Slight, very small but slight small near the end of the chapter when Kirsten and Georgia are talking. I put some before and after the spoiler talk bit so you can skip past it if you want. It probably wont make much of a difference. You should still be able to understand what's happening. Xoxo

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As Georgia was about to begin her 3rd week with the Cohens, she had managed to get into a routine; during the week she would do her school studies when everyone was out at work. At lunchtime sometimes she would see Sandy or Kirsten or Hailey but Hailey was leaving the coming Tuesday. She was hoping to go to see Harbour High this week. She wanted to see if American high school really was the way it deemed to be in the movies.

It was a Friday afternoon and since no one would be home until 7, Sandy decided to bring work home with him so Georgia wouldn't be alone for too long. She knocked on the office door around 2 and he yelled for her to come in.

"What's up kiddo?" He asked her cheerily. She came and sat on the opposite side of Sandy's desk. He could tell she was very anxious and worried about something. "Georgia." He said and she looked up at him. "What's wrong?"

She looked up at him questionably. "Ok but you can't tell anyone. Not even Kirsten." He looked at her sincerely. "You have my word."

"One of my friends dad abuses her." Sandy looked at her shocked. "More emotionally than anything else I mean I don't think he's ever…" She looked down at her hands. "He tells her she's useless," She looked up at him almost angrily. "He told her she was an accident!" I mean whose parents would do that? Even if it was true.

Sandy sighed. "What do you want to do?" She looked at him clueless. "Unless your friend says its ok I wouldn't advise you reported him. The best thing you could do is tell a counsellor at school. Encourage your friend and her dad to go to family counselling."

"She already goes to counselling." Georgia said small.

"With her father?"

Georgia shook her head. "She self harms." Sandy was taken aback again. He'd not seen a lot of self-harming cases among 14 year olds. "She's OD-ed…I don't even know how many times." She paused. "I know everything is getting worse; with her dad who is making her even more depressed…she would never tell anyone which is what worries me. I don't want her to let things keep getting worse and worse to the point were she tries to kill herself again."

Sandy sighed. It sounds a lot like Georgia is really close to her 'friend', maybe too close. He hoped her 'friend' wasn't so needy that Georgia was missing part of her life. "Georgia I know it's hard; if you do tell someone you break a trust and you lose a friend but if you don't tell… you may lose a friend anyway." Georgia became teary. "It's not my place to take any action and it's not your responsibility either if you're may be in danger. All I can suggest is keep talking to your friend; try to convince her to tell her therapist or any adult she trusts." Georgia sighed. Like she doesn't try that everyday. "Or I could talk to her. I don't have a lot of experience but I could give her some legal advice."

"I-I don't know about that." She hesitated. "She wouldn't be happy that I told you." Sandy nodded understanding. "Could you get me some stuff though? You know on family counselling? Maybe some legal advice so I could try to convince her to go, or tell someone?"

Sandy stood up and walked round the table, crouching down to her chair. He rubbed her arm. "Of course I will kiddo." He kissed her forehead and Georgia smiled, relieved.

---

Unfortunately, 4 days later, Georgia's friend overdosed again. She thankfully did not manage to kill herself. Part of Georgia believed Steph never wanted to kill herself. She just didn't know how to cope. She went into hospital overnight and had to get her stomach pumped but she would be alright; for the time being.

Georgia was extremely upset, especially since she couldn't be with her to help her get better. The last time it happened Georgia was there the whole time. She made Steph swear to call Georgia if she ever needed to talk because she thought she was going to do something stupid. The night she called was already too late; Steph had taken 22 painkillers. Georgia immediately got Steph to go to the hospital. Unfortunately Georgia had to tell Helen who told her mum and sister Steph overdosed which made everything worse. Georgia wasn't allowed to go to the hospital but she spent a lot of time with Steph when she got out. It seemed to be helping.

Georgia felt guilty for her overdose because she hasn't been home therefore not being there for her friend the way she should be. Georgia told Sandy because she had to tell someone and she wouldn't tell anyone else. He was the only one who knew and he wanted to keep it that way. She feared if Kirsten knew her close friend was extremely depressed she would freak out because she wouldn't want Georgia to be dragged down; which would never happen.

3 days after finding out Georgia was still upset. She would barely speak, except to Sandy. She seemed to spend a lot of time in her room, crying. Kirsten started to get really worried and kept asking her what was going on. She figured out Sandy knew and on the Saturday night fought with Sandy until he would tell her.

From Georgia's room she could hear the couple arguing in the kitchen. She crept down to see what was going on.

"This is not about us Sandy!" Kirsten yelled

"I swore to her I wouldn't tell!" Sandy said firmly.

"She is not one of your clients Sandy she's our daughter!"

"I make a promise and it works the same way."

"You have watched me all week" Kirsten started to get teary. "I've been worried-to-death and you never said anything! Nothing!" Kirsten was almost crying.

"I know and I'm sorry I wish I could've told you sooner" Sandy started sincerely.

"You told her!" Georgia screamed standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "You swore…" Georgia said very nearly crying. She started to storm out. Sandy ran out after her, trying to get her to stop. He managed to grab her arm. "No! Get your hands off me! Get off me!" Georgia screamed wrestling against Sandy's grip. As Kirsten stood behind them she could hear that vodka bottle smashing on the backyard floor in her mind.

"Come on, lets just go to bed"
"get your hands off me!"

"I hate you!" Georgia screamed as she ran out the door, which brought Kirsten out of her flashback. Sandy stood defeated and motionless for a moment. Kirsten didn't know what to say. There was an ache in her stomach that told her this was all her fault and it was right.

Sandy turned to Kirsten and he looked very upset but angry. "Are ya happy?" He said storming out the door, slamming it behind him.

Kirsten heard the car start as she stood tears forming in her eyes. She was helpless; she couldn't go out and find Georgia- the boys had taken her car and Sandy just took his, and now she thought she may have lost a bit of Sandy as well.

"No." she answered whispering to no one.

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As Georgia walked along by the beach wiping the tears away that had streamed down her face she kept hating Sandy. He betrayed her trust. She hated him.

From a distance she thought she saw Sandy's car. She knew he'd probably be out looking for her but she didn't want to see him. She saw the bright lights coming out from the Bait Shop against the black night. She ran up to it, seeing the staff entry door and running in it, managing to dodge Sandy's view.

When she walked in she realised she was in the office. She looked around carefully and there was no one in sight, she heard loud music coming from the main area. She snuck out looking around at the packed night club. As she walked through the crowd no one seemed to notice her or say anything about her age.

She didn't know who the band was that was playing but as she walked past the stage, sparklers went off at the sides which made her jump. She looked around in front of her; she thought maybe Seth or Ryan would be here. As she stood up on her tiptoes, peering over everyone's head, she heard a crackle. All of a sudden the band stopped playing. She turned around and saw the lights above the stage were catching on fire. As people shoved by her to get to the fire escapes she saw Marissa and Summer making their way to the exit below the upper level. She yelled out their names but it was hopeless beneath the panicking people around her. She tried to make her way over to them. She heard wires snapping behind her and she looked up seeing that the barrier with the lights across it was breaking off. She turned back to Marissa and Summer and realised it was going to come down over them. As the fire lit barrier broke from the ceiling Georgia yelled Marissa as loud as she could and Marissa stopped. The lack of people must've made it easier for her to hear.

The barrier fell down behind Marissa and Summer. Smoke covered the club so Georgia couldn't see what happened to Marissa and Summer. She ran over to their direction, banging into people running away from that direction. The upper level had been knocked down partly, down the centre. As Georgia got through the smoke she could see the girls underneath an angled side of the upper level. She ran to their sides, kneeling on the floor beside them. Summer was on her side and Marissa on her stomach. She yelled out their names but they wouldn't wake up.

Georgia turned Summer on her back and shook her screaming out her name but she wouldn't wake up. Georgia started to panic. She looked around her but there was no one to help and she couldn't hear sirens so the fire department weren't hear yet.

To the right of her she saw Marissa's bag. She quickly grabbed it and pulled out her mobile.

Ryan and Seth walked away from the Bait Shop down the beach. Tossing pebbles across the choppy water as they went. Ryan's phone went and he answered it when Marissa's number showed up on caller ID.

"Hey" Ryan said "I thought you were-"

"Ryan its Georgia!" She said panicking. "I'm at the Bait Shop. There's a fire." Her voice was becoming more strained with the smoke getting into her lungs. "Marissa and Summer wont wake up."

"We'll be right there" Ryan said already running back across the beach.

Georgia threw the phone to the side and started to have coughing fits. She looked at Marissa who was bleeding from her cheek and her arm was badly twisted. Her legs also looked very closely tucked into the fallen upper level. She knew they weren't under though but she couldn't try to pull her out. Georgia put her fingers to Marissa's neck, checking her pulse. She started coughing again. Marissa had a pulse.

She turned back to Summer checking her pulse and they were both fine. She started to shake Summer again. "Summer, Summer, Summer, Summer! Summer!" She screamed louder each time but she ended up choking again. She started to cry. "C'mon please wake up. I don't know what to do!"

Summer finally started to moan, waking up but Georgia was coughing so much she fell forward to the floor still choking. She tried to put her charcoal t-shirt over her mouth so she wouldn't breathe in the smoke but it didn't help.

"Georgia!" She heard a faint voice in the background. Then the voices became louder. She looked up through her blurry sight and saw Seth and Ryan. Seth pulled her up to standing while scooping up Summer. He wrapped his arm round Georgia's back, leading her out. Ryan followed with Marissa in his arms. As they trudged out the fire brigade arrived. Georgia coughed but was finding her breath. Seth kneeled to the floor as Summer started to wake up. Paramedics came up to Ryan and Marissa and Seth and Summer but to Georgia's surprise Sandy rushed up to her.

Ryan had called him as he and Seth bolted to the club. Sandy skidded down to the ground hugging Georgia as tightly as he could. After a moment she hugged him back tightly. In the fire, all she thought about the horrible things she said to Sandy and how she regretted them. She understood why he did it and she wished he could've known that.
"O god. I thought I lost you." Sandy said shakily.

Gripped him back. "I'm so sorry." She said breaking into tears.

"No, no it doesn't matter." Sandy assured her. "It was my fault. I'm sorry too."

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20 minutes later, after everyone had been checked, they were allowed to go home. Marissa got bandaged on her face and a sling for her wrist but thankfully, no one else was injured. They only suffered from smoke inhalation and they had been given orders of how to deal with that.

Kirsten sat at home extremely anxious. She heard about the fire and knew Seth and Ryan were out there, she also didn't know where Georgia was. Sandy hadn't been answering his phone since he left. She thought it was because he was mad at her but she finally got a call from him saying there had been a fire and everyone was ok and they were on their way home.

As the boys, Georgia and Sandy came through the door Kirsten ran up to them all. She ran between the boys, holding them at each side then pulling Georgia in by her hip as well. "Thank god you're alright." The kids all hugged her back. "We're fine mum." Seth said.

"I was so worried." Kirsten said, not letting them go.

"We're fine Kirsten." Ryan assured her. She finally let them go. "Why don't you boys all go freshen up, take showers. The boys nodded and Seth went up to the master bathroom and Ryan out to the poolhouse.

Kirsten looked at Georgia and hugged her tightly again, who hugged her back as if for dear life. "I'm sorry." Kirsten said.

"I'm sorry I ran out." Georgia said. Kirsten pulled away and smiled. "As long as you're ok I don't care." She smiled. Georgia yawned. Kirsten smirked. "Why don't you go wash off all this charcoal in Sandy and mine's bathroom?"

Georgia nodded, walking away. "I'll be through in a minute" Kirsten said standing.

Kirsten turned and looked at Sandy teary eyed. Sandy looked back at her and she froze again. "Sandy I am so sorry-" Sandy cut her off embracing her in a hug and kissing her cheek. Kirsten locked her arms around him relieved. "I shouldn't have butted my nose in."

Sandy held her shoulder and cupped her face smiling at her. "It's ok, you're right, but it's ok." Kirsten half smiled holding in tears. She nodded then looked up at him. "Thank you." She said softly. She was thanking him for telling her something that he shouldn't have to put her finally at ease even if it was the expense of his daughter's trust, she thanked him for going out and bringing home all her children safely and she thanked him for forgiving her.

Sandy shrugged. "Of course I'm going of forgive you. I have to." He held up his hand showing his wedding ring. "Remember?"

Kirsten laughed. "I love you"

"I love you too." Sandy kissed her and held her reassuringly again.

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"Hey" Kirsten said softly coming into her bathroom where Georgia stood in front the mirror with a towel wrapped around her chest as she towel-dried her hair.

Kirsten passed her pyjamas she had brought down from her room for her. "Thanks" Georgia said as she took them. "It wasn't Sandy's fault you know. I forced it out of him. Please don't hate him." Kirsten begged.

Georgia half smiled. "I don't, well I don't want to…I don't, really."

"Georgia" Kirsten sighed. "I don't want to sound like the jealous parent but…why didn't you come to me? Do you not trust me?"

"No, no" Georgia insisted. "It's just…" She shrugged.

"Ok…" Kirsten said "Is it just because you only wanted to tell one person?"

"Not really…I kinda wanted to tell you…"

"Well then why didn't you?"

"I didn't want you to worry." Georgia answered in a small voice.

"I've been worried sick about you in the last week so" she smirked. "that backfired on you."

"I didn't want you to worry about me because…I did-…I didn't want you to start drinking again."

"What?" Kirsten said surprised. "You think that I would-?"

"-I don't know" Georgia cut in. "I wasn't there. I never saw you like that and I don't want to."

"Kirsten sighed. "You know when I got out of rehab, I didn't go home first." Georgia looked up at her. "I didn't want to go back until I knew I wouldn't let Sandy or the boys down again. If I thought I would start up again, I wouldn't have come home."

"Yeah but, once an alcoholic, always and alcoholic right?"

"I guess but…I was stupid last year. There were a lot of hectic, stressful and ultimately traumatic things going on in my life and…I lost it. I just didn't know how to cope and, drinking just seemed like such a relief. But I didn't even realise how much I was drinking, even when Sandy confronted me about it." Kirsten put her hand on Georgia shoulder. "But I know better know." Kirsten shook her head. "I'm not going to be that person again." She smiled warmly. "I promise you."

"Ok." Georgia nodded. "It doesn't bother me that you were an alcoholic. It barely crosses my mind." Georgia smiled. "I guess I just really care about you. I don't want you to hurt yourself."

"I'm surprised about how understanding you are. I appreciate it of course." Kirsten said quizzically.

"I accepted it because aren't we all recovering from something?"

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Since I've talked about Kirsten's drinking past, I thought I should bring some of Georgia's life at home that isn't so perfect into the story. Hope you enjoyed this.

Wrote quite a bit actually while away. My god that stupid lady at the airport in Newark delayed the departure by an hour then we had to fly about in the air for another hour cause there was a problem landing. I got a lot done then and the other 22 hours I spent flying.

New storylines I hadn't thought of before coming in which is good. It was great to come home to a bunch of reviews so thanks and keep em coming. The more reviews the quicker the updates, especially since schools tarts on Tuesday. Grr.

O yeh and the whole "aren't we all recovering for something?" quote will be revealed next chapter. So there's your spoiler.

Xoxo kirstie