"Let's just drive your carwe can drive all daylet's just get the hell away from herefor I am sick againjust plain sick to deathof the sound of my own voice…"
--Everclear
Anna was worried about Summer. The girl hadn't stopped crying since Sandy pulled the SUV onto the freeway. Anna was trying to help her, she was rocking her gently and letting Summer cling to her, but her sobs only seemed to intensify.
"Anna…we're almost home…" Sandy said quietly.
"What about Ryan? Where is he?" Summer spoke for the first time since leaving the house.
"He's okay, honey, he'll be home in a few hours…" Anna whispered.
"Where is he?" She cried.
"Honey, Seth's with him, he's fine, he just had to make a quick stop at the hospital…" Anna said quietly. Summer seemed to listen and she stopped sobbing enough to pull out of Anna's embrace and wipe her face. She took a shaky breath and looked at herself.
"I'm okay…Ryan…he protected me…and I...I didn't do anything…" Summer whispered.
"You did the best you could…" Anna replied.
"He's dead…my father is dead…what am I going to do?" Summer murmured.
Sandy parked the Range Rover in the driveway of the house and quickly got out and opened the back door. "Everything's going to be okay, Summer. Let's get you inside…"
"Sandy…shouldn't you be with Ryan?"
"He made me promise not to leave you, Summer. Let's get you cleaned up…" Sandy gently helped her out of the Range Rover and led her into the house. Anna let Sandy take over as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Seth.
---------------------------------------------------
"Dude. Ryan. You still with me?" Seth was standing beside him in the emergency room. Kirsten still hadn't arrived and Ryan seemed to be getting more and more withdrawn as the doctors worked with him.
The ER had been expecting them, apparently Sandy or Kirsten had called ahead and they were immediately ushered into a room. Ryan was sitting on the edge of a bed. A doctor and a nurse were stitching up the deep wound in his shoulder while another doctor was stitching up the back of his head from the opposite side of the bed. He was shirtless and blood was staining his pale skin.
Ryan's blue eyes were glazed and dull. He wouldn't respond to any of the doctors' questions unless Seth encouraged him. Seth was the only person he'd respond to.
Ryan's blue eyes slowly met Seth's worried gaze. "Ryan?"
"Yeah. Still here," He murmured.
"How're you doing, kid?" The doctor asked as he bandaged his shoulder, the stitching done.
Ryan didn't respond to him. Seth was chilled. "He's okay, doctor."
The doctor nodded. "Can I talk to you?" He asked Seth. Ryan didn't react so Seth followed the doctor into the hallway.
"Are your parents here?"
"My mom's on the way..."
"I'm concerned about him mental state. He only responds to you and I'm concerned that he may be suffering from post-traumatic stress…"
"He'll be okay, he just had a long day…" Seth said quietly.
"I want to get a psych consult…"
"No, he won't go for that. He's not crazy…he's just had a long day," Seth said immediately.
"When his mother gets here, let one of the nurses know. I'll be back to check on him in a few minutes," The doctor nodded.
Seth returned to the room.
"Well, Ryan, you lost a little hair, but it should grow back in no time," One of the nurses was smiling at him as they finished stitching the back of his head.
"You okay, man?"
Ryan gave him a dull nod.
Seth's cell phone buzzed as the room cleared. He sat down beside Ryan on the bed and flipped open his phone, ignoring all the signs warning about cell phones.
"Hello?"
"Hey. How's Ryan?"
"Not so good. How's Summer?"
"She's not good either. Sandy just took her inside. Is your mom there yet?"
"Not yet," Seth responded. He glanced over at Ryan and noticed that now that the doctors were gone, he was shaking. "Hold on." He lowered the phone. "Are you all right, man?"
Ryan nodded blankly.
Seth put the phone back to his ear. "He's barely talking, Anna. Will you get Dad on the phone? Maybe he can…"
"I'll get him…I just wanted to see if he was okay…" Anna said.
"The doctors are done with his stitches, I think they're just waiting on Mom…" Seth responded.
"Here's your dad," Anna said.
"Seth? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" Sandy asked immediately.
"Mom's not here yet and Ryan's not really saying much…like, less than normal…" Seth said. "Can you talk to him?"
"Yeah. Give him the phone."
Seth held the phone up to Ryan's ear and Ryan flinched, confused but took the phone from him.
"Ryan?"
"Hey, Sandy. How is she?"
"How are you?"
"I'm okay…"
"Ryan…"
"I'm okay. Seth's here."
"I need you to do something for me."
"Okay…"
"I need you to talk. I know you're upset and you've had a shitty day but you have to talk to the doctors…" Sandy urged.
"Okay…"
"I'm serious…"
"Okay, Sandy…I'll try…" Ryan sighed. He handed the phone back to Seth.
"Ryan?"
"It's Seth again."
"Call me as soon as Kirsten gets there…"
"Okay, Dad. Thanks. We'll be home as soon as they let us go."
Seth slipped the phone back into his pocket and stood up. "Ryan…"
"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to space out…I'm okay now…"
"The doctor wants to get a psych consult on you, man…" Seth started but stopped as the door swung open and Kirsten burst in.
"What happened? Are you okay?" Kirsten was panicked but her face was flooded with relief as she went to Ryan's side.
"I'm okay…" Ryan said immediately.
"What happened? Sandy just called and said that you were hurt…" Kirsten asked.
Ryan opened his mouth to speak but his eyes flashed suddenly and he looked at Seth.
"Summer's dad got out of jail…he, like, escaped, or something. Ryan and Summer thought that he was still locked up and they went to get shoes…"
"Oh god…are you sure you're all right?" Kirsten was stricken. She started looking over Ryan for injuries.
"I'm fine…" Ryan murmured.
"Sandy didn't come with you?" She demanded, confused. He gave Seth a slight glance.
"Ryan made him stay with Summer. Mr. Roberts…" Seth began.
"He's dead…" Ryan murmured.
"Oh no…" Kirsten paled.
"He fell down the stairs," Seth said quickly. "He stabbed Ryan and when the cops busted in…"
"I didn't touch him…" Ryan whispered, his eyes glazing again.
"Ryan's a little upset," Seth said, pulling his mother away from his stricken friend. The doctor wants a psych consult and you know he'll flip out…"
"I'll talk to the doctor," Kirsten said immediately.
Ryan silently stepped off the bed and started walking to the small cabinet, searching slowly for his shirt.
Seth noticed Ryan was standing. He went to his side immediately. "Ryan, man, sit down…" Seth urged.
"What?" Ryan asked, pausing as Seth took his arm.
"What are you doing?" Seth asked gently. He didn't see any sign of recognition in Ryan's blue eyes.
Ryan blinked at him, confused. "I'm getting dressed…"
"It's not time yet. Okay? You should sit down over here…"
"Not time…oh…" Ryan murmured, following Seth back to the bed. Seth waited until Ryan sat down before turning to his mother.
"Get us out of here. He can't be here. Please, Mom," Seth whispered.
Kirsten nodded. She went to Ryan's side and made him meet her gaze. "Honey? Will you lie down?"
He didn't respond but obeyed, stretching out.
"I'll be right back."
He lowered his gaze again, shuddering. He wrapped his arms around his chest.
"Seth's right here, okay?"
Ryan nodded finally. Kirsten left to search for the doctor.
"Dude? Just relax, okay?"
Ryan didn't respond.
--------------
Anna was sitting with Summer. Summer had changed and was sitting on Ryan's bed. She wanted to wait for him. She had started crying again and Anna couldn't get her to stop.
Sandy stepped in. He sat down beside her and turned her to face him.
"Summer, look at me."
She met his gaze through her tears.
"You're okay…this wasn't your fault…"
She cried harder.
"Summer. You're going to get through this…you're safe now…okay? Everything's okay…"
"Okay…" She started to wipe her eyes and tried to catch her breath.
"I just don't think it's healthy for you to cry this much…" Sandy smiled gently. "And since this is my first attempt at entertaining two girls, it's not going so well…" Summer gave him a sad smile. "See, with sons, all I have to do is have some kind of junk food on hand and a TV, most preferable with a video game system of some kind attached."
"I think Seth carries his PS2 in his backpack," Anna muttered.
"So how should I entertain you? Shopping?" Sandy said, teasingly.
"How about we go downstairs and get something to eat…have some sunlight," Anna suggested.
"It's actually night, now. But there is food…"
"Ryan's not back yet?"
"Not yet, honey, but Kirsten called about an hour ago and said that he was okay…" Sandy said, helping her to her feet.
Downstairs, Anna started to make coffee while Sandy sat down at the counter beside Summer.
"Thanks, you guys…" Summer said quietly. She looked steadier.
"You'd do the same for us," Anna replied.
"Ryan totally saved me today," Summer said, looking to Sandy. "I didn't even know my dad was there, but he must have heard something…so he walked out of the room…"
"Are you sure you want to talk about this?"
"I mean…yeah…I mean…Ryan's never going to talk about it so I…I think you should know…" She said slowly.
"Okay, Summer. I'd like to know, if you're ready to talk about it…" Sandy nodded, putting his arm around her.
"So…so Ryan walked out and I kept packing, I thought…I thought he just got a call or something…but then I heard my father's voice…I never heard Ryan…he didn't say anything…but Dad…"
"What did you hear?"
Summer hesitated.
"Go on, Summer…"
"I heard something break and then Dad said, 'I meant this for that fucking lawyer but you'll have to do,' and that's when I came out…Dad had Ryan against the wall and he had…he must have stabbed him…I don't know…"
"It's okay, Summer, take your time," Sandy said gently, pale from her revelations.
"I just saw Ryan's face…he was hurting but he wasn't fighting back…so I rushed him, knocked my Dad away from him…he kept yelling that he was trying to protect me, that I was his and he had to protect me…and Ryan pulled me behind him and I didn't let go…I know he didn't hurt my father, because I didn't let go of him the whole time…" She said quietly. She wiped a single tear from her face, clearly trying to hold it together. She took a shaky breath.
"Summer, you're safe and everything is going to be okay now, all right?" Sandy smiled reassuringly at her. Anna set a steaming cup of coffee in front of her.
"Thanks," Summer smiled.
Anna's cell phone buzzed and she stepped away to answer it. "Hello?"
"Hey. We're bringing Ryan home now, how's Summer?" Seth asked.
"Better. She's not crying…she just told us what happened…how's Ryan?"
"Not good…he's pretty out of it, I don't know if its from the drugs or…worse…but he's really out of it…he won't even talk to Mom…"
"He'll be better once he's home, Seth, he'll be okay. How close are you?"
"Ten minutes."
"I'll see you in a few minutes…" She hung up and turned back to face Sandy and Summer. "They'll be here in a few minutes."
"And he's okay?" Summer asked.
"Physically, I think he's going to be fine. Seth says that he's…he's a little out of it…" Anna admitted.
"He's going to blame himself…but he didn't do anything…"
"Let's just relax until he gets here. Ryan's a strong kid, he's going to be okay."
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