickling her sides and she couldn't help but giggle. "Okay! I give up!"

"Aha! Captain V, we had captured our maiden!" Jack held up a plastic sword that Karen didn't even realize he was holding.

Vivienne, dressed as a pirate from her costume collection, held up her own sword. "Aye! To the ship!"

Karen shook her head as Vivienne grabbed her hand and dragged her down the hall. She gaped at the state of her and Jack's bedroom - the sheets pinned up over the bed, toys everywhere, and scarves over all the lights that were on, illuminating the room in a blue hue. "Jack!"

"Aye, to the brig, lassy!" Vivienne pointed to Karen's vanity chair that now sat in the middle of the room with drawings of sharks littering the floor around it.

Karen stood her ground, her eyes glaring at her husband and her hands on her hips.

Jack gulped and smiled nervously. "Sweetie," he started, dropping his sword to the ground by his feet before he started to back away slowly. "Calm down..."

"Calm down?" Karen repeated with a growl as she stepped towards him.

Jack gasped as he fell on the bed, the mattress hitting the back of his knees causing him to lose balance. "Run, V! Save yourself!" he shouted and their daughter tore out of the room, screaming nonsense in a pirate accent as she fled.

Karen pounced on top of Jack, her knees on either side of his waist, her hands holding his wrists above his head. He expected her to yell at him, but instead she kissed him hard on the mouth, her tongue seeking his out. Jack relaxed and kissed her back greedily. He flipped them over and ground his pelvis into hers, moaning as she gasped.

"Aww, come on!" Vivienne whined from the doorway, causing Jack and Karen to part with a gasp. "Can't you guys be appropriate for like five seconds?!" She stood in exasperation with a hand on her jutted out hip, her plastic sword hanging loosely from her fingers and an annoyed expression on her face. "I'm only six!"

Jack and Karen let out a laugh and parted from each other. Jack patted the bed between them and Vivienne ditched her sword at the door, running quickly to them. She jumped onto the bed and snuggled up between her parents. She giggled when they both began peppering her face with kisses and squirmed from their tickling fingers.

Hours later, Karen awoke to the feel of Jack stroking her hair. She fluttered her eyes open and settled them on his as he smiled at her. Vivienne was still between them on their large bed, her face buried in Karen's chest, her slow, even breaths confirming that she was asleep. Jack was resting on his arm, his face mere inches from his wife, and his fingers tracing the crown of her head gently. Karen reached up and grabbed his hand, turning her head to press a kiss to his palm before she laced their fingers together and rest them on their daughter's hip. Jack closed the small distance between them and kissed Karen sweetly, whispers of "I love you" dancing between their lips. They parted and their eyes closed, the couple drifting back into slumber.