Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Everwood characters, they are the property of Greg Berlanti. I own the original characters.

"Take a seat." Sara continued. Ephram took a seat on a lawn chair as Sara and Dan settled into a chaise lounge.

"Listen Ephram," she began again, "there are a few things you should know about Brittany..."

"Mostly, BAD." Dan cut in.

"It's not ALL bad, Ephram," Sara said to try and comfort him.

"But most of it IS." Dan replied. Ephram felt like he was at a ping-pong match– his head was going back and forth as each of them said something.

"Ephram." Sara said shortly, "Brittany's family has problems– big ones– BAD ones."

"What KIND of problems?" he asked.

"Well," she started, before she shifted her position, "Britt's Mom has a problem. She's a drunk. A mean one. It all started after Brittany broke-up with this Ivy-league jerk, Jim– her mom loved him– he was sweet, handsome, smart, not critical, funny, charming, truthful, and most of all, loved her daughter. Well, Jim wasn't all he seemed to be. He was abusive and started drinking too. Then he turned. He was obnoxious, nasty, and demanding. He started abusing Britt and demanding she have sex with him. She refused, and he beat her. She couldn't take it anymore so she broke-up with him. Her mom was devastated and accused Brittany of lying because she found a new 'boy toy'".

"But I heard her Mom say on the phone how she 'got knocked-up by Jimmy'."

"I'm getting to that." Sara said.

"Well," the story continued, this time, by Dan. "Brittany decided that the only way to get her Mom off her back was to say that she was pregnant and that Jim wanted nothing to do with the kid. Her Mom was mad and upset and surprised. She hated him for doing that and so she started drinking. Since Brittany wasn't pregnant, she couldn't just forget about it because her belly wouldn't be growing. She said she wanted an abortion. She got the pills and just threw them out everyday to make it look like she was taking them."

"Wow," Ephram said. "That explains a lot."

"Yeah," Sara said as she looked into Dan's eyes as her own started to water, "It does..." Dan pulled her close and started to cry too.

"It'll be okay, baby, don't worry." he sad consolingly. It was then that Ephram wished he had someone to hug him then.