Title: Responsibility

Summary: It takes something terrible happening for Sandy and Kirsten to realise how they've been neglecting their family. Season 3

Ryan H/C 3

The engine sputtered and coughed, the car beginning to slow to a crawl as Ryan pulled onto the side of the road hitting the steering wheel as the engine lurched again before cutting out completely.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath as he sat in the car. The rain drove down in torrents, pattering on the roof of the car and lashing harshly against the window panes. He leant back in his seat and closed his eyes letting out a long sigh.

He really didn't want to get out of the car into the icy rain and check out the engine but it was either that or sit in the car all night so he didn't really have a choice.

He wished he had taken a coat.

Taking a breath he leant forward and pushed open the car door, an icy gust of wind hit him in the face immediately almost sending him reeling backwards.

Stupid storm.

He walked around the front of the car, he was soaked within seconds. Popping the hood of the car he squinted through the dark trying to find some sign of what was wrong.

He couldn't see a thing, it was too dark and he didn't have a flashlight. Even if he did he wasn't sure exactly what he would do. It looked like the engine was pretty much fried.

He didn't have a tow truck number. What was he supposed to do?

Shivering slightly against the howling wind and the rain lashing against his face he pulled out his cell phone.

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Sandy Cohen let out an exasperated sigh as he tried to sort through the mountain of papers that had been dumped on his desk. The proposal had to be finished by Tuesday and the architects hadn't even finished the blue prints.

Even after spending so many years in a hectic office dealing with an impossible amount of cases he had never felt this swamped.

It felt like he spent more time in this office than at home.

His cell phone began to buzz from its place under another stack of papers and he groaned and shifted the pile.

Ryan Cell

He was probably calling to tell him he was back from his trip down to Berkley.

He flicked open his cell phone.

"Hey kid, how was the trip?" He asked, he could hear wind and the rain over the line, it was shaping up to be a terrible storm, it was unseasonably cold as well.

"It was great um Sandy I was wondering…if you're not too busy, but if you are it's okay…but the car broke down and I need to get a ride…" Ryan asked.

Sandy was about to respond when there was a knock on the door and Matt's head appeared through the gap.

"Sandy, they want the planning notes for the development now." Matt said urgently causing Sandy to sigh.

"Hang on a second Ryan." He said.

"They want them NOW? That's impossible."

"I know but they mean business."

Sandy scrubbed a hand over his face.

"I'll be out in a minute." He said before picking up the phone.

"Ryan I'm really sorry but I can't pick you up, things are crazy over here and I can't leave. Try Kirsten." He said glancing at his watch.

"Okay, thanks Sandy." He said before Sandy hung up. Ryan let out a sigh and began to dial Kirsten's number hoping he would have better luck with her, he hated having to call them and ask for help when they were busy but he didn't fancy his chances with walking home in the rain.

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"No no, you don't put that centrepiece on that table; it goes on the one on the left. It's not difficult." Kirsten said to the rather ditzy girl who was setting up the tables. She had to get the whole room set up by the time people started arriving. Why had she let Julie get her into this?

Just as she was about to yell about where the hell the canapés were her cell phone began to ring. Sighing, she pulled it out of her pocket and flicked it open.

"Hello?" She said exasperatedly.

"Kirsten? It's Ryan." He said, wishing he could turn the heating on in the car.

"Oh hey sweetie, Is it important because I'm really busy right now." She said as she adjusted the tablecloths.

"Oh well, I was just wondering if you could give me ride because the car's broken down…" He began.

Kirsten was about to reply when she heard a smash and a shrill scream, looking over she saw Julie yelling and a pile of broken china. She groaned.

"Ryan I'm really sorry but I can't get away right now, why don't you try Sandy?" She suggested, keeping one eye on Julie as she berated the poor girl who had dropped the plates.

"But I.." He began again but Kirsten cut him off.

"I'm really sorry Ryan, any other time you know I would but I really have to go. I'll see you later." She said hanging up before Ryan could say anything else.

He leant back against the headrest and shut his phone with an exasperated sigh. He knew Seth was catching a movie with Summer so he'd have his cell off…

It looked like he'd have to walk.

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Seth opened the front door and stepped into the dark house, he pulled down the hood from his jacket and rushed over to the mirror, relieved to find his hair still in tact.

"Stupid weather." He grumbled to himself as he flicked the lights on.

"Hello?" He called out to the empty house.

Surely Ryan would be home by now? He knew his parents would be at work as usual but usually Ryan was here whenever he got back. He knew he was on his way back from Berkeley but it wouldn't take this long would it?

Maybe he was in the pool house.

He walked through to the kitchen finding all the rooms empty and looking out the rain spattered windows he could see the lights in the pool house were off.

Ryan wasn't here.

Frowning he walked over to the phone and began to dial Ryan's cell.

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A violent shiver ripped through Ryan as he trekked along the roadside. He was completely soaked through to the skin and the icy rain wasn't showing any sign of relenting. This was shaping out to be a pretty crappy evening.

His clothes felt like lead as they were weighed down with water and he couldn't see a thing, it was too dark out. He hoped he was going in the right direction.

As he shivered again, the icy wind whipping around him his cell phone began to ring in his pocket. God he hoped it was Sandy or Kirsten saying they could give him a ride.

"Hello?" He said hoping he could be heard over the howling wind and driving rain.

"Ryan man, it's Seth. I just got back home, where are you?" He asked frowning at the noise over the line.

"I'm walking down Enfield Road." He said as a car drove past, narrowly missing a huge puddle.

"What? You mean you're outside? In that? Are you mad?" He asked incredulously, gesturing towards the window even though Ryan couldn't see him.

"Well believe it or not Seth I'm not actually out here by choice." He snapped.

"Sorry, the…the car broke down and neither of your parents could give me a lift and I knew you were out with Summer so I started walking." He said trying to stop his teeth chattering and the shivers that were rattling his frame.

"Ryan you can't walk back home in this! Last time I checked you didn't have webbed feet. You're on Enfield Road right?"

"Yeah but Seth y…you don't have to…" He began but Seth cut him off.

"Shutup, I'll borrow Summer's car. Just keep walking along the road and I'll come and pick you up." He said already reaching for his jacket.

Ryan smiled weakly.

"Thanks Seth." He said feeling exhausted.

"No problem."

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It felt like it had been hours since Seth had called but the time on his cell phone told him it had only been about fifteen minutes.

His limbs felt stiff and heavy and he was exhausted. The rain hadn't stopped pouring and there had been no sign of Seth.

He let out a sigh, his breath rose in smoky plumes into the night air. A car drove past, the bright headlights causing him to squint against the harsh light. It wasn't Seth.

A deep roll of thunder resounded in his ears as lightning illuminated the sky.

The thunder masked the sound of screeching tyres and by the time Ryan turned and faced the blinding headlights it was too late to do anything…