So, once upon a time I made up this rule that I would never write more than one fanfiction at a time. But we all know that stories beginning with "once upon a time" can never be reflective of true life, so it would have been impossible for me to live by that. Hence the creation of this story.
It is common knowledgethat The O.C. has a really weird time-line that changes continually, so I've decided to make Hailey about 15 years younger than Kirsten (meh-they said she was twenty-five in Season 2) and in this, Sandy and Kirsten got married and had Seth when they were twenty two. We never really learnt when Sandy and Kirsten moved to Orange County, but in The Girlfriend Sandy said Seth had been "planning his exodus from this place since he was six" so I've decided to make Seth five going on six in this story when they move. Perhaps my time-line is as reliable as Josh Schwartz's, but I'm sticking by it!
Disclaimer: Don't own The O.C. or its characters. However, there are times when I am willing to bet Josh took my personality and made it into one of the shows characters. Unfortunately, none of my family or friends think I have enough reason to take my stolen personality case to court. I remain hopeful, however.
Kirsten looked up from the book she was reading to Seth as a clap of thunder sounded, illuminating the room further. The thunder seemed to have opened up room for the rain to fall faster and harder, Kirsten though, as she watched it pound against Seth's window. Kirsten walked over to the window to shut Seth's curtains, pausing briefly to look out into the dark backyard.
"Mummy?" Seth asked quietly, returning Seth's attention to him. She bit back a smile as she noticed he had pulled his sheet up to his chin and was clutching onto the thin material tightly.
"Do you want to sleep with Daddy and me tonight?" Kirsten asked, walking over to him, picking up a bear from the floor and handing it to Seth to cuddle.
Seth shook his head as he accepted his bear. "I'm a big boy now," he reminded her, staring up with big, brown, frightened eyes.
"Yes, you are," Kirsten agreed, smiling and ruffling Seth's hair. He brushed her hand away in protest and she gave him a kiss on her forehead before she walked over to his door, turning off the light. "We'll finish the book tomorrow. Goodnight, sweetie-I love you."
"'Night," Seth replied.
Kirsten left the door partly open so the light from the hallway would go through to Seth's room before joining Sandy in their bedroom. Sandy looked up from the book he was reading as she walked in.
"Seth asleep?" he asked hopefully.
Kirsten shook her head and lay down next to Sandy, wrapping her arms around him and closing her eyes.
"I think he'll join us at the next sound of thunder," Kirsten replied. "But until then, he's a big, brave boy."
"God, who knew how tiring having a kid can be?" Sandy complained with a smile, looking at his wife as she gave a yawn. "We're like geriatrics-dinner at five, bed at eight..."
"Away from Newport, in a two bedroom house with a five year old son-it's perfect," Kirsten said. "Ideal."
Kirsten grabbed a pillow from underneath her, shoving it over her head in protest as the phone rang. She was far too comfy to get up.
"I'll get it," Sandy said, getting out of bed an instant before Seth appeared in the doorway.
Sandy pushed Seth towards the bed before leaving the room to answer the phone. Kirsten removed the pillow and looked at Seth's bed hair and frightened eyes, unable to contain a smile as she wondered what stories he was currently conjuring in his overactive mind.
"Come here," Kirsten told him, pulling up the sheets as Seth hopped in next to her. "Now, what's so scary about a phone ringing?"
Seth wrapped his arms around her and Kirsten played with his hair while she waited for him to answer.
"Aunt Hailey," Seth replied.
"Aunt Hailey?" Kirsten repeated, puzzled as she wondered what her twelve-year-old sister had to do with it.
"One time she told me a story," Seth explained. "And it was a dark and stormy night, and then the phone rang, and..."
"And what?" Kirsten asked.
"I can't remember," Seth answered. "But it was something bad."
"Why don't you make it into something good?" Kirsten suggested. "Who could be on the other end of the phone that would make it better?"
"Luke Skywalker, wanting to be my friend," Seth decided after careful thought.
"Think about that, then," Kirsten said, turning off the light.
Kirsten held Seth as he quietened and his breathing settled into a pattern, but Kirsten couldn't sleep . She could just make out Sandy's quiet, seriousvoice talking on the phone.
"Would you like me to get her?" Sandy asked quietly.
"No-I think she'd be better off hearing this from you," Caleb replied seriously.
"Okay," Sandy said. "I'll tell her now."
Sandy hung up the phone and ran his hand through his hair. He let out a deep breath and decided it would have been so much easier for him if Caleb had of told Kirsten himself. This was not something Sandy wanted to tell her, but for once he knew Caleb was right. She needed to be told this in person; not over the phone. It was just something he wished he never had to tell anyone-especially someone he loved.
He stood up and slowly walked to his bedroom-not that it took long, even when he was walking slowly; it was hardly a big house.
Kirsten looked up as Sandy appeared in the doorway. She was about to signal for him to be quiet as Seth was asleep, but the look in his eyes held her back. She knew as soon as she looked at him that something was wrong. Seriously wrong.
Sandy motioned for her to come to him. His heart lurched with sorrow and pain as he registered the look of fright in her eyes as she hesitantly walked over to him.
"What's going on?" Kirsten asked wearily.
"Come with me," Sandy whispered, holding her hand and guiding her to the living room.
Kirsten looked up at Sandy, studying his eyes intently for a sign as to what he was about to say. Sandy rest his hands on Kirsten's waist and gave a sigh. He had no idea how to tell this to her.
"Why don't you sit down?" Sandy suggested.
Kirsten pushed away from Sandy. It was bad, whatever he was going to tell her and she did not want to know what it was. Maybe if she let him see that, maybe if she let him see that it would be all his fault for making her upset if he told her he'd hold back the truth and they could go on living normally.
"No," Kirsten said firmly.
"Baby, please-sit down," Sandy said, taking a step towards her. Kirsten adamantly remained where she was and Sandy let out a sigh. He wasn't one to beat around the bush so he decided to be upfront-get the shock over and done with.
"Your Dad called," Sandy begun. "Your Mum collapsed today with abdominal painsand was taken to hospital. They conducted a series of tests and...well, she...she has ovarian cancer. I'm so sorry."
Sandy watched as Kirsten's face drained of colour and emotion-she just stared at him. He led Kirsten to the couch and sat her down.
"Please tell me you're lying," Kirsten whispered.
Sandy sat down next to her.
"I wish I was," he told her.
"How...bad is it?" Kirsten asked in an unsteady voice, trying to hold on to the string of strength she had remaining.
All Sandy had to do was tell her that they'd caught it early on, that there was a good chance it could be cured. But as soon as Sandy took both of her hands in his, she knew she wouldn't be hearing the answer she wanted to hear.
"They think it's pretty advanced," Sandy told her quietly.
The string of strength broke and tears filled Kirsten's eyes. Sandy pulled her into him as she cried, stroking her hair. He didn't think it would be appropriate right now, given the circumstances, to tell her that everything would be okay.
Seth was good at pretending. He could pretend his room was a rocket and his toys his crew. He could pretend outside was another planet with enemies to defeat. But his specialty was sleeping. When he pretended to be asleep, he could hear his Mum and Dad talking about adult things. He got to catch a glimpse into that exciting, alien world.
As always, Seth had not been able to understand a few of the words. He had no idea what "ovarian", "cancer" or "advanced" meant. (At least, he thought that was what he'd heard-they'd been talking really quietly and he hadn't made much out.) Not being able to understand was no surprise. What was a surprise was when his Mum had started to cry.
Seth poked his head around the door and peeked quickly into the living room. His Dad was now holding his Mum as she cried. Seth couldn't help but feel a bit scared-he'd never seen his Mum cry before. He didn't think adults cried, anyway.
He'd contemplated challenging his father to a duel with his light saber, as he had decided his Dad must have made his Mum cry. But when he'd looked at his Dad holding his Mum, he'd looked so sad that Seth had wondered if they had both hurt each other.
Seth decided he had to do something. Even if both his Mum and Dad were hurt, his Mum was the one crying-the one who needed cheering up most. He turned around and walked to his room, grabbing Captain Oats and taking him to his parents bedroom.
"My Mummy's upset, Captain Oats," Seth seriously told his horse. "So you have to take care of her, okay?"
Seth set Captain Oats on Kirsten's bedside table before getting back into the bed. He lay himself in the middle, deciding that way he'd be in between his parents and they'd be less likely to hurt each other.
Another clap of thunder sounded-this one louder than the last-and Seth pulled the sheets up over his head as the rain continued to violently fall.
Please review if you want me to continue this story! The continuation of this depends on you-so you know what you have to do...