Disclaimer: I own nothing related to the OC.

A/N: This story is fun for me! Yay! I love Kikistrain's story I forgot the title that is on amaaazin'.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was the first morning that she had to use the alarm to wake up. She yawned and stretched her arms as she sat up in bed and looked over to a smiling Sandy.

"Are you excited about work?" he questioned, giving his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"I guess. Afterwards I have to go to the doctor, Ryan's taking me," she told him, slowly easing her way out of bed.

"I never really paid attention but your collarbone looks gross," he informed her, as she laughed.

"It basically will be like that for…ever," she grabbed her crutches and walked into her closet. She chose a white designer suit, something she wore a lot. As she took off her pajama shirt she looked down at her stomach and legs for the first time. She had a lot of ugly scars on her stomach and two on her leg. She knew she had one on her collarbone and a very noticeable one on her forehead.

"What are you doing?" Sandy asked her, snapping her back into her world.

"Examining myself, looking at my scars," she raised her eyebrows and traced the scar that came to be the night that she crashed and had emergency surgery.

"Who is taking you to work?" he asked.

"Julie's coming to get me in like…a half-hour?" Kirsten guessed while finishing changing. Changing was hard, and it was also embarrassing that it was hard. She hadn't woken up feeling this gloomy yet.

"Are you gonna be eating before you leave?" Sandy asked, wrapping his hands around her waist, "I'll carry ya."

"I've gotta brush my hair and do my makeup, wait ten minutes," she ordered him, "See ya in a few."

"Wait, I'm starting to get concerned about Neil Roberts," he sounded serious; "He hurt you!"

"And…I mean…he fled…who knows if he even came back," she slipped on her shoes; even though she was one-footed her brace didn't cover her foot.

"Yeah…but trust me, he's getting sued," Sandy put his arms on his wife's shoulders, "I love you, and I'll do anything for you to be OK."

"Thanks," she whispered in response and finished getting ready.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Sandy!" Kirsten yelled, giggling as he carried her into the kitchen while running and setting her gently on a chair.

"PDA," Seth pretended to shield his eyes.

"I figured it would be quicker," Sandy shrugged, ruffling his son's hair as he made a face.

"Kirsten," Ryan began, "When is your appointment? I have a free period last period so if I get a note and give it to the dean then I can get out."

"Hmm…I think it's at 3:00. Most days I won't have an appointment and therapy but it's the one week from surgery check-up deal," she told him, "So can you get to my office by 2:45?"

"Easily," he replied, "See you then." Ryan headed out to the pool house right as Summer walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning," she chirped, happier than usual.

"Well someone's bubbly this morning," Sandy grinned, handing Kirsten a bagel and coffee.

"I guess I just had an epiphany," she kissed Seth on the cheek and walked over to hug Kirsten good morning, "I realized that my life isn't sucking right now. Sure I may have a broken wrist and bruises because of my dad but still I have people that love me and this awesome mansion to stay in and the people love me." Kirsten grinned and motioned Summer over for another hug.

"You should teach me how to make my wife this happy," Sandy joked, putting his arms around both girls.

"Back away, she's mine!" Seth joined the hugging-hippie activity, "Reliving the hippy days." The group was interrupted by the front door opening.

"Kiks?" Julie called out, "Ready for your first day back!"

"In the kitchen," Kirsten called back, breaking up the little group.

"I love the suit," she told Kirsten, "Let's go."

"Sandy, go get my crutches," she ordered him, laughing at the tone in her voice.

"Going my love," he responded, walking towards the bedroom.

"Are you excited?" Julie asked Kirsten, helping herself to a cup of coffee.

"Yeah, I am, back to the norm," she shrugged, "I guess as normal as it's gonna get."

"What do you mean?" Julie asked as Sandy returned with her crutches.

"I'll tell you on the way to work," Kirsten told her, kissing Sandy.

"Goodbye all!" she smiled, "Ryan, I'll see you around three!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So, the norm," Julie started, backing her Lexus out of the driveway, "What do you mean?"

"I remember waking up in the hospital," she began.

"Tell me about it, I'm here to listen."

"So I woke up but hadn't opened my eyes and suddenly I felt this surge of pain through my whole entire body. The pain stayed on the inside and it was hard to breathe but then I realized I was hooked up to a machine to help me breathe. My leg hurt so bad it felt like it was being compressed and I wanted to scream. It had an itch and I reached out, it was above my knee and there was plaster. The area around my knee was thicker. Sandy was calling to me and my eyes were scrunched up because it was too bright and my collarbone was obviously broken. Gosh there was more but…" Kirsten took a breath.

"Wow," Julie didn't really have any deep thoughts to share, "God, Kiks, what the hell would we have done without you? That asshole that hit you should be punished," Julie started.

"I dunno what you would have done without me, and Julie…don't say asshole," Kirsten smiled, using her don't say line, "You know who I want to kill right now?"

"Who?" Julie sounded interested.

"Neil Roberts," Kirsten stated flatly, rubbing her knee at the memory.

"Oh because of Summer?" Julie asked.

"And because he tried to hurt…someone else," she started, "But I don't really want to talk about it."

"We're here," Julie informed Kirsten, getting out of the car.

"Wow," Kirsten muttered, "I forgot about this." The two went into the building together silently.

"Good morning Kiki!" Caleb kissed Kirsten on the cheek.

"Hey dad," she smiled sweetly, "Is there a lot of work awaiting me?"

"Oh yes," he grinned, letting her go to her room, "Come tell me if something doesn't make sense."

"Thanks," she called back, hobbling towards her office. The smell of flowers filled her nose as she looked around her room. She had acquired a lot of stuff since the accident. She sat down in her big leather chair and booted up her computer. She knew that she really wouldn't be getting much work done since her mind was all over the place. She booted up her computer and typed in her password notawasp, because she was pretty sure that no one would ever think that she would have such a funny password. She got up and slowly made her way to a huge pile of cards on a chair. Instead of working she would read these. She didn't understand why Julie hadn't bothered to bring them by the house. She began to read the endless stack.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ryan pulled up outside the Newport Group and made his way into the office area. He saw Kirsten coming out and went to greet her.

"Hey Kirsten," he smiled at her and helped her towards the car, "Are you psyched about your appointment?"

"Oh yes," she joked, sliding into the car, "I'm pumped." Ryan pulled the Range Rover out of the parking lot and they started towards the clinic.

"So," Ryan decided some small-talk was definitely needed, he could tell that Kirsten was still a little stressed out in the car, "How was your first day back?"

"Definitely a little bit crazy," she replied, "But pretty much good."

"Well that's good to hear," he smiled, pulling into the parking lot of the clinic, "It looks like we're here."

"Well..." she sighed, "Here we are." She started to get out of the car but she noticed Ryan coming around to help. She wished that Seth had always been this polite. The two walked towards the doors of the clinic, there was no turning back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Wow," Kirsten slowly hobbled into the house, "I never expected that it would take that much energy out of me!" She took a seat at the kitchen table and looked up at Seth who she hadn't noticed in the kitchen.

"Nice to see you too mom," he joked, putting a glass of water in front of her.

"I'm pooped Seth," she lay her head on her arms on the table, "That was hard."

"I didn't say that I didn't believe you!" he threw his arms in the air. She looked in the doorway and saw Summer.

"Hey Summer!" Kirsten smiled, looking up at the girl.

"How was therapy?" she asked.

"Exhausting," she sighed, suddenly smelling the fumes of take-out.

"Kids dig in, parents in the bedroom," Sandy announced, setting the containers of food on the counter.

"Eww…that is something I don't want to picture," Seth joked.

"It's strictly business talk," he announced, watching his exhausted wife stand up and grab her crutches.

"Hey sweetie," she sweetly smiled, taking Sandy's arm.

"Let's go," he put his arm around her waist as she hobbled towards the bedroom.

"What's the business?" she asked, looking him in the eye.

"We're going to court against Neil in two weeks," he hugged her; "Summer will be in safe hands. The only thing is we are going to fight his step-wife for custody of her." Kirsten gave him a fearful look.

"Don't worry, it'll all be OK," he hugged her as she buried her head into his jacket, "It's been a rough couple months but it'll be better, I promise." She looked up at him and planted a kiss on his forehead.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: There are two or three chapters left and a BRILLIANT plan for a sequel. It has to do with something that happens in the last chapter. Next chapter is the trial and either that or the next chapter Kirsten will finally walk…yay! So I hope more comes soon! I'll be gone Sunday-Sunday but I might be able to write some while I'm away. I'll finish before camp hopefully. Thanks to my awesome reviewers! Love you all!