Blurry. Fuzzy. He was fuzzy and soft. He was a fluffy blanket.

"Ryan…Ryan…"

He knew that voice. He struggled to open his eyes. Everything was muffled. Like he was in a blanket. Like he couldn't breathe.

"Ryan…"

He blinked and managed to open his eyes. Everything was still muffled. He tried to focus on the voice and when he moved, pain snapped him back to consciousness. He had to close his eyes again.

"I thought he was waking up…I'm sorry for upsetting you…" He didn't recognize that voice.

Ryan opened his eyes again. He could see Kirsten crying softly in a chair pulled up close beside where he was lying. He was in a hospital. There were machines beeping and buzzing and clicking around him. He didn't have the strength to talk yet, but he moved his fingers just enough to touch her hand.

She gasped and met his gaze. His strength was waning already.

"Ryan…we'll be right here, okay? You're going to be fine," She said with a smile. Tears were still running down her face.

"Don't cry for me…not until I'm dead…" He rasped hoarsely.

"Oh, Ryan, don't say that, you're going to be fine…"

Ryan closed his eyes to regroup.

"Rest, Ryan…just rest now…"

Kirsten was pale when she returned to the waiting room.

"Mom?" Seth called.

"He woke up. Just for a few minutes…told me to stop crying…" Kirsten said blankly. Sandy embraced her. Caleb had taken Hailey to a meeting.

"He's going to be fine," Sandy said.

"He doesn't look fine…he didn't sound fine…" She whispered.

"Come on, guys, its Ryan…he's tough but he sure loves to keep the suspense…he's just teasing us, he'll be glaring at us by tomorrow…" Seth said, trying to joke.

"How is he?" Luke, Summer and Anna walked in.

"He's…hanging in there," Sandy replied.

"It was nice of you all to come…" Kirsten said, surprised.

Anna and Summer set bags on one of the small tables.

"We brought coffee, bagels, cookies and chocolate. We thought…we thought you guys would need sugar," Anna said quietly.

"Coffee?" Seth perked up. Summer handed him a cup.

"Mr. Cohen…can I talk to you?" Luke led Sandy into the hallway.

"What's going on?" Sandy asked curiously.

"Did you talk to Ryan at all before…before this went down?"

"No, I talked to him before I went into work around eleven. Why?"

Luke was clearly upset. "I couldn't believe it when I heard about it…he called me last night, Mr. Cohen. He was acting weird, like he knew something was going to happen to him…"

"What did he say?"

"He called because…because he wanted me to keep an eye on Seth in case anything happened to him…like at school and stuff, so the jocks won't mess with him…" Luke hesitated. "I called him on it, I told him that nothing was going to happen to him and if he was worried he should tell someone before it got out of control like at the mall…"

"Luke…"

"He said that his brother had called. Seems that Trey knew the fucker that cut him and the guy was pretty pissed. Trey sold him out…"

Sandy's eyes went dark. "Luke, what are you trying to say?"

"Trey gave that Tony guy your address to save his own ass. Told him that Ryan stayed with you, said he was your pool boy or some bullshit…"

"Oh god…" Sandy whispered.

"He promised me that everything was cool, he said that he was going to tell you as soon as you got home but he didn't want to scare Seth or Hailey…" Luke's face was drawn with guilt. "I should've gone right over…"

"There was nothing you could've done…"

"Chino's usually pretty cool, but…he was fucking scared, Mr. Cohen…"

"Thank you for telling me, Luke."

-------------/------------------/-------------------/----------------/-------------/---------

A nurse stepped into the waiting room an hour later. "Mr. Cohen? He's asking for you."

Sandy followed the nurse immediately. The nurse showed Sandy where he could sit and that he shouldn't let Ryan move too much or talk too much.

Sandy sat down beside the bed and was relieved when Ryan slowly trained his gaze on Sandy.

"Hey, kid," Sandy grinned.

"Hey…" Ryan didn't smile, his blue eyes were clouded with pain and worry.

"What's going on?"

"Will you tell me what's wrong with me?" Ryan asked. His voice was weak and scratchy.

"You're going to be fine…"

"Please, Sandy…just tell me…"

"You were shot, Ryan. In the stomach and the chest. They had to perform surgery. You lost a lot of blood but they say they were able to repair the damage…" Sandy said slowly.

Ryan looked away. He had tears in his eyes. "I thought I was ready, Sandy…I made my peace and I thought I was ready to die…"

"Ryan…" Sandy gasped.

"But…but I'm not…ready…because…I think I died, Sandy…I think I'm dying…"

"You're not dying, Ryan, I won't let you die…"

"Tell me the truth, Sandy…" Ryan met his eyes. "Please…am I going to die?"

"No, Ryan…"

Ryan nodded and turned his head away. "Will you do me a favor?"

"Anything, Ryan…"

"I don't want you to tell my mother…Dawn, I mean…I don't want her here…I don't want her to know if I die…"

"You're not going to die, stop saying that!" Sandy whispered urgently. "Look at me…"

Ryan shook his head. "You don't understand, Sandy…I can feel it…something's wrong…"

"Ryan, listen. You're scared but you're going to be fine…you have to trust me, okay? Do you trust me?"

"That's why I asked you to tell me the truth…I trust you, Sandy…" Ryan shuddered. "But…but I'm really fucking scared that I'm going to die here…"

"You're not going to die…"

Ryan wouldn't look at Sandy but he had tears running down his face. "I'm tired."

"Ryan…"

"You should go…"

"You can't lose hope, son, you have to hang on…please, Ryan…"

"You should go…thanks for talking to me…" Ryan closed his eyes.