a/n Back from my holidays, and as promised an update. Complete chapter 13 to start with.

CHAPTER 13:

Ashley couldn't help but giggle when she saw Sandy's indignant face to the stunt his son just pulled. Watching as he said down and he gave Seth a toxic look she had to turn away from the sight to not loudly burst out in laughter. She saw Seth's mom had to do the same. Men.

Quietly eating her dinner, Ashley listened to the conversations around her. She didn't want to interrupt any of those so she just listened and smiled once in a while when Seth or Sandy made a funny remark again.

After dessert she watched in surprise how the guys quickly cleaned the table and put all the dirty plates in the washing machine. She would have thought Seth's mom would do that, but then again she saw her cook before and she wasn't one of the handiest people around. The guys might help out so they didn't need to buy a complete new dinner set every other day.

Smiling over yet another funny remark from Seth which made Sandy chasing him with the dish towel, her eye caught the nearby clock and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the time. "Damn", she mumbled when she quickly jumped up from her chair and walked towards Kirsten, who was sitting at the other end of the room.

"Erm excuse me", she quietly said. "Sorry to sound so ungrateful but I should really get home now, any chance..."

"Sure", Kirsten said quickly interrupting. She saw how uncomfortable Ashley seemed and she smiled to tell her it was aright to ask. Let me get my car keys, because my husband is a little preoccupied", she added, chuckling over the two guys chasing each other in the kitchen.

"Okay", Ashley replied, nervously tapping with her fingers on the table. When Kirsten got back Ashley said quick goodbye's to Seth and his father before running to the car outside. It was already so late, too late. What if? Ashley didn't want to think about it and shook her head. Everything was probably alright, right?

Ashley gave Seth's mother the directions to her house when Kirsten asked for it and quickly fastened her seat belt. Staring out of the window she didn't say a word until she saw the vaguely familiar contours of the houses in her new street.

Feeling Kirsten stopping the car she turned her head and looked through the front window. A pretty white house rose in front of her. Bigger than most regular homes, yet not as huge as the houses from the Cohen's or Cooper's she had seen just before.

Ashley smiled as she stepped out of the car and swung her bag over her shoulder. Even though she just came to live here and everything was new, weird and sometimes a little scary to her, the look of the house made her feel good. The familiar little curtains from her old house in front of the windows, knowing all of their old furniture and other stuff was inside to make it look just like their old home.

She thanked Kirsten for the dinner and bring her home and she jumped up the steps in front of her house. Not noticing Kirsten had followed her she suddenly shook up from the sound behind her. She nearly dropped the keys she just grabbed out of her bag and turned around to see what made the sound. Ashley saw Kirsten standing behind her and she quickly forced a polite smile on her face.

"Erm what are you doing here?", she asked, gettingnervous.

"I just thought I'd walk you home and say hello to your parents", replied Kirsten, aware of Ashley's reserved reaction.

"Ow right", Ashley said. "Sorry, I didn't think of that. But my dad works at home, and I don't want to interrupt him when he's doing business stuff. I can ask him to make an appointment for another time though?", she asked hopeful Kirsten would let it go for now.

Kirsten slowly nodded, not wanting the girl to feel even more uncomfortable. "Okay", she said. "You're sure you're alright?", she asked one more time.

Ashley nodded and watched how Kirsten turned around. "Thanks again", she yelled after Kirsten as she turned back to the door. Unlocking it she slid herself through a small space inside the house and she quickly closed the door behind her again, leaving the key at the lock in the inside.

She threw her bag in the corner of the hallway and she speeded herself to the living room, checking up on her dad. But when Ashley arrived there she saw he was not there. Getting worried she turned around to search the other rooms when a man in a wheel chair approached.

His eyes looked tired up as Ashley walked towards him. "You're home late", he said with a calm voice. "Everything alright?"

"I am so sorry dad", Ashley replied as she kneeled down at the man and gave him a hug. She felt him hugging back, but only weakly. "Did you already take your pills?", she asked concerned. When he nodded she said "Good. I'll make dinner now. Again, I am really sorry I am so late, won't happen again."

"Hey it's okay kiddo", her dad replied as he saw Ashley walking to the kitchen. He knew very well a normal teenage girl's life didn't circle around taking care of her dad. But he also knew that Ashley wasn't any normal girl and she was continuously worried about him - mostly for a good reason though, even though he didn't want to admit it.