"Hello?" Lindsay hesitantly answered the Cohens' phone on the third ring. She had been pacing the living room for over an hour, waiting for Ryan to come back from delivering Kirsten to Caleb…or her father. That was still so weird.

"Lindsay, thank God you're still there…." Ryan's voice was cracking and unstable, and a lump instantly formed in Lindsay's throat when she assumed he'd been crying. What the hell had happened at Caleb's?

"I thought you were coming back, what's going on?"

"I need you to do me a favor. There's been an accident." But he wasn't crying; he was just shaking. Maybe shivering. She couldn't really tell.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he said quietly, inhaling shakily. "They took me to the police station…something stupid about me having a record and…it doesn't matter. Kirsten's in the hospital, they wouldn't tell me anything and--"

"Honey, slow down," Lindsay said, shaking her head in confusion. Why was he at the police station? "You're in jail and Kirsten's at the hospital? I thought you were driving--"

"I was," he interrupted. "She flipped out, tried to grab the wheel and we crashed."

Lindsay raised a hand to her mouth, gasping in shock. Her heart instantly began to race – her chest tightening.

"Oh God…is she…?"

"I don't know," he groaned. Through her panic, she couldn't focus hard enough to ask Ryan what had happened to him. "Can you get in touch with Caleb and Sandy? Don't tell them that she was drinking. God, that would just be more explaining…. Just get someone to go be with her. God, I hope she's okay. And Seth, you have to find Seth," he murmured, but he was making little sense. Why was he making no sense?

"What about you?" she finally asked when she could get her mouth and brain to work in unison again.

"I'm sure they'll release me as soon as they know what's going on. If Sandy needs to be with Kirsten, then…maybe he can call down here and tell them that I didn't steal the damned car – that I live there…. Just…can you take care of things?" He sounded like he was fading and Lindsay could feel her panic increasing. Suddenly, she was responsible for a whole lot of things that she wasn't sure she was going to remember when she hung up.

"I'll call them, Ryan," she said into the phone with a nod, steeling herself as best she could. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be fine."

She nodded again, but she didn't believe him. "I'll send someone for you as soon as I can," she promised.

"Call Seth. He's probably with Alex, but he has to be there, too. Make sure you find him, okay?"

She nodded again, and when she tasted blood, she suddenly realized how hard she was biting her lip. "I'll take care of it, Ryan."


Sandy and Caleb almost knocked each other down rushing into the ER.

"Who called you?" Sandy asked, not slowing down in the slightest.

"Lindsay. Kirsten was on her way to see me and Lindsay said that Ryan was with Kirsten and that there was an accident. I don't know why Ryan was with her but if he hurt her, I swear…," Caleb said with a shake of his head, his face pale with worry and uncertainty.

They stopped at the admit desk, and Sandy waved a hand in the air, flagging down one of the nurses. "Ryan wouldn't hurt her," he said sternly. "The cops didn't say anything about Ryan, they just said there was an accident." Sandy turned his attention to the nurse who was now within earshot. "We're looking for Kirsten Cohen, some officers called--"

"Mr. Cohen?" An officer called from behind. He was standing by the wall with another nurse.

Sandy didn't wait for the other nurse to respond, but rushed past the desk and toward the officer. "Yes, yes, where's my wife, is she okay?" Sandy demanded.

"Your wife was in a car accident. She was thrown from the car into the water when the SUV went off a bridge," he stated calmly.

"She was thrown from the car?" Caleb asked, putting a hand on Sandy's shoulder for support.

"Yes, sir. Apparently she had been carjacked. A young man was driving the car; he managed to get her to shore and saved her life." The officer looked down at his notepad for a second, then nodded and looked back up.

Sandy found himself speechless.

"Carjacked?" Caleb asked with obvious confusion.

"They have the man in custody," the officer nodded. "He's waiting for--"

"But her foster son was with her, Ryan Atwood; was he hurt?" Sandy asked when things simply weren't adding up.

The officer stared at him for a few silent seconds, his mouth slightly agape. "Foster son?" he finally whispered.

Sandy sighed impatiently. Why didn't this guy know anything? "Yes, Ryan. He was supposed to be driving. His girlfriend said that he was driving when they left," Sandy said, even more confused and worried than when he'd had no information at all.

"I…he's not on your insurance. He said it wasn't his car and he has a record of car theft so we…," the officer stammered, flipping through his notebook.

Caleb took a step forward, removing his hand from Sandy's shoulder. "You arrested him? You just said he saved her life and you took him to jail?" Caleb shouted angrily. This time, Sandy placed his hand on Caleb's shoulder, simply to restrain him if need be.

The officer dropped his hands to his sides, abandoning the notebook for the time being and taking a step backward. The nurse, who'd been silent up to this point, stepped in. "Your wife is going to be fine," she said softly, directing the information to Sandy. "She has mild hypothermia but she wasn't injured in the car crash. She has a pretty high blood alcohol level which probably contributed to the hypothermia but she's…she's very lucky to be alive. Would you like to see her?"

Sandy nodded and the nurse started down the hall. Sandy stayed back for a second, leaning in close to the officer and raising a finger. "You better get Ryan out of that jail before I file a lawsuit that will render you jobless," he growled. "I want to talk to him now. If I find out that you--"

"Sandy. Go see Kirsten," Caleb interrupted. "I'll make sure he follows up. I'll be in as soon as I find out that Ryan's safe."

"Are you sure?" Sandy asked, torn between the two people who need him most right now.

"Go," Caleb insisted. "It'd kill her if anything happened to the boy."

Sandy gave an appreciative nod before jogging down the hall to catch up with the nurse.


"Guard? I think you should come see this," Larry slurred through the bars of the holding cell. Once again, Larry had been brought in by one of the officers to dry out overnight.

"What's it this time?" The cop tossed his magazine onto the desk in frustration. He'd only been on for fifteen minutes and already Larry was grating on his nerves. The drunks never just shut up and paid their dues silently; they always had to draw attention to themselves with unsubstantiated whining.

"This…fuck…." Larry shook his head, pointing toward the dark corner, his hand – mostly covered by an old, holey glove – was shaking with withdrawal tremors. "He looks like a kid," Larry continued with concern. "He's, like, twitching and stuff. He's…he's been shiverin' or somethin' since you brought him in and I thought it would stop, ya know? But he looks pretty bad off."

The cop frowned, pushed out his chair and slowly approached the cell, squinting to see through the darkness. It wasn't unheard of for Larry to make up stories, but as much as the cop didn't believe the drunk, he couldn't just ignore him when he said stuff like that.

"He didn't wake up when I kicked him," Larry said after a few seconds. His breath was ripe with liquor, but there was definitely a kid balled up in the corner and he was definitely shaking.

"See? I told ya," Larry slurred, a lopsided grin forming on his dirt-smeared face.

The cop immediately reached for the keys on his belt, calling over his shoulder for some help before pushing Larry back and entering the cell.

The old metal bed frames creaked when bodies stirred at the sudden commotion. He cautiously walked over to the huddled, shaking figure, tossing a quick glance over his shoulder and down the hall. He was relieved to see that help was fast approaching.

"Is he all right?" Larry asked from over the cop's left shoulder – a little too close for comfort.

"Just stand back," the cop urged quietly. Two other officers joined him in the cell, but allowed him to approach first.

He kneeled beside the kid's hunched form. He was most definitely just a kid. "Sir? Can you hear me?"

He pulled out his flashlight and shone it in the kid's face, startled by the light-blue tone of his skin.

"What's going on, Murphy? D'you want me to call for EMS?"

He just nodded, and heard the instant crackle of a radio as his colleague called for medical help.

He reached out and placed a hand on the kid's shoulder. His clothes were damp – no, wet – and freezing to the touch. At the physical contact, the kid sluggishly opened his. They were hazy and unfocussed for a few seconds, but finally the cop saw a change in the kid's pupils as he began to adjust to his surroundings. "What? Is my lawyer…?"

"Uh…no. I mean, not yet." The kid's eye-lids drooped, but the cop couldn't tell if it was out of disappointment or exhaustion. He turned to one of his fellow officers. "He's freezing. Can you see if you can find any blankets or anything?"

When he turned back to the kid, his eyes were completely closed. "Hey. Hey, kid. Try to stay awake with me, okay?"

The kid let out a shaken sigh, but otherwise did not respond.

The cop sat back on his heels and ran a hand over his worried face. All other occupants of the cell were completely quiet, and the only sound was the short, shivering breaths from the freezing kid. The cop stood up and glanced through the bars, mumbling under his breath, "Where the hell is EMS…?"


"Seth! Thank God! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Lindsay pushed past Summer ignoring the fact that she was clinging to a sheet wrapped around her body, and rushed to Seth's side.

"Lindsay. Hey, what are you doing here?" Seth asked loudly, his eyes wide with shock. He kept his gaze set on her as he scrambled through the rumpled sheets, finally emerging with a shirt and slipping it over his head in a rush.

"It's your mom, and Ryan, there was an accident and she's in the hospital and he called me from jail but now Caleb says that he's on his way to the hospital too and he made me promise that I'd find you," Lindsay spat out in one big breath, aware that her voice was cracking with emotion near the end. She desperately tried to blink back the hot tears that were stinging her eyes.

"An accident? Lindsay, is Mom..?" Seth stammered, suddenly motionless and confused.

"I don't know, Seth. I just know that we have to go. Now," Lindsay said urgently. Several tears had somehow escaped, but she fought to keep the majority of her emotional barriers intact. She'd promised Ryan she would do this. She wasn't going to fall apart now.

"You have to slow down, Lindsay. What happened?" Summer asked calmly. Lindsay wanted to smack her for being so composed. How could she be composed? This was a nightmare come to life.

Lindsay took a shaky breath, frustrated that she had to waste time explaining herself because they couldn't just trust her and follow. "Ryan was driving Kirsten to Caleb's. I don't know what happened but she insisted on going to see him and Ryan was driving her there. And then he calls, from jail, and says that there was an accident and the stupid cops thought he stole the car so he couldn't be with your mom and he wanted me to call Sandy and Caleb and to find you. I called Caleb, Sandy already knew and then I left to try and find you." She took another deep breath before continuing, waving her cell phone in the air. "Caleb just called and he said that they're taking Ryan to the hospital now, too, and everyone's looking for you and I didn't know where else you would be so I came here and Summer's mom let me in…." She searched Seth's face for a reaction, breathless from her rant and suddenly feeling a little unsteady on her feet. She looked to Summer and back to Seth again.

"Come on, let's go," Seth finally spoke, his own voice strained and uneven, making Lindsay feel slightly less like a hysterical drama queen.

"Grandpa would have told you if it was serious," he said quietly, conspicuously slipping on his jeans under the duvet. "They're probably just taking him to the hospital so he can be with Mom…."

"You think?" Lindsay asked, turning away when Seth lifted his ass off the bed to pull his jeans up to his waist. They were related, after all.

"Yeah," Seth nodded unconvincingly to himself, swallowing thickly and hopping off the bed. "I'm sure that's it." He looked up to meet her gaze. "You driving?"

Lindsay nodded quickly, leading the way to the door. She turned to Summer as she walked past. "Sorry for the…interruption…."

"It's fine," Summer replied in a whisper, her face instantly blushing. "Cohen…call me when you know something, okay?"

"Uh huh," Seth answered, grabbing Lindsay's hand and pulling her through the hall, down the stairs, through the front door and into the driveway where Lindsay's car was waiting.

Seth climbed into the passenger seat, simultaneously pulling out his phone and turning it on. He rapidly punched in a number as Lindsay navigated her way into traffic, toward the hospital.

Seth was tapping his free hand off his knee, and whoever he was calling appeared to be unavailable. "Your dad's phone is off because he's with your mom, you should try Caleb," Lindsay said as she suddenly started recalling bits and pieces of the many conversations she'd had in the past twenty minutes. She maneuvered into the left lane and pressed down on the gas as she sped past a line of vehicles going the speed limit.

"Thanks," Seth said, ending the call. He stared at his phone for a few seconds. "I don't know Grandpa's cell phone number." He sounded so sad and defeated that it spurred another round of tears behind Lindsay's eyes. She blinked them back and did her best to focus on driving.

"We're only a few minutes away, Seth," she tried to reassure him when she finally felt she'd regained control of her rampant emotions.

He dropped his phone onto his lap and leaned his head back against the headrest. "What the hell happened? Why was Ryan driving with my Mom? Where were you?" Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him staring at her, she kept her gaze focused straight ahead and on the road.

"We have this huge project due tomorrow and I was at the house…."

"But why did she have to go to Grandpa's with Ryan?"

"I don't know, Seth." Her voice was a little too loud, and she had to tell herself to calm down. "I don't know."

"Why was he driving?" Seth was anything if not persistent.

She didn't answer. She wasn't sure she could answer.

"Lindsay?"

"He…." No. She promised Ryan.

"What?" Seth demanded. "Why was Ryan driving my mom to Grandpa's?"

"He made me promise not to…." Her eyes were filled with tears, causing the road to blur in front of her. She had to let them fall. She wasn't going to be responsible for a couple more family members being hospitalized.

"Tell me," Seth said sternly. "Ryan will understand. God…," he groaned in exasperation, turning to face the front again. She had to tell him. He deserved to know.

"She was drunk…she's always drunk," Lindsay whispered, sniffling through her emotions. "He didn't want her driving and somehow he convinced her to let him drive. I don't know what happened on the way."

"Oh God…," Seth murmured as Lindsay turned into the hospital's entrance. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure she made the right decision.


"Mmm," Kirsten moaned, stirring for the first time since Sandy had pulled up a chair next to her bed.

"Kirsten?" he whispered hopefully, gently touching the tips of his fingers to her chin.

"Sandy?" She listlessly opened her eyes and blinked away the drowsiness.

"I'm right here, honey. How do you feel?"

"It's cold…. Where…where am I?" she asked, scanning the room tiredly.

"You're in the hospital. There was an accident." He took her hand in his under the thick blankets, running his thumb back and forth over her chilled skin.

"Hospital?" She started to sit up but he held her down with his other hand.

"Shh. Just relax."

Her eyes drifted off from Sandy, as she stared into nothingness for an extended period of time. Sandy was just about to press the call button when she finally spoke. "Oh God…."

He squeezed his fingers around hers, praying he could take away the horrid memories that could make her look so stricken and lost. "Do you remember anything?"

She turned to him, her blue eyes wide, frightened and glistening with tears. "Is Ryan all right?"

Sandy looked down, staring at the white, cotton sheets while his mind raced to come up with an answer. "He's --"

"It wasn't his fault," she sputtered. "Oh God…."

"Why was he driving, Kirsten?" Sandy asked gently, raising his eyes once again.

"I…I was drinking," she confessed. "He wouldn't let me drive and I was…I yelled at him, Sandy. The accident, it was my fault. Please…tell me he's all right?" she pleaded, now clutching onto his hand under the covers, her eyes begging him to tell her what she wanted to hear. The tears slipped from her eyes, leaving wet trails down the pale skin of her cheeks.

"Just calm down. We don't know anything yet," he tried to assure her.

"How long have I been here? How could you not know anything?"

"Shh…just relax, okay? Everything's going to be okay, just relax."

"I want you to find out that he's okay. I want to see him. I'm not hurt; let me see him. I have to," she stated loudly, leaning forward to try to get up again.

"Shh." Sandy tried to soothe her, pressing the nurse button then running his thumb across her cheeks, deleting the tear tracks. "Right now, all you're going to do is rest."

"Don't placate me, Sandy!" she shot back angrily, swatting his hand from her face. "This is my fault."

Sandy was surprisingly relieved to see her fight with him. He needed proof of her strength, even if it as at his expense.

"Kirsten. Stop. Lie still and let them check you over. I'm not going anywhere," Sandy said determinedly as the nurse hurried to her side. He took a step back and let her tend to his wife.

"Sandy, go make sure he's okay. He shouldn't be alone, he's -"

"He's not here yet, Kirsten. I promise that I'll check on him as soon."

"He's not here? Where is he? The Rover, it went off the bridge." Her voice rose and new tears revealed themselves as she began to panic. "Please tell me he got out!"

"Kirsten. If you don't calm down I'll ask them to sedate you," Sandy threatened.

"Sandy," she started, obviously deflating. "I'm sorry…. I'm so sorry, Sandy."

"We'll worry about apologies later, honey. Just relax," he urged.

"Sandford." Sandy turned around to see Caleb standing in the open doorway. "They're bringing him in now." Sandy nodded in acknowledgment.

Caleb took a few uncertain steps into the room, pulling his hands from his pockets. "Kiki?"

Sandy heard his wife stifle a sob, but he didn't turn back.

"Stay with her, Cal; I'll be right back."


"What happened?" Sandy asked, pushing past the officers to get to Ryan's bedside. The doctors were working frantically, tossing thick, heavy blankets on top of him and shouting stats that Sandy couldn't decode.

"Sir, please step back," one of the doctors said calmly, placing an authoritative hand on Sandy's chest to prevent him from coming any closer.

Sandy pivoted around to face the officers who were standing by the trauma room doors. "What the hell happened?" he growled, stepping toward them.

"He's…we found him like that in the cell. The EMTs think he's hypothermic or something," the one officer replied sheepishly, only meeting Sandy's eyes for a brief second before pulling away.

"He pulled my wife out of the God damned ocean," Sandy said slowly. "Of course he's hypothermic. You didn't even give him a blanket or dry clothes? But you know what I'd really like to know? Why the hell was he even in a cell to start off with?" Sandy demanded, now only a foot away from the two officers. He could feel himself blazing inside and he was going to get some answers out of these idiots if it killed him.

"He's seventeen so we put him in with the adults in a holding cell. We don't give out fresh clothes to collars in our holding cells," the man tried to rationalize.

Sandy was so angry that he couldn't even respond. He forced himself to take a deep breath and turned to catch a nurse's attention. "Is he going to be all right?" he asked a kind-looking, older nurse who had just finished hanging a bag of clear liquid on a metal stand.

She smiled warmly, but much to Sandy's relief, she delivered the straight facts. "His body temp's down to 91 degrees. We have to get him warm. He's in more danger than your wife because he's gone so long without any treatment but hopefully we'll know something soon when he starts responding to treatment."

Sandy nodded appreciatively and then turned back to face the officers. "I think you better go call your boss," he said, alternating his gaze from one officer to the other. "The highest boss you have. Tell him to call the department's lawyer. I want you away from him right now."

"Sir, I understand your concern about how the situation was handled, but we weren't the officers who arrested your son; he was brought in before our shift began. I'll certainly pass along the word to our captain, though. All the best to your family."

The two officers quietly exited the room and Sandy ran the balls of his hands over his eyes. He was upset and he had to calm down – for Ryan and Kirsten. It was time for him to be a father and a husband, not a lawyer.

"Sir?" A voice pulled him from his thoughts. "He's waking up." Sandy turned around and regarded the same, kind nurse. "If you could try and keep him calm so we can explain what we're doing…?"

"Of course," Sandy replied, immediately approaching Ryan's bedside.

"It would be best if he were to stay still," she quietly guided him.

Ryan's eyelids were drooping but Sandy glimpsed a flash of his familiar blue eyes. He leaned forward into Ryan's line of vision.

"Ryan? Ryan, kid, look at me."

"Sandy," Ryan groaned quietly, his voice so rough and strained that Sandy barely recognized it. "I'm tired…cold. What's going on?" Ryan asked, blinking, shivering, but not focusing.

"Well, you took a swim in some pretty cold water," Sandy said matter-of-factly. "The doctors have to warm you up." Sandy took his hand and cringed at the chill in his skin. He was definitely colder than Kirsten.

"They took me to jail," Ryan murmured, his gaze roaming around the room, ignoring the doctors and nurses who had gathered around him.

Sandy felt his heart wrench at Ryan's statement and he couldn't trust himself to respond without finally losing control. He just tried to smile for Ryan – tried to give him a little comfort in his time of need.

The kind nurse thankfully spoke for Sandy. "We have to raise your temperature, Ryan, okay? We're giving you fluids and wrapping you in blankets to help you warm up. Just let us work and you'll be good as new in no time, okay?"

Ryan gave them an indifferent nod. "Kirsten, is she all right? They wouldn't tell me anything," Ryan slurred, his head rolling back to the side to face Sandy.

"She's fine," Sandy replied without a second's hesitation. "We're just worried about you now. You just keep talking to me, okay?"

Ryan blinked and it took a long moment for him to open his eyes again. "You know how much I love to talk."

Sandy released a relieved breath with a smile. "I know, kid. Just try, okay?"

"I'm sorry…about the Rover…and Kirsten." Ryan's entire body shook with a violent shiver and Sandy felt he was losing his grip on is emotions. He couldn't hate this more. He'd trade places with Ryan in an instant.

"Don't apologize, you didn't do anything wrong, okay? Everything's going to be okay."

Ryan nodded but it was clear he didn't believe it. His eyes drifted closed and his head rolled back to it's original position.

"Ryan," Sandy said, squeezing his hand. "Stay awake for me, okay?"

"Not sleeping…just resting," he mumbled.


"Dad?" Seth called out when he spotted his dad emerging from one of the rooms, half-way down the hall.

"Seth, where have you been?" his dad asked as he walked briskly toward Seth, pulling him into his tight embrace.

"I just heard," Seth mumbled, using his hands on his dad's shoulders to push himself away. He pointed to Lindsay, who was standing against the wall, clutching her purse in one hand and the car keys in the other. Her eyes were tinted with pink, and the tip of her nose was bright red. "Lindsay brought me."

Seth's dad turned to eye Lindsay, then reached over and squeezed her shoulder, pulling her closer. "Are you guys all right?"

"We're fine," Lindsay answered assuredly with a determined nod. She looked up tentatively. "How're Kirsten and Ryan?"

"Well, they're still working with Ryan right now but Kirsten's going to be just fine."

"And Ryan?" Seth was worried by his dad's evasive and vague answer. He sought out his dad's eyes and made sure they'd locked gazes.

"They're…working. The Rover went off a bridge; it's at the bottom of the bay right now."

"Oh God," Lindsay gasped, again sniffling. "But…but Ryan was driving…," she stammered, but didn't finish her sentence. Seth looked down at the floor, stuffed his hands in his pockets and rolled a piece of lint between his fingers; seeing Lindsay so upset was not helping him keep his own emotions in check.

"We don't have the whole story yet but apparently Kirsten was thrown out and Ryan found her in the water and brought her to shore. The…fucking inept cops, excuse my language, took him in. They were looking at an old insurance policy and when they saw Ryan's record they held him at the station," Sandy explained, and Seth suddenly felt a hand on his back. He knew his dad was struggling but it felt good to let someone else be the strong one. He didn't look up though, instead, he tried to count the thousands of tiny pebbles that peppered the tiles of the floor. "They didn't know that he was hypothermic until an hour or so ago. His temperature's rising…but not as fast as the doctors want it to."

Seth's dad stopped, Lindsay sniffled, and Seth finally found the courage to lift his gaze. "Can I see him? Can I see Mom?" he asked.

"I'll take you to your mother," his dad said with a fabricated smile and gentle nod. "Lindsay, have you called your mother to tell her where you are?"

"I'll call her now," she mumbled, fumbling with her purse as she searched for her phone. "She knows I was looking for Seth…."

"If you don't mind, could you sit with Ryan for a few minutes?" Seth's dad quietly asked Lindsay, and Seth let out a little breath of relief knowing that Ryan couldn't be too bad off if they were going to allow his girlfriend to sit with him. "I'll leave Seth with his mom and come right back."

"Of course," she answered quickly, shoving her phone back in her purse and snapping it shut. "Where is he?"

"Right in there." He pointed to the room from which he had just come out. "The nurse is with him and he's just sleeping. See if you can get him to wake up; they'd like him to be conscious." Seth recognized the relief in his dad's voice at Lindsay's willingness to bear some of the load.

Lindsay nodded, pulled a crumpled tissue from her pocket to wipe her nose and then stepped across the hall toward Ryan's room.

"C'mon, Seth, I'll take you to your mom." Seth nodded and felt his dad's hand guide him down the hall. He followed obediently but glanced into Ryan's room as they walked past.


Lindsay stepped into Ryan's room and was greeted by the smell of antiseptic and a smile from one of the nurses.

"He's still sleeping, sweetie. Are you his girlfriend?" the nurse asked in a quiet comforting tone that encouraged Lindsay's shoulder muscles to relax ever-so-slightly.

Lindsay nodded and paused, unsure of what she could and could not touch, fearing she could somehow hurt him if she sat in the wrong place or grazed the wrong tube.

"You can sit right here, sweetie," the nurse said, tapping the stool by Ryan's beside. "He'd like to know you're close." She stepped back as Lindsay lowered herself onto the stool, her knuckles white as both hands clutched her purse in her lap.

"He's going to be okay. It's just going to take some time to warm him up. Talk to him; see if you can get him to wake up. Push that button if you need anything or have any questions, okay?"

"Thanks." Lindsay nodded and took a deep breath, returning her attention to Ryan as the nurse soundlessly left the room.

Ryan was barely visible under a pile of blankets which ended just beneath his chin and stretched to well below his feet. One of his hands was exposed with an IV tube taped to it that snaked up to a bag of clear liquid hanging on a stand. Lindsay noted where everything was, so she could be sure not to disrupt anything. Satisfied that she could do no harm, she took his hand in hers.

"Ryan," she whispered quietly, watching his stark-white face for any reaction, "I've only known you a few weeks but I really care about you – and the Cohens really care about you. It's just…you're scaring us a little. I really need you to open your eyes and tell me that everything's going to be okay…because whenever you say it, I believe it…." She stopped and turned away to sniff and swallow the growing lump in her throat.

His eyes were still closed when she turned back to face him.

"So much for the dramatic speech," she scoffed with a brief smile despite herself.

"Lindsay?" his voice was hoarse and raw, but it had never sounded so good.

"Hey," she whispered gratefully, leaning in toward him. "I'm here, Ryan."

He shivered lightly and licked his lips before cracking his eyes open. "What…. It's heavy."

Lindsay frowned, pushing the button the nurse had pointed out earlier then releasing his hand to cup his face. "They're taking good care of you."

"Is Kirsten all right?" From what little she could see, his blue eyes were dazed and unfocused. His skin was chilly but not like she had been expecting.

"She's fine. Sandy and Seth are with her," she said, relieved when his eyes seemed to clear up and fix upon her.

He relaxed visibly, shifting under the blankets with a shiver. "Good…" he groaned under his breath. "I'm glad you're here… and safe."

Before Lindsay could respond, the nurse came in followed by a man in a long, white coat, who Lindsay assumed must be Ryan's doctor. She removed her hands from his face and sat back into the stool, resuming the clutch on her purse.

The doctor went straight to the monitors on the other side of the bed while the nurse smiled at Lindsay, waving her hand in a small circular gesture, silently encouraging Lindsay to continue.

Lindsay smiled back and nodded, again taking Ryan's hand. "You're safe too. Do you know where you are?"

"I'm thinking…hospital?" Lindsay smiled at him in acknowledgement. "I think…I think I saw Sandy. I'm pretty messed up, right?" he asked, obviously unsure and seeking assurance.

"You're…you're cold," Lindsay said, not knowing how else to explain it. "You're not messed up."

"Yeah," Ryan agreed, grimacing as he swallowed and closing his eyes for a long moment.

The doctor cleared his throat and crouched down to Ryan's eyelevel. "You're suffering from hypothermia, Ryan. We're working hard to get you warm. Can you try and stay awake?"

"Sure," Ryan whispered, opening his eyes again. "I can try."

Lindsay felt his fingers tighten around her hand. "Can you stay a little while?"

"As long as you need." She smiled genuinely for the first time since she received that dreaded phone call.

"Thanks. I know it's a big step…considering we're not even official yet," he joked.

Lindsay laughed and pulled his hand up to her lips, kissing it softly. "You're still my best friend."

He shivered again, but his subtle smile soothed Lindsay's heart.

"Lindsay? Are you all right?" She jumped a little on her stool, startled by Caleb's voice.

Ryan closed his eyes and titled his head back into his pillow. She slipped her hand free and rose to meet Caleb at the door.

"I'm fine," she said softly.

"How is he?" Caleb asked, tentatively putting an arm around her waist.

Lindsay just shrugged, unsure of how to respond to that question. Was he okay? No. Will he be? She hoped so. When she glanced back, Ryan was regarding them with dull blue eyes. He looked so different than he had only seconds before.

"Ryan, thank-you for taking care of my daughters," Caleb said formally, giving a respectful nod.

"How is she?" Ryan asked, his voice unstable and wavering through his short question.

"Frantic with worry about you," Caleb replied.

"I'm okay…." Ryan's eyes slipped shut again.

"He's freezing," Lindsay whispered to Caleb, who responded by tightening his grip around her waist. She wasn't sure if it was the trauma of the evening, but tonight, for some reason, it wasn't so hard allowing Caleb to be her father.

Ryan lazily turned his head to look at the doctor. "How long do you need me awake? 'Cause I'm sort of tired."

"It's really important, Ryan, for you to keep talking, okay?" the doctor replied, casting a pleading glance toward Lindsay. She nodded and pulled away from Caleb, resuming her position at Ryan's side.

"Can I sit up?" Ryan asked.

The nurse raised the bed slightly and Ryan blinked his thanks.

"Are you in pain?" Caleb asked, taking a step into the room, pausing at the foot of the bed.

"It's keeping me awake…. I'm fine," Ryan slurred, his exhaustion palpable.

"Doctor?" Caleb asked, alarmed.

"Keep him talking, his slur's a side effect of the hypothermia," the doctor explained calmly.

"You're okay. But I think we'll need an extension on our project," Lindsay said, recapturing Ryan's attention.

"I'll call the teacher," Caleb started immediately.

"Shh, Caleb. It was a joke," Lindsay said with a light laugh, and she caught the flash of a smile on Ryan's face.

"You swear she's okay?" Ryan asked Caleb.

"I wouldn't be here if she wasn't," Caleb answered. Lindsay glared at him. Sometimes she wondered if Caleb had an ounce of sensitivity in his body.

"That I believe," Ryan murmured groggily, closing his eyes again.

"Ryan, we know you're tired," Lindsay started, shaking his hand a little. "But I need you to—"

"Still here," he interrupted, taking a deep breath.

Another nurse came into the room with several bottles of juice in her arms.

"Ryan?" the nurse said in a motherly tone as he set the bottles down on the table near the door, opening one up and approaching the bed. "Can you try to drink this? It would do you a lot of good to get some sugar in your system."

He wiggled his free hand out from underneath the pile of blankets, and tried to accept the bottle, but after several tries, it was obvious his fingers were not going to cooperate.

Finally, Lindsay reached across and took the bottle of apple juice, raising it to his lips.

Yep, she thought, this evening was definitely a big step in their relationship.


Kirsten was sitting up and drinking from a bottle of juice when Caleb returned. Seth was sitting with her, holding her hand and talking to her in a mildly subdued version of his typical manic babbling.

"So, you are totally grounded for the next six months. All your parental rights are revoked because you scared the living hell out of me tonight and I deserve retribution for the pain and suffering I went through when Lindsay showed up telling me that you were in an accident and--" Seth glanced up, suddenly aware of Caleb's presence.

"Did you see him? Is he all right?" Kirsten asked immediately, the hand holding the bottle of juice dropping to her side.

"He's going to be fine, Kiki. He was more worried about you."

"This is all my fault," she said under her breath. "Is Sandy with him? He shouldn't be alone," she rambled.

"I'll check on him, Mom. I need to see him," Seth said sadly, flashing a gloomy smile at Caleb as he brushed past and out the door.

"Dad…," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.

"Oh, honey, everything's going to be fine," Caleb said softly, taking Seth's spot and running a hand over his daughter's trembling cheek. "You'll be fine."

"I shouldn't have yelled at him. I was…I've been drinking," she whispered, turning her face away from his as she delivered the devastating confession.

"I think you should probably talk to Sandford about that," Caleb stated, unwilling to tiptoe around the subject but also not wanting to upset his daughter when she needed all possible support to get well again. "We'll help you…whatever you need," Caleb soothed.

"I didn't mean to add more drama. God knows we have enough of it already." She sniffled and wiped the tears from her face with a shaky hand.

Her eyes shot to the doorway, and Caleb looked up to see a very defeated Sandy Cohen entering the room.

"Everything all right?" Sandy asked.

"Why aren't you with Ryan? He's not alone--" Kirsten's voice was strained and Caleb shushed her and brushed his hand through her hair.

"Seth and Lindsay are with him," Sandy said tiredly. He took the bottle of juice from Kirsten's hand and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "He's conscious and talking."

"Sandy…I think I might have a problem. I think I need help," Kirsten whispered. He leaned forward, pulling her into his arms.

"Okay, honey. We'll get through this…don't worry, I'll help you." He rubbed his hand over her back and squeezed tightly, never wanting to let her go ever again. He knew he could never live without his wife. She was his foundation and he would do everything within his power to make her strong again.

"I need to see Ryan. I have to talk to him, explain myself," she mumbled after a short lull, clinging back just as strongly.

"There will be plenty of time for that later. He's not going anywhere." He didn't want her to worry, though he realized that like any mother, she would worry until she knew for sure – until she could see him for herself and gain that peace of mind.

"Why aren't you with him?" she asked, and Sandy could feel her voice vibrate against his chest.

"Seth and Lindsay are doing a great job of keeping him awake. I need to be here with you."

"Sandy…." She pulled back a little bit, but Sandy tightened his grip. He wasn't ready to let go yet.

"There's nothing I can do for him right now, Kirsten. He's fine."

Kirsten shimmied back and out from his embrace, leaning back just far enough so she could study his face. "You're mad at me," she whispered, fresh tears glistening over her bright-blue eyes.

"I'm not mad," he assured her, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I…I just can't believe I didn't know how much you were hurting. We used to talk to each other, Kirsten."

"I'm sorry," she started, the tears pooling at the bottom of her eyes, "but you're trying so hard to get your practice off the ground…. I didn't…I didn't want to drag you down."

"Your issues are my issues, too," he said seriously, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to look him in the eyes. "Kirsten, I need you. You need me, too. We're married, and that means not having to handle everything or anything alone."

"I'm sorry," she cried, the pools overflowing and raining tears down her cheeks. Sandy wiped them away with his thumb.

"It's going to be okay, but…d'you realize that you could've been killed tonight?" He paused and then whispered, "Ryan could've been killed."

She turned her head away, leaving his hand hovering in the air. But he wasn't done. He needed her to see the enormity of it all – despite the hurt it would undoubtedly cause her. "I could've lost you both tonight and I wouldn't have even known what happened to my family." He choked out the final words, his emotions getting the most of him for the first time since he stomped into the hospital.

Kirsten's chest jumped as she silently sobbed, closing her eyes and leaning her forehead into his chest. He kissed the top of her head lightly, letting his cheek rest against her soft, golden hair.

"We have to fix this. We have to do it together. I won't lose you; I won't lose our family," he said as he gently ran his fingers up and down her back. "Please…let me help you."

"Okay," she squeaked out through her sobs. "I'll do whatever you want…."

Sandy smiled and closed his eyes. "That's my girl."

"Oh…and Sandy?"

"Mmm?"

She sniffled and tilted her head slightly beneath his cheek. "In the spirit of telling; Julie's pregnant with another one of Jimmy's babies."

Sandy's eyes shot open and he couldn't help but chuckle. "Never a dull moment…."


Ryan blinked through his exhaustion and tried to lend Seth some of his attention. He'd started rambling off on some tangent as soon as the doctor had finished giving him an update by the door on Ryan's condition. Apparently, his temperature was up to 95, but Ryan had had to strain his ears to overhear the information.

He hated being treated like an invalid. Just because he was exhausted and his fingers and voice weren't really cooperating, it didn't mean his brain couldn't comprehend his own condition.

Lindsay's hand was still holding his tightly but she'd drifted off to sleep not too long ago – her head resting on top of his thickly-blanketed chest.

Her slumber hadn't stopped Seth from talking, though. The doctors still wanted Ryan awake and it was obvious that Seth had decided to make that his own personal mission.

"Dude. You're totally not listening," Seth whined, recapturing Ryan's attention.

"Sorry. Something about Summer?" Ryan attempted quietly so as not to disturb Lindsay. He knew that it was a highly probable assumption seeing as most of Seth's ramblings revolved around the topic of Summer.

"What about Summer?" Seth asked immediately.

"So, you weren't talking about Summer?" Ryan asked in amazement. He didn't think that had ever happened before….

"No, I mean…what are you talking about? Are you getting disoriented again? Do you want me to go get the doctor again?" Seth blurted out in a panic.

"Stop," Ryan said, holding up his hand weakly. "You're making me dizzy. I wasn't listening, Seth. Why don't you tell me about Summer?"

Seth squinted in confusion. "Why do you want to hear about Summer. D'you like her or something?" he asked in a whisper.

Ryan rolled his eyes and let out a shaky sigh. "No. Just…never mind."

Seth shook his head and leaned back in his seat, rocking back and forth a few times. Ryan could hear the swooshing of Seth's legs swinging rapidly beneath the bed. Seth's inability to sit still and remain quiet was enough to drive any normal person insane.

Ryan was surprised when Seth's mindless activities slowly came to a halt – his eyes falling on Lindsay's sleeping form.

"What?" Ryan asked hesitantly. He didn't really have the energy to deal with another one of Seth's mini-dramas right now but he needed the distraction to remain awake.

"Lindsay…she was really worried about you," Seth said, glancing up at Ryan for a second before turning away again. "She said you made her promise over and over again that she'd find me…."

"I…I don't really remember much after the cops took me away," Ryan admitted – aware for the first time of the ache in his chest where the seatbelt had restrained him when the car hit the ocean. At least he wasn't numb anymore.

"Well…I was with Summer," Seth said with a guilty, lopsided grin. "I quit my job at the Bait Shop last week and we've been…sneaking around."

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise as Seth tossed his hand up in the air. "It's so fucking stupid. I mean, I haven't even seen Mom in days and all this happens. I'm sorry, Ryan. For being so totally self-absorbed and out of the loop again."

Ryan shook off the apology, still stuck on the first part of Seth's little speech. "You and Summer are…?"

"No. We're not back together…we're just…."

"Sleeping together?" Ryan ventured.

"Well, yeah," Seth grinned - his cheeks blushing. "It's weird…."

"I'm glad, man."

"Thanks…I think. But it doesn't change the fact that I let you down again."

"You didn't let me down, Seth. Just…your mom's been really down lately. It might have helped if you'd been around more…she really loves you," he said hoarsely. He knew he only had so much left in his voice, so he met Seth's gaze and tried to make the most of what remained. "You shouldn't take what you have for granted."

Seth nodded seriously, tilting his chin toward Ryan. "I see that now. Thanks for…for taking care of my Mom."

Ryan nodded again. He was so tired and this staying awake thing was getting harder by the second. "I'm going to close my eyes," he whispered, his eyelids slipping shut despite his best efforts. "Wake me up when the sleep police comes back."

"Ryan, wait…." He heard Seth shuffling beside him.

"Just a nap, Seth; I just can't stay awake any longer," he confessed, and much to his relief, the shuffling stopped, allowing him to finally concede to his exhaustion.


Kirsten glanced over when she was convinced that Sandy was finally asleep in the foldout chair beside her bed.

They'd taken her off the IV a few hours earlier but insisted that she stay overnight for observation since she had been involved in such a traumatic event. She knew that Ryan was staying – his temperature finally at a safe 97 degrees from Sandy's last update.

Sandy had been pingponging between the two rooms, making sure they were both comfortable and safe. He'd only fallen asleep a short while earlier. Kirsten was relieved he was allowing himself to rest – even if it was just by accident.

She'd made such a mess of things. She'd never been depressed before – not to the point of fucking up her life, anyway – and she had been clueless about how to deal with it. Sure, she'd had down-times before when life had gotten to be overwhelming, but never had she sunk to such depths.

She kept flashing back to the car – seeing herself yelling at Ryan. He'd only done what they'd taught him and Seth to do which was to never let anyone drive drunk. He'd done his part, he'd taken her keys, and she'd punished him by scolding him and acting out in such a way that it had driven them both into the ocean.

He'd probably never forgive her.

She knew that wasn't true, though. Ryan…he always forgave. Externally, at least. What went on inside, she was sure she'd never know. But she'd seen him forgive his own mother - his own family for their mistakes, ones that greatly affected his own life. But Kirsten knew she was supposed to be different.

She'd begged Sandy to let her see Ryan, but he'd insisted that she wait until the morning.

Well, it was three a.m., and technically, that was morning.

She gently pushed back the pile of blanket that were covered her body and lowered her slippered feet to the floor. She grabbed the top blanket from the pile on the bed and draped it across her shoulders. Her dad had brought her some clothes after he'd taken Seth and Lindsay home earlier in the night and she was grateful not to have to wear one of those dreadful hospital gowns. Besides, her well-worn sweater and thick fleece pants were helping her keep some of the warmth in her bones.

She tiptoed into the hallway, carefully closing the door but not latching it, just in case the noise woke Sandy. The lights in the hallway were dimmed and no nurses were wandering about so she felt safe to start her search for Ryan. She knew he couldn't be too far, since her nurses were his nurses, too. He was probably only a few rooms away.

One of the doors a few feet away was half-opened. There was no name displayed but she had a feeling that it might be Ryan's. She hesitantly peered into the room but the bed was empty. She was about to turn around to resume her search when she recognized one of Sandy's duffle bags lying on the floor beside the bed.

She pushed the door open just a little and let her eyes scan the room before allowing herself to panic. The bathroom door was closed but she could see light peeking through the crack under the door. Her suspicions were confirmed when she heard the faint sound of a toilet flushing. The doctors had pumped her full of fluids too, and she'd been up and down to the bathroom at least ten times since they'd taken her off the IV.

The door opened and Ryan stepped out, his hair tousled and his blue eyes hooded with drowsiness.

She didn't wait for him to see her, she had to hug him; she had to hold him in her arms. He jerked suddenly, startled by her surprise touch, but after a moment, she felt him put his arms around her back.

"You shouldn't be out of bed," he murmured, his voice gravelly and hoarse. For some reason, her heart started to race. It was like just seeing him in this state made her realize she had done this. She was responsible.

But like Ryan, he was still trying to take care of her. She felt tears prick at her eyes.

"You, either," she replied, still holding him tightly.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, pulling out of her embrace long enough to shiver and shuffle back toward his bed. She saw him reaching for one of the blankets so she went to his side and urged him to lie down again.

"Better than you look, I have to say," she said, pleased when he allowed her to tuck him in.

His eyes searched her face and she could tell that he was trying to think of something to say. His words startled her. "You…you really scared me tonight. I mean…you jumped. You jumped out of a moving vehicle."

He didn't tell yell at her for being irresponsible or acting irrationally and dangerously – instead, he told her she'd scared him by endangering herself. She grabbed his hand and kneaded it with her fingers as she tried to distract herself from the building emotional storm in her chest.

"As I recall, it was a falling vehicle," she finally said. "And I wasn't exactly thinking at the time…I was too busy screaming," she finished in a whisper, shuddering as she recalled the scene. She had done a pretty good job of not allowing herself to think about it up to this point.

"I couldn't find you," he groaned, but Kirsten couldn't tell whether he was in pain or just pained by the memory. Either way, she could see how scared he really was. It was like he hadn't really believed she was okay until right now. She knew she should have come to him sooner.

"Ryan, I am so sorry. You should have never been in that position…not in my home…not with me. It will never happen again." And as the words left her mouth, she realized that promises probably meant nothing to this boy. He'd been through too much to take the word of others at face value. "I'll prove it, Ryan…if you'll let me."

He squeezed her hand strongly. She looked up to meet his eyes. His face was drawn and pale and he looked like he was going to pass out from exhaustion. He blinked and nodded, tilting his chin into his chest. "Okay. I believe you. But…you know, everyone needs some help sometimes…. If you guys hadn't helped me when I needed it…." He shrugged and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Well, I'd be in a different place right now. Sometimes we have to put our pride in the back seat and let other people help us."

She nodded, tears streaming down her face as she let this 17-year-old boy speak with such wisdom. "I know…you're right…and I'm getting help. Seth's grounded me…."

He smiled, laughing softly.

She laughed too, more out of relief than at the humor. "And he seems pretty serious about it. I'm serious, too. Things…they aren't supposed to be like this."

"I know." He nodded. "But we'll get through this."

"Ryan? Kirsten, my God! What the hell are you trying to do, put me in the hospital too with a God damned heart attack?" Sandy's voice was haggard, and Kirsten turned to see him standing in the doorway, his palms turned up in exasperation.

She shot him an apologetic smile as he approached, his expression softening. "I'm sorry, Sandy. I just had to see him."

"You should both be sleeping; the nurses are going to have my head," he said, running a hand through his hair and straightening the blanket around her shoulders before turning his attention to Ryan. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah," Ryan whispered, his eyelids sagging. "But I think I'm going to call it a night." He squeezed Kirsten's hand again, regarding her. "We can talk tomorrow?"

"I'll see you first thing," she smiled, pulling herself to her feet on weary legs and leaning over to plant a soft kiss on his forehead. Sandy's arm found its way around her waist, urging her to leave with him.

"You can see him tomorrow but for now, you need your rest, too," he whispered in her ear, gently leading her from the room. "No more wandering off. I'm not letting you out of my sight for a while so you better get used to it."