What I've Become
Summary: Ryan says his last good-bye to his biological father. Better than it sounds. one-shot
Disclaimer: As sad as it is for me to say this, I own nothing, not even his father, or his father's name.
Review: They make me who I am (at least in writing)
He put his hand on the cool, silver handle, deciding to turn it or not when a voice interupted his thoughts.
"Sir, you can go in there if you want, it's allowed," the little old nurse said. "I know, thanks," Ryan Atwood replied.
He kept his hand on there for a few more seconds, then turned it and finally opened the door. He walked in, sighing sadly. As the door shut, it made a silent thump. It was the only sound heard in the room, besides the rapid beating in Ryan's heart and the loud buzzing of the heart monitors.The young man looked at the figure in the bed, a few wires and such connected to the pale face and arms. He studied the figure; grey hair, pale, scaly skin and a mishaped nose, much like his own.
His hands stuffed in his pockets, hewalked over to the window, studying the view outisde the hospital. He tried hard not to look at the man in the hospital bed.
After a few minutes, he slowly walked over to the figure; a safe distance away, and looked at it. The white, hospital sheets started to move and an old man began to rub the sleep from his eyes. He finished rubbing; digging his knuckles deeper into the sockets and finally looked around the unfurnished room.
His eyes focused on another human. He stared at the man in a suit finished with a loose tie and shaggy, sandy blonde hair. The old man rubbed his eyes again, more softly this time, trying to get some of the fuzziness out.
"Ryan?" the man asked surprised.
"Hey D..." but stopped himself and continued, "umm...yeah, it's me Dad".
"My boy, look at you, all grown up, and in a... suit!" he exclaimed, suprised. "You always hated suits, couldn't get you in one if my life depended on it." He stretched his arms out, waiting for a hug. Ryan looked hesitant, but embraced him anyways. "Yeah, well things change," he retorted coldly once he pulled back from the uncomfortable embrace.
"What are you doing here?"
"Dawn called me a few days ago, told me I should come by, said you were sick," Ryan answered.
"Oh, Dawn, yeah, she was here a few days ago, she said good-bye," the man recalled sadly.
"Yeah. So how long you been in here?" Ryan asked.
"Oh, should be about a month now," Dave answered hesitantly. He gulped and continued, "Doctors said all my smoking days are over, and when I got out of Fresno..."
Ryan interupted him coldly,"When did you get out?"
"Oh, it's been a while..."
Ryan cut him off again, eyes flashed with anger. "I asked when!" he demanded. His hands started clenching into fists inside his pockets.
Just then, the door opened and a beautiful, tall thin woman walked in, wearing a casual knee-length dress as her heels clicked on the linoleum.
Ryan felt his hands relax.
The honey blonde beauty wrapped her arms around Ryan's neck, not noticing the man in the bed. Her left hand, with the 4 karat diamond ring, flashing in Dave's eyes as she hugged her husband. Ryan gave her a quick peck on the lips. He took his hands out of his pockets and the gold band on his left hand flashed in Dave's eyes as the woman's had done moments ago. He wrapped his arms around her waist so she could return the quick kiss.
"Ugh, sorry we're late, but traffic was horrible," Marissa Atwood groaned, pulling back, one arm still around her husband's waist.
"Uh, no! It's because Mom drives like an old lady," a girl with blonde hair, around 14, piped up, coming into the room. Ryan laughed a little as Marissa scoffed. "I do not."
"Hate to say it Mom, but you do." A boy, resembling Ryan, retorted. He walked in with a little girl trailing him. "Daddy!" the seven year old shrieked as she ran into Ryan's arms. "Hey pumpkin," he said as he let go of Marissa's waist and picked up the little girl, giving her a kiss on the cheek. She gladly returned with a loud 'MUAH'.
Emma Atwood wrapped her arms around her Dad's neck tighter, realizing her surroundings and a man she had never seen before. "Daddy, what hoshpital aw we at?" she asked. Ryan laughed at his daughter's nasal voice. She had just had her tonsils removed a few weeks ago, and suffered from a runny nose all week.
"Man, they don't have any vending machines around here, but some lady is getting botox and butt implants," an 11 year old boy commented as he walked into the room, laughing hysterically. "Oh hey Dad," he greeted once he noticed his father; he started to walk over there. Ryan put down Emma, and she ran to Marissa. Marissa picked her up, letting out an exaggerated groan as if she was actually heavy. Emma laughed at her Mom. "Oh, Mommy, you so shilly," the seven year old replied to the groan. They all let out a little laugh.
"Ben," Ryan said happily, as Ben gave him a 'manly', but still loving hug.
"Jake?" Ashley asked, holding out her hand.
"Sorry Ash, no gum, just don't open your mouth and talk." Jake laughed as Ashley stuck out her tounge childishly at him.
"Ash, here honey," Marissa said as she let Emma out of her hands and back into Ryan's arms. She opened her purse and gave her 14 year old a piece of gum. "Thanks Mom," Ashley said popping the piece of gum in her mouth.
Dave noticed all these exchanges and cleared his throat loudly to tell them that he was in the room. They all turned to face the man, confused.
Ryan cleared his throat.
"Daddy, who is this man?" Emma asked, interupting her Dad before he could even start.
"Guys, this is Dave Atwood," Ryan said. "Hey, he has the same last name as us," Emma cut in again.
Only Marissa knew who Dave Atwood was.
Ryan's biological father.
She went up to him and extended her hand as he shook it. She introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Marissa" and quickly added, "Atwood." "Nice to meet you," Dave replied with a grateful smile.
"Hey, I'm Jake," Jake introduced himself, throwing a wave his way. "Hi. Ashley," Ashley replied following her big brother's lead, giving Dave a girly wave. Ben walked over to the old man. "Hi, I'm Ben," he introduced himself also extending his hand, to which Dave gladly returned. There was an awkward silence in the room.
"EMMA!" the seven year old shouted hoarsely, and jumped from Ryan's arms and onto the bed. "Emma, how many times..." Marissa scolded. "Sorry Mommy," Emma said as she bit her lower lip, pouting. Marissa gave her a smile, forgiving her instantly. She went over there and picked her up. "Sweetie? Do you want us to give you a few minutes?" Marissa asked Ryan. "Yeah, I won't be long, just..."
Marissa cut him off. "Take your time, we'll wait outside," she said as she gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Thanks," Ryan replied.
"Bye!" they said simoltaneoulsy, waving their hands at him. "Bye," Dave waved.
"BYE DAVE!" Emma added. Marissa scowled at her. Emma just pouted her lip again, and Marissa shook her head laughing and giving in once again.
Dave laughed softly and turned his attention to Ryan. "Those are my grandchildren?"
"Biologically, yes," Ryan replied coldly.
"They're beautiful, your wife too, your whole family is." "I know," Ryan stated proudly. "Guess you got lucky." "Yeah, I guess, but I worked hard to be where I am today too, and I'm trying to be a good Dad." Ryan confessed.
"You already are," Dave said, smiling slightly. Ryan sat down in the chair near the bed. "So you wanna tell me what and where you've been in the last decade and half? Or will my lawyer prosecuting be coming in handy?" Ryan said with a hint of glee in his husky voice.
All he'd ever wanted was for his Dad to be proud of him.
Dave looked surprised and replied with, "No shit! My son, the lawyer." Ryan nodded his head proudly, starting to calm down with the fidgeting of his fingers. Dave smiled and nodded proudly.
----WAITING ROOM----
"UGH!" Ashley exclaimed dramatically, flipping a magazine pages' aimlessly. "How long do we have to stay here?" she continued complaning.
"We have to do this for Dad, okay?" Marissa stated. She looked at the door in which Ryan was in then finally turned to Ashley. "Why, what's your hurry?" she asked.
"I just wanna use the phone," she said simply, continuing to carelessly flip the pages of the magazine.
"No!" Ben interupted with a sly smile as he looked up from the comic book he was reading. He continued, "She wants to see if Kyyyyle called her," drawing out the y for emphasis. "BEN!" Ashley exclaimed.
"Who's Kyle?" Marissa smiled, becoming more interested in her 14 year old's love life. "No one," Ashley said turning a dark shade of pink, burying herself in the pages in of the magazine. "Well according to your diary, he's got a nice...ass, and a really good kisser," Ben whispered into his Mom's ear. "Ashley!" Marissa exclaimed more than loudly than she planned to.
"Bury me now." Ashley threw the magazine on the table, and stared at the ceiling. Marissa smiled cheekily and walked over to her daughter. She put her hands on her shoulders. "We'll have a girls' night, just me and you, this weekend, 'kay?" she whisperd in her daughter's ear. "No Emma?"asked Ashley hopefully. "No Emma," Marissa confirmed. "And we'll talk about Kyle," Marissa added slyly. "Mom!" Ashley exclaimed in outrage.
----DAVE'S ROOM----
"So how's Trey?" Dave asked.
"He's good, he visited this Thanksgiving, he's got a steady job, girlfriend," Ryan replied
"That's good, that's good."
An awkward silence filled the air.
For a few minutes.
Ryan started to get up, rubbing his hands nervously. "Well, I better get going, kids are probably hungry." "Bye. Ilove you Ryan," Dave said as he hugged Ryan. Ryan froze up, pulling out of his embrace. His eyes glazed with tears. "I...uh...um..."
"I understand, I should've been..." Dave started but Ryan cut him off. "No regrets." Ryan said and added, "Thanks." Dave pat the back of his hand. "Thanks... for coming out, and uh...watch out for the little one, she's a firecracker."
Ryan laughed and nodded. "Yeah, she is. So I guess this is good bye." With a small wave directed towards him,Ryan left.
"Thank you Ryan, thank you I can now finally die a happy man."
----WAITING ROOM----
Ryan walked in the waiting room to see his family waiting patiently. Marissa noticed him first and lit up, walking up to him with her arms outstretched happily. "Hey babe, you okay?" she asked. "Yeah," he replied as he kissed the top of her head. "C'mon you guys, let's go out for ice cream," he announced to his kids.
"Jakey, that way, I hear Daddy say ice cream," Emma exclaimed excitedly while piggy-backing on Jake's back. She wiped her nose on his track jakcet. "Em? Sick! I have to go out with the guys tonight along with my little sisters snot on my shirt," he said distastefully. " 'S 'kay," she replied as they walked out to the car.
"Jake?, you wanna drive?" Marissa asked. "Hel..." but noticed his little sister on his back, and corrected himself. "Heck yeah!" He took the dangling keys from Marissa. "I guess Kyle will have to wait," Ashley sighed as she opened the passenger seat and got in.
"Who's Kyle?" Ryan asked dumbfounded as he opened the passenger door for Marissa. "I'll let you know as soon as I know," she replied, kissing him. He got in the car as well and started it.
"Are you happy?" she asked. "I already was," he smiled, taking her hand, rubbing small circles on the back of it. "I know," Marissaa dmitted smiling. "But I mean, are you happy with your Dad?" "Yeah, no regrets," he responded, squeezing her hand when he stopped at a red light. He added, "I couldn't be happier with who I've become."
"Me too," she replied. "With who we've become." She leaned in her head on his shoulder, watching the car in front of them; a pair of wild hands in the backseat, trying to wave at them, while another pair tried to put them down. Four hands waved at them, happily, and the proud parents waved back. The light turned green and the two cars headed off to the local ice cream store.
A/N-You know the drill, review, review. It's what keeps me writing- thanks! And yes, the spelling mistakes were on purpose because Emma is young and not supposed to be smart really, or speak full sentences.