"I guess that's my answer." He muttered quietly as he hung his head. 

"Wait." Kristen said, finally finding her voice.  She sat up, as much as she could and reached for him.  He stood and turned as if he hadn't heard her.  "Christopher Allen Kirkpatrick." She said forcefully, attempting to get out of the tub.

He stopped.  "Don't call me that." He said, turning to look at her over his shoulder.  "Only my mother is allowed to call me by my full name."

"Don't walk away from me and I won't ever have a reason to use your full name." She replied.  She tried for a few more seconds to get out of the tub, but with no success.  Her leg was still propped up on the edge of the tub and she was slippery now from all the bubbles.  "Damn it!" She exclaimed, holding her arm out to him.  "Stop standing there and help me." She demanded. 

Chris turned back to her and reached down.  Grabbing her hand he bent down, put her arm around his shoulder then stood--pulling her from the tub.  He set her on her feet then reached for one of the towels hanging on the rack on the wall. 

"Thank you." Kristen said.  She wrapped the towel around herself, tucked the end into the top of the towel then brushed the hair from her face.  "Why are you walking away?" She asked, putting her hands on her hips.  "Why do you always just walk away?"  Chris looked down at his shoes and shoved his hands in his pockets.  Kristen reached out, put her fingers around his chin and pulled his head up.  "Look at me." She said quietly, her forcefulness from earlier fading.  His eyes met hers hesitantly and Kristen released his chin--cupping the side of his face instead.  She lifted her other hand and placed it on his other cheek, framing his face between her hands.  Leaning forward, Kristen pressed her lips against his.  She kissed him warmly, allowing him to put his arms around her--pulling her against his chest.  "You're getting all wet." She remarked with a teasing grin, her lips moving against his. 

Chris chuckled.  "That's supposed to be my line to you." He told her. 

Kristen laughed as she pulled back and slapped his shoulder playfully.  "You are a dirty, dirty man." She replied as she continued laughing. 

Chris grinned.  "I can't help it." He said, leaning down to kiss her again.  "You bring it out in me."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Kristen asked with a chuckle. 

"It's a good thing." Chris assured her.  "It's a very good thing." He said with a suggestive wiggle of his eye brows. 

Kristen smiled as she wound her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  Chris hugged her back, his arms around her waist.  He nuzzled her neck.  They stayed that way for a few quiet moments until Kristen couldn't hold her thoughts inside anymore.  "I don't want to leave either." She told him, hugging him tighter to hold him in place against her.

"But?" He asked, sensing there was more she had to say.

Kristen sighed and reluctantly released him.  Pulling back she looked into his eyes.  "But I don't think now is the right time for this, do you?  Honestly?"

Chris looked down.  He reached up, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.  "Why?" He asked, looking back up at her. 

"Why isn't it the right time?" Kristen questioned.  He nodded.  "Because I don't trust Kevin." She replied as she turned and hobbled her way out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. 

"What does he have to do with any of this?" Chris asked.

"You saw how he took everything and flipped it all inside out and upside down when it came out we were dating." Kristen told him as she bent down slightly to pick up her pajamas from where she had tossed them on top of her duffle bag that morning.  "Can you imagine what he would do if it came out that we were living together?" She questioned.  She stepped into her favorite pair of basketball shorts and shimmied into them--keeping the towel wrapped around her.  She looked over at Chris.  "I don't trust him."  She continued.  "Until I'm legally done with him, I don't want to do anything else that's going to throw him off the edge." 

Chris sighed and Kristen watched as he sat down on the edge of the bed, hanging his head.  His shoulders slumped in defeat and she wished she could give him the answer he wanted.  She let the towel drop to the floor as she pulled on her white tank top.  Tugging the top down over her hips, she bent down and scooped up the towel from the floor.  Chris remained quiet as she walked over to him.  Kristen laid the towel on the bed next to him then stepped over in front of Chris. 

"Look at me." She said quietly as she reached out, putting her hands on either side of his face.  She tugged his head up, forcing him to look at her.  Kristen looked at him for a moment, her eyes running over his features.  "I love you." She told him, holding his gaze steadily.  "I know how much it took for you to ask me to move in with you and there is nothing I would like to do than to tell you yes--"

"All you have to do is say it." He said, interrupting her.

Kristen sighed.  She ran her hands up and through his hair as she leaned down and kissed him.  Chris put his hands on her hips, tugging her closer.  She pulled back just enough to rest her forehead against his.  "Remember my horoscope this morning?" She asked him.  Chris opened his eyes and Kristen straightened.  "Things aren't going the way I want them to go right now." She reminded him. 

Chris groaned.  "I hate horoscopes." He stated vehemently.  "Don't ever read mine again." He told her.  "Ever."

Kristen chuckled.  "I promise." She said.  "Don't you hate me?" She asked, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

"No, of course not." Chris replied, shaking his head. 

"Promise?" She asked.  She let out a surprised squeal as Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and twisted suddenly, laying her down on the bed. 

"I promise." He told her as he lay above her.  He lowered his head and kissed her warmly.  "How much longer until we're done with him?"

Kristen chuckled wryly and shook her head.  "I pray every night that I'll get the call from my lawyer saying this whole thing is over." She replied.  "But the call never comes."  Chris pulled back and Kristen reached up, scrubbing her hands over her face.  "I don't know what else to do!"  She exclaimed.  "I don't know what he wants from me, or why he keeps me hanging on.  I wish he would set me free, but he won't."

"What are you fighting him for?" Chris asked.  "Do you have a big inheritance?  I know there's the house, but...what is it that you guys are really fighting over?"

"I..." Kristen stopped.  Her brow furrowing as she thought about it.  What were they fighting over?  "You know...I don't know." She admitted.  "There's the house, yes, but...other than that...I don't know." 

~~~~~~~~~~

"I just..." Kristen sighed in frustration and Chris rolled off her.  Propping his weight up on one elbow, he put his head in his hand and looked at her as she continued.  "I feel like he's taken so much from me, you know?" She sniffed and Chris saw a sheen of tears cloud her eyes.  "He took my time these last five years, he took my love, he took my trust..." she sniffed again, her voice becoming thick with emotion.  Kristen swiped angrily at the tears that began escaping down her cheeks.  "I don't want him to take anymore from me.  He's taken so much from me already and I just--"

"You're letting him continue to take those things from you." Chris said, reaching out with his free hand.  He gently smudged away her tears with his thumb.  Kristen looked at him in question, her brows furrowing slightly.  "How much time have you spent meeting with him and your lawyers the last six months?" He asked.  "How much money are you spending on lawyer fees?"  He could see the wheels beginning to turn as he questioned her.  "You say you don't want him to take anything else from you but look at what you're giving him.  I don't..." he paused, wanting to get this out right.  "I don't want to tell you what to do, and I know it probably sounds like I'm just trying to get my way to convince you to move in with me but...things just aren't adding up here."

"Damn you and your brilliant mind." Kristen cursed with a small chuckle that turned into a sob.  "Why am I so stupid?" She asked, her tears falling again. 

"You're not stupid." Chris insisted.  "That's not what I was saying--"

"I am." Kristen insisted, cutting him off.  "I am." She nodded.  "Every day I realize more and more how stupid I am.  I'm giving him exactly what he wants.  He wants to take everything from me and I'm just handing it all to him on a silver platter." She sat up suddenly and Chris followed her, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Kristen..." He drawled, regretting the fact he had even brought it up and voiced his opinion.  It was her life.  He knew she was stressed enough as it was and here he was basically throwing salt on her wounds and making everything worse.  Kristen got up and without thinking Chris reached out to stop her.  Putting his hands on her hips he pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her in place.  He didn't want her to leave until they finished talking about this.  "I'm sorry." He told her, resting his chin on her shoulder.  "I shouldn't have said anything.  It's not my place to question how you and Kevin are handling this."  She relaxed against him slightly, leaning back against him.  "It's none of my business."

"But it is." She insisted.  "It is your business.  They very fact that I'm sitting here right now with you makes it your business.  I just..." She hung her head and covered her face with her hands.  "I hate that once again it's been point out that I'm an idiot." She chuckled humorlessly.  "How can you handle being with someone who's as stupid as I am?"

"Stop." Chris replied forcefully.  He pushed her off his lap and turned her to face him-his hands gripping her hips.  "You're not stupid." He looked at her pointedly.  She looked down, stubbornly refusing to meet his gaze.  "Are you listening to me?" He asked, shaking her gently.  He hated when she put herself down.  She was so quick to believe the worst about herself.  Why?

Because that's what she's been conditioned to believe by her husband. A voice inside his head answered.

She had had a strong and healthy upbringing.  He had seen firsthand her relationship with her family and, truth be told, he envied her the steady home-life she had had growing up.  The last five years, however, had changed all of that.  Kevin had worked hard to undermine all of that and Kristen had let him.  She had allowed his negative words and actions to influence her self-esteem and now, any slight nudge from him and she was quick to think the worst of herself. 

"Did you hear me?" He asked again.  She nodded slightly.  "Say it." He said.  She remained quiet.  "Repeat what I just said, Kristen." He demanded, his anger rising.  He saw her jaw clench and heard her labored breathing.  He let out a groan of frustration.  "You are the most infuriatingly, stubborn woman I've ever known!" He exclaimed.  He lifted one hand, grabbing her chin and forcing her to look at him.  He gave her a hard kiss then pulled back.  "Repeat what I said."

Kristen looked at him in shock for a moment.  "I'm...stubborn?" She repeated.  Chris narrowed his eyes at her.  She sighed in resignation.  "I'm not stupid." She mumbled. 

"You're not stupid." He repeated.  "That is not what I was getting at by bringing all of this up and asking those questions.  You're being manipulated.  You've been being manipulated, sounds like, from day one with this guy.  I was just trying to make you see that.  I was just trying to show you that you're giving him exactly what he wants.  You're playing his game and as long as you're playing he's not going to want it to end.  Why would he?  As long as you're playing, there's no reason to stop."

Kristen looked at him, tears brimming in her brown eyes again.  He softened his tone and his expression.  "You're better than that." He told her.  "Don't let him manipulate you anymore."  She hiccupped and crumbled against him--resting her head against his chest.  Chris wrapped his arms around her and held her close.  "As long as you keep playing the game he's always going to be there between us, keeping us apart."   

"How do I stop it?" Her question came, her words muffled as she spoke against his chest. 

Chris looked down at her as she lifted her head slightly, peeking up at him hesitantly.  He lifted one hand, brushing the back of his fingers against her cheek.  He leaned down, pressing his lips against hers.  "Stop fighting him." He told her when he pulled back. 

"Let him win?" She asked, looking at him in question. 

"He's winning now." Chris replied.  "Every time you meet with him and your lawyers, he's taking more of your time and your money and your energy.  Every time you meet with him he gains another victory." She pulled back and he put both hands on her face, his thumbs rubbing the tears from her face.  "I don't know what your financial situation is right now, but it can't be good." He remarked.  She shook her head, agreeing with him.  "Is there something sentimental that you really don't want him to have?" He asked.  She thought for a moment then shook her head.  "What would happen if you just stopped?  What would happen if you just called your lawyer and told him you were done and that whatever Kevin wanted he could have?"

"I...I-I...he..." Kristen stammered for a second then stopped.  "I'd be done with him." She said, looking at him as if he had just given her the answer to the meaning behind life and the universe.  She looked down for a moment in thought then back up at him, a cautious hope shining in her eyes.  "Can it really be that easy?" She asked.  Chris shrugged.  Kristen threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.  "Have I told you recently, how much I love you?" She asked as she kissed him warmly. 

Chris chuckled.  "Don't say that until you talk with your lawyer." He replied.

Kristen shook her head.  "Whatever he says, I still love you." She told him, kissing him again.  "Nothing will ever change that." She promised. 

Chris smiled as their lips met once again, reeling internally at the range of emotions they had both experienced during the last twelve hours.  He was worn out.  All the worry, all the questions, all the uncertainty and fear...Chris bent down slightly, wrapping his arms around her hips, he stood.  Kristen jumped slightly, wrapping her legs around his waist as their lips remained locked.  Chris turned, taking the few steps toward the bed blindly.  His legs met the edge of the mattress and he bent over--Kristen dropping down onto the mattress--finally breaking the seal of their lips.  She struggled for breath as he remained standing, looking down at her.  A small smile played across her lips and he watched as she crossed her arms.  Reaching for the hem of her tank top she pulled the shirt up and over her head leaving her laying there in nothing but those damn basketball shorts she always wore to bed. 

"You gonna keep standing there?" She asked, a mischievous sparkle in her beautiful eyes.  "Or are you gonna show me what you're made of?"

Chris couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face.  "What I'm made of?" He asked, crawling up on the bed and on top of her. 

"Mmm-hmm." Kristen nodded, her hands sliding up his arms, over his shoulders and finally up-her fingers tangling in his dark hair.  He bent his head, his lips hungrily attacking her neck.  She shivered and let out a moan as she arched her back beneath him.

Chris grinned, relishing in the way he was able to affect her so easily.  "So, if I told you Justin called me this morning and told me he was in for this reunion, basketball game..." Chris trailed off as he switched sides and began devouring the other side of her neck.  "What would you say?"

"Are you serious?" Kristen asked, pulling back.  She lowered her hands, placing them against his cheeks, and pulled his head up to look at him.  Chris's smile widened.  He nodded.  "Are you serious?!"  She all but squealed in excitement, her eyes lighting and a smile spreading across her face.  "He said yes?" 

Chris nodded again. 

Kristen giggled in excitement then surprised him as she hooked one leg around his hip and flipped them so she was now on top.  "I would say," she said leaning down to kiss him enthusiastically.  "That you are going to get very," she kissed him again.  "Very." Another kiss.  "Lucky tonight." 

"Mmmm." Chris hummed, his hands sliding up her legs.  "Justin said yes." He told her, just to make sure she knew. 

Kristen laughed.  "Prepare to have your world rocked, pop star."  She told him, kissing him again.  "Prepare to have your world rocked."