A/N: First of all: thanks JassyLou for your co-work. You're a really big, big, help!!! Well, this will be the last up date this week. Unfortunately real life struck me and my private life isn't existend for at least two to four weeks. So I hope you'll be patient with me, because I plan to finish the story. It's all in my head, only the writing takes a little longer ;) So i hope you like it. Have fun and enjoy!


Pride and Prejudice

He sat in the principle's office.

"Ryan it can't go on like this. You have to come to school, regularly from Monday to Friday. Not just once in a while." What in hell should he do at school? This was wasted time.

"I know…but this isn't as easy in the moment."

"Which means?" That he wasn't going to talk about his situation at home with his principle. "Ryan, I'm seriously thinking about informing the youth welfare."

"What? Why?" He already had met these people and no, he didn't like them and he didn't like the way they were acting, when they decided your home wasn't good enough. As if their group and foster homes were better. Besides, he already had to work together with a social worker. Wasn't this already enough?

"I can imagine…after what has happened to your brother things aren't working out well at home. But I can't let it go on like this. I have a responsibility towards the students at my school." Man, he hated this understanding-psycho- social-pedagogy. Yes, his brother pissed off a few years ago – three to be exactly – after his Mum's boyfriend of the week had kicked his ass once too often. Yes, his father was jail. And yes his mother has a hard time now and then, but this didn't mean he needed help. He grew up with this. It was nothing new. He had his own way of dealing with his problems.

"I don't know what you mean by that."

"Do I really have to explain it to you? That family conflicts are common in this area is well known, but some cases overstep the limit of tolerance." Limit of tolerance? What did this man want? Couldn't he just tell him he had to do some more extra work, be put in detention for the rest of the year and whatever else they had up their sleeves?

"I don't think this should be discussed here." He answered. He hated it if people started to interfere in his business. It was his family, his private life, his… whatever. Nobody should interfere in this.

"Ryan, your school achievements are suffering due to this and thus it makes it business" Okay, this sounded like serious trouble…shit. He was having a math test yesterday and he'd blown it off. This was going to be his longest vacation ever.

"Your grades are miserable and…now you've missed the test yesterday. You'll stay down this year, if you don't start to come to school everyday, do some extra work and at least show us you're a smart boy. If you agree to this I can persuade your teachers to give you one last chance." Alright, this meant: school in the morning till afternoon, then constructions through the night and maybe three hours sleep. He had to. He would let his Mum down if he had to repeat this year. On the other hand he had to get those bills paid. Things started getting complicated.

"Okay, I'll show up in every class everyday and …"

"Ryan, please, we both know this doesn't work." What was that for?

"Nice and what then?"

"I want to talk to you Mum, but I wasn't able to reach her."

"She's in hospital…broke her arm." Shit! What was he doing? He was navigating himself straight into trouble. "But she'll be out in…about two days." He added hoping it would make it sound a little less serious.

"Ryan, this leads to nothing. Your attendances at school are rare and …no teacher can imagine you showing up here without bruises. Your mother – sorry to say - but she doesn't give the impression that she is able to care for her son. I can't tolerate this." This blew Ryan's top. He was sure this was crossing the principles importance.

"What the fuck are you talking about? You have no idea about anything. Maybe my Mum has a bit a hard time, but of course she can care for me. At least she's the one having a job…and…"

"Ryan your outburst can't hinder me from informing the youth welfare."

"Fuck, you told me first you're only thinking about it…what do you think you're doing?"

"The only right thing I can do in this situation. This conversation has only had convinced me I have to do this."

"And what if I drop out?" This was the only alternative he had left.

"Ryan…"

"Seriously. If I drop out, there's no need for anyone to complain about anything, 'cause then I have enough time for my job." This was the only right thing he could think of right now. This way he wouldn't have to leave his Mum alone and he could care for her the way she deserved. Why did he have to go to school anyway? It was wasted time and only for the affluent who wanted to enter college or university. And that would be exactly where he'd never get to go. So there was no reason for him to stay at school.

"Okay, if it's that serious. Here's the form. Your Mum needs to sign it." The principle handed him the document. He took it.

"But if I haven't received it back at the end of the week, I'll have to take measures. I guess I don't have to describe in detail what I mean." Yeah, yeah, sure. He took the paper and went off.

XXX

He went through the hallways of the hospital. Thanks to his principal he couldn't be there, before surgery. He hated his luck. He was heading towards the waiting area, hoping he could get some information about his Mum's state. He was lost in thoughts and fears and not paying any attention to his surrounding until he bumped into a man and dropped his documents from school.

"Take it easy young man." The stranger said.

"Oh…sorry." He said quickly and kneeled down to get his papers back, but the stranger was faster.

"You wanna drop out from school, huh?" The stranger said when he handed him his document back.

"Do you always read other people's documents?" He bit. He didn't mean to do so. But he was stressed out a little.

"No offence."

"Yeah…sure." He only answered and went to get to know how his Mum was doing. Atwood luck. Nothing.

His Mum was in surgery and nobody had told him anything, which meant he had to wait for her. He sat in the waiting area in ignorance waiting for news. He was sitting on the bench, looking at the clock on the wall when he realized that only two minutes had passed. He was getting nervous. This was just a routine. They only needed to fix the bone, nothing dramatic. But an element of the risk remained and if anything bad happened ?She might…at least it was possible and then he was alone. Stop! He wasn't able to think of this again. His glance swept through the area to the window. He saw the blond woman from yesterday evening. He still wondered why she had stared at him the way she had. Now she stood there staring out the window her arms wrapped around herself. She looked anxious. He saw a dark haired man stepping to her, taking her into his arms. Oh, it was the man he bumped into a few minutes before. This scene looked so comforting, but it hurt to see this. It reminded him of the fact his mother never had someone who had taken her into his arms. This was sad. She deserved it. She had been hard working to raise his brother and him. Sure, not everything was good, but also not everything was bad. His mother sometimes just had some trouble to deal with all of this.

"Ryan Atwood?" A sudden voice came from behind. He got up and a nurse stood in front of him.

"I'm really sorry, but…complications occurred due the surgery and…it will take a little longer until your Mum will be out." This was as if someone pulled the rug out from under him.

"But…she will be okay? Will she?" He asked with shaky voice. Suddenly he had stated to feel cold and he trembled.

"Sorry we don't know now. We have to wait."

"O…okay. Thanks." No, please No! He couldn't lose her! He needed her!! She was his mother. She wasn't supposed to leave him!!!! When she was gone then there would be nobody and he didn't want to be alone and he didn't want to go back into such a foster home. His Mum belonged to him she wasn't allowed to leave him.

"Is there something I can do for you?" The nurse asked him.

"No…no thanks."

"What do you mean with complications?" He heard the woman screaming at the doctor. Wow, she had temper. At least it felt good to know that he wasn't the only one having a bad day. He again started to focus the floor. He didn't want to listen to private conversations.

"That…your son is suffering from a ruptured appendix and … well…due to the surgery occurred some kind of unforeseen bleeding." Thanks. Why couldn't they talk some place else? Only mentioning blood was making him feel sick.

"Do you mean to tell me that my son's bleeding to death?" The man now yelled. Please one more word about blood and he was going to…

"He's only sixteen, how can he lose too much blood due a routine surgery?" Okay, this was too much. He got up, he needed some fresh air.

"Unfortunately this is not all. We need to know if someone of you has the blood type o negative."

"I have, but why?" The man said.

"Our supply of blood preservations matching his blood type is running out." Well, this was bad, but not his business. But why did people raise their voices when it was about some kind of drama? He didn't want to listen to it. So, shut up and start to lower your voice.

"So, it's only you?"

"Yes."

"Then…well, we try. But if you can find another person in your family matching your blood type, don't hesitate to ask them whether they can come here – fast." This was not his business. He didn't even know these people, besides this man was way too nosey for his taste.

"Okay, I'll call my Dad." The woman said. He was on his way out, when he thought: Dude, their son is the same age as I am. Dieing with sixteen? Bad, but possible. In Chino no one knew if they would live to be older than sixteen. It was normal to meet with the death of young people. Life was not fair, never was and never will. Shit. These people – he even didn't know – needed help. He could easily help them – could help to save a life. But hell, look at them. They belonged to a different world where those fancy people didn't even stop the car, after they ran over you! She was crying. He tried to sooth her, but it didn't help. One life. Sixteen years. Same age. He stopped and took a deep breath. He went back and tapped the woman onto the shoulder. Hysterically she turned around and looked at him with a glance I-don't-talk-to-street-kids-like-you. Prejudice fulfilled. Immediately he felt the urge to turn around and run. But he only put his hands up to signalize he didn't want to offend her.

"What?" She asked him harsh.

"Uh…sorry…and I know this was meant to be a private conversation…but I couldn't help over hearing…and…I could help." He stammered. He hated his inability to talk. Even simple sentences didn't come out of him the easy way. She raised her eye brows and started to eyeball him. Well, he wasn't wearing his best clothes - that was true - and yes he had some…little colourful marks on his arms. But hey, he could offer her something she money couldn't buy anywhere. And yes, this woman looked like one of these rich bitches that were used to buy everything they wanted.

"You?" He shrugged his shoulders. Man, this woman was intimidating. Then she looked at his arms.

"Are you a junkie?" Well, this blew his top.

"Okay, sorry. I guess I was mistaken." He said and headed off to leave.

"Wait!" Ouch…someone grabbed his arm. It was the man. "Your blood type…o negative?"

"That's what I told your wife, but as it seems there is no need for my help." He hated these rich people. Always thought they were better than the rest of the world. How could a poor boy from Chino only wanted to offer his help…even his blood? Of course he was infected with all viruses from HIV to hepatitis C.

"I'm sorry for the way she reacted…but her nerves are on the edge. Listen, this is our only son and only the thought she might lose him is driving her insane. She simply has no idea what she's saying. So…can I still take you up on your offer?" Maybe this was one of the lamest excuses he ever had heard but sounded the truth. Someone had told him there were families outside, worrying about their children. He for his part hadn't met on any of those. Nah…Theresa's family, but this only consisted of her Mum and her elder brother.

"Don't worry they run blood tests before they poison their patients." He answered and followed the man.