It was much later when they decided to return home from their small dinner date. Since Ryan had taken her out, Christine had immediately forgotten of her search and thus had returned back to reality. But the twenty six year old was growing impatient on the ride home as her mind began setting up scenarios of what could have been and what might've happened.
She watched as her husband ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair and she subconsciously began pulling at the edges of her copper colored hair. Her attention soon was brought to her hair before she looked back at him. He wasn't being attentive, again.
"Watch the road when you're driving!" She nagged as her husband turned up the radio.
"Jeez Chris, Maybe I should've just left you at your computer. Why can't you loosen up for once, and besides it's not like I'm all over the road and we're not on a busy road." He protested, it wasn't like he was some beginner driver.
She shook her head. "It doesn't matter you can get into a fatal accident anywhere, at anytime, for any stupid reason." She lectured knowing it did nothing for either of them. No matter what he was going to always have that reckless streak and she was always going to have to deal with it.
"Chris..." He sighed shaking his head and catching a glimpse at her. But that glimpse lasted longer then he figured because he soon found himself lost in thought, she might not have been perfect but she was incredible to him. He still couldn't believe they'd been married for two whole years.
She sighed resting her head against the window, it was going to rain. "Ryan, am I crazy?" Chris asked quietly.
"Why do you say that honey?" He responded gently.
She rested her hand against her cheek. "How come no one's concerned? I mean, am I the only one who still remembers where my dad lived? Or was it all completely made up?"
Ryan gripped the steering wheel. "Chris, you and your father's relationship was rocky at best. You never actually visited him and we haven't seen him for five years. For all we know he could've just made up the town in the hopes you'd never find him."
She exhaled harshly. And she knew the truth of his words, the scenario wasn't at all far fetched, and she could easily see her father doing that to her. "Alcoholics lie..." Ryan stated quietly. "They don't change."
"I know...I just wish..." And for a moment Ryan saw the sweet seventeen year old hopeful girl he'd know in high school, she was so full of faith in people sometimes it drove him off the walls. How can someone who lived in this crazy world believe in just about anyone? He wondered if it was just because she was a teacher, and part of her job is shaping generations, he just didn't know.
"Ryan!" She screamed, he turned his attention to the road and immediately caught sight of what she was screaming about.
There was a kid now standing in the road, and he swerved to avoid the boy. The car skidded and screeched as the wheels protested the sudden turn. They heard a bump as they came to a stop and Ryan and Chris opened their eyes and saw the empty road in front of them.
"Shit Ryan." Chris said quickly throwing off her seat belt and winging the door open. He followed the actions as the two knew exactly what they were about to face.
On the right side of the front tire Chris found a boy of about sixteen lying dazed and confused on the pavement. There were tears in his gray shirt and his blue jeans were stained and ripped up. He groaned in pain and rubbed his head and pushed himself to his knees. "Oh my goodness, are you alright kid?" She asked coming to his side and touching his shoulder.
He turned his neck to see her and she was faced with two vacant blue eyes covered by shaggy black bangs. Ryan came around to them and watched as his wife and the boy were in some staring contest. "Is he okay?" He interrupted and walked over.
Ryan knelt beside Chris and took the kid's face in his hand and began inspecting him. He stared at him questionably but let the man continue with his business. "It looks like he's ok, just a ding on his head. It doesn't appear there's any external or internal trauma that may need medical attention." He stated firmly.
Chris rolled her eyes. "Thank you nurse Reid."
He stuck his tongue out at her. "You're just jealous that I have a medical degree." He teased childishly.
"Child..." She muttered then turned her attention back to the mystery boy. "What's your name kid?" She asked gently looking the teenager over. She ran her hand smoothly through his hair to brush away some of the gray dust that coated his hair.
He blinked at her and opened his mouth and let it hang open for a few minutes. "..nny" He rasped.
"I'm sorry sweetie I didn't catch that." Chris said. "Was it Donnie?"
"...anny..."
"Come again?" Ryan asked. The boy shook his head vigorously and opened his mouth again but no words came out. Discouraged he dropped his hands limply to the pavement and looked fearfully at them both.
"No wait." Chris squatted in front of him her hazel green eyes connecting with his blue ones. She searched his face intently with a gentle smile as if she needed no words. "Is your name...Danny?" Her wild guess caused his eyes to light up and he nodded. "Ryan his name is Danny." She announced and he rolled his eyes.
"And thank you Sherlock." He replied sarcastically. "So what do you deduce we do with him?"
She ignored her husband's wise-cracks and kept her eyes locked with Danny's, not wanting to lose any sort of connection she might have with him. "Where do you live?"
"Nowhere."
She furrowed her brow. "Do you have any family?"
"They left me." He whimpered hanging his head.
She frowned and her eyes filled with pity. "Did they abandon you?"
Danny shook his head slowly and he gazed off into the fields behind her. "They left me..." He repeated forlornly. Immediately Chris looked at her husband with begging eyes.
"Oh no no no Chris. I'm glad he's okay, but lets get real. We'll just take him to the police and they'll find something to do with him." Ryan explained avoiding Chris' pouting face.
She grabbed his arm. "But Ryan...we can't just leave him. Please, just for one night. Pretty please." She batted her eyes at him and he gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"No Chris. We have no idea where he even came from." He argued and glanced up at the sky warily.
Chris dropped her head sadly. "But Ryan look at him he's scared and alone. Just one night with a warm bed and hot meal then we'll take him somewhere."
He looked at her and could hardly resist her begging face. "Oh God Chris...fine. One night and only one night. Then it's bye-bye Danny."
"Oh yes! Thank you honey. Did you hear that Danny?" She asked looking at the boy who blinked up at her. "You get to come home with us."
She reached down to help him up, but he could hardly stand at first so he was forced to grab her sleeves to help lift himself. After a great deal of stumbling Chris was able to led him into the dark blue car, she smiled at him as he fumbled with his seatbelt. Chris shut the door and left Danny in the backseat his head leaning against the window. The two sat in the front and the car started and began driving down the long road.
"Do you have any family?"
Danny absent mindedly began running his fingers over healed wounds in his hand as he watched the landscape pass him by.
And there, the first full chapter of WLT. Wow, you guys gave me love right away, you're all so great for reviewing. And this is the fastest I've ever updated in a long time. Enjoy.