Ryan felt the eyes boring into him.  Rather than turn around immediately, he stared past himself at his reflection in the gumball machine.  Even in the dim streetlights and the misty haze he could see how tired he looked. 

            "I'm not gonna hurt you," he said to the frizzy-haired, squinting figure he saw reflected in it.

            "Yeah, that's not – I mean, I know."  Seth shifted his weight awkwardly.  "I'm not gonna, either.  I mean – hey.  Look."
            Reluctantly, Ryan turned around.  He withdrew against the outside wall of the store, seeking what little shelter the building offered from the rain.

            "You should know.  You know.  That my dad's here.  He's in the car.  So, if you didn't want him involved, now's the time to leave."  Seth jerked his thumb in the direction of the car.  There it was, far away across the parking lot.  A good, safe, escapable distance away.

            Ryan clutched at his jacket.  His palms felt sweaty. 

            "I... I don't know..."

            "Hey.  What are you so afraid of?  Listen, Dad says not to worry about the probation thing, you've got extenuating circumstances.  He's got your back."
            Ryan's head shot up.  "That's nice.  Now what about my front?"
            "Dude?"
            "All I've got to look forward to?  Is being some ward of the state.  You wouldn't understand.  Your dad wouldn't, either."

            "You don't know that," he said quickly.
            "I thought... I thought I'd be okay alone."
            "Alone is never okay."  Seth licked his lips.  "I understand that much."
            Ryan heard the tone in his voice.  He slumped against the wall.  He was so tired.  "I don't need anybody takin' care of me."
            "Maybe not.  But maybe you just need somebody to be with you."
            Ryan glanced at Seth.  "I'm not your problem.  You realize that."
            "No.  You're not my problem.  But I thought you were my friend.  I mean, I thought you could be."  Seth glanced away nervously.
            "They'll probably send me back to Chino."

            "So?  I got my driver's license."
            They stared each other down for a moment.  Ryan shoved his hands in his pockets and shifted his weight again.  He glanced around the parking lot.

            "I can be your friend, but I don't know if I can be some... foster kid."
            "Are you scared?"
            Ryan shot him what he hoped was a scornful look.  "I'm not scared.  But you hear stories, and I'm not about to be one of 'em."
            "You're not.  Ryan, you're not."  At the sound of Seth using his name like that, in a sentence, Ryan couldn't help but feel so much more exposed than he wanted to be.  He tensed a little.  "You've got me, and you've got my dad, and you just don't have to be alone anymore."
            Ryan stared at him, processing the words.  "You barely know me."
            "I know enough."  Seth's eyes locked on his.  "C'mon," he said, gesturing a little.  "Dad's waiting."
            Ryan couldn't think about it too much.  If he thought about it too much, he'd never move.  He glanced up at the water dripping down from the overhang of the building that had been protecting him.  He hadn't realized it, but the water dripping off the building onto his arms hurt worse than the drizzle that Seth was standing under.  He took a step out, into the rain with Seth, letting the water come down around him.  It didn't hurt as much as he'd thought it would.  It pretty much rolled right off the leather jacket.  And his hair being wet?  Didn't matter so much when Seth was there with his curls going every which way in the water.

            Seth relaxed into a smile.  "C'mon," he said again. "Car's this way."

            Ryan followed Seth for just a moment before Seth dropped back, walking side by side with him.  The car grew larger and larger, Sandy Cohen's little sedan, until he could finally make out the familiar figure in the driver's seat.

            "You okay?" Seth asked, concerned.

            "Fine," Ryan muttered.

            "Oh, hey.  Where's your bag?"
            The look Ryan shot him was enough to silence Seth, who glanced away.

            Ryan felt his pulse rate increasing as they reached the car.  His last chance to flee before turning himself over to the authorities.  Like it or not, Sandy Cohen was Authority.  Now everybody would know where Ryan Atwood was.  He couldn't hide any longer.  He wiped the water from his face.

            "You get in."
            Ryan glanced up at Seth and realized it was finally too late.

            "You first," he said, puzzled.  His confusion grew even more when Seth shook his head.

            "C'mon, guys," Sandy urged from the car.

            "No," Seth said.  "We've got to straighten a few things out before I'm going back to Newport."
            Ryan cocked his head and stared at him.

            "Such as," Seth said boldy, "this little matter of where exactly Ryan is going."

*

            "Seth.  Don't be an idiot.  Just hurry up and get in the car," Ryan said anxiously.

            "No way, dude."

            It was the best idea ever.  Sure, it was a little drastic for Seth's taste, but that had never stopped him before.  Okay, it had.  But it wouldn't this time.

He watched with satisfaction as his father's window rolled down.  "What's the hold up, guys?  C'mon, it's dry and warm in here."

Ryan shot Seth a pleading look.  "You can get in," Seth offered.  "I'm not."
"Don't do this," Ryan begged.

            "Dad," Seth said patiently.  "Call Mom.  Tell her unless we can take Ryan home, I'm not going back to Newport."  He noted his father's eyes bugging out, and tried to contain his satisfaction.

            "He's crazy.  You're crazy," Ryan accused.

            "Yes.  Perhaps I am."

"Seth?" Sandy asked.  "What do you think you're doing?"
"What am I doing? Why, I think – yes, I think I am having a tantrum."

            "Well, do it in the car, you'll catch cold from the rain."
            Seth rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air.  "God, Dad.  Viruses make you sick, not water.  And that's the point.  The sooner you settle this, the sooner we'll all be on our merry way."
            "Would you just get in already and cut it out?" Ryan growled.

            "If you want to get in, I told you, go ahead.  I am not moving."
            Ryan sighed and looked to Sandy for help, who shrugged.  Seth couldn't help but feel vindicated, especially as his father reached for the phone.  He smirked at Ryan, who looked rather distressed.

            "I mean, you would come live with us, right?  Between that and a foster home?"
            "Maybe.  Before you went all with the crazy.  I'm not rooming with a nutcase."
            "Okay, then.  It's settled.  You can have your own room."
            "Yes, hi.  Kirsten."  Sandy glanced up at the boys in the rain.  "Your son here would like to speak to you.  Yes."  He listened for a moment.  "Yes, it is.  Well.  He'll explain."  He passed the phone through the window, and Ryan moved forward to take it and bring it over to Seth reluctantly.  "You get to explain this one to her," Sandy said.

            Seth took the phone from Ryan.  "Hi, Mom."
            Her voice sounded tired already.  "What is it?"
            He took a deep breath.  "I am boycotting Newport.  On principle."
            "Translate, please."
            "I mean until you and Dad agree, that Ryan can come live with us, I am not getting in the car.  Or coming home."
            He rather enjoyed her shocked silence.  He hoped it was shocked silence, anyway.  He raised an eyebrow at Ryan, who just looked exasperated now.

            "Ryan?  The kid you guys went to pick up?"
            "No, Mom, the other one."
            "Please save the sarcasm, Seth."
            "Okay.  Sorry."  No need to push her buttons any more than necessary.  "Yes. Him."
            "It's not up to you or us, Seth.  It's not our business."
            "Yes. It is."
            "What does Ryan want?"
            Seth glanced up at Ryan, who was shivering in the rain now.  "He wants me to shut up and get in the car, but that's not the point."
            "Oh, it's not?"
            "Please, Mom.  Save the sarcasm.  The point is, either you and Dad say yes, or I march to the Wal-Mart right over there and set up camp."
            He heard her sigh.  "Put your father back on the phone."

*

            Sandy winced as he took the phone back from Ryan.  "Hi, honey."
            "He is so your son."
            He sighed.  "I know."
            "My genes have nothing to do with this."
            "I know."
            "I think it's a bad idea."
            Sandy took a deep breath and glanced out the window at the two wet boys outside underneath the streetlights.  "I don't know."  He lowered his voice as he watched them shivering together in the rain.  "You haven't even met Ryan."
            "So what, you're with Seth now?  You think we should take this kid in?  Where did his family go exactly?"
            "I don't know, but until we figure that out, we should at least get our son out of the rain."
            "Our son?  I thought we agreed.  This is your son, Sandy."
            Sandy stared down at his lap.  "I know."

*

            "Why are you doing this?"
            Seth glanced at Ryan in surprise.  "Cause I want to.  Why aren't you getting in the car?"
            "Cause you're out here being a dumbass.  I didn't ask you to do this."
            "Yeah, I think I would have remembered that.  No, you didn't ask me for anything, really, so I'm offering."

            "Offer?  Declined."
            "So, what?  You're just gonna go do foster care?  Strangers?"
            "Maybe."  He winced involuntarily.

            "I saw that."
            "Saw what?"
            "The face of uncertainty, dude.  You want to come home with us."
            "No!"  Ryan exploded.  "I don't!  All right?  I want my dad out of jail, I want him to care like your dad.  I want my mom to stay put, I want my brother to stay out of trouble.  I want my family to be like your family.  I don't want it to be your family."
            Seth, for once in his life, was shocked into silence.  It didn't last long.  "Okay.  And until then?  Maybe this is... second best."
            They stared at each other.  The rain had faded to a light mist by now.  The moon was pushing through the clouds.

            "Okay," Ryan said softly.

            "What was that?" Seth asked, not quite believing.

            "Okay!" Sandy called from the car, folding the phone in two with a sharp click.  The boys glanced at each other before sauntering up to the window, together.

            "Okay?" Seth echoed.

            "Here's our offer.  Ryan, if you want, you are welcome to come to our home.  For the time being.  And... we will do whatever we can to keep you out of foster care."  Seth pumped his fist and glanced at Ryan's weary face.  "You can stay in our pool house.  Seth?"  Seth dropped his fist.  "You are to let this rest between me and Ryan from now on."
            He held his hands up, palms spread.  "Done."
            "And Ryan?"
            Ryan raised his eyebrows slightly.  "Yes, Mr. Cohen?"
            "Starting now, you call me Sandy."

            "Okay.  Sandy."
            "And both of you?"
            Seth and Ryan glanced at each other before looking back to Sandy.

            He inclined his head.  "Get the hell into this car before you freeze to death."