It took me three days to type out this chapter and it's not even that long. WTF? This whole 2 finger typing sucks the big one. I have no excuse as to why it took me forever to get around to actually posting this other than I'm a lazy bitch. I guess I'm so far off canon now that I should be dropping a trail of breadcrumbs. Aw, the hell with it. We'll all partake of the candy house together.

Thanks for sticking with this story. Katwoman, ich friended Sie recht zurück auf LJ. Sie sein ein tapfer klein buckaroo!

Still don't own a damn thing. Can I claim "squatter's rights"?

Chapter Thirteen

Wednesday, 9:04 AM

Ryan readjusted his tie for the fifth time before impatiently yanking it from around his neck, crumpling it into a ball and throwing it on the bed.

"A lot of Italian spiders worked hard to spin enough silk to make that tie…"

Sandy reached over and picked it up. He then flipped up the collar of Ryan's dress shirt and deftly knotted a double Windsor. Smoothing the shoulders of the charcoal grey suit he offered the boy a small smile.

"Let's go say goodbye."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The chapel was small and understated. A simple floral arrangement and a single pillar candle were in place of a casket. Lynyrd Skynyrd played softly from the speakers. Sunlight filtered in through the windows adding a soft glow. Ryan sat between Kirsten and Sandy, both of them holding his hands. Seth and Lindsey were on Kirsten's left. Seth felt his mom's hand slide into his and he reached for Lindsey's.

A family linked together.

Ryan closed his eyes. He ignored the quiet words, instead let them wrap around him. He felt secure, bundled in a warm cocoon, the absence of light comforting.

"Ryan…"

The voice was so far away.

"Ryan… C'mon buddy…"

He was safe. Once again the darkness was a refuge, sheltering him from the outside world.

"Time to wake up now. I need you to open your eyes…"

Ryan tried to open his eyes, the right one refusing, the left opening a fraction.

"Good job Ryan… That's good… A little more…"

"Trey?"

"Yeah, it's me little brother… How 'bout we get you outta there…"

Ryan resisted the arms that attempted to pull him up.

"No…"

"It's okay runt… Just wanna clean you up a bit…"

"Not a runt." Ryan whispered, a spark of defiance in his voice.

"Yeah you are, but I can't call you that for too much longer.

Trey helped his younger brother sit up. He spoke quietly of the 10 year old growing fast as he carefully rolled the blood spattered t-shirt over the blond boy's head. He gently ran his hand over Ryan's rib cage, noting the developing bruises.

"Where's Dad?"

Trey smiled at the bravado in his brother's voice.

"Why? You lookin' for a re-match?

Ryan scowled, pulling away.

"What pissed him off this time?" Trey asked, casually handing Ryan a clean t-shirt.

"I asked if he signed the Little League forms. Coach said it wouldn't cost us anything…"

"You should've given'em to me…"

"Yeah, well, you weren't around."

Ryan quickly lowered his gaze. He didn't want Trey to feel guilty for not being around very much anymore, but things were getting worse. Their dad had just gotten out of jail after doing 6 months and couldn't find a job. Mom was just… there. Home. Drunk more often than working, looking at him through glazed eyes as if she were trying to remember where the hell her life went. He tried to stay underneath both parent's radar with limited success.

His father's voice.

His father opening the bedroom door where Ryan had ran after the vicious backhand answered his question regarding baseball papers to be signed.

The chillingly rhetorical "Did you think I was done with you baby boy…"

Ryan tensed. His breathing quickened. He felt Sandy's and Kirsten's hands automatically squeeze his, silently offering comfort. His sense of panic grew. The sound of his heart pounding deafened him to the minister's words.

Don't look back. Don't look back.

Kirsten glanced at Ryan who had now paled considerably.

Don't look back. Don't look back.

Sandy turned his head at the distinctive sound of metal against metal.

Don't look back. Don't look back.

Ryan refused to open his eyes, fighting to stay in control.

Don't look back. Don't look back.

Sandy felt the colour drain from his face. The minister stopped speaking. Kirsten became aware of the intrusion behind her.

Ryan slowly stood up and faced his fear. His eyes flickered and then settled into an icy gaze. His facial expression gave away nothing as he squared his shoulders and looked into the soul-less eyes of the man who sired him.

"What's the matter "baby boy"? Aren't you happy to see your old man?" Roger Atwood looked contemptuously around the chapel. "Couldn't wait for Daddy before you started this party?

He glared at Sandy briefly before he twisted his features into a smile.

A feral smile.

An "all the better to eat you with" smile.

"I see you got yourself a new daddy… A new mommy too." Leering at Kirsten he added. "Aren't you gonna introduce me?"

Sandy stepped forward, about to speak. Roger cut him off.

"If I want any lip from you, I'll rattle my zipper…"

The prison guard tightened his grip of Roger Atwood's arm.

"That's enough." He warned. The prisoner pantomimed a kiss in the guard's direction.

"Why are you here?" Ryan asked flatly.

"This is my son's funeral. Where the fuck else would I be?"

"I guess showing up makes you father of the year, doesn't it?"

The look on Ryan's face sent Kirsten back to juvenile lock-up where for a few moments she had been afraid of and for the boy who would eventually stake a claim on her heart.

As Roger made a move, Sandy and Kirsten took a step forward, shielding their sons.

The minister spoke . "Perhaps you should leave… I can visit you if…"

"Can it Padre. This is between me and my boy." Turning his glare back to Ryan he added. "Remember that Ry… You're my boy… My blood…"

At that point the prison guard pulled Roger away from the Cohens.

"You're nothing but a charity case Ry…. You'll never be family to them…"

As he was led out the door the older Atwood smiled.

"I should have made your mother swallow 18 years ago instead of well, you know..." He swirled his tongue over his lips and laughed while being shoved into the back of a Department of Corrections van.

Silence hung heavily over the chapel. Ryan made the first move, walking to the small table and blowing out the candle. Lindsey tried to take his hand but he pulled away.

"I'm gonna walk back…" He said quietly. Not waiting for a response, Ryan opened the side door and stepped out.

"I'll go with him." Seth whispered. Sandy nodded at him and watched as he disappeared through the same door.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

12:25PM

Lindsey unlocked the door and threw her keys on the hall table. She was surprised to see her mom home in the middle of the day and even more surprised to see Caleb. She walked over to her mother.

"Mom?"

"Your dad wanted to see you…"

"Actually," Caleb announced, cutting Renee off. "I wanted to apologize for my behaviour on Thursday…. I may have been out of line and I'd like to start over again."

Lindsey sat down beside her mom, unsure how to react. This whole "father thing" was new to her, but after what she'd witnessed this morning with Ryan's "real" dad, Caleb didn't seem that bad.

She offered a shy smile.

"I'd like that…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Seth gave up all pretense of being stealth as he ran to catch up with Ryan. The dress shoes he was wearing did nothing to aid his traction and he slid into the blond, landing them both on the sidewalk.

Ryan was the first to sit up, coughing as he extricated his legs from Seth's. Seth lay on the ground, clutching his chest.

"Dude… I think I'm having a coronary…" He groaned.

Ryan got to his feet and looked at the writhing body.

"Your heart is on the other side."

He held out his hand, pulling Seth up. They stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do next. Seth decided to state the obvious.

"This is the way to the pier…"

Ryan pulled off his tie and stuffed in the pocket of his suit jacket.

"I need to be there…. I need to do this alone…"

Seth loosened his own tie.

"I hear you, but the alone thing isn't happening. Take all the time you need, but the family's got your back… "

You're my boy… My blood… You're nothing but a charity case Ry… You'll never be family to them…

"Not my family." He whispered.