Ryan didn't move very far from the bar stools as he stared at the Cohens. He waited for one of them to say something, figuring it would be Sandy. He was somewhat surprised when Kirsten started to speak.

"So about that soccer game again."

"Oh." Ryan dropped his gaze and began to study the pattern of the floor tiles.

"Is there something that you may have forgotten to tell us?"

Glancing up, Ryan saw Kirsten cross her arms and give him a look that he knew meant she expected immediate answers.

"Um…"Ryan had no idea what Sandy and Kirsten were told, but they seemed so mad that all he could think to say was,"There wasn't a fight."

"No, it was an attack. You were attacked."

"I, ah… It's no big deal."

"Yes. It is. A very big deal from what we hear." Kirsten sighed and moved closer to Ryan. Her voice softened only slightly. "But what we don't know is why we had to hear it from other people and not from you."

"Um…" Both Cohens stood there, watching him, waiting for Ryan to say something else, and yet the only thing he could think of was, "Really, it was no big deal."

Kirsten shook her head sadly as Sandy said rather harshly, "You said that already. Now tell us something we can believe."

Ryan was quickly getting upset. He didn't know what the Cohens wanted him to say, and that made it all the more frustrating. "Look, it was just a reminder. I told you before, I don't exactly fit in here."

He wasn't sure what he expected from his answer, but it definitely wasn't Sandy chuckling. "Hate to break it to you, kid, but yes, you do. More than you know."

When Ryan didn't answer, Sandy said, "You were on a list of players that the Pacific team wanted to target -- for being one of Harbor's best, not for being an outsider."

"Oh." Since that was unexpected, Ryan had nothing else to say.

Kirsten, on the other hand, did. "That still doesn't explain why you didn't tell us about it, especially since you need to see a doctor."

Ryan was still very much on the defensive. "I did go to see a doctor."

"When and what doctor?" Ryan wasn't sure if Kirsten already knew the truth and was somehow testing Ryan.

"Today, at the clinic on the pier." It was the truth, sort of.

"Really? Who did you see, and what did he say?"

Um…" Ryan tapped his hand on top of the bar stool, briefly debating what he should say. But it was no use; Ryan simply couldn't lie. Studying the floor again, he finally admitted, "Without a parent or guardian and proof of insurance or money, they wouldn't see me."

"Considering the fact you have guardians who have insurance and money, that still doesn't explain why you didn't tell us about what happened." Kirsten really did seem stuck on that one fact, and Ryan noticed that her hands were now on her hips – not a good sign.

"It's no big deal."

Seeing both their glares, Ryan quietly said, "Sorry."

They both continued to stare at Ryan, obviously waiting for him to open up.

"Look, I didn't know why they were aiming for me. Nobody told me so I figured, you know… and the cuts really aren't that bad. I've had worse." He had no idea what to say that would finally satisfy them and decided to once again study the pattern on the floor.

"But what about infection? Meredith and Bill both said they were worried about infection." Ryan looked up when he heard the concern in Kirsten's voice - and Luke's mom and the Coach asking about him? That was surprising.

"I've got the infection under control." He immediately regretted mentioning the infection as soon as he saw the look on Kirsten's face.

"Okay, Ryan," Kirsten said. "Let's see it."

Ryan didn't move from his place next to the bar stools. "I, ah…"

"Now, Ryan." Kirsten pointed towards the bed.

Ryan immediately recognized the full-fledged 'The Kirsten' mode – that take charge, do-not-argue-with-me Kirsten that Ryan had seen a few times before. Seth liked to joke about The Kirsten, but she made him a little nervous.

He looked from Kirsten to Sandy, not sure what he was hoping for, but he certainly wasn't hoping to see Sandy pointing towards the bed as well.

Left with no other option, Ryan shuffled over to the side of the bed, looking at them both one last time before sitting down and pulling up his pant leg. He jumped slightly when Kirsten sat down next to him, and quickly went from a little nervous to incredibly nervous.

Kirsten and Sandy didn't say or do anything as Ryan began to remove the bandage. But then Kirsten moved her hands toward the back of his leg. That's when he realized that The Take Charge Kirsten was going to help him, and he moved his leg away quickly.

"I need to go slow. You know – the hair and stuff. It, um, kinda hurts."

That didn't stop The Kirsten, but at least she was gentle as she removed the tape. "You certainly did a good job with the bandage."

"Years of experience."

Ryan noticed Kirsten's shoulders sag and again regretted something he said; she didn't need any reminders that he was used to infections and injuries. Luckily, Kirsten didn't say anything until she finished pulling off the gauze.

"Oh Ryan," she said softly. "This is a whole lot more than nothing."

"I've been cleaning it out with peroxide." He really wanted her to understand that he was able to take care of himself. Kirsten patted his knee as she stood up and walked out of the pool house.

Ryan looked at Sandy, who had been quietly watching, but neither one of them had a chance to say anything when Kirsten returned and sat down next to him.

"Peroxide burns," Kirsten said as if Ryan didn't already know that. "Dr. Adams said to use an antibiotic cream." Kirsten was once more very gentle as she covered Ryan's leg with a thick layer of cream.

The next time she stood up, Kirsten walked into the pool house bathroom. She promptly returned with the gauze, which she lightly wrapped around Ryan's leg.

Ryan waited for her to wrap it again and tape it. When she didn't, he said, "You need to do more. It still bleeds."

"The doctor said only light covering to protect it, but still allow it to breathe."

"But it still bleeds."

Kirsten again didn't say anything as she went over and got one of the expensive fluffy towels. She wordlessly pulled Ryan's arm, directing him to stand up. As he stood there, Kirsten pulled back the covers, moved some of the extra pillows down by the foot of the bed and covered them with the towel.

"But it still bleeds," Ryan said for the third time as if Kirsten didn't understand him the first or even the second time he said it.

"Then we buy new towels and sheets. The doctor doesn't want it wrapped tightly." Kirsten's tone left no room for Ryan to argue.

She left the pool house one last time, returning with a bottle of water and Tylenol, which she handed to Ryan.

"I have aspirin." Ryan tried to hand the bottle back to her, but Kirsten pushed it towards him.

"You need Tylenol. Aspirin is one of the reasons you're still bleeding. It makes it harder for your blood to clot."

"Oh, I didn't know that." Aspirin was cheaper than Tylenol. Ryan always had aspirin.

"Well, I did, and if I had known about this sooner…" When Ryan cast his eyes downward again, Kirsten stopped and changed the subject. "I'm setting your alarm clock for 6:30. I know it's early, but it will give you enough time to shower, us enough time to change the dressing, and for everyone to have breakfast before your appointment with Dr. Adams."

"But tomorrow is your couples thing."

"No, that's next week."

"No, it's…"

"Next weekend." Again with the tone, so Ryan decided it was better to stop irritating The Kirsten. Hell, Ryan noticed that even Sandy had taken a step back.

"Prop your leg up on the pillows." Kirsten gestured toward the bed, and Ryan quietly climbed in. Once he put his leg up on the fluffy towel covered pillows, Kirsten arranged and rearranged the covers. Finally she began to clean up and took a step back.

The Take Charge Kirsten was apparently done and decided it was time to make room for The Lecturing Sandy, which did little to calm Ryan's nerves.

"So look, we understand that you felt you had your reasons for not telling us. But you need to realize that regardless of what those reasons are, it's important that we know when something like this happens."

Ryan clearly tensed further as Sandy continued. "There are consequences for what happened the other day. You had to know we wouldn't let it go. Tomorrow after your doctor's appointment, we're meeting with your coach at the school to discuss what recourse to take."

"How many games do you think I'll be benched for?" Ryan began to pull at a loose thread on the blanket.

"That's up to Dr. Adams."

"What about the coach?" Ryan muttered.

With a slight smile, Sandy said, "My guess is he's hoping that, somehow, the doctor will let you play Monday."

Ryan looked up at Sandy. This was getting a little confusing. "But you keep talking about consequences and recourse. That doesn't sound like I'm playing Monday."

It was Kirsten who caught on first as to what Ryan was thinking. "Not against you."

"Ryan, this isn't your fault," Sandy stressed. "You didn't say or do anything to deserve being attacked."

"Well, except doing your best at soccer," Kirsten added. "And for that, we're very proud of you."

Ryan blushed as he continued to fiddle with the thread on the blanket. He still found it embarrassing whenever they complimented him. That good feeling was short lived as Sandy continued the talk.

"You need to remember that you're living in Newport now, and you will be living here for a long time. I know you're not used to the way things are handled here, and you still try to handle them the way you're used to but…"

Ryan was quick to interrupt. "No, I didn't. You said no more trouble. No fighting, so I didn't. I let it go."

"No, you're right. I agree; you can't fight. Not on your own, but we can. There are other ways to fight that don't include your fists. The meeting with your coach is to decide what we want to do against Pacific. Not you. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Well, except for not telling us," Kirsten amended, raising hereyebrows to further her point.

"Yeah, kid. You've got to remember to come to us. Not only do we want to know, we need to know. From you, not from town gossip. No matter what, we're here for you. Understand?"

Ryan stole a quick glance in Kirsten's direction. "Yeah, except now you're missing your couples day."

He didn't miss the glare she gave so he quickly looked back at Sandy.

"Not really. We'll still be a couple. A couple of concerned parents." Both Sandy and Kirsten began nodding as if somehow that made it all true.

"That's not the same."

Kirsten gave his arm a gentle squeeze. "No, it's not. It's more important."

Ryan continued to play with the blanket, quietly thinking for a minute. "You know, you could drop me off, or Seth could come with me."

Kirsten twisted her wedding ring around her finger as Sandy rubbed his forehead. Neither one of them said anything at first.

With a loud sigh, Sandy leaned closer to the bed. His voice was once again stern. "You're not listening to us, Ryan. We're taking you to the doctor's in the morning, and then we're meeting with your coach at the school. Maybe we'll all grab lunch if you're up to it. But those are the only plans for tomorrow. Nothing more. Nothing less. Is that understood?"

Ryan could only nod as he finally pulled the loose thread from his blanket. Both Cohens again grew quiet, and Ryan could tell that they were staring at him, even if he wasn't looking at them. He had no idea what else they wanted him to say, especially since everything he said was obviously wrong. Ryan waited for one of them to continue the lecture or tell him what his punishment was.

Finally Sandy said, "I've got to say, three goals and you didn't play the whole game -- pretty impressive. You still managed to score half the total points for Harbor. I'm really sorry I missed seeing that."

Ryan shrugged as he again blushed but finally relaxed. Once Sandy started to make small talk, Ryan knew the big talk was thankfully done. At least for now, since meeting with the doctor and the coach the next day would naturally lead to more talking. Much, much more talking.

"We'll let you get some sleep now. See you in the morning." Kirsten picked up the gauze and the Tylenol as she moved towards the door.

"Remember – we're always here for you, kid. It's our job to be an annoying parental part of your life, and it's a job we take very seriously." Sandy turned out the light as he and Kirsten headed out of the pool house.

Ryan lay in bed for a while, staring up at the ceiling and thinking. Originally he didn't want to tell the Cohens because he didn't want to disappoint them. Then he didn't want to tell them because they were busy, and he didn't want to bother them.

And yet by not telling them, he still managed to both disappoint and bother them. Not only that, but he also managed to ruin their day together, and yet they seemed more upset that he mentioned ruining it than they were by the fact that the day was ruined.

Ryan seriously began to wonder if he was ever going to get this family thing right. He also wondered if the Cohens would continue to be understanding as he tried to figure it out.

He fell asleep worried that if there ever came a time that he screwed up so royally, would the Cohens finally decide that it just wasn't worth it? That he just wasn't worth it?

God, he hoped not.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fin', I think. (Because my mind is blank as to the doctor's appointment and the meeting with the coach, and we're on vacation.)

Maybe after a week with my mother – who knows!