Disclaimer: I don't own anything OC related.
AN: This has been brewing for awhile but I think I'm finally ready to get the ball rolling on this. Here's a teaser. This is a sequel to my previous story "Laying Flowers". Many people have asked me to 'finish it', but that story is long completed. But here is a sequel which I hope will satisfy. This is the prologue.

The kids at the youth center had worn Ryan out. He'd taken the kids to another center for an intramural basketball game and they'd stopped at a pizza place on the way back.

"So, Ryan, you really think we played good today?"

"Yeah, JJ, you guys were great, you've really nailed that hook shot," Ryan smiled. JJ was one of the smaller kids, but he was tough.

Ryan volunteered at the youth center about three times a week, enjoying mentoring to kids from bad backgrounds and poor neighborhoods.

"All right, guys, finish up while I pay," Jodie, his partner, said, clapping her hands.

"I'm going to make a quick bathroom break," Ryan said. "I'll meet you all at the van."

He hurried to the bathroom and slammed the stall door, exhaling deeply.

He was going to be sick. Again. For the third time today. He threw up the single slice of pizza that he'd managed to get down.

He immediately felt better as the cramps in his stomach relented.

And just as fast as the nausea had come, he felt okay again.

He spit, stepped out and washed his hands and face.

He wasn't worried. Really. He knew that when he'd had cancer in high school that he'd been sick for weeks before they'd found the tumor.

But he was healthy now. For years. He had a beautiful girlfriend and a family he loved.

As he hurried to the van, pulling kids away from the candy machine, he knew what he had to do, though.

Even though it was nothing, he had to call his oncologist.

He didn't want to be sick again.

But something was wrong. He'd learned to listen to his body.

"You okay, Ryan?" Jodie asked.

"Yeah," Ryan said.

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"I'll be right there, Anna, five minutes," Ryan called, rinsing the shampoo out of his eyes.

He loved his time with Anna but he never had hot water at his own apartment and he enjoyed her shower while he could.

Long-distance relationships were tough but he really loved Anna Stern. He'd never had a relationship last as long as this one or been as fulfilling.

"Your pancakes are going to be all…eaten, if you don't hurry!" Anna called.

He reluctantly rinsed and dried off, pulling on his jeans before joining her in the small kitchen.

"Ooh, Scruffy-wet Ryan," Anna giggled as he laced his arms around her. "I like him…"

"I'm glad," he said, kissing her. She always tasted good. Like pancakes. Okay, he was exaggerating, but she did taste delicious…

They'd been dating 3 years. He'd recovered from cancer and Anna had stood by him. He'd never doubted her. They were sophomores in college now, Anna at Colorado State while he went to UCLA with Seth and Luke.

"When's your flight?" she asked.

"3," he answered between kisses.

"No way, it's already 1:30!" Anna gasped.

No time for pancakes.

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"Hey!" Ryan slammed the door to his apartment. He was rewarded by a groggy, obviously hungover Seth sitting up from across his trashed living room.

"Hey, man. Oh. You're home." Seth seemed to realize the ramifications of his statement.

2 empty kegs were overturned in the kitchen and cups, pizza boxes, cigarette butts and assorted trash littered every visible surface.

Seth himself was under a mound of garbage.

"Hey, Cohen, where's my…hey, Ryan…" Luke walked out in boxers.

"Dammit, guys. Seth, you have lipstick on your face and Luke, you're wearing my boxers again."

"All mine are dirty," Luke muttered.

"What color lipstick?" Seth rubbed his face.

Ryan sighed. "I can't deal with this right now. I have class…" He dropped his bag from the plane and sat down on it.

"Um, Ryan? I really think it's Saturday," Seth said.

Ryan paused.

Luke glanced at his wrist and seemed pleased to find a watch on it. "He's right. It's Saturday."

Ryan's phone rang. He answered it, still puzzled. "Yeah?"

"Ryan, you didn't forget dinner tonight, did you?" Kirsten asked.

"No. Dinner," he stated.

"Dinner at Dad's. Dress nice, there'll be lots of Newport Group people there."

Ryan glanced at Seth. "Isn't Seth going?"

"No, honey, remember? Seth has to work."

"Sure, yeah, I'll be at your house in…three hours?"

"Hurry, honey. Can't wait to see you," she said, hanging up.

He closed the phone and picked up his duffle bag. "Stay out of my room, Luke," he grumbled before returning to his car.

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Ryan stayed in the poolhouse overnight before returning to his apartment for Sunday's football 'extravaganza'. Seth made everything an 'extravaganza'.

He had a light schedule on Mondays and was done by noon and usually he'd go to the gym or Larry's music studio or the youth center where he volunteered, but today he had a different destination. And he really didn't want to go.

He hadn't told anyone about how he'd felt lately. Not Anna or Seth. Definitely not Kirsten or Sandy. He was sure that he was just running himself too hard with his 21 credit hours of classes and partying and volunteering and long-distance relationship. But he wasn't sure enough to ignore his body. He'd told his shrink. He'd told Dr. Tarleton.

His appetite was gone again. He was sick after meals again. Dizzy. He'd almost collapsed after his workout last week.

He'd gone to the student health center for some blood tests ordered by Dr. Tarleton and instead of giving him the results over the phone, he was on his way for a face to face meeting with the doctor.

He promised himself that he wouldn't think about it until he had to.

He'd fully recovered from the cancer, if anything he was twice as active following his 'sickness'. He was on the dean's list, he'd traveled Europe with Anna over the summer and he stayed busy…he loved his life.

He didn't want to be sick.

But he knew something was wrong. It was worse than jet lag.

He didn't want to be sick. He had too much going on right now. Anna had too much going on.

But Dr. Tarleton would give him the verdict.

He turned up his stereo and tried to relax.

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Ryan snuck into Dr. Tarleton's waiting room, narrowly avoiding Rita. He'd visited the oncology ward several times after he was cancer-free and Rita had decided that he was her adopted grandson and tended to monopolize his time. He really liked her and swapped emails with her on a regular basis but he didn't want to be questioned before getting the scoop from the doctor.

"Well, Ryan," Dr. Tarleton sighed, leading him into his office. "I wish I had better news."

Ryan sat down. He really didn't want to hear this. "What is it?"

"Your cell count's are abnormal. Worrisome abnormal. I want to admit you for a battery of tests…"

"Admit me? Wait a second, Dr. Tarleton…" Ryan balked.

"As a precaution, kid. CT's, MRI's, body scans, they take time and honestly, looking at your cell counts…you need the rest. I don't want to let you out of my sight until we get some answers."

"Dr. Tarleton, I'm a little tired, but nothing like before, nothing…" Ryan stammered.

"Have you told your parents?"

"No. I'd rather wait until I had something to tell them," Ryan admitted.

"Will you let me admit you?"

Ryan sighed. "Give me some time to get in touch with my professors, okay?"

"Sure. Let me know if you need me to speak to any of them or send you a note. I've already set up the tests for you and as soon as you're ready…we'll get you gowned up and up to radiology," Dr. Tarleton said.

"Gowned up? Oh, doctor, this is going to be hell, isn't it?" Ryan groaned, following the doctor out of the office.

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Ryan called Anna after his last test of the night, around midnight. Dr. Tarleton had ordered a massive amount of tests on him and he was relieved for the reprieve until the morning.

"Hey, babe. Where've you been?" Anna answered.

"Had some errands. Took longer than I thought," he replied. He wanted to tell her everything…but he couldn't. Not when she was so far away and when he didn't know anything definite to tell her. He needed her…but he couldn't hurt her. Not until he was sure.

"You're not home, Seth's worried. Where are you?"

"Somewhere I can get some rest," Ryan replied. "How was your Monday?"

"It depends on whether you're going to tell me the truth. Where are you?"

Ryan sighed. He hated lying to her. "I'm in Newport. I didn't feel like driving back to LA tonight just so I can spend the whole night yelling at Seth to turn his music down or raiding Luke's room for my clothes. I'm tired."

"What about class tomorrow?" she asked.

"I'll be back in time for class," he lied. "What's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream," she admitted.

He smiled. "I told you about napping between classes, you always have nightmares."

"I know. But…I was worried about you and wanted to talk to you and I couldn't find you…" she sighed. "I'm glad you called."

"I call every day," he whispered.

"I know. I love you."

"I love you, too. Talk to me awhile?" he asked, closing his eyes.

They had a relaxed ritual and she calmly started detailing her day, starting with her morning. Tomorrow, he'd have to fill the time in the same way.