This story is basically that Ryan finds Kirsten drunk on the couch instead of Sandy in "The Showdown"

I do not own the OC. I'm just borrowing the characters.

Kirsten is not like Dawn

Chapter 1

Ryan jogged up to the Cohen's front door. "I'll be back in a minute!" He called back to Marissa. The two were planning on going to the diner for dinner but Ryan had forgotten his wallet and he wasn't going to let Marissa pay for it. So they had had to come back for it.

He opened the door hurriedly and slipped inside. On his way through a picture caught his eye. It was of the Cohens taken a few years ago. Sandy and Kirsten were smiling happily and between them was a younger Seth grinning widely. He smiled softly they were such a happy family.

Ryan continued his journey to the pool house. As he was walking through the kitchen a vodka bottle caught his eye. It was lying down on the kitchen table empty. Ryan frowned and moved over to the bottle to pick it up and place it in the garbage can.

As he entered the pool house and grabbed his wallet he couldn't stop wondering about the bottle. It reminded him of his mom. He used to come home to find bottles littering the floor and his mom face down on a sofa or even sometimes the floor.

As he made his way through the living room and back to the front door he noticed something covered in a rug on one of the sofas. A wine glass sat by the side. He moved closer and saw that it wasn't just a something. Kirsten lay passed out, completely dead to the world.

Ryan felt like he'd been slapped hard around the face. How could he have not seen her on the way through?

He moved over closer and decided that he'd better do something before Seth came home with Summer. He knew from experience how awful it is to see your own mother passed out like this.

Ryan gently lifted the rug off and draped her arm around his neck and lifted her up gently. He noticed that Kirsten was a lot lighter than Dawn and so was easier to manoeuvre but he had sortb of guessed that already.

Ryan brought Kirsten into her bedroom and settled her onto her bed. He removed her shoes and placed the blanket over her small frame. Kirsten moaned slightly in her sleep.

"I'll be back in a second," Ryan whispered even though he knew Kirsten wasn't able to hear him or respond.

He stepped out of the house and went up to where Marissa was waiting. "Hey, I was wondering where you'd got too." Marissa said as he approached.

Ryan smiled at her. "Look Marissa, Kirsten's not feeling well. Sandy and Seth aren't here. I'm really sorry. Is it okay if we reschedule?" Ryan spoke apologetically to her. Marissa nodded. She knew Ryan would want to help Kirsten if she was sick but secretly she felt a little hurt that he chose Kirsten over her.

"Yeah that's fine. Is she okay?"

Ryan nodded "It's probably just a 24 hour bug. I'll catch up with you tomorrow ok?" Marissa nodded and Ryan leaned in through the window of her car to kiss her good bye. He waved as she drove down the driveway.

He stood there alone for a little while and then made his way back into the house he remembered when he'd has to lie for his mom too. He knew what to do. Dawn had done this to him too many times for him to count.

He sighed and grabbed a bucket from under the sink in the kitchen for Kirsten to have if she awoke and couldn't make it to the bathroom in time. He also grabbed some aspirin for the next days hang over as well and some coffee for himself. It was going to be a long wait till Sandy came home.

He slowly made his way back to Kirsten and Sandy's bedroom. He placed the bucket nearby and the aspirin on her bedside table.

Then he sat down on a chair and watched her quietly. Why did every motherly figure he had turn to alcohol? He couldn't help to feel like a curse- a black mark to any family who accepted him or showed him any sort of love.

Kirsten lay motionless and Ryan leaned back in his chair. He was almost begging for Sandy to come back. This was too painful. It brought back too many bad memories. The more Ryan watched her and thought about it the more he blamed himself.

He remembered on his first day in Newport when he had ordered a 7&7. Kirsten had taken it off him. She had been so against drinking that much alcohol and now she was passed out from the substance.

Ryan couldn't believe what was happening Dawn had started off the same. She'd always frowned upon his father drinking but when he'd been arrested she'd started seeking alcohols cruel comfort as well.

Ryan could remember the first time he's found his mother drunk and passed out. He could have only been 5 or 6. He'd come home from his first day at school in Chino with Trey and she was on the sofa. Vomit clinging to her hair and the television blaring in the background.

He had thought she was dead and had panicked around her with his brother all day neither properly understanding the situation as Dawn had always dealt with their father when he was drunk so that they didn't have too. The next day his happiness for her well being was quelled when she hit him for making too much noise. That was the first time his mother had hit him properly- it was usually his father.

Ryan had gone to school sore and miserable that day.

But this wouldn't repeat with Kirsten would it? No, she had way more control. Suddenly the sound of the door opening made Ryan jump and Sandy came in.

"Oh, hey Ryan. What are you doing in here?" Sandy asked confused by the presence of his newest son.

"Umm… Kirsten umm… I think Kirsten had a bit too much to drink. I didn't want to leave her alone." Ryan responded worried that Sandy would get the wrong idea about his presence.

Sandy quickly walked over to his wife's side. "Okay, thanks Ryan. I'll take it from here."

Ryan nodded and hurried out of the door. Sandy could see the worry written all over Ryan's face. He saw the bucket and aspirin and felt a pang of guilt that he hadn't come back earlier. Ryan had to be taking a long trip down memory lane.

Sandy got ready for bed quickly and lay down beside Kirsten. What was going on with her? After Carter had left she'd been like a completely different person. Ryan shouldn't have to live thorough this alcohol thing twice. Seth wouldn't be able to handle this kind of thing. No child should have to live with an alcohol dependant parent.

God, Kirsten had seen what the stuff had done to Dawn and even her own mom. Sandy couldn't sleep he just tossed and turned and watched Kirsten all night.

XxxxxxX

Ryan lay awake staring at the ceiling. He couldn't stop thinking about his mom and the risk that what had happened to her might happen to Kirsten. Seth didn't deserve to have an alcoholic mother and go through what he had. Seth was just so innocent and wouldn't be able to stand the swearing and the arguments.

Ryan wouldn't be able to stand watching another family being torn apart. They were so happy before he had come along.

Ryan thought back on that picture he had seen earlier. Sandy, Kirsten and Seth together and happy before he came. Maybe if he left the curse would be lifted.

Ryan knew what he had to do. He grabbed his jacket and his duffel bag and stuffed all the stuff he had brought with him from Chino into the bag. He only kept one wife beater and one pair of jeans that he had got in Newport because they would last longer than his Chino ones and the rest he put neatly back into his cupboard and draws.

He took one last look around the pool house and stepped out with the bag in his hand. He quickly scribbled a note to Sandy, Kirsten and Seth and placed it in between the door handle and the door.

Then he went around the house and out into the unknown…

tbc…