Hi, thanks for all the reviews I got it really means a lot to me receiving them. I have two ways this story could go and I'm still undecided on which one to go with. Once I've decided the chapters should come quicker.

Kirsten is not like Dawn

Chapter 2

The first thing Kirsten felt when she awoke was a pounding headache. She opened her eyes and squinted against the brightness of the room.

She looked over at her bedside table and noticed a box of aspirin waiting for her. She reached for it clumsily.

Just as she was fumbling with the seal, Sandy came into the room carrying in some breakfast for her. The thought of eating brought on a wave of nausea and she swallowed thickly.

"Morning beautiful." Sandy chimed. He placed the Tray on the bed and noticing the unopened box of aspirin on Kirsten's lap he opened it for her and handed her a pill.

She thanked him quietly and washed the pill down with some orange juice. Another bout of nausea attacked her and she looked frantically around the room. She caught sight of the bucket by the side of her and she grabbed it pulling it towards her just in time before her stomach emptied its contents. She panted and Sandy rubbed her back comfortingly.

"I think you had just a little bit too much to drink last night huh?" Sandy pointed out. "Do you think you're done?" He asked gesturing towards the bucket.

Kirsten nodded slowly and put her hand on her head. Sandy grabbed the bucket and took it to clean in the bathroom. When he returned Kirsten was lying down again on the bed. A pained expression was on her face.

"You know last night Kirsten… Ryan found you passed out… not me." Sandy said quietly sitting on the bed and fiddling with her blanket.

Kirsten's eyes snapped open and she starred at Sandy. "Oh God, Is he okay?" Kirsten sat up slowly holding her head.

"I don't know I'm going to check on him in a minute."

"I'm going to take a shower. I'll go and see him later on." Sandy nodded.

"I can heat your breakfast up for you," He suggested.

"Its okay, I'm not really hungry." She replied disappearing through the door of the en suite bathroom.

Sandy picked up the tray and retreated back into the kitchen. He sighed tipping the food he had so carefully prepared into the bin. He looked over to the pool house. There was no movement inside. Sandy decided now was as good a time as any. He put the plate in the dishwasher and then made his way out of the kitchen.

As he neared the pool house he noticed a piece of paper sticking out behind the door handle. He reached over and pulled it out.

Sandy could feel his heart beat rising. He opened the letter with shaky hands.

Dear Sandy, Kirsten and Seth

I'm sorry that I didn't say this in person but it was late and I couldn't wait.

I can't stay here. I can't be responsible for tearing apart another family apart.

I'm a curse and anyone that has me as a member of their family gets their family

Completely screwed up. I have to leave before this gets out of control. Please Sandy get

Kirsten help.

Don't come looking for me, it will just make everything harder.

Thank you for all your kindness over the years,

Ryan

Sandy's hand shook. Why was this happening? He should have known Ryan would feel responsible. He should have talked to him last night. He opened the door of the pool house and looked in. The room was spotless. On the bed lay the watch Sandy had given him for his first Chrismukkah. Sandy looked in all the cupboards and sure enough Ryan had left all of the clothes and things Kirsten and himself had given him.

Sandy clenched the note in his hands and hurried back to the house.

He grabbed the home phone and dialled Ryan's cell phone. He closed his eyes in despair as he heard the ring tone. Ryan's cell phone lay on the floor of the living room. It must have fallen out of Ryan's pocket while he was tending to Kirsten.

He read the note again more carefully and snorted at the "Don't come looking for me…" part. Fat chance of that happening.

Sandy stood up and decided to spread the alert. He ran up to Seth's room and burst through the door. Seth was lying on his bed with Summer on top of him.

"Dad!" Sandy shook his head shocked but he had to deal with this later. Right now he had to deal with the crisis at hand.

"Ryan's gone" He managed. Seth looked at him confused as he pushed Summer off himself.

"Ok, where? Dad, are you okay?" Sandy simply thrust the note in Seth's hands.

Summer watched as her boyfriend's face changed from confused to horrified. "Shit" He breathed.

Seth jumped and charged down the stairs. Sandy followed and Summer walked behind confused.

Seth grabbed the phone and almost screamed from frustration when what happened to Sandy happened to him. "What are we going to do?" Seth demanded, desperate to find his brother. Sandy grabbed the phone.

"Show that to your mother" He said thrusting the note in Seth's hands.

Seth scuttled off to his parents room with Summer in tow. Sandy dialled his friend's number carefully.

"Hello?"

"Hey Brian. It's Sandy here."

"Oh hey Sandy, how's it going?"

"I need your help with something"

"Yeah okay, fire away Sandy."

"My son ran away…"

"Seth ran away?"

"No, Ryan. Can you help me find him with your guys?"

"Yeah sure. I'd be glad to help. I'll come over soon okay? Hang tight."

Sandy paced the kitchen while he waited for Brian. Kirsten came in with tears trickling down her face. She sat down on a chair by the table. The note was in her hand and she began reading it for the fifth time since Seth had given it to her.

"This is all my fault…" Kirsten whispered softly. Sandy didn't know what to say. He walked over to her and put his arm around her waist gently. She leaned against him sobbing.

"Sssh," He soothed "We'll find him." Sandy could feel his t- shirt getting wetter and wetter. He rubbed Kirsten's back softly and rested his head on hers. He breathed in the scent of her hair. She'd just washed it and it smelt of fruits and flowers.

The ring of the doorbell broke them apart. "Ryan!" Kirsten called running towards the door and pulling it open.

"Oh hey Brian." Kirsten sighed and Brian looked at her sympathetically. Sandy came up behind her and shook Brian's hand.

"Thanks for coming." Sandy whispered.

"It's fine." Brian replied. He completely understood their situation. The officer had three sons all left now for college or finding their way in the world. If one of them ran away or disappeared he and his wife would be heart broken. Besides the Cohens were a very close bunch. He knew them well.

Sandy gathered together some photos of Ryan, the note and gave a detailed account of the parts he knew about happened the night before. Brian left with the information and went off with his team to look for the misguided youth.

Sandy walked back to the kitchen where through the window he could see Kirsten in the pool house sitting on Ryan's bed. "Hey dad," Sandy jumped.

"Hey Seth…" Sandy started filling his son with al the details of what had been spoken about with the officer. "…I'm going to take the car as well and have a look around, do you want to come?"

Seth nodded "Yeah sure, Summer's gone home. She's going to break the news to Marissa. He was about to leave the room when he paused. "You know in the note when Ryan told you to get mom some help, what did he mean?" Sandy sighed deeply.

"You're mother has a drinking problem." He told Seth quietly. Seth looked at him shocked.

"For how long?" At Sandy's shrug he continued. "Is that why Ryan ran away and thinks he's a curse?" Sandy nodded slowly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Sandy sighed "We can talk about this later. Right now we have to find Ryan."

Seth nodded and shrugged he didn't look at his father but just sat down on a chair by the table. Sandy watched him, the only reason he hadn't told Seth and Ryan was because he didn't want something like this to happen. He thought he could deal with it himself. But of course nothing was ever that simple and the inevitable had happened.

"Right, shall we go then? I'm just going to tell your mom where we're going," Sandy trotted outside and towards the pool house.

Seth stood up and watched his parents interact through the window. How could this be happening? This must be awful for Ryan after he'd seen his biological family getting torn apart from the substance. Where was he? Seth sighed and watched his mother crying while his dad held her. His dad had to be so strong for them all. He watched as his mom pulled herself together after a few minutes and his parents came into the kitchen hand in hand.

Kirsten sat on a chair at the table and she held the phone in her hands. Sandy kissed the top of her head and he gestured for Seth to follow him. "Ready?" He asked and Seth could see the weariness in his father's face.

Seth nodded and they left the house to search for their lost son and brother.

Tbc…