A/N: Sandy and Kirsten were each going to get their own chapters, but my muse wasn't feeling it. Oh. The song reference is to "License and Registration" by Death Cab for Cutie, because the opening lyrics amuse me.
Chapter 4: Sandy and Kirsten
The familiar strains of Death Cab for Cutie filled the room and Anna felt the tension leave her body. Somehow nothing seemed quite so bad when listening too a song about glove compartments.
"Music," a familiar voice stated. "I should have thought of that."
Anna stood.
"Kirsten, hi," Anna felt awkward.
"Anna? What are you doing here?"
"Ryan called," Anna shrugged.
"It's been a stressful few days," Kirsten sounded vague. As if her mind and what she was saying were in separate places. "Ryan brought the CD?"
"Uh, no," Anna struggled with the non-sequiter. "It's mine."
"Oh. Look, he's breathing in time to the music. He did that when he was a baby."
Anna put her arm around the older woman.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey ladies," To Anna the enthusiasm sounded false, and Sandy's voice sounded hollow. "Have you seen Ryan?"
"Ryan?" Kirsten asked as though she had momentarily forgotten his existence. Actually, Anna thought that it was entirely possible that Kirsten had forgotten her foster-son.
"I sent him and Summer home," Anna explained. "They needed sleep."
"Oh," Kirsten re-focused on Seth.
"Anna? Not that it isn't nice to see you, but..." Sandy trailed off.
"I'm here because," and suddenly Anna was sick of having to explain her presence. Sick of having to defend her presence at Seth's side, and Ryan's. "I'm here because, I am."
Sandy seemed satisfied with that. Or at least more interested in Seth than in Anna's motives.
"I'm going to wait outside for awhile," Anna retreated from the room.
"Hey," Ryan's voice behind her spooked Anna. His hand at the small of her back both soothed and thrilled her. "Kirsten and Sandy kick you out?"
"They didn't exactly kick me out," Anna looked over her shoulder at Ryan. Their eyes met. "It was uncomfortable."
"Yeah. They're a little intense lately," Anna's eyes were focused on Ryan's lips. Part of her was still carrying on a conversation and another part of her was imagining Ryan's lips on hers.
"... single-minded," Anna murmured and she didn't know if she was talking about the Cohen's or herself.
Ryan guided her body, gently turning her body until Anna was facing him. Gazing up into stormy gray eyes. Anna felt goose bumps race over her.
Ryan tilted her chin up, ran his thumb over her cheek. Again Anna touched Ryan's face, molding her hand to fit the planes of his face. Continuing upwards, Anna tangled her fingers into his hair, lowered his face to meet hers.
Anna's eyes closed of their own volition the instant Ryan's lips brushed hers. Anna melted into the kiss and she was pretty sure the contented sigh wasn't hers.
Ryan's strong arms, somehow now around her waist, supported her and pulled her even closer to him.
After the kiss, and to Anna it seemed it ought to be capitalized, The Kiss. After The Kiss, Anna rested her head against Ryan's chest and never wanted to move.
"Ryan, you're back," if Kirsten noticed the semi-intimate position she didn't comment.
"I didn't want Anna to get lonely," and either way Ryan intended the statement, or both ways, Anna appreciated it.
"That's nice. Anna? Will you watch Seth? Ryan, Sandy and I need to talk."
"Of course."
Chapter 4: Sandy and Kirsten
The familiar strains of Death Cab for Cutie filled the room and Anna felt the tension leave her body. Somehow nothing seemed quite so bad when listening too a song about glove compartments.
"Music," a familiar voice stated. "I should have thought of that."
Anna stood.
"Kirsten, hi," Anna felt awkward.
"Anna? What are you doing here?"
"Ryan called," Anna shrugged.
"It's been a stressful few days," Kirsten sounded vague. As if her mind and what she was saying were in separate places. "Ryan brought the CD?"
"Uh, no," Anna struggled with the non-sequiter. "It's mine."
"Oh. Look, he's breathing in time to the music. He did that when he was a baby."
Anna put her arm around the older woman.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey ladies," To Anna the enthusiasm sounded false, and Sandy's voice sounded hollow. "Have you seen Ryan?"
"Ryan?" Kirsten asked as though she had momentarily forgotten his existence. Actually, Anna thought that it was entirely possible that Kirsten had forgotten her foster-son.
"I sent him and Summer home," Anna explained. "They needed sleep."
"Oh," Kirsten re-focused on Seth.
"Anna? Not that it isn't nice to see you, but..." Sandy trailed off.
"I'm here because," and suddenly Anna was sick of having to explain her presence. Sick of having to defend her presence at Seth's side, and Ryan's. "I'm here because, I am."
Sandy seemed satisfied with that. Or at least more interested in Seth than in Anna's motives.
"I'm going to wait outside for awhile," Anna retreated from the room.
"Hey," Ryan's voice behind her spooked Anna. His hand at the small of her back both soothed and thrilled her. "Kirsten and Sandy kick you out?"
"They didn't exactly kick me out," Anna looked over her shoulder at Ryan. Their eyes met. "It was uncomfortable."
"Yeah. They're a little intense lately," Anna's eyes were focused on Ryan's lips. Part of her was still carrying on a conversation and another part of her was imagining Ryan's lips on hers.
"... single-minded," Anna murmured and she didn't know if she was talking about the Cohen's or herself.
Ryan guided her body, gently turning her body until Anna was facing him. Gazing up into stormy gray eyes. Anna felt goose bumps race over her.
Ryan tilted her chin up, ran his thumb over her cheek. Again Anna touched Ryan's face, molding her hand to fit the planes of his face. Continuing upwards, Anna tangled her fingers into his hair, lowered his face to meet hers.
Anna's eyes closed of their own volition the instant Ryan's lips brushed hers. Anna melted into the kiss and she was pretty sure the contented sigh wasn't hers.
Ryan's strong arms, somehow now around her waist, supported her and pulled her even closer to him.
After the kiss, and to Anna it seemed it ought to be capitalized, The Kiss. After The Kiss, Anna rested her head against Ryan's chest and never wanted to move.
"Ryan, you're back," if Kirsten noticed the semi-intimate position she didn't comment.
"I didn't want Anna to get lonely," and either way Ryan intended the statement, or both ways, Anna appreciated it.
"That's nice. Anna? Will you watch Seth? Ryan, Sandy and I need to talk."
"Of course."