To Pieces

Chapter Four

Sandy entered the sitting room, situated off the kitchen, to find his family sitting around, waiting.

Kirsten was tiredly holding her head up with her right palm, unwittingly chewing on her lip.

Seth had his head pressed back in to the chair he had taken over, his foot tapping on the ground.

Ryan, having chosen the furthest seat away from everyone, was leaning forwards so much his forehead nearly touched his knees. His fingers were interlaced behind his neck.

Sandy stood there for a moment, surveying these people he loved. The people whom were supposed to be his family. The problem was that, at the moment, none of them were particularly happy family members.

He wasn't even sure where to start, or even the best way to start. He passively wondered if it would work just to ground everyone for three months. No one allowed to leave the house, not even for work.

He let a smile bounce across his lips, playing with the idea.

"Sandy?" Kirsten interrupted his thoughts.

He glanced at her, "Yeah?"

She didn't answer, didn't have the time to before Sandy's cell phone rang.

"I'll just –" he motioned to Kirsten he would only be a moment, then turned his back to answer the phone.

Sandy knew who it was. He wasn't stupid. And he knew Kirsten knew who it was, because The Kirsten was anything but stupid.

"Hi, Rachel" Sandy spoke in to the phone.

Kirsten, from her spot on the couch, noticed immediately when Ryan's head shot up at the vague mention of Sandy's workplace. She also noticed him rubbing his temples, wincing.

Fast movement wasn't so great for a hangover, she knew. Without a word Kirsten got up and left the living room.

Ryan closed his eyes, trying to prevent the simple disorientation from turning in to nausea. He was in enough trouble, if he puked he was positive it wouldn't improve the situation.

He didn't see, so much as feel, a sudden presence at his side. He slit his eyes open carefully, looking up.

Kirsten.

She offered a weak smile, and held out both of her hands, bearing Tylenol and a glass of water.

Kirsten saw the obvious surprise towards her gesture on Ryan's face, and his tentative acceptance of her remedy.

"Just because you're a trouble maker Ryan, doesn't mean we hate you" she whispered quietly.

And then she saw something that made her feel ten times better about the day in general.

A smile. Not a hesitant one, not a fake one, but an honest smile coming from someone she hadn't seen smile in a long time. Kirsten had absolutely no control over the single tear that slipped from her eye and trailed down her cheek. She turned quickly, an attempt to hide her sentimentality and love for Ryan, and returned to a spot on the sofa.

"Well…" Sandy started, turning back to face his family. He pocketed his cell phone.

"Let me guess, you have to go to the office?" Ryan shot, "Damn, guess that means we have to wait for this meeting until later, assuming you plan on making it home before our bed time"

Kirsten noticed that all traces of his briefly smiling face were gone. He was pissed.

"Actually" Sandy corrected, "I told them there was no way I could make it in today."

"Why, because your delinquent adoptive son just got brought home by the police after running away drunk last night? Please" Ryan waved, "Go ahead and go in to the office if it makes you happy"

Sandy stood, shocked for a moment. "I.. I told them I couldn't make it in again until you boys started school. I told them that my family needed me right now."

Sandy saw Ryan deflate. He saw his anger drain from him, his shoulders slouch forward slightly. The smirk slid from his face, and his fingers stopped gripping the soft arm so tightly.

Sandy observed his family again. Ryan was studying his hands, Seth was staring openly at his father, and Kirsten was smiling at him.

God, he'd missed that smile.

"Kirsten. Seth, could you both excuse Ryan and I?" Sandy asked quietly. Immediately they both got up and left the room.

Ryan finally got the courage to look up from his lap at the person who was now sitting right in front of him. He met Sandy's eyes with his own and saw that nothing had changed.

They were the same gentle eyes he'd looked in to at juvenile hall.

The same ones that had shown pity when Ryan was going to be put in the system. That had given comfort when his mother had left him; twice.

They were the same eyes that Sandy Cohen had always had, working for the PD's office or even a large firm.

Eyes are the windows to the soul, and Sandy Cohen's soul had not changed one bit from the day he had saved Ryan from a life of fear, pain and self destruction.

"I'm sorry" Ryan finally said, unable to turn away.

He saw the skin crinkle slightly around Sandy's weathered skin and knew he was smiling.

"I just thought that –" he rushed to explain.

Sandy held up his hand, gesturing for Ryan to stop. "It's okay, Ryan" he said.

"But I-"

Sandy smiled. "As did I, Ryan. I owe an apology as much as you do"

"But –"

"No buts, Ryan. I should have known" he shook his head slightly.

"….known…?" Ryan asked tentatively.

"How you would feel about my career change"

"How.. did you..?"

"I saw it in your eyes, just like you saw that I hadn't changed. We should have done this a long time ago"

Ryan looked back down at his hands, smiling.

"But don't think this lets you get away with… lets see… coming home plastered out of your tree" Sandy suggested, "Because that still warrants further punishment yet to be decided"

Ryan blushed crimson, "I was stupid-"

"Yes. You were." Sandy replied honestly.

Ryan stiffened, dropping his head in shame now.

"But it's okay" Sandy continued, clasping his son on the shoulder, "Because trust me on this kid, everyone makes mistakes"

Ryan looked up to find a smile twitching at the corners of Sandy's mouth. That was it, Ryan wondered?

No yelling. No screaming. No throwing alcohol bottles. No fists or threats?

Maybe talking to Sandy wasn't so bad.

He smiled back, and both men rose to their feet.

"Now I have to go plead for mercy from The Kirsten" Sandy remarked.

"Try the eye thing" Ryan nodded, grinning.

Sandy let out a laugh and left the room, on his way to make things right with his wife.

Ryan watched him go, then went to hunt down Seth. He wasn't quite sure how many apologies he owed to the kid this time, but with any luck, Ryan could make it work.

With any luck, Ryan Atwood could make everything that was Newport work.

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