Okay, I have not updated this story in months... I'm not sure if anyone even remembers what this story is about or if you're even interested. So humor me. I'm not giving anything up, I have a few chapters written and have just been waiting on the Beta. Speaking of, thanks to Sister Rose for looking this over and giving me input, even if I didn't take all the advice. My fault, not hers.

ETA: Thanks to connell for her legal expertise that I'll be using starting in this chapter and in the next chapter. I bet she doesn't even remember giving me the information, because I've been sitting on this for like six months!

And I while I know Ben was looking at me the other day and he was blowing me kisses and no one else, I harbor no delusions to owning the OC or any of its characters.

Seth went into the kitchen where his parents were busy preparing dinner. His mother was dangerously near the stove, a sight he couldn't get used to, even though Sandy insisted she prepared edible, even delicious meals, every so often.

"Oh. I thought Ryan was headed in here." He turned as if to leave.

"He just went to get something from the pool house." Kirsten smiled at her son. "Want to set?"

"You know, manual labor hasn't been my thing since high school and I worked at the Bait Shop." His mother handed him a stack of plates. "I knew there was a reason I didn't miss coming home." Kirsten glowered. "I'm kidding. I'm kidding." He ducked as a dishtowel headed his way and then bent over and picked it up from the floor. Setting it on the counter, he said, "But since we have a minute, I thought I should tattle." He set the dishes on the counter.

Sandy stopped and turned from the stove. Seth's voice had grown serious and it wasn't like his oldest son to go from jovial to serious in less than a minute. "About what?"

Seth swallowed. He knew Ryan had confided in him and by telling their parents he'd be breaking his trust. He also knew that it was the right thing to do. He ignored his dry mouth and the golf ball that seemed to be lodged in the back of his throat and started talking.

"Well, Ryan and I were just having a heart to heart. Apparently, he dropped out of the architectural program." Seth watched for his parents' reactions. They were surprisingly quiet, as if they were trying to chew and digest this latest piece of information. "Apparently, he's hated it. And I don't think it would be such a big deal, except that now he's going to try and get back in so he doesn't delay graduation." He saw his parents' confused look. "Because he has to support J.T."

Sandy scratched his chin, which was starting to sport a five o'clock shadow. "Was he really that miserable?"

Seth shrugged. "This was the first I heard of it. But if I stop to think, he's been really frustrated with the work lately. I just assumed it was getting harder. But maybe it was getting harder because he wasn't enjoying it anymore."

He grabbed a stack of dishes and walked to the table. He felt a slight rumbling in his stomach as the scent of cumin, onions and garlic filled the kitchen. He wondered what his mother was preparing.

"Anyway," Seth continued. "It's a conversation you need to be having with Ryan. But I know him. He won't tell you himself."

Sandy was about to say something, but Ryan walked in and everyone grew quiet.

"What?" His eyes darted around the room, landing on each person briefly until they settled on Seth. "What's going on?"

Seth whistled; the picture of innocence. "Nothing. We were discussing Mom's cooking lessons."

Ryan tilted his head to the side and raised his brows. "Well, they're obviously working. Because dinner smells safe to eat."

"You boys have no faith in me!"

"Years of experience, Kirsten." Ryan yanked open a drawer, and took out cutlery for four. His head was down, but he peered out over the top of his lashes, trying to figure out what he missed. He knew there was something the Cohens weren't telling him. Holding up the cutlery, "Forks on the left? Knives on the right?" The corners of his mouth turned up into a slight grin.

Kirsten returned the smile. "Yes." She clapped her hands together. "Get to it. Set the table. I'm hungry and dinner is ready."

Ten minutes later, they were sitting around the dining room table, in the soft upholstered chairs. Sandy and Kirsten sat perched on the edge of their seats, across from the boys, their usual place when there was no company. Only the sound of knives and forks scraping against china was heard.

Finally, Sandy put down his knife and fork and looked straight at Ryan. "Seth tells us that you dropped out of the architectural program. Is that true?"

Ryan's cutlery fell to his plate, clattering loudly against the ceramic dishes. His eyes rolled to the side to glare at Seth, and his nostrils flared. He couldn't believe Seth had betrayed his confidence. He clenched and unclenched his fist, and set his jaw rigid, grinding his back teeth together.

Finally, Ryan curtly said, "Don't worry, I'll get back in. I already put a call in to my advisor."

"Actually, Ryan, I think that's what concerns us more." Kirsten reached out to put her hand on his, but Ryan yanked it back. He didn't miss the hurt expression on her face. Lately, that's all Ryan was good at; hurting Kirsten.

Seeing his wife's pained expression, Sandy took Kirsten's hand in his and put it under the table, where he squeezed it reassuringly. "Were you that unhappy?" He turned to Ryan with searching eyes.

"It was stupid, Sandy. Impulsive. I wasn't really thinking." Ryan kept his eyes down, refusing to meet anyone's gaze. He gripped the edge of the table; his fingers went from red to white. He didn't want to have this conversation. It had weighed in his decision to try and get back into the program. Sandy and Kirsten were always eager to talk and to share their feelings and he was content to keep things inside.

"I don't believe you." Sandy crossed his legs. "You don't do impulsive. Not with things like this."

"I'm not going to talk about it."

"If the program really makes you unhappy, you shouldn't continue." Kirsten's voice faltered. Everyone knew how much she had been looking forward to one of her children joining the family business. "You can find another architectural program. Or if it's the work, then you're better off choosing something that makes you happy."

"I no longer have the luxury of staying in school for five years. Choosing another major at this point will set me back at least a year if not more. I have to find a way to get my degree so I can get out of there. I have a son to think of now."

Seth's stomach dropped as he listened to the exchange. He had stopped eating as soon as his father had asked Ryan about dropping out of the program, and now he was just sinking in his chair hoping to stay unnoticed.

"Yes you have a son to think of," Kirsten said reasonably. "And as a parent there are things that I have sacrificed for my children. But sacrificing your happiness for your child will only cause more unhappiness and discord in your home."

Sandy jumped in. "My father came home every day, miserable with his job. But he went back each day, saying he had to do it to put food on the table." He pushed his chair closer to the table and leaned forward, hoping Ryan would hang on his every word. He was having a difficult time reading his foster son. "So each night, he came home tired and bitter and he would take it out on my mother, me and my brothers and my sisters. Until one day he up and left his family."

Ryan opened his mouth as if to object, but Sandy didn't let him talk. He wanted Ryan to listen.

"No, you wouldn't leave behind your responsibilities, but if you can't find any satisfaction in your job; joy, or a challenge, then you can't be a complete person. Kirsten and I want you to love your life. That includes your job. It may not be the most important thing, but it's something you're going to have to face day in and day out."

"Sandy and I will help you anyway we can. And if that means helping you support your son until you're on your feet, then we can do that."

Ryan shook his head. He pushed his chair back and stood up, stumbling on the edge of the leg, but quickly righting himself. "It never ends. First college. Now my child. I can't keep asking you for money. It's not right. It'll be tough, but Theresa, J.T. and I will get by. Theresa has been doing it until now and I'll figure out a way to help out until I graduate." He started to leave.

"Ryan!" Sandy barked. He stood halfway, holding his napkin in his lap. "We're not done. Get back in here."

Ryan hesitated in the doorway, but came back to the table. He stood behind his chair, and didn't sit down. He caught Sandy and Kirsten exchanging looks and knew that with just that one look they were a united front, already on the same page for whatever was to come.

"Sit," Kirsten ordered. "This may take a while."

Seth picked up his plate. "I think this is my cue to exit. I'm going to finish this in the other room." He slunk out the door, throwing a look over his shoulder, hoping to see a hint of forgiveness in Ryan's eyes, but he couldn't see it.

"Sit," Kirsten repeated. "We obviously need to have a long talk." She waved her hand at the chair. "I'm not sure what happened, but it seems like since you found out about J.T. that you've started to doubt your place in this family again."

Ryan shook his head vehemently. "That's not true."

"Then why would you think you would have to finish a course of study that doesn't make you happy? Why couldn't you come to us about this? Why did we have to hear about this from Seth? Why is it that anytime we offer financial help you treat it as if the money we're offering has leprosy?"

"Because you've done so much."

"Didn't we have a similar conversation two years ago? When we had to force you to apply for college?" Kirsten put the flat of her hands on the edge of the table, and leaned forward, earnestly looking at Ryan. She wanted to compel him to look her in the eye. "You will finish college and you will take all the time you need."

"I know you mean well, but you can't keep telling me what to do like I'm a kid." He looked at Sandy. "I'm going to have to make child support payments, help Theresa out. I need spending money. But it's my mess. You can't keep bailing me out of my problems."

Kirsten sighed. Frustrated. It was so much easier with Seth. Seth let them help. "We're here to help you out. We're not bailing you out. If Sandy or I thought you weren't stepping up to your responsibilities, we'd be right here in your face telling you that you needed to take care of your son. And I – we don't believe you can financially support your son without a decent job. You need a college degree for that."

"I'm not dropping out of college! We're just going around in circles. Do we have to do this now?"

"Yes."

Ryan sighed.

"Can you explain why you decided to drop out of the program in the first place?" Kirsten tried to soften her voice, to restore calm to the room. "One of the first things you confided in me when we first met was your interest in architecture. You planned your last two years at Harbor to prepare yourself for the rigors of the program. What changed your mind?"

He placed his elbows on the table, nearly toppling the chicken Kirsten had prepared and buried his head in his hands. "I don't know."

Seth couldn't wait to go back to school even though they still had two weeks left of vacation. But ever since Ryan had found out that Theresa had never lost the baby the entire household was on edge. It was like a tinderbox and he knew his little secret was the match that would ignite it all. Summer was bugging him to let everyone know, and he was hoping to go back to school without telling anyone, but she had put her foot down and had threatened no sex if he didn't tell his parents the truth. She was anxious to tell her own father and they had agreed it was best to tell both their parents simultaneously.

He wished Ryan was talking to him. He wished he could confide in his brother and make things all right. But Ryan was still giving him the cold shoulder because he had told Sandy and Kirsten about dropping out of the architectural program and going back in. Seth had eavesdropped on many heated conversation between his parents and Ryan, but they still hadn't reached a consensus. Ryan felt it was best to go back to it, and his advisor had graciously accepted him back in the program. Sandy and Kirsten just hoped Ryan was doing it because it was what he wanted to do, not because it was something he felt he had to do.

It was mid-afternoon and Ryan was slumped on the couch in the family room. He was turning over a game console in his hands, but there was no game on screen. Seth hesitated before entering the room, knowing he was about to be ignored, but he had to try and make things right between them. Soon enough they'd be going back to school and sharing a small cramped dorm room. He had to make it better.

"Hey Ryan, what's up?"

Ryan lifted his eyes to Seth, without turning his head, but didn't say anything.

Seth sighed. "So I guess I still get the silent treatment. I don't blame you, but I really thought I was doing the right thing. I still do." He shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not. Sometimes, the right thing seems so black and white at the moment and the shades of gray only emerge once I open my big mouth." He sat down next to Ryan, careful to leave space between them. "So have you cleared up any of the legalities with Theresa?"

Seth was surprised that Ryan answered. "Sandy's working on getting my name on the birth certificate. Theresa left the dad's name blank, so it should be easy enough. We're already talking custody and child support. She hired a lawyer."

Seth whistled. "Wow. That's intense. Is Theresa letting you see J.T. in the meanwhile?"

"Yeah." Ryan's head bobbed up and down. He tried to bury a smile, but Seth could see the pleasure written across his face. "She's bringing him over tomorrow for dinner. Kirsten invited her. You can bring Summer if you want."

At the mention of Summer, Seth's face fell. Ryan noticed right away.

"What?" He asked.

Seth pulled his hand from his pocket and held it up for Ryan to see. He didn't miss the slim platinum band circling Seth's ring finger… on his left hand.

"Holy crap."

Ryan decided it was his turn to tattle and to put Seth in the middle of it. Revenge was sweet. It was hard giving Seth the cold shoulder for more than a day or two. As much as he hated to admit it, he missed his brother's incessant babble, joking and the general camaraderie between them. Seth had a knack for taking his mind off his intense brooding. His little bombshell had done just that.

Dinner was practically back to normal. Sandy ran in at the last minute, hoisting his briefcase onto the counter and dashing to the table. The table was set and the food, emptied from take-out containers, was already in the middle. He could see the steam rising from the Hot and Sour soup and was relieved that he hadn't held up his family for too long.

"Sorry," he announced breathlessly. "I know I promised to keep reasonable hours while you guys were home on vacation, but something came up at the office last minute."

"Does it have to do with Theresa?" Ryan asked.

Sandy shook his head and reached for a bow of soup. "No. Another case. I'll let you know if anything does come up."

"Thanks."

Sandy reached out to tousle Ryan's hair. "No problem, kid."

"Ryan, what do you think I should serve for dinner tomorrow?"

"Mom, isn't it obvious?" Seth jumped in. "Something a kid likes. Burgers and fries."

"We can barbecue," Sandy offered.

"Sure." Ryan stared at Seth and then looked pointedly at his hand. The ring was missing. The corners of his lips curled up into a grin. He knew Seth would take off the ring in front of his parents, but he hadn't figured out a way to drop an obvious hint. But as he stared at Seth's hand it came to him. "Seth, you've been sitting out in the sun."

"I was playing tennis today."

Ryan reached out and pulled Seth's hand close to his. "What's that mark on your finger? It looks like a tan line. Since when do you wear a ring?"

Seth glared at his brother. Ryan grinned back.

"What's he talking about?" Kirsten peered over her plate, but she too noticed the very slight tan line. "Seth, you don't wear jewelry."

"Yeah, I started to wear a ring."

"But you shouldn't wear a band on that finger; it should be reserved for your wedding ring." His mother shook her head as if Seth had failed her in some terrible way.

Seth was about to kick Ryan under the table — hard — but the delight was painted on his face. It was obvious to Seth that this was payback. He sighed. He figured it killed two birds with one stone. He'd finally tell his parents and Ryan would have his payback.

"Don't worry mom, I would never put anything but a wedding ring on that finger."

"Then…" Realization slowly set in and Kirsten's face turned a deep shade of purple. "Seth Ezekiel, you better tell me you didn't."

"I did."

"What?" Sandy asked bewildered.

Ryan tried to hide his grin, but he was having too much fun. "Our Sethela got married."