Here comes the last chapter in this story. Thanks for hanging out there and reading and thank you for all wonderful reviews. I really appreciate it and its what has kept me going. Also the biggest thank you to Misty for being there, with feedback and editing. Without you girl I wouldn't have made it and you are the one that got this story readable LOL. Also thank you to famous 99 and Joey51. Hugs to you all, swenglish.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to OC. This is purely fiction and not intended to hurt anyone.

Chapter 10

"104.4," Kirsten read the digitals on the thermometer. Looking at the sick boy in bed she felt worried for him. His temperature kept rising all the time and she didn't like his pale complexion and the fever red roses on his cheeks. The teen kept his eyes closed so she guessed that he must be feeling bad. She was honestly grateful that Sandy had managed to talk him into moving to the guestroom so they could be closer to him.

Ryan had slept on and off all evening but he was very restless and every time he woke up he was drenched in sweat and gasping for air, as if the nightmares had him in a tight grip. But after talking to him for a while, comforting him, he usually calmed down and relaxed. His stomach wasn't quite as upset as it had been earlier on, but she guessed it was just because he didn't have anything left to throw up. He'd refused to drink anything and no matter how much Kirsten and Sandy had cajoled him into drinking he had simply told them that he didn't want any. She suspected it came from the fact that he was afraid of having another accident and whenever he had a coughing fit she could see him turning his head to make sure that the basin was in a safe distance.

It was around 10.30 pm and Seth had retreated to his room. He'd been rather silent all evening and she hoped that he wasn't coming down with the same virus as Ryan, minus the pneumonia. He could also be tired from having to look after his brother all day or maybe his mind was on Summer? She didn't know what to think since a silent Seth was rather unusual. Whatever it was she hoped that he wasn't upset by the fact that they spent so much time with Ryan. Sandy had suggested something like that earlier on but she hadn't called him on it.

A soft moan from the bed got her attention. Ryan was looking at her with fever glazed weary eyes.

"Hi honey, how are you feeling?" Kirsten asked softly, sitting down on the chair next to his bed. Stroking his sweaty bangs away, she noticed that he was drenched in sweat even though he was shivering like mad and she did her best not to show how worried she was over this condition. "Did you sleep well?"

He blinked several times as if he was trying to get his bearings and she could see that he had a hard time focusing. "Mom?" Confused by the way he acted she didn't know what to say when he swallowed hard. "Kirsten?...Oh sorry...I thought you were mo..I mean Dawn." Ryan smiled a bit embarrassed before closing his eyes again. He was barely lucid.

She couldn't help but feel bad over the fact that Ryan had first talked to her as if she was his mom and then when he had seen who she was instantly changed his mind, adding a sorry in the process. That hurt her more than she was willing to admit. Suddenly he mumbled something and bending down to hear what he was saying she asked, "What is it Ryan? You need something?"

"I'm co...cold." Was the only reply and by the way he chattered his teeth she could tell that he was freezing. This disturbed her greatly. If there was one thing she knew about fever was that it was never good to experience the chills and that was all Ryan had done this whole evening. He might wake up sweaty but when she asked if he was hot he just asked if she could turn up the heat. And running a temperature over 104 was not the best of signs.

"You want another blanket?"

"Ye..Yes ple..Plesase." His voice was weak yet he never stopped being polite which both pleased and disturbed her. Thoughts crossed her mind that even though he'd lived with them for almost a year and a half he still acted like he was a guest at times. Her own son, Seth, was never that polite…unless he wanted something special or felt guilty over something he'd done, and here was Ryan, running a high temperature and he still took the time to say please. What a contrast.

Picking up the mauve blanket she put it on the shivering teen and then said as gently as she could. "Right, now I want you to try and take some Tylenol. Think you can do that for me?" She shook out two small pills in her hand and then held up the glass of water. "Here take these."

He shook his head. "I don't want any."

"But Ryan…it's important to get your fever down. It's dangerously high and once it comes down you will feel better." She didn't like the speed this was taking on and she'd even contemplated whether or not they should call Doctor Green again. Ryan seemed so unfocused, almost delirious and since she'd never seen him in this state before she didn't know what to expect. Part of his weakness came from being dehydrated, that she understood but his confusion was what scared her.

"No." Ryan looked away.

Kirsten sighed with despair. The teen could really be stubborn and she had no idea why. It was as if he was refusing to take anything in his mouth. "Ryan please…if you don't get better I might be forced to call Doctor Green and he would be rather upset if he finds out that you refuse to drink any fluid." Okay she knew that wasn't the most pedagogical thing to say but truth was that she was starting to get tired of Ryan refusing to take anything, at the same time that she was worried that he would dehydrate.

"I don't want anything. It just upsets my stomach." Ryan rolled to his side, closing his eyes like he was doing his best to hide the pain that she knew he felt in his whole body. "I don't think I can stand throwing up again. It hurts." He winced when he said the last words.

Upon hearing these words she felt helpless. He sounded so small, so lost. Putting the glass down as well as the pills Kirsten stood up. "I'm just going to leave them here and when you feel like taking them you can. I don't like the way your fever keeps rising and I'm going to call Doctor Green and ask him if there is anything you can take so that you don't have to feel nauseous all the time."

"That's okay," Ryan mumbled, pulling the blanket further up to his neck, "I'm just a bit tired. I think I try to sleep a little, if that's okay?

"That's fine, Ryan." Kirsten tucked him in and then turned off the light so it wouldn't hurt his eyes. Part of her wanted to bend down and give him a kiss while another part prevented her for doing so. She'd seen how he flinched earlier on when she'd done that and she didn't want to upset him any further.

She wanted to tell him that she was there for him no matter what ever happened, but Ryan was determined to act as if he wasn't feeling so bad at all. It was as if it was some kind of self persuasion and truth was that Kirsten didn't know what to do anymore. Whenever Seth was sick or down she always knew what to do, after all he was her own flesh and blood, but with Ryan it was different. It was like there was this invisible wall between them and he fought hard not to let anyone in to how bad he was feeling. The only time he'd let his guard down was when he'd thrown up but then she knew that he'd lost the control if only for a few minutes. Afterwards it hadn't taken long before he was in control again, trying to manage the situation. Now she knew that the fever he was running was making him slipping even if he was trying so hard to hold on to the tough facade he'd worked up.

Sandy hadn't told her what had gone on in the pool house earlier on and she didn't ask. Whatever it was she could see that it had upset her husband and she guessed when he felt ready to talk he would do so. Meanwhile it was important that she stayed back. Keeping a low profile. In the past and on occasions Sandy still was the one that got Ryan to talk. It was like the boy felt more comfortable with him than he did with her. Sometimes it was like there was an invisible tie between Ryan and her husband. A bond that she could feel jealous over. That she wanted to be a part of. Ryan didn't talk to her about his life in Chino. Never talked to her that much apart from to say common everyday things. This was something Kirsten had been wondering about. What it was that made the teen so determined to keep his worries and thoughts to himself all the time. She wished he would open up and that he would start talking to her about the difficulties in his life. She longed to get to know him better. She wanted to become someone that he could trust. She wanted to become the mother he never had.

"Honey what is it?" Sandy asked as he came in from the pool house, bucket and washrags in his hand. Kirsten sat by the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in her hand. She looked so tired that he wanted to go and hug her, comfort her. When she didn't answer immediately he asked, "Is it about Ryan?"

"Mmmm, can't you tell?" She smiled at him but he could see in her eyes that she was not happy.

"What did he do?"

"It's what he didn't do." Kirsten ran a hand through her hair in a tired gesture. "Sandy he won't take any pills. He won't drink anything. It's almost like he doesn't want to get better."

Sandy sighed. "I'll have a word with him."

Kirsten nodded. "Yes maybe you can talk some sense into that boy. He sure is stubborn."

"Yeah," the older man chuckled, "It's almost like he was our own son by flesh and blood. He's just as stubborn as you can be at times."

"Oh Sandy, "Kirsten hit him on his arm but she smiled before she got serious again. "I guess you're right. You know sometimes I almost wish he was our son."

"Well he is…"

"Yes, but you know our biological son. Then Seth would've gotten a brother."

"And us twins." Sandy laughed. "Do you have any idea how much work it would be with a couple of twins if they were like Seth and Ryan?"

"Okay I didn't think of it that way," his wife said quickly. "It's just that then I would know what he has been through. How his life had been in the past."

"You still know what his life has been," Sandy said but in his mind he thought that she should be grateful that she didn't know everything. He had no idea what Ryan had been going through, only caught glimpses of his previous life now and then, and what he saw was enough not to want to dig any further. It wasn't all that pretty.

Kirsten rolled the cup between her hands. "Sandy, Ryan never tells me anything. It's like he has this barrier around him. This wall that I try to get through and every time I feel like I've passed the gate he puts up another defence for me. It's like he doesn't want me to get to know him."

"Oh yeah he does." Sandy put his arm around her shoulder. "It's just that you've gotta give the kid some time."

"I've given him time!" Kirsten raised her voice. "I've given him a year and a half for crying out loud. Isn't that enough time?" There was despair.

"Kirsten, a year and a half in that kids life is almost nothing. He has been through so much since early age and he has had people that love him betray him. He's had to handle his own life the best he could since he could practically walk. You have to give him time and space and he'll come to you. Trust doesn't come easy."

Kirsten couldn't help but smile. "You know you should've been a psychologist. Why did you ever become a lawyer?"

"Because you wanted me to." Sandy said with a glimpse of laughter in his eye. "No seriously, there is so much Ryan in me. Where I grew up we had to fight our own battles. Okay not as much as Ryan has had to do, but I had friends that had similar situations and mom was the one that used to take them all in."

"The Nana?"

"Yes and don't look so surprised. I've told you this before several times."

"I guess." Kirsten sighed, before she went on; "I keep wondering what I am doing wrong. Why is he still acting like he's a guest in our home?"

"Ryan isn't acting like that."

"Oh yeah? Why is he then saying please when he wants me to give him a blanket? Isn't that something you say when you're a guest? And why did he change his mind when he first called me mom and then Kirsten?" There were hurt in her voice when she uttered the words.

"Honey, Ryan is sick. He has a fever over 104 and he doesn't know what he is saying, you said it yourself earlier on that you thought he was delirious." Sandy looked at his wife with a sad expression in his eyes, "You know when I talked to him in the pool house he thought for a moment that he was back in his childhood. Back with his mom."

"He did?" Kirsten uttered with surprise.

"Yes. He told me a story about how he was forced to take alcohol. Scotch and how he got so sick and then he threw up on the bed and his moms boyfriend got mad at him."

"Oh Sandy that is so terrible." Kirsten put her hand to her mouth.

"Yes and it gets even worse. You see that boyfriend broke Ryan's arm, in several places, for not making it to the bathroom."

"How old was he then?" she whispered.

"Around four."

"Oh No!" His wife looked shocked, almost in tears.

"That is the kind of life that Ryan had to live. I don't think it's that surprising that the kid has trust issues, especially when he is feeling sick and small and out of control."

"Like he does with the fever?" Kirsten asked.

"Yes in a situation like this thing's like that can flare up; Unconscious memories that he would rather have forgotten. So maybe it's not you that he is afraid off, maybe it's his own feelings that have him acting like he doesn't want to get close to you. Like if he is afraid that he'll loose you if he does just like he lost everyone else. His father…his brother…his mother."

"Poor boy." Kirsten was silent for a while, shocked over the news she'd received. Then she stood up and was about to walk back to the guestroom when Sandy caught her arm, "Where are you going?"

"To give Ryan a hug. He needs it."

"Oh yeah," Sandy smiled. "He needs lots of hugs. He needs his family. He needs us!"

Ryan had no idea how long he'd slept but when he woke up he was totally drenched in sweat. Several pairs of blankets covered his body and he kicked them off in an attempt to breathe. It was so hot in the room that he was certain he'd either been abducted and placed in a sauna or had died and gone to hell. The way his head felt he guessed it was the last option.

He moaned with discomfort. It was so icky and uncomfortable and the tee was glued to him. Sitting up he made an attempt to pull his tee off only to discover that he was too weak to even lift a finger.

"Crap." It was dark in the room and when he turned on the lamp the digits shone at him, telling him that it was after 3 am. This meant that it was a new day, hopefully a better one that he'd previously encountered.

After finally managing to take off the t- shirt, which clung to him like snake skin, he felt a bit better. Feeling his stomach he'd noticed that it was a bit sore, but for the first time that day he felt like he could actually handle something and it was then thirst made itself known. A thirst that he'd rarely felt and his throat felt as dry as if he'd slept in a desert. Picking up the glass with a shaky hand he took a careful sip the liquid. It felt so good and instantly he wanted more.

When he'd downed the whole glass, Ryan took a good look around. He had no memory what so ever of moving into the guest room. There was a vague memory of him being sick but everything had been so blurry the whole day and flashes of Seth and Summer and a doctor and his mom were all mixed together. He had vague memories of Kirsten and Sandy holding him, comforting him, but he didn't know why. Didn't remember. Everything was too blurry.

Ryan knew he'd been pretty sick and by the feel of it, it still wasn't over. His lungs hurt so bad and he had to suppress coughs all the time, but still he felt much better than he'd done all day. At least the fever felt like it wasn't quite as high as it had been earlier and the Tylenols Kirsten and Sandy had forced him to take after threatening to call for Doctor Green again were finally doing the trick. Maybe that was why the sheets were totally soaked from sweat.

A disturbing feeling made itself known and Ryan felt the urge to use the bathroom. He didn't remember when he last took a leak and by the feel of it; it had to be several hours ago. Carefully he moved to sit up only to realise that dizziness swept all over him. With a whimper he sank down again. But his bladder made itself known and the pressing matter had to be taken care off.

Sitting up, he made another attempt to get his bearings and to his relief noticed that he wasn't quite as dizzy as he'd been earlier on. Satisfied in this knowledge he set down his bare feet on the carpeted floor and then made a move to stand.

Ryan had no idea if he made a move too quickly or if he was just so dizzy but he watched as the world turned 360 degrees and then back again. 'Man!' Lying down again he came to realise that he was probably much sicker than he'd thought he was at first. Everything was spinning so badly now and it didn't help that he was lying down, eyes closed. It was like he was caught in the world's biggest roller coaster and if there was one thing Ryan didn't like; it was that feeling.

Whimpering he grabbed a hold of the bed, hoping that he wouldn't fall off in the process.

"Ryan? What are you doing man?"

No one could ask such a bad question in a terrible situation but Seth. Ryan wanted to sneer to him, 'what the hell do you think I'm doing? Having fun?' but instead he kept silent. First he didn't think that a comment like that would've been that highly appreciated by Kirsten or Sandy. Second it all felt so surreal that he wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. And the third reason was that if he'd opened his mouth he was certain that he would puke. Three reasons good enough to stay quiet.

"I was on my way back from my nightly visit to the john when I heard this strange noise from your room and I had to see what it was." Seth explained moving forward to the bed. "Dude, why are you lying sideways on the bed? Don't you think it would be more comfortable if you lay the right way?"

Not wanting or even being capable of giving out any explanations Ryan opened his eyes. "You never spare on the smart ass lines do you?" he asked his brother who shook his head in a negative way.

"Nope." Seth frowned, " I know its late, or should I say early but you've got to explain to me why you're lying like that? Does it make you feel less dizzy?"

"Actually more."

"Okaaay," Seth gave him a look like he was totally out of his mind. "You Atwood's never cease to amaze me."

With a snort Ryan made another attempt to sit up. His head felt like it was about to burst but that was nothing compare to what his lower regions felt. He had to get to the bathroom, no matter what the cost would be.

"You're going somewhere?" Seth asked when he'd studied Ryan's struggle.

"Bathroom."

"Oh!" Seth scrunched up his nose. "I thought you had a bucket to take care of such a thing."

Ryan sighed. "It's not that I need Seth." He made another move to stand only to feel his legs buckle under him and he would've fallen if Seth hadn't been there to help him.

"Whoa there buddy. Maybe I should get mom or dad." Seth held a firm grip in Ryan's arm.

"No that's okay; I think I can manage."

"Yeah right! How you gonna do that? With a fever close to 105?" Seth snapped.

Ryan opened his mouth to object, " I don't…"

Seth cut him short, "That is what mom said; anyway that's not the point. You're sick as a dog and still you refuse to get any help or any support from me or us. And we're your family."

"That's not true." Ryan wanted to defend himself but he felt so very groggy and everything was blurry, every movement hurt, made him sweat one minute and then shiver the next. He guessed his fever was on the rise again and that wouldn't be that much of surprise the way his world was spinning.. He listened in silence at Seth's middle of the night speech and when he was done he couldn't do anything but agree. "You're right. I'm bad at accepting help. But can you move out of the way now?" There wasn't much time to spare he really needed to get to the bathroom now.

On shaky steps Ryan started his walk but he hadn't thought he was as weak as he was. He wasn't even half way when the earth started to spin again and if Seth hadn't been close behind him, following every step and then catching him, he would've fallen flat on his face. When once again his brother came to his rescue Ryan felt it was best to apologize. "Okay I know I've been acting stupid all day that I've tried to manage on my own even though I'm feeling like shit both ways."

Seth rose his eyebrow in surprise. It was clear that he didn't expect this kind of midnight conversation.

"Yeah I know. I can be a pain in the ass when I'm sick." Ryan said slowly.

"You can be a pain in the ass healthy too."

"Yeah and so can you. Anyway I what I want to say is thank you. Thanks for taking care of me. It's not something anyone's ever done before and I guess I'm not used to it either." Ryan felt a little embarrassed, yet he wanted to let the words come clear. That he appreciated Seth's effort even if he hadn't come out and said it out loud. It was just that this was so different from how anyone have treated him before when he was under the weather, that if you didn't count Theresa and her mother.

Seth nodded. "You know you suck in receiving help too."

"I don't." Ryan felt he had to defend himself. "I'm letting you help me right now, aren't I?"

"That's only because you know that you'd fall if I let go of you and then mom and dad would freak and chew you, not to mention ME, out for letting you get out of bed without any help." Seth added with a chuckle and if Ryan hadn't felt so miserable he would've made a sneer reply back, now he was too tired to comment. Stopping outside the door Seth gestured with his hand towards the facilities. "Hey, you go inside. I'll wait out here for you. You know just in case you're too sick to make it back and actually need my help."

" No, that's okay. You can go back to bed. I can ma…" Ryan begun, and then stopped, "Thanks."

"No problem, man." Seth patted Ryan's shoulder, a smile toying in the corner of his lips. "You know that's what brother's are for."

There was a brief silence. "I know." Ryan smiled gratefully at him. It felt good to actually have a brother that cared, even if that tended to be too much at times. With that thought in mind he closed the bathroom door silently behind him.

The end