Kirsten pulled the car into the parking lot and turned immediately to the back seat to make sure Ryan survived the trip.
Seth was sitting beside him in the back and was watching Ryan carefully.
Ryan was slumped forward against the seat belt with his hair hiding his eyes. He didn't react to the stopping of the car.
Kirsten got out and opened the back door. "Come on, Ryan, we're home."
He looked up at her with blank eyes. She had never been as worried about him as she was right now. "Home?"
"Yes, honey. Come on," She smiled and offered him her hand. He slowly stood up and Seth came around the car and flanked him.
"Let's get you inside," Seth said quietly.
Ryan glanced at him, confused and then back to Kirsten. "Inside?"
"Where else would we take you?" She asked.
"I'm…I think I need to lie down…shouldn't I go to the poolhouse?" He asked.
"You stay in the big house now, Ryan…remember?" Seth said gently.
"Oh…really?" Ryan was clearly confused.
"It's okay, Ryan. Everything's okay…" Kirsten said. She led him obediently into the house.
"Ryan…" Summer rushed into the living room as soon as she realized that they were home. She wrapped her arms around him tightly.
"Hey…" Ryan was clearly disoriented but after a moment put his arms around her.
"Ryan…do you know where you are?" Kirsten asked gently, pulling Summer away and holding her beside her so they could look at Ryan.
"What?" Ryan asked blankly.
"What did they do to you?" Summer gasps.
"What?" He blinked at her. "What's wrong?"
"Come on, buddy, let's get you upstairs…" Seth took charge and took Ryan by the arm, guiding him upstairs to his room.
"What's going on?" Ryan asked, confused.
"Nothing, Ryan, you're just really tired, okay? Lie down…"
Ryan sat down on the bed and looked at Seth. His blue eyes are dazed and distant. Seth realized that Ryan had no idea of his whereabouts. Summer walked into the room.
"He's really out of it…" Summer whispered.
"It must be the drugs…but…but it's just freaky…" Seth remarked.
"He was like this before, after I brought him back from Chino, remember?" Summer sat down beside him on the bed.
"Yeah, the drugs do make him spacy…but this just seems different…" Seth muttered. "Ryan, will you lie down?"
Summer searched his face for some sign of recognition but he simply tilted his head and looked at Seth. "Did I do something wrong?"
"What?" Seth asked. Summer took Ryan's hands and squeezed them until he looked at her.
"Lie down, baby…"
"You can't be here, Sandy and Kirsten will freak," Ryan said quietly, kissing one of her hands.
"It's okay…just lie down, everything's fine…" She said.
He glanced at Seth who nodded. Ryan finally stretched out in his bed.
"You okay?" Seth asked Summer.
"Yeah. Your parents have been awesome…it's just…" She collapsed into tears. Seth wrapped his arms around her as she cried. Ryan was watching them with confused eyes.
"It's okay, Summer…everything's going to be okay now…" Seth soothed her. Ryan slowly closed his eyes.
Kirsten, Anna and Summer were in the kitchen eating ice cream. Sandy was in his office making arrangements for Summer's father's funeral. Summer hadn't been capable of making the calls to her distant family and was grateful for Sandy's assistance.
Seth was sitting with Ryan upstairs.
"I really don't want to go to the funeral," Summer said suddenly, breaking the silence. "It's just going to be too damn hard…"
"Summer, you might need the closure that comes along with it," Anna replied quietly.
"I'll never forget the way he came after me, Anna…he wanted to hurt me…"
"He was sick, Summer. He wasn't your father, not anymore," Kirsten said gently. They'd explained to her about the doctor's findings.
"I just…I don't think I can be there when they bury him. It's just not right when Ryan and I…when we're the ones who did this…"
"This was not your fault, Summer," Anna said.
"I know, but…you know what I mean. We were there. We saw him fall…and…I don't want to have to go through that again. I don't want closure…"
"Honey, we won't force you to do anything that you don't want to do…but you might regret not taking your chance to say goodbye," Kirsten said gently. "Whatever you want to do…"
"What am I going to do? I mean, do I stay here, do I move back into the house where he died? What's going to happen to me?" Summer whispered.
Anna hugged her impulsively. "You're going to take it one day at a time, Summer."
"Thanks…one day at a time, huh?" She asked.
"Yeah. It works," Anna smiled.
"I believe you. Can I go check on Ryan?" Summer asked.
"We'll all go check on him," Kirsten replied. The three women walked up the stairs to Ryan's bedroom. Seth was dozing in an armchair next to Ryan's bed.
"I'll get him to bed," Anna whispered, waking Seth with a kiss on the cheek and ushering him out of the room.
Kirsten sat down beside Ryan and brushed his hair out of his face. He didn't stir.
"Can I stay with him?" Summer asked.
"You both need to rest…"
"I'll rest better if I'm with him…" She replied.
Kirsten knew how the girl felt. She could never sleep when Sandy wasn't near. She nodded.
"Thank you…"
"You guys have always taken care of each other. We'll keep check on you and if either of you needs anything, just call, okay?" Kirsten said.
"Okay. Thank you…for everything," Summer said, wrapping her arms around her, gratefully.
"Get some rest, Summer."
Summer waited until Kirsten closed the door behind her before sitting down again. She was numb. She'd cried more today than she'd ever cried before. She'd never really considered her father to be a driving force in her life, but by dying, he'd become the only thing she could think about. Ryan had almost died for her today. She knew that he cared about her, but today, he'd risked his life to protect her.
She wasn't sure she deserved it. He'd always said when she came to Chino after he'd run away, that she'd saved his life. But she knew that he would have made it through.
But she wouldn't have made it. He saved her. She owed him her life.
She lay down beside him and put her arms around him careful not to go near his bandages.
"Summer?" He murmured. He didn't open his eyes.
"Just sleep, baby…I'll be right here…"
"You okay?" He mumbled, pulling her against him.
"I'm fine…just sleep…" She replied. She clung to him and finally was able to fall asleep in his arms.