A/N I am always so nervous when entering a new fandom - wanting to do the characters justice but not knowing if I've succeeded! I'm a new fan of The O.C. A little late in the game, I know! LoL But I couldn't get this little snippet out of my head. It's just a little one shot / missing scene from "The Shake Up". I love the Sandy/Ryan relationship and was all prepared to hate Frank... but, surprisingly, ended up liking him. Go figure!
I have some Sandy/Ryan stories in mind, too, but they are much longer and will take much more time to write!
Okay, enough of my babbling... on to the story... I hope you enjoy! ~Kelcor
Shards of Glass
Seth Cohen racing down the road with a grocery cart would normally hold an undeniable comic quality to it but not tonight. Instead, a feeling of dread instantly filled Frank's chest and his heart seemed to stop beating for a brief second. When it started up again, it immediately jumped to high speed! He was slowing his car before the words "pull over" even left Kaitlin's lips.
Now, as they sped down the street, Frank did his best to hear Seth's directions over the deafening roar in his ears. Ryan was hurt! Ryan was hurt badly!
"Over there," Seth called desperately from the backseat.
Frank looked to the side of the road and his heart leaped into his throat. Ryan was lying on the curb, completely still… too still! Screeching the car to a halt, he jumped out and rushed to his son's side. He knew without looking that Seth was at his heels.
Ryan was on his back and, according to what Seth had already told him, the wound was in the lower left side of his back. "Help me turn him over."
Seth quickly complied and they rolled Ryan to the right until his chest was cushioned by Frank's lap. Doing his best to ignore the icy cold of his son's flesh, he lifted the hem of Ryan's shirt to assess the damage himself… and instantly wished he hadn't. His stomach lurched and threatened to reintroduce him to that evening's dinner but he forced the urge down. Ryan needed him to be strong. He placed his fingers beneath his boy's jaw. Pulse was weak and thready but there.
"Ryan? Son, can you hear me?"
"Sandy?"
That one breathless word tore Frank's heart in two but he knew he had no one to blame but himself. "No, Ryan, it's Frank. You're going to be okay. We're gonna get you to a hospital."
"Too late," Ryan whispered.
"Hey, now, don't you give up! Atwoods are not quitters, you hear me!" At Ryan's weak nod of agreement, Frank's attention flicked to Seth. "You're driving. Get Kaitlin to sit in the front seat with you and Julie."
"O-okay," Seth stammered, frozen in place, unable to take his eyes off his best friend and brother.
"Seth, now!" Frank felt guilty at the startled jump his tone elicited from the boy but he'd apologize later. Right now, Ryan was his main priority. And, apparently, he was Seth's, as well, because the kid instantly toughened up and rushed to comply with Frank's orders.
Meanwhile, careful to not touch the injured area, Frank slipped his arms beneath back and knees and lifted his boy into his arms. He winced when Ryan whimpered and bucked weakly against his hold. "Shhhh," he whispered against his son's hair. "It's okay. I gotcha, kid. I gotcha." Despite his words, Frank knew that, if a whimper had made it through Ryan's defences, the pain must be exponentially bad.
He carefully rose to his feet and carried his son over to the car. Kaitlin had moved to the front without complaint. She, Julie and Seth all watched as Frank eased himself and Ryan into the back seat of the car. All eyes were on Ryan's pain filled face.
Frank situated Ryan onto his right side, across his lap, Ryan's cheek resting on his estranged father's shoulder. He wrapped his arm diagonally across his son's back, his hand getting a solid grip beneath Ryan's right arm to keep him from being jostled too much. Frank then looked at Seth. "Get us to the ER! Fast!"
With a curt nod, Seth turned around, gunned the engine and surged down the street in what he now new to be the right direction.
A spasm of pain ripped through Ryan's back and he squirmed against his father's hold. "H-hurts," he muttered against Frank's neck.
Frank did his best to hold him through the pain without making it worse. He cupped the back of Ryan's head with one hand and whispered in his ear, "Just hang on, son! Hang on! We're almost there!" His heart broke all over again when he felt the wetness of his shirt from the tears Ryan was no longer able to hold back.
The End
A/N Thanks so much for reading! Please review? ~Kelcor