Missing the Consequences – Chapter 3

Thanks to all you reviewers! It's great encouragement to keep writing!

Sorry for the looong time to get this update up! What can I say…University kills!

"You've called emergency service 911, please state the nature of your emergency," the eerily pleasant voice of the emergency number operator sounded over Sandy's cell phone. After hearing the final screams before finding his line disconnected from Seth's cell, Sandy had wasted no time in dialing 911.

"My wife and two sons…I think they've been in a traffic accident on the highway," he now quickly reported. The sooner Kirsten, Seth and Ryan received help the better.

"May we know which turnoff they are closest to?"

"I don't know, I'm not with them, but I was on the phone to Ryan…I mean, to my son…you need to hurry, they may be seriously hurt! My other son…I…I don't think he had his seatbelt on," panicked Sandy into the phone, suddenly recalling Ryan's scream to Seth.

"We are sending an emergency team straight away…"

It was Christmukkah, Seth's favorite holiday…and one that Ryan himself had been led to thoroughly enjoy. Despite the dramas that had ensured on every Christmukkah he had spent with the Cohens, the joy of sharing a special occasion with his beloved new family was enough to overcome everything that was pain and grief. This Christmukkah had been an even more eventful one than last, with Caleb's revelation about Lindsay threatening to ruin whatever the fun and joy the holidays were meant to offer, but they had somehow managed to fix things, not completely, but enough to enjoy the holidays. Now the guests had left, and the Cohens had settled together at the tree for some family time. Ryan watched contently as Kirsten took out the presents and began passing them around to their respective recipients. One for Sandy, who thanked his wife with a kiss that caused Seth to gag. One for Seth, who happily accepted the present until Kirsten decided that he was worthy of a tussle of his hair, which made him squirm and complain "Mom! Watch the Jew fro!" Lastly, she handed one over to Ryan, whom he politely accepted, and she rewarded him too with a tussle of his hair…though unlike Seth, Ryan never complained. Taking extra care to not rip the snowflakes wrapping that Kirsten had carefully chosen, Ryan slowly unraveled his gift, only to find himself holding in his hand a bottle of vodka. Looking up in surprise, he found that Sandy's and Seth's gift was the same.

"Kirsten?" inquired Sandy of the obscure inappropriate gift. Before Ryan knew it, Kirsten had become intoxicated with alcohol and was now staggering toward him holding yet another bottle of vodka.

"Don't you say a word, I let you into this house…" she slurred at him as his world shattered right before his eyes.

"Mr. Cohen? Mr. Cohen, can you hear me?" Ryan woke to a bright light shining into his pupils. Quickly he shut his eyes again, willing away the boring headache that seemed to have settled and the excruciating pain radiating up his right leg.

"Mr. Cohen? Can you tell me what your name is?" asked a man dressed in a white uniform.

"Ryan…Ryan At…wood" he answered in a daze.

"Mr. Atwood is it? Okay, stay with me boy, can you tell me what happened here?" the uniformed white persisted much to Ryan's annoyance. "What happened here?" What had happened? Suddenly it all flashed back to Ryan…the party…Sandy and Kirsten fighting…Kristen driving away with him and Seth…the swerving…the blinding lights of the truck…his shout for Seth to put his seatbelt on…Seth…Seth!

"Seth…Seth!" Ryan suddenly mumbled, fidgeting away from the paramedic to search for his brother.

"Hey hey, stay put okay, Ryan? Okay? We're going to try and lift you out of here okay?" soothed the paramedic as he strapped Ryan to a lift chair, "My name is John by the way," he flashed Ryan a smile.

"Seth…where's Seth?" asked Ryan again, this time allowing his body to relax.

"Your brother? Don't worry, they are lifting him out from the front," reassured John, tightening the last strap onto Ryan, before turning around to give someone behind him a thumbs up.

"No…you don't understand, Seth…" Ryan continued as he felt himself being lifted out of the car, when no one seemed to take notice of him, he allowed his head to crank up from his crib. There he was, there was Seth. Ryan watched anxiously as the rescuers buzzed around the car trying to put his brother from the mess.

"Hey mate," John said to him, stepping through to block his view of the car, "can you tell me where it hurts?"

"Let me see Seth! Where's Kirsten?" cried Ryan immediately, trying to release himself from the tightly bound straps to see past the paramedic.

"Kirsten? You mother? Don't worry kiddo, she'll be fine, she's already on her way to the hospital," reassured John, before squeezing Ryan's left leg. "Does this hurt?" he enquired.

Taking another glance at Seth, Ryan shook his head to acknowledge the paramedic, "my other leg hurts," he offered, "How's Seth? I mean, my brother…" he asked again.

Ryan knew the answer as soon as he saw John's uneasy glance over to the wreck where they were still working on getting Seth out.

"We're going to take good care of your brother Ryan, I promise," he answered Ryan, patting him softly on the shoulder.