Sandy convinces everyone to keep eating while he checks on Ryan. He knocks on the bathroom door quietly.
Ryan swings open the door, his eyes slightly glazed. "Yeah. I think I'm going to go lie down if that's okay."
"I'll bring some juice and things for your minifridge. You need to try and keep hydrated," Sandy agrees.
"It might be good that I'm so tired. Maybe I'll sleep through the worst of this," Ryan mutters, leading Sandy from the house to the patio.
"Try it on your own for a few hours and if you have trouble sleeping, Dr. Levin wrote you some prescriptions…"
"No drugs. I don't need them. Vitamins are cool, but no drugs," Ryan responds.
"Ryan, I want you to consider it. You're going to go through a harsh couple of days…"
"I've been through a harsh couple of months, Sandy. I think I can handle it." He steps out of the bathroom puts a hand to his face. "I'm the one that decided to start drinking and its about time I dealt with the consequences."
"Dr. Levin wouldn't have prescribed them if he didn't think you needed them, Ryan. We want you to get through this as smoothly as possible. We want you healthy again," Sandy says.
"It's going to take a while, Sandy…I'm not really as fit as I used to be," Ryan sighs.
"I know, but you'll get there," Sandy says. "Go on to the poolhouse. We'll be out to check on you after dinner."
"Thanks, Sandy." Ryan slowly makes his way to the poolhouse.
Ryan manages to sleep a few hours before becoming violently sick. Kirsten and Sandy take turns sitting with him in the poolhouse bathroom while he dry heaves and is sick. He passes out with his head on the toilet. His hallucinations don't start until early the next morning. Sandy calls Dr. Levin around nine for advice. The doctor arrives around eleven with his doctor bag in tow.
Kirsten meets him at the door.
"Kirsten. How's Ryan?" Dr. Levin asks as he follows her inside. Kirsten nods toward Seth who is sitting at the counter with a black eye.
"He's pretty out of it. He doesn't recognize us. Seth tried to keep him from leaving the poolhouse and he punched him," Kirsten explains.
Dr. Levin walks over to Seth and examines his eye silently.
"He didn't recognize you?" Dr. Levin asks him.
"No. He kept asking how I knew his name and where his mom was…he didn't recognize me," Seth replies quietly.
"Put some ice on it and it should help. I should have considered this…" Dr. Levin sighs.
"He told me that it would be rough. I didn't think…that he wouldn't recognize me, though," Seth admits.
"Kirsten, do you want to consider putting him into detox while he dries out? That way, if he got violent they could strap him down to keep him from hurting anyone…or himself," Dr. Levin suggests.
"Shouldn't the worst be over?" Kirsten replies.
"It could be just beginning," Dr. Levin admits. "I'll take a look at him."
"Couldn't you sedate him until it passes?" Kirsten asks.
"That's usually what I recommend for kids his age but…he's totally against drugs of any kind," Dr. Levin replies.
"I don't think he's capable of making that decision now. He thinks he can do this by himself, but…he's in pain and I want to make this as easy for him as possible," Kirsten replies.
"Where's Sandy?"
"He's in the poolhouse on patrol," Seth responds. Kirsten walks with the doctor to the poolhouse.
When Dr. Levin and Kirsten walk in, Sandy is sitting beside the bed holding Ryan's arms. Ryan's eyes are closed but he is struggling violently. Sandy is holding him and keeping him steady.
"He's trapped in a nightmare," Sandy explains. "If I let him go, he'll try and get up again."
Ryan is deathly pale and trembling. His body is drenched in sweat. He is murmuring under his breath, clearly in turmoil.
"Dr. Levin, there has to be something you can do. If he wakes up in a hospital, we might lose his trust again. Isn't there anything we can do to help him without a hospital?" Kirsten asks. "Money is no object."
"Ryan's against drugs, guys, but as his guardians…I'll sedate him if you think that's best. We can keep him unconscious until the worst of this is over. Has he been sick?"
"He's been puking since dinner last night. He was in the bathroom all night and we just got him well enough to put him to bed early this morning," Sandy says.
"I'd like to hook him up to an IV of saline to rehydrate him. In his current condition, he'd probably rip it out but if we sedate him…"
"Which do you think Ryan would prefer, waking up in a hospital strapped down or waking up here after a few days of drug-induced sleep?" Kirsten asks Sandy.
"Whatever you need, Dr. Levin. Sedate him. We'll explain everything to him when he's actually lucid again," Sandy says to the doctor.
"Okay," Dr. Levin replies. He glances at Sandy and sees a bruise on his face much like Seth's bruise. "He hit you, too?"
"Yeah. He doesn't know any of us. I don't know who he thought I was…but he didn't like the fact that I wouldn't let him leave. He's so weak that he can barely stand, but he can still throw a punch," Sandy says, still holding Ryan's struggling limbs.
Dr. Levin sets his bag on the floor and pulls out a long syringe. "This is a strong sedative. It should put him out for about six hours. Hold his arm as steady as you can, Sandy."
Sandy holds Ryan's arm tightly. Kirsten walks over and holds Ryan's other arm out of their way. Dr. Levin deftly locates a vein and injects the medicine. Ryan relaxes immediately. Sandy and Kirsten release his arms.
"God…he was really trying to fight you," Kirsten realizes as she sees Sandy's handprints bruising onto Ryan's arms.
"I'm going to run back to the office and pick up the other things we'll need. Since we're hooking him up to saline, I want to include some vitamins and nutrients as well," Dr. Levin explains.
"This sedative…will he wake up?" Sandy asks. Ryan's breathing has settled into a calm pattern.
"He shouldn't. His body is exhausted. He might wake up later when the drug isn't as prevalent in his system, but hopefully he'll be slightly back to normal. Hopefully, he should recognize you." Dr. Levin sighs. "I know that Ryan hates drugs but I think when he wakes up and sees what he did to you and Seth that he'll understand why we decided to sedate him."
"It was an accident…" Sandy says.
"Ryan probably won't see it that way," Dr. Levin replies. "I'm going to run back to the office and I'll go over what's next for him when I get back. I want to start pumping him full of liquids as soon as possible."
Dr. Levin returns and hooks Ryan to an IV. He remains unconscious, sleeping peacefully. The doctor stays for dinner while Seth sits with Ryan. Seth had been upset when Ryan was so sick the previous night but after a talk with the doctor explaining Ryan's withdrawal in more detail, he's comfortable to sit with his brother. Marissa and Summer sneak around the edge of the house and knock on the poolhouse door.
"Hey. It's not really a good time," Seth says as he steps out of the poolhouse.
"What's going on? You called and said that Ryan was coming home but you never called us back," Marissa says, concerned.
"He's here, he's just…he's sick."
Marissa gasps.
"Sick? What happened?" Summer pushes past him and walks into the poolhouse. She looks at Ryan asleep on the bed before turning to Seth. "He looks worse here than he did at his place."
"He…he was drinking. Like, constantly, for the last few months. When he agreed to come home, my parents said he had to quit. He agreed. But…it's been pretty rough. He's like, detoxing."
"Is that what happened to your face?" Marissa asks quietly.
"Yeah. Mom and Dad finally decided to sedate him so he would stop fighting us," Seth sighs. He sits down in the chair beside Ryan's bed.
"That sucks. He's had such a rough few months and now this…" Marissa whispers. She sits down on the edge of Ryan's bed and smoothes his hair gently.
"He knew it was coming but I don't think any of us knew how hard it would actually be. Ryan said that he had helped his mom so I think he knew better than my parents and me…but he hasn't been much help. He's hallucinating and he doesn't recognize us…and it sucks…" Seth finishes. Summer tilts her head at him before giving him an impulsive hug.
"You brought him home, Seth. Now you just have to wait until he can appreciate it," Summer says quietly.
"Can we sit with you guys? I mean…" Marissa starts.
"We're keeping him asleep. The doctor's inside. You're welcome to keep us company," Seth says.
"Good. You look like you could use some company," Summer smiles.