http:greendayaddict. And you thought that'd I'd abandoned this story… I know it's been a while, but here goes… R/R please!

Standing still when it's do or die,
You better run for your fucking life.
It's not over till you're underground.
It's not over before it's too late.
This city's burning "It's not my burden".
It's not over before it's too late, there is nothing left to analyze.

-Green Day (Letterbomb)

Chapter Eight

Ryan's face was blank when he sat down in an overstuffed chair across from Sandy, but the lawyer could tell that he was nervous.

"You're not in trouble Ryan." He assured the boy. Ryan didn't relax. "I want to thank you for letting me read your journal… it… it means a lot to me that you trust me enough to let me try to help you." Ryan nodded slowly.

"Spit it out Sandy." He said simply.

"Spit what out?" The older man asked, knowing full well what Ryan meant.

"I know that all this is leading up to something. What is it?" In Sandy's opinion, Ryan was too perceptive for his own good.

"I want you to try therapy." Sandy watched Ryan's eyes, for a reaction, but there wasn't one, so he continued. "It's actually not an option. You let me in, you confided in me and as your guardian, it's my responsibility to help you face your past." Ryan's bright blue eyes searched Sandy lighter ones.

"This is what you think is best?" Ryan asked quietly. Sandy nodded.

"I'm not trying to break you kid. As hard as it may be to believe sometimes, I only want what's best for you and for the rest of my family. I think of you as my son Ryan; I would do the same thing if it was Seth in your position." Sandy stood by his choice.

"Okay." Ryan whispered, "I'll do whatever you think is right." Sandy was so caught up in the fact that Ryan was cooperating, he didn't notice the dead look in the boy's eyes. "Can I go now?" Sandy nodded and Ryan hurried from the room and out to the pool house. There was more that Sandy wanted to talk with Ryan about, but that could wait. Feeling satisfied, Sandy poured himself a glass of whiskey and sat down to read the paper.

Out in the pool house, Ryan was pacing and determining whether or not to run. He'd promised the Cohens that he wouldn't, but therapy… He didn't know if he could handle it. Ryan had always prided himself on being tough, but the whole purpose of going to therapy was let some random shrink pry into your mind… Ryan didn't want that to happen to him; he didn't know if he could handle losing his precious privacy. He'd been to a shrink before. They had a shrink at Chino Hills who he'd been forced to see once; that hadn't worked out too well, but he only had to see her once because she'd gotten caught snorting cocaine in her office and she'd been fired. Ryan's mind was his sanctuary; it was reliable, impenetrable, strong, and safe. Ryan had always escaped into his mind when the beatings got too rough; nothing could hurt him if he retreated into his mind. Ryan Atwood did not want to share his mind with another person, but what choice did he have? Sandy had apparently taken responsibility for Ryan's well being; Ryan couldn't say no to the man who'd given him a life. Ryan stopped pacing and sat heavily on the bed. He wouldn't run; he was tough and he could survive anything. After all, no one had told Ryan that he had to fully cooperate with the shrink…

Hmm… there's the new chapter. Hope you had fun reading it… The next chappy is going to cover Ryan's 1st therapy session, so that will be fun to write… hopefully I will have the next one up soon, but if not… sorry. R/R por favor (please)!