The Real Reason Why Ben & Jen Are Still Not Divorced

It's been more than a year since Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner announced their separation, but neither party has filed for divorce yet. What gives?

Anyone who looks at these photos and doesn't think Garner is still in love with Affleck might be blind. A source told Hollywood Life, "Ben and Jen are in a weird place. They have so much history and kids together. They are comfortable with each other and there is still an attraction. Jen knows nobody is perfect, she is just trying to be nonjudgmental."

Another source told People that a recent European vacation helped Garner relax her divorce urge in a big way. "She had the best time in Europe with Ben and the kids," her buddy dished. "She seemed much happier when she returned to L.A. Jen went from being very adamant that a divorce would happen to instead avoiding any divorce talk."

Garner sources also told Us Weekly, "A lot of the damage in their relationship has been mended...Jen would get back with him." Her loose-lipped pals just keep going, with another telling Us Weekly, "Jen mentioned that the divorce was going through very soon, and then a few weeks ago, things changed. It does not seem to be moving in that direction. Jen seems to still be in love with Ben but doesn't allow her mind to go there."

It sounds like her mind is going there in a big way.

"They have always put the kids first and part of that means working on things between the two of them," an insider told Hollywood Life. "They are both taking it one day at a time and trying to stay open-minded about their options." Affleck himself echoed that to CBS This Morning in March 2016, saying, "We're doing our very best and we're putting our kids first and that's how we're focusing on our day-to-day lives. We don't know what the future's going to hold, but each step that we take is one where we prioritize our children and everything else comes second."

It's good that Garner is being nonjudgmental, because she isn't perfect either. Garner loves her image as a great mom, homemaker, and housewife, but she has a past of her own to reckon with. Remember when she allegedly cheated on ex-husband Scott Foley with Alias co-star Michael Vartan before she divorced? (Foley adamantly denied those stories.) Rumor has it a married Garner also flirted with Affleck while he was engaged to Jennifer Lopez. Perhaps making it work with Affleck is just as good for her own reputation as it is for his.

Additionally, can you remember the last movie you saw with Garner in it? It's cool, we'll wait. She's best known these days for her Capital One credit card commercials. Garner does star in Nine Lives (2016), so a reunion with Affleck may be just what she needs to get top billing for the family film.

Affleck may have more credibility as a movie star than Garner, but he doesn't exactly have a spot in the general public's good graces like his wife. Garner keeps Affleck grounded and helps his image seem less like a reckless addict and more like a hunky family man, and it seems like nearly losing her finally helped him see that. A pal of the actress told People, "They're still figuring things out. Ben still doesn't want the divorce and he might actually get his way...Ben wants Jen back. Ben has never been good alone and isn't now either. But he is constantly working on himself. He has made big changes."

When Bennifer 2.0 initially split, TMZ reported that Garner felt Affleck "wasn't a present husband" and that she felt neglected after his career skyrocketed post-Argo (2012). However, other than his Batman role, he doesn't have too much lined up for the next few years, so he may be able to dedicate more time to his long-suffering wife.

A source told Radar Online that much like Brian Austin Green and Megan Fox, Garner and Affleck may have a Band-aid baby on the way. "Friends are expecting an announcement very soon that Jen is pregnant," the insider said. "She's always wanted another child with him. Even since they split, she's gushed publicly about how he is the love of her life." That would be one plot twist that even the DC producers didn't see coming.

Just call him the comeback kid: LaineyGossip notes that Affleck loves a comeback story more than anything and reuniting with Garner may be a big chapter in his personal narrative. After his big screen comeback with Argo (2012), he was cast as Batman. Then he and Garner split, she dissed him in Vanity Fair, and Batman V Superman (2016) bombed critically and commercially. What better, more inspiring ending to this story than reuniting with his wife while resuscitating a damaged franchise?

Affleck and Garner both know they probably won't be able to upgrade from one another. They live on the same property. They coordinate their work schedules together. They travel together. He still calls her "his wife." Even if they may never be blissfully happy again (and some sources insinuate that they haven't been for more than eight years), a divorce would, frankly, be a hassle. Because they've been together for more than a decade, she could reportedly leave with half of everything he has. A source told People, "They are not back together like before—there is no romance. Why they fell in love is still there, but it plays out differently now. It is a more stable and amicable relationship. The heartbreak, fighting, and sleepless nights have given way to a friendship and [a] wonderful environment for the children."