Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of The OC. They all belong to Josh Schwartz.
A/N: This story is AU and takes place early season one, a couple of weeks after "To Be Seventeen" ended. Also, I've written the character of Frank Atwood differently then how he was portrayed both physically and personality-wise on the show. In my story, Frank Atwood is not a nice person.
I am truly appreciating all of the support and feedback I've been receiving for my story. It really means a lot and helps me continue with my writing.
Also, I've decided to occasionally respond to some of the reviews/comments I receive regarding my story at the end of the chapter. This way, I can give feedback to guest reviewers as well as acknowledge readers who have been offering me continued support of my writing.
Chapter Twenty
"How's he doing?" Sandy asks quietly as he enters Ryan's hospital room, still reeling from the confrontation with his father-in-law and hoping his wife doesn't notice his slight loss of composure.
"I'm not sure... he seems to drift off to sleep, but within a few minutes he abruptly opens his eyes," Kirsten replies as she gently brushes Ryan's bangs off his forehead, waiting for the boy to suddenly awake again. "He doesn't say anything, but I can tell he's scared."
Sandy walks over and gently places his hand on his wife's shoulder as he gazes down at the sleeping boy. "Hopefully Dr. Evans will be able to help him open up a little."
"I hope so," Kirsten says with a plaintive sigh. "I want to know everything he's been through the past couple of days."
Sandy gently squeezes his wife's shoulder and bends down, placing an affectionate kiss on the top of her head. "We need to be patient, honey," Sandy says thoughtfully. "This is Ryan we're dealing with... not Seth."
"Speaking of Seth, were you able to get him discharged?"
"Yes, and I'll let you know, our son is not a happy camper right now," Sandy states, thinking about the disgruntled teenager he left sitting in the waiting room just a couple of minutes ago.
"What do you mean?" Kirsten inquires, confused why Seth wouldn't be happy to be going home.
"Besides Dr. Evans and the medical staff, Dr. Morrison is only allowing you and I to see Ryan," Sandy explains, understanding Seth's disappointment.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, there's a Dr. Evans here to see you," Brenda says quietly as she peeks her head inside the room, not wanting to wake the sleeping boy. "He's in the waiting room. I'll stay here with Ryan while you're gone."
"All right, thank you nurse," Sandy says as he and Kirsten leave the room.
"Dr. Evans, it's a pleasure to meet you," Sandy says with a smile, greeting the psychologist as he enters the waiting room. "The teenager sulking on the couch listening to music is my son, Seth, and I believe you've already met my wife, Kirsten."
Gabriel Evans smiles as he shakes both parent's hands, appreciating their warm reception.
"I must say, Dr. Evans, we are deeply grateful that you've come all this way to see Ryan," Sandy says earnestly, assuming the man had other patients to see on a Thursday morning.
"After I received the call from Ms. Swanson yesterday, I wasn't able to get my mind off of Ryan," the psychologist explains to the attentive parents. "When the detectives notified me that Ryan was found, I went ahead and cleared my schedule so I could come here this morning to see him."
"Dr. Evans... welcome to the Chino Valley Medical Center," Anne states enthusiastically when she sees the renowned psychologist in the waiting room. "I'm Dr. Anne Morrison... I've been overseeing Ryan's care."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Gabriel states with a smile as he graciously shakes the woman's hand. "May I see Ryan now?"
"Of course, I'm sure you're anxious to talk to Ryan," Anne says, appreciating the man going out of his way to see the traumatized boy.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, I need you to remain here in the waiting room with your son. I have another patient to tend to, then Dr. Evans and I will come back here for you," Anne says to the concerned parents. "We won't be long, I promise."
"We'll be here waiting," Sandy acknowledges, knowing that even one minute will seem like an eternity.
Anne smiles with understanding, then directs her attention to the psychologist. "Dr. Evans, if you will follow me, I'll show you to Ryan's room."
Gabriel follows Dr. Morrison as she leads him through a short maze of hallways before stopping outside Ryan's hospital room.
"Police officers?" the psychologist asks, confused why there are guards stationed outside the boy's room. "Is Ryan considered a flight risk?"
"No, he's not a flight risk. Until Ryan's father and a couple of his cohorts are found, the boy is under police protection," Anne replies as she graciously takes her leave.
Gabriel stares intently at the closed door in front of him as he clears his mind, then takes a deep breath and enters the small hospital room.
"Hello?" the psychologist says as he quietly closes the door behind him.
"Ah, Dr. Evans... Ryan has just woken up," Brenda says with a reassuring smile as she excuses herself from the room. "He's all yours."
Gabriel grabs a chair and pulls it up alongside Ryan's bed, then sits down and immediately adjusts his round, wire-rimmed glasses and loosens his tie.
Ryan eyes the man cautiously, remembering his last session with the therapist.
"Are you comfortable, Ryan?" Gabriel asks, wanting to make sure the boy isn't sitting in a painful position. "I can fix the pillows..."
"I'm fine," Ryan interrupts, not wanting the doctor to fuss over him.
"Very well... Ryan, do you know why I'm here this morning talking with you?"
Ryan mulls the doctor's question over in his mind, then peers down at his lap.
"Ryan? Can you answer my question?"
"Why do you get to ask all the questions?" Ryan inquires as he slowly glances up, with guarded eyes, at the psychologist.
"Well, that's my job," Gabriel replies, knowing that's not a sufficient enough answer... at least not for this patient. "All right, I tell you what," Gabriel suggests as he relaxes back in the chair and crosses his legs. "You can ask me one question... anything you want, and I will answer it."
"Truthfully?"
"Yes, of course truthfully," Gabriel replies, making a note of the boy's immediate distrust.
Ryan bites his lower lip as he ponders over what question to ask the doctor. "Why did you become a shrink?"
Gabriel immediately leans forward in the chair and folds his hands upon his lap, mulling over how to best answer the boy's earnest question. "Well, that's a good question... let's see..."
"It's not so easy, is it."
Gabriel studies the guarded boy; the bruising under his eye and around his neck, his left arm draped in a sling, his expression tired and wary.
"I was close to your age, seventeen... I had a brother, Daniel. He was a year younger than me." Gabriel clears his throat as he realizes answering the simple question may be more difficult than he initially thought. "I believe, in my heart, that Daniel suffered from depression."
Ryan sits up a little straighter as he listens to the doctor relate his story.
"Daniel confided in me that he had thoughts of suicide. I told our parents but they shrugged it off... chalking it up to 'teen angst'; a phase he would eventually grow out of," Gabriel explains, recalling vividly the last memory he has of his younger brother. "That evening, Daniel took our father's shotgun, walked into the woods behind our home and shot himself in the head." Gabriel quickly swallows the hard lump in his throat as he blinks away an errant tear. "He was sixteen..."
Ryan remains silent as he continues to study the doctor, knowing it couldn't have been easy for the man to share his memory.
"That is why I became a shrink."
Ryan glances back down at his lap and carefully runs his right thumb over a crease in the white blanket. "I'm not going to try to hurt myself..."
"All right, that's good to hear," Gabriel says, believing what the boy has stated is true. "Tell me, Ryan, what are you thinking right now?"
Ryan glances up at the doctor, somewhat confused by the question.
"I just want to know what you're thinking..."
Ryan looks back down at his lap and allows an uncomfortable silence to fill the air.
Gabriel sits back in his chair, remembering how reluctant the teenager is with sharing his thoughts and feelings. "I'm your doctor, Ryan... anything you say to me stays between us."
Ryan continues running his thumb over the crease in the blanket, mesmerizing himself with the repetitive motion. "Why are the Cohen's still here?"
"The Cohen's? Your legal guardians?" Gabriel asks, confused by the boy's question.
"Why do they care what happens to me?" Ryan asks as his father's menacing voice suddenly pops in his head again.
"Nobody wants you... Your mom had you just to spite me."
"I should be nothing to them..."
"The Cohen's care deeply for you," Gabriel asserts, still somewhat confused but at the same time intrigued with the boy's line of thinking.
"It's all my fault..."
"What's your fault?"
"I've placed them in danger."
"Placed who in danger?"
"Seth and Kirsten..."
"How have you placed Seth and Kirsten in danger?" Gabriel asks, now completely engrossed with the boy's train of thought.
Ryan pulls his legs up close to his chest and wraps his right arm snugly around his knees as he again wrestles with his father's threatening words.
"Joe and Tony... they like to hurt people..."
"Ryan, you are not responsible for your father's actions..."
"Seth... damn shame if somethin' happened to him... a tragic accident..."
Ryan immediately closes his eyes as he begins to feel anxiety course through his body.
"Mrs. Cohen... slice up that pretty face..."
Gabriel notices the boy begin to tremble slightly as he continues to struggle with his thoughts.
"Stop it..."
"Stop what?" Gabriel asks, wanting desperately to know what's going on inside the boy's head.
"I don't care what you do to me... you can beat me all you want..."
"Ryan, no one is going to harm you," Gabriel says, trying to discern if the boy is talking to him or possibly... to his father.
"Why didn't he just shoot me?"
"Your father is a coward..."
"He just left me..." Ryan whispers as he rests his weary head upon his knees.
Gabriel notices a few tears stream down the boy's cheeks and wonders if anyone will be able to undo the damage that has been done.
"Where's Sandy?" Ryan asks, lifting his head as he glances about the room. "He told me he wouldn't leave me..."
"Sandy is still here... he's in the waiting room..."
"I want Sandy..."
Gabriel immediately reaches over and pushes the call button on the wall. "I'll ask the nurse to get Sandy, okay Ryan?"
"Mmmm... 'kay," Ryan mumbles, laying his head back down on his knees as he keeps them tightly tucked up against his chest.
Brenda peeks her head inside the room, answering the doctor's page.
"Nurse, could you please ask Mr. Cohen to come in here?" Gabriel requests. "He should be in the waiting room."
"Of course, right away," Brenda replies.
"Ryan, you are safe now and there are people here who want to help you."
"It was so dark... I couldn't see..."
"What couldn't you see, Ryan."
"I'm scared... they won't go away..."
"Who won't go away?"
"There were so many..."
Gabriel removes his glasses and rubs his hand over his face as he wonders how best to handle the distraught boy.
"There was so much blood..."
"All right, Ryan. Can you tell me where you are?"
"Did I give you permission to leave, boy?"
"I got out... but he'll find me..."
"Who will find you, Ryan... your father?"
"Come out, come out... wherever you are..."
"He'll find me... he always does..."
"Can't hide from me forever, boy..."
Sandy knocks and slowly opens the door, then quietly steps inside the room. "Dr. Evans, how is he doing?"
"Ryan has asked for you. I'd like you to talk with him... see if you can calm him down," Gabriel says, wanting to observe the interaction between the guardian and his young ward.
Sandy looks at Ryan with concern and slowly makes his way over to the bed. "Hey, kiddo... I'm right here," Sandy says softly as he carefully sits down on the bed next to the boy. "What's going on, huh? Talk to me, Ryan."
Ryan lets out a mournful sigh as he abruptly begins brushing the tears from his eyes. "My dad... he never wanted me," Ryan says quietly, his voice quivering as he stares out at nothing. "Why did he take me... and then... leave me?" Ryan asks as he turns his head face down on his knees, hiding his face as he again loses the battle with his tears. "He just left me... to die..."
Sandy sits in a state of shock, desperately trying to come up with the right words to say. He knows placating the boy won't help so he tries a different approach. "Ryan, look at me, son."
Ryan again brushes the tears from his eyes as he gazes up at the earnest, warm-hearted man.
"Your father left you, but you are here now... with me," Sandy says gently but firmly as he maintains eye contact with the distressed boy. "You somehow found your way back... to me... to Kirsten and Seth... because we belong together. We are a family."
Ryan stares intently at his guardian as an errant tear streams down his bruised cheek. We are a family, Ryan repeats to himself, not quite yet understanding the concept.
"We love you, Ryan," Sandy says, hoping his words will sink into the boy's head. "Your father lost... the detectives will find him. He will be brought to justice so he will never hurt you or anyone else ever again."
Ryan listens intently to the man, desperately wanting to believe his words.
"You persevered, Ryan. You won... we've won," Sandy says with a warm smile as he places his hand gently upon the boy's tense shoulder. "We've won because you are here now... with me, Kirsten and Seth... safe and sound..."
Ryan slowly straightens his legs and leans his head into Sandy's shoulder. "I want to go home," Ryan whispers, welcoming the security and comfort of the warm embrace as Sandy wraps his arms around him.
"I know you do, kid," Sandy says, gently rubbing the boy's back. "But, that's not up to me. That's up to Dr. Morrison and Dr. Evans," Sandy explains, glancing over at the psychologist, searching for some gesture of assurance.
"I will need to speak with you and your wife and Dr. Morrison in private," Gabriel states as he remains sitting, still mesmerized by the interaction he just witnessed. "Then I know Dr. Morrison will want to talk with both you and your wife and Ryan about his x-rays and test results."
"All right, but would you mind if I stayed here with Ryan until Dr. Morrison is ready to talk with us?" Sandy asks, not wanting to leave the boy while he's still upset.
"Don't mind at all," the psychologist replies with an earnest smile as he slowly stands up and makes his way to the door. "I know I'm leaving Ryan in good hands."
Individual replies:
talk-ape: thank you! :-)
Starwarrior87: You're welcome! :-)
pico1989: I'm glad you enjoyed Sandy confronting Caleb. I've had that scene written for quite awhile. I was happy to finally be able to use it. :-)
Anon: As always, thank you for your review. :-) In regards to Ryan's current condition, I feel that with each passing hour, Ryan will be slowly emerging out of his shell. This is the only way I feel I can move the story along. He's still traumatized, but I feel with Ryan's personality, he may try to bury what he's been through instead of dealing with it. Hope that makes sense. Also, it was never my intent that Ryan was recoiling from Kirsten personally, just her abrupt actions when he clearly was in a state of shock. I write Kirsten as having much more maternal feelings for Ryan than how she was written on the show. And lastly, there might be confusion about the evidence going to forensics. This is for the detectives to try to locate the warehouse, (they're concerned about the dead woman), not for diagnosing any illnesses in Ryan. The lab tests Dr. Morrison conducted will shed light on Ryan's physical well-being. I guess I'm trying to write in a more realistic way. Detectives don't get all their questions answered in a day and doctors have to wait for test results. I hope you'll continue to be patient. Chapter 21 will shed light on the physical ramifications in store for Ryan. In my mind, I feel the boy needs a tad bit of respite before the next tidal wave hits him. :-)
guest: Thank you for your review and insights. I do apologize if it seems Ryan has suddenly become more lucid. The things you've listed, from getting medical attention and being surrounded by people who care about him, certainly have helped. But, in my mind, Ryan would most likely start burying his plight instead of dealing with it. (This, of course, won't be a good thing) He's not going to want to be a burden. That's how I remember him being on the show. He seemed to put everyone's needs ahead of his own. In regards to Sandy leaving Ryan with Kirsten, I feel I need to start working on that relationship due to what I want to have happen in my story. Also, it was a "convenient" way to separate Sandy from Kirsten and allow the confrontation between Sandy and Caleb. :-) As a parent myself, I feel Seth is just as important as Ryan (to the Cohen's) and Sandy and Kirsten will have to juggle their time for each boy. I'll do my best to put Seth on the backburner as much as possible, but he is an important part of the family and Ryan's best friend. Sandy is most definitely "Ryan's anchor" and I haven't forgotten that. I'll also be addressing Ryan's physical plight in the next chapter (finally). Thank you for your patience. :-)
anonymous: Thanks for your review. :-) I agree that it is "so very Ryan" that he's putting others before himself. Even though he's been through hell, I wanted to relate the concern he would have about Seth and Marissa and also the detective he assaulted. In my mind, Ryan has to start gaining some lucidity in order to move the story along. Otherwise, I fear the story will get stuck in a rut. I also view Ryan as someone who internalizes just about everything, so I'm trying to keep the people he interacts with a little dazed and confused as well. I know that you, as well as other readers, were surprised that Sandy left Ryan with Kirsten, but there is Seth to consider and the parents will have to do the ever-so-joyous juggling act. Plus, I needed some way to get Sandy and Caleb alone. Seth won't be featured prominently, at least not anytime soon. I don't think Ryan could handle him right now. ;-)
Guest: Thank you for your review. :-) I should clarify, though, that Ryan is not averse to Kirsten. She was very protective of him in my last story "To Be Seventeen," and since this is a sequel, she'll continue to be close to him, especially since Dawn has come back into the picture. Ryan's reactions towards her sudden movements and wanting to comfort him were due to his being in a state of shock. Sandy, on the other hand, knows how to approach and handle Ryan. Kirsten knows how to handle Seth so she's not as comfortable with Ryan, but she's trying. I enjoy writing Kirsten, along with her fumbles, when it comes to dealing with an enigma like Ryan. Also, the test results are coming! Things take awhile, especially in my universe. ;-) Since I'm not a medical person, I've had to do my research on what I can realistically inflict upon Ryan. If anything, I sure have learned a lot!
guest: Dawn's banished for now, but she'll be back. Also, there will be more Sandy/Ryan time. Even though Ryan will continue to take baby steps forward, when he gets knocked down, Sandy will have to catch him. I do have a dilemma with Dr. Morrison due to the fact that she's an ER physician in Chino. Ryan is still in the emergency department under observation, but once a patient is admitted to a hospital, the ER doctor no longer treats that patient. I also feel it's time to move the story back to Newport. Since Dr. Morrison seems to be so well-liked, I will try to keep her involved as much as I can. And, thank you for reviewing. Always better late than not. :-)
guest: Happy to hear you're addicted to my story. Hopefully, it's a pleasant addiction. ;-) I agree that Jack and Dawn need to stay away from Ryan, but alas, that probably won't be the case. At least Jack realizes he's not the best person to deal with Ryan at the moment. Dawn will be, of course, her usual, oblivious self. I can't remember if I ever saw Caleb nervous about anything on the show. He always seemed calm, cool and collected. If he is sweating buckets, I'm sure it's toxic. ;-)