Just Like Asthma
Stories of Seth, Ryan and Sophie through the eyes of the parents that love them
AN: Let's see. snow day = no school = perfect opportunity to write fic. This is math I can live with J
And once again, thanks for all the kind reviews, I really appreciate it.
Oh, this one- shot makes me feel like a bad person
Enjoy.
Habits
Set in Season 2 Somewhere between a serious habit and rehab
She could have sworn there was a jackhammer in her head the way her temples were pounding and her back and neck ached probably from the awkward position she was sleeping in. She tried to roll over on her stomach only to almost slip off the couch.
At least, she thought it was the couch. She was pretty sure, but she didn't want to risk exposing her eyes to any unwanted light.
Memories of the night before flooded her mind and she remember having a few drinks in the living room, thinking of retiring to her room and then nothing more after that.
Her room. That's what she wanted. To crawl into bed and sleep off this terrible hangover, but the nauseous feeling she got when she tried to get up made her rethink her decision and she settled herself back on the couch with a miserable groan, drawing the covers over her head to block out the unnecessary light.
She didn't remember having a blanket with her last night, but she didn't care where the miraculous gift had come from.
Then someone called at her from outside the blanket
"Kirsten?"
She slowly edged the covers away from her face to see Ryan holding a glass of water and two Tylenol.
She sat up ignoring the major protest her stomach was making and blinked her sensitive eyes to the unyielding light.
"Ryan"
"Here" he held the pills out in front of her and she gratefully took them "They'll help"
She quickly finished the water off with it, closing her eyes again to get a hold on her spinning vision.
"Where's everybody?" She murmured
"Seth's out with his comic book friends and Sandy went to work early-"
Right. It was Saturday and
"Oh, Shit. I'm late for work. I gotta…"
She swung her legs off the couch, the sudden motion knocking her off balance and she had to grab the cushions to keep from falling over again and Ryan she felt Ryan's hand on her back, steadying her.
"Kirsten… it's kind of the afternoon already"
She slept through the morning and was still sick, she must have drank more than she thought
Kirsten held a hand to her aching head "Shit, I was supposed to have a board meeting at 9:00 dammit … I need my phone"
Ryan retrieved the cordless from the coffee table and handed it to her
"I've already called in sick for you"
She flopped back on the couch with a gigantic sigh of relief "Good. I'm not feeling so well"
Her sudden movements and the glass of water she drank came back with a vengeance as bile rose in her throat. She made to rush to the bathroom when a bucket appeared in front of her face.
She leaned over the instrument, taking several swallows and willing what was in her tummy to stay put. She noticed the bucket although rinsed, had already been used, more than once.
She felt her face flushed with embarrassment and took a couple more deep breaths before setting the bucket down. Ryan was still squatted down by her side, concern and knowing etched in his features.
"Thank you. I think I might have caught something" She knew there was no sense in lying, but she had to try anyway.
Ryan nodded his head obediently but said nothing
Well, if lying wasn't going to work, she could at least try appeasing
"It's not as bad as it probably looks. You know I don't usually slip up like this"
Ryan nodded "Sure. I'll be back in a second"
She could practically hear him thinking. Yeah, just every night these past few weeks, so when he returned with a wet washcloth for her forehead she continued.
"Work was pretty stressful and I didn't get home until late last night…"
Kirsten continued on with the story that even she didn't know the direction it was headed. But Ryan nodded and answered in all the right places and she let her nervousness and nagging guilt subside.
And when she thought she had son and herself convinced that this wasn't a big deal and her status as 'good mother' was still intact, she yawned and pulled the covers back up to her neck
"I'm just gonna take a small nap"
"Do you need anything?"
His voice was soft with a practiced ease and she was glad he was here. Sandy would have probably lectured and accused. Seth wouldn't have thought to bring aspirin or keep his voice down. But Ryan, Ryan understood.
She felt a surge of affection and sadness and love and guilt and made quick work of assuaging those feelings by motioning for her foster son to come closer and running and shaking arm affectionately though her hair
"Thank you for helping me out kiddo. I promise this is the one and only time"
His face took on a weird expression at her gratitude, but it quickly turned to small smile and she was too sick and tired to think about what it meant.
He shrugged as he moved towards the kitchen
"You should probably eat something. Want me to make you a grilled cheese or something?"
She coughed as her parched throat suddenly called for attention and she gave him a sheepish smile before asking
"Actually, if you could bring me something to drink, I'd really appreciate it, honey?"
Even through her haze she could note how tiered Ryan looked all of a sudden and she made a promise to herself to take him on another architectural tour, or a movie or something to make it up to him and redeem herself as his surrogate mother.
She heard him shuffling around in the next room and pulled the covers over her head again. And was hit suddenly the with dark colored blue of the fabric that went along quite nicely with the room it was picked out for and the faint scent of after shave and old spice. And she tried not to think about where this 'miraculous gift' had come from, even though she already knew the answer.
He returned soon enough with a small glass or orange juice, but for settling himself on the love seat a little a ways from her.
Kirsten took a few healthy sips before, before almost spitting it out in realization
"Ryan"
The boy looked up at her expectantly
"This is a screw driver" She didn't mean voice came out incredulous, accusing
Ryan scratched his head confused and answered warily
"Yeah… You said you wanted a drink … " His face suddenly turned bright red
Kirsten spluttered trying to come up with a response and finally asking
"How do you know how -?"
"I'm sorry… I just thought… my… I'm sorry Kirsten…stupid. I'll just get you something else-"
He reached for the glass in her hand and she set it on the coffee table
"No, Ryan" She tried to think of anything that would get rid of his embarrassment… her own guilt "It's … It's ok"
Ryan shook his head
"No. I - I'm gonna go get some homework done. Sorry. You're going to nap right? "
He made his way quickly to the kitchen doors and out towards the pool house before she could say anything more
"I'm…" The words died on her lips.
She pushed the blue blanket past her legs into one big heap and finished the glass in one large gulp.
So I might have make Kirsten feel kind of awful. Told you I feel bad
