"Uh, Hey Summer. Hope this thing is recording all of my message! It's been several days since... Well, you know when. You are, infact, aware of the passage of time even though you're like, thousands of miles away so I actually can't be sure of that."

"...Things are, well, things here. I hope you're enjoying your time at Anna's. Here I thought you hated the east coast and seasons, but I can tell you're really busy so you must be having a great time! Please send Anna my love and thank her for me for letting you find refuge here."

"You, uh, wouldn't want to be cooped up long here. My parents get pretty anxious when I leave the house, so... I really don't. Sometimes I try to bring Mrs. Cooper some of our leftovers when my mom's tired. I, applied to a comic book store too (My dad went with me). I'm enrolling late in the year and... Summer's barely started so I gotta occupy my time since I don't really know how long you're gonna be gone.

"I want to get out and do things. I need to. But... The truth is, the reason my parents anxiety is so high is because they don't want to lose me too. It's been... Several days since Ryan turned on me like an almost domesticated wild animal. And there's that one time I sailed away, ha. I know you remember that. I don't want to stress my mom and trigger her drinking so it's just easier to... Yknow."

"I don't like admitting it to them but I am worried about Ryan. He... I never even imagined something could make him revert to... To like he was before we all met him. My dad is preaching time and space. My mom sits up and waits for him every night... He isn't even picking up our calls. But my dad says, with time he'll come around. I'm worried my dad hasn't gotten to know Ryan very well.

"I miss him. I miss you. I miss Marissa too. I dreamt up a great storyline for Atomic County. It was part origin story and the reveal that Cosmo Girl is the vessel for a, um, an item that protects our reality, Atomic County. Because without her here, Summer, our reality is falling apart. I-"

"I visit her a few times a week. Since you can't be here and (although I have suspicions Ryan has been by) it shouldn't be just Mrs. Cooper doing it. Yknow, I bet she'd love it if you were aroun-"

"Message recording image reached!"

Seth winced at the sharp tone and dejectedly hung up the phone. Marissa hadn't even been gone for two calendar weeks and the fall out was unbearable.

"Time." Sandy had preached. Pleaded. In Seth's opinion more than enough time had been spent watching Ryan spiral. He had been noticeably absent from Marissa's service. If Seth had learned anything about his brother it was that he was about to flee.

As far as Sandy and Kirsten were concerned, Ryan was as much one of their own as Seth was. But they were aware of Ryan's potentially volatile nature (especially under these circumstances) and that against it Seth stood no chance.

"I know you care, Seth. But we can't even imagine what Ryan is going through." Kirsten pleaded.

"Try to understand, son. Heaven forbid it was-"

"Okay, first of all, don't even say what I think you're gonna say. If it was mom or Summer or you or Ryan I would fling myself off a mountain, Johnny style. Okay?" Both parents winced. "If we don't... If I don't do something, Marissa isn't gonna be the only person we lose forever. If he slips away he's not coming back."

They knew he was right. But they were for once at a complete loss of what to do. Just standing in horror, watching the trainwreck unfold.

"Be careful. Tell him we love him." Kirsten said tearfully.

"And if he has to go, you have to let him go." Seth walked the agonizingly long walk from the main house to the pool house. He exhaled as he found the door open, catching an almost healed Ryan with a giant duffel bag over his shoulder.

"Hey," Seth began nervously. Ryan just stared, having spoken so few times lately he wasn't sure his voice worked. "Still trying to communicate via looks? Admirable, but uh don't quit your day job, you're not the most expressive lad." Ryan just stared.

"I'm leaving." Was all he said after a long moment, staring through Seth.

"You're gonna cheat on our pool house with somebody else's?" Ryan just stared, his face remained the same.

"Leave. Seth."

"You know I can't do that." He inched forward.

"Now."

"Ryan-" Ryan closed the gap between them, dangerously close to Seth.

"Leave before I hurt somebody else."

"Ryan, listen to me. You never hurt Marissa-" Seth flinched, surprised he didn't piss himself when Ryan slammed his hand on the wall, right beside his head.

"Seth."

"Do you really think I've ever been scared of you? And even if you do pummel me for being annoying and here for you, fine. It's not like I wasn't getting beat up bi-weekly before I met you. Whatever it takes... Marissa is gone. I'm not so sure Summer is coming back. You can't go too-"

"I've left nothing but pain in my wake. Ever since I came here. Especially for-" Ryan smashed his fist into the wall instead of saying her name.

"I bet if she were here she wouldn't say that. I bet she'd say the opposite, actually. Ryan, you-"

"I'm leaving. Do not follow me. You won't last 3 minutes where I'm going."

"I've definitely been in Chino for at least 15 minutes before-" Ryan slammed his fist into the wall again.

"I MEAN IT." He screamed. "Unless you really want to drive me to suicide by cop. You really want to put the nail in my coffin-" he grabbed Seth's shirt and shook him for effect. "You follow me and get yourself killed too. If you want to help me-" He threw the smaller boy on the ground. "Just stay away from me. For good."

"Ryan-" He didn't even look back as he stalked out of the poolhouse.