A/N This story is pretty dark (but there will be light because well I'm a fan of balance) contains descriptions of rape and violence…not overly graphic but it's there
A/N2 I am fortunately not that familiar with institutionalized child care and am certainly not trying to trivialize what I'm sure is a beyond horrible experience
"Hey Barry hows it going?" Sandy says with a smile sliding in to the booth across from his old college roommate.
"Sandy you have no idea how fucking good it is to see you." The gruff man says taking a long drag off his cigarette.
"Well you sounded a little stressed on the phone I wanted to make sure you were alright." Sandy says with concern. Barry had been a good friend, maid of honor at his wedding, a sudo-uncle to Seth. Unfortunately he moved to New York shortly after college so they didn't get to see each other as much as Sandy hoped.
"Are you alright Barry?" You don't play beer pong with a guy for four years and not recognize the tell-tale signs he's about to be sick.
"You heard about McClellen Hall?" Sandy furrows his brow in thought for a moment and nods.
"The institution for boys in Chino? Yeah I heard they were having some legal trouble." Sandy replies, still fuzzy on the basics.
"That place is one pile of fucking legal trouble." Sandy raises his eyebrows indicating for Barry to continue. "Treat the kids in there like shit the allegations include rape, assault and battery, neglect." Sandy nods in understanding. Barry was always a staunch activist especially when it came to children. The man had concept of failure and refused to compromise. He was the best man to have on your side and the worst to have working against it.
"Those institutions cause more harm than good." Sandy offers understanding Barry's frustration.
"I am going to shut that place down before another 7 year old kid gets fucked by a pervy guard." The waitress tries to hide the shock on her face and Barry flinches and lights a cigarette when he realizes his volume.
"You want me to help you?" Sandy asks cautiously. These cases take up years, they're usually brutal, time-consuming and all together not that great for the family.
"Look I know you got your own 13 year old at home and a wife to worry about but Sandy these kids need our help." Barry says adamantly leaning forward.
"Remember when we were in college and we swore we would never get the fucking bur out from under the saddle. That we wouldn't become desensitized? Wouldn't stop fighting for what's right? This is so fucking wrong I can hardly stand it." Barry exclaims putting out his cigarette. Sandy nods remembering how he promised himself and Barry ,sometime between frat parties and wooing Kirsten , that he would never settle for comfortable oblivion.
"Sandy I know you gotta talk to Kirsten about this and if you can't do it or can only be a consult or something, no hard feelings, I understand. Sally and me are moving to Newport for the case and probably after. She hates raising the kids in the city and our apartment is so fucking expensive I might as well by a mansion." Sandy laughs thinking that it's ironic that the two people least fitting to Newport society are going to end up making it there home.
"Give me the file I'll give it a look over. I'll talk to Kirsten this afternoon and why don't you come over for dinner help me pitch it to her?"Barry smiles broadly because it's nice to see that Sandy Cohen still does the right thing.
Ryan pulls the itchy sheet closer closing his eyes tightly. When he shuts his eyes tight he can imagine that he's not here in this hell hole, that his social worker miraculously found a foster family for a teenage kid, the sheet miraculously were clean and that miraculously he wouldn't have to shower with 15 other boys.
It's a toss over which live is better, life with AJ and his mom. The guards here haven't done nothing like what AJ made him do but he's been careful not to catch their eye. He knows it's inevitable. He's scum, and AJ made him even dirtier, AJ used to say that the only thing Ryan was good for was a good, hard pounding.
He remembers the first time like it was nothing. Trey was out somewhere and Ryan was lying in bed waiting up to make sure someone could unlock the window for Trey. When someone tiptoed into the room he thought Trey had finally remembered a goddamn key but it was AJ. Before Ryan knew it the man's hands were everywhere and no matter how Ryan fought nothing he could do would stop AJ.
Dawn had believed Ryan's traumatic story, looking back he had almost wished she didn't. After much convincing Dawn had finally shrugged and asked Ryan what the fuck he did to deserve it. Ryan couldn't think of anything but he's sure there is something. His mother wouldn't have laughed at him if he didn't deserve it.
"Kirsten I'm telling you now this case is going to be long hours, frustrating dead ends and me missing a lot of family dinners." Sandy says trying to cement Kirsten's understanding of this huge undertaking. "I'd have to quit my job and work with Barry and his firm." Kirsten takes a sip of wine considering,
"This is important to you isn't it." Kirsten asks softly.
"Nothing is important to me as you and Seth." Sandy states firmly. Kirsten gets up and links her arms around Sandy's neck.
"Righting wrongs, taking names, working long hour for almost no pay." Kirsten says with a smile. "That is definitely the Sandy Cohen I married. I support you and it's not like we need the money." Kirsten adds with a laugh kissing her husband.
"Are you 100% sure because I guarantee it's not going to be easy and I want to do right by you and Seth"
"You are a man Seth can be proud to say is his father." Kirsten says combing her fingers through Sandy's hair. "And including me in the decision, being honest about how hard this is going to be for you, for us, that's all I ever need. You do right by me everyday Sandy but if you refuse this job you would be doing wrong by you."
"Alright." Sandy says with a nod wondering what he did to deserve such a supportive, loving wife. Immediately he picks up the phone and dials Barry.
"Barry, I'm in, let's shut these fuckers down."
"Get the fuck up!" Ryan is sent crashing to the ground and immediately scrambles up falling in to line with the other kids. He keeps his eye downcast, non-defiant, he wants to blend, he wants to stop being a fuck-up.
"In the showers." This is Ryan least favorite part of the day and he washes as quickly as he can under the watchful eyes of the guard. As soon as he's done he bolts out and basically runs back to his bed to change. There is never any privacy, always someone watching.
"Attwood it's you turn to clean the showers." Ryan nods at the guards barking voice and runs in to the shower room stopping cold at the scene in front of him. Nicholas, an 8 year old who was shyer than Ryan was pressed against the shower sobbing a large guard behind him, eyes rolling back in satisfaction as Nicholas cries silent in protest, to decimated to fight.
"STOP!" Ryan yells running at the guard and pushing him off the smaller boy who is now crying wholeheartedly. The guard looks down menacingly and Ryan quivers as he backhands him.
"I do what I like boy." Ryan pushes Nick out the door.
"Go." Ryan implores. Nick looks at him for a moment fear, gratitude and guilt in his eyes. "RUN Nick." And he does.
"I'll show you who's in control here boy." Ryan's pants are at his ankles and someone else takes a little piece of his soul.
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If you like this I also wrote a story called 'Young Ryan' about Ryan getting adopted at a younger age.