AN: Someone asked me where I got the song lyrics from in the first chapter, sorry for not answering, I totally forgot. All the lyrics in this fic so far are by Staind unless otherwise cited.

"I force myself through another day
Can't explain the way today just fell apart like everything
Right in my face
And I try to be the one
I can't accept this all because of you
I've had to walk away
From everything

I'm afraid to be alone
Afraid you'll leave me when I'm gone
I'm afraid to come back home "

--Staind "Home"

Sandy walked into the poolhouse to check on Ryan before he went out surfing for the morning. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped. He recognized Summer's mop of brunette hair splayed across Ryan's bare chest. Ryan was sleeping peacefully but Summer's eyes were trained on Ryan and her fingers were gently running through his hair.

Sandy really liked Summer. She understood Ryan and Seth more than he could ever hope to. He was their father and that would always be a barrier in truly understanding the boys. As a father, he would be proud to have her with either of his sons. But she seemed to do wonders for Ryan. Ryan hadn't shown genuine affection for anything since the accident. He'd been in stasis. But he had fun with Summer, actual fun. But Sandy didn't think that this was the best time for him to start a relationship. Ryan simply wasn't strong enough right now to handle the arguments and petty relationship issues.

"Sandy…" Summer noticed his presence and flushed red.

"Can I talk to you?" Sandy asked quietly.

"I'll be right out," She agreed.

Sandy walked out and sat down on the patio. Summer emerged dressed in her clothes from last night.

"Hey. Sorry about that…"

"About me finding you or about sleeping with Ryan?" Sandy asked evenly.

Summer let out a ragged breath. "I think I made a mistake."

"Summer."

"He came to me last night and he told me that he cared about me…that he wanted to be with me but he couldn't…he said he wasn't ready and that he wanted to be okay first…and I just…I was so fucking happy that I couldn't think…I just wanted to make him happy, Sandy…" Summer had obviously been stewing over the previous night's events for a while.

"At least he's thinking…he's trying, Summer…I think you're great, you're good for him and he needs friends and people that care about him right now but…don't you think the timing is off here?"

"I know…I'm sorry…I want to talk to him when he wakes up…but he's sleeping so well and I don't want to wake him…"

"It's okay. I guess you guys can make it work. I just wish you had waited until he was stronger…"

"Maybe I can make him stronger…"

"He has to do it himself…you know how he is, he's totally independent…"

"That's what's so wrong about all of this, he's always been totally independent and we've let him be like that but it's not working. If he doesn't start to let people into his life…he's not going to make it…" Summer whispered.

"I…I don't know how to help him, Summer…Caleb's got some doctors coming over today but…but I don't think it's going to make him feel any more comfortable here after we put him in front of a panel of doctors, it sounds more like he's on trial…" Sandy confessed.

"Just ask him, Sandy. The way he was talking yesterday, he's starting to shake himself out of this. He's actually thinking about what he wants and how he can get better…"

"I'll talk to him. You want to go change?"

"Yeah. I'll see if I can get Ryan awake."

"Thanks."

Sandy didn't think anything had been resolved from their conversation but at least he knew that Summer was trying to do the right thing. He trusted her to take care of Ryan. If he'd let her take care of him, that was more trust than he'd given anyone else.

Summer stepped back into the poolhouse. The bed was made and steam was coming from the bathroom from Ryan's shower. She sat down on the bed to wait.

Ryan walked out slowly with a pair of sweatpants on. She knew immediately that something was wrong.

"Ryan?"

"I have to lie down…" He whispered.

"What is it? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

"Can you get Sandy for me? Please?"

She nodded. He sat down on the bed and put his head in his hands. He was shaking again. She hurried to the main house to get Sandy.

"He's awake and he needs you, something's wrong…" She said and Sandy was beside her immediately.

He swung open the door to the poolhouse. "Ryan?"

"Too loud…" Ryan murmured, still sitting in the same position that Summer left him.

"What is it?" Sandy asked.

"Headache…migraine…" He replied.

"Oh…can you make it inside?" Sandy's face is pale with realization. Ryan's migraines are notorious. He's supersensitive to light, sound and smell. The only relief he has been able to find in the past is staying completely still in a pitch dark room.

"It's too bright…" Ryan murmured. His blue eyes are pale with pain.

"It'll be worth it, Ryan, you know that the poolhouse is too bright…" Sandy urged.

"I don't know if I…I can't really see…" Ryan admitted. Summer was stunned. Sandy knew that the pain affected his vision as well.

"I'll help you. I'm right here…" Sandy helped him to his feet and steadied him. Summer automatically took his free arm and together, they guided him out of the doors and toward the main house.

"Wait…dizzy…" Ryan pulled away from them and fell to his knees on the patio.

"You're almost there, kid, just hang on…are you going to be sick?" Sandy asked gently. Ryan nodded. He had his eyes closed and he was deathly pale.

"Summer, can you go get Kirsten for me?" Sandy asked quietly.

"Of course." She rushed inside.

Ryan seemed to recover without getting sick. He was shaking.

"Better?"

"This fucking sucks…" Ryan whispered as he accepted Sandy's help to his feet.

"Let's get you inside."

Sandy led Ryan into the house and noticed that Ryan had his eyes closed. He was simply letting Sandy lead him as if he were blind.

Kirsten knew right away that Ryan was sick. "Headache?"

"I'm taking him to the guest room…"

"Okay." Kirsten followed them into the guest room. She turned on a small lamp and closed the blinds and the curtains. Summer had waited in the kitchen, unsure of how she could help. She let the Cohens take control because they seemed to know exactly what they were doing.

"Lie down." Sandy released his arm and he sat down. Slowly, he curled up on the bed. Kirsten handed Sandy a prescription bottle. The only time they ever forced him to take something for his pain was when he had migraines. Otherwise, he'd be paralyzed with pain. Even with the medication, the migraines could last up to three days.

"Try to keep these down, Ryan. They'll help, okay?" Sandy offered him the pills.

Ryan blinked but clearly was having trouble focusing. Finally, he held out his opened hand and Sandy dropped the pills in his palm. Ryan swallowed them and curled up again.

"We won't bother you, Ryan. We'll check on you in a few hours…" Kirsten said quietly.

"Thanks…" Ryan murmured. He had his eyes squeezed closed tightly as they turned off the lamp and filled the room with darkness.

Ryan didn't sleep. This migraine was the first one he'd had in months. He thought he'd gotten over them, that he had recovered enough from the accident and was free of this crippling agony. But when he got into the shower this morning, he'd felt the familiar stabs of pain in his temples and the black throbbing spots in his vision. He'd barely been able to pull on his pants and make it back to the bed and tell Summer.

He knew that he needed to start thinking about what he was going to do, but the pain was too much and he was stuck. Sandy had put a towel under the door in the hallway to keep out the light that might leak in through the crack.

"Ryan? Are you feeling any better?"

Kirsten walked in tentatively.

"No," Ryan said honestly.

"Is there anything I can do?" She didn't turn the lights on as she sat down beside him on the bed. He realized that she'd turned all the lights off in the hallway as well.

"No…" He shuddered.

"Do you want some more medication?"

"It's not helping…it just hurts…"

"Oh honey…" She ran a hand through his hair and the slight motion caused him to shudder in pain.

"I'm so tired…"

"I know…I'm sorry that you have to go through this…but it'll pass…"

He nodded. He wanted to believe her.

"So there's nothing you need?"

He didn't answer immediately.

"Ryan?"

"Will you stay with me? Just for a little while?"

"Of course."