This is a one shot. It was supposed to be light and humerous, but ended up sort of angsty in the beginning. Still, I couldn't get this plot bunny out of my head. This is totally unbetad. So all mistakes are mine. Sorry.

I don't own the O.C. or any of its characters.

Sandy was worried about Ryan. Truth be told, he was worried about his whole family, which seemed to be splintering apart slowly but surely, but he was especially troubled by Ryan's behavior. Whereas Seth was slowly getting back to his usual teenage routine; long talks on the phone with Summer, alternating with Internet chats, and peppered with day excursions and nights out, Ryan seemed to be holed up in his room most days, coming out only for a fresh cup of coffee and sustenance every once in a while.

Sandy was concerned that Ryan wouldn't talk; wouldn't express his feelings about Kirsten's rehab and the hateful things that she said to him during the intervention. He wouldn't discuss anything about the night where Trey almost killed him and Marissa had shot his brother. He wouldn't talk about the fact that Trey was in the hospital fighting for his life, only to be sent back to prison if by some miracle he did recover from his life threatening injuries. Ryan just stayed in his rooms most days curled up in his bed reading.

Sandy knew Ryan was trying to escape. He just didn't know how to bring his young charge out of his shell. Should he force Ryan to confront the demons or allow Ryan to do that on his own? Sandy wished there was a manual a book with answers in black and white that spelled out what he was supposed to do, because without Kirsten he was just floundering like a fish out of water.

"Dad, you okay?" Seth asked, coming into the kitchen.

"Yes. Just thinking." Sandy turned and smiled at his curly-headed son.

Seth should probably cut his hair before they went to visit Kirsten next week for their first family therapy session, Sandy thought. It only reminded him that Ryan was refusing to go. Had Kirsten's words cut him so deep that he was questioning his part in their family? The sessions wouldn't work if they weren't all there. He didn't know how to impress that on Ryan. Maybe Seth could.

"What are you up to today?" Sandy asked, taking a bagel from the bread basket and slicing it in half. He put the two halves in the toaster and walked around the island counter to the fridge so he could rummage around for the cream cheese.

"I'm going to help Summer with the Chinese Auction the candy stripers are running at the hospital. There are lots of items to mark and categorize."

"Mom would be proud." Sandy's voice echoed from the empty refrigerator. The house was on empty. "Damn. I need to pick up some groceries. We're out of cream cheese again."

"You want me to go?"

Sandy shook his head. Kirsten wouldn't recognize Seth anymore; he had become so responsible, so mature, and so grown-up in the last month since she had gone to rehab. What a difference from the teenager who had stayed out all night with his girlfriend, stole his grandfather's car to impress her and had tried to sneak out even after being grounded.

"I think I'll try to get Ryan to go. Maybe get him out of the pool house."

Seth snorted. "Good luck with that."

Sandy sighed. So Seth had noticed too. It wasn't just his imagination.

"I tried to get him to come with me last night, but he refused."

"But I thought you went out together?" Sandy furrowed his brows. It had been a relief that Ryan had finally emerged from the pool house, quiet and subdued, but dressed to go out. He'd asked for an extended curfew and though Sandy had hesitated, he had finally agreed because it was Friday night and summer to boot, and because he was so relieved that Ryan was finally doing something other than sulking in his room.

"Nope. He asked me to drop him off and made it clear that whatever he needed to do he needed to do it alone."

Sandy was angry. Ryan had lied to him. When he had grilled him about why he needed the later curfew, his blond-haired son had mentioned a party and assured him that Seth would be there too.

"Are you sure he wasn't there with you?"

Seth, thinking of his previous night's activities with Summer, blushed. "I sure hope not."

Sandy understood and stopped quizzing his son. The toaster pinged and two bagels toasted to light brown perfection popped up. "No cream cheese," muttered Sandy. "Bagels without cream cheese…. It just seems wrong."

Seth slid onto a stool, sipping his coffee, and rifling through the newspaper until he found the arts and leisure section. His father seemed to have no other questions for him, but his curiosity was piqued and he wondered what Ryan had been up to the night before. He had dropped Ryan off at the pier, and Ryan had insisted that he would make it home on his own before curfew and not to worry.

He had worried. He couldn't help but worry. He had wondered if Ryan was going to visit Trey in the hospital, but didn't understand why it had to be such a big secret. His dad had urged Ryan to visit Trey, even if the young man was in a coma. Maybe it was something else, mused Seth. Maybe Ryan was dealing with his pain in his own way. He just hoped it was something healthy like working out in the gym and not drugs or alcohol, because right now they had enough on their plate without adding another substance abuse problem to their families' woes.

"Seth?"

Seth looked up from the paper. He had been staring at the same sentence lost in his own thoughts. "Yeah dad?"

"Has Ryan talked to you?"

Seth shook his head. "No. I'm sorry." He felt like an utter disappointment as he said the words. He knew how much his dad was counting on Ryan to open up to Seth. He had always opened up to Seth when he couldn't open up to anyone else. But this was different.

"Should I bring out some coffee to him?" Seth asked. "Find out what he's up to?"

"No. I'll do that." Sandy took a mug down from the cabinet over the sink. He poured coffee into it and balanced a plate with the dry bagel in his other hand. He hoped Ryan would talk to him.

Sandy kicked the pool house door lightly with his toe. He could see Ryan inside, lying on his side, curled up with a book. Through the slats of shade, he could make out the tousled hair peeking out from under the covers. Ryan, probably unable to hear Sandy's light knock, made no move to answer the door, so Sandy shifted the plate into the same hand as the coffee and opened the door.

"Morning, kid. You up yet?"

Ryan looked up from his book and tried to hide his guilty expression. He stuffed the book under his pillow and for a moment Sandy wondered what he was reading. The book was out of plain sight; not the usual way Ryan read. He had never hid what he was reading before. Maybe it was porn.

"I'm up." Ryan swung his legs over the side of the bed and stuffed his bare feet into his slippers.

Sandy couldn't help but notice the red shot eyes and the darkening circles under the boy's eyes. He would have to press on Ryan and try to get him to open up. He couldn't just let him continue to wallow in his misery. Not that he blamed the boy, but Sandy just wanted Ryan to be well.

Ryan took the coffee Sandy offered him and looked down at his feet.

"Seth tells me you weren't together last night."

Ryan didn't look up, but shook his head.

"Is that a no, Seth's got it wrong or no you weren't together?" Sandy ran his fingers through his hair, wondering how and when things got so complicated.

"Seth's telling the truth." Ryan looked up briefly and said, "I'm sorry I lied," and quickly pointed his eyes down at the carpet again.

"So are you going to tell me where you were?"

"Do I have to? I mean, I was home on time and everything. I didn't break curfew."

"You broke my trust." Sandy sank into the chair across from Ryan's bed. "You told me you'd be hanging out at Summer's place. Where were you?"

Ryan refused to meet his eyes. "I don't want to say. I promise, I wasn't doing anything wrong."

"Except that you lied to me about where you were. That was wrong." Sandy shook his head. "I can't even ground you. You're cooped up in here way too much as it is. Maybe as punishment for lying to me I should make you spend the day with me. That always seems to bum Seth out."

"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered. He didn't offer a defense or try to convince Sandy not to punish him that it was a one time deal.

Sandy mentally kicked himself. He of course had gone about this the wrong way. What did he expect without Kirsten, his right hand, by his side? He didn't want to punish Ryan. He wanted Ryan to open up. He wanted Ryan to face some of the hurt that he was keeping bottled up inside of him. He sighed heavily, wondering how single parents managed at all. He'd been lost since Kirsten had gone to rehab.

"I'm just worried about you kid. So much has happened and you've just withdrawn into yourself."

"I'm okay," Ryan reassured him. He still sat on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped on the mattress, his eyes cast down to the floor. "I'm just keeping busy. Summer reading and all. It's keeping my mind off of things." He stood. "I'm going to take a shower. Thanks for the coffee."

Feeling deflated, discouraged and defeated Sandy shuffled out of the pool house. Seth was still sitting at the counter, his head bent over the paper, a fresh cup of coffee in his mug.

"How'd it go?" Seth asked.

"Wonderful." Sandy didn't hide the sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Tag out? My turn."

Sandy shrugged. "You can try." He scooped up the car keys off the car country. "I'm going to stock the house with some food before we all starve to death."

"Or go into cream cheese withdrawal," Seth added flippantly.

As soon as his dad was out of the house, he pushed back his seat and walked out to the pool house. The room was empty, but Seth could hear the water running in the bathroom. He strolled around the room, lightly fingering the furniture as if he were doing a white-gloved inspection. His eyes flitted around the pool house, bouncing from the kitchenette to the wicker baskets that served as his dresser, looking for anything that would explain Ryan's odd behavior.

Just like his dad, Seth was worried about Ryan, though if he thought about it, Ryan's behavior made sense. Everyone reacted differently to stress. Seth liked to talk. Ryan liked to brood. There was a chance that his dad was overreacting to Ryan's mysterious excursion, but things weren't the same without his mom and Seth wanted to alleviate whatever anxiety he could for Sandy.

Seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Seth flopped down on the edge of Ryan's bed and waited for Ryan to emerge from the shower. He crossed and uncrossed his legs, ran his fingers along the edge of the summer quilt that was bunched up in the middle of Ryan's bed. That in it self should be a sign that something was wrong, Seth mused. Ryan always made his bed the moment he got out of the bed.

"Seth." Ryan stopped just outside the bathroom door. A towel was wrapped around his waist, and he was using a second towel to dry off his hair. "What's up?"

"Just checking in. Had a good time last night?"

Ryan sighed. "Sandy sent you."

"Nope. Dad told me to leave it alone." Seth fell back on the bed, and spread his arms wide. "But you know me, Curios George and all. Was it a girl? Did Marissa sneak out of the fortress her parents put up and hook up with you?" Seth waggled his brows. "Or have you found another comfort girl."

"It was nothing like that." Ryan walked over to the wicker baskets where he stored his clothes. He pulled out a pair of boxers, a wifebeater, and a pair of jeans. He eyed Seth, realized he wasn't going anywhere and went back into the bathroom to change.

"So tell me Ryan," Seth shouted through the door. "What actually dragged you out of the house on a Friday night?" Seth flipped over onto his stomach and stretched his hands out. The tips of his fingers poked under Ryan's pillow and hit something hard. "What's this?"

Ryan came out, pulling the wifebeater over his head. He noticed Seth reaching under his pillow, pulling out his book.

"No." He shouted and darted across the room, smacking Seth's hand away from his book.

"I can't see what you're reading?"

"Come on. Give me my privacy."

"This is the Cohen house. We don't do privacy. How many times have you woken up to find dad sitting by your bed waiting for you to get up? How many times have I walked in on you getting dressed? How many times has mom walked in on you with a girl in your room? "

Ryan's face flushed.

"What's the big deal if I see what you're reading?" He snaked hand under Ryan's pillow. He pulled out the book and looked down at the top of the page. Seth's mouth spread into a devilish grin. "You've got to be kidding me." He studied the font, noticed the stars that adorned the corners of every page and couldn't help but notice the header on the top of the page. As if a light bulb went off in his head, Seth understood. "So last night, the extended curfew and all, you went to the bookstore, huh?"

Ryan ducked his head. "Give me the book, Seth."

Seth didn't argue. He handed Ryan the book, but he wasn't going to give up. "So did you dress up, Ryan? Wear round dark glasses and a cape and wizards hat? Did you draw a lightening bolt on your forehead?"

"Seth," Ryan seethed through clenched teeth. "Leave it alone."

"Or what? Are you going to hex me? Throw a jinx my way? Do you have a magic wand under your pillow?"

"It's just a book."

"For children."

Ryan stuck a tissue in the book to mark his place, closed it, and stuffed it behind some of his clothes. "The book is for all ages. Adults enjoy it too."

"Teachers and librarians."

"Other adults too." Ryan sighed. "Can we just keep this between the two of us?'

"No way! Dad is worrying out of his mind because you lied about where you went and all you're hiding is that you went to the Harry Potter release party?" Seth couldn't wipe the grin from his face. He hung down over the edge of the bed and stuck his head under it. "Yup. Just as I suspected." Seth pulled out a pile of five volumes, each one slightly larger than the other, with various muted colors on the book jacket. "You've been hanging around all week rereading the other books."

"It's been two years since the last book was published. I wanted the details fresh in my mind." Ryan angrily advanced across the room and grabbed the pile of books from Seth. "This is precisely why I kept this to myself. I knew you'd just laugh."

Seth stifled a snort. "I can't help it. Big bad Chino Ryan reading Harry Potter. It's too funny."

"Well, let's just keep it to ourselves."

"No can do, bro. Dad's wigging out and if this is all that's keeping you holed up in here, then we've got to tell him. But I won't tell anyone else. How could I? It's valuable blackmail material."

Ryan scrunched up his nose, balled up his hand into a fist and pulled it back. Seth ducked.

"Hit me and the world will know. I will take out an ad in Newport Living. I will create a webpage and send a link to the entire Harbor School. So please," Seth implored, rubbing his arm, "leave me in one piece."

Ryan grunted.

They heard gravel crunching under the weight of tires in the driveway.

"It sounds like your dad is home."

"We should help him with the groceries then and tell him about your little escapade last night."

Rolling his eyes, Ryan shook his head. "But if anyone else finds out," he warned, pointing a finger at Seth. "Captain Oats is going down with me."