The holidays passed and the kids started concentrating on what was important to them

Hey Everyone – This is a very small chapter to continue my missing scenes from Season Three. I apologize for the delay. I figured if I keep them short, I actually have a chance at finishing both Season Three and Season Four. I am not really happy with this chapter, but I cannot tell if it is because I haven't written in awhile, if it is because it is so short or if this particular episode didn't give me much to work with. Whatever the case may be, please continue to read on. I feel like there is not many of us OC readers out there anymore, but I just can't seem to let the ideas of Sandy & Kirsten Cohen go.

The holidays passed and the kids started concentrating on what was important to them. Their senior year was half way over and Marissa was still enrolled in public school. Something needed to be done.

Ryan, Seth and Summer enlisted Taylor's help to start a rally to "Free Marissa" as they were calling it. The other thing missing was a parent advocate. Ryan knew Sandy would help him. Sandy loved ruffling feathers in this town. Since Marissa had been expelled, the gossiping mouths have not stopped.

Sandy felt pretty confident about speaking to the board about the situation. He knew Marissa was good kid and under normal circumstances, this so-called trial would be simple.

It wasn't until the boys waltzed out of the kitchen full of optimism and poster board, that Kirsten sensed Sandy wasn't feeling as confident as he should.

"This isn't the same judge Mercer that jailed you for contempt?" She asked hoping Sandy would tell her that idea was crazy.

Sandy slowly nodded his head, knowing Kirsten remembered the incident. "Six hours in the slammer because he didn't like my closing argument. And to this day I still don't understand what it is I said to the guy that struck such a nerve." It was question Sandy played over and over in his mind for a while after it happened.

"All I remember is that he hated you passionately." Kirsten remembered how young and scared she was when she got that one phone call. "Maybe he won't remember." She said hopefully.

Sandy knew better than her. His years in the public defenders office took his optimism right out of these types of situations. "Not likely. And he's not out of town, he's ignoring me. He thinks anything a councilor has to say should be done on the record."

"Oh come on! It's not like this is an actual trial." Kirsten thought Sandy was taking this a little too far. Maybe he really was out of town.

"Tell that to Judge Mercer." Sandy leaned in to give Kirsten a kiss good-bye. He loved that she always tried to find the positives in situations, but he knew better.

Later that day, Matt tempted Sandy with getting some information on Judge Mercer. It seemed so unethical, but it might help understand him better. As Sandy suspected, Matt found out something that explained the judge's reaction. Not that Sandy is excusing his behavior. Never had Sandy been so scared.

Scared for his career that he made a wrong move professionally. It was one of his first cases and he was not familiar with the inner workings of a courtroom.

Scared for his marriage. He was so nervous when he had to call a pregnant Kirsten and tell her to come down to the local precinct. He was so embarrassed and afraid she was going to be furious. She was just as scared as he was, but for entirely different reasons.

Scared that the whole thing would not be resolved easy. Over those six hours, he thought about how much Kirsten must really love him. Every minute wondering if it took another minute longer, would she still be there? She was.

Sandy took a break from The Newport Group and decided to sit on one of the plush couches in his office. He rarely took advantage of the comfy furniture and decided to think about what to do with the information Matt gave to him about Judge Mercer.

It all made sense now. He had a son just like the boy he was defending at the time. No wonder Sandy pissed him off. The more Sandy thought about it, he felt bad for him. How could he use this information to help Marissa?

Kirsten arrived at The Newport Group. She doesn't return there often. It's like her father's ghost haunts her the second she walks through the door. With her hands full of food and drinks, she tries and makes her way to Sandy's office. She never has such success. As nice as it is to get stopped by her former employees, she feels the need to rush through the conversation. The need caused by the guilt that she abandoned their ship. No wonder she didn't go there often.

She leaned in the doorway, watching Sandy's every move. The creases in his forehead deepening with each second that passed. She could tell that only after a few weeks, the stress was getting to him. He was tired and his posture was suffering. Finally she understood the concern Sandy always felt for her when she got home from a long day.

Sandy was pleasantly surprised when Kirsten called his name. Everything was easier when she was around. He told her about his dilemma and she knew he would somehow manage to not disrespect Judge Mercer and at the same time get Marissa back in Harbor.

"Thank you." He said without looking at her.

"For what?" She asked, looking at the side of his head.

"For your advice, your ethical outlook and of course, the spicy Dijon."

She smiled, laughing how the simplest things made him smile. "After all these years, I think I know what you like." As soon as she said it, she knew Sandy wouldn't resist going to an inappropriate conversation. "And I don't mean that sexually." She figured she would stop him before he got started.

Now Sandy's smile turn into a full laugh. "You do realize I could have said a multitude of things right then and there right?"

"I know. Depending on how it goes tonight, maybe you can share your thoughts."

As Kirsten suspected, Sandy managed to pull it off. Marissa would start at Harbor on Monday and Judge Mercer now knew where his son was. Kirsten wasn't kidding when she called him her hero.

Later that night in the privacy of their bedroom, Kirsten spoke of that eventful night that Sandy called her from jail. She was folding down the comforter as Sandy was in the bathroom undressing. "You know what I remember most about that night?"

"What night?"

"The night you called me to bail you out."

Sandy's curiosity was peaked as he surfaced from the bathroom. "What?"

"I remember being so scared. I remember not knowing what to do, where to go. Wondering what you did to get yourself arrested."

"I know." He said moving close to her. "I remember feeling so sorry that I had to make that call." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

The just stayed in that position; their own minds reflecting on the same thought. Even though they were married at that point, Sandy insecurely thought Kirsten was going to leave him that night. If he got disbarred and had to find another career path, he wasn't completely certain at that Kirsten would have stayed with him. Now of course, he felt completely different. They have been through so many ups and downs that Judge Mercer actually put a smile on their face. He served as a reminder when their life was so simple.

Kirsten would never admit it to Sandy, but that night she felt something so entirely wrong. The minute she hung up that phone she couldn't help but wonder if her father was right. Sandy would never amount to anything. She loved him dearly, but it wasn't about love. It was about his integrity and she couldn't help but be doubtful. Of course as she looks back she laughs at such a thought. Sandy has more integrity than anyone she has ever known.

"You know, the kids think of you as a hero too."

"Yeah?" He wondered out loud. "I hope so."

She pulled back so she could face him. "I know so."

He smiled, loving how she made him feel. "Kirsten, I was so scared that night too."

She couldn't help but smile. "Really?" She would have never guessed. He had been so familiar with the system and how the law works. She didn't completely understand.

"I was so scared you were going to leave me that night. I thought I screwed up badly enough to give you a good reason to walk away."

Kirsten leaned in and kissed him. "That thought never crossed my mind." She lied. It was that moment she vowed to herself never to let Sandy in on that little secret.

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Please review to motivate me to continue. I promise to work harder on the next chapter. Also, any ideas are always welcome!