AN: Sorry about the italics last chapter. Here's a little more. One day I might be able to write a story without so much Ryan-abuse, but I don't know. Thanks for all the encouragement. I'm really trying to work on some of my older stuff so hopefully this chapter will satisfy the many people asking me for more of this! Still don't own them.

"…and fire's a beautiful sound…"

--Something Corporate

Ryan finishes his homework finally. He's exhausted. Physically, his entire body is wracked with pain. He can't hold a pen anymore, his muscles are rejecting him. He leans back, his books and notebook falling off the bed into the floor.

"Everything okay in here?" Sandy sticks his head through the door. "I saw your light on. It's almost three a.m. You must be exhausted."

"Can't sleep," Ryan replies hoarsely.

"Kirsten says you aren't taking your pain pills," Sandy says, sitting down and gathering Ryan's things in a tidy stack.

Ryan doesn't respond.

"They're doctor-prescribed. You shouldn't be worried…"

"I worry. Drugs…I don't like them…I like them less than hospitals," Ryan murmurs.

"Do you feel like…will you try to talk to me, Ryan?"

Ryan meets Sandy's gaze with clouded eyes. "I don't know what you expect me to talk to you about."

"What's going on in your head, Ryan? You just went through something that I…something that you never should have gone through…" Sandy stops talking, seeing a response brewing in Ryan's eyes.

"I've seen people die, Sandy…I've had guns pointed at me by people that I loved…people that should never want to hurt me…" He pauses. "I've been shot before…but I've never…I've never had people behind me…like Seth…Marissa and Summer…And you and Kirsten…it's like…it's never mattered whether I lived or died before…"

"Ryan…" Sandy has lost all color in his face.

"When my Dad went to jail, it's like he stopped existing. We never mentioned him. And one of my Mom's boyfriends, Brandon…I came home one day and he was blue in the corner. Trey and Mom were just staring at him. He had been dead for like, hours…"

"Okay, Ryan…" Sandy nods, seeing how affected Ryan is by his words.

"But now…it's like…you guys were there for me…it's like you really care…and I…I don't know exactly how to handle that…" Ryan murmurs, covering his face with his hand.

"Ryan, we love you. Kirsten and I consider you our son. And Seth…"

"He doesn't understand…he's doesn't understand that I don't know how to do this…I don't know how to be what…I don't know if…" Ryan says desperately.

"Ryan…you don't have to prove anything to us, okay?" Sandy says urgently. "This isn't a job, this isn't a chore…all you have to do is be yourself…"

"Who am I, Sandy?" Ryan asks suddenly. "Seth thinks I'm this wise dude that knows what I'm doing…he thinks I'm cool or something and you…you think I'm smart and that I'm special…you think I'm like you…and Marissa…I just…I don't think I can do this…"

"Ryan. I know you can do this. You have to trust yourself before you can trust anyone else, right?" Sandy says, smiling to reassure him.

"Sandy…"

"Ryan, do you trust me?"

Ryan hesitates. For the first time, Sandy sees how vulnerable and delicate Ryan really is. "Okay. Sure. Let's say I trust you."

"I want you to rest. I promise you that tomorrow will be better. You'll feel better and everything will be okay. Maybe not tomorrow, but one day. I promise."

Ryan nods solemnly, his face returning to the familiar stone.

"You're hurting. Will you take something? For me?" Sandy asks, quietly.

"Since I'm being all honest…I really don't want to. The pain…it's the only thing that's familiar…" Ryan says. He lowers his voice. "My whole family…they're junkies…"

Sandy lowers his eyes. "I don't want you to be in pain. The fact that you recognize that you might potentially have a problem says to me that you're mature enough to take the medication."

Ryan searches his face.

Sandy meets his gaze. "You need to sleep."

He nods. "Okay. I…I'll take something. So I can sleep."

"If you don't mind…I'll stay with you. So you won't sleepwalk."

"You don't have to…" Ryan says immediately.

"Yes, I do," Sandy replies quietly.

"Okay."

"Do you have any tests tomorrow?"

"No."

"Come on. I want you to try and eat something before I give you anything," Sandy says, standing up. Ryan accepts his offered hand and follows him into the house.

Seth is sitting at the counter in his sweats, eating cereal. He nods to his father and coughs when he sees Ryan following him.

Ryan sits down beside Seth, meeting his curious gaze. "Hey."

"Hey."

"Sorry about today. I'm a little…out of it," Ryan says quietly.

"It's okay. And it was like yesterday anyway, so…" Seth murmurs.

"Can we just be cool? Like…I'm cool if you are."

Seth nods, accepting instantly. "Yeah. Of course."

Sandy sets a bowl of soup in front of Ryan.

"What are you still doing up?" Sandy asks his son.

"I was hungry. What about you?" Seth asks in return. Ryan eats his soup in silence.

"Checking up on our accident prone pool boy," Sandy smiles.

"Sandy!" Kirsten's voice is scolding despite Ryan and Seth's honest smile at the joke. "What are you guys doing? It's three a.m. for god's sake…" She goes immediately to the counter and takes a spoon, tasting the leftover soup that Sandy was feeding to Ryan.

"Why am I eating cereal and you guys get soup? How is that fair?" Seth asks suddenly.

Ryan looks at him, amused. They silently nod and trade bowls.

"Ryan, cereal is not the healthiest thing…" Kirsten starts as Sandy laughs quietly at their exchange.

"You didn't say anything when I was eating it," Seth replies.

"Cereal's like…it's like my favorite food," Ryan mumbles. "Especially when it's all soggy…it's like soup."

"I hate it when it gets all soggy…" Seth replies.

"You guys both have serious food issues," Sandy says suddenly. "But now I want some cereal."

*****

Ryan accepts the pain medication from Sandy and sleeps soundly in the guest room. He doesn't dream this time, he's too exhausted. When he wakes up, it's daytime. He gets up and goes into the kitchen.

"Hey," He says to Kirsten.

"Hey. No school for you today. Seth took your homework in for you."

"I really shouldn't miss any more school…"

"Actually, the principal suggested it."

Ryan tilts his head at her, curious as he sits down at the counter.

"Extenuating circumstances," She says quietly.

"Like what?"

"The boy…the boy that attacked you…he's out."

"What?" Ryan pauses. "I mean…but…"

"Ryan. Are you okay?"

"He shot me, Mrs. Cohen. That kid shot me and he's walking around town. I don't think I'm okay with that." He gets up from the counter.

"Where are you going?" She asks, concerned.

"I'm going to lie down in the pool house."

"I'm going to be here all day, Ryan. You won't be alone…"

"Where's Summer?" Ryan asks suddenly.

"She's upstairs, Ryan," Kirsten replies.

"Her parents are still not home?"

"They're unreachable." Summer steps out, yawning. She embraces him and searches his face. "You're mad."

"What?"

"Kirsten told you that the kid got out, didn't she…you know you can't do anything…" Summer starts.

"Summer. I couldn't hurt a kitten right now. I'm mad, sure, but I'm not stupid," Ryan replies quietly.

"He won't try anything. I mean, he's going to go to jail for shooting you, he wouldn't be stupid enough to come after you again," Summer says.

Ryan flinches suddenly, thinking of the boy. Kirsten sees it and immediately goes to his side. Summer takes his arm.

"He knows Seth and Marissa because they were there the other night. They shouldn't be alone…" Ryan says quietly, his eyes clouded.

"There are officers at the school…" Kirsten replies.

"Then why aren't we there, too?"

"You're exhausted, Ryan. Sandy and I decided to let you sleep in today because it was the first sound sleep you've had in weeks."

"I won't hide from him," Ryan states suddenly. His blue eyes are cold.

"Ryan. Come on…" Summer says quietly, stunned by his sudden change in demeanor. She glances at Kirsten worriedly.

Ryan sighs heavily, his anger being replaced by defeat. "I am tired."

"Let's go to the pool house. Come on, Ryan…" Summer pulls him out of the house.

Ryan doesn't speak. He sits down on the bed and Summer sits beside him, embracing him impulsively.

"This is all my fault…" She whispers. She's crying.

He puts his arms around her. "This isn't your fault. It's his fault. I won't let him hurt you…"

"What about you? Look what he's done to you because of me already…"

"This is beyond you now, Summer. This is between me and him…" Ryan whispers.

"I don't want you to get hurt. Marissa would never get over it. And Cohen…"

"Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything stupid."

She sniffles, pulling away. "Promise?"

"Sure."

"Ryan."

"I promise, Summer," Ryan smiles.

*****

Luke brings Seth and Marissa home from school. The police were worried about Seth driving the Range Rover in case the kid wanted to follow them home. Ryan is sleeping and Summer and Kirsten are burning food in the kitchen when they arrive.

Both Seth and Marissa are pale. They don't respond to Kirsten's hello.

"The kid was at school today," Luke tells Kirsten. "Just for a second before his brother spotted him and dragged him off campus."

"Luke knows the boy's brother and he's been keeping us updated," Marissa explains.

"I don't think we should tell Ryan," Seth says suddenly.

"I'm calling Sandy," Kirsten says.

"You have to tell him," Luke says to Seth and Marissa. "He has to be on the look out…"

"He flipped out a little when Kirsten told him that the kid was out. But I think you should tell him," Summer offers.

"That's two for telling and two against. We have a tie," Marissa says. The four teenagers are facing each other and Kirsten has walked away, talking on the phone to her husband about the latest development. None of them see the figure walk across the patio into the pool house.