So many reviews for the last chapter I was overwhelmed. I'm so glad people are enjoying. I know a few people find Ryan's lack of contact with Seth a little unbelievable and I hope I've answered some of the concerns in this chapter. I suppose in my mind I know all the hurdles there are for contacting people on the other side of the world via phone, particularly when most of your time is spent in the Intensive Care ward of a hospital.

If you would like a response to your comment, I also post this story at Live Journal under mel39...(I have no idea how you put in alink here!)

Chapter Twelve

"Mom?" Seth eased into the room tentatively. His parents spent a good time of their time heavily sedated and asleep. Between them, it seemed to Seth that they had broken almost every bone in the human body and maybe some others too. His mother was fully immobilized from the neck downwards and was reliant entirely on the nursing staff. His father was only marginally better but he had made rapid strides in the last couple of days and could now at least sit up and attempt to do a few things for himself.

It had been a long and tedious ten days for Seth. His first concern had obviously been his parents and their well being, but after a couple of days in the hospital and long discussions with Hailey and the doctors it was obvious that what his parents needed was time, time to recover from their injuries. The doctors had assured them both that barring any complications, his parents lives were not in danger but that they both had a long road of recovery ahead of them. Hailey had flitted back and forth from Paris to Florence several times but Seth had spent much of the time alone, or sitting in the patients' family room, trying hard to make sense of the voluble and agitated conversations between Italian relatives who seemed to come and go in a constant stream. Hailey had encouraged him to spend at least some time outside, away from the confines of the hospital. What could he do while his parents were asleep more often than not, she reasoned? So he'd taken her advice and spent some time doing the tourist bit. He'd visited the Galleria dell' Accademia and seen Michelangelo's David. He'd strolled around the city and taken in the Campanile Di Giotto, the Cathedral and the Palazzo Vecchio. He'd walked over the Ponte Vecchio and been informed by the guide that it was one of only two bridges in Europe to accommodate shops. But his heart wasn't in it. When he was out he always had a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that one or other of his parents would choose that moment to suddenly develop a life threatening complication and he wouldn't be there to spot it. And when he managed to shake off that feeling, all he could think was how much more interested Ryan would have been with the Florentine architecture than he was.

"Seth?"

"Mom, you're awake, there's a surprise! Where's Dad?"

He smiled at his mother and walked over to open the shutters at the window. She was beginning to look more like his mother. The bruising she had sustained in the accident was fading rapidly and an orderly must have been in this morning to wash and dry her hair.

"Your Dad's been taken down for some physio. Seth look, I got a card from Ryan this morning…" She tipped her head a fraction to indicate a new card added to the arrangement on the window ledge. Seth took it down and scanned the contents.

"Typical Ryan," he laughed uneasily, "A message that says precisely nothing!"

Kirsten smiled.

"Well it was very nice of him to think of us and to take the time to write," she answered. "Have you spoken to him yet? I know you said you were having trouble tracking him down…"

"No, every time I call Grandpa's, Julie answers the phone. He and Marissa always seem to be out. I've texted him though. He doesn't say much but he seems OK. I expect he's trying to keep out of the house as much as possible. You know there's no love lost between the Gruesome Twosome and Ryan."

A cloud passed over Kirsten's face.

"I do hope your grandpa's not making life difficult for him," she worried.

Seth felt bad. He hadn't meant to pass on his own concerns about Ryan to his mother. He hadn't been completely honest as it was. He wasn't sure that Ryan was OK at all. Over the last couple of days he'd found it harder and harder to contact either Ryan or Summer or for that matter Marissa. He had a nagging feeling that something was up and that they all wanted to avoid him. Maybe Summer had got back together with Zack in his absence? It would explain why Ryan was avoiding talking to him. That boy could not lie. But Seth had a feeling that it wasn't that. He didn't like the way Julie was evasive with him. He didn't like that he couldn't seem to get through to the girls except via their voice mails or messaging. Normally their phones were switched on at all times except when they were in class. Something was not right.


Ryan shook the hands of both foster parents.

"Thank you" he muttered.

Mrs. Parker shook his hand warmly.

"Good luck Ryan."

" We're here if you need anything," her husband added.

Ryan nodded shyly.

Marlene placed a hand gently on his back.

"Come on then Ryan, lets go."

He pulled open the nearside door of Marlene's station wagon and got in. As she strapped herself in, Marlene glanced at him sideways.

"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think."

Ryan looked at her bleakly.

"I lived with her for sixteen years remember? I already know what it's going to be like."

He sighed and hugged his backpack close to his chest. Marlene pulled out of the Parkers' driveway with a heavy heart.

Dawn's new place was just a couple of blocks away, in a part of Chino that Ryan and Theresa used to wander on hot summer evenings, dreaming of the sorts of lives they might have had if they lived in one of the well maintained houses with neat lawns and cars, signifying the affluence of the owners within.

"She lives here?" Ryan questioned in disbelief as Marlene drew up at one such house. Marlene switched off the engine and turned to Ryan.

"Well it's not hers, she rents it. She has a pretty good job Ryan. Like I told you, she's really trying."

He stayed silent. His mother may have convinced Marlene but Ryan knew that the thin veneer of money could not hide the rot underneath for long. He dragged himself heavily out of the car and headed to the trunk where Marlene was beginning to unload boxes of his stuff.

"Ry!" Ryan looked up to see his mother standing at the screen door uncertainly.

He walked up to her hesitantly and she smiled, throwing her arms around his neck and patting his back awkwardly.

"Ry, it's so great to see you…"

"It's great to see you too Mom" he murmured.


Marlene stayed just long enough for a cup of coffee and a brief discussion with Dawn about when she would next stop by. Ryan sat silently fiddling with the zipper on the bag resting in his lap, glancing around the room suspiciously every now and then. Dawn cast him anxious looks in between fielding questions from Marlene.

Finally Marlene stood up and tucked her purse under her arm.

"So Ryan, I'll call by in a week or so, see how everything is going OK? And if you have any questions before then you have my number." She gave him an encouraging smile and squeezed his hand, their eyes locking briefly in mutual understanding. Dawn saw the look and moved towards Ryan, wrapping her arm around his waist and pulling him close to her.

"He'll be fine won't you sweetie," brushing his bangs out of his eyes fondly. "Back with your old mom, just like it should be right?"

She smiled at him brightly, silently begging him to agree.

He nodded and smiled back in resignation.


They waved the social worker off from the doorstep and then returned inside.

Dawn picked up a box of Ryan's belongings.

"Come on then Ry. I'll show you where your room is. I think you'll like it." Ryan followed his mother up the staircase and watched as she put down the box with a thud.

"I gave you the larger room, you know, you kids have so much stuff these days…" she added vaguely.

Ryan scowled and folded his arms. How the hell did she know how much stuff he had?

"Why are you doing this?" he asked shortly.

Dawn looked guiltily at him.

"I…I don't know what you mean Ry…"

"Where are you getting the money for all this huh? Mom, I know you. Money runs through your fingers quicker than water. How come you can afford a place like this all of a sudden?"

Dawn avoided her son's gaze and absentmindedly began to remove items from the box.

"Leave that. I can do it," he spoke sharply. "You didn't answer my question." Ryan glared at her.

"Look Ry. I have a good job. I've quit the drinking. I'm really trying to sort my life out."

"And AJ?"

"I haven't seen AJ for months. I hear he's moved away."

Ryan sat on the edge of the bed and folded his arms.

"I just don't understand why you said you were fine about the Cohens adopting me and then you changed your mind.."

Dawn flushed. She couldn't tell him the real reason why. She couldn't tell him about the visits she'd had from the two thugs that had left her terrified for her own life and those of her sons. She couldn't tell him about the threats. She couldn't tell him about the bribes. She couldn't tell him that seeing him like this, hurt, confused, upset, was tearing her up as much as him. She could only hope that she could make this work and that in time he would forgive her for dragging him away.

"I wanted my kid back. Is that so terrible?"

Ryan stared at her, searching her face for the truth.

"I'm going to get the rest of my stuff…" he muttered.


The taxi drew up outside the steps of the Cooper – Nichol home. Seth dug deep into his pockets and drew out some loose change. Picking through the coins, he discarded the redundant Euros and found enough American coinage to pay the driver. Waving his thanks, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and trudged up the steps. Standing in the cool evening air, he waited impatiently for someone to answer his knock.

Kirsten grinned broadly as she saw the mop of curly black hair peak round the edge of the door.

"Seth! I just got off the phone to your grandpa!"

Seth spotted the portable public telephone lying in the corner of the hospital room. He thrust his hands into his pockets and did his best to appear nonchalant.

"Yeah? Did you speak to Ryan?"

Kirsten shook her head.

"Well no, Ryan wasn't there. But your grandpa said he was fine. Busy with school and stuff." Kirsten appeared satisfied.

Seth nodded, his face unreadable to any onlooker. He had kept his concerns about Ryan to himself. His parents were under no illusions about Caleb Nichol the businessman, but sometimes he couldn't believe how clueless they were about his grandfather's relationship with Ryan, particularly his mother. He suspected his father had more idea but to be honest, lately, before the accident, he'd been so pre occupied, he wouldn't be a bit surprised if he had forgotten the whole Ryan/Caleb dinner/heart attack debacle. His mother had certainly put it to the back of her mind or she would never have insisted that Julie and Caleb attend the dinner celebrating Ryan's release from probation. The more Seth thought about that night, the more his unease with his lack of real contact with Ryan grew. When he'd interrupted Ryan and Caleb in the kitchen that night, he'd seen a look on Ryan's face, a look Seth had filed away in the back of his mind until now. Something had happened between his grandfather and Ryan that night, something that Ryan had kept quiet about in his usual way of wanting to protect others. And Seth was pretty sure that whatever it was now explained his friend's distance.

Kissing his mother lightly on the cheek, Seth made his decision.

"Mom, I think I need to think about going home. I've missed a lot of school and…"

Kirsten nodded in agreement.

"Your dad and I were just saying the same thing sweetie. We don't want you to fall behind on account of us. And we're doing fine. The doctor says we should be able to travel back in a couple of weeks. And Hailey's still in Europe for the time being if we need help with anything."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to think I'm abandoning you…"

"Don't be silly Seth. Your father and I would never think that. It's been lovely having you here, even if most of the last couple of weeks has been somewhat a blur for us."

"OK then, I'll book my return flight. Hopefully I can get one tonight or tomorrow."

"OK sweetie. And make sure you call your grandfather. Then he can pick you up from the airport."

In the end he hadn't bothered to call his grandfather. He'd just wanted to get back and speak to Ryan. Having his grandfather meet him would only complicate things. He may insist on whisking Seth off for dinner so that he could interrogate him about the progress of his parents and then Seth would have to be all polite and patient which he was not in the mood for.

The door suddenly swung open and Julie Cooper stood before him.

"Seth, you're back! I just had a call from your grandfather, he's looking for you at the airport!"

Seth looked guilty. He should have known his parents would call home.

"Uh, yeah, I just thought it would be easier if I made my own way, you know…"

"Well, you'd better come in. You must be tired and hungry."

"Not hungry really but tired yes, it's three in the morning in Italy."

"I'll go and make you a hot drink and then you can go to bed."

"Thanks," Seth nodded, "I'll just go and catch up with Ryan…"

"He's not here!"

Seth looked up to see Marissa hurrying down the staircase.

"Marissa!" Julie warned.

"What Mom?" Marissa sneered "You can't keep it a secret forever. You and Cal did a great job at hiding it from Seth while he was away but now he's back, he's going to find out whether I tell him now or not."

Seth swallowed and looked between the two women anxiously, his heart thudding.

"Tell me what?"

"I just think it would be better coming from Caleb sweetie…"

Marissa turned on her mother, her face contorted with rage.

"What? So he can sugar coat it? So he can make out that it was completely out of his hands? That it had nothing to do with him?" Julie threw up her hands in resignation and strode into the kitchen.

Marissa turned to Seth.

"Ryan was taken into foster care two days after you left Seth. He didn't want you to know. I'm sorry." She looked at him apologetically.

Seth felt his stomach flip over and the blood coursing through his body run cold. He sat down heavily on the bottom stair. Marissa joined him and threw her arm over his shoulder.

"His mom apparently changed her mind about the adoption," she continued quietly, "and Cal decided he was better off going into foster care until social services decided whether she could or not. Summer and I haven't heard anything from him since he left. But he made us promise not to tell you. Please don't be mad. He didn't want to worry you."

Seth hugged his knees and stared into space.

"You OK?" Marissa asked tentatively.

"Do you know where he is?" Seth asked blankly.

Marissa shook her head.

"No. Summer and I tried to find out but all we know is he's somewhere in Chino. He may even be back with his mom by now."

"Maybe Grandpa knows," he mused.

Marissa bit her lip, unsure what she should say.

"Seth, Cal couldn't wait to see him gone. As soon as he heard Dawn wanted him back he saw his chance, you know. And now I can't help thinking it's strange that his mom wanted him back all of a sudden, after she'd told him she wanted him to be adopted and all. And then it crossed my mind that…"

Seth raised his eyes to hers.

"that maybe Grandpa had something to do with it?"

Marissa shrugged.

"Look, I know he's your grandfather and everything but, well, I know for a fact that what he wants he usually gets…"

Seth sighed and rested his chin on his knee.

"While I hate to say this about my own flesh and blood, I had exactly the same thought…"

"So what can we do?" Marissa asked.

"I don't know but I'll come up with something. But right now I need to get some sleep."

Seth dragged himself up the stairs and headed into Caitlin's room. Pulling off his sneakers he fell into the bed and into an uneasy sleep.

tbc