Title: All for those I love

Author: David Le, cartooncraze605@hotmail.com

Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2003

Characters: Ryan, Mrs. Cohen, Nurse, Man

Category: General/Drama

Rating: PG-13

Summary: What happens when an insane man comes after Kirsten? Ryan comes to her aid and .

All for those I love

The night was a dark and dreary one. Darkness covered the Cohen's residence. Kirsten left the comfort of her home for a brisk walk.

A quick little jog and then I'll go right to sleep. Kirsten thought.

Ryan was still awake at the time. He could barely get any sleep since the Cohen's had welcomed him to their home and then, adopt him. He looked down at Kirsten from the balcony and realized that she was being followed by someone or something hidden deep in the shadows. Ryan, worried for his new found mother and quickly changed out of his boxer shorts and t-shirt and headed in Kirsten's direction. Kirsten already had left the gates and the dark shadow followed. Ryan was able to get out just in time to see the shrouded figure. "It" passed the light at the gate and Ryan saw that "it" was a man, but their was something weird about him, the look in his eyes were that of an insane man. The man withdrew from his dark cloak a knife and that was when Ryan started running with all his might.

The man drew closer and closer to Kirsten, but she didn't notice anything until the man covered her shadow with his.

"Oh, hello." Kirsten said, clueless that the man was trying to kill her or something worst.

The man's knife reflected a silver in Kirsten's eyes. She had seen the knife in that moment and started to run. She thought that she was running for no reason or that it was probably coincidence that the man held a knife in his hands, but when she turned her head back, she saw him running straight for her and slashing at air.

"Help!" Kirsten cried, "Help!"

She pumped her legs harder than she had ever in her entire life, but it was no use, the distance between her and the man was diminishing.

Ryan saw Kirsten running towards him and he also took sight of the man, who was now running, yelling, and slashing.

"Mom!" Ryan yelled.

"Ryan!" Kirsten said in relieve. "That crazy man might not come any closer if he sees more people."

She was wrong though, dead wrong. He advanced at an explosive speed. He was a monster.

"Stand back." Ryan said as he moved Kirsten behind him.

"Ryan. . ." Kirsten did not get to finish because Ryan was now face to face with the man.

The man took a stab at Ryan and narrowly missed him. Ryan punched him, but it seemed that the man would not desist. The man took another swing, nicking Ryan's shoulder. He winced, but stood his ground.

"Ryan!" Kirsten cried as she saw the blood drip.

The man looked distracted when he heard Kirsten's voice. Ryan took this opportunity to tackle the man to the ground. The fight continued with them fighting atop one another. Ryan tried to grab the knife away from the man realizing that the man would be less of a thread without it. Ryan clutched the man's wrist and they fought for their lives. The man pushed Ryan to the ground and stabbed him in the stomach.

"Uhggg. . ." Ryan let out a pain cry.

The man ran away and disappeared in the shadows, when he had seen what he had done. Blood dripped from the poor boy's wound.

"Ryan. . ." Kirsten said to Ryan, letting his head rest on her knees.

Ryan tried to smile to comfort his mother, but he couldn't the pain was too great to handle.

"Ahhhh," He yelled. He could no longer hold his consciousness. His new found home, family, and friends were disappearing from him.

"Mom. . ." Ryan said in his weakened state. He clenched his fists trying to hold on, but he couldn't, he just couldn't. With a last cry of pain he fainted.

"Ryan. . . Ryan. . . no, NO!" Kirsten cried. She tried to pick up Ryan, but her arms screamed no. She drew on all the strength in her body and forced her aching muscles to save her son. She carried him as fast as she could to the cushions of the car. She placed Ryan inside gently and then sped to the nearest hospital.

"Where did I put that phone?!" She said in frustration. She searched the various parts of the car with her free hand and found the emergency cell phone that she had left in the driver's compartment. She dialed as quickly as she could. The phone rang.

"Come on!" Kirsten cried.

"Hello Orange County Hospital," The operator said, "What is the problem?"

"My son got stabbed by a crazy man and he his bleeding a lot," Kirsten said, "I'm coming to the hospital with him now, please be await for my coming."

"I understand," The operator said, "Emergency people!"

Kirsten hung up and continued her path to Orange County Hospital. She had it in site and the doctors were already outside and ready to take care of Ryan. Kirsten looked back at Ryan, he was not looking too well. He had a high fever and was sweating madly. She made it to the hospital door and the doctors immediately placed Ryan on a stretcher and raced him into the emergency room.

Kirsten waited anxiously in the waiting area. She saw the seconds pass on the clock, every time the clock struck a new second she would cry. Suddenly a nurse left the waiting room and went to speak to Kirsten.

"What the hell is taking so long?" Kirsten asked the nurse worriedly.

"Mrs. Cohen, Ryan is in critical condition, the doctors are doing all they can for him." The nurse said comfortingly.

"Will he be alright?" Kirsten asked.

"We don't know that yet Mrs. Cohen. I'm sorry." The nurse replied and left.

Kirsten waited, hour after hour. Seth and Sandy had come after Kirsten called them. They waited together. They fell asleep in their chairs and stayed asleep until the morning or rather a few hours later. The nurse came once again and woke up Kirsten.

"Mrs. Cohen, Mrs. Cohen." The nurse said shaking Kirsten to wake her up.

"What. . . Ryan, is Ryan okay?" Kirsten asked.

"He is very weak, but he has mad it through the worst of it, He will be just fine," The nurse said happily, "would you like to see him?"

"Oh, yes please." Kirsten said eagerly. She entered the room where her wonderful, self-sacrificing son lay.

"Ryan honey, how are you feeling?" Kirsten said worriedly.

"I've been better." Ryan said coughing. He tried to sit up straight, but it was no use because he didn't have the strength to do it.

"Honey, don't, just rest." Kirsten said. Their eyes made contact and they shared all of their emotions with one another in a single glance. Ryan lay back down on his pillows. He started to close his eyes.

"I love you, mom." Ryan said.

"I love you, Ryan. You are my son. You might even end up to be my favorite amongst you two. When we get home you are going to get the best party fit for a hero." Kirsten kept speaking until she realized that Ryan was asleep. He looked so innocent when he slept. He deserved a halo after all of this. Kirsten felt that she had been blessed by an angel with Ryan. She stood up from the chair next to Ryan's bedside and kissed him tenderly on the forehead.

"Sleep tight Ryan. Sweet dreams. I love you, my son."

THE END

(Story inspired by a really good song. "Make it easy on yourself" by Lucy Hale)