Seth jumped into the beat up brown car as soon as he recognized Julie.
"Seth what's going on?" Julie demanded as she twisted around to see him in the back seat.
"We have to get Ryan to the hospital! The Rover has a flat tire and broken axel so we tried to walk, but he's lost too much blood and he couldn't go any farther. So I went to get help and all I could find was a shopping cart. But now you guys are here with a car and everything. Hurry, we don't have much time." Seth rambled.
"What?" Frank asked in confusion.
Julie wasn't having as much trouble sifting through the multitude of words, having dealt with the teen before. "Where is he Seth?"
Seth sighed and gave Frank directions. Sure enough a bowed blond head appeared in the headlights. Seth didn't even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before he was out and running towards his brother.
"Ryan? Dude can you hear me?" Seth asked urgently as he placed his hand on Ryan's shoulder.
Ryan looked up at Seth blinking slowly. "Hey, knew you would come." He murmured before his eyes slid closed and he slumped into Seth.
"Come on man, don't do this now!" Seth pleaded as he worked to keep Ryan's head from hitting the ground.
By this time Frank and Julie were out of the car. Frank and Seth worked together to get Ryan into the back of the car while Kaitlin moved to the front seat. Seth wouldn't allow Julie to hold his brother. He crawled into the back seat and placed Ryan's head into his lap.
"I know this seems totally minty, but I have to take care of him." Seth argued with the red-head.
Julie smiled and nodded. "I know Seth. He's your brother. Ryan would be the same way if it was you."
Seth flashed her a grateful look and ignored the glare Frank shot Julie when she called Seth Ryan's brother.
The hospital was a mad house when they pulled up in front of the emergency room. Frank pulled the car up at the end of the line of vehicles that were waiting to drive up to the emergency room doors.
"This is insane!" Seth grumbled as he opened his door and slid out from under Ryan. "I'm going to get help." He declared before running up to the doors and disappearing inside.
"Why did you say that?" Frank growled to Julie.
"Say what?" Julie asked, distracted by trying to see if Ryan was going to wake up.
"That Seth was Ryan's brother."
Julie turned her green eyes to the man on the other side Kaitlin, who was watching with wide eyes. "Frank, Ryan has said that Seth was his brother in everything but blood. You only have to see them together and it's obvious."
"Seth Cohen is not Ryan's brother, Trey is." Frank grumbled, turning to look out the windshield.
Julie raised an eyebrow at the challenge. "Is this the same Trey that tried to kill Ryan two years ago? Is he the same brother that tried to frame Ryan for his shooting and then took off?"
"Seems to me that you had a little something to do with the framing bit." Frank lashed out.
"Yeah, I did. I was trying to protect my daughter. As hard as it was, I'm glad that it worked out the way it did. Ryan didn't deserve what I did to him. He didn't deserve any of what I did to him, but he seems to have forgiven me for it. He's a great kid and he deserves another great kid like Seth as his brother." Julie retorted.
Frank's reply was cut off when the back door was wrenched open and Seth's voice could be heard.
"He's in here. He's been unconscious for about fifteen minutes. He was hurt with the original quake so he's been bleeding since then."
"Did you try to remove the glass?" The person that was leaning into the car dressed in a white shirt and tie asked.
"No, but the aftershock drove it in a little deeper." Seth explained.
The dark-haired man nodded and shone a light in Ryan's eyes as he lifted the lids. Ryan didn't even flinch. "We've got to get this kid inside right now." He said urgently to the nurse behind him.
Moments later, Frank had parked the car and was hurrying in through the emergency room doors. Seth, Julie and Kaitlin were waiting anxiously in a corner of the packed waiting room.
"What did they say?" He asked.
"We haven't heard anything yet." Julie informed him.
Frank sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He glanced over at Seth who was tapping his foot and gnawing on his thumbnail. Kaitlin was sitting beside him with her hand on his back.
"He's going to be OK you know. He's Ryan. He's the toughest guy I know." Kaitlin told him softly.
"I've got to call my mom and dad. They need to know what's going on." Seth declared, pulling out his cell phone. "Dad! Dad you need to get to HOAG… What do you mean you're already here? Is she OK?… No Dad I'm fine, it's Ryan. He had some furniture in Taylor's room fall on him and got this huge spear of glass in his back… He probably didn't want to worry you and Mom. He texted me to come help him but not to tell Summer or Taylor. Apparently Taylor doesn't deal well with blood – and there was blood Dad – lots of blood… He passed out before we got him here… The doctors are here now… No, Frank, Julie and Kaitlin gave us a ride… We're in the ER waiting room… OK I'll see you."
Seth closed his phone. "Dad's on his way down. Mom fell and they're doing tests to make sure the baby's OK." He announced.
"Oh my God. Is Kirsten alright?" Julie asked.
"Yeah, Dad said she just bumped her head, but that the baby was in distress. They won't know anything else for a while until the tests come back." Seth informed her as he rubbed his face tiredly. He couldn't believe how much this night sucked.
Just then the doctor came back out and headed towards them. Seth didn't like the serious look on the guy's face.
"Ryan is on his way for a CT scan. The glass was so deep we're concerned about damage to his internal organs. He's also in need of a blood transfusion, but we're running low on whole blood. One of you wouldn't happen to be O negative would you?" He asked hopefully.
Frank felt his heart sink. He wasn't a match. He wanted to be able to prove his claim over his son. Giving him blood would have gone a long way towards that.
"I am." Seth spoke up.
"Me too." A deeper voice said from behind the doctor.
Seth smiled. "Dad." He said softly before throwing himself into his father's comforting arms.
"It's going to be OK Seth." Sandy whispered softly. He looked up at the doctor. "Where do I need to go?"
"If you'll follow me, I'll get a nurse to show you." The doctor instructed.
"No Dad, let me do this. Mom's going to need you and so is Ryan. You don't need to be out of it from giving blood." Seth stopped them.
"Are you sure Seth?" Sandy asked his son.
"Yeah. He's my brother." Seth stated calmly. "Tell Mom I love her."
"Huh, you'll probably be able to tell her yourself. I was outside in the hall when you called. I haven't exactly told her yet." Sandy grimaced. He turned his attention to the doctor. "When will we know the results of the CT scan?"
"It will be at least a couple of hours. They're backed up in radiology. You can return to your wife and I'll send word of the results to you as soon as I get them." The doctor informed him.
"You better get back to her." Seth told him as he moved to follow the doctor.
Sandy nodded and turned to the others. "Thanks for getting the boys here." He said somberly.
"Of course Sandy. Give Kirsten our best." Julie answered before Frank could say anything. "We'll wait here."
Sandy nodded again and left them to their corner to wait.
Julie looked over at Frank. "Are you OK?" She asked gently.
Frank gave her a lost look. "I couldn't even help him by giving him blood."
"Oh Frank, you got him here. That saved his life." Julie consoled.
"I'm his father Julie and I should be the one that the doctors are coming to about his treatment, not Sandy." Frank argued. "He just waltzes in here and takes over."
"Sandy's always been that way. He's used to taking control of the situation. It's habit for him to take care of his family. He didn't mean anything by it." Julie tried to reason.
"But Ryan isn't his family. He's my son." Frank grumbled.
Julie sighed. "I'm sorry Frank, but Ryan has been Sandy's kid since he arrived in Newport. He and Kirsten have defended him like a couple of watchdogs to everyone in this town. Ask anyone in Newport and they'll tell you that Ryan's parents are Sandy and Kirsten. That's not going to change. But you were there when he needed you tonight, and that means a lot. You saved your son Frank. Take some comfort in that."
Frank nodded and slumped in his chair to settle in for the long wait.