So this goes to all who had asked for a sequel and a little more to jessylou my encouraging soul ;) For all others: this is a sequel to my story 'Silent Revenge' (a kind of warm up), might be helpful to read first, but I don't think it's necessary. And to all: have fun and enjoy!

Six months had passed, since Frank Atwood had taken Ryan back, where he came from – back to Chino. He sat at the kitchen counter, alone. Seth still was asleep and Kirsten? Kirsten had moved into an apartment somewhere else and indulged in her drinking problem. She said she needed some time for herself. In his point of view she needed help, a lot of help. She even had forgotten about Seth. Oh Seth. He had been so sad when he had told him Ryan was gone. Seth had blamed himself for this ordeal, because he hadn't been there. But he knew Seth couldn't have done anything. Caleb Nichol had arranged it. He could imagine quite well how he had proceeded: Mr. Atwood, what about a little deal? I get you out of here and you take your son with you. Caleb Nichol - he hated this man. He had destroyed his family. He never has had such a big argument with Kirsten like that night. He only had asked her, why she hadn't been able to say no. Why hadn't she found the strength to stand up against her father, for her family, for him, for herself, for…Ryan? After this single question she had freaked out, saying he wouldn't understand her. Of course he didn't understand her. Why had she hesitated? He had accepted Caleb Nichol torturing his wife by never ending work, defiance and criticism. He had accepted Caleb Nichol judging in the worse manner about Ryan and treating him like a dog. He had accepted Caleb Nichol telling him day after day he wasn't good enough for his daughter. But his last action had gone beyond the scope. Kirsten couldn't have thought of him taking all this in silence. But she had. She had wanted him to stay quiet, but he hadn't been able to. He had gone to Caleb and had kicked his ass - not in a Ryan way - but in his. Honestly he had been likely to kick Caleb's ass in a Ryan way. He had to think back to their numerous arguments.

"I told him, he couldn't issue such an ultimatum towards me. What more should I have don?"

"You could have said no and quit your job!"

" And then? Sit home the whole day and do nothing? You know I'm not made for a casual housewife life. Why don't you start to accept it?"

"I accepted it long enough, but now it goes on the expenses of our family – our kids."

"Seth comes to terms with it sometime and…Ryan will be okay. Maybe he's glad to be back with his family. Who knows?"

"His father is a violent criminal. I don't think he wants to be back with him."

"These are only presumptions. Do you know what? In origin this is your entire fault. You brought him home this one night, without warning, wheedling me into letting him stay here. If this never had happened, my Dad never has had a reason for such an ultimatum and we wouldn't have this argument now!" She had been hysteric.

"Leave the boy out of this. He has nothing to do with this. Your father manipulated our life before Ryan came to live with us – even before we've got married."

"You brought the boy into this. Do you know what? Maybe you have to decide whether you're still contented with us - as your real family - because I have the feeling you rather want this boy as family than us!" She had yelled at him.

After Caleb had reached what he had wanted, he had started to play Kirsten off against him and it broke her. He hadn't been satisfied then. He wanted more from his daughter. He wanted to rule her.

"Maybe my Dad is right and you're distracting me too much from my work."

"What?"

"Look, since this event happened, we're only arguing and this doesn't do us any good, nor Seth, nor my job. Maybe we need a time out?"

"Since when do we run away from conflicts? No, we'll sort this out, no matter how long it will take and no matter how much this will distract you from your job!" This time he had raised his voice.

"You're selfish and exactly this is why you're blaming me for Ryan's leave!"

She was unable to bear all those conflicts at home and in her father's firm and thus started to drown her sorrows in wine, later vodka.

"You're drinking too much lately."

"Who cares? As long as I work as any one wants me to, it's my business." She had babbled.

"No, it's not. You're a mother and you have a responsibility at least towards Seth!"

"I'm responsible for Seth, for my Dad, for his firm, for you, for Ryan. Is there anything I'm not responsible for?" She had screamed.

"But all this doesn't justify your excessive drinking."

"I'm just having a drink once in a while. Where's the problem?"

He had confronted her with her drinking problem again and again, but she had denied it.

"I better leave. I don't wanna live together with you in the same house. It's…just impossible."

"Why? Why do you run away?"

"Because you can't accept my Dad and the relationship I have to him."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. You can't accept that I love him and that I want to be there for him, as daughter and his assistant."

"That's a lie. I only don't want him to manipulate our family. Why don't you get it?"

"Because he's not manipulating us. You're the only one manipulating!"

Then she had left. He hadn't been able to stand her deciding pro her father but contra her family. For what did she need her job anyway? They had enough money for the rest of their life. They never would be able to waste all of it due their lifetime. But she hadn't understood. She had accused him he hadn't done enough for Ryan and thus blamed him for their breaking family. But what was he supposed to do? They never had a chance against the biological father, no matter what he had to answer for or not. He had tried to explain it to her. Then he had accepted it and started to excuse. But nothing had shown any effect and at the end she had moved into an apartment. She had said she needed some time for herself and had left. She had left Seth and him alone.

"Morning." His son mumbled when he entered the kitchen.

"Morning. And what's your plan for today?" He felt guilty for his son's mood. He wasn't to be blamed for anything but he was the one who had to pay the bill for the whole misery.

"Dunno."

"C'mon kid. First day of your vacation, you and Summer. You must have a plan."

"Yeah, but no. Summer is somewhere with her father. So it will only be me and Mr. Oats." No sarcasm, no communication. Seth had changed. He had shut down, after Ryan and his Mum have left. Losing your brother and best friend was one thing, but added to that losing your mother must be worse of all. He watched Seth getting his coffee.

"Have you heard something from Mum?" His everyday question and if possible he asked it more than once a day. Okay, Kirsten didn't talk to him and yes, it was okay in somehow. But she also ignored her own son and this was far away from being okay. Seth shouldn't have to suffer under his parents and their conflicts.

"Sorry, nothing. But I was thinking about visiting her today. Do you wanna come?"

"No, no. You better sort things out, before I come in too." It was as if Kirsten wanted to forget them. She hadn't answered any calls and never called them. She hadn't opened the door. Pretending she wasn't there when he wanted to talk to her, but not today. He would break in the door if it was necessary. He was not willing to give up now. He would win her back and then get his family back. His whole family: Kirsten, Seth and Ryan.

"Seth I can imagine how bad you must feel right now. But nothing of what had happened is your fault."

"Sure. But if I had been on this party, Ryan hadn't met Oliver, the situation hadn't escalated and Caleb never had forced Mum to such a decision."

"Seth, Caleb had planned this long before this party. He has had a deal with Ryan's father." His son blaming himself for this misery was unbearable.

"What kind of deal?" Seth sat down next to him. Their relationship had gotten onto another level. Not only like father and son, even like best friends. At least he had been able to save this.

"He buys him out of jail, if he was going to take Ryan." Seth looked at him and shook his head.

"Have you…heard something from Ryan?" Oh, this was the first time Seth asked after Ryan.

"Not much. Only what his probation officer told me. And this is not much."

"Do you think he's okay?"

"He's Ryan, he pushes through it, if it's that bad." He only answered. He wasn't sure if it had been a good idea, letting Ryan go back to his violent and criminal father.

"Yeah, but how long can he go on like that? I'm sure I wouldn't even have survived one month with a drinking mother, a beating father and a criminal brother." This showed quite plainly what Ryan already had been exposed to.

"You can bear a lot if you have to. And nobody says that his father treats him like he had before."

"No, but he's a criminal at all." Yes, Frank Atwood was a criminal. He feared this tendency might affect Ryan. He had improved well, before he had to leave. Ryan was a good kid, growing up under the wrong influence. But what will you do if your brother tells you to steal a car? Run away? This would mean betrayal, thus you jump in only not to cause any break in your brother relationship. And what about a father-son-relationship? One probably would do even more only because of loyalty and Ryan was loyal. You gave him a solid roof over his head and a place to sleep and he did everything for you. Again he was upset what little it took to turn a smart and handsome kid into a criminal.

"I gotta go to work now. If you need something, call me." He said after he had seen how late it already was.

"Cool." Seth answered. He hugged him and then he went off.