Disclaimer: Don't own it, just playing with itfor a while.
On with the story (finally!)...
Chapter 7.
Ryan and Seth sat in the SUV. Now that Seth didn't have to go and buy back the Summer Breeze, Ryan finally had use of the car. It certainly made a difference from cycling in the rain.
"So, if you're stuck in Groundhog Day, that makes you Bill Murray and Lindsay Andie McDowell right?"
Ryan couldn't help but look over at Seth with raised eyebrows. "You've seen the film?"
Seth sighed at him. "My mom loves that film! I can't believe you've been living with us for eighteen months and you haven't been subjected to it! The parents really must be losing their touch! Its kind of funny – you, the brooding bad boy - stuck in a romantic-comedy!"
Ryan threw a glare at Seth but Seth carried on regardless.
"Obviously if it was me, we'd be stuck in X-men or something. I'd be Wolverine. Summer would be Jean Grey. Which would make Zach Cyclops I guess, with the whole love triangle thing-"
Ryan stopped listening. Suddenly having Seth help him out didn't seem the best idea.
Ryan and Seth stood outside Lindsay's window, both soaked with rain. Ryan looked at Seth hesitantly. "You sure this is a good idea?"
"Yes. Me and you. Perfect partnership. A little tag-team is all we need."
Ryan wasn't convinced Seth talking to Lindsay was the best way to go. But it was something he hadn't tried. At this point, anything was worth a try. Well, almost anything. His mind drifted back to their conversation in the car.
Seth had finally gotten passed the whole him, Summer and Zach X-men analogy and was now throwing out suggestions of how they could get Lindsay to stay in Newport. "We could change the DNA results."
Ryan tilted his head sideways with his 'yeah, cos that's gonna work' look.
"Seriously. A little stealth and Lindsay never has to know Grandpa is her dad."
"Stealth? Yeah. I'll turn the car round so you can get your black polo neck," Ryan deadpanned. " Yeah, great idea Seth."
"I'm good at the stealth! May I remind you of all camp capture the flag at Camp Tuckahoe. The stealth and me are like this." He crossed his fingers and wave them at Ryan to emphasise his connection with the stealth. "And I'm better at it than you. Do I have to remind you of the Oliver records incident?"
Ryan glared at Seth for a moment. "If we change the DNA result Lindsay will have even less of a reason to stay."
In comparison to that idea, Seth talking to Lindsay seemed like a good way to go about things.
Ryan knocked on the window. He could hear rustlings from the bedroom so knocked louder. The blinds went up and there Lindsay stood in her pyjamas of a vest and shorts.
She pulled up the window. "Ryan? Seth? What are you doing here?" She stood aside as they both climbed though the window.
"We, Aunt Lindsay," Seth seemed to be the only one who could find comedy in the whole Lindsay being Caleb's illegitimate daughter saga. "Are here to right some wrongs."
Hastily grabbing her robe, Lindsay turned and raised her eyebrows, looking over at Ryan. "Did he forget to take his meds this morning?"
Seth scrunched his face up slightly. "I was taken off the ADHD medication a couple of years ago thank you very much. Apparently my levels of hyperactivity are well within the normal range-"
"Seth," Ryan interrupted, keeping his tone calm but adding enough emphasis to hopefully get Seth back onto the topic of why they were there.
Seth threw his hands up slightly. "Right, right. Okay, so remember Chrismukkah?"
"How could I forget?" Lindsay smirked. Ryan sat down on the edge of the bed and she sat down next to him.
"Remember what I told you about being a Cohen?"
"Yeah, a life of insecurity and self-doubt. Thanks for reminding me of all this by the way!"
Ryan squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Just hear him out." Hear Seth out? Those words had previously been filed under things Ryan never thought he'd hear himself say. Right there next to saying Julie Cooper-Nichol was a nice person or Kirsten Cohen was a great cook. Even Seth looked a little shell-shocked at hearing Ryan say those words.
"The point is that you are family and-"
"We don't know that until the DNA results come back." Lindsay added in.
" Sheesh, you interrupt more than Summer! Good thing Ryan here isn't much of a talker."
"Seth…" Ryan repeated, using the same emphasis as before. He might not talk that much, although he talked more this year than last, but every word he said was important. Unlike Seth.
"Okay, okay. Point is, Grandpa's most likely your dad, and even if he isn't, my family's cool with the non-blood relatives. Take Ryan for example. Not that I'm suggesting anything incestuous by him being family and you being family-"
"Seth!" Lindsay and Ryan exclaimed at the same time. Ryan was starting to regret letting Seth come talk to Lindsay and he was definitely regretting ever suggesting she should hear Seth out.
"Seriously! A guy comes to help out his best friend and aunt and all he gets is interruptions. If didn't already know I was getting Summer back I'd be having important places to be right now."
Lindsay looked at Ryan quizzically. "I thought Summer was going to Italy with Zach."
Ryan could feel the slight panic crossing his face. It was a feeling he always got when he knew he was going to have to lie. "She is?" He half asked, half stated.
Luckily Seth jumped in. "I have this whole boat thing planned," he covered. "Which means I have enough time to sort out your problems." Seth Cohen thinking of others before himself? Even he was concerned by the idea. "So, the thing with family is that we stick together. Which means no leaving, no going anywhere, because here's the thing: when people leave they don't come back and that would be bad. For Ryan here, for my mom, even for Grandpa."
Lindsay looked between Ryan and Seth. She squeezed Ryan's hand tightly. "You brought Seth here this early in the morning to tell me not to go to Chicago? But I told you yesterday that I'm not going anywhere."
All Ryan could do was stare into her eyes, searching for something in them that made the response different to all of the other times he'd heard her say it. Nothing seemed different.
"So cool," Seth started, filling the silence. "You're not going anywhere. Great, wonderful, mission accomplished!"
Lindsay stared back at Ryan. "I'm not going anywhere," she repeated.
He nodded slightly, still not entirely convinced but conscious of Seth bouncing around the room.
Lindsay stood up and walked back over to the window. "So, how about you guys leave and let me take a shower."
Seth looked worriedly at Ryan, as if to say 'should we be leaving her alone?'
As much as Ryan really didn't want to leave, he'd learnt the hard way that stalker tactics were not the best approach. He nodded, "We could go get some breakfast?"
Seth seemed to calm at Ryan's response. "I have been feeling a little out of sorts without my bagel fix." Seth could never just say 'yeah' or 'okay.' He made his way to the now open window.
Ryan watched Seth climb out into the rain before pulling Lindsay in for a quick kiss. Seth started heading towards the car but Ryan just stood in the rain watching Lindsay close the window and draw the blind. There was no way it could be this simple. He'd tried so many times, so many ways, to get Lindsay to stay in Newport. Could Seth talking to her really be the magical cure to the problem?
"Ryan!" Seth shouted, reaching the car.
He turned away from the window. At least today was different. Even he didn't accomplish anything at least he had that.
At least he had Seth.
TBC