"Come on god, do I seem bulletproof?"
--RHCP
The next morning, Sandy gets an emergency call from the office and leaves before Ryan's meeting intending to be back in time to talk to the probation officer. He doesn't make it back in time and goes to the pool house to find the verdict from Ryan.
Ryan comes out of the bathroom and finds Sandy standing beside the made bed.
"Hey," Ryan says.
"Are you okay?" Sandy asks quietly.
"I'm fine," Ryan replies.
"Kirsten said you were pretty beat up."
"Nah, I'm fine," Ryan shrugs.
"How's your side?"
"Fine."
"Can I see it?" Sandy continues.
Ryan glances at him. He pulls his shirt up. His side is almost black with bruising.
"Ouch. Ryan, that must…"
"Mr. Cohen…" Ryan interrupts.
"What happened to 'Sandy'?" Sandy replies.
Ryan sighs, turning around. Sandy can see the tension in his muscles. Ryan raises his hands in defeat. "Whatever."
"Ryan…"
"Look, I'm sorry. I don't know what else I can say," Ryan says quietly.
"What did I say that made you look at me with that look in your eye? What made you shut down on me?" Sandy asks.
"Nothing. I'm sorry. I'm doing what I think will make this right."
"Ryan, you…you were just doing what you thought was right the other night, you were protecting Seth but I can't let you think that fighting is the right way…"
"Mr. Cohen, I wasn't fighting. I was defending myself and your son. I got my ass kicked. You say don't fight but am I supposed to just let them beat me down? Like I've been doing all these years?"
Sandy is unsure of how to respond.
"Everything's cool with my P.O. If I get into another fight and he hears about it, I'll have to go to anger management classes. He's impressed with my grades and both Dr. Kim and my boss at the Crab Shack gave him good reports." Ryan glances up. "Is that it?"
"Why are you so angry with me?" Sandy asks.
"I'm not angry with you."
"If it's not anger, then what is it? Disappointment that you got in trouble?"
"No. Nothing's wrong." Ryan's posture makes it clear that the conversation is over. Sandy nods and leaves. Ryan sits down. A few minutes later, Seth walks in.
"Hey."
Ryan nods hello.
"You mad?"
"No."
"You sure?" Seth asks.
"Yeah. I'm not mad," Ryan replies.
"Okay. You in trouble?"
"No."
"Will you talk to me?" Seth asks finally.
Ryan looks at him. "I'm kind of tired right now. Maybe when I stop pissing blood."
"Ryan, what…" Seth starts.
"Bye, Seth." Ryan lies down. Seth leaves.
*****
"Look at what you've found-I've fallen down…"
--Something Corporate
Kirsten goes to the pool house at lunch. Ryan is curled up on his bed, holding his side.
"Ryan? Let me see," Kirsten urges gently, sitting down on the bed beside him.
Ryan doesn't protest. The pain had gotten steadily worse until he couldn't get up. Kirsten pulls his shirt up.
"Will you come with me to the hospital? Please?"
He nods slowly. "Will you…don't tell Seth…he'll feel responsible…"
"Can you get up? It'll just be you and me, okay?" Kirsten helps Ryan to his feet. Ryan accepts her assistance walking to the car.
"The pain got worse, Ryan, when?" Kirsten asks once she is on the highway.
"It just…it's sharper now…like…like I've been beat up before…a lot…but this…god…it really hurts…" Ryan says. Kirsten realizes that the pain is the reason that Ryan's having trouble speaking.
"Okay, Ryan, we'll get someone to take a look at you, okay?" Kirsten promises.
"At least I got through the meeting," Ryan mutters. Kirsten glances at him, worriedly and pulls her car into the hospital parking lot.
She fills out a lot of paperwork while the doctors examine Ryan. Her father is a major contributor to the hospital so once she explained who she was, Ryan was attended to immediately. Once she is finished, she forces a nurse to take her to Ryan.
Ryan is sitting silently on a table while the doctors are examining a series of x-rays on the other side of the room.
"How're you doing?" Kirsten asks. Ryan visibly relaxes.
"I'm okay, I guess. They gave me something and they've been staring at those films ever since," Ryan shrugs.
"At least you're feeling better." She puts a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about all this."
"Me, too. I'm…I'm really trying, Kirsten," Ryan says quietly.
"I know. I know you are," She smiles.
The doctors write Ryan a prescription for painkillers and a clean bill of health. They couldn't find any sign of internal bleeding and told him to call them if the pain got worse.
Kirsten opens the door for him at the car and he sits down. Once they are on the highway, Ryan turns to her. "Kirsten. Can you not tell Seth about this?"
"He should know…" Kirsten starts.
"He doesn't have to know. It'll make him feel bad. Can we keep it between us?" Ryan asks.
Kirsten hesitates but nods.
*****
"How much can you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight? I don't want to die without any scars…"
--Tyler Durden Fight Club
A week later, Sandy comes home and finds Seth sitting in front of a blue television screen.
"How's everything, son?" Seth asks, startled to see his son motionless and quiet.
"Fine. No, it sucks," Seth recants immediately.
"Care to elaborate?"
"Of course," Seth replies. "I'm grounded."
"Yeah."
"And Ryan's out with Marissa," Seth adds. "And I don't understand why I'm in more trouble than he is and he's the one that got into a fight."
"You got him into that fight," Sandy replies.
"Whatever. Why do I get punished and he doesn't?" Seth asks.
"Because you know better…"
"Why didn't you teach me how to fight?" Seth asks, changing the subject. "Huh? I'm like, a total wimp…"
"Seth, there's nothing wrong with you," Sandy replies, confused.
"Ryan thinks he has to protect me, like I'm fragile or something," He mutters.
"Ryan cares about you. He tries to protect everyone…" Sandy starts.
"But I'm his brother. I should have his back. I should be able to throw punches right beside him…"
"Seth. Fighting is not the answer to anything…"
"Whatever. I'm done talking. This isn't fair and you know it. He should get in trouble just like I did. It's not fair," Seth says, standing up. He goes to his room.
*****
Seth watches Ryan for the next few days. His cool collected demeanor. His parents trust Ryan because he exudes confidence. Seth knew better. He knew that Ryan was just like him, just harder on the outside. Ryan could hide the emotion that Seth put into everything. Ryan was better at hiding.
So when Seth sees Ryan with Summer on the patio, he freezes. He watches as Summer laughs at something Ryan mutters. He knows Summer is there to meet him but seeing her smile chills him. Ryan's flirting with Summer. Seth realizes that Ryan probably doesn't even know he's doing it, but he's wooing Summer. First his family and now his girlfriend.
Seth shakes off his jealousy for the moment and pulls his shirt over his head. He goes downstairs to meet his girlfriend. Maybe he could forget about Ryan for today. He loves having a best friend, but he wishes that Ryan were just a little less perfect.