----------

Ryan was silent in the backseat of Summer's car on the way to school.

"Chino's certainly in a mood today," She whispered to Seth.

"He's fine. He's decaffeinated," Seth whispered back.

"Oh god, there wasn't coffee?" Summer gasped.

Ryan glanced at them for an instant before returning his attention to the car window.

"Ryan, do you want me to stop by Starbucks for you?" Summer offered.

"What?"

"Coffee. He's not even functioning, it's, like, so awful…" She said to Seth, truly concerned.

"I'm fine, Summer. I'll get something at school," Ryan said quietly.

"If you're sure." Summer glanced at Seth again.

Once she parked in the parking lot, Ryan was out of the car and up the hill before either of them could stop him.

"Damn. He must really want that coffee," Summer remarked.

"We went to this party last night and this old lady kept staring at him. Turns out she's his grandma and now she wants to see him."

"Oh god. That must be weird," Summer realized.

"Yeah. So he's in total brood mode. He told Dad that he'd do whatever Dad wanted…"

"He's going to let your dad make the decision for him? Like…isn't that…"

"Wrong on so many levels? Yeah. So, just give him some space today until I talk to him, okay?" Seth asked.

"Sure. It's not like me and Chino are all talkative and stuff," Summer shrugged. He put his arm around her.

"So, yesterday, when we had that argument, who'd you call to talk about it?"

Summer shoved him. "That was different. Chino gives me a male perspective when I need it."

"You can't get a male perspective from me?"

"Cohen, come on. But I can give him some space. You're going to talk to him?"

"My parents want me to give it a shot."

"Well, let me know if I can help," Summer said, kissing him on the cheek before disappearing into a flurry of skirted classmates.

----------

"Ryan?"

"Yeah."

Seth followed the sound of his friend's voice into the deserted classroom. Ryan was sitting at a desk by the window, a pencil in his mouth and papers spread across his desk.

"What are you doing?"

"This…stuff…makes absolutely no sense to me. It's like, it's a foreign language or something," Ryan muttered, pulling the pencil from his mouth to speak.

Seth walked over and perched on the desk beside him, taking a sheet of the paper from the desk and examining it. "Dude, it is a foreign language."

"It sucks. How the hell am I supposed to write an autobiography in French? I mean, there're no words for 'jail' and 'stolen car' in this dictionary," Ryan added, replacing the pencil in his mouth.

Seth smiled at his friend's slight attempt at humor. "So, you're spending your free period…"

"Studying. Or attempting to study," Ryan sighed.

"You want to talk about it?"

"Studying?" Ryan asked, confused.

"No, dude. Mom and Dad told me what happened. Creepy lady from the party is now your Grandma."

"I don't really want to talk about it."

"Ah, except you have to talk about it. You're obviously thinking about it, so by default, you're required to talk about it."

"No. I'm not." Ryan started to gather his notes and stuff them into his backpack.

"Dude, come on. It's me. Just tell me what you're thinking," Seth said.

Ryan sighed. He zipped up his backpack. "I'm going to go out for a smoke. You want to take a walk?"

Seth didn't know that Ryan was still smoking but he followed him. Ryan sat down beside a parked car and lit a cigarette. Seth never even saw the pack before Ryan had hidden it in his pocket again.

"So, what's up?"

"Your parents really believe this woman is Dawn's mother?"

"Your grandma. And yes, they do."

Ryan sighed and inhaled deeply off the cigarette. "I don't know what you guys expect me to do. Should I be, like, overjoyed that she's here? I don't know her, Seth. She's a stranger. I've never even known she existed."

"But aren't you curious as to who she is? Don't you want to get to know her?"

"Why? Damn, Seth, I mean, I've spent the majority of my time in Newport explaining myself and telling people who I am, where I come from. Taking charity," He muttered. "Now there's another person who I have to explain myself to? Another person with expectations of me? I'm just fucking tired."

"But, she's part of your family…"

"What family? You think I consider Dawn my family now?" Ryan replied. His voice was low but serious. "I didn't know what family meant until I came to stay with you and your parents."

"Okay, dude. So you don't want to see her."

Ryan sighed. "I told your dad that…"

"I know what you told my dad, but you didn't mean it. You don't want to see her. Mom and Dad won't make you…"

"What if she is Dawn's mom?" Ryan started again. "Because if she is, why haven't we heard from her? Why didn't she try to do something for her daughter? Where the hell has she been all these years when my mom needed her? If she's really a nice lady then Dawn wouldn't have turned out the way she did."

"Dude…"

"That's wrong. It's not her fault…" Ryan recanted immediately. "Dawn made her own decisions."

"Ryan, just pause a second," Seth said. He sat down beside him on the pavement. "Your brain is spinning too fast for even me to follow."

"Sorry," Ryan smiled sadly. "I was just really happy that things had settled down."

"Things are still settled. Nothing's going to change. You live in my poolhouse. My parents love you and they won't let anything happen to you. But now, you have your very own Grandma."

"Stop saying that."

"It's true, man. This woman is related to you. This woman had a major part to play in your life…"

"What?"

"She had your mom, man. She might not have been around, but you wouldn't be around if she wasn't. And I don't want you to see your mom, no matter how much you miss her or she needs you because she's bad for you. But I know that it has to suck not to have anyone…anyone of your own. So, I don't know what you should do but I think…"

"What?" Ryan asked after Seth paused for a long time.

"I think you should talk to Mom and Dad about it. Because…because I'm ashamed to say this, but I'm not qualified to tell you what to do."

"I told Sandy that I would do whatever he said," Ryan said.

"But you didn't tell him any of that stuff that you just told me. He's a Dad, he doesn't know how you feel and stuff. He's completely out of the loop unless you actually use your voice and communicate verbally." Seth turned to see if Ryan was listening.

Ryan lit another cigarette.

"Dude?"

"I guess…I guess I still have some thinking to do."

"Well, I'm here for your sounding board…" Seth started.

"I know. Thanks. For listening."

The bell rang behind them and Seth stood up. "You ready?"

"I think I'm skipping this class. I'll catch up to you in fifth period, okay?"

"Sure thing."

----------

Kirsten met Grace for lunch at a small café near her office. Sandy was joining them as soon as his case was done at the courthouse.

Grace wasn't as well composed today. She had red eyes from crying and was sipping from a steaming cup of coffee.

"Grace."

"Kirsten. Thank you for meeting me," She said.

"Sandy's coming later."

"Good. That's good. I met with Dawn."

"How is Dawn?"

"Terrible," Grace replied immediately. "I…I can't believe what she's become. I had no idea."

"She's had a lot of problems."

"I'm sorry, Kirsten, for what I said this morning. Ryan shouldn't be with her. He's better off with your family…from what I saw today…I can't imagine what Ryan and Trey have been through."

"Have you spoken with Trey?"

"Dawn and I went to the prison to talk to him but as soon as he heard his mother's name, he refused to see us."

"I'm sorry, Grace."

Grace's hands were shaking. "I just…I've been looking for her for so long and to find her, now, after all these years…" She met Kirsten's gaze. "I think I'm too late. She hates me. It's like, she resents me for not helping her but I couldn't find her…I tried but I couldn't find her…"

"Dawn made her own decisions."

"I know. But she's an alcoholic…and she's on drugs…and she couldn't even take care of her kids…I guess I didn't take care of my kids, either…" Grace admitted.

Sandy appeared, taking the seat beside his wife. "I wouldn't say that, Grace. Your sons speak very highly of you."

"You spoke to…" Grace started, surprised.

"We had to make sure you were telling the truth. That you aren't here to hurt Ryan," Kirsten said.

"Your son, Graham, is flying out to make sure you're okay. He's worried about you. He's worried about what seeing Dawn will do to you," Sandy explained.

"Sounds like Graham. Maybe he can talk some sense into his sister."

"Dawn…we don't want Ryan to see her. It only upsets him," Kirsten started slowly. "We've told him about you and he's thinking about it, but we do not want Dawn around him without his permission…"

"Even with his permission, we won't encourage it," Sandy added. "She's abandoned him again and again and it's not healthy for him to keep letting her into his life just so he can be let down again."

Grace nodded. "I can tell that you care about him very much. I've seen Dawn and I'm not giving up on her, I mean, she's my daughter…but I understand where you're coming from. I don't want to take Ryan from you. He seems to have a good life. He seems happy. But I would like to be a part of his life. I'd like to get to know him. I'd like to see him."

"It's still up to Ryan," Kirsten said.

"But can't you…can't you talk to him?"

"We won't order him to see you," Sandy replied. "The ball's in his court. He just needs some time to think about things."

----------

"Seth? Ryan? Are you guys in here?" Sandy made it home before Kirsten and went searching for his boys.

"Dad?" Seth's head popped up entirely too fast from the couch. A second later, Summer's head popped up beside him.

"Mr. Cohen," Summer blushed.

"Hello, Summer. Seth, is Ryan here?"

"He went to the gym with Luke," Seth replied. "They'll be back later."

"Oh. Okay."

"Everything all right?"

"Fine, fine. Just let him know I'm looking for him, okay?" Sandy asked.

"Sure," Seth nodded.

Sandy walked out of the living room.

"Should you have told him that Luke and Ryan have been gone since sixth period?" Summer whispered.

"I'm sure they're fine."

"They're barely friends and you know they weren't going to the gym."

"Where else would they go? They don't have anything in common besides muscles and punching people," Seth said.

Summer pulled out her cell phone and dialed Luke's number.

"What are you doing?"

"Just checking on them," She said.

They heard the phone ring nearby.

"That's weird…" Summer remarked.

"Stop following me, Luke…" Ryan's voice echoed through the kitchen.

"Dude, just wait a second…" Luke was saying.

Summer hung up the phone and followed her boyfriend into the kitchen.

"Man, I'm sorry, I didn't…" Luke said.

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Seth asked. Luke's shirt was smeared with blood and his face was bruised. Ryan had a black eye and his lip was split.

"Nothing," Luke and Ryan said in unison.

"Dad's home," Seth said.

"Shit…" Ryan disappeared through the doors toward the poolhouse to get cleaned up.

"Luke, what the hell happened?" Seth demanded.

"We got into a fight."

"You and Ryan? But…" Summer started.

"Yeah, we're friends, but…he's a little edgy and I'm a little edgy and things just got a little heated…"

"And you both ended up a little beat up? What were you fighting about?" Seth asked.

"I couldn't even tell you," Luke said, throwing his hands up. "That's how fast it happened. But I'm getting out of here. Tell Chino that I'll see him later."

----------

Sandy was in his study working on some leftover paperwork when he heard Ryan's tentative voice.

"Sandy. Can I talk to you?"

"Of course. Come in," Sandy said, immediately closing his file and giving Ryan his attention. "What happened to you?"

"Luke and I got into an argument…"

"You should learn to argue with your mouth instead of your fists, kid…have you put some ice on it?"

"Yeah. Rosa already scolded me," Ryan said quietly, sitting down.

"It looks painful."

Ryan gave him a weak smile. "Yeah, but I earned it."

"Is that what you need to talk to me about?"

"Not really."

"Okay, kid. What's on your mind?" Sandy asked.

"When I have things on my mind, I sort of lose focus. I let something stupid that Luke said set me off. I bought a pack of cigarettes. I cut some classes…" Ryan spoke quietly but Sandy heard every word. Ryan had never spoken to him so honestly before.

"So, I'm not thinking straight and it's all because of this woman. I'm sorry about fighting and cutting school and smoking and all the stupid things I did today but…I don't know what exactly I'm supposed to do."

"Okay, Ryan," Sandy said quietly.

"I finally feel like I'm getting settled, Sandy. Finally, for the first time in my life, I feel like I'm actually a part of something. I'm not just Dawn's kid who pays the bills and picks her up off the corner every night. I'm not Trey's little protégée…I'm not even the juvenile delinquent from Chino anymore. I finally feel like I'm turning into someone all on my own…" He whispered. "I don't want to have to explain myself to her. I don't want her pity or her regret…I just want to be left alone. It's like…Seth says that she deserves a chance. But he has a Nana. He has a Grandpa. I never have, not like that. I don't know what I'm missing. I don't need her, Sandy. I'm tired of doing everything for other people."

Sandy had never heard Ryan say so much in one sitting and it only drove home how much this was bothering him.

"But…if she is my family…I guess…I guess I have to see her."

"You don't have to do anything, Ryan."

"What do you think?"

"I think…I think this is a lot for you to have to handle."

Ryan snorted.

"I don't want to tell you what to do. You don't have to see her. She wants to see you. She seems sincere. She doesn't want to take you from us, she just wants to talk to you."

Ryan nodded.

"What do you want to do?"

"Will you…will you come with me?" Ryan asked quietly. "When I meet with her?"

"Of course. Whatever you want."

"Thanks."

"So…do you want me to set up a meeting?"

"I guess so."

"What if we invited her here? That way, you'd have your support system around you."

"If you think that's best."

"Ryan…we don't want to pressure you…"

"I don't know if I want her here."

Sandy was surprised. "Okay. I'll call Grace and set something up."

"Thanks, Sandy."

"Don't worry, Ryan. Relax."

Ryan hesitated by the door. "Am I…"

"Don't let Kirsten find your cigarettes and I expect you to apologize to Luke," Sandy said. "You came to me and explained your behavior and I appreciate your honesty. But no more cutting school and fighting. Deal?"

"Deal."

----------

Sandy made the arrangements and by the time Kirsten arrived home, he had made plans to take Ryan to her hotel for dinner. Ryan was with Seth in the poolhouse.

"You're taking him to see her?"

"I'm taking him to see her. He asked me to go with him to meet with her. He's pretty upset about it."

"He talked to you?" Kirsten was surprised.

"Yeah. He talked to me. It was almost surreal to hear him talk so much."

"What did he say?"

"He said that he finally felt settled here. And that he didn't want to have to rehash all his history with this stranger. But you know how Ryan is. He'd do anything for his family. Even the family he didn't know he had. As soon as I said that she seemed sincere and she only wanted to talk to him, he said he'd meet with her. I have no idea how tonight's going to go, though," Sandy admitted.

"I'm glad you're going with him."

"I'm not going to push him to talk, Kirsten. I'm just there because he asked me to be there. This is his decision. If he decides to walk out as soon as he sits down, I'm following him out," Sandy replied.

"You better."

----------

Ryan didn't dress up and Sandy didn't tell him to. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt. As usual, he was wearing his wrist cuff and watch. Sandy rustled his hair before they walked into the hotel's restaurant.

"You ready for this?"

Ryan's silent glare answered his question.

Sandy gave him a smile and a pat on the back as he spoke to the concierge about their reservations. They were seated immediately in a table by the window.

"Sandy…has she seen my mom?" Ryan asked quietly.

"She met with her today."

"Did she…" Ryan started but stopped speaking as Grace approached.

"It's okay," Sandy reassured him.

"Mr. Cohen. Ryan. Thanks for coming." Grace sat down nervously in the seat across from Ryan. Ryan gave her a polite nod.

"Grace," Sandy acknowledged.

"Ryan, I know this is all a big shock to you and I'm sorry…"

"It's not really your fault, is it?" Ryan muttered.

"Can I tell you about myself?" Grace asked.

Ryan nodded.

Sandy was used to being a mediator in court but he wasn't prepared for this situation. Ryan's entire posture was tense and closed off. His blue eyes gave away none of the emotion behind them. Grace was nervous as well.

"Well, I'm from Boston. I went to college and have a degree in corporate finance among other things. I met my ex-husband, Darrell in college and we had three kids together. We divorced when Dawn was around eleven. I shared custody with Darrell and they'd spend the summer with him and the school year with me. Some weekends, he'd take them when I'd go out of town. I traveled a lot for work."

Ryan was listening silently.

"Grace, Ryan doesn't really talk much. It's nothing personal. Go on," Sandy said quietly.

Grace nodded. "Dawn started getting into trouble at school when she was about thirteen. She had gotten the attention of some of the older boys and wanted to date. I insisted she was too young but she would sneak out and was a terror to deal with. I put her in therapy, but she wouldn't go. She got better around fourteen and started doing well in school and even played volleyball for a semester…but then it all went bad again. She went to stay with her father for the summer and something happened. He couldn't deal with her. She was fifteen…she couldn't even drive a car and he…he let her go. She packed her things and told him that she was leaving and he just let her go. She was just a kid…"

"You looked for her," Ryan stated quietly.

"I didn't find out for about a month. I was busy with a big deal at work and when my boys would call, they'd always say that she was out and that she loved me. When Darrell told me that she'd been gone for that long…I lost it. He'd forced my boys to lie to me and he hadn't even looked for her…there was no trace of her. I never stopped looking, Ryan. I never stopped looking for her."

Ryan gave her a nod.

"I…I met with her for lunch today."

"How is Dawn?" Ryan asked quietly.

Grace hesitated. She had tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "She's…she's awful."

"Sounds like Dawn," He muttered.

"Ryan…what about you? Will you tell me about yourself?" Grace asked, using the napkin to dab at her eyes.

Ryan glanced at Sandy who gave him a slight nod. "Well. I stay with Mr. and Mrs. Cohen now because Dawn kicked me out. A few months ago, I got busted stealing a car with Trey and Mr. Cohen…he was my lawyer. I didn't have anywhere to go and he let me stay with him."

"They said that you're really smart. Your mom said…" Grace started.

"Ryan does very well. We've enrolled him in private school and he's been maintaining a 4.0 average," Sandy said when Ryan didn't answer.

"That's great…" Grace said.

"Before all that, I lived in Chino. Before Chino, we stayed in Fresno."

"Your father…"

"He's in jail for armed robbery," Ryan answered evenly. "We moved when he got arrested."

"Your brother…Trey…is he as intelligent as you are?" Grace asked.

"He's smarter than I am. But school never really worked for him," Ryan replied quietly.

"Why not?"

He met her gaze. "He couldn't make as much money in school as he could on the streets."

Grace seemed startled. "Dawn…she didn't take care of you?"

Ryan glanced at Sandy again, clearly unsure of how to answer.

"I'm sorry…let's order. I need a minute, we're moving really fast," Grace said, recanting her question. She waved the waiter over and they ordered their drinks and appetizers.

Ryan was even stiffer now than when he first arrived. When Sandy gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, he jumped, startled.

"Ryan, do you want a few minutes to go freshen up?" Sandy offered, seeing that Ryan's nerves were frazzled.

Ryan glanced at him, confused. Finally, he nodded and stood up, disappearing through the doors. Grace watched him go.

"You're very good with him," She said quietly.

"He deserves it. He's a good kid."

"Why'd you do this for him? Why'd you take him in? I mean, you already have a family…"

"Ryan's special. When I met him, I saw his SAT scores and I was blown away. He was painfully quiet, he's still quiet, but there was something about him. Dawn came to pick him up and she was just…horrible to him. I gave him my card and told him if he needed anything to call me. And he did. I picked him up and he'd gotten into a fight with someone, he'd never tell me who. It was just supposed to be for the weekend but when I took him home, his mother had cleared out. She didn't even leave his things," Sandy said quietly.

"Oh."

"We've had our bumps along the way. He's still a little more…physical than we're used to."

"The black eye…"

"He got into a disagreement with one of his friends. My son, Seth, is very nonviolent. He's into more verbal confrontations but Ryan…he tries to settle things with his fists," Sandy admitted.

"It's probably all he knows…" Grace said quietly.

"Ryan's adjusted well to life with us. We don't push him to talk about his past and he doesn't offer much information. What he told you tonight about his father is about the extent of what we know about his father. We don't care about that. Ryan is a good kid and he's a part of our family now," Sandy said quietly.

"I can see that. You think he's okay?"

"He'll be back."

----------