I am so sorry for the wait, I guess as the OC went on hiatus, so did the story. That and life in the real world is killing me! I'm really trying to figure this story out and get it to go where I think it deserves to go, however, I'm not sure where that actually is yet, so I apologize in advance for the writer's block that seems to be approaching.

(PS...Mariana...your emailtotally reminded me of this story...)

Once again, I don't own the characters, please don't sue…the writers and creators of the OC are masterminds, and I, a mere coattailer of their genius.

Please review, cause that always encourages me to type away…I thank you all in advance as well…

CHAPTER TEN: Who Said Words will Never Hurt You

"Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Cohen…Co..hen…Kirsten." This wasn't a dream, Kirsten was living her nightmare. The voice on the answering machine, mocking her, making her skin crawl.

The same voice that had lingered in her head, twenty four hours a day.

The one that she was so close to forgetting.

Back in a second.

She backed away from the phone as if it were the most dangerous of snakes. Bile rose inside of her. She felt dizzy, lightheaded.

"Mrs. Cohen, we're gonna come back…"

"Tell your husband Mrs. Cohen…"

"I can't wait to see you again."

Her blinding tears led her away from the kitchen.

"Mom are you okay?" Kirsten has somehow managed to make her way into the backyard, without even realizing she had left the interior of the house.

Ryan and Seth were sitting on the sun deck, their feet dangling in the pool.

Instantly Ryan arose, walking to her. Seth followed.

Kirsten's eyes pooled, her hand grasping her mouth, her stomach lurching, gagging.

They both knew the look, they'd seen it before, but not under these same circumstances. The only time her eyes turned this shade was when she'd usually had too much to drink, but Seth knew his father had taken all the alcohol out of the house.

And this moment was different. Seth had seen a range of emotions the past few weeks, but nothing filled with this much terror. Her skin was white, almost grey.

Ryan's arms were holding her up, he tried to get her into the pool house, but he wasn't fast enough. Her knees buckling against him, she slipped to the ground.

As she fell, her stomach rose to her throat, sending with it the morning's breakfast.

"Ryan, I'm sorry…"she sobbed, trying to catch her breath, failing miserably.

"Did I get anything on you?" Kirsten continued to dry heave. Seth ran to his mother's side and took her from Ryan's grasp.

He held her like he had watched his father do, so many times before. Holding her hair back, cradling her in his lap.

Trying to calm her nervous body.

It killed him to feel her shaking in his arms. Her hands clung to his shirt. Tears leaked from her eyes.

"Mom, Mom…come on stay with me."

Kirsten continued to shake, she continued to cry, but she did so silently. Seth did his best to bring her back.

"Ryan, call Dad."

But Ryan was already one step ahead of him. He had grabbed his cell phone from the pool house and was trying to make his fingers work long enough to dial Sandy's number.

Why was is this number not on speed dial?

His hands were shaking so hard, he was lucky enough to keep an actual grip on the phone.

Tomorrow he would program in all of the numbers.

As it rang, Ryan prayed Sandy would pick up. The past few weeks, Sandy had barely left his wife's side, of course something like this would happen the moment he went away.

Typical.

The click of an answered phone, brought Ryan to his senses.

"Ryan, I'm just now ordering the food, can I call you back?" Sandy's rushed sentence came through.

"Sandy, something's wrong. You need to come home now." The tone in Ryan's voice instantly made Sandy worry.

He knew right away it had something to do with Kirsten.

He could hear Seth in the background.

"Mom, what happened? Come on Mom…"

Sandy began to panic, not knowing what to do, he left the line with a very confused Hostess watching him go.

"Ryan, I'll be there in a few minutes."

It felt like an eternity. The drive home was brutal. Sandy had no idea what would cause his wife to take a turn for the worse. Ryan wasn't able to tell him much.

Just that she absently came out of the house, looking like she was going to faint.

Sandy couldn't make his car go any faster, no matter how much he pressed the gas peddle.

He ran his fingers through his hair, briskly wiping the sweat from his brow. Sandy was trying to focus on the road, but all he could think about was his wife.

Her blonde hair.

Her blue eyes.

The way she could light up a room with a simple smile.

How all of it, all of her, had almost been taken away from him once before.

How he refused to let it happen again.

Pulling up in the driveway, Sandy didn't waste time taking the keys out of the ignition.

He could feel her the instant he entered the house.

He swiftly pulled open the front door, making his way to the backyard, not letting anything distract him.

Yanking the sliding glass door open, Sandy's heart broke at the sight before him.

His sons hovering their mother. His wife unresponsively still, her lips slightly moving.

"I want Sandy, Please Seth, get him."

He saw where she had gotten sick, just a few feet from where she was now lying in Seth's arms. He rushed to her, falling to his knees.

"Kirsten, come on Kirsten, look at me baby."

Sandy tried his best to get her to focus on himself.

To get her blue eyes to meet his brown.

Kirsten's face was covered in tears. He grabbed her clammy hand as he held her close to him. She rolled into his arms, her body radiating heat.

"She keeps talking about some sort of message. It doesn't make any sense. I have no idea what she is saying."

In his mind, Seth was actually screaming, "Dad fix my Mother. Make her better."

It was Ryan's voice that piped up. "I think I know what's wrong."

He had gone into the kitchen to grab a cool cloth for Kirsten's forehead, when he saw the flashing button on the answering machine.

"There's a, an um message on the machine. It's them."

Them.

Sandy and Seth knew who they were without an explanation.

They were back and they were beginning to push it.

"What did it say Ryan?" Seth asked his brother.

Ryan had no idea how to explain their words to his foster family. The voices had been so cold, so uncaring.

Evil.

Ryan felt like smashing the machine into the wall, but for once he was restrained.

He would save it for the time they would come face to face.

The two Cohen men looked at him with eyes begging for answers.

"It was…I just…they…"

"It's okay Ryan." Sandy looked at him in understanding.

Ryan wished there was some way Kirsten didn't have to be the one to first press that button. To first hear them.

It was like she had been attacked again, and again no one had been there to protect her.

"Call the police Ryan, and Doctor Stedman. His number's on the fridge."

Seth was left alone in his room. The police had arrived a few minutes after the Physician who administered a sedative to his mother had.

Sandy had carried his wife into the living room, placing her on the couch, as the doctor swabbed her arm and swiftly gave her body a relaxant.

She instantly calmed, but still aware of her surroundings.

"Sa…Sandy," she stuttered.

"Shh, honey. Let the medicine work its magic."

"N..no, I…I don't wa...want to…sle.."

Seth had watched her lay still. He saw her eyes move around the room, making no sound.

Her blue irises pooled, filled with glaze and covered in fear.

The doctor hadn't taken away her pain, he had only made her paralyzed to it.

He had wanted to yell at the doctor,

"Give her something stronger."

But he knew that was impossible. There was no drug that could erase memories.

"Seth, Ryan, why don't you give us a few moments." Sandy had spoke to him. He looked behind his back at the two boys. His hand still stroking hers.

Seth had obliged, not wanting to leave the room, but thankful for the chance. He no longer knew how to push aside his feelings, he longer knew how to deal.

He had listened to the cold voices on the answering machine. His skin crawled at the thought of their heartless hands touching his mother in anyway. Anger rose inside of him at the game they seemed determined to play with her, with his father.

They too were playing with him.

And like any Cohen or Nichol alike, Seth would not let them win.

Sandy held his breath as he watched the doctor prick his wife with another needle.

She slightly twitched. Kirsten looked up at him, her silent thoughts clear.

This isn't going to work.

This needle won't make them go away.

This is not over.

"Relax Baby." Sandy whispered into her ear.

As much as he wanted the words to soothe her, Sandy was at a loss. His only comfort to her was the hand she held and the stroking of her blonde locks.

He thought back to the last time he held her trembling body in this very same position.

17 years ago.

The day Seth was born.

The pain was there, different of course, but he had been equally as worried about her.

"Kirsten, it's going to be okay. Just one more push," the doctor advised.

"No it's not. Sandy it hurts so much. I swear to god this is it."

Sandy wiped her forehead, he tied back her hair. He kissed her and stroked her face.

"No…..more….kids…" she bitterly twisted out.

As soon as Seth was born, her demeanor instantly changed. They both feel in love with him from that very first moment.

Sandy couldn't help but think back to that day. To one of his family's shining moments.

Today wasn't as joyful.

"Mr. Cohen," the doctor broke into his mind. "I've given her a second sedative that will hopefully last the next few hours. I'm also calling in additional sleeping aids for tonight. Just in case."

The doctor looked at him with quizzical eyes. He felt bad for this family. They had been through so much already.

"You know Mr. Cohen, if you need anything at all, for yourself I mean, just call me."

Sandy was thankful for the offer, but declined.

"I wish I could sleep this off, but for her, I can't."

The doctor nodded. He shook Sandy's hand and walked to the door.

As Sandy let the man out, he turned his attention to the officers surrounding the answering machine. He watched them from the foyer.

"This is brutal," He overheard.

"It's disgusting." Another commented. "I mean sure, her father isn't well liked and she sort of represents his empire, but who would go this low?"

"It's because she is an easy target. Kirsten Cohen is Newport's IT woman. She is the center of this family and this town. Everyone knows her, her family relies on her and whoever is doing this knows that."

By hurting her, this person is hurting them all.

"What makes you so sure? The night of the first attack specified its relevance to her husband."

"Erm." Sandy cleared his throat, making his presence known.

"Mr. Cohen, how are you doing?" Detective Steward asked. Sandy recognized him from before. He had been at the hospital that night.

How was he doing?

For some reason the question monopolized him. Confused him. Sandy didn't know quite how to respond.

He did not know how he was doing.

"Detective, are you married?" Sandy out of the blue asked. He leaned against the wall as he watched the officers glance at each other.

Each wondering what the distraught husband was getting at.

"Yeah, fourteen years." Detective Steward slowly spoke. He set his small notepad on the island table.

"How about you?" Sandy eyed another officer.

"Five years next week."

"You love them?" As silly as the question was, Sandy posed it to the silent room.

"More then anything." Detective Steward responded.

"Kirsten and I have been married for twenty years and to this day, just seeing her gives me goose bumps. I love to watch her when she doesn't think anyone is looking. She's her most beautiful then."

"I know what you mean Mr. Cohen." A quiet officer piped in. The others turned in his direction.

He just shrugged. "Well, I do. I just got married last year, but I understand."

Sandy smiled, but instantly bit it away. "Knowing that someone else is doing the same thing, but only to hurt her burns a fire inside of me."

"Mr. Cohen, we are doing everything we can to find them. Your father-in-law has hired his own investigators."

"Up until a few weeks ago, Kirsten looked at me everyday in the same way."

Sandy thought back to one of the many pre-dawn moments he had spent with her.

"I love waking up with you." He smiled at her tired eyes. She stifled a yawn and pulled the blankets around her shoulders.

"The pleasure is all mine." Kirsten laughed as she curled into his arms. He kissed her forehead and faced him.

He cupped her chin in his hand and pulled her even closer.

"You know Baby, every morning before you say anything, you give me that look.

"What look?"

"You know, that 'I'm going to be quiet for a second and just stare' look."

"That stare Mr. Cohen is none of your business."

"Come on, what are you thinking? If it's about my morning breath, and whether or not you should kiss me…"

"I just take a moment to….it's kind of silly…I just thank God for giving me another day with you."

She broke eye contact with him, her internal sense to not share hidden emotion building.

"Baby, I wouldn't have it any other way."

"What time is it?" Kirsten asked.

"Six."

"Oh… I don't have to be up for another hour."

"Are you implying something Mrs. Cohen?" The mischief glowing in his own eyes.

"Just that I can sleep for sixty more minutes." She smiled as she turned her back towards him. "Unless you have a better idea."

"I think I can muster up one or two."

"She's as stubborn as hell, can definitely hold her own, but she always believed I would be there for her. In an instant the security we built with one another was gone. They made her doubt, they broke her into pieces and just when she began to feel safe again, they continue to play with her."

"Sandy, I can't imagine what…"

"They made my wife cry. Detective, what would you do if someone purposely made your wife of 14 years cry?"

Detective Steward had no idea how to respond. He was used to asking the questions, not giving the answers.

But Sandy had hit a nerve.

The Detective shifted his weight, picturing in his mind the implied event. He could feel himself begin to boil. He could see his own wife in that same position. He tried to distance himself, to become neutral again, but he for once felt this man's anguish.

The case Detective Steward had taken on just became that more personal. He had tried on Sandy Cohen's shoes and the passion raging inside of him made him more determined to solve the case.

Seeing the officer's demeanor change, Sandy spoke.

"Detective, add in the fact that whoever is causing her pain, is doing it on your behalf."

He let his words resonate. Sink into their minds and eat away at them like the past few weeks had done to his own family.

"That is how I feel. You know, I don't know what's worse. The event or the aftermath. I thank God each moment for her just being alive, but..." Sandy looked away, "But I swear to God I will kill whoever is doing this to her."