Safe With You || Seth Cohen

||48||

I opened my eyes as I felt someone nudging me awake. I looked up to see Seth standing above me, looking very worried about something. 

"Seth, what's wrong?" 

"It's my mom. She was in a car accident." 

I didn't think twice before jumping out of bed and hurriedly getting dressed. Seth drove like a maniac to the hospital and I kept glancing at his face to make sure he was okay. I knew he was probably so worried and so was I. One glance at Ryan told me he was too. 

When we arrived at the hospital, I could see Seth's relief that we were let back instantly. As the three of us walked into the room, I winced as I saw the gash on Kirsten's forehead. It was painful to see her like this, especially when she was usually so put together. 

Sandy glanced at us from his place of holding Kirsten's hand, and beckoned us over. Seth walked forward hesitantly, while Ryan and I stayed back a little, giving the family some space. 

"Mom, are you okay?" Seth asked Kirsten nervously. 

"Oh, I'm fine." Kirsten assured him, then glanced at us. "Really, I am."

"The doctor says she has a concussion, but fortunately no internal injuries." Sandy told us. 

"What happened?" I asked, glancing at Kirsten and thinking back on the empty bottle I'd found. 

"Talking on the cell phone, it was stupid. Thank God for air bags." Kirsten stated and I didn't siss the look her and Sandy shared. Had Kirsten wrecked because she'd been drinking? Did Sandy know about her drinking now? I hoped he did, so that she could get the support she needed. I didn't want Seth to have to go through what Ryan and I went through growing up with our mother.

"Well, is there anything we can do?" Ryan asked. 

"Oh, not a thing. I'll probably just spend the day on the couch." Kirsten told him. 

"Well under the circumstances, I'll lift my parental ban on my DVD collection." Seth stated and I grinned. 

"What an honor." Sandy joked, while Kirsten smiled at Seth. 

Seth began to tell his mother the best DVDs to watch, while I stepped outside for a moment to grab Kirsten a cup of coffee. I got the coffee and was almost back to the room when I saw Sandy speaking to a police officer in the distance. As I got closer, I picked up the last of what the officer said. 

"Just make sure you get her the help she needs, Sandy." 

The officer walked off then and I sighed quietly before walking up to Sandy. 

"Here you go, Sandy. I figured you needed this right now." I told him, handing him the coffee. 

"Thanks, you're right. I do." Sandy stated, taking a sip of the coffee. 

"Look, I know it's not my place, but I think you should have a talk with Kirsten. Try and help her before it's too late or she becomes like-"

"How'd you know?" 

"I found a vodka bottle tucked away in one of the kitchen drawers. And I've seen a change in Kirsten.  I know the signs, it starts as just a small glass of wine, then it escalates. I think Kirsten has been escalating for a while." 

"I know. I can't lose her."

I nodded at that. "None of us can. That's why we have to get her some help."

~~~~

I walked out of school with Summer and Marissa under a huge banner that announced our junior prom.