A/N: WARNING! Read this part at your own peril. If you suffer from type 1 diabetes, be sure to take a shot of insulin before reading the following chapter. It is beyond mush!

Sandy sighed and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. It was late in the evening and Kirsten had just relieved him from his shift of sitting with Ryan at the hospital. By unspoken agreement, the couple had decided that their son was not going to spend any time alone in the hospital. To make it easier, they were sitting with him in twelve hour shifts. They were given short breaks to eat and take care of personal business by visitors like Seth, Summer and Caleb. Julie had not returned, and Marissa had not even come at all. It made Sandy shake his head. He regretted giving Marissa that advice at Valentine's the year before. She was not good for Ryan and he should have left well enough alone.

Sandy looked up through the windshield of his car at the small bungalow that was now his office. It was where he had stashed his ex-girlfriend and client – Rebecca. He had been so torn between wanting to help his former love and her father; and wanting to run as far and as fast from the situation as he could get. He knew that Kirsten wasn't going to like the fact that Rebecca wasn't dead and that she was in Newport. She was going to be furious. It was the reason why he had dragged his feet so much in telling her.

Opening the car door, Sandy stepped out onto the pavement and walked up to his office. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Max and Rebecca were both waiting for him in the main room. Sandy had called his mentor on the way out.

"Sandy! How are you coming on the case?" Max asked immediately, foregoing any formal greeting.

Rebecca just smiled demurely in the low lamplight.

Sandy sighed and sat his briefcase down on the table next to his desk. "I'm sorry Max, Rebecca, but I'm going to have to recommend someone else handle your case." He declared.

Max's jaw dropped while Rebecca's mouth formed a grim line.

"What?" Rebecca whispered furiously. "Did little Miss Newport Barbie pitch a temper-tantrum? This is my life we're talking about! What did she do? Cut them off on her wedding night? Be a man!" She exclaimed.

"Sandy, this is more important than some squabble with your wife. She needs to understand that she's not the only person in your life. You and Rebecca love each other!" Max argued.

Sandy felt his blood run cold at the hateful words. His eyes narrowed and he clenched his hand into a fist. He glanced at Max. "Is that what this is really all about? You trying to get Rebecca and me back together? Because I can tell you right now, that is not going to happen. I love my wife more than life itself. She doesn't try to control me, we are partners. Right now my partner is sitting in a hospital room with our son who had surgery today and is going to have a very long recovery in front of him. That is why I can't take your case. I have to take care of my son." Sandy stated softly, barely restrained rage coloring his tone.

Max and Rebecca both widened their eyes. "Sandy, I – I don't know what to say."

"Goodbye would be a start. I don't know when you became this vindictive and conniving person that would try to breakup my marriage Max, but I don't know you anymore." Sandy retorted. He reached into his briefcase and handed them a sheet of paper. "I made a list of attorneys that I felt would do your case justice. You can do with it what you will, I'm finished here. I also recommend that you find somewhere else to stay."

"Where Sandy? Where am I supposed to go?" Rebecca cried.

"You should be able to figure it out. After all, you were able to disappear for twenty-two years." Sandy replied flippantly.

"Sandy I never meant any of this to happen." Max apologized. "I was just looking for Rebecca."

"And you found her." Sandy stated. "I wish you luck Max, but I have to focus on my family right now. I almost lost my son last night and I realized that my family is my life. I can't jeopardize that for anything, not even an old friend."

"I thought that we were family Sandy." Rebecca retorted.

Sandy sighed and looked at the woman that he used to be in love with. She was still beautiful, but she wasn't Kirsten; the woman who lit up a room when she walked into it, could plan billion dollar deals and then play video games later with her sons. Kirsten, the one who saved their son's life the night before. No, Rebecca was the past, and it was best that she stay there.

"I was on my way to a meeting last night with a private investigator about your case when I received a phone call from Seth. He informed me that my son, Ryan, had a heart attack in our dining room and that my wife had saved his life with CPR. He told me that Ryan's heart had stopped beating and he had died for a few moments. As I drove to the hospital last night praying that I would still have two sons this morning, I realized that as much as I cared about you, I couldn't survive without them. Now Ryan has a defibrillator in his heart to make sure this doesn't happen again. He is going to have a very long recovery – at least six weeks – before he can function normally. I don't have the time or energy to take care of my family and handle your case. I'm sorry, but you need to find someone else." Sandy explained slowly. He turned and looked at Rebecca. "And you need to find a new family."

"I'm sorry that happened Sandy, but Rebecca's life is at stake here!" Max argued.

"So is my son's!" Sandy snapped. He backed off and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Max, but I can't help you anymore. Have your new attorney call me and I'll send him everything that I've done so far, but I have to be with my family right now."

Max growled angrily under his breath and ripped the list from Sandy's outstretched hand. "Come on Rebecca. I'll set you up in a hotel tonight and we'll figure out something else tomorrow."

Rebecca glanced over at Sandy and then nodded. She walked into the back room she had been using and gathered her things. A moment later she was following her father out the door. Right before she left, she turned and looked at her former lover.

"I have always loved you, you know." She said softly.

"I love you too." Sandy admitted stoically. "I just love my wife more."

Rebecca winced at the dig and closed the door behind her.

Sandy slumped down and ran a hand over his hair. Now he just had to tell Kirsten.

The room was quiet save for the beeping monitor, but it was almost hypnotic in its steady sound. Now that his heartbeat was regulated, Kirsten realized just how out of rhythm Ryan's heart was before the procedure. She watched him sleep – so grateful that she could still do that.

Kirsten had known that she loved her foster son for a while now. When the boys had been gone the previous summer, she had missed Ryan just as much as Seth. However last night, when Ryan had stopped breathing, Kirsten had panicked. She couldn't imagine a life without her second son. She loved him as if she had given birth to him herself.

Kirsten was startled out of her thoughts when the door opened and Sandy stuck his head into the room. Surprised to see her husband when he was supposed to be home catching up on sleep, Kirsten stood up and met him in the doorway.

"What's wrong?" She whispered so she wouldn't wake Ryan up.

"I need to talk to you." Sandy informed her as he gently took her arm and led her into the hallway.

"What's going on Sandy?" Kirsten was now becoming worried. "Is Seth ok?"

"Seth is fine. I need to give you a heads up about something that's occurred in the last few days." Sandy assured her.

"Can't it wait?" Kirsten asked.

"It's already waited too long." Sandy confessed. He took a deep breath. "I told you that Professor Bloom asked me to find Rebecca?"

"Yeah, then you found out that she was dead." Kirsten nodded.

"Except she wasn't." Sandy replied. He winced at Kirsten's gasp. "Max brought her to my office a few days ago. They want me to defend her so that she can spend what time Max has left with her father."

Kirsten backed away from her husband and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?" She demanded.

"Because it would make you an accessory if you knew where she was. Rebecca hasn't turned herself in yet because we were building a case." Sandy explained.

"So what is making you tell me now? Did she turn herself in?" Kirsten wanted to know.

"No. She's still out. I was going into a meeting with a private investigator when Seth called me last night. I realized that I couldn't take any chances with our family. There was a probability that this case could get pretty ugly. The feds are after her. They could decide to come after me as well so I told Max and Rebecca that I couldn't help them anymore and gave them a list of other attorneys to call. My place is here with you, Ryan and Seth." Sandy informed her.

Kirsten sighed and rubbed her forehead. "And did Rebecca agree to this?"

"She didn't have a choice. I will always love Rebecca, but never as much as I love you. Kirsten you are my life – you and our sons. Like I said before, my place is with you." Sandy assured her.

Kirsten smiled softly. "I can't say that I'm comfortable with Rebecca being nearby, but I trust you Sandy. I know that you're an honorable man and that you wouldn't do anything to deliberately hurt our family."

Sandy grabbed his wife and held her close to him as he tried his best to meld his lips to hers. God he loved this woman. Her respect and faith in him made him feel like the most powerful man in the world – like he could do anything.

Kirsten wrapped her arms around Sandy's neck and gave as good as she got. They needed this moment. This kiss in the hallway of the hospital outside their son's door was a defining moment reiterating those vows that they had taken so long ago: to honor and love each other forever.

When air became an issue, they both reluctantly pulled back and stared into each others' eyes.

"You are the one for me, never doubt that Kirsten." Sandy told her softly.

"I won't." Kirsten whispered reverently before smiling. "Now you need to go home and get some sleep. I don't expect to see you before lunch because you will be adopting our son." She instructed.

"Yes ma'am." Sandy grinned roguishly.

Kirsten kissed him hard and quick before she turned back towards the door. "I love you Sandy, now get some sleep."

"You try to as well. I'll see you tomorrow around lunch." Sandy promised before turning and heading out of the hospital.

Kirsten smiled and let herself back into Ryan's room. She was startled when those blue eyes pierced her in the semi-darkness.

(A/N: TAKE INSULIN NOW!)

"Are you ok?" Ryan asked softly.

"Yes, did you hear all that?" Kirsten asked, crossing the room to him and taking his hand.

Ryan nodded. "So you and Sandy are fine?"

"You have nothing to worry about. I trust Sandy." Kirsten hesitated a moment. "Did you hear the last part?"

Ryan stared at Kirsten searchingly. "You want to adopt me?" He whispered reverently.

"More than anything in the world." Kirsten assured him as she smiled down at him and ran a hand over his hair. "How do you feel about that?"

Ryan closed his eyes and gave himself a moment to enjoy the comfort that his foster mother was offering. If he was adopted, there wouldn't be anymore explaining that he was the Cohen's foster son. He would actually be a Cohen and would never doubt that he belonged. On the other hand, he would be leaving Dawn, Trey and Frank behind. Ryan sighed. He didn't even call Dawn and Frank "Mom" or "Dad" anymore.

Opening his eyes once more, Ryan stared into blue eyes so much like his own. Most people would just assume that Ryan took after Kirsten while Seth looked like his father. Social Services wouldn't be able to bother them anymore like they did right after the Oliver incident. Ryan had been afraid that he was going to be taken away. The temptation to have a permanent home was too much.

"I want you to adopt me." Ryan said softly. "I want to have a home."

Kirsten hugged him gently, avoiding his bandage and the wires. "You have no idea how happy you have just made me." She whispered in his ear before kissing his cheek. Grinning, she stood back up and reached for her phone. "I think we need to share this with your father, don't you?"

Ryan smiled shyly and nodded. He watched nervously as Kirsten dialed the house and listened as she greeted her husband on the other line.

"I have someone here that wants to tell you something." Kirsten introduced before holding the phone out to Ryan.

Ryan took the phone and brought it to his ear. "Sandy?"

"Yeah Kid?"

"I – I want you to adopt me. I want to be your son." Ryan found it was even easier to say the second time. Perhaps he was becoming more comfortable with the idea?

"I want nothing more than to be your father, Ryan. I'll get it started tomorrow." Sandy replied excitedly.

Ryan smiled at his soon-to-be mom and nodded. "Yeah, that sounds great."

"Just rest and don't worry about anything but getting healthy. I'll take care of all the technicalities." Sandy instructed him.

"Ok." Ryan replied.

"I love you Kid." Sandy spoke gently.

"I love you too – Dad." Ryan whispered back before handing the phone back to Kirsten and smiling contently.

TBC…

A/N: Ok, this is really short, but this became such a solid stopping point. I'll pick it up in the next chapter, and I'll try to keep the fluff to a minimum, but no promises. I'm pretty happy with life right now and I can't seem to help myself. I'll have to call my mother so I can be all angsty again – she always manages to kill a mood (think Louise Miller, Bill's mom on "Still Standing". I swear they wrote that character based on my mom!)