Thank you all for the incredible reviews, I've been bowled over by them.
A couple of notes to some comments a couple of reviewers made… Snoopy, you are right about the school fees and I did think about this, but I truly believe that Cal exerts influence in all sorts of unseen places and this is why no one fought harder to keep Ryan at Harbor at least until the end of that semester. But you make a valid point so thank you!

Scooter, you are right about the passport in chapter eight! As a Brit, that thought didn't cross my mind, even though I know full well Mexico is a different country. I should be ashamed of myself!

Anyway on to chapter ten! (and chapter eleven should follow close behind, hopefully later this week).

Chapter Ten

Marlene sat herself back down in Dr Kim's office and pulled out a file from her briefcase. Dr Kim had excused herself and left them to it, saying she needed to sort out three fifteen year olds and a broken window.

"Ryan, I have here the details of your new placement." Marlene scanned through the information in her lap. "This couple are new to fostering so they don't have much experience in that capacity, but they do have grown up children so they are used to teenagers."

Ryan had sat slouched with his arms folded, unmoving and sullen, since she'd entered the room. She stopped and peered closely at his face. Underneath the strands of blond hair falling over his forehead, she could just see his eyes apprehensive and guarded and his bottom lip sucked in tightly. Her insides knotted together. She would never get used to this sort of thing, no matter how often she had to do it. Usually she tried to keep herself slightly removed from these kids. If she didn't she knew she'd soon have her own house filled to overflowing with all manner of waifs and strays. But Ryan, despite her best intentions, had got to her. It seemed doubly cruel to give a kid hope and then snatch it away from him just as quickly. She leaned forward and touched his shoulder lightly. He shrugged her off irritably. She wasn't surprised. These sorts of kids rarely felt comfortable with close personal contact.

"Ryan, they seem like nice people. I know it's not ideal, but in the circumstances there's little more we can do. Sandy and Kirsten can't remain your legal guardians while they are incapacitated and out of the country."

"They can't look after Seth either but he isn't being shipped off to some group home miles away…" he muttered, his eyes glittering dangerously.

Marlene flushed. Seth's situation wasn't the same and they both knew it. Ryan just wasn't prepared to make it easy for her. Well, she could understand that. Torn away from his family, his school, his friends, it wasn't right, she got that.

"Ryan," she continued gently, "Seth has his grandfather. The arrangements for him are different because he's never been in the care of social services and Mr. Nichol is listed as his nearest next of kin."

Ryan kicked his foot idly against Caleb's vacant chair leg.

"So when do I go to this new place?" he asked dully. Marlene tucked her file away and shut up her briefcase, relieved that Ryan seemed at least to be accepting that he had to go.

"Today, after school. I'll pick you up and take you there myself. And actually it's not a group home. You are the only kid. Like I said, this couple is new to fostering so we like to start them off gently…"

Ryan laughed mockingly at the idea that he was the sort of kid that would count as "starting them off gently". Would Child Services have thought that two years ago? A kid who stole cars and sorted out arguments with his fists? A kid who skipped school to hang out in pool halls smoking dope? A kid who ate all his meals at a neighbor's to avoid having to nurse his mother's hangovers, or worse, his mother's boyfriend's fists? Sometimes he didn't even recognize himself anymore, so different had his life become. But it seemed whatever he did, no matter how good he tried to be, no matter how hard he worked, shit still happened. He knew it wasn't the Cohens' fault, it certainly wasn't poor Marlene's fault. But he wasn't going to get sucked into this again. Refusing to rely on anyone else was tough, but at least that way, the only person who could let you down was yourself.


"See? I told you he'd be here!" Summer and Marissa positioned themselves on either side of him, on the bench that he had hoped was too far away from the main throng to be discovered. "Chino, we've been looking all over for you since math class. What happened with Dr Kim?" Summer held out a sandwich from the school canteen. Ryan smiled half-heartedly.

"You don't have to keep doing this you know," he said, accepting the offering gratefully.

"And have Cohen kick my ass when he gets back and sees you've lost twenty pounds? No thank you." Summer tossed her hair and turned to her own lunch.

"So," Marissa prodded, her doe eyes raised expectantly. "Dr Kim?"

Ryan lay down his sandwich and dipped his head.

"Not good news huh?" Marissa and Summer exchanged worried looks. Ryan suddenly realized what they were assuming and jerked his head up quickly.

"Oh the Cohens are fine. It wasn't to do with them. It was to do with me, and what's going to happen now they can't look after me…"

"But you're staying with Marissa's mom and Caleb right?" Summer stated, her mouth full of sandwich.

"Yeah, no, thing is…." Ryan hesitated as he looked at the two girls eying him quizzically. He knew if he told Summer and Marissa the truth, they'd be outraged. They'd march him back to Dr Kim's office and demand to be heard. And while that sounded very appealing, Ryan knew that in the end nothing would change and all that would happen was that Sandy and Kirsten would get to hear about it. There was no way he was willing to jeopardize their recovery, and if it meant distorting the truth a little and misleading Summer and Marissa, then he would do it.

"Thing is, Caleb and Julie aren't cleared by social services to look after a kid. You know these days, everything has to be done by the book," he waved his hands vaguely, hoping to convince them. "They'd have to be checked out by Child Services and stuff….. so I have to go and live with some other foster parents…" He shrugged as though it was no big deal.

"Oh!"

Marissa's face fell. Glancing briefly at her friend, Summer turned to Ryan, pressing him for the answers she knew Marissa was too nervous to ask.

"But you'll still be nearby right? We'll see you at school still?"

Ryan sighed.

"Actually, no. There are no available people in Newport…"

"So you're leaving?" Marissa interrupted in disbelief.

Ryan swallowed, avoiding her gaze.

"Yeah."

Summer's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"But you'll be back right? As soon as Sandy and Kirsten are home, you'll be back?" Ryan shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know…I guess….but I just don't know. Ms Johnson says they can't be my legal guardians because they aren't in a position to look after me…so who knows?"

Marissa gave up all attempts at eating her lunch and sat quietly studying her ex boyfriend. He looked upset yes, but he also looked uncomfortable, awkward. She was pretty sure he wasn't telling them the whole story. She couldn't believe a man as powerful as Caleb Nichol couldn't pull a few strings and get a quick OK from social services.

"Caleb's thrown you out hasn't he," she stated shortly, glaring at him, challenging him to deny it. Ryan's heart sank. He might have known she'd have seen through his lies. He was such a bad liar.

"He and your mom don't think it's a good idea for you and me to be…well…you know," he shrugged, embarrassed.

"That stupid bitch. What the hell does she think is gonna happen for God sake?"

Marissa slammed her bag shut, threw it over her shoulder and began to march towards the school parking lot, cell phone in hand, punching out numbers venomously. Summer scuttled after her, struggling to stay upright on her heels.

"Marissa…"

Marissa turned round reluctantly.

"I can't believe my stupid mother is the reason Ryan has to leave," she spouted bitterly. "I have to do something Sum. She's not going to get away with this." Tossing her head, she continued walking briskly to her car.

Ryan caught up with her and grabbed her arm roughly.

"Marissa stop!"

She stopped but shook off his hand, glowering at him mutinously.

"Marissa, just calm down. There's nothing you can do. We all know your mom hates me but Caleb hates me too. You can't put all this on her."

"Maybe if I speak to her…"

Ryan shook his head. "It's not gonna work. Look, just come back and sit down. There's other stuff I should tell you." Marissa wavered uncertainly. Summer gave her a beseeching look.

She sighed wearily and followed them back to the bench.

"Remember last week when you and Summer and your mom and Caleb came to dinner?" Marissa nodded.

"Well Caleb cornered me in the kitchen. See, Sandy and Kirsten asked me if they could adopt me…"

Marissa's face softened.

"I remember…"

"That's fantastic Ryan," Summer butted in enthusiastically.

"Yeah, I know, "Ryan dismissed her impatiently. "But the thing is, Kirsten must have told Caleb because he came into the kitchen and threatened me. Told me there was no way he'd allow it to happen.."

Light dawned on the girls' faces.

"And Caleb is using what's happened to the Cohens to get rid of you!" Summer finished indignantly. "That fucking bastard! Can you believe he's actually Kirsten's father?"

"Whatever Kirsten inherited from her father, it wasn't his compassion, that's for sure," Marissa answered dryly. " I'm sorry Ryan. My mom and Caleb as a team? They're not called The Gruesome Twosome for nothing…"

She sat back down heavily and shut off her phone. A conversation with her mother was not going to help this situation.

Summer stood in front of Ryan impatiently.

"Well, we have to do something Chino…we can't let them get away with it. Honestly they are like some wicked couple from a fairy tale. I didn't think people behaved like this in real life…"

Ryan raised his eyebrows in mock disbelief. She'd lived in Newport all her life and only just found this out? He'd found it out in pretty much a few weeks. His family had been dysfunctional yes, his mother a train wreck, yes, but downright mean? No. He supposed that was what money did to you.

Summer pulled out her own cell phone and dialed a number rapidly.

"Who are you calling?" Ryan asked, perturbed.

"Who do you think Chino?" Summer bristled, " Seth needs to know what's going on…"

Summer stared at Ryan open mouthed as he snatched away her phone and slammed it shut.

"Ryan, what the hell are you doing?"

"You can't tell Seth…"

"Why the fuck not? He's gonna find out sooner or later..or are you just gonna wait till he comes home and hope he doesn't notice his brother is missing!"

Ryan flushed and bit his lip.

"If you tell Seth, you know he'll tell his parents.." he began.

"Good! Then they can kick Caleb's ass!" she spat.

Marissa cast a sympathetic glance at Ryan.

"Sum, I don't think Sandy and Kirsten are in any state to kick anyone's ass…"

Summer sat down deflated. "I guess you're right."

Ryan smiled at them both fondly. Together they were a scarily formidable combination, but sadly not enough of a match for Julie and Caleb Nichol.

"Look guys, thank you. I know you want to help, but honestly the best thing you can do for me is to keep your mouths shut. Particularly to Seth. You know he can't keep a secret..."

"Yeah we know that.." Summer muttered.

"and if he found out," he continued, "then he'd not be able to help himself, he'd tell his parents and then they'll be all worried and then they may not get well as quick…I can't do that do them."

Ryan looked from one to the other, his eyes begging.

"Can we come visit you?" Marissa asked hopefully.

He relaxed and grinned.

"There'll be trouble if you don't.."


Ryan slammed shut his physics textbook as the shrillness of the school bell signifying the end of the day assaulted his ears. He swung by his locker and emptied it of its contents, collecting text books in the crook of his arm and peeling off the one picture he had stuck to the inside of the door, a photo Summer had given him of the four of them the night they'd gone to L.A. Summer had pestered one of the publicists for "The Valley" to take one and several copies had arrived a couple of weeks later in a plush cardboard envelope, accompanied by a postcard "signed" by the entire cast. The corners were curling slightly and it was kind of dark, but he pocketed it anyway.

Keeping his head down in the hope of avoiding any well-meaning teachers wanting to wish him well, he trudged down the hall to the office. Depositing the pile of textbooks on the secretary's desk, he handed her his school security pass wordlessly. The secretary thanked him and wished him luck. By the time he'd reached the parking lot, Marlene was already there, sitting in her elderly station wagon, window rolled down, discussing something with Dr Kim. Marlene looked over and greeted him with an over enthusiastic smile. Dr Kim turned to him and held out her hand.

"Goodbye Ryan, we'll miss you," she began.

Ryan took her hand and shook it awkwardly.

"Bye Dr Kim, and thanks…you know…for everything…"

The Dean nodded and took a step back as Ryan got into the car and the engine sprang to life.


"So where is this place?" Ryan finally ventured, after fifteen minutes of silence. Marlene shot him a quick sideways look.

"Actually, it's in Chino."

If she had wanted to shock Ryan into conversation then she had picked just the right button to press.

"Chino? You couldn't find anywhere nearer Newport than Chino?" he growled.

Marlene hesitated and glanced in her mirror, before pulling the car over to the side of the road.

She rested her hands on the steering wheel and swiveled round to face him.

"Ryan, there's something I haven't told you…" She looked at him uneasily. She couldn't keep this from him any longer. If the poor kid couldn't rely on her, then who did he have?

Ryan's eyes bored into her as she debated how she should tell him.

"What?" he asked, unable to hide the sense of dread creeping into his voice.

Marlene took a deep breath.

"Your mother wants you back," she stated bluntly.

Ryan blinked rapidly, trying to grasp the implications of what she had just told him.

"She appears to be trying to get her life together Ryan. I saw her yesterday. She and your Dad are pretty dead set against this adoption and she's asked Child Services to assess her with a view to you returning to live with her…"

"Don't I have any say in the matter?"

"A little, yes, but ultimately, if Child Services decide she's a fit mother, then there's no reason for you not to go back. If this accident hadn't happened to the Cohens then maybe they would look on it differently, especially as you've been there such a long time, but generally our policy is to try and keep children with their natural parents whenever possible."

Marlene scoured the boy's face as he grappled with this new bombshell. She'd never seen a child look so bereft.

"Ryan, that's why we decided to place you in Chino, so that if this happens, at least you won't have to change schools for a third time. Your education is a top priority. Everyone knows how hard you've been working at Harbor, what great potential you have."

Ryan snorted in disbelief, turning his head to glare out of the window.

Marlene glanced down at her watch, suddenly aware of the darkening sky outside.

"Look, Ryan, we need to get going. I told the Parkers we'd be with them by now."

He didn't bother to turn round.

tbc