Wow, never had more diverse comments. If you didn't like what I did, whatever. I'm not gonna let it get me down. Anyways, most of you liked it, so I'm keeping going. What I want to do is show Ryan's weakness. Drugs are very tempting, and sometimes you can't think straight. Plus, you all wanted Ryan to make a mistake. At first, it was going to be Theresa coming back, but I mean, I didn't want that. The whole thing will lead to the end, where I can promise...something. LOL. So please review, I really like reading the nice ones.

For once in the Cohen household, things were going good. For some at least. Ryan was falling apart at the seams, unlike Seth, who was sewing himself up again.

Prozac had become Seth's newest friend, it took away the bad thoughts. His sarcasm was returning, and he smiled.

"Good morning parents," Seth greeted Kirsten and Sandy three weeks after his initial therapy session.

"Morning Seth," Kirsten rushed around like usual, trying to prepare for another meeting.

"Morning Pirate Death Breath," Sandy joked. Ever since therapy, he had bothered his son about this character. Seth finally gave in and told him about it. Sandy hadn't stopped teasing him yet.

"Okay, it's been three weeks, Dad. Aren't you over it?" Seth complained. He had been in the safe zone for a while, so teasing was allowed. Though he was pissed two weeks ago when a therapy session forbade him from seeing Summer.

"Nope, sorry. I'm not, Pirate Death Breath," Sandy absolutely loved the nickname.

"You know, that's very detrimental to my mental stability. I could go right down to the pier and jump," Seth had only talked to Summer once more since pouring his heart out to her. Seth learned that Alicia had broken down, and that Mika and Nikki escaped.

"What, to your pirate ship?" Sandy couldn't stop joking.

"Mother, will you please make him stop?" Seth looked desperately at his mother, who stared back at her son for a moment. She was about to say something, but was interrupted.

"You should've kept your mouth shut, son," Sandy commented.

"When have I ever?" Seth walked over to his pill bottle and tried to open it. The child proof lid held him back. "Damn lid," He muttered under his breath.

"Seth...language," Kirsten told him since he didn't have a depressing excuse to curse.

"It's this stupid ass cap. I can't get it!" Seth kept twisting the cap around with no luck.

"Here," Kirsten went over to her struggling son.

"Good thing he can unlock doors. Those child proof locks can sometimes be so hard to open," Sandy kept going as Kirsten finally got the cap off.

Ryan drowsily walked in as Seth thanked Kirsten. The bags under Ryan's eyes were growing, he was losing weight. Why the fuck had he tried it again?

"Ryan, thank God you're here. Will you please tell my dad that 'Pirate Death Breath' was funny for maybe the first maybe five seconds, but it's over. Will you please explain that to him?" Seth told his brother as he popped two pills in his mouth and swallowed.

"Sure," Ryan had to adjust to the intensity of the light in the kitchen and the noise.

"Are you okay Ryan? You look sick," Kirsten got worried and walked over to Ryan. Closer up, she could see he was a complete mess.

"I'm fine Kirsten," Ryan argued. He knew he was sick, just not in the way she thought.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Kirsten's maternal side came out, unlike Dawn. Ryan was never fussed over, it was a strange experience.

"I slept fine," Ryan told his guardian. Almost every night he was using, and it kept him u. In the past three weeks, he had barely slept at all.

"I think you should stay home. Get some rest," Kirsten checked his forehead. It was cool, but she still wasn't convinced.

"Kirsten, I assure you I'm fine. If anything happens at school, I'll go to the nurse. But really, I'm fine," Ryan didn't want to stay home because he was afraid he'd use it again, and someone would find him.

"Are you sure?" Kirsten was still worried, she couldn't help it.

"Yes," Ryan looked Kirsten in the eye and lied. He had learned to do that so long ago, from his brother. Ryan was small, and he used to always tell his mom Trey did everything when Ryan had actually screwed up. People always believed him. He was abusing the trust he longed for. He felt horrible.

And of course he wasn't okay. Ryan was back on drugs, he was ruining this family. Ryan wasn't a part of it, he was too different. The trip to Chino made him realize that. He would never be of Newport. He'd always be from Chino, it was his past and he was stuck with it.

"Okay. Well, you guys should be going," Kirsten informed them.

"I'll drive them," Sandy offered, forgetting about 'Pirate Death Breath' for a few moments. Much to Ryan's dismay, things were focusing on him.

"All right. Bye boys, I love you," Kirsten took her papers and left the house.

"We got a few minutes. Ryan, go get your stuff from the pool house," Sandy told them and Ryan shuffled back to get his backpack. He didn't take his bag. He would deal without. If he could quit without the Cohens ever finding out, it'd be a miracle.

They left soon after and headed to school. Seth and Sandy rambled in the front as Ryan struggled to stay awake in the back. Sandy took note of it.

Seth and Ryan got out of the car, Seth was still rambling. Ryan tried to pay attention, but his mind would focus.

Marissa spotted the two guys as they walked in. She hadn't really talked to either a whole lot. Seth was okay with her, Ryan was the problem. But Marissa was sick of being alone in Harbor. She walked over to them.

"Hey guys," She smiled.

"Hey Marissa," Seth was in a good mood and didn't notice his best friend's somber one.

"Hey," Ryan muttered.

"So what's up? Have you talked to Sum lately?" Marissa began to walk with them.

"No," They walked past the memorials. The injuries one was almost empty. Only one girl remained, she had been paralyzed. They were trying to get her to walk again.

"Oh, because she has visitation this week," Marissa commented.

"Yep. I am so going this time," Seth was so happy he'd be able to see Summer.

"Can you go Ryan?" Marissa looked at her worn down ex-boyfriend. She was trying to stop drinking, and she was getting better.

Everyone else was getting better as Ryan screwed up more and more.

"Yeah," Ryan choked out.

"Great. Then all three of us can go. Sum'll be really happy. Last time, she was in such a bad mood because I was the only one that came. Her dad has yet to talk to her. Which is really weird. Her dad is really cool," Marissa was mostly having the conversation with Seth.

"He's all right," Seth hadn't talked to Neil Roberts on the best occasions.

"So, anyways...what else is up?" Marissa wanted to get off the discussion of Summer for just a little bit.

"No clue. I was hoping you knew what was up," They continued walking down the hall.

"Okay," Marissa laughed and looked over at Ryan. He was staring off into space. "You okay Ryan?"

"Fine," Ryan didn't look over. They made it to Marissa and Seth's homeroom.

"Bye Ryan," Marissa was worried about Ryan. He wasn't himself.

"See ya," Seth added and Ryan just walked off absentmindedly.

"What is up with him?" Marissa asked Seth as they sat down in the back of the homeroom.

"Who?" Seth was obviously oblivious.

"Ryan," Marissa answered.

"What about him?" Seth did not understand.

"He's acting really strange. Haven't you noticed it?" Marissa looked at Seth with concern.

"His humor seems gone. And he does act very outsider-ish. Maybe he's reverted back to being Chino-y Ryan," Seth wondered.

"I think something is seriously up," Marissa wished she was closer to Ryan to know what was wrong.

"I'll try to figure something out," Seth commented.

"Me too. I'll talk to him second period," Marissa added.

Ryan sat in his homeroom, thinking everything over. Had he actually told Seth and Marissa he'd visit Summer? He couldn't go, everyone there would know he was using. Nicole especially. She knew what it did to you.

The bell rang and Ryan headed to his first period class. Marissa and Seth watched him walk by. Seth was worried now too. He didn't know what was wrong with his brother.

Only four more days for Ryan to get clean.

000000000000

Marissa stood at the Cohens' front door. It was Saturday, and she was driving Seth and Ryan to see Summer.

Ryan was lying in the pool house, ashamed. He wasn't clean, he would have to try to get out of going.

Seth opened the door, out of breath. Kirsten was at work, Sandy was surfing, the boys were home alone.

"Hey Seth. You ready?" Marissa asked as she entered. She hadn't been to the Cohens' house since...she couldn't remember last. Possibly the dinner before Julie and Caleb's wedding. It had been way too long.

"Almost. Just gotta grab some stuff," Seth told her.

"Where's Ryan?" Neither of them had gotten very far talking to Ryan.

"Still in the pool house. Can you go get him?" Seth asked.

"Sure," Seth disappeared up the stairs as Marissa went through the Cohens' house and to the pool house.

She could see Ryan in it, lying there. Marissa knocked on the door and he sat up. She smiled and opened the door.

"Hey," She greeted him and walked in. "You ready?"

"I don't think I'm gonna go," Ryan told her.

"Why?" Marissa sat down next to him. She wished she could pt her arm around Ryan and try to make him feel better.

"I just don't feel good," Ryan knew Marissa wouldn't push him to go. Seth would, but Marissa understood her limits.

"Oh. Too bad. Summer was really pissed that you and Seth weren't there last time," Marissa commented.

They both looked at each other and Ryan stared into Marissa's wide blue eyes. Damn it. He couldn't do it. He still cared about Marissa, and when he looked into her eyes, there was just something there he couldn't argue.

"I guess I could go," Ryan said after Marissa and him looked away.

"Are you sure? Because you don't have to go," Marissa looked back over at him in concern. What was up with Ryan?

"Yeah, I'm sure," He gave her a quick smirk and she smiled and got up.

"Let's go," Marissa led the way out of the pool house with Ryan following. What had he just done?

Seth had just gotten into the kitchen. He grabbed his pill bottle and tried to open it. He couldn't and began to get frustrated. Stupid child proof lid.

"Got him," Marissa commented as they walked into the kitchen and saw Seth, again having trouble with the pill bottle.

"Great. Now, if only this damn bottle would open," Seth really hated opening the bottle. It had something against him.

"Here," Marissa took the bottle from Seth, just like Kirsten had, and opened it without a problem.

"Ah, I see we have someone who's handy with opening a pill bottle," Seth said as he swallowed two of the pills.

"Unfortunately," Marissa joked. Ever since the argument with Ryan about a month ago, her drinking was slowing up. She was doing it herself, without her parents even knowing, especially her mom. Marissa usually hung out with her dad and Hailey.

All three of them headed out to Marissa's car. Seth jumped in the back and closed the boor before his brother could get there. Ryan tried to get in, but Seth had locked the door.

"Well, what do you know?" Seth said and looked to the front. Ryan gave him a stare, but Seth didn't budge. Ryan reluctantly sat in the front.

Marissa got in, not seeing any of what had just happened. She, nor Ryan, knew that Seth was trying to get them back together.

She pulled the car out and began their trek. No one spoke, which was quite strange with Seth in the car. He usually never stopped talking. So Marissa turned on the radio. And as soon as the music started, Seth began to ramble.

Ryan and Marissa barely made it through an hour and a half of Seth rambling, but they did. They reached Willow Creek, glad to leave the car and Seth's rambling.

They got out and stood in front of the hospital, just staring. They all deserved to be in there, but for different reasons.

It was probably the coldest it had ever been in Newport, almost below freezing. They just continued to stare up at the place, frozen to the ground.

"Maybe we should go in," Marissa said and shivered, and the two guys nodded. All three headed inside, where it wasn't much warmer. "We're here to visit Summer Roberts," Marissa informed the receptionist and they went through the procedure. Sign in, bags checked, get a visitor's pass, wait for a nurse, and go up.

Summer sat in her room, not expecting anyone to come see her. Nicole had come back with Mika about a week ago, they hadn't beaten their record. They tried to get Summer to go with them, but she knew they would be in here for longer. And Summer wanted to get out as fast as she could.

Marissa, Seth, and Ryan followed the nurse up the stairs and into the ward. This was a new experience to Seth, not to Ryan or Marissa. The only thing reminding Ryan he wasn't in here was the visitor's pass.

Nicole, Mika, and Evan were sitting in the swivel chairs, talking amongst themselves. No one visited any of them. Everyone else had visitors.

Evan was a cutter, an artistic cutter as Mika had once described it. She had been in this ward the longest, a total of eight months. She couldn't get close to getting out. There was always a suicide attempt.

Some people had speculated whether Evan enjoyed it there. Life had just gotten too hectic for her. Eight months ago, they found her bleeding to death on her bathroom floor on her birthday.

The three girls rolled over to the three visitors. Seth was taking in everything, as Ryan and Marissa were relatively fine there.

"Who're you here to visit?" Evan tried to be the leader of the ward, but she was too passive for it. Her parents didn't much help. Her parents constantly brought her down, and they they even did it at visitation. Until Evan wigged out on the and was sent to a safety room, like Alicia had been sent to two weeks ago. Alicia got out and now was being scolded by her parents.

"They're here to visit Summer," Nikki answered, keeping eye contact on Ryan. He didn't look up at her, but she could still see. She knew he was using right away.

"Where is she?" Marissa asked Nicole, who hadn't been there last visitation. The last time was the most empty, missing three of the patients. Mika and Nicole escaped, and Alicia was in a safety room.

"Room. Doesn't feel like leaving. Don't know why for certain," Nikki told Marissa.

"Thanks," Marissa, Seth, and Ryan left the three patients and headed to Summer's room, which Summer showed Marissa two weeks ago.

Summer laid on her bed, playing with Princess Sparkle. The horse's hair was beginning to slightly knot.

"Hey," Marissa walked in Summer's room. Guys weren't allowed in the bedrooms. Summer shot up when she saw Marissa.

"Oh my gosh, Coop, I can't believe you made it!" Summer hugged Marissa in excitement.

"I'm not the only one. Go see who else came," Marissa told her.

"Who?" Summer wanted to know. She walked outside her room and saw Ryan. "Hey Ryan," Shutting her eyes, she hugged him. Seth was hiding behind Ryan.

"And..." Marissa couldn't wait to see Summer light up. Summer looked behind Ryan.

"Cohen!" She exclaimed and jumped into his arms. She felt her eyes watering as she squeezed him with all her might. It had been a month since she last saw him, walking out of the hospital. "I can't believe it."

"Neither can I," Seth didn't show his emotions as much as his girlfriend, but he was happy to see her. They had both tried to kill themselves over the other.

After about five minutes of Summer freaking out, they settled into a few seats.

"So," Summer was still amazed to see Seth.

"How's everything going here?" Marissa started.

"Insanity. Like usual. How about Newport?" Summer commented. Seth began rambling about almost everything.

"I'm gonna go get some fresh air," Ryan announced, getting up and leaving. None of them, except Summer, noticed Nicole come up next to Ryan.

"How long you been using?" Nikki whispered to Ryan.

"What?" Ryan hoped no one could hear them talking.

"How long have you been doing drugs?" Nikki reiterated.

"Three weeks...do you think they know?" Ryan was losing it.

"No. Summer...possibly. Marissa and Seth...suspect something's wrong, but definitely not drugs," Nicole analyzed. "How'd you get it?"

"I went to get cigarettes and met up with a guy I knew. He gave me a free bag," Ryan told her as they walked.

"You must've been good friends with the guy. Wait, one bag for three weeks?" That didn't seem right to Nicole.

"I was a large bag and I haven't been doing large amounts," Ryan explained.

"Right," Nikki didn't believe that.

"Listen, you can't tell them. Promise?" Ryan hadn't believed himself. He went back to Chino not that long ago to get more and some cigarettes. He had completely done a turn around.

"Promise," Nicole told him and Ryan walked out of the ward and the hospital. He lit a cigarette. Addiction was destroying him.

"Oh! Summer, I brought stuff for you," Seth remembered and produced the bag. He handed it over to Summer. She loved getting stuff.

"Thanks," Summer began looking through the bag. "Comics, Cohen?" She showed Seth the pile.

"I thought maybe you'd want to read them," Seth said.

"I will," Summer told him. She didn't know if she would. She tried to read them, but that was just to get Seth's attention off of Anna.

"Cool," Seth felt so uncomfortable in the hospital. He didn't know how Summer could be in here 24-7.

Ryan took one last drag of his cigarette, and threw it down on the pavement. He felt like the last two three years didn't happen. Like he was a drugged out fourteen year old.

He walked back in, showed the receptionist his visitor's pass and waited for another nurse. Going up alone with a nurse made him feel like he belonged there.

Summer noticed Ryan come up and she began to think of how he was in here. Something was up with him, but she didn't know what.

"What did I miss?" Ryan asked as he sat down.

"I just gave Summer a bag of stuff," Seth informed his brother. He knew Ryan was having problems, but Seth didn't think anything serious. Ryan was always introverted.

"Neat," Ryan commented.

"Do you guys wanna play a game or something? Cards, ping pong?" Summer suggested.

"Doesn't matter," Marissa answered.

"Yes it does. Because we're just gonna be sitting here if we don't talk about anything," Summer told them. She felt the sanest out of them all. That wasn't good.

"What do you wanna talk about?" Marissa kept with the conversation.

"I don't know," Summer was giving into the silence. It used to be so easy to talk together, and now, it had to be forced. Everything used to be so normal, if it could constitute as normal. Just a month and a half earlier, they talked as though they were normal, and now, that was all gone.

It had to be the most uncomfortable silence ever known. Four teens, all close friends, and they had nothing to say. Seth never stopped talking, especially with Summer around. But yet, both had their mouths shut.

What happened to them all? Where was the defining moment that changed them all?

The shooting.

The shooting had changed them so badly. It stopped best friends from knowing each other. It brought together, yet separated each of them from the other.

Four friends sat in a corner reflecting on how they screwed up their lives.

So? What do we think? Please review, I need them! Kidding. But if you really, really hate it, well, tough for you. Only three more chapters after this! Don't worry, I've got the sequel to this sequel in the works already.