Ryan ate his cold cereal alone at the breakfast table. Theresa and her mom had gone out to the doctor again, and since her dad hadn't been home in years, Ryan had the house all to himself.

It had taken him quite some time ot adjust to living in Chino again. He used ot be able to wake up in his huge, neat bedroom, then go to the kitchen and eat waffles and eggs for breakfast. Now adays he'd wake up in the small, twin sized bed, then hurry downstairs and pour himself some Cheerios.

It wasn't all that great, but at least he ws doing the right thing. Wasn't he?

Yes, he was. After all, he was the one who'd gotten Theresa pregnant. It wasn't like he was going to leave her to take care of the child all on her own. Helping her out was the right thing to do, even if it meant leaving his other life behind.

The people in his old life would get along fine. They were rich. They could go off and buy a robotic replica of him if they really wanted. They'd be perfectly fine. It's not like his stay there had changed them at all.

"Ah, great," Ryan muttered to himself. He'd been thinking for so long that his cereal had turned soggy. "Shit."

He could hear Theresa and her mom on their way back into the house. Ryan looked down at his bowl of soggy Cheerios and tried to chomp them down. At the Cohens, he probably could've dumped it out in front of them. But Theresa didn't have enough money to throw away cereal.

"Hey Ryan," Theresa smiled as she came into the kitchen. "The doctor said the baby's really healthy. He says I've been eating the right food and the right amount. Oh, Ryan, isn't this exciting!"

Ryan shook himself out of a daze and glanced back up at Theresa. "What?" he asked, his mouth full of cereal.

Theresa put her purse down on the table and sat down across from Ryan. "What were you thinking about?" she asked quietly. When Ryan shurgged, she sighed. "Just tell me, Ryan. I really don't care."

If you don't care, then why are you asking? Ryan wanted to say, but instead he gulped down the mixture of milk and the drenched Cheerios. "I was just thinking about...how long it's been since I-since I saw Sandy. And the old gang, ya know? I haven't even talked to them." There. He'd said it. She promised she wouldn't care. No use in getting nervous.

Theresa nodded knowingly, her eyes dropping to the floor. "Look...if you want to go and, like, visit them, that perfectly OK with me. I know this month's been really tough for you-"

"I don't need to see them. It's fine."

"No, it's OK, Ry. Go and pay them a visit. For a week or something. You'll feel happier if you can keep in touch with them instead of just focusing on me and the baby. Go ahead. I won't take no for an answer."

Ryan shook his head. "I ain't leaving you here all alone." He gobbled down the last bit of cereal and went to wash out the bowl. Of course he wanted to go and visit them. Seth, Summer, Marissa. He missed them all, but they were probably getting along fine. Besides, Theresa was the one who needed him.

For what, to watch her belly expand? an angry voice asked form the back of his mind. Ryan shook it out. No, she needs me to help her make money so we can raise the kid in a good habitat, another voice spat back.

Oh, come on, she has her mom. She doesn't need you for a long time. You're just a chicken. You got scared and decided to leave the best life you ever had. And now you're too scared to face them.

"Shut up!" Ryan said angry. Oops. That wasn't supposed to happen.

Theresa raised her eyebrows in amusement. "Yeah, cause I really said something." When Ryan opened his mouth to apologize, she laughed. "It's OK. Look, just go visit them. I'll be fine for a few days. You need it."

"I'm not going."

"Yes you are. I'll make you."

"Nope."

"Yes. Now. Get out of my house."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Ok. It was setteled. He was going to visit his other family. He should be happy, this is what he

wanted. Wasn't it?

You're scared. Haha I was right.

So what?

God how he hated having a mind that 'spoke for itself'.