Disclaimer: Anything you recognize…I don't own…

A/N: Don't have muuuuuch to say right now so read and COMMENT!

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"So…are we on for shopping today?" Kirsten asked Summer as she walked into the kitchen.

"Sure," Summer smiled at Kirsten, how could she deny Kirsten anything?

"Did you sleep OK?" Kirsten asked, grabbing her crutches and moving towards the kitchen table.

"Not really," Summer shrugged, "What about you?"

"My leg is getting better but when I sleep it still hurts because sometimes Sandy's a kicker," Kirsten grinned at Summer, who looked better than she had a couple days ago.

"Are we going to South Coast Plaza?" Summer asked eagerly.

"Of course we are!" Kirsten placed her hand on Summer as she sat down, "Also I was thinking that you and Seth should talk. I mean you know he still…"

"Morning," Ryan walked in the back door with a wife-beater on and a shiner on his cheek.

"Oh my God Ryan what happened!" Kirsten instinctively leaped up but felt a surge of pain rise through her body and sat back down.

"Actually it's not a shiner, I fell in the room, don't kill yourself trying to help me," he grabbed a bagel, "Where's Seth?"

"Who…" Summer stopped herself from dissing her boy…well her ex-boyfriend.

"I sense the tension in the kitchen," Ryan looked at the two girls, "Um…later." Summer stood, not knowing whether to laugh or frown.

"So why don't we go get dressed and leave?" Kirsten suggested.

"Sure, I'll see you in a couple minutes," Summer smiled, walking towards the guestroom that she was staying in.

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Kirsten and Summer picked through the racks of clothing. They examined each shirt and laughed at some of the ridiculous clothing.

"I've got to go to the bathroom," Kirsten told Summer, "I'll be right back."

"Ok!" Summer was really happy that day and she continued to look through the racks of Prada and Pucci. Suddenly she noticed a male figure next to her looking at women's clothing. It was her dad. She didn't want to talk to him or to ever see him again. She tried to be stealth and head towards the bathroom. BOOM, a shelf of Pucci scarves all flew to the floor, she gulped. Her dad turned around to see his daughter anxiously picking up the scarves.

"You little bitch, where have you been?" he asked, grabbing her shirt up.

"You didn't tell me about mom!" she cried, trying to pull back from her dad.

"Hah. Right. And now you're going to pay you little snot," her dad took a swing at her head. Soon he was slapping, kicking, punching, and pulling her hair. She didn't even bother fighting back. After a strong punch she went flying backwards right into a rack of clothes and knocked it over, causing it to land on her. She was silent. People stood around nervously as he stepped on her. He noticed Kirsten Cohen limping towards the scene and ran. A salesman from the section went tearing after him, calling the security guards.

"What happened over…" Kirsten started, "SUMMER!" Kirsten panicked. The sweet, young girl she had become accustomed of having in the house was unconscious on the ground.

"SUMMER!" she sobbed, reaching to the girl, she noticed the paramedics coming in the door. Her leg was throbbing because of her sudden leap to the ground and she stood up, embarrassed. She watched as the paramedics hauled the girl away and the police came on the scene. Her hands reached up to her face as a police officer confronted her.

"Do you know what happened here?" he asked.

"I have no clue…that's why I'm worried," she told the officer, "Where is she going?"

"The hospital, witnesses claim that a man turned around and she started talking to him but then he started to hit her," the police told her, "I just wanted to hear your side of the story but you do not have one."

"I…she…" Kirsten looked defeated; her crutches dug into her armpits as she bit her lip.

"Are you related to her?" the policeman asked.

"Well, her father was sort of abusive, so my family, one of her good friends, invited her to stay at our house, and she said that she wanted to," Kirsten explained as a light-bulb clicked on in her head. Summer's dad was the abuser. It made Kirsten fume, hot tears came to her eyes, and she didn't know what had come over her.

"Would you like a ride to the hospital?" the officer asked her.

"That would be great," she told him, hobbling towards the door with him. The two were silent as Kirsten tried to control her emotions. Everything seemed to be going wrong for her these days.

"So…your leg…do you mind me asking?" the police officer seemed out of character; he was friendly.

"Ah, I was in a wreck, I was a miracle, all this internal junk went wrong, screwed up my leg and arm and all," she explained.

"Wait!" he looked at her, "Were you the lady in the Range Rover who was banged up by that kid in the Expedition?"

"Haha. Yes, that was me," she told him.

"I remember hearing about that one, that one was pretty gruesome," he focused his eyes on a certain point on the road and continued to the hospital.

"I need to call my husband," she told the officer, grabbing her phone out of her purse and speed-dialing her husband.

"Sandy?...Not really…Can you get to the hospital…No, not me, Summer…she was beaten…I think it was her father…the mall…I didn't see what happened…I was in the bathroom…I love you too," Kirsten clicked the phone down and noticed the HOAG up ahead. Kirsten went into the E.R as fast as her crutches would allow.

"Hi, my name is Kirsten, I was wondering if you had any information on the patient Summer Roberts," she asked the nice lady.

"Are you in relation to the patient?" the southern lady asked.

"Well, she was in an abusive situation, and she has been living in my family and she is not officially…" she started.

"You're Kirsten…as in our miracle Kirsten?" the nurse looked at her and smiled, lowering her voice, "I'll make an exception just for you because you aren't here for you. She's in Room 253." Kirsten scurried towards the elevator, waving back at the nurse. As she rode up she thought about Summer all alone in that room and how she did not have anyone in her real family that she could run to.

"Doctor Christopher," she greeted him, running to Summer's side.

"Well if it isn't Kirsten Cohen, how are you doing?" he asked her.

"Fine," she shrugged, "Now Summer!"

The girl was awake and aware but she was very distant and looked scared.

"Hey sweetie," Kirsten sat down and stroked the girls hair.

"Hi Kirsten," Summer gave her a little smile.

"What happened to her?" Kirsten questioned.

"Her nose is broken, a lot of bruises, black eye, broken wrist, cuts, and a broken rib," the doctor explained. Kirsten couldn't believe this. She looked at the door as Sandy, Ryan, and Seth came into the room. Summer turned her face so they couldn't see her.

"Can I talk to Summer alone for a minute?" Seth asked.

"Sure," Kirsten motioned to the group to leave the room.

"What Cohen?" Summer looked over at him.
"I made a HUGE mistake," he started.

"I know you did…"

"I really, really, really, care about you," he explained, "I love you so much, and I didn't really want to let you go but I was scared and…I'm, I'm really sorry."

Summer looked into his eyes, "We'll try it slowly." He walked over and kissed her on the cheek. The rest of the group was invited to return.

"So Summer…how do you feel?" Sandy asked the girl.

"Awful," she admitted, "Embarrassed." Kirsten sat on the edge of her bed again and stroked her hair. No one had ever done that for her before and it felt incredibly good to feel loved again.

"When does she get out?" Sandy looked at the doctor who had returned to the room.

"Tonight or tomorrow morning, soon enough, she'll need a little recovery time, not nearly as much as you, but she'll be out of school for a little while, I'll come back in an hour to check on her," he told them.

"Thanks," she responded, smiling.

"Oh yes and this is about you Kirsten," he started, "Have you gotten a date for your surgery yet?" A large lump formed in her throat.

"Surgery?" she asked, "No…"

"OK, well you've got to have orthopedic surgery, no questions, during your next appointment find out when you will have it and I will make sure that I am your doctor," he waved good-bye. Kirsten shifted in her seat.

"Don't worry Kirsten, surgery is like, no big deal compared to all the other mess you've had to deal with," Summer told her, sitting up in her bed.

"Thanks sweetie," Kirsten sat with her and gave her a hug.

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Summer climbed into the back of the BMW with Kirsten beside her; Seth and Ryan had gone to pick up Summer's car. Summer held her head in shame as she walked through the parking lot with a black eye and a cast on her wrist; it had ended up that her nose was better than they had thought.

"Let's go home and just relax," Kirsten suggested to Sandy and Summer as they pulled out of the parking lot, "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow to get my date for surgery."

"Haha," Sandy joked, looking at his wife in the rearview mirror.

"Your support makes me feel great," she smiled sweetly at him and put her arm around Summer. Summer looked up at the older woman and smiled.

At home, Summer and Kirsten settled onto the couch, even though it was late. Kirsten got up on her crutches and slid in the Golden Girls DVD once again. Ryan and Seth walked in the front door with Summer's car keys and Seth handed them to his girlfriend. He sat down next to her and pecked her on the cheek. Kirsten looked over and smiled, "So I see you guys made up?"

"Yep," Summer smiled, "I'm glad." She pecked him back. Ryan sat on the floor, leaning back towards the couch and Sandy came in and joined him a couple minutes later. The group was so lucky to have each other.

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A/N: Next Chapter Kirsten's appointment and surgery…

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