This is my first OC fic so please be gentle. It is unbeated and I wrote it at 3am in the morning. Insomnia is an amazing thing. ugh. Hope you enjoy it and that there aren't mistakes. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to Warner Brothers and Josh and company. You guys rock!

NB. The story is set when Ryan went back to Chino at the end of season one and Seth was in Portland. My take of another way that Ryan could of ended up back in Newport at the start of season two.

IT'S OKAY

It was 5 am in the morning as Ryan entered the construction site.

'Another day, another dollar' he sighed. Literally. Working your ass off for minimum wage was not the ideal situation but it would have to do. Theresa and the baby couldn't survive on nothing. Once the baby was born he would probably have to find a night job as well.

Today Ryan was assisting in building the support beams for the top floor of the new shopping mall that no one except money-hungry developers needed.

'Hey Atwood. Grab the other end of this beam, will ya?'

'Sure Pete.' The guys on the site were all pretty good to Ryan. They offered to teach Ryan little tricks of the trade that they had picked up along the way. He knew that they had all figured out that he was not old enough to be working there but yet not one of them ever said a thing about it.

As Ryan and Pete manoeuvred the beam to the edge, there was a violent rumble and the floor beneath the nine workers crumbled into a dusty heap.

Sandy pulled out of the office car park on his way to yet another settlement meeting.

Ring. Ring.

'Sandy Cohen' he answered his phone.

'Hello, Mr Cohen. This is Melanie from HOAG.'

Panic set it.

'What's wrong?'

'I have listed here that you are the emergency contact for a Mr Ryan Atwood?'

'Yes I am. Is he alright?'

'I am not able to release his condition over the phone as I'm just admin and we cannot verify your identification. All I can tell you is that he is alive, here and the doctors are doing their best. Are you able to come down to the hospital?'

Sandy who had just performed an illegal u-turn replied, 'I'm already on my way.'

Ten minutes later Sandy rushed into the emergency room. He had not yet called anyone. He wanted to make sure he knew more about what happened before he alarmed anyone else.

'Ryan Atwood' Sandy said hurriedly to the receptionist.

'Ah, yes. Excuse me one moment while I page Dr Andrews." Sandy looked worriedly around the hospital lobby. Why were there news crews in the waiting room?

'Hi. Are you here for Ryan Atwood?' asked a man in a white coat. Sandy stuck out his hand.

'Sandy Cohen.'

'Dr Greg Andrews.'

'Hows Ryan? What happened?' enquired Sandy.

'Follow me to his trauma room. There was an infrastructure collapse at the construction site for the new mall. Twelve people were injured in total. That's why the reporters are here.'

'Oh dear G-d' Sandy whispered.

'Ryan was the last one out. He was buried so deep under the rubble. It's a miracle he survived. A miracle that there haven't been any fatalities.'

The doctor led them into a room with two nurses, a lot of machines and a very injured Ryan. His chest was bare with various wires attached. His eyes were closed. Blood and an IV dripped slowly into his veins. An oxygen mask covered his face.

Sandy instantly walked up to Ryan placing a careful hand on the unconscious boy's forehead.

'What's wrong with him?'

'His left arm is broken in three places and will require pins to ensure it heals properly. He has a concussion but more worriedly he has suffered extensive damage to his torso. His spleen is ruptured and will likely have to be removed. From what I'm told a beam fell across his chest cavity breaking seven ribs and causing severe trauma to his lungs. We have to operate immediately.'

'Can't seem to ever catch a break can you, kiddo?' Sandy mumbled.

'I understand that you are Ryan's legal guardian.'

'Yes. Do what you have to do.'

'Please sign this consent form Mr Cohen and we will have him in surgery in less than five minutes.'

Sandy had never been happier to sign his name; unless you count the day he signed the marriage registry with Kirsten. Kirsten! He would have to ring her.

The next few minutes were a blur. As they were about to wheel Ryan up to surgery Sandy lent down and whispered into his ear, 'I love you Ryan. You hang in there and I will be here when you wake up.'

And then Ryan was gone. Sandy had some phone calls to make.

Sandy and Kirsten sat in the waiting room desperate for any news on Ryan's condition.

Seth and Luke were on their way from Portland. All it took was near death to bring Seth home. What had they done to deserve such treatment from their son?

Sandy had called Theresa from the hospital. She was very upset but in her heavily pregnant state she was unfit to travel. Sandy promised to call her as soon as he knew anything.

Just when Kirsten thought she couldn't take anymore, Doctor Andrews entered the room. She almost tripped over herself as she ran to the doctor. Before Sandy or Kirsten could speak the doctor put a hand on Sandy's shoulder and told the couple,

'He looks good. Really good.'

Three weeks later Ryan was sitting exhausted and in pain on the coach in the Cohen's living room. Theresa and her mom were in no state to take care of Ryan in his condition, nor did they have the financial resources. The Cohens also lived closer to the hospital and the physio. Besides, the Cohen's could think of a million reasons to justify Ryan staying at their, no his, home.

The phone rang. Sandy answered it in the kitchen.

'Hi Theresa. I'll just grab him for you.'

Theresa had only been able to visit Ryan once in hospital but she managed to ring everyday.

'Ryan. It's Theresa' Sandy stated handing him the phone.

Sandy sat down on the opposite couch with Kirsten following him into the room, snuggling into his chest.'What are you watching Seth?' asked Kirsten. Seth sat as close to the television as possible.

'I'm watching The Valley. I'm trying to retune myself to the mind of Summer if I'm going to win her back. I don't think she was too happy that I left.'

'I don't think anyone was too happy when you left' stated Kirsten.

'Well good luck Seth. You're going to need it' Sandy added.

Ryan would have preferred somewhere more private but when you're an invalid lying on a couch covered in a blanket in constant pain you don't get a choice.

'Hey Theresa.'

'Hey Ryan. How are you?'

'You know. How are you and the baby?'

'There's no easy way to say this Ry.' A moment of silence followed.

'I went into labour yesterday, the baby was stillborn' she sobbed into the phone.

Ryan sat there in shock. He had no idea what to say. After another moment of silence Theresa regained her composure.

'I'm moving to Atlanta. I think it's best we go our separate ways.'

'Will you be alright?' Ryan asked trying to make some sense of what he was hearing.

'I don't know, but I can't stay here. I'll always love you Ryan' and before he could respond the line went dead.

Ryan must have sat there for a good five minutes with the dead phone to his ear in shock.

Kirsten, Sandy and Seth were all staring at his pained expression and watery eyes.

'You okay man?' Seth said coming over to Ryan's said and breaking him out of his trance. Without even realising what he was saying Ryan began talking.

'My Mom got pregnant with me when Trey was only a year old. Dad didn't believe that I was his child, and also didn't want another mouth to feed. He told her to get an abortion but she wouldn't, so he tried to do it himself.'

Seth and Sandy exchanged a nervous glance.

'He punched her in the stomach and pushed her down the stairs. And when I didn't die Dad decided that I must be his because I had the "fighting Atwood spirit".'

There was an awkward silence in the room.

'Sometimes I wish that Mom had miscarried.'

Kirsten replaced Seth by Ryan's side and ran her hands soothingly through his hair.

'Don't talk like that Ryan.' He sighed in response.

'Theresa's moving to Atlanta. My son, Frank Sandford Atwood was stillborn.'

Kirsten gasped in shock.

It was as though Ryan had finally cracked. Six surprising bone-chilling sobs rackedhis exhausted drugged up body.

'Oh sweetie. Just get some rest Ryan. Everything will be okay.' Kirsten said.

'We're all here for you kiddo and always will be' stated Sandy.

'I know. As long as I have you guys everything will be all right,' Ryan said more to himself than anyone else.

Kirsten reached out and lovingly put her arms around her son as he drifted off to sleep.

They would get through this together.

Thanks for reading.

kokomocalifornia xxoo