A/N: Sooo you may have noticed I reposted. I rewatched the first episode of season 3 and realized that it starts with Ryan waking up and it's a week before school. So, here's what happened between when Ryan hit the floor and when Ryan woke up from his dream to Seth standing in the pool house telling him that it wasn't a dream.

My Original A/N: So after I started writing "The Other" and it was reviewed (you all are fabulous and I wouldn't write if it wasn't for all of you *hugs*) I started thinking about something beachtree said about how we never saw what that summer was like for our fabulous foursome and the Cohen clan -1. So I decided to write my own version of the summer, completely ignoring of course any events that happened in The Others.

What to expect? I'm thinking, lots of dark/withdrawn Ryan, a distant Sandy, Seth will be lost in the shuffle of things, and Marissa will just be there and we all know that usually means drama with a side of trouble. Add water. A little Ryan!whump because we all know I can't resist. And stir.

Hope you all enjoy.

It was the pain that woke him up, a distant aching pain. Familiar. Yet detached. Someone else's face, not his own.

He opened his eyes and stare blearily at the clock on his bedside table.

It was almost noon. He should get up. Drag his body out of bed. Or he could just go back to sleep. And hope that when he woke up it was time to go to school. The bottle of pain killers the doctor's had give him was by his bedside. He took another pill.

*******************************************

Seth gazed longingly out at the pool house. He wanted to go and talk to Ryan, but he wasn't sure what to say. Or if Ryan even wanted him around. Maybe he just wanted to be alone for awhile? Seth sighed, and stirred his bowl of cereal. It was soggy.

When had everything fallen apart? It had been so sudden. Like a sand castle that seemed sturdy and then was suddenly washed away in a storm. His mother. She'd been washed away in her own quiet storm, all along it had been raging inside of her, and she had told no one. Hidden it from them all. How could that have happened?

There were supposed to be close. The perfect family. He looked over at the fridge. Last year's Christmas photo was still tacked to the fridge. Perfect smiles. Matching sweaters. It was mocking him. He barely even knew it was happening. One moment he was staring at the picture. That perfect goddamn picture that was a complete lie. Then his cereal bowl was in his hand. Then there was a cereal bowl hurtling towards the fridge. Then there was spilled milk. A broken bowl. Bits of cereal sticking to the shiny glossy lie that wasn't so shiny or glossy anymore.

Then Seth got up, walked to the fridge and took the photo down, and ripped it into two. And threw it away. Then he set about cleaning the mess. Glad it was there. Glad he had made it. Now he had something to do. Something to think about. Something to keep his hands and mind occupied.

********************************************

"Hey Seth," Sandy came in, a forced smile. His voice an octave higher and a decimal louder with its forced cheerfulness, "How's it going?"

"Fine." Seth's eyes didn't lift from the video game.

"Good, good, great- Where's Ryan? I left work a little early, thought maybe we could all go to the movies or bowling or something."

"Pool house."

"Oh right, right- what's he doing out there?"

"How should I know?"

"Well, let's go get him. Get this party going."

"No thanks,"

"What?" Sandy's smile faulted, "What do you mean no thanks?"

"I mean, no thanks. Not really in the mood for a movie."

"Since when is Seth Cohen not in the mood for a movie."

"I don't know Dad. Since when was Mom in the mood for a cocktail at 8am?"

"Seth…" Sandy's voice had that tone. The one that he used right before he went for a threat.

"Sandy…" Seth echoed him. He turned off the television. "I'm going upstairs-"

"Hey, don't walk out on me!" Sandy yelled, but Seth was already halfway up the stairs.

"Well- what's gotten into him?" Sandy asked aloud. No one answered. He forced another smile onto his face and went to find Ryan. Maybe he'd have better luck with him. Maybe Ryan could talk Seth into the movies. Or at least Ryan could provide a Seth-to-human-translation.

The pool house was dark, Sandy knocked and there was no response. "Ryan?" He knocked again. Was Ryan even here? He opened the door. When his eyes adjusted to the dim light he noticed a large lump on the bed. "Ryan? Hey kid, are you okay?" He approached the bed, and touched Ryan gently on the shoulder.

Ryan's eyes flew open and he stared up at Sandy's looming face, "Sandy?"

"Hey kiddo, are you feeling okay?" He moved his hand to feel Ryan's forehead but Ryan moved away from him.

"I'm fine, jus' tired. What time is it?"

"5 O'clock, I was thinking maybe we could have a Cohen men night out. Grab pizza? Go to the movies."

"Yeah, no thanks…" Ryan said, turning away.

"What is going on? Seth just said the exact same thing to me." Ryan shrugged.

"Sorry,"

"Yeah, don't worry about it kid." He clapped him on the shoulder. "What do you want for dinner? I could order in pizza?"

"No thanks… Not really hungry…" Ryan said.

"Come on kid, you gotta eat."

"I ate a late lunch." Ryan lied.

"Right, right…" Sandy sighed, and went back to the house. Ryan felt bad as he watched Sandy's slumped shoulders walk away, but sleep was calling his name again.