"Honey?" Sandy called when he walked in. Ryan was trailing behind him, having paused to study a flaw in his Hummer.

"In the kitchen!" Kirsten answered.

He found her sitting on the counter eating ice cream from the carton. "Rough day at work?"

"Nope. Just hungry. You'll still love me if I'm fat," she smiled, kissing him once he'd hopped up on the counter with her. "How was your day?"

"Reasonably uneventful. Ryan came for lunch."

"How's he doing?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"He lost it on the shrink so we went back together," he answered.

Ryan appeared for a moment. "I'm going to make a couple of phone calls. I'll be in my room."

They watched him retreat into his bedroom.

"Let's go out tonight, Sandy."

He was surprised. They hadn't gone out since the fire. Since Seth. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes. We could use some time alone."

"And you're okay with leaving Ryan?"

"Yes. I trust him," she said, but only after a moment's hesitation.

Sandy studied her. She'd been obsessively protective of Ryan and had only recently settled for Ryan to be in separate rooms when they were all in the house. "He put you up to this, didn't he?"

"He…He's as worried about us as we are about him," she replied, taking his hand.

He loved her. He always had. Since the moment he met her, he'd been enthralled.

She was the best wife, the best mother. She was his partner.

"Where should we go?" he asked.

"I reserved us a suite at the Hilton. How about we order room service and…"

"Enough said. Did you pack our bags?"

"Yep. In the car already," she smirked. "Go change and I'll say our goodbye to Ryan."

Ryan was asleep on the couch in his boxers when Summer used her key to get in. His feet were propped on the coffee table and his mouth was open with his head leaned back, blissfully asleep.

She'd had a long day.

She couldn't keep her happy face on anymore.

She couldn't really pinpoint when the girls at school became such immature idiots.

She didn't have to pretend to be normal at Ryan's. Even though the boy was undeniably depressed, he always seemed to cheer her up.

The door was locked and he didn't answer when she knocked so she let herself in.

"Chino."

He jolted away and she would have felt bad but he had such a hilarious look on his face that she laughed.

"Summer…hey, I wasn't expecting you."

"That's the reason for the lack of clothes?" she teased.

He blushed, standing up. "Give me a minute…" he said, disappearing.

She sat down in his vacated seat, settling into the warm spot after kicking off her shoes and curling her feet underneath her.

School was exhausting. Without Marissa, who was suspiciously chipper in her phone calls from rehab or Ryan; her days were filled with Holly and Brooke's empty babble. Lindsay was still avoiding her and Zach's polite concern just grated her nerves.

"Let's try this again. Come in, Summer," Ryan said, walking in dressed in jeans and a wifebeater. "Thanks for knocking…"

"I did knock, you just didn't answer. Where's Sandy and Kirsten?"

He sat down beside her on the couch, adjusting the pillows so he could sit comfortably. "Out. Needed some alone time."

"Ah. Your idea?"

"A little." He tilted his head. "I'm not nuts, am I? I mean, they do hover, don't they?"

"Yeah. It's a nice hover, but it's still a hover."

"I figured they could focus on each other a little and stop stressing about me. How are you, by the way?" he asked.

"I hate school. You're a lucky bitch for taking a leave. You think if I beat the fuck out of Chip that I could hang out all day at home?" she teased.

"You want to see my shrink for me?" he countered.

She scoffed. "So. What's on the agenda?"

"I was going to sit around in my boxers and watch ESPN," he shrugged.

"You do that all the time," she snorted.

"Excuse me? Sports are like porn here, I have to watch them after the Cohens are gone to bed, in the dark," he joked.

"Let's go out. You haven't been out in forever."

"Out? What's your idea of out?"

Summer knew that she was onto something. She hadn't been out in forever either but if it was just Ryan then maybe…maybe it would be easier for her to assimilate back into the society of the living.

"See, Seth's idea of 'out' was an IMAX movie or a comic convention, and Marissa's idea of 'out' was a bottle of painkillers in Tijuana and the only time I've been 'out' at your request, we ended up at a strip club in LA."

"Shut it," she laughed, shoving him. "Let's go…" she tapped her fingers on her knee absently as she tried to think of a reasonable destination. "Let's go to Santa Monica. It's all lit up and it's like a carnival all night."

"Santa Monica…" Ryan mused.

"Have you ever been?"

"When I was a kid. My grandpa drove us down from Fresno for a weekend," he answered.

"You have a grandpa?"

"He's dead now. Mom and Dad got locked up for some domestic dispute and they both had drugs on them so Grandpa took us to the boardwalk to distract us," Ryan replied.

"Should we pick somewhere else?" she asked.

"No, actually…that sounds like fun. You really want to go out?"

"Yeah. Let's try something different. You can do without your ESPN fix for one night, can't you?" she teased.

"Yeah. I'll get changed and…"

"Shut up, Chino, you're wearing your most comfortable clothes now anyway, just grab some shoes and a jacket and let's get a move on. How's your Hummer on gas?"

"Don't ask," Ryan laughed.

Kirsten was cuddled in the rumpled bed with her husband and it was the first time she'd felt truly happy since the death of her son. The room service cart was still by the door, untouched, they had gotten distracted by their other hunger.

"I missed you. Even though I see you every day…I still miss you. I miss us. This was a good idea," Sandy said, kissing her shoulder.

"I love you, Sandy. And this was a good idea."

"Wish I had thought of it," he smiled.

"Me, too."

"So, the kid really suggested this?"

"Yep. Said he was worried about us, that we never spend any time alone because we're worried about him," she admitted. "Cornered me this morning when I asked him about his sleeping habits."

"He's a good kid."

"Why'd he snap on the doctor?" she asked, enjoying their relaxed time in bed. She could get entirely too used to this.

"The doctor suggested antidepressants again. He stormed out. He talked to me at lunch, he's really seems to be trying but when we went back to the doctor's together, she explained that he hadn't told her anything about his life prior to the past two years. Nothing about his parents or his issues with their drug use. Once he understood, he agreed to keep seeing her and she agreed to think outside the realm of antidepressants."

"Poor kid," she sighed. "Nothing he does seems to be enough. But it'll be good for him to talk to someone about his issues…"

"I agree. You want to call and check on him?"

"Maybe just for a second," she smiled. He knew her too well.

He reached across her body to get his cell phone off the table and dialed Ryan's number before passing the phone to her.

"Hello?" Ryan answered.

"Hi, Ryan. What are you doing?"

"Summer dragged me out of the house…" There was a pause and she could hear Summer's distinctive voice chattering in the background. "Okay, so we agreed to get out of the house. We're going to Santa Monica for some air."

"Oh, that sounds nice, kid…"

"I left you a message so you'd know where I was," he said quietly.

"Thanks."

"You guys having fun?"

"Yeah, we are. This was a good idea."

"I'm glad. I'll see you guys tomorrow…"

"You guys be careful, and don't stay out too late, okay?"

"We'll behave," he replied and she thought she could hear a smile in his voice as she hung up the phone.

"He's out of the house?" Sandy asked, surprised.

"Summer's somehow convinced him to go to Santa Monica," she answered, settling into his arms again, satisfied that Ryan was safe.

"Really? That'll be good for him."

"It'll be good for them both."

The familiar melodies of the carnival drifted from the boardwalk as Ryan and Summer approached.

"So. Roller coaster? Games? How about bumper cars?" Summer asked.

"This was your idea, you pick," Ryan smiled, relaxed.

"I want you to win me something. Something fluffy."

"Okay, games it is."

By the third game, Ryan was being infected by Summer's enthusiasm.

Between her snarky comments about the carnies and her encouragement for him to win, she was a comforting presence.

"Let's go on the Ferris wheel," she said, her arms loaded with stuffed animals.

He looked up at the painfully high ride.

"You won't fall. It's totally safe."

He wasn't afraid. It was a startling thought.

Ryan was no longer afraid to die.

"Sure."

The line was short for a weeknight and they were seated quickly.

He started to put his hands on the seat but reconsidered, putting one arm lazily around Summer's shoulders.

She leaned into his body as the ride rose.

"The girls at school say I'm dating you," she said suddenly.

"Yeah?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah." She didn't look at him.

"Summer…you're hot and you're great but…" He tried to the think of the words to express his feelings. "You're family. You're like…a sister…"

"You're one of my best friends. With Marissa gone, you are my best friend. You're the only person that understands how special Cohen was," she said.

He sighed. The Ferris wheel shuddered and stopped. He turned his head and looked out. The ocean was endless.

"Ryan?"

"Look," he whispered. The ocean was beautiful.

She leaned forward. "Wow."

He felt like he had to say something. She'd supported him, she was loyal, she was infinitely special. Seth had known it.

"It's beautiful," she said.

"Thanks. For bringing me. For sticking by me," he said.

"Seth would want us to go on. I don't know…I never believed in God, never went to church or anything…but I believe that Seth's in a better place. I believe that he's watching over us."

"I miss him. I can't believe in a god that would let him die," Ryan said as the Ferris wheel started up again.

"Is the shrink helping you?" she whispered.

"No. But you are."

"Good. You want to go around again?" Summer asked.

"Yeah."

Summer dumped the surplus of stuffed animals into the backseat of the Hummer.

She'd had fun. And guilt-free.

And Ryan seemed happy, or at least not as depressed.

"So. You ready to go home?" he asked her.

"Can we go to your house? My dad's out of town and…"

"That's where I'm headed," he replied.

She climbed into the front seat and he started the car, knowing her well and idling the vehicle as she loaded the cd player before buckling her seat belt.

The opening chords of Everclear's song started.

I am still living with your ghost…lonely and dreaming of the west coast…

Ryan's phone rang. "Can you get that? I hate talking and driving," he said.

She didn't recognize the number but pressed the answer key and raised the phone to her ear. "Ryan's phone."

"Who the fuck is this?"

"Summer."

"He's got a new bitch already?"

She didn't recognize the voice.

"Let me speak to my boy, I need him…"

And she knew. She covered the microphone. "It's your mom. Not Kirsten."

"What? Dawn?"

She raised the phone again. "Dawn?"

"Yeah."

Summer nodded at him. He shook his head negatively.

"I need his help."

"Tell me."

"I don't know you…" Dawn snapped.

"I'll relay the message. I have his phone, don't I?" Summer responded, forcing herself to stay calm.

There was a long sigh. "Okay."

"What's up?" she asked.

"Don't ask, Summer," Ryan whispered.

"They arrested AJ…I'm free to go but we're in Riverside and Trey's out and I haven't even gotten to see him…"

"Hold on." She studied the phone and finally figured out how to mute it.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"She's in Riverside. AJ's in jail but she's out and…so's your brother."

"Trey?"

"Yes."

"Fuck."

"What do you want me to say?" Summer asked.

He took the phone from her and pressed it to his ear. "I'm not bailing him out…"

Summer studied Ryan as he pulled the Hummer off the road. She couldn't make out Dawn's words but she could see that Ryan was wavering. His face was flashing with conflicting emotions.

"You just want me to pick you up and drive you to see Trey. You swear."

Ryan wouldn't look at Summer and she knew that any and all progress she'd made tonight was gone because he was shutting down before her eyes. But it wasn't like after Seth, it was something she hadn't seen before.

She hated the effect his mother had on him.

He closed the phone with a snap and turned to her with dull eyes. "I'll take you home first…"

"No. I'm coming with you. We're friends…I won't snap on your mom if you don't," she said honestly.

Ryan stared at her. "I don't want you…"

"Don't want me, what? To see your mom? I don't care about your mom. I care about what she does to you."

He sighed. "Okay. We have to pick her up in Riverside."

"Fine, Ryan. Are you going to call your folks?"

"Later."

Ryan stopped outside the police station and recognized his mother immediately.

Dawn was sitting on a small column on the edge of the steps. A half smoked cigarette dangled from her painted lips and her faded jeans and torn tank top flashed her disarray.

"Can you drive?" Ryan asked Summer.

"Sure. You okay?"

"I hope so." He hesitated and turned to her. "Let me know?"

"Sure. Just keep talking to me. Even if its silently, just keep talking to me."

He nodded and climbed out. He saw her sliding into the driver's seat as he glanced back.

"Ry?"

He faced his mother. "Why are you here? What's his charge?" Ryan asked as his mother wrapped her thin arms around him. He didn't return her affection, his arms pinned at his side. He didn't need this right now.

"They came after me for solicitation and look at me, do I look like I'm hooking?"

Ryan studied her. He knew how she dressed when she was streetwalking, it was a memory he'd often tried to erase.

"But AJ attacked the cop and he had his gun on him and some coke and…" Dawn hesitated. "Thanks for coming."

"Are you clean?" he asked. He needed to know exactly what he was in for. Dawn sober was one thing.

"Fuck you," she answered after a beat.

But she didn't protest as he took her wrists and rolled up her sleeves. He recognized the track marks between the intermittent cigarette burns. Fucking AJ.

"Where am I taking you?" he asked.

"Trey's in Chino. Out on good behavior, can you believe that?" she snorted.

"Let's go." He led her to the Hummer and opened the back door for her before climbing into the passenger seat.

"This yours?" Dawn asked, glancing around the vehicle.

"Yeah. Where are we going?" Ryan asked her.

She rattled off an address of one of Trey's friends and Summer followed his directions, pulling onto the street.

They rode in silence despite Dawn's uncomfortable shuffling in the backseat. Summer kept glancing in the rear view mirror at his mom but she didn't speak.

Finally, Summer parked on the edge of the street where Trey was staying.

"Are you going to speak to your brother?" Dawn asked.

Ryan caught Summer's worried gaze and nodded. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," she said.

Trey was standing outside the dingy house when he got out of the Hummer to stand beside his mom.

"Ma," Trey said, accepting her hug as his eyes trained on Ryan.

He looked better than the last time Ryan had seen him, despite the thick glaze over his blue eyes. His hair was cut short and he'd bulked up slightly.

"Didn't expect to see you, little brother," Trey said, pulling him into a hug.

"You look good."

"Can you give us a minute, Ma?" Trey asked, never taking his eyes off Ryan.

"Thanks again, baby," Dawn said before hurrying into the house.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing. I didn't know you were getting out," Ryan replied.

"Yeah, well, we sort of made a deal, remember? What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Ma needed a ride. I was in the area."

"That your ride?"

"It's a really long story."

Trey stepped toward him. "What's wrong with you? You look like you've lost your best friend or something."

Ryan opened his mouth to respond but realized that Trey was pretty much on the money with that comment.

"What? You still pissed about Thanksgiving? It hasn't been enough time for us to get over it?"

"I need to go," Ryan said. He couldn't talk to Trey. Trey could always see through him, the fucker and he couldn't deal with another person in his face right now. He turned.

"Wait, man, sorry…please. Just wait…" Trey's breath was sour with liquor and Ryan's initiative was revived.

"You're drunk. I'm tired. I need to go." Ryan was at the hummer now and he opened the door.

"Oh, I get it. This your new bitch?" Trey saw Summer in the driver's seat. "Afraid I'll move in on your territory?"

Ryan's fist connected without him even thinking about it. Trey fell to the ground, holding his nose and Ryan turned to look down at him.

"You don't know anything about my life anymore or my friends. You don't know anything."

"Come on, Ryan. Let's go now."

He got in the passenger seat and slammed the door. Trey was still on his ass when Ryan glanced in the side mirror.