"I don't think we should've left him there," Summer said quietly. Two days earlier, the Cohens had committed Ryan to a highly regarded inpatient facility. He had gone willingly, strangely silent and obedient. The doctors had a mandatory 3 day isolation policy where Ryan wasn't allowed visitors.
"He looked worse when we left him there that he did when he came off that pier," Luke agreed.
"He gets to make a phone call tonight. If he wants to come home, I'll go get him myself," Kirsten said.
Summer, Luke and Kirsten were sitting around the kitchen drinking coffee.
"He has to get better," Luke muttered. Summer squeezed his shoulder.
"Has anyone heard from Trey?" Sandy entered.
"He called. Seth went to pick him up," Kirsten replied, accepting Sandy's kiss.
Trey hadn't taken the news of his little brother's breakdown very well. He didn't go with them to take him to the hospital but showed up, drunk, after Ryan was gone. Luke and Seth had carried him to the poolhouse and listened to his tearful confessions. Trey said that he hadn't done enough for Ryan growing up and that Ryan had always pulled his ass out of the fire. He said that if Ryan wasn't strong enough to break free of their mother's damage that it would be his fault for not helping him more. Trey had insisted on going to work and promised that his relapse was over and that he hadn't taken drugs. He called today and Seth was gone to bring him back to the Cohens.
"I'm going to drive over to the hospital today," Sandy announced.
"What? Is everything okay?" Kirsten asked immediately.
"Yeah, it's fine, but Caleb, Jimmy and I…we changed our minds. He shouldn't be there. Caleb's got specialists flying in from around the country…" Sandy sighed.
"Oh, Sandy," Kirsten sighed.
"Specialists in what?" Luke asked.
"Psychologists, psychiatrists. He's got an expert in post-traumatic stress, an expert in depression, an expert on child abuse, he's got like 20 doctors coming to his office to discuss Ryan's case…" Sandy replied. "He's going overboard but…but I can't tell him not to try."
"So, you're going to get Ryan?" Summer asked.
"I'm going to try. He signed himself in and they might not let me sign him out…" Sandy answered.
"Who's going with you?" Luke asked.
"I want to go," Kirsten said immediately.
Sandy nodded.
"Don't take Jimmy," Luke said quietly.
"I wasn't," Sandy acknowledged.
"Why? Ryan loves Jimmy…" Kirsten mentioned.
"Every time Ryan sees Jimmy…he sees Marissa…" Summer whispered. "He'd never admit it but…I think Ryan thinks Jimmy is only using him to help his daughter."
Kirsten sighed.
"It's not true, but…I think the guilt between them is just a little too thick," Sandy agreed.
"What about Seth?" Kirsten asked.
"He wants to wait here for him. He said that he thinks Luke should go," Sandy replied quietly.
"I want to go. But I don't think I should," Summer said quietly.
"It might be good for him to see you. He was the most relaxed with you the other night," Kirsten replied.
"I just…I don't want to put pressure on him…I don't want him to think that I'm expecting him to be in a relationship with me just because…"
"But you care about him, Summer. I think it's okay…" Luke said.
Summer met Sandy's gaze. "What do you think?"
"I think you're one of the biggest reasons he didn't jump, Summer. But I think he knows you're here for him even if you don't come with us," Sandy replied honestly.
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Sandy and Kirsten were with the director of the clinic while Luke and Summer were pacing in the lobby. A nurse approached them.
"The director's still meeting with your family," The nurse said, unclear on the relationships of the group. "But he says that you can see Mr. Atwood."
"Yeah? Well, lead the way!" Luke said. He put his arm around Summer and they followed the nurse.
She led them down a carpeted hallway to a large sunlit room. Scattered patients were seated around the room but they didn't see Ryan amongst them.
"He stays in his room if we let him," The nurse said when she didn't spot Ryan.
"Sounds like Chino," Luke muttered nervously.
The nurse continued through the room to another hallway. She stops in front of a room.
"There are no doors on these rooms," Summer realized.
"We put doors on them at night. He's in here," She smiled.
Ryan was sitting in an armchair with his knees drawn against his chest. His eyes were closed and a book was opened and pressed against his chest. He was sleeping. The nurse walked over to the window and opened the blinds, flooding the room with sunlight.
Ryan stirred, lifting the book and laying it across his face. "Why do you hate me, Emma?" He mumbled, trying to escape the brightness.
"You need light, kid. And you have company," The nurse replied.
Ryan lowered the book suspiciously and saw Summer and Luke standing beside him. He smiled. "Hey, guys…"
Summer didn't wait for him to stand up before pouncing on him in an enthusiastic hug.
"Summer, did you miss me?" Ryan laughed quietly, returning her hug.
"Was that a laugh?"
"I'm drugged stupid," Ryan smiled. He kept an arm around Summer and reached out to shake Luke's hand.
"You actually look good, man," Luke said slowly, confused.
Ryan's eyes were bright but they both recognized a strange dullness in his eyes. His pupils were wide despite the sunlight.
"Like I said, drugged stupid." Ryan sat down. "They've shot me so full of shit that I can't even tell time…"
"Ryan…" Summer gasped.
"They said that I'm sleep deprived so they gave me a sedative and then I had a nightmare so they gave me a tranquilizer, too and that's plus the antidepressants and appetite inducers and muscle relaxants and painkillers…" Ryan paused and his eyes dimmed. "Damn, I'm babbling like Seth."
"We're getting you out of here," Luke said suddenly.
"I feel great, I mean, I'm loopy right now but I'm better, like, I feel good," Ryan said with a sideways smile.
Summer took his hand and pushed up his sleeve to reveal a bruised wrist. The skin was raw.
"I had a nightmare, that's all…they say I sleepwalk so they strapped me down," Ryan said, pulling his arm away.
"Oh, hell no…" Summer snapped. "You're coming with us, I'm not leaving you hear another second…"
"Summer?" Kirsten and Sandy stepped in, alarmed.
"Look at his wrists, Kirsten…"
"Hi, guys," Ryan smiled, standing up and embracing the bewildered Kirsten. She took his hands, worried, and saw his bruises.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine…I didn't mean to scare you all…" He smiled.
"What's wrong with you?" Sandy asked, concerned by Ryan's mood.
"He's fucked up on their drugs," Luke said.
"You guys are overreacting, I'm good…" Ryan said.
"You're coming home with us, Ryan," Sandy stated after a long pause.
Ryan sat down again, a lost expression on his face. His dazed blue eyes searched the floor for a moment and his face was laced with confusion. "I thought…I thought you wanted me to try this, I mean…"
"We don't want a zombie, Ryan, we want you to get well…" Sandy whispered, affected by Ryan's hurt expression.
"I'm trying…" Ryan murmured, his mood having shifted to depression in an instant.
"This isn't the right place. Ryan, look at me," Luke said seriously. Ryan met his gaze, guiltily. "You know this isn't the right place for you, right?"
Ryan sighed, covering his face for a moment.
"Do you honestly want to stay here?" Luke continued.
"No…but what else?" Ryan murmured.
"We'll figure it out. Where are your things?" Summer asked gently.
"They took them. The nurse should have everything," Ryan replied.
"Shoes?" Kirsten asked, seeing the slippers on Ryan's feet.
"The nurse should have them. Shoelaces are more dangerous here than in jail," He whispered. Kirsten sat down on the arm of his chair and put her arm around him. He leaned into her gentle embrace.
"We know you're trying, Ryan. You just need to try something else now, okay?"
"Okay," He whispered, closing his eyes.
Ryan slept soundly between Kirsten and Summer on the ride back. Kirsten shook him gently once they arrived back at the house.
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"We're home," She smiled.
"Thanks."
"You hungry?" Sandy asked as they stepped out of the Range Rover.
Ryan hesitated.
"Honestly, Ryan," Luke urged.
"I'd like to sleep a little longer," Ryan said.
"Okay, kid," Sandy nodded.
Summer looped an arm around Ryan's waist. "Mind if I take a nap, too?"
Ryan put an arm around her waist in response. "I'd like the company."
Inside, Trey is asleep on the couch. Summer led Ryan into the poolhouse and they find Seth asleep on the couch.
"No one's gotten much sleep lately," Summer whispered.
"Sorry," He smiled sadly. He sat down on the bed.
"Lie down. I'll wake you if you have a bad dream," Summer promised.
"Thanks."