A/N: Okay peoples, here ya'all go! Chapter 2 has arrived. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, you guys keep me going. Special thanks to Amanda and Shero, you guys rock my world! Now then, on with the story.
Disclaimer: Still not mine, although I would love to meet the cast.
Second Chances: Chapter Two"Mom?"
"Ryan, baby, uh, um. . ." Dawn was too drunk to find anything to say. John stayed silent, watching the exchange between mother and son.
Ryan's blue eyes darkened to a steel gray. His rage welling up to the surface. With clenched teeth he said,
"Mom? What the Hell is this?" pointing to the bottle in Dawn's hand, his anger rising like magma to the surface.
"Swee'y, I haven' drunk that much," she slurred.
"Not that much! Almost a whole damned bottle!" His voice rising to a yell. That didn't help the situation. Dawn's anger was sparked. She got up setting down the bottle so hard it nearly shattered, a narrow crack running up the side. The woman walked towards Ryan pointing a finger into his chest, glaring up into face, a fiery rage beneath the surface. Ryan only glared back.
"Who the Hell do you think you are, huh! Comin' in here and yellin' at me, thinkin' you run the place? I will not tolerate this! I don't want to see your face again, go to your Goddamn room!" and with that she hit Ryan, hard, across the face.
Dawn hit Ryan so hard his whole body just twisted in the direction her hand went. Ryan nearly lost his balance but caught himself in time. He turned back around, anger gone, replaced by shock. Ryan looked at his mother, and brought his hand up to his cheek. It burned from the contact. Dawn was still glaring at him, breathing heavily.
"Go!" she said, pointing to the hallway that led to their bedrooms and one bathroom.
Slowly, Ryan came out of his shell shock, rage returning with a vengeance. He out matched Dawn with his own glare, and stomped to his room slamming the door behind him.
"Sorry about him."
"Oh, don't worry about it sweets."
"Shall we continue?" Dawn said, crawling onto John's lap.
Meanwhile, in his room, Ryan lay on his bed. Silent tears streamed down his face. He could hear the sounds of pleasure coming from the living room. Ryan rolled over onto his side, pulling a pillow over his ears, the tears still falling freely.
"She promised. She promised me." He said, sending waves of heartache through his body. The teen stayed that way, eventually crying himself to sleep.
When morning arrived Ryan awoke, remembering the events of the night before. The day had started out so great and then it turned nasty. He hoped it was just some Hellish nightmare. But when he opened his door and walked into the living room, his hopes were shattered. Ryan reminded himself, 'Hope is a dangerous thing.'
There she lay, passed out on the couch. Clothes were strewn everywhere. John was already gone. He at least had the decency to cover Dawn with a blanket.
Ryan rolled his eyes and walked over to the couch. Carefully, making sure he got the blanket too, he picked his mother up, and carried her to her bedroom. He set her down gently and tucked her in.
Walking out of the room he sighed and scratched his head. 'Shoulda seen this coming.'
A few hours later Ryan returned home from work. He came in quietly, not sure if Dawn was awake yet or not. It turned out she was waiting for him, sitting on the couch. She had flannel pajama bottoms with a white tank top. Her hair was doing some crazy things and her make-up may as well not have been there with all the good it was doing.
"Ry, I am so sor-"
Ryan cut her off, "Don't even start. I don't wanna hear it. I have to go meet with Seth." With that he set his work stuff down and walked out the door.
Dawn sighed and said to herself "Some day this is." She headed straight for the phone to call John. It rang twice before John picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hi, it's Dawn, um, I was wondering if you could come over?"
"Sure, what do you need?"
"Nothing, just, could you bring some more JD sweetie?"
"You got it. I'll be over in a few 'kay?"
"Okay, bye."
"Bye."
Meanwhile-
Ryan was still steaming about his mother. He was a few minutes from the Cohen's. He had called Seth and told him he was coming over. 'I can't believe her. Figures. Nothing good ever lasts with her. Typical Atwood luck.'
By the time he arrived in the Cohen's driveway he had calmed himself down. He didn't need them to know. That would mean Foster Care. Seth was waiting for him on the front porch.
"Hey dude."
"Hey."
"So where you wanna go?"
"I don't care. Anywhere is fine."
"Pier then?"
"Sure, let's go."
"Kay."
They hit the pier, walking down its long path. Seth was, once again, rambling on about Summer and other nonsense. Ryan's mind, however, was on other things. It was awhile before he noticed Seth waving his hand in front of his face.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
"Huh? What?"
"I was asking if you wanted to get something to eat. You're acting weird. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine. Yeah let's eat."
"Oookay."
By the time they finished eating it was getting dark out, so they decided to part ways.
"I'll see you later."
"Bye, Seth."
Ryan got home at about eight-thirty. He noticed that the same car was in the driveway as last night. Once again his anger made itself known. His whole body tensed up. He slowly made his way to the front door, opening it carefully. This time they were making out on the couch. A new bottle of Jack Daniels 3 quarters empty was on the table. They both jumped apart when they heard the door open. Dawn was straightening out her shirt while John wiped lipstick off of his mouth.
His anger soon to be boiling over, Ryan clenched his fists, his body tensing even more. The boy just rolled his eyes and started towards his room. Dawn was the first to speak.
"Ryan, wait."
Ryan just ignored her and kept walking. He was almost past the side of the couch where John was sitting when John roughly grabbed him by the wrist. Ryan stopped dead, anger at the brink.
"Your mother is talking to you boy."
"Let go. Now." Ryan said through clenched teeth, glaring daggers at John.
"No, your Mom wants to talk to you."
Ryan tried to yank his arm free. John only gripped his wrist more tightly and violently pulled Ryan to the front of the couch. He lost his balance and fell to the floor his arm twisted painfully behind his back. That was it. Ryan snapped. He twisted back around and kicked John in the chest, forcing him to let go.
Ryan got up quickly and went towards Ryan, grabbing the glass bottle.
"John, don't!" Dawn said weakly.
John wasn't listening. The alcohol had taken over; blind rage was coursing through his body. Ryan had the front door open. John took the bottle and smashed it against Ryan's temple. It felt like his skull had shattered instantly. Ryan fell to the ground, clutching his head, unimaginable pain going through his head.
John grabbed his upper arm hard enough to leave a hand-shaped bruise. He pulled Ryan up and punched him in the same side of the face as the bottle. Again Ryan fell. John kicked him a few times in the stomach. After that John stormed away and got into his car and left.
Ryan lay on the ground, curled into a ball. His breathing was laborious. His whole body was in pain. Dawn had been standing in the doorway watching the whole scene. As soon John left she walked over to Ryan and knelt down next to him. She began stroking his face, taking the hair out of his eyes.
"Baby, I am so sorry."
"Don't touch me." Ryan growled, glaring at his mother. Dawn flinched and drew her arm back. Slowly, laboriously, Ryan got up hunched over holding his stomach. He stumbled to the house, walked into his room and shut the door, locking it.
Wincing in pain, he crawled into bed. Soon after he passed out from pain and exhaustion. Luckily for him it was a dreamless sleep.
A/N: There you guys go, the long awaited chapter 2! I'm sorry it took so long! But please review and I'll update as soon as I can. I'm going to Japan in a week, so I'll try to give you chapter three before then. They will be starting school in chapter three. Plus, Seth notices Ryan's strange behavior. Please Review!