A/N Sorry for the wait! But here is a super long chapter for you. Want a fast update? Review fast, and I could update again this week :)

The first night back home, Jamie stayed mostly in his room. When they arrived, his dad patted his back and said, "Nice to be home again, isn't it?"

Jamie just shrugged before walking to his room, trying to avoid eye contact. As he sat on his twin sized bed, he thought about the last month with the Atwoods. He would never forget them, he decided. He would never be able to thank them enough for everything they had done; it was not their fault that he was born into this family.

When he was sure his dad wouldn't come into his room, he pulled out his cell phone and texted Marissa that he was home safe. She responded almost immediately.

Marissa: Glad ur home safe. U ok?

He sighed as he stared down at his phone. He wanted to tell her that no, he was not fine. No, he did not want to be back in Chino. No, because he missed her and Lizzie and Ryan even though it had only been a month he'd known them. He wanted to tell her he missed what had quickly become the only family he'd ever known.

Jamie: I'm fine.

Marissa: I know ur lying.

Jamie smiled.

Marissa: How r u really?

Jamie: A little sad. I miss u guys.

Marissa: We miss u too.

Marissa: Try to get some sleep.

Jamie: Ok. Night Marissa.

Marissa: Night Jamie. Call or text if u need me.

Jamie let out a sad sigh as he put the phone away under his socks in his drawer. He definitely didn't need his dad finding the phone. After he had changed and put everything away, he climbed into bed and turned so he was facing the wall. Sleep wouldn't come easy, but he would try anyway; anything was better than reality.

XXXXX

Later that night, Marissa ran a brush through her hair as she prepared for bed. As she glanced into the bedroom, she saw Ryan already on his side looking sad and far away. Biting her lip, she put the brush away and left the bathroom, shutting off the light behind her. Climbing into bed, she immediately made her way over to Ryan, resting one hand on his chest. "I talked to Jamie," she said softly, feeling that anything louder wouldn't be right.

Ryan met her eyes. "What did he say?"

"He misses us. He is going to try to get some sleep." Marissa saw all the sadness in Ryan's eyes, and she felt it like a stab in her heart. As much as Ryan had done for her over the years, as many times he had saved her – she felt like it was her job to protect him from ever feeling this way again. He had been through more than any person ever should in a lifetime.

"Lizzie is broken hearted. She doesn't understand why he couldn't stay with us." Ryan sighed, tearing his eyes from hers. "I sat there with her and held her as she cried, and I knew it was all my fault, and…"

Marissa shook her head. "It's not your fault, Ryan. It's not anyone's fault."

"But…"

Before Ryan could get any other word out, Marissa shook her head and leaned in to kiss him. Ryan knew what she was doing, and he was grateful. He didn't feel like thinking. He didn't feel like feeling anything but Marissa's soft, warm body pressed against his. Without another word, Ryan slipped his fingers under Marissa's shirt, pulling it over her head. He moved his lips to her jaw, kissing down to her neck, losing himself in her touch, her smell.

Surprising him, Marissa straddled his hips the entire time, letting him know she is the one in control. Just before she sunk down onto him, she looked into his eyes, making sure he is focused on her and nothing else. "It's all going to be okay," she whispered, a promise, as she sinks down onto him.

Even after her eyes have closed in rapture, Ryan keeps his eyes trained onto his wife's face. He knows with her, it will always be okay.

XXXXX

The next day, Jamie left the house before his dad could wake up. He climbed on his bike and rode around his neighborhood, passing by all the houses of people who had come and gone. He finally decided to stop by the park where Ryan had found him that first night, and he rested his bike against the swings as he sat down. Pulling an apple Marissa had sent home with him, he took a bite as he stared out at the sad excuse for a park.

After a few bites, someone came up behind him, startling him. "Calm down, man. It's only me," Scott – Jamie's best friend – said.

Jamie stared at Scott's dark hair and piercing blue eyes, remembering all the times they had come out and met each other at this very spot. They'd met when Jamie moved into the neighborhood right before he started kindergarten, and had been friends ever since. Scott had been there for Jamie when his mom died, and Jamie had been there for Scott when his dad was arrested for drug dealing. For so many years Scott had been the only saving grace in his life, but now Jamie felt out of place in this old world. "Hey."

Scott sat on the swing next to Jamie. "Hey? You're MIA for over a week and all I get is hey? Where you been?"

"In Newport," Jamie said, looking out at the park once again.

Scott laughed. "No, for real."

Jamie looked over at Scott. "For real, I was in Newport."

Scott studied Jamie's face and realized he wasn't lying. "Well I'll be damned. What were you doing there?"

"My dad was in rehab after overdosing, so this architect that I met helped me out," Jamie said. He trusted Scott with the truth – he always had.

Scott raised his eyebrows. "Your dad OD'ed?"

Jamie nodded, sighing. "Yeah. Found him just in time."

"That's rough, man." Scott didn't say anything more about Jamie's dad. He'd known the man most of his life – he knew what a deadbeat he was. "So you met some architect? How random is that? What do you even know about this guy?"

Jamie couldn't help but smile. He'd missed Scott. Josh was great, and so was Jenny, but he'd just known Scott longer. He knew things that he didn't know if he could ever tell even Ryan or Marissa. "I was over at that construction site on 9th and he happened to see me sitting there resting. I'd gotten into a fight with dad that morning, so I guess I looked pretty upset or something. He came over and talked to me, offered me his number, then left." Jamie thought back to everything Ryan had done for him. He hadn't needed to do anything, but had just out of the kindness of his heart. Jamie didn't know how he could ever repay him.

After a brief pause, Jamie continued his story. "Well, dad was shooting up with his buddies and threw me out again so I was here when Ryan – that's the guy's name – found me. He'd been worried and came looking for me."

"Creeper alert," Scott retorted under his breath.

"That's what I thought at first, too, but he isn't like that," Jamie said, shrugging. "He's from around here, and he knows how rough it gets. I'm glad he found me. Dad could've died, and I don't know what I would've done if he hadn't."

"We don't need some Newport rich boy to take care of us, Jamie," Scott said seriously, growing defensive.

"I know. I just… he's so nice, Scott. And his wife is like the sweetest person I've ever met. She reminds me of mom before things got bad." Jamie pictured Marissa, her soft smile and understanding. "And their daughter – she just turned five. Her name is Lizzie, and she is probably the most adorable person in the world."

Scott studied Jamie for a long time. "You really liked it there, huh?"

Jamie nodded slowly. "Yeah. They're good people."

"I'd say anyone who takes you in for no reason other than being worried about you is a good person," Scott agreed, though Jamie could see it was reluctantly. "Well, you should've called, anyway. I came here everyday waiting for you. I went by your house but no one was there."

"Yeah, sorry about that. With everything, I just.."

"Forgot," Scott said. "Yeah, yeah. A rich family pays attention to you and suddenly you forget the best friend." At Jamie's look, Scott laughed. "I'm totally kidding. I get it – you had a lot on your plate."

Jamie smiled. "So what have I missed?"

"Well, Octavia got knocked up by Jordan," Scott said with a roll of his eyes. "And got thrown out by her stepdad." Scott paused, frowning. "And Tim got arrested for stealing a car."

Jamie listened to Scott tell him about everything that happened while he was gone, and he tried not to feel more and more depressed by all the news. Spending a month away from this place had given him a new perspective on everything. Josh and Jenny didn't have to deal with any of this crap, so why did he?

By the end of the conversation, he missed Newport more than ever.

XXXXX

Ryan opened the door the nest night and saw Josh waving with a dimpled grin. "Hey, Mr. A. I was wondering if I could lamely invite myself to dinner?"

Ryan laughed and smiled, stepping aside. "Of course. I made burgers."

"I know. I smelled them on the grill next door, and I knew I had to come over," Josh admitted, making Ryan laugh a little more. It felt good after such a crappy day.

"Well, we have plenty." Ryan led Josh into the dining area where Lizzie was already seated and eating. Marissa was in the kitchen putting together hers and Ryan's burgers. "Look who it is," Ryan announced to both of them.

Marissa smiled when she saw Josh, and Lizzie immediately perked. "Hey, Josh," Marissa said with a warm smile.

Lizzie loudly exclaimed, "Josh! We're eating burgers!"

Josh laughed and went over to sit next to Lizzie. "I see that, Liz." Marissa placed a burger in front of him and he smiled gratefully. "Thanks, this looks and smells so good." Ryan and Marissa grabbed their plates and sat down across from Lizzie and Josh. With a mouthful of food, Josh asked, "Oh, where's Jamie?" Ryan and Lizzie both looked down sadly, and Marissa reached for Ryan's hand, biting her lip. Josh set his burger down slowly, swallowing. "Did I say something wrong?"

Marissa shook her head. "No, it's not you. It's just… Jamie went back home the other night."

"With his stupid daddy," Lizzie added.

"Lizzie, that's not a nice word," Marissa admonished.

Ryan rolled his eyes and said, "I'll let that one slide. He is rather stupid." He looked at Josh. "And a jackass."

"Ryan!" Marissa exclaimed, glaring at him. "Our very impressionable daughter is right there."

Lizzie shrugged, ignoring both her parents as she looked over at Josh. "I don't like him."

"The only other person you don't like is Rick, who is a total tool," Josh commented thoughtfully. "He must definitely be a jackass."

Marissa threw her hands up in frustration. "Josh!"

Josh smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, Mrs. A."

"Yes, Jamie's father is a jerk. And, yes, he probably is a jackass, but calling him names doesn't make the situation any better. Jamie isn't here, and we are all just going to have to accept that for now," Marissa said in frustration, looking between the three of them.

Ryan and Josh remained silent, but after nearly half a minute of silence, Lizzie loudly whispered to Josh, "Mommy said a bad word."

Marissa stood abruptly, throwing her napkin onto the table before storming away. Ryan furrowed his eyebrows and murmured an apology before following after her. Josh turned to Lizzie to make sure she was okay, but Lizzie seemed unfazed by Marissa's outburst. "Mommy misses Jamie," Lizzie explained to Josh. "I miss Jamie too."

Ryan caught up to Marissa in their backyard. "Hey, what's going on?" He asked, placing a hand on the small of her back. "Because I've said way worse in front of Lizzie and you didn't run out then." Marissa didn't make a sound or turn around, and Ryan grew worried. "Marissa?" Finally, Marissa turned just the slightest so that he could see she was crying. He immediately pulled her into his arms, and she melted against him.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I'm not upset with you," Marissa said, her voice breaking. "I just miss Jamie. Everything you said… he is a jackass, and he doesn't deserve Jamie, and now Jamie is stuck there with him and I can't do anything…"

Ryan listened to Marissa and stupidly realized Marissa was taking this just as hard as him. She had been trying so hard the last forty-eight hours to keep him and Lizzie together that it appeared she had neglected herself. Now, it was all out in the open. "I know, I miss him too," Ryan murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair.

"We have to get him back, Ryan," Marissa said, pulling back to stare at him seriously. "I'm serious. He can't stay there. I don't trust Donald."

Ryan was once again amazed by how similarly they thought. "I don't either," he murmured, sighing in frustration. He saw Marissa's determination, and he realized she was right. They needed to get Jamie back. He wouldn't be safe anywhere else. "We'll get him back." Marissa's shoulders relaxed as he pulled her back to him, her arms fitting around him snugly. He pressed another kiss to her hair, staring out at the setting sun as he thought of the long road in front of them. "I promise."

XXXXX

Josh: You left? Thanks for the heads up!

Jamie: Sorry, was kinda last minute.

Josh: No worries. Good to be home?

Jamie: It's weird coming back tbh.

Josh: Good or bad weird?

Jamie: Still deciding.

XXXXX

"You want to be declared Jamie's legal guardians?" Sandy asked Ryan and Marissa the next day, staring at them from the other side of his desk with raised eyebrows.

They both nodded, Marissa squeezing Ryan's hand for support. They'd talked about it last night after Josh had left and Lizzie fell asleep, and they realized that guardianship was what they truly wanted. They knew nothing about the process, but they knew they would need a lawyer, and who better to ask for help than the man who had made any of this possible?

"Well, I'm going to tell you right now, it's not going to be an easy process," Sandy said with a sigh, rubbing his face tiredly. "There's the petition to the court, the investigation, the likely trial, the ruling, the consequences of the ruling." Sandy looked at them both dead in the eye. "And you have to understand, taking on a teenager isn't easy, either. Not with a five year old and a dog and your own company as well as long hours at the hospital."

Ryan didn't even waver, and neither did Marissa. "We want to do this, Sandy. We want Jamie to live with us," Ryan said firmly, looking his adoptive father dead in the eye. "We don't trust his dad. We don't think it's safe there for him."

"We could provide him with a better home," Marissa added. "One with a big family and lots of opportunities not available to him right now."

Sandy looked between the two of them, feeling both proud and hesitant. He didn't want to be the bearer of bad news, but right now that's what he would have to do. "Look, I'll help you, but I have to say – the odds are against you right now."

Ryan set his jaw, immediately growing upset. "That home isn't okay for him, Sandy. Just a month ago he had convicts and druggies over. If I hadn't met Jamie when I did…"

"I know, and the court will realize that," Sandy said, trying to calm Ryan down while also being realistic. "And that will work in your favor. But the system as it stands tries its best to keep families together, not rip them apart. Even if you were awarded temporary guardianship, the odds are that Donald would fight for another trial, and as Jamie's father he has a great chance of getting to keep Jamie if he can show that he has turned his life around."

Ryan stood, pulling his hand from Marissa's, too frustrated to sit. "How is this fair? The guy probably beats the kid and he just gets to keep him?"

Sandy glanced over at Marissa, his concern for Ryan showing in his eyes. Marissa shared a knowing look with him before glancing over at her pacing husband. She hadn't seen Ryan this frustrated and upset in a long time. She shared his frustration, but she managed to hide her anger most days. "The system isn't perfect," Sandy began, but Ryan cut him off.

"Oh, you don't say?" Ryan retorted sarcastically.

Sandy ignored Ryan's outburst. "But the system is what it is. We can get into the politics of it and all the flaws, or we could try to start deciding how we are going to tackle this entire situation."

Marissa looked at Sandy gratefully. "You'll still help us, even if we're fighting a losing battle?"

Sandy offered her a smile. "Hey, losing battles and lost causes are my favorite kinds of cases."

Ryan placed his hands on his hip, letting out a long breath. "Where do we start? What can we do?"

Sandy pulled out a contact book and started flipping through it. "The first thing we do is get someone to dig up anything and everything that Donald is doing," Sandy began as he searched for the name. "I know a really good private investigator. He knows people who can keep an eye on Donald. I also have friends at the police station in Chino who can increase surveillance of the area." He found the one name and wrote it on a post it note along with his number. "I also have a guy who is incredibly good at digging up dirt on people, all the way back to detentions in high school. He is incredibly good, but extremely expensive."

"Money isn't an issue," Marissa said, and Ryan finally sat down next to her again. She took hold of his hand, lacing their fingers together and offering him a reassuring squeeze. Their eyes met and she gave him a questioning look, but his tired smile told her he was feeling better.

Sandy nodded, making notes on a legal pad for later. "We can start filling out the petition for guardianship, but until you talk to Jamie, there really is no point in actually filing it at the courthouse," he informed them. "Since he is fourteen, his agreement is almost mandatory."

"I'll be in Chino tomorrow to check on one of the sites of construction," Ryan said, looking between Sandy and Marissa. "I was already planning on inviting him to lunch or something. I can ask him them." Ryan suddenly realized Marissa might have a problem with not being there, and he turned to her. "We could both go, if you want."

Marissa shook her head, offering him a grateful smile that he even thought of her. "No, it's okay. I have to work, anyway, and so do you after. Just make sure he knows it's something we both want."

Ryan squeezed her hand this time. "I will."

Sandy continued making notes for himself. "Okay, well, talk to him about that, and then we'll start filling out the paperwork. I say we don't file until at least next week, just so we can give our guys some time to start digging."

"Do you think we really have a shot at this?" Marissa asked, staring at Sandy seriously.

Sandy stared between the two, stopping mid-sentence in his notes. He wanted to be able to say without a doubt that everything would work in their favor, but he had seen the system at work for too many years as a lawyer to believe in blind optimism. "I think that it's going to be hard, but I also believe that there aren't two people more capable of giving Jamie the home he deserves," Sandy said honestly. "And I am going to do everything in my power to help everyone else realize that."

Ryan and Marissa shared a looked, then smiled at Sandy. "Thanks," Ryan murmured, and to Sandy it meant everything.

XXXXX

Ryan: Ill be in Chino tomorrow. Can we meet for lunch?

Jamie read Ryan's message right before he biked home, frowning. He really wanted to see Ryan – more than anything, really – but he feared what his father would do if he found out about it. Jamie had been walking on eggshells around his dad for the last few days, and he knew the other shoe would drop eventually. He tried to stay outside of the house as much as he could, and when he was home he always went straight to his room. Yet, he knew his father – something was going to get worse.

When he arrived home, he placed his bike against the porch railing before jumping up both stairs to the front door. The moment he entered the house, the stench of alcohol hit him. He froze in the doorway, taking in his surroundings. The floor was littered with empty beer bottles and trash, there were dirty dishes stacked in the corner, and clothes scattered all across the floor. He tried to remember if the place was even half this dirty this morning, but he couldn't recall.

Donald was on the couch, sitting shirtless in only his boxers, beer in hand. Next to him was one of his many female friends wearing one of his tshirts. He tried to ignore the fact that her clothes were scattered on the floor and she likely wasn't wearing anything under the shirt, instead focusing on the mess on the floor. Donald rolled his head over to look at Jamie, and his lips curled into a smirk. "So the prodigal son returns. Come on, close the damn door and stop looking stupid just standing there."

Jamie did as he was told, hoping his fear wasn't evident. "I'll be in my room," he mumbled, and tried to walk away from his father's line of vision, but wasn't successful.

Donald stood, staggering over to Jamie. "This house is a mess. Why don't you earn your keep and start cleaning?"

Jamie bit his tongue and started picking up beer bottles, counting at least four, though he didn't know if his dad's girl had any. "I thought you weren't supposed to drink anymore," Jamie said quietly, hoping not to incite anger.

Donald laughed loudly and unnecessarily. "What? Cause I went to rehab?" He shared a laugh with the girl on the couch, who was obviously drunk off her ass as well. "They told me not to do drugs, not that I can't have a drink or two."

"It looks like a few more than a drink or two," Jamie said, holding eight bottles in his hand.

Donald's eyes narrowed, but he maintained a cruel smirk. "Oh, so you think you're better than me?"

Jamie immediately shook his head. "No, I…"

Donald held up one hand, silencing Jamie. "No, you shut up, okay? Because what I see here is an ungrateful good for nothing judging me – his father, the one who spent the entire day out looking for a job because some Newport bitches had to interfere and send him to rehab instead of letting him work." Jamie knew his dad was trying to blame the Atwoods for his lack of a job, but he hadn't held a job for weeks before rehab, and they'd barely been able to afford the reduced rent for the month. He remained silent, however, wishing his dad would just go back to happily sleeping and fucking whatever bimbo he brought home. "And I come home to relax and have some fun, but this good for nothing son of mine has some sort of superiority complex because he's over here giving me this disgusted face and I'm sick of it." The smile fell away and Donald threw his bottle at the wall next to Jamie's head.

Jamie flinched, but didn't say anything or move from his spot. "You think you're better than me, huh? You think that spending a month in Newport makes you some golden boy?" Jamie remained silent, and Donald raised his voice. "Answer me!"

Jamie violently shook his head. "N-no, dad, I…"

"Really? Because this face.-" Donald forcefully grabbed Jamie's jaw, his fingers pressing hard against the bone "Says everything." Jamie couldn't talk, not with his father's strong hold on his jaw, so he remained silent, looking down. "Don't you ever think you're any better than me, you understand?"

Donald shoved Jamie back against the wall, and he hit it with a large thud before sliding down and cutting his hand on the broken glass of the shattered bottle. "I understand," he muttered, wincing as he pulled his hand up.

"Now go into your room or something. I'm sick of looking at you," Donald said, walking back over to the couch.

Jamie stared down at his hand, watching the blood start to ooze through the deep gash. His hand had fallen onto the glass, and the shards had cut him deep. He blinked a few times, trying not to feel woozy. Slowly, he stood, careful not to get blood on the wall. "I'm going to Scott's," he muttered before walking out the front door, not even caring that the door slammed behind him.

He somehow made it to his best friend's house a few streets over, his hand cradled against his body. He knew he looked like a mess as he knocked on the door, but he also knew that Scott's mom would help him at least clean his cut up. He weakly knocked on the door, grateful when Scott opened it and not his mom. "Hey," Jamie said weakly, and Scott immediately grew concerned.

"What did he do?" Scott asked, walking over to Jamie and wrapping an arm around him so that he could help Jamie walk.

"Nothing too bad. There was just glass where he shoved me," Jamie managed to get out. He was definitely feeling light headed at this point.

"Mom! Jamie's hurt!" Scott called out, helping Jamie to one of the kitchen chairs.

Scott's mom Clara – a tired looking woman with dark hair and even darker circles under her eyes – walked in with a frown. "What happened, Jamie?"

"Some glass," Jamie said slowly.

"I think he's in shock," Scott said, his voice sounding so far away.

"I'll go get some stuff to clean it," Clara said, her voice even farther away than Scott's.

Together Scott and Clara cleaned and bandaged Jamie's hand, then Clara eyed his jaw. "It's going to bruise some," she decided with a sigh.

"I've had worse," Jamie said, slowly feeling better now that his hand was taken care of and the bleeding had stopped.

"I know," Clara said with an angry glint in her eye. "I was the one cleaning it up."

Scott rolled his eyes and sighed. "Mom. Not the time."

"I could call the cops right now," Clara said, ignoring her son. "And all of this would be over."

"Cause that worked so well for Sarah," Scott retorted. Sarah was his ex-girlfriend who had been dumped into foster care after someone reported her dad beating her and her mom. The system hadn't served her well, and in the past six months alone she had been carted off between three different homes.

"At least he wouldn't be in a house with a pathetic excuse for a father," Clara said, standing angrily.

"He can stay with us," Scott argued.

"Right, because I'm not already swarming in debt just trying to support the two of us," she exclaimed, throwing her arms into the air.

"Please don't call the cops," Jamie said, tired of hearing the two of them argue over him. This happened quite a bit, and Scott's mom always kept her word and kept her mouth shut because he refused to report his dad. You just didn't turn your back on family, no matter how messed up. "It was my fault, anyway. I gave him a bad look."

"Scott's giving me a bad look right now, but you don't see me pushing him into any walls," she muttered, turning and walking away. "There's spaghetti in the fridge. Eat."

Jamie looked over at Scott, who was eying him with concern. "I'm fine, Scott," Jamie said with a roll of his eyes.

"Says the kid who not five minutes ago looked whiter than a ghost," Scott muttered sarcastically, standing to go heat up some spaghetti.

"I just don't like the sight of blood, that's all," Jamie argued, staying seated. He hadn't been able to deal with lots of blood since his mom's death when he was younger. He shuddered at the memories, trying to get the images out of his head.

A few minutes later Scott placed a bowl of spaghetti in front of Jamie, watching as his friend began to eat. "I bet you that family in Newport would have something to say about all this," Scott said. "And I bet they'd try to help you."

Jamie suddenly remembered Ryan's text. "Ryan wants to meet me tomorrow for lunch," he said with a sigh, pulling his phone out of his backpack. "I haven't given him an answer yet."

"What have you got to lose at this point?" Scott asked, giving Jamie a pointed look.

XXXXX

Ryan met Jamie at his construction site, and then he drove them both to a diner he used to frequent. It was far enough away that Jamie's dad wouldn't likely go there, but close enough for Ryan to have come when he was younger on bike. They didn't say much in the car, but the air between them grew more relaxed when they were out of Jamie's neighborhood and Jamie didn't feel like he had to look over his shoulder as much.

After they had ordered and settled in the booth, Ryan finally allowed himself the chance to look Jamie over. "What happened to your hand?" he immediately asked, eying the wrapped hand wearily.

"Oh..." Jamie hid his hand under the table. "I just was doing dishes and accidentally broke a glass."

Ryan knew Jamie was lying, but he had no way of proving it. He studied the boy closely, and saw faint bruising on his jaw. "What happened there?" he asked, pointing to Jamie's face.

Jamie immediately covered the bruises with his hands, his eyes widening. "Nothing. It was stupid, really."

Ryan gave Jamie a look. "Stop lying, Jamie."

Jamie's cheeks turned red as he looked down. "I'm not."

"Yes, you are. You think I don't recognize the signs of abuse when I see it?" He softened his voice. "I lived it, too."

"My dad doesn't…"

"You don't have to lie to me," Ryan said firmly. Jamie didn't believe him, but he didn't say as much.

Jamie changed the subject before Ryan could interrogate him anymore. "How's Lizzie?"

"She misses you," Ryan said without thinking. He saw how Jamie's shoulders fell, and he realized that wasn't what Jamie wanted to hear, but it was probably what he needed to hear. "She loves you, you know."

Jamie sighed, playing with his straw in his water, twirling it around and around the cup. "I know."

"And Marissa misses you too. She wanted me to tell you that," Ryan added softly.

Jamie's heart hurt as he thought of the two of them. He missed them more than he wanted to admit to himself, much less anyone else. Yet, he couldn't help his quiet, "I miss them too."

Ryan didn't know how to even begin approaching the subject of guardianship with Jamie. He knew he could probably lead into it, but he had always been a straight-forward kind of guy, and Jamie appeared the same. "Marissa and I were talking the other night about you." Jamie gave Ryan a curious glance tinged with the tiniest bit of fear.

"Oh yeah?"

Ryan looked at Jamie seriously, hesitating only a second before saying, "We want to be your legal guardians, Jamie."

Jamie froze in place, stopping his twirling of his straw. He didn't know what to say or think or do. Dumbly, he asked, "What does that even mean?"

Ryan tried to read Jamie for signs of interest or disapproval, but he only saw a blank face. "Basically, we would be in charge of taking care of you. You would live with us, we would make legal decisions about how to care for you and what to do in case of an emergency, things like that."

"So like parents," Jamie said slowly.

Ryan shrugged. "Sort of."

Jamie's mind was running a million miles an hour, and he didn't know where to even begin to start focusing. What about his dad? His school? His friends? How? Why? When? "How do you even do that?"

"Well, you petition the court, and after an investigation and trial, they would choose whether it is in your best interest to stay with your dad or to come live with us," Ryan explained carefully. Jamie still hadn't shown any inclination either way, just pure confusion. "But the whole thing only works if you are willing to come live with us." At Jamie's silence, Ryan finally asked, "Are you? Willing to live with us?"

Jamie was snapped from his thoughts by the question. "My dad…"

"He could either have visitation rights or wouldn't see you at all," Ryan said.

"He would never agree to it," Jamie said, blinking a few times. His hand started to throb, memories of last night coming back to him. "I know for a fact he would be very against the idea of me ever seeing you again, much less living with you."

"Which is why we take it to the court," Ryan said, eying Jamie still.

"And have a long drawn out trial with a chance of me still having to go back to my dad," Jamie said bluntly.

"Yes, but…"

"I can't just abandon my dad," Jamie said, interrupting Ryan. Ryan shut his mouth, kind of shocked. It had never really crossed his mind that Jamie wouldn't want to come live with them. He had forgotten about Chino loyalty to family. "He's family. He's the only family I have."

"He's hurting you, Jamie," Ryan said, frustrated.

"Even if he is," Jamie said, dodging the accusation, "I can't just leave him. You say you grew up in Chino, and if you did, you would know that you can't just turn your back on your family, no matter how messed up they are."

Ryan sighed in frustration. "Yes, I know. I was just like you when I was your age, and even up until my senior year in high school. But then I learned the hard way that family isn't just the people who share your same blood." Ryan stared at Jamie pointedly. "And that sometimes, your greater family are the ones who are there for you when everything else falls apart."

"I'm sorry, Ryan," Jamie said, looking down at the table. He felt horrible for it, and a large part of him wished he could just accept everything Ryan offered him. He would love to live with the Atwoods. He would love to never have to see his dad again. He would love an escape from this hell. But he couldn't abandon his dad. He wouldn't.

Ryan refused to give up. "Think about it some more, okay?"

Jamie knew Ryan wouldn't let this go, so he shrugged. "Fine. But I'm telling you what the answer is going to be."

The waiter brought their food out, and Ryan reached for the ketchup for his fries. "I just want you to keep your options open." He gestured towards Jamie's burger. "Now, dig in. I want to know if this place is as good as I remember."

XXXXX

That night, Jamie got a text from an unknown number.

Unknown: Jamie?

Jamie: Who is this?

Unknown: It's Jenny. Josh gave me ur #

Jamie: Oh. Hey.

Jenny: Hey :) I went to say hey today but u were gone :(

Jamie: I know, long story.

Jenny: Id luv to hear it sometime.

Jenny: If u want.

Jamie: Maybe :)

Jaime was so distracted by Jenny, he didn't hear his dad's footsteps approaching until it was too late. His door swung open, and before he could hide the phone, Donald was reaching and yanking it from his hands. "What is this?"

Jamie looked down. "Nothing."

Donald immediately backhanded Jamie across the face, the alcohol on his breath strong. "Who gave you a phone?" At Jamie's silence, Donald grew angrier. "They did, didn't they?" Jamie merely nodded, holding onto his throbbing cheek. Donald raised his voice. "Fucking answer me, Jamie!"

"Ryan and Marissa gave it to me," Jamie answered quietly.

Donald's eyes narrowed, and Jamie knew he was in serious trouble. Donald looked down at the phone and went to his messages, seeing the texts from Ryan asking him to please consider the guardianship. Something in Donald's voice changed, and Jamie began to back away, knowing his dad was about to get violent. "Oh, so you're thinking about leaving me, then?"

Jamie shook his head. "I told him no."

His dad ignored him. "You think that you're so much better? That some rich family in Newport can replace real family, huh?"

The first blow surprised Jamie the most. The rest he could brace himself for. After a while, he couldn't even feel the punches. One after another, until he finally fell to the ground. The kicks were worse, but he didn't make a sound. It would only make it worse. There really was no use fighting back, and after a while his dad grew bored of Jamie's broken little body. "You disgust me," Donald spat at Jamie, his chest rising and falling dramatically.

Jamie tried to roll over, but the pain was beginning to reach him. One eye had already started to swell shut, and blood started to get into the second. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, giving up on moving.

Donald ignored him, walking out of the room and slamming the door shut behind him, mumbling about family and such. Jamie merely lay there staring at the ceiling, feeling as if he would die from the pain, and not even caring anymore. Anything, even death, had to be better than this.

The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Scott's worried face. "It was my fault," Jamie said in a hoarse, weak whisper, not even knowing how Scott had gotten into his room.

Scott stared down at his best friend, and Jamie stared up at the only person in Chino who had ever given a crap about him, letting the darkness overtake him.