Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the OC!

The two boys sat in the back of Sandy's car, clearly terrified, but they had no other option than to go with this stranger. Neither wholly trusted their situation, such was the manner of their upbringing that they always expected a slap. However, something about Sandy was different from any men they had ever met before. He wasn't huge and threatening, well he was huge, compared to the two little squirts sitting in his back seat, but he wasn't threatening. He didn't tower above you or scare you, he had bent down to explain to the boys that they were coming with him because mummy needed a break, as if he truly believed they were equals.

It was this element of the unknown that scared the boys.

Sandy, having finished his talk with Dawn and his phone call to child services, jumped in the car and started the engine. He looked in the wing mirror at the boys. The oldest was strapped in, tightly clutching his brothers hand, who was strapped into the 'baby' seat which Seth had refused to use several years ago, but Sandy had never got around to taking out of his car. It was just as well, it seemed, as this tiny boy was now making use of it.

"So, kids, tell me a little about yourselves, my names Mr. Cohen, by the way, but call me Sandy,"

The children looked terrified at the prospect of speech, but, after some hesitation, the eldest spoke up:

"My name is Trey Atwood, I am nearly eleven years old, and my brother is called Ryan, he is seven."

Sandy nodded. Truth be told though, he was shocked, how could these boys look so young for their age? Deep inside, Sandy knew the answer, he just didn't like to think about it.

"We'll Trey, Ryan, you boys are gonna have a good time playing at my house, I have a son the same age as you Ryan, maybe you guys could be friends?"

Ryan shrunk back into his seat at the prospect of being addressed, leaving Trey to answer for him:

"Ryan would like that, where do you live, Sandy?"

"Newport Beach, its quite a long drive kids, I don't often come down your way, but I was filling in for the state attorney for your region. Looks like fate brought us together."

Sandy didn't know why he was telling this to these boys who probably didn't understand some of the words, but he felt a connection between them.

"Gee, Sandy, how long will it take there, it's just my brother gets sick in the car, and he might need the toilet." Trey asked, polite for his age, Sandy noticed.

"Okay, don't worry guys, we'll stop off if you need to, just give me a shout when you need to go Ryan."

"Mr. Sandy, Ryan won't shout at you sir, he doesn't talk you see."

Sandy's brows furrowed.

"What do you mean, son?"

"Our dad used to say he was dumb, sir, but he's not, he's really smart sir, he just can't talk."

Sandy nodded slowly. Suddenly the explaining to Kirsten thing seemed a whole lot harder.

"Well, that's fine, how does Ryan let you know when he needs to go, Trey?"

"Uhh… Mr. Cohen, sir, I think we need to pull up now, Ryan's had an accident."

Sandy looked in his rear view mirror at the petrified looking Ryan, who now had a rather wet pair of pants.

"Oh, hey kiddo, don't worry, OK,"

Sandy pulled in at the next service stop. He climbed out of the car and opened Ryan's side door, reaching in to lift the boy out, as he would have done Seth, unlike Seth however, Ryan shrunk back away from Sandy, scared senseless.

Trey too had suddenly put his guard back up, and, struggling out of his seat, jumped in front of Ryan, his arms out in the same way he had done when his mother was throwing a bottle at them.

"Hey, hey, its ok, I'm not gonna hurt you, ok? Lets just get Ryan sorted out and then I'll get you something to eat, if you like."

Trey was obviously still scared, but backed down. Allowing Sandy to unstrap Ryan and lift him gently from the car. Ryan was rigid with fear, and, although he didn't squirm to get away, this was far from Seth's behaviour, who would cling happily to his fathers neck when he got lifted up.

Sandy carried Ryan to the restroom at the services, instructing Trey to keep a hold of his trouser leg.

After he had Ryan cleaned up and in a pair of Seth's pants, which were kept in the car for such emergencies (although they were much to big for Ryan), Sandy brought the boy's some fries from MacDonald's, which, he noticed, they weren't very happy to accept.

Before long, they were on the road again, and heading in to Newport. Sandy was going to have an awful lot of explaining to do when he got home…

TBC

Just to clear it up- BY BABY SEAT I MEAN THOSE ONES FOR LITTLE KIDS NOT ACTUAL BABIES. THOSE SEATS FOR KIDS ABOUT 3-6 years.

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