Wow! Overwhelmed by the response to this story. I honestly started it with only a limited idea where this was going, which is why I haven't updated for a while. Hope it was worth the wait.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, but reviews make me write more

SMASH!

There was, Rhiannon thought, some comfort in the fact that however much money you had, argument were still the same. The china probably cost more, but the arguments, the excuses and the apologies were the same.

She sat in between her brothers and gazed across at the…well she supposed he was her brother too, but the dark curling hair boy who sat opposite her was a stranger.

Ryan on her right was a coiled spring, a fish out of water, determined to protect his younger siblings, but with no idea how to do it. Carlos had hidden his head in her side.

At first, as she suspect Mr Cohen (she couldn't, she wouldn't think of him as "Dad) had tried to deny it. But when confronted with the paternity test, he had been forced to admit the truth. That during the past 18 years, he'd had a relationship with their mother. It had been then that the china started flying.

"So…" the kid, despite him being at least her age, he seemed much younger, said. "What's your name?"

Ryan's eyes flashed up cautiously regarding this stranger.

"Ryan." He said.

"I'm Rhiannon. And this is Carlos."

There was no point in being rude. And she nudged Carlos, who muttered

"Hi."

"I'm Seth."

They fell back into silence, as the screams of Mrs Cohen echoed.

"Get out! I don't care what the neighbours think. Get out! Get rid of them!"

"Think that's our marching orders." Rhiannon muttered to Ryan. She couldn't even summon up the energy to say I told you so.

He nodded, getting to his feet, while she shook Carlos awake.

"You're leaving?!" the kid sounded confused and surprised.

They exchanged looks for a moment before Rhiannon spoke.

"Look, Seth. Just tell your mom we're sorry about this, and that she should forget tonight. It was a stupid idea and I don't know why Trey even thought it would work."
"Where will you go?"

Ryan answered this time.
"To a shelter. Spend the night there, and," he shrugged. "Start looking for work tomorrow."

"Do you even know where the shelter is?"
"We found here didn't we?" the anger in Rhiannon voice was cover for her fears. She recognised the situation. They were alone, in a strange town at midnight. For all their talk of shelters, the streets were the more probably option, and while they'd done it before, it didn't mean they had to like it.

"Precisely." Seth said. He sighed and ran his fingers though his hair. Like Ryan's it was in need of a cut.

"Look, at least stay the night. If you're still convinced you won't stay in the morning, then you can look for work. I'll help!" he added brightly.

Rhiannon's smile was sad.

"Honey a night isn't going to change how your mom feels about being cheated on."
"Maybe." Seth admitted. "But she'll never forgive herself if you leave now."

The three exchanged looks acknowledging their situation.

"Come on." Seth said, reaching for the key. "You can sleep in the pool house."

Rhiannon hung back for a moment, slipping Trey's unopened letter on to the table, before following her brothers out.

Ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

Kirsten Cohen lay on her bed, crying.

She had known about Trey. Sandy had been perfectly frank with her that he had had a child by another woman, but he had promised her that it had been over for years and that he'd never even seen the child. The letter in her father's handwriting, enclosed along with the paternity test told her that he'd lied. That he had seen her again. Since their marriage. Since Seth's birth.

She wanted to hate him. To hate her. To hate them. Instead she just felt like an idiot.

And betrayed. That her father had known about it and not told her. That Sandy had kept this from her.

"Would," a voice inside her asked, "you have believed or done anything about it if they had?"

She didn't like admitting it, but the answer was probably no.

Sitting up, she did the math. The older boy and the girl were about the same age as Seth, possibly a few months younger.

She shivered. Thinking of the time after Seth's birth wasn't something she liked to do. She'd been a mess.

And the younger boy, he… she closed her eyes. He must have been conceived when she was battling alcohol.

Getting rapidly to her feet, she stared in the mirror.

Was this her fault? Had she pushed Sandy away?
She had to find out.

Quickly she headed down to the kitchen. Sandy sat at the table, just as she had left him, with a letter from…from his son, she thought desperately. He lifted his head as she entered, but didn't look at her, so much as through her.

"We have to call the police." He said.

TBC