A/N: It is going good…

Disclaimer: Same one…

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Kirsten sat, staring at the phone in her hands. She knew how guilty she would feel if she told Julie about her sickness, and then called for a family meeting, telling Julie to act surprised. Oh well, she thought, I might as well do it, I think it will save me pain later.

"Hello?" Julie Cooper answered the phone; luckily she had picked up, not her dad.

"Julie…" she stuttered, on the verge of tears, "I have to tell you something."

"Kirsten? Are you all right? You sound shook up!" Julie exclaimed.

"I…I was diagnosed with…leukemia," she couldn't say it without tears coming to her eyes, "Don't tell Caleb, and just come over, with him, say I have called for a meeting."

"We will be over as soon as we can," Julie sounded worried, "Bye."

"Good job Kirsten," Sandy told her, coming over to kiss her forehead, "We'll get through this."

"I think I am going to go freshen up," she told Sandy, walking slowly towards the stairs. Her stitches were killing her, her stomach hurt, she felt nauseous, and her head was throbbing. She knew it would be OK.

"Seth…" she stood in the doorway of his room on the way to change clothes.

"Hey mom," he looked at her with a sad face, she knew he was as scared as hell.

"C'mon kiddo, it won't be too bad!" she told him, walking over to give him a hug. He squeezed her back with all his might.

"Oww…" she exclaimed, noticing bruises forming on her arms.

"Sorry! I didn't know you had become that fragile," Seth chuckled, keeping his optimistic attitude, "and never call me kiddo again."

"Yes sir Seth," she grinned at him, he could always make her smile, no matter what, "and Captain Oats, you're still around…"

"Duh mom, he's been around since I was two," Seth pointed out.

"Well I never really spend time with you," she gave him a half smile, kissing him on the head, "I need to get ready, Sir Nichols and his damsel are on the way."

"Thanks for stopping by!" he yelled as she walked out the door.

Kirsten was happy; despite the fact she was bruised, had a stomach-ache, and had cancer. Before she even got the chance to wash her face, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" Sandy yelled from downstairs. Before he opened the door he tried to put his face on straight; he didn't want Caleb to know that something was wrong.

"Well look who it is, the gruesome twosome!" Sandy exclaimed, swinging the door wide open.

"Hello Sanford," Caleb nodded.

"Sandy!" Julie cried, pecking him on the cheek. Caleb made a disgusted face. Kirsten slowly came down the stairs, smiling at her father and Julie.

"Hello!" she smiled, trying to create a happy composure.

"Kiki!" Caleb walked over and gave his daughter a hug. Luck for her that Julie and Sandy knew that she was sick because of the awful face she made, "How are you?"

"Lets go out on the patio, I have some news," her tone dropped down to a more mellow voice, panicking her father. The group walked out onto the patio, taking seats at one of the poolside tables.

"So Kiki…what is the news?" Caleb asked, suddenly remembered that she had been in the hospital.

"Well…I….um…have….um….," she stuttered, she couldn't get the words out, "I have leukemia." The table was silent, Julie did a great job of hiding the secret, but Caleb's face was draining color.

"Kiki…" was all that he could manage to get out of his mouth.

"Chemo starts Monday, I am going to be as sick as a dog," she told them, trying to be brave. She couldn't handle the fake approach anymore.

"Julie, lets go get something to drink," Sandy gave her the "give them some time" look.

"But I'm not…" Julie suddenly got the hint, "OK." The two walked into the house, and the second they got inside Kirsten set her head on the table and started to cry. The family had done a good job of putting on a positive front, but she felt like utter crap. She hadn't seen Ryan since they got home and Seth had looked scared in his room.

"Oh daddy!" she got up, sat on his lap, and buried her head into his chest.

"Kiki, I love you," those would be the last words he spoke that afternoon. Caleb got up, walked into the kitchen, grabbed Julie around the waist, and told her it was time to leave.

"Bye," Kirsten looked lovingly into her dad's eyes. The second they walked out the door she collapsed into Sandy's arms, "I'm scared, I want to be better," she started sobbing. They stayed on the couch all night.

MORNING

The two didn't even hear the door open, it was Ryan.

"I'll come back," he said, looking at them as if he was waiting for a response.

"It's OK Ryan, stay, get some breakfast, Sandy will take you and Seth to school," she sniffled at little and turned, not wanting Ryan to see her red face.

"Thanks," he said, walking into the kitchen, grabbing his bagel as the doorbell rang.

"Could you get that Ryan?" Sandy asked, holding his wife still. Ryan walked over to the big front doors and opened them; it was Marissa.

"Hey," he said, "What's up?" He suddenly realized that Marissa didn't know, Julie would have never called Jimmy and told him.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Sure," he answered. The second she walked into the kitchen she noticed how awful Kirsten looked.

"Hey Marissa," she said in a shaky voice. Marissa's face turned blank, she felt as if there was something going on that she didn't know.

"Hi…are you all right Mrs. Cohen?" she asked, giving a worried look.

"Didn't your mom tell you?" Sandy gave her a strange look.

"I haven't talked to my mom for a couple days," she responded.

"Well Marissa, sweetie, some things have changed around here," Kirsten knew that she wouldn't be able to say the word without looking like a wimpy female with not so much but a heart, "I was diagnosed, yesterday, with a rare form of leukemia." Marissa's face dropped down to her knees. She dropped the bag of bagels she was carrying and looked into Kirsten's eyes.

"Wow…I don't really know what to say," Marissa couldn't believe the news. Seth and Ryan had to be devastated.

"Well it was nice to see you Marissa, I think I need a nap, bye Ryan," she gave Ryan a hug, but he noticed a slight bruising from the hug from Sandy so he just gently tapped her back, "I'll make sure Seth comes down in a minute." Ryan watched Kirsten walk up the stairs. You could tell that she was tired and sick, especially because of the red in her eyes.

"Morning," Seth came down a few seconds later, "God my mom looks pitiful. Ready to go?" Seth seemed to be avoiding the subject at all costs lately and knew that if he started denying it, his mom would have a cow.

"OK, grab a bagel Seth, eat it on the way," Marissa ordered Seth, "Have a good day Mr. Cohen."

Once the group got to the car, Marissa acknowledged Seth, "So how are you?" she asked with a saddened look on her face, "with all this going on?"

"Umm…last night was a rough one for me, I couldn't sleep well, but besides that, I guess I'm all right," Seth looked out the window, obviously not being his normal self. The group pulled up to Harbor and got out of the car. Seth wanted to avoid Summer, as much as he loved her. He couldn't talk to her without breaking down, something he hadn't done yet.

"COHEN!" too late, Summer was already on his back.

"Hey," Seth groaned, signaling Summer to jump down.

"What's your problem?" she asked, giving him a look.

"God, do you really want to know?" Seth looked really upset, "My mom has cancer." With that Seth started walking towards the school, not wanting to lose it.

"COHEN!" Summer yelled, running up to him, "Oh my god Cohen, I love you so much, and I'll do anything for you." Summer hugged Seth, feeling his body melting into hers.

"I love you too," Seth told Summer, giving her a brief smile.

A/N: Next chapter: chemo starts, the weekend for mother/son bonding, AND MORE!! RR of course!!