Title : Shiny Happy People
Author : Helen C.
Rating : G
Summary : Some glimpses into the Cohens+1 lives after (or during, depending on how you want to look at it) the finale.
Disclaimer : The characters and the universe were created and are owned by Josh Schwartz. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
AN. Many thanks to joey51 for beta'ing this and to fredsmith518, who totally inspired me to write this fic.
Conclusion : 2014
Ryan leaned back against the cushions, exhausted. The day had been long, spent between meeting with contractors and some prospecting and the evening... well, the evening had been even longer. It had taken time to convince that kid that no, he wasn't interested in him that way, and yes, he was seriously offering shelter for the night, until they could call Social Services in the morning or send him back home.
The kid had looked wary at the notion of social workers and about ready to flee at the idea of going home.
Ryan could understand.
He had been there, done that, and made a leap of faith as well, and yes, he, too, had wondered what the kind stranger had in mind when he had offered to help.
But now the kid was safely tucked away in the guest room, Taylor was in bed as well, and Ryan was left wondering when he had become the guy in the Range Rover with a business card, instead of the kid sitting on a street corner, beat up and hopeless and scared out of his wits.
Had Sandy known, that day, that he was saving Ryan's life, figuratively if not literally? They had never talked about it, certainly not in those terms, but Ryan could still feel gratitude whenever he thought about what the Cohens had done for him.
He knew, realistically, that this kid sleeping now in his house would probably be returned to his family or placed into a group home if they did call the authorities. He knew this wouldn't be a re-write of his own life, nor should it be—god knows he had had dealt with more than enough crap already. He wouldn't wish it on anyone.
It didn't mean he couldn't offer a bed for the night, didn't mean he had to leave that kid to sleep in the streets. He still remembered the looks on the passer-bys' faces whenever he opted to sleep on a bench instead of going home, how they all looked through him, as if he was invisible, as if they didn't even want to see him. He remembered how quickly he had learned not to ask for help from anyone, because it was just a waste of time.
"How do you know he's not dangerous?" Taylor had whispered, before going to bed. She hadn't seemed accusing or doubtful or scared, merely curious, Ryan had noticed.
"I don't." All he had was a gut-feeling, and he was willing to trust it.
And if he trusted it, he might as well ask for the help of an expert. He picked up his phone and dialled the number. Sandy's deep voice answered on the other end, and Ryan could hear Kirsten in the background, asking what was going on. "Sandy? It's me. You free for breakfast, tomorrow? There's something I need to talk to you about."
end