AN: Another chapter for all of you loyal readers out there. It was a little difficult writing this one as well, but I hope that you like it. PLZ R&R!

Disclaimer: See earlier chapters.

Chapter 18: A Little Confiding

Ryan pedaled furiously away from the doctor's office after the confrontation with Kirsten. As soon as he ran out of the building, he pulled his bike from Caleb's trunk and started away from the parking lot. Sooner than he wanted to, he was coasting up the Cohen driveway and parking his bike in the garage. He walked through the door and was met by Rosa.

"Ryan-" she started to approach him.

"I'm not in the mood." he told her fiercely. "I've had a very bad day."

"I just wanted to say that I understand why you ran off today. I'm not saying that I'm apologizing for what happened today since I was only doing it for your own good, but I am sorry for crowding you."

"Noted." Ryan stormed up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door behind him.

He started pacing the space between the bed and the window as he thought about what all was said during therapy. He couldn't believe he had revealed all that in his session; especially in front of the Cohen's and Mr. Nichol. What would they say when they all got home? They wouldn't throw him out of the house because of what he said, would they? Everyone else didn't seem too upset by what he said about them, but he knew Kirsten was upset about what he said. He couldn't believe that he had just shouted it at her, but she and Dr. Freedman kept pushing him until he finally exploded.

He stopped pacing when he heard the door open downstairs and Sandy and Kirsten's voices drifted up to him. He quickly sat down on the bed and pulled one of his school books out as he heard footsteps on the stairs.

"Ryan," he heard Seth's voice. "Mom and dad sent me up to make sure that you're still here."

"I'm fine, Seth." he called.

"Do you want to set up the Playstation before supper?"

"I'd really like to be alone right now, Seth."

"Got it." he heard his retreating footsteps and sighed with relief.

A little while later, there was a soft knock at his door, and knew that it was most likely Kirsten checking up on him.

"I'm studying." he called out.

"I brought you up some supper." he heard Kirsten say softly. "I'll just leave it out here for you when you're ready for it."

"Thank you." he heard her set the tray down and her retreating footsteps.

Kirsten walked back into the kitchen as Seth brought some glasses over to the table for the three of them.

"How'd it go?" Sandy looked back at her.

"He said he was studying." she told them. "I know it's just a lame excuse so that he can avoid us."

"He's probably a little ashamed after therapy. We'll give him the night, and talk to him about it tomorrow."

"Agreed." Kirsten sighed. "So what's going on with you, Seth?"

"Why?" he looked up at her.

"Because I want to know what's going on with you. I feel like we don't know what's going on in your life."

"Not much." Seth shrugged. "Just Summer and I are going to the movies tomorrow night. We were going to see if Ryan wanted to come along. Summer was going to invite Taylor and just 'see what happens'."

"I'm not sure if Ryan will be up for that tomorrow night." Sandy told him.

"I know." Seth sighed.

They all finished eating and cleaned up and packed up all the leftovers in the refrigerator. Seth went to play some video games as he talked to Summer on his cell phone before he went to bed, Sandy went upstairs and returned with Ryan's tray which both Sandy and Kirsten were happy to see that it was more than halfway gone. Sandy then went to do some work in his office.

Kirsten tried to do some work as well, but couldn't concentrate. She checked on Seth and Sandy and found them both doing the same thing they were doing a couple hours before. She debated whether or not to peek in on Ryan, but in the end she threw caution to the wind and climbed the stairs up to his room. She slowly approached his door and softly knocked on his door. She got no response, but decided to go in anyway to see how he was doing.

She peeked into the room and realized the lights were out. She cautiously walked further into the room and saw a lump under the covers. Then she saw some jerky movements as Ryan bolted up and looked around in confusion.

"Kirsten?" he spotted her silhouette standing in his doorway.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you."

"I don't think you did." he rubbed his eyes.

"I know you said you didn't want to be disturbed. I was just checking on you. I do it every night. Not only to you, to Seth as well. I promise."

"It's ok. I believe you." Ryan said softly.

"I'll just go now. Good night, Sweetie."

"Kirsten, wait!" Ryan called out as she started to walk back out of the room.

"What's the matter?" she flipped on the small lamp and saw that there were tear tracks on his face. "Are you ok?"

"I don't know." he started to shake.

"Did you have a bad dream again?" she slowly sat on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah. I think so." he took a deep breath.

"I'm not really sure what to do here." Kirsten admitted. "What would you like me to do?"

"C-Could you just sit with me or something?" Ryan turned his head to look at her. "Or at least stay until I can fall back asleep?"

"Sure. I can do that." she smiled at him as she realized this was the most vulnerable she's ever seen Ryan.

"Just no talking about-"

"No talking." she promised him.

Ryan lay back down on the bed and turned over on his left side facing the window as he made room for Kirsten to sit beside him comfortably. They had been quiet for almost ten minutes before Kirsten decided to break the silence between them.

"I know you don't want me to talk, but can I ask you something?" she reached out to touch his shoulder as she felt him tense up. "Not about that. Or about the session today."

"Ok. What?" he asked, not turning over to face her.

"Why did you leave the lunch tray here untouched, but you didn't mind taking seconds and thirds of what my father's maid fixed you?"

"Part of it was because I just wanted to get out of this house. And his maid wouldn't take no for an answer; in some ways, she's worst than Rosa."

"And the other part?"

"It was comfort food for me." he mumbled.

"Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup is comfort food?"

"I know that you found out about the incident when I was younger as well." he sighed. "Trey found out about it. He didn't let on that he knew, but I know that he did. That was the meal he would make me when he sensed that I was thinking about it."

"I thought you said that Trey never thought about you."

"That was after we moved out of Fresno. This incident happened not long after my dad was sent to prison. It was one of my mom's losers that she brought home. It was the only thing that Trey knew how to make. Sure the bread was hard as a rock and the soup tasted like tomato paste because we had to get the off-brand and almost-expired stuff, but that's the good thing that Trey did for me."

"I understand now." Kirsten started to slowly rub his back as they lapsed into silence again.

"Hey, Kirsten?" Ryan asked after another fifteen minutes.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For what I said in the session today."

"I'm not mad at you for that. And I'm not going to hold it against you."

"Why not?"

"That was more than seven months ago. I'm pretty sure we don't all feel that way now. I know I don't think of you that way now. You're a part of this family; hopefully soon, you'll be a permanent member of this family."

"How's it going with trying to find my mom?"

"Sandy and Rachel have their PI's looking for her. I'm sure they'll find her."

"Can I still go to the batting cages with Luke tomorrow?" Ryan quickly changed the subject.

"Sure. As long as you get plenty of sleep; and you eat a decent breakfast before you leave."

"Deal." Ryan said softly as they got quiet once again.

More than a half hour later, Kirsten quietly walked out of Ryan's room silently closing the door behind her. She turned around to head back downstairs when she spotted Seth and Sandy stationed right by Ryan's room sitting on the floor as they played a game of cards.

"What are you doing?" she asked them.

"Waiting to see how it went in there." Seth told her.

"We realized you weren't on the bottom floor of the house awhile ago." Sandy told her. "We realized you were probably up here so we came to check it out."

"We heard you guys talking, and decided to wait for you to come out."

"So what happened?" Sandy asked as she sat down with them. "Why'd he suddenly decide to let you into his room?"

"I think he had another bad dream about that place." she told them. "I went in to check on him, and he didn't want me to leave. So I stayed with him until he fell back asleep."

"Did he say anything?"

"He apologized for the session earlier." she told them. "I think he thought we were mad at him for what he said. More specifically, he thought I was mad at him."

"What else did he say?"

"He just wanted to make sure that he could still go to the batting cages tomorrow."

"Well if that's all, I'm going to bed." Seth stood up and walked to his bedroom.

"Tell Summer we said good night, son." Sandy called after him.

"Come on." Kirsten pulled Sandy up. "Let's go to bed, too."

"What's really going on?" Sandy asked her once they had gotten to their bedroom. "What didn't you want to say in front of Seth?"

"I think we should try to get Trey's help." she told him.

"What?"

"I think Trey will want to help us keep Ryan with us permanently." she explained to him. "Ryan told me this story about Trey when he was younger. I think it's the only good story he has of him. I think we can get Trey on our side. He told Ryan on Thanksgiving that he wanted him to have a good life."

"Yes, he did." Sandy sighed. "Ok. I'll call down there tomorrow and see when he can have visitors."

"Thank you." Kirsten kissed his cheek.

"Like I really have a choice. You always get your way when it comes to this kind of thing." he smiled at her. "Not that I'm complaining right now. You're the only one that Ryan will even attempt to confide in."

"Baby steps, honey. It's going to take some time."

"I know." he sighed as they started to get ready for bed.


The next morning, Kirsten overslept and walked into the kitchen as she saw Seth and Ryan sitting at the counter as they finished their bagels and glasses of orange juice. They were talking quietly with each other and looked up at her startled as she shuffled to the coffee maker and poured herself a cup.

"Finally," Seth stated. "We were waiting for you to wake up so we could ask to borrow the Rover today."

"Where's your father?" she turned around to face them.

"Surfing." Ryan told her. "So can we borrow the Rover?"

"I thought you were going to the batting cages today."

"We are. I convinced Seth to come along and to invite Summer."

"And I told Ryan to invite Taylor." Seth added. "So are we borrowing the car or not?"

"Here." Kirsten gave Ryan the spare set of keys. "How much did you have to eat so far?"

"This is my second bagel."

"I can vouch for him." Seth told her.

"I'm glad you're starting to get your appetite back." she smiled at him.

"I'm going to go call Summer." Seth started upstairs.

"I need to find my gear." Ryan got up from the counter as well. "And make sure that Luke can come today."


Ryan and Seth were rushing out the door as Sandy was coming back inside with his surf board. They ran past him and scrambled into the Rover and pulled out of the driveway as Sandy put his board away.

"They're sure in a hurry to get to the batting cages." Sandy met Kirsten in the kitchen.

"I think that Summer and Taylor are supposed to meet them there." she told him as she looked up from the paper. "Now why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

"What do you mean?" he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Sandy, I know you. Now what's going on?"

"I just got a call from Rachel." he sighed.

"Ok. What about?"

"About Dawn." he told her. "We have a problem."

AN: So what'd you all think? What do you think the bad news about Dawn will be? Will Trey help them? Review and find out. PLZ R&R!