Happy new year everyone. I hope you all had a great 2019, and I hope you'll have an at least as great 2020.

Sorry for not updating. This crazy writer's block just won't leave me be.

I've done this twice before years ago. After I'd been bad with updating I wrote one new chapter for each and every story. Then left it until I had finished them all and updated all stories at once. I've decided to do that same thing again and hopefully that will make a change as of how much I'll be able to update more afterwards… I guess only time will show. I hope you like this chapter.

I will re- write just a little part of this story. You know where Frank comes to the Cohen's and pukes into the flower pots? Well… I'll change that and he's basically falling into those instead- crushing them. Oh well.

I would have to go back to work soon…

Or maybe…

Anyway, I'd have to get out of the house still. Thailand was starting to be quite some time ago and I wouldn't be so sure people who hadn't been there would be able to understand that.

I wouldn't be so sure if I could understand everything even though I had been there myself. Loads of people were worse off than me and had to stay behind to clean everything up…

I should probably go back to work. Right now everything to be spinning in my mind. At least I could get away from everything else and maybe then everything else would clear up as well…

It was exactly two months ago the wave and I first sat down in my office and riffled in some bills. Tonight I had once again been woken up once again struggling in the water and hearing Seth, Kirsten and Ryan shouting from everywhere and nowhere where I couldn't save them…

"Sandy?"

I jumped high, then realized how lost I had been in my own thoughts as I must have heard the sound of Ryan's crutch and feet as he came closer.

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's my own fault for being so gone in my own thoughts. What's on your mind?"

"Well…" Ryan came closer and sat down on the other side of the table. "I've been chatting with Clark like I usually do… and you know… Clark's sister… well… you see… Clark's sort of wondering if he could come over some night- all night you know."

"I…" I quickly went through all nights in the nearest future to figure so we were home all nights. "Sure. I couldn't see why not."

Ryan bit his lip. It didn't seem like he exactly appreciated me staring at him. But still it seemed like he wanted to say more…

There would have been a thousand way to handle this…

But knowing Ryan, and the fact that I'd already said everything a thousand times…

"You know you can say if there's anything you want…" Ryan nodded. "I'll get on with work but interrupt whenever you want." Another nod, and I looked down on the bills again as if I could have concentrated.

"Well… it's just that… Sandy?"

"Yes?"

"You see… we- I and Clark sort of talked to each other after we got out of hospital… And Clark sort of talked more to someone else than I did and…" Ryan bit his lip and tried to figure how to ask.

"Ryan… it's okay. If you want to ask us if someone could come or anything at all… Who's the other guy? Or girl for that matter? Although if it's a girl we might want to meet her and her parents for a bit before we say yes."

"You see. The other kid is… you know. I actually think you met him briefly… If I got this right… he's sick and tired of having his parents hanging over his shoulder all the time so he wants to get out of there…"

"What's his name? Maybe I remember him?"

"Hector."

I briefly remembered a pair of parents fighting, the mother crying and a dark- haired kid with the face so skinny I could have seen the cheek bones even if he had been conscious…

"He was very skinny, unconscious most of the time. His parents were always fighting…"

"And if I remember it right he came there the same day that your dad turned up." I interrupted when Ryan hesitated, then nodded. "Well. If he wants to get away from his parents then why not let him? Ain't nothing that could help a kid more than to hang out with some friends. Or what do you say?"

"It was sort of Clark's idea. I don't want to be a both…"

"It's not a bother."

"He wouldn't stop bugging me about it."

I couldn't help but laugh shortly.

"Some people are like that, aren't they? Anyway. You don't have to worry about anything as long as you let us know about what day- or night we're talking about."

"Actually…" Ryan frowned for a bit and then smiled only slightly. "I don't think Clark's told me what time his sister and parents will be gone… He keeps saying that of course he can just stay alone like he always does but he…"

"But if he wants to have a difference he can come here whenever he wants."

"Great. Thank you Sandy."

"Any time."

I had absolutely forgotten the papers I had in front of me, when I turned to them again I soon found myself reading the same sentence over and over for almost thirty minutes before I gave up and put away the papers.

Then, when I left the office I soon heard a voice behind me.

"Sandy?"

I could almost hear on his voice what he wanted to ask and the insecure tone from before was back.

"Is there someone else?" He nodded. "Someone from the hospital?" Another nod. "Who?"

"Tom."

I couldn't help but laugh- Clark, Hector, Ryan, Seth and Tom in the same house- this one could get interesting. Those five boys and only two ad…

"DIE. COME ON." Seth sounded loud through the house. "DIE DIE DIE."

"Do you think Seth will be okay with it too?"

"I…" I had to hesitate. "I don't think you're responsible of what Seth thinks about anything. Anyway. If you want to invite your friends over then… " I tried to find the right word. "…go on. Just let us know how many you are and when."

"There's me, Clark, Hector and Tom."

"Don't worry about it. Just let me know if you need anything. And what night of course. Okay"

With a slight smile Ryan got up and left the office and I once again heard Seth yell at the TV.

Was I putting too much pressure on Ryan? I would tell him time again that he didn't have to worry about things here but obviously, only changing his whole life just wouldn't be so simple.

And then was I putting too much pressure on Seth, and on Kirsten too to just take another person into our lives and home when there was really no choice- unless we wanted to be like Frank. And we hadn't heard a single word from him since the day I and Ryan went to Chino.

I thought about myself- if Seth was staying with someone, even just for a friend I would be calling at least every morning and every night. It had made Seth crazy every time he had gotten a phone call from me. But I knew he would have preferred that any time over Mr. Atwood who seemed to quit caring about Ryan unless it was for making himself look good.

Maybe it was because I was a dad myself… no. Maybe it was because I was a decent human being who could take care of my own child! That I couldn't help but to hide an angry growl every time Frank Atwood was mentioned.

And whatever had he done while Ryan obviously had to be forced until he just dared asking if he could have friends to stay over…

And there we go. I couldn't think of a very good ending. I just promise you that all of this will make sense once we get to the nearest few chapters.

And I hope to get those up sooner than this chapter after the last… am I making sense.

Random fact

"DIE DIE…" Hahahaha. I just remembered a point in Charlie and the chocolate factory where Mike is introduced and he's just playing video games while people are asking how it was finding the ticket. And then, interrupting his parents he shouts "DIE DIE DIE…" And I needed something like that for this but I know nothing about video games but that just had to work.

First chapter finished for my update-all-of-my-stories-at-the-same-time- project. Nine to go.