A/N: Here's Chapter 13. I don't think I've written anything this long before!

It had been a week since Olivia and Mason had found out about Lorraine. It had still only been two weeks since Stan and Karen had split. There were some days when Olivia and Mason didn't have a clue what was going on. Other days they couldn't be surer of it. Olivia was still hopping mad at her father and would only speak to him when it was absolutely necessary. As much as Mason was mad at his father as well, it still hurt him that his sister and his father couldn't speak to each other, especially at a time when they all needed to be there for one another. Then again, Olivia thought it was Stan was the one who caused all the mess. In some ways, Mason didn't blame Olivia for hating Stan at that moment. At the same time, he just wished that everyone could get along. He'd had enough of people falling out with each other. Hating each other. However there was one person he couldn't help but hate. Lorraine. She was the one that made Stan want to divorce Karen. If it weren't for her they'd all still be somewhat of a happy family. Sure, Karen and Stan argued a lot, but compared to how everything and everyone was now, that was happy. Everybody got along for the most part. There would be some laughter in the house. They would all sit down at the dinner table a chat. There was none of that now. Lorraine had ruined that. There was something weird that Mason had observed about his and Olivia's reactions to Lorraine and Stan.

Mason hated Lorraine.

Olivia hated Lorraine and Stan.

Mason thought back to a week ago when everything blew up. Olivia had been very protective of Karen. Olivia had stood up for her. Olivia had asked Stan 'How could you do that Karen?' Maybe it was a thing between mothers and daughters. Well, in this case, stepmothers and stepdaughters. Then again, Karen had been the only mother figure in Mason and Olivia's lives. At least, the only one they could remember. They'd never met their birth mother. Stan never told them why, but it didn't bother them. They had Karen as mother. She'd raised them. She'd been at the school with them on their first day. She was there for them when Stan went to jail. But now, there was another woman trying to take her place. Well, was meant to be trying to take Karen's place. Truth was, she couldn't care less about them. Not that Olivia and Mason cared about her. She wasn't even making an effort with them. Mind you, Olivia and Mason weren't making an effort with her. They didn't want to. As much as Stan tried to kid himself, Mason and Olivia would never accept her. Not now. Not ever. She would never take the place of their stepmother. She would never be the one they would talk to about their troubles. Mason and Olivia used to think that Stan would always be there for them. That's what he told them when they were younger. Then he went to jail. Where was he then? Someone was there for them, but it wasn't him. Then, he split from Karen, leaving his children heartbroken that their parents were divorcing. Where was he then to comfort them? That's right, he was screwing some whore he met while he was in jail. He couldn't care less if they were okay. That's how it seemed to Mason and his sister. Mason couldn't help but think of the one person who'd always been there for them.

Karen.

'Maybe we'll all be happy someday.' Mason said out loud to himself.

---

'Olivia would you take the garbage out for me please?' Lorraine asked.

'In your dreams.' Olivia cheekily answered.

'Olivia, do as Lorraine tells you!' Stan was desperately trying to get his children to respect his new girlfriend.

'I'm not taking orders from her! She's not my mother!' Olivia refused to back down. Mason looked worried. Olivia had become quite a troublesome child in the last week. All he wanted was to have his old sister back. The Olivia before everything blew up.

'You took orders from Karen and she wasn't your mother.' Lorraine sarcastically said, trying to rub in the fact that Karen wasn't any relation to Olivia or her brother.

'She's more my mother than you'll ever be!' Olivia snapped back. She couldn't stand this woman, yet she was being told to take orders from her.

'Listen to Lorraine! She's the ne-' Stan was cut off by Olivia beginning to talk again.

'Don't even get me started on you! Karen's more of a parent to us than you are. And she's not even really a parent!' Once Olivia stared shouting she couldn't seem to stop herself.

'Olivia don't you dare say that!' Stan couldn't believe what his own daughter was saying about him.

'Well, where were you when people were making fun of us at school? Oh, that's right, you were in prison! You were breaking the law and you didn't care about what it would do to us! And now, instead of trying to get things back to normal, you're changing things by as good as throwing Karen out and moving your slut in!' Olivia looked right at Lorraine as she said the word 'slut'.

'Olivia, you're grounded!' Stan thought of the easiest way to punish his daughter.

'I don't even care!' Olivia shouted as she walked up to her room.

'Nice one!' Mason said sarcastically in his sister's defence, before following her up to her room. 'Hey, you okay?' Mason asked as he reached her bedroom door.

'Depends what you mean by that.' Olivia half-heartedly joked. 'I guess I won't be going out with you and Elliot today.

'I guess not.' Mason felt bad that Olivia wouldn't be coming. She had only spoken the truth.

'I'm sorry.' Olivia regretted subjecting Mason to the shouting downstairs.

'What are you apologising for? It's Dad who should be apologising. You only told the truth. It's him that's in the wrong here, not you!' Mason hugged his sister while he said this. For siblings, Mason and Olivia were extremely close. After all, they had been through so much together. 'Are you sure you don't mind me going out?' Mason didn't want to leave his sister if it meant she would feel resentful.

'Nah, go!' You're not grounded.' Olivia laughed.

'Okay. I'm going to go just now. If you're sure?' Mason wanted to check one last time that she didn't mind.

'Yes I'm sure. Now go!' Olivia joked as Mason went to leave. 'Say hi to Elliot for me!'

'I will.'

---

Mason headed down to their usual meeting place- the park. He was worried about Olivia. She seemed to be taking everything really badly. He just hoped she wouldn't end up doing anything stupid.

'Hey!' Elliot shouted. 'Where's Olivia?'

'Grounded.' Mason answered.

'Why?' Elliot was shocked. He didn't think Olivia had ever been grounded before.

'For calling Dad's new slut, well, a slut!'

'To her face?' Elliot didn't think Olivia had the courage to call anyone anything nasty to their faces. Olivia was a pleasant girl most of time.

'Yep!'

'Wow.' was Elliot's only reply.

'I'm really worried about her. She keeps getting into trouble. It's like she's a totally different person to who she was a week ago. I'm really scared for her. I'm scared everything's going to be too much for her and that she's going to do something stupid like throw herself under a bus or take too many painkillers or something!' Mason didn't realise how hysterical he was. 'I've heard about people who do that. Life gets too much for them and they just kill themselves! What if that happens to Olivia? Or what if she starts getting drunk all the time or if she starts taking drugs or something horrible like that? Then she's going to end up killing herself whether she means it or not! I don't want to lose her! I don't want to lose my sister!' Mason had got himself all worked up.

'Mason, calm down! You're not going to lose Olivia! Olivia's not that kind of person. She's not silly enough to take her own life. She knows that she's got lots of people to lean on. She knows she's got Auntie Grace, Uncle Will, Jack, Karen, me and especially you that she can go to for help. Besides, you know Olivia. She wouldn't want to leave the people she loves. So, calm down. You're getting yourself worked up for nothing.' Elliot did his best to console his best friend. 'If you want to make sure she knows she's got everyone around her, talk to her, give her hugs. Just do anything you think that will comfort her.'

'You're right. I need to make sure she's okay. I don't believe you that she's not that silly! Because she is pretty silly!' Mason joked while still trying to calm himself down.

'Different kind of silly, Mason!' Elliot added before Mason had a chance to get worked up again.

'If you don't mind I'm going to go home. I've got a sister to comfort.'

'I don't mind. Make sure she's okay.' Elliot didn't mind that Mason wanted to go home. He knew how much his sister meant to him.

'I'll try.'

---

When Mason arrived back at his home, he went straight to Olivia's room. Olivia was still sitting on her bed, doing nothing. Mason went directly over to her and hugged her.

'Hey Mason! What's this for?' Olivia was taken by surprise when he hugged her.

'We're all here for you. Don't do anything stupid, okay.' Mason said. He was nearly crying.

'O…kay then.' Olivia didn't know what had gotten into her brother. 'Thanks.'

'No need. It's what brothers are for.' Mason replied as he walked out of her room.

Olivia shook her head after he'd left her room. 'That was…weird.' Olivia said out loud to herself.

A/N: There's chapter 13. Thanks to karengraciewalker, Panema, and keisha4 for reviewing the last chapter. Panema, I'm sorry that you REALLY don't like Stan in this story. Enjoy!