Ryan is sleeping. Once Marissa had left, he had climbed into bed and drifted into a tormented sleep. He sees Art's face, his dead eyes staring at him. He doesn't rest, he just dreams.

*FLASH*

Dawn, Ryan's mother stands over him. "You always were weak, you can't take the pressure…you're nothing to me…you're nothing to anyone…you should have taken that bullet in the neck, saved me all this money on these damn hospital bills…"

*FLASH*

Ryan is in Holly's house and he's holding Seth's bleeding neck. "Seth, please, just hang on…" Seth morphs into Art, then into Luke, and finally into Marissa. "Please…no…"

*FLASH*

Trey punches him in the face. "What the hell were you doing there, anyway? You got me in trouble, you little punk…you can't do anything right…that's why your fucking friend's dead…" Trey punches him harder with every phrase.

*FLASH*

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Marissa's face is accusatory as she demands an answer. "Why are you even here? You only mess things up, you can't do anything right!"

*FLASH*

"You could have been shot!" Seth says.

"You say it like it matters," Ryan replies.

"You're right. The only thing that went wrong last night was that it was Luke that took the bullet instead of you. It should have been you…" Seth hisses.

*FLASH*

"Ryan. Ryan. RYAN!"

Ryan feels someone shaking him and he sits up, soaked with sweat. "What?"

"Damn, dude, you were seriously freaking out…you okay?" Seth is standing over him, his face tight with panic.

"Bad dream…what's up?" Ryan asks, trying to compose himself, but he is clearly shaken by the nightmares.

"I wondered if we could talk…" Seth says, quietly.

"Look, Seth, I'm sorry I'm being so weird…the other night just brought back a lot of memories…things I haven't thought about in a long time…" Ryan rubs his eyes, trying to block out the visions from his dreams. "Things I don't let myself think about…"

"You want to talk about it?" Seth asks, timidly.

"Not really, but I don't think you're going to just let it go, are you?" Ryan hesitates.

"Maybe talking about it will help you out. If you put it into words, then at least it's not bouncing around in your head…" Seth states.

"Yeah, or putting it into words makes it real. I told your parents that I don't like guns. I never have," Ryan sighs. He runs a hand through his hair, standing up and starting to pace.

"I don't like them either…" Seth starts.

"But have you ever been around them?" Ryan interrupts, his voice uneven. "I have. A lot. Trey, he always had them around, my dad, too before he went to prison and my mom's boyfriends…I can't even tell you how many times I've had a gun in my face, Seth…it makes me sick…"

Seth is pale with Ryan's obviously painful confession.

"I…when I was thirteen, some shit went down and my friend got shot in the neck. I held him while he died, Seth…I felt him die…" Ryan's eyes are glazed. "There's nothing…nothing like watching someone's life just…disappear…"

"Ryan…shit, man…" Seth doesn't know what to say.

"I'm glad you called me last night, man…If something had happened to you and I hadn't been there…shit…" His eyes clear. "You…these kids here…you guys shouldn't have to see shit like this, Seth…Damn, Luke looked like he'd never seen a gun before…"

"I'm sorry, Ryan…" Seth starts.

"It's not your fault, it's that punkass Donnie's fault. But after…after my friend…I promised myself that I'd never stand by and do nothing again…people get hurt…" Ryan sighs, still pacing.

"What about you, though? What if you had been hurt, Ryan? Do you care?"

Ryan glances at Seth, walking until he's standing in front of him. "Seth, it doesn't really matter. I've taken two bullets before, in my leg and in my side…it's just pain, it's just blood…"

"Your pain, your blood, your life, Ryan, don't you care?"

Ryan's eyes flash and Seth gasps.

"Seth, what do I have to lose? You have great parents, a family…if somebody's got to take the fall…"

"Shut up!" Marissa surprises both boys, walking into the pool house and catching Ryan's words.