Author's Notes: Sorry about the delay. Although it was just slightly shorter then the last one. And a word of advice to all you fellow writers out there. Do not lose the disc your sixteen page word document is saved on. Bad things happen.
Thank you to all my reviewers!
Enjoy; this is the last chapter. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C
"What do you mean there's been some complications?"
Usually, Wes Jacobson loved his job. Helping people gave him a glow of happiness that resulted in a general feeling of contentment in his life. But it was times like these that made him wish for a very early retirement. He sighed, and shifted his clipboard to his left arm so that he could discreetly wipe his nervously sweaty hands on his white coat. Now he knew why some people thought he was too young to be a suitable doctor.
"As I'm sure you already know, this hospital just recently had a new wing added. Mr. Atwood –Ryan- was placed in one of our new Emergency Care rooms where he could be under constant surveillance while still in an unstable condition." Wes started. He kept his voice calm and even. He had made a mistake, and he had to accept it and move on, no matter how difficult it was for him to do. He only hoped those standing impatiently in front of him would understand.
"We also have hired new staff to operate this new wing efficiently. One of the new staff members, an orderly, was assigned to remain in the room with Ryan. After she administered the prescribed medication under my supervision, I left the room to attend to some of my other patients. After I left, Ryan had a reaction to his medication. His pulse sped up and he suffered from respiration difficulties. The orderly offered assistance to his breathing problems, but not before he awoke abruptly in a delirious state. She tried to use the provided communication system to call for help, but the device was new and untested in the recent wing.
"She then made a mistake that she was released from our establishment for. She left Ryan alone in his room to go for help. He then woke up completely, but still suffered from minor delirium and confusion. Mr. Atwood panicked, and tried to leave his hospital room. He reached as far as the hall before hospital staff were able to assertively quiet him enough to put him back in his room."
Wes stopped speaking, and forced himself to continue to have eye contact with those standing in front of him. A tall man with fair skin and dark hair stared at him seriously through heavy eyebrows. The petite woman next to him had fair hair and red eyes that were filled with tears, but was determined not to let them fall. Shifting from one foot to the other nearby was a wiry boy with dark hair alert eyes; one rimmed with bruises. Next to him was a slender brunette clutching her hands together with shaking hands while biting her quivering lip.
"Can we see him?" The question shook Wes from the thick silence that had temporarily coated them all. He looked at the blonde woman who had asked with her eyes full of worry, love and hope. Without a doubt, Wes thought, she must be Ryan's mother. The concern was genuine and unprotected on her face. It was clear she and the rest of the group in front of him cared about the young man.
And, Wes had to admit; he was starting to develop a strange admiration for the boy. From the minute he was brought in, unconscious and bleeding, Wes was reminded of himself in what seemed just a few years ago. When the word was shouted to him down the hall, while talking to one of his patients, that Atwood was having 'complications' as the textbooks put it, he had found himself running down the hall, stethoscope, tie and coat trailing out behind him, to come to the boy's assistance. He had seen with his own eyes the blonde boy crouched against the wall, unable to stand, but defending himself against unknown assailants to the best of his ability. He wasn't unjustifiably or mindlessly aggressive and violent, like most of the 'rampaging' patients Wes and the hospital dealt with. Ryan was confused and acted like a cornered animal trying to escape, not one trying to cause physical harm.
"Yes, but due to his violent history in this hospital, the rules insist that both a doctor and a nurse must be present in case of an emergency." Wes said sorrowfully. He honestly didn't agree in these circumstances, that this was necessary, but he couldn't break the rules on the terms that he didn't agree with them.
"Wait," The man with dark hair called as Wes turned. Wes remembered with a quick glance at his clipboard that the man was Sandy Cohen, Ryan's legal guardian, and Wes assumed, his father. The different last names were intriguing, but until Wes had time to look at more paperwork, his assumption would have to do. Mr. Cohen continued talking. "When you were talking before, what did you mean by 'assertively' quieting him?"
Wes froze, and then slowly turned around. He was hoping he could just skirt the incident, but unfortunately the boy's quick-minded father had caught his vagueness.
"Ryan was panicked, afraid, and confused. He didn't know what he was doing, or where he was. He was still suffering from minor delirium, and wasn't responsible for his actions. When hospital staff in the hallway reached out to lead him back to his room, he backed away and became even more unreasonable. Since he was at a risk at causing himself and others injury, I had no choice but to inject a mild tranquilizer." Wes finished, inwardly wincing at his former actions.
Mr. Cohen's eyebrows drew even closer together in his unreadable expression.
The boy with dark hair near him spoke with anger laced with sarcasm in his voice. "Which was obviously a good idea since drugs given by you were what caused this whole problem in the first place."
"Seth, shh!" The petite woman commanded, reaching out and putting a hand on her shoulder. The brunette girl didn't say a word.
"If you'll follow me," Wes said, guilt writhing in his stomach as he opened the door and lead the way into Ryan's room.
Seth was the last to enter into Ryan's room. He didn't want to see him; he couldn't see him. He knew exactly what the scene would be like if he woke up.
"Get out, you traitor." Ryan would scream. "I don't ever want to see you again!"
"Ryan," Seth would undoubtedly try to explain. "I helped you, I did, when Luke-"
"Yeah, after Luke had already beaten me to a bloody pulp. Fat lot of help you were, standing there looking like an idiot." Ryan would sneer, his voice full of hatred. "And here I thought you could actually have been a little bit of help to have on my side."
Seth stood outside the open door, his eyes averted and refusing to look in the open door. The scene played out over and over again in his head, each time Ryan's voice would scream at him in an increasingly violent way.
"Seth?"
Seth's head snapped up, thinking it might be Ryan. Instead, his father stood, leaning against the doorframe while looking at him in concern.
"Why aren't you in here?"
"I…had to tie my shoe," Seth explained hurriedly. "You know how these things are sometimes. They fall undone just at the most inopportune moment."
Sandy's dark eyebrows rose. "Uh huh." He moved away from the door, leaving room for Seth to come through. Taking a deep breath, Seth entered the hospital room. He might as well face the music.
The room was dim, the white blinds pulled shut to hide the rising sun, but it seemed like darkness in comparison to the brightly lit hallway. The first thing Seth noticed was the blaring whiteness. White walls, white ceiling, white door, white sheets on the bed, hell, even the hospital gown Ryan was wearing was a washed-out and dull white.
Ryan.
Ryan lay on the hospital cot without moving; the sheets pulled up to his chest and his arms lying pale against the fabric. His face was ashen, and his bruises lay dark against his cheeks. Thick white bandages were wrapped around his head, allowing only a strand of blonde hair to drift out from underneath. Ryan's eyes were closed, but his eyebrows were drawn together in agitation, skewing any form of peace his sleeping figure might impose.
Seth felt his chest constrict at the sight of his best friend. He should have done something, anything………
"Mr. Atwood should be waking any time now, his medication will wear off soon." Doctor Jacobson said in a calm voice, like he was talking about the weather and not about Seth's foster brother's life.
Forcing his attention away from Ryan, who, for Seth, it was almost painful to look at, Seth watched Doctor Jacobson. The doctor looked fairly young, maybe only five to ten years older then himself. He had tanned skin and brown hair, and Seth was quite certain that if Summer was here, he'd have all her attention. This only added to the blossoming dislike Seth harboured for this doctor.
Turning his attention back to Ryan, Seth noticed the nurse bending over him and smoothing out his rumpled covers. Her hair was grey, and had a grandmotherly appearance as she rearranged the pillow behind Ryan's head.
Suddenly, a low moan issued from Ryan's lips. His forehead creased and he rolled his head from side to side. His breathing quickened, and sweat appeared on his brow. Seth felt his eyes widening in fear. Grandma-Nurse was immediately at Ryan's side, lifting his wrist to check his pulse and reading the readouts from the machine next to Ryan's bed.
"Doctor," Her voice was calm and controlled, but the undertone of urgency was blatant. Doctor Jacobson pushed Seth gently to the side and made his way swiftly to Ryan's side. He read the blinking machine's rapidly changing numbers with ease, and had a hushed conversation with the nurse. Seth strained to get out what he could but apparently Jacobson knew he was trying to listen in.
Then the doctor was herding them out of the room, everyone to startled and worried to object. Except for Sandy, that is.
"What's going on? I demand to know what's happening in there!" The kindly nurse looked sadly at them as she closed the door, but didn't say anything. Sandy sat down in one of the chairs across the hall, dark eyebrows drawn and worry lines stretching across his forehead.
Seth whirled around angrily at being kicked out when Ryan was in trouble, but his expression softened as he heard a whimper. Marissa was in Kirsten's arms, and Kirsten was whispering calm words of assurance. Seth crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, but felt himself shaking. This wasn't right, it wasn't. Things were supposed to be easier now. Seth had a friend and brother for the first time in his life, his parents were getting along, Marissa and Ryan were together and Seth was even having success with members of the female persuasion.
Wait, Anna……Where had she gone? He remembered with a flash of dread that she wasn't anywhere near them when Ryan had gotten in trouble. The last time he remembered seeing her was dancing with her at the party.
A gentle warm breeze seemed to float over his whole persona as he remembered dancing with Anna. The feel of his hands on her hips; her hands against his neck. Her head against his chest, the blonde hair tickling his throat and feeling soft on his chin as he rested it on her. Her soft breath on his arm. The glow of the lights in her eyes as she looked up at him and smiled with that self-assured smile that made his stomach twist…and then the flash of confusion as she looked past him and undistinguishable look crossing her face as she looked at the far wall. He had glanced over his shoulder but saw nothing on the far side of the room, except a couch with a boy sitting on it obviously drunk out of his mind.
And then there were screams from near the entrance, and Seth knew immediately that Ryan was in trouble. Turning abruptly he had pulled Anna's hand in the direction of the screams, and had felt a gentle squeeze on his hand, then felt her slim fingers slip out of his. Assuming she was right beside him, he had made his way over to Ryan.
Now it occurred to him he had not seen Anna since. He briefly remembered looking around for her, but not being able to find her. At the time, he was too sidetracked to care. But now, Seth felt a burning feeling deep in his stomach that there was something else he wasn't remembering. His subconscious told him that there was something else.
Looking sullenly around the room, his mood sank even lower. Marissa was leaning against his mother, whose eyes were red and whose lip was quivering. His father sat in one of the hard red plastic chairs. Sandy.
…….Sandy.
"But he's my son!"
The street lights mixed with the swirling police and ambulance alarms in a bright and dizzying circus of colour. Sirens blared, making Seth want to cower like a child in a corner with his hands over his ears.
The cold voice of the paramedic rose above the roar.
"Do you have identification?"
His voice was a challenge laced with annoyance.
Sandy fumbled in his pocket for his wallet and finally pulled out his drivers licence. "Here!"
The paramedic slammed one of the ambulance's doors shut, blocking Ryan's blonde and bloody hair from view. He snatched up the identification, only to throw it back at Sandy.
"No, we have that his name is Ryan Atwood. You must be directly related to the person in question to come with us."
Sandy growled. "You can't do that!"
The paramedic smirked. "Have a nice day." He slammed the door shut, and Sandy heard a lock sliding into place. With a ground-shaking rumble, the ambulance sped away into the darkness of the street. Sandy turned around to look hopelessly at Seth, but Seth found himself unable to meet his eyes. He stared around at anything but his father. The streetlights, the police running to and fro, the bold partygoers still lingering around from nothing better to do, the boy and blonde girl making out on a bench down the street and the policeman walking towards them with the intent of breaking them up…
Seth found anger boiling up in his chest. The blonde girl. Searching his memory, he zeroed in on the blonde figure. It had been Anna. And the boy….it had been the drunk boy from the party. The one sitting on the couch against the far wall that Anna had looked at while dancing with Seth. The boy had been looking right at the two, and Seth hadn't even noticed.
Seth felt a feeling of dirtiness wash over him. Anna had been using him, using him to get into the party. To meet someone else. Someone she could sneak off with, and….
The door in front of them opened. Doctor Jacobson stepped out. Immediately Seth, his parents and Marissa were asking him urgent questions.
Doctor Jacobson held up his hand to silence them. "Ryan is still suffering minor effects of the drug he had complications with as well as his own nightmares and restlessness. He has developed delirium, which isn't serious as long as he doesn't cause harm to himself or others. You all are free to sit with him if you wish. When he wakes up, I know you'll want to be there." The doctor smiled wanly then turned and started to walk down the hall. He stopped after a few steps and turned around.
"Oh, and if he doesn't know where he is, or who you are, don't worry, it's only the delirium. Keep him calm and call for help if you need it. Due to past occurrences, though, a nurse will be in the room at all times. My judgement is that Ryan is not a threat to those around him, and after a mostly calm first visit I'm downgrading his 'watch', as it were, to only one person and not two."
With that, Wes Jacobsen turned and rounded the corner of the hall. Seth found himself speechless, and immediately turned to walked into Ryan's room. He felt Marissa slip her hand into his for support, and he turned and attempted to smile at her. Her calm brown eyes understood, and together they walked inside.
Ryan was confused. At first, a soothing nothingness had submerged his senses and left him calm and peaceful. Gradually, the nothingness had taken form into an irritating whiteness that left him reeling. Something nagged the back of his mind about the whiteness. He had a feeling he had been moving, swimming through an unmoving pool of molasses. With the whiteness came panic and an overwhelming uneasiness that made his skin crawl. Then, unlike the gradual coming of the whiteness, the white suddenly became a dark, sinful black. A black darker then Ryan had ever thought possible. Light was something quickly fading from Ryan's memory, along with everything that had ever happened before the all-succumbing darkness. Blackness consumed all of Ryan like a tidal wave. He knew nothing but darkness.
Then, surrounded by light, a pale figure stepped out of the black. Ryan pressed towards her, finding himself falling at her feet. The figure bent down to kneel next to him, soft brown hair falling in ringlets over her shoulders and back; smooth white silk clinging to her body and sweeping the floor in waves. Slim pale fingers brushed against Ryan's check, and he pressed towards the contact, needing to be saved from the darkness by this figure embodying light. Gently the fingers teased their way under his chin and pushed his face up to look at hers.
"….Marissa?" Ryan's voice cracked.
The soft blue eyes were playful. The corner of her perfect mouth dipped upwards in the hint of a smile.
"Ryan." The voice was soft and dipped with honey.
"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered, his voice rough and uneven.
"For what?" The voice purred. Smooth fingers stroked his cheeks.
Ryan found himself unable to answer. He didn't know. He didn't know anything except the darkness. Except for the angel of lightness that had invaded the dark ever so easily and had come to him.
A laugh interrupted his lonely thoughts and made his heart ache. Soft, like everything embodying the being of light.
"Little Ryan," The voice teased, smooth and flowing to Ryan's ears. "Silly Little Ryan."
Ryan felt himself unable to look away from those beautiful blue eyes. They caught him and entrapped him in a cave of sinewy white webs. The fingers were soft against his cheek.
"Did you think I loved you, Little Ryan?"
Ryan felt his heart drop and shatter in his breast, somehow greatly affected by the words that slid so easily off the glowing one's tongue. Again, Ryan felt himself unable to speak. He didn't know who this was, and so he couldn't know what she was talking about. But staring into those deep blue eyes a name slid though his mind, leaving turmoil in its wake. Marissa.
Again, the bright tinkling laugh drew through his thoughts.
"Little Ryan, coming from the wrong side of town and showing up where you don't belong." The fingers slid down his cheek and rested on his lips. "I might have loved you once, Little Ryan. When you were a challenge."
Leaning forward, the figure drew near to Ryan. He felt a soft brown ringlet brush past his nose. "Forbidden fruit, you know?" Her breath was warm and sweet against his ear.
She pulled away, and Ryan suddenly felt very cold.
The fingers against Ryan's lips slid back to rest behind his neck. Quickly and without warning, the glowing figure pulled Ryan's face towards hers, and pressed her lips against his. The kiss wasn't sweet, or filled with love. Not even affection. It was forced, quick and harsh, a taste of lies and broken promises and lingering feelings of ridicule and laughter. Pulling away slightly, her voice rich and deep with honey, she whispered against Ryan's lips.
"But what a sweet lie it was."
Standing up, the silkily white dress clinging to her every feature, she glanced down at Ryan crumpled at her feet and her deep red lips curved up into a smile. Ryan glimpsed one final look into her soft blue eyes before she turned on her heel and swept away, brown ringlets and white silk trailing behind her.
Sandy looked at the clock on Ryan's bedside table. 6:45. He stood up, grabbing his coat from where it lay dropped over his chair. He sighed, and looked at the tired members of his family and Marissa sitting around him. The nurse was sitting in the corner reading a book. Looking once more at the clock, he addressed the members of the room that were not unconscious.
"Damn it all to hell, but I have to go to work."
Kirsten looked up in surprise, and with a hurried look at the clock stood up as well. "Oh my, it's already quarter to eight? I have to be at work in fifteen minutes!"
Seth glanced at Marissa for confirmation, and quick nod was all he needed. "We'll stay. This is more important then school anyway." Expecting an argument, Seth was both surprised and worried when his parents looked at each other and then nodded in agreement.
Kirsten leaned down and kissed her son on the forehead. "We'll come back after work, sweetie. Call my cell if anything happens."
Sandy pointed a finger at Seth. "Me as well. Keep us up to date, you hear son?"
Seth nodded, and looked back at his friend. Marissa leaned her head against his shoulder. Ryan showed no sign of waking up anytime soon. Seth found his eyelids drooping. He was tired, so tired……
"Seth!"
"Wha…what?" Seth pulled himself from the dredges of sleep at the alarm in her voice. It took him a moment to remember what was happening. One look at the hospital room around him and he was leaping out of the hard chair. Marissa was holding Ryan's hand, and the nurse was reading the big beeping machine next to Ryan's bed.
Ryan was tossing and turning, his eyes open but unseeing and sweat dripping down his forehead. Marissa was whispering into his ear, trying to calm him, but evidently was having trouble. Seth joined her, unsure of what to do.
"Ryan, buddy, calm down. You're scaring us, okay? Calm down!" Seth realized his wasn't all that calm himself and that the grandmotherly nurse was looking at him strangely.
Luckily, Ryan stopped struggling, and his eyes slid shut. He lay limp on the bed. Seth and Marissa looked at the nurse. She smiled reassuringly at them.
"Don't worry, he's just sleeping." She said, her voice strangely comforting. She really did sound like someone's grandmother. "You're lucky, I think he's over the worst of it now. He didn't wake up all that much, either. I think he'll be able to go home soon."
Seth sat back down in his red chair, but Marissa stayed next to Ryan's side. Seth admired her love for Ryan. He obviously loved her back, as well. Heck, he'd almost died for her. Propping his chin up on his palm, Seth tried not to think of Anna. He wondered if he'd ever have a relationship like what Ryan and Marissa had. Something special, and not just a cheap imitation.
Ryan wished the blackness would go away. The pale figure left, but in its place was a deep cold that inhibited his whole body and mind. A longing and feeling up disillusionment stirred deep within his broken and bruised heart. Why was this happening to him? Why wouldn't the darkness just go away?
The blackness suddenly shifted to a lighter tone, leaving Ryan disoriented and confused. The void around him twisted and swirled, forcing him around in a sick and dizzying dance. After what seemed like an agonizing eternity, the spinning slowed to a stop, and the grey became a murky cream colour.
Ryan opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was white. Thinking the whiteness from before was back he felt himself start to become afraid. What followed the whiteness was the blackness, and Ryan didn't want the darkness to come back.
"Ryan?"
Ryan felt fingers on his cheek, and turned away from the touch. The glowing figure was still clear in his mind, surrounded by darkness.
"…can he hear me? I don't…"
"….think he can, I…"
"…Ryan? Can you hear us?…"
The voices were familiar, fresh in his mind. He knew he should answer, tell them he was alright…
And then the pain hit.
It was so abrupt, so unexpected as he worked his way back into consciousness, that he heard himself crying out.
The fingers were back on his cheek, and this time he didn't think to push them away. They were so comforting, and so warm. He opened his eyes and met soft blue ones. Marissa.
Her eyes were rimmed with red, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was messy and rumpled. But Ryan thought she was as beautiful as the pale figure in the darkness.
Suddenly, Ryan felt confusion wash over him. But Marissa didn't love him…she'd just spoken softly and teased him…laughed at him.
But this Marissa was different. She stared at him with her blue eyes so full of worry and sincerity that they barely resembled the harsh playfulness that filled the figure's eyes.
Well, there was only one was to find out if she was real.
"Do…" Ryan choked; his voice was raspy and unused. "Do you love me?" He stared into her light blue eyes.
"Yes." She said immediately, surprise quickly erased from her features. She leaned down and kissed him gently on the forehead. Ryan didn't have to say anything; he looked at her with eyes so full of adoration and relief that there was no question as to his answer.
Seth cleared his throat, and Marissa pulled away, a faint blush spreading over her features. "Well, it's good to know that I was right in assuming that question wasn't for me."
Ryan smiled at his 'brother'. He was concerned, though. He'd never seen Seth look so…unlike himself. He had a black eye and a white bandage wrapped around his hand. There were dark circles under his eyes like Marissa's. Instead of the usual laughing enthusiasm, Seth looked tired, worn out, and…something else. Ryan found himself too exhausted to try to disern any more.
Marissa broke the silence. "We were all worried about you. We've been here all night."
"And all day. The parental units will be arriving back from work soon. We've all been here and-"Seth began.
"Seth, wait." Ryan broke in. Speaking hurt, and his head pounded. "Why am I here?"
Seth's eyes widened, and he glanced at Marissa. "You…don't remember?"
Now Ryan was really worried. He tried to push himself up into a sitting position, but the world spun and he felt himself fall back. Blinking away the spinning, he was confused to see an older lady leaning down over him arranging the pillows behind him. He assumed she was a nurse by her white hospital staff gown. Embarrassed for not realizing her presence earlier, Ryan tried to smile at her.
"Er, hey."
The nurse smiled back at him, and then went back to her place in the corner with her book. Deciding with the pounding in his head that he would figure out what she was doing here later, Ryan turned back to Seth and Marissa.
"So, why am I here?" His voice was weak, and Ryan found himself getting even more tired.
"Well," Seth started, rubbing his neck uncomfortably. "Luke-"
Luke.
Luke.
Oh.
Flashes of memory sprung through Ryan's mind at the single name. Going to the party. His arm around Marissa's waist. Luke being drunk. Luke trying to fight him. Luke laughing. Luke beating him over the head with a lamp.
After that, everything became fuzzier. Already, he couldn't remember why he'd been so afraid when he woke up. So afraid of Marisssa…He suddenly had a vision of a pale form shining through complete darkness.
"Did you think I loved you, Little Ryan?"
Then, like a breath of fresh air, the memory was gone, and he couldn't remember what he was just thinking about.
Feeling his eyelids droop, Ryan felt he had one more matter he could address before he could sleep. Ah, sleep………
"Where's Luke?"
Again, Seth and Marissa glanced at each other. This time, no one volunteered an answer.
"Where's Luke?" Ryan repeated, almost afraid of the answer.
"In another hospital room." Marissa answered finally. Her voice was uneven, but she attempted to speak calmly. "His family is with him. He's alright, just milking it for all it's worth, because…" She trailed off, seemingly unable to finish.
Seth finished for her. His voice was dark, laced with seething anger. "We had witnesses. Tons of them. The police talked to him, were going to send him to Juvie, but…his parents got there first. Bailed him out. Now, his dad's going to take him to live in Portland."
Ryan felt his mind go blank. He fell back against the pillows. Luke didn't even get in that much trouble. Had it been him, all the money in the world wouldn't have been able to bail him out.
"When are they leaving?" Ryan heard himself asking. He felt strangely detached from himself.
"Two days," Marissa answered, confused.
"All right." Ryan felt himself slipping into sleep. "Seth, are you okay?"
"I'm fine Ryan. Just fine."
Seth climbed into his car as quickly as he could, shoving his briefcase into seat beside him. He'd tried to get through the day as fast as he could. It'd been difficult, though, because things like clients coming to have interviews with him when they didn't have appointments had put him behind schedule. He was anxious to get back to the hospital, because he hadn't heard anything from Seth all day except that Ryan woke up once delirious and the worse seemed to be over.
As he was turning out of the firm's parking lot, Sandy's cell phone rang. Flipping it open as he waited at a red light, he answered it.
"Dad? Ryan woke up, and he was fine!"
Sandy felt like a bag of bricks had been lifted off his shoulders. It had been dragging him down all day.
"That's great Seth! Fantastic! I'll be there in five!" Flipping his cell shut with a satisfying snap, Sandy put a little more gas on the pedal.
Sandy swung into the hospital parking lot four minutes later, and walked quickly down the halls and up the elevator.
He knocked quietly before opening the door and stepping inside. He was slightly surprised to see Doctor Jacobson inside with Seth and Marissa. Ryan seemed to be asleep.
"Hello, Doctor," Sandy said brightly, a wide grin covering his face as he reached over and shook the doctor's hand. "Great day we're having, isn't it?"
Doctor Jacobson smiled back at him. "I take it you heard the good news. Ryan is going to be fine. He'll be released from the Hospital tonight or tomorrow morning if there are no complications.
"That's excellent!" Sandy exclaimed. He sat down next to Seth in one of the uncomfortable red chairs. "So has your mother heard?"
Seth nodded. "I called her right after you. She said she had a few more minutes of work to do, but she'd be here right away."
"And here I am!" Kirsten said from the doorway, pushing blonde hair from her face. "Record time, don't you think?"
Marissa smiled, but Seth rolled his eyes. Sandy turned to look at Ryan and was glad to see some colour had returned to his cheeks and he had an altogether more peaceful look on his face.
For the first time since Ryan had walked into his office yesterday afternoon, almost twenty-four hours ago, Sandy had a feeling that everything would turn out alright.
"Ryan! You're supposed to be in bed!" Kirsten reprimanded, blowing a strand of blonde hair out of her face as she attempted to cut a bagel in half.
Ryan shrugged, sitting at the kitchen counter. She reached over and felt his forehead with the back of her hand. "Well, you don't feel warm."
"Hey Honey. Ryan." Sandy greeted them as he walked into the kitchen. He saw Kirsten's attempt and took the knife out of her hands. "All right, don't hurt yourself now." Kirsten glared at him, but looked slightly relieved.
"Hey, aren't you supposed to be in bed?" Sandy asked as he took a bite of sesame bagel. Ryan nodded, pouring some cereal into a bowl.
"He passed the forehead test." Kirsten said as she handed Ryan the milk for his cereal.
"Ahh, the forehead test." Sandy nodded, waving his bagel in the air. "Interesting how that's considered medically accurate, isn't it?"
Ryan nodded again, stirring his cereal.
The noise of a herd of elephants thumping down the stairs alerted everyone to Seth's entrance. "Morning family!" He said brightly.
"Got up, I see?" He asked, sitting down directly across Ryan.
"Did you pass the forehead test? That one's always the hardest. I don't even know how it's medically accurate."
Ryan looked up with a thin smile and raised eyebrows. "I think you guys are related."
Seth smirked. Then his smile became more serious. "Hey, isn't Luke leaving today?" Sandy looked up from the paper, and Kirsten looked up from her cup of coffee.
"Yeah, he is." Ryan said quietly, startling Sandy and Kirsten.
The moment was broken by Kirsten looking at her watch. "Boys! Go! You're going to be late! Ryan, call Rosa if you don't feel well today at school, she said she'd be happy to go and pick you up if you need it." Kirsten assured him, handing him and Seth their jackets as they headed out the door.
The last bell of the day could not come soon enough for Ryan. His headache had returned, but he was determined not to have to go home. He couldn't miss anymore school; he'd only missed two days and already he was weeks behind. Ryan wasn't even sure how that was possible.
Marissa had been posted to his side all day. And Ryan had to say he didn't mind one bit, her presence was reassuring and calming. Luke was nowhere to be found, and the general population of the school acted slightly better to Ryan now that Luke wasn't breathing down his neck at every turn.
One of the down parts of Ryan's day had been when he asked curiously whatever happened to Anna after not seeing her around all day. Seth had told him in a few very short, very un-Seth-like sentences what she had done.
He seemed to get over it pretty fast, though, or at least distracted as Summer came to sit beside Marissa.
Seth played with his skateboard as Ryan unlocked his bicycle. He looked up at the big clock tower the school had, and turned back to his 'brother'.
"Hey, Luke leaves in an hour. Want to go see him off?" Seth asked deftly.
Ryan shrugged. "Sure. Lets go."
Ryan climbed off his bicycle and Seth flipped up his skateboard just as Luke was shoving a large duffle bag into the back of his pickup truck. Luke turned around, and his eyes widened in fear at the two standing in front of him. Cursing under his breath, Luke dropped the bag in the trunk, slammed it shut and backed up against his truck with his arms out, palms up.
"Okay guys, come on. That was then, and we're over it now, right guys? Guys?" Luke's voice cracked in fear and squeaked towards the end. Seth found himself trying not to laugh.
"I don't know. Think we should beat him up, Seth?" Ryan asked calmly.
"That's a good question, Ryan." Seth answered, desperately trying to keep a straight face. In front of them, Luke was about to wet his pants.
"Guys….Old buddies. I always liked you, Ryan. Good heart, and all that." Luke attempted. "But peer pressure, you know." He squeaked. He slowly inched his way towards the car door.
His movement wasn't lost on Ryan and Seth.
"Portland, I hear it's nice there at this time of year." Seth said mildly. "Allotta birds migrate through there, apparently. And these birds –you know, seagulls and all that. Nasty tempers- well, some think they migrate because of the weather. It's cold; the little birdies in their little feathers can't take it so they boot it off to somewhere warmer. But, you know, I think it's because the little birds have some predators, like, I don't know, how about tigers, Ryan?"
"Yeah, I like tigers." Ryan agreed, the corner of his mouth twitching up.
"Yeah, see, those tigers got annoyed at the little birdies, and told them not to come back. Ever. So them little birdies, poor things, will have to find somewhere else to fly to next year. Because if they ever came back, I don't know, the tigers might eat them or something. Tragic really." Seth continued blandly.
"Tigers." Luke whispered shakily. He reached his door and swung it open. He made a move to climb inside, but Ryan reached him first. With a heavy swing, Ryan drilled him across the jaw. Luke went reeling and fell to the concrete. Rubbing his jaw, he looked up at Ryan in fear.
Ryan reached down a hand to help him up, his face all innocence. Luke didn't take it, but scurried up into the driver's seat.
"Are you alright? You should really be more careful when you open the car door. You really slammed that one into your face there. Ryan and I are real concerned, old buddy." Seth said, his voice full of concern.
As Luke drove away, Ryan and Seth shared a look and Seth burst out into laughter.
"Tigers?" Ryan asked wryly.
"I happen to think a tiger is a fine and noble animal."
"I'm sure you do, Seth."
"Not that I'm complaining or anything, but why was he so scared?"
Ryan shrugged. "I guess because he thought we were going to get revenge. Two against one. He isn't suicidal."
Seth laughed again. "God, did you see the look on his face? That was great. Especially with the car door thing."
"Seth," Ryan sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets as he and Seth walked back towards their respective modes of transportation. "I think I've been spending too much time around you."
Seth grinned, and threw his arm around Ryan's shoulders.
"Yeah, I guess it's like the land of no return. There's no going back."
Ryan raised an eyebrow, but felt himself smiling. Seth joined him, and together their laughter faded away into the late afternoon light.
The End