My bad for the brown eye reference last chapter, gotta admit I didn't think about that one

I don't know much about effects of drugs, so hopefully it's not too unbelievable

I felt something as drastic as this was needed to trigger Ryan reaching out for help – he might not have done it otherwise

Hope you enjoy :)

Ryan was slumped back on the couch still dazed from Trey's solid punch. He'd struggled weakly when Trey had forced the pill into his mouth. He'd never done drugs before but had heard his fair share of bad stories about them, including the casualties.

As his senses slowly came back to him Ryan became more and more afraid. He didn't feel anything yet but how long before he'd start losing it? He didn't even know what it was he'd swallowed. He needed to get away.

Around him Trey and his mates had all swallowed pills in quick succession. A couple had grabbed bottles of alcohol and were passing them around, everyone taking big gulps.

Ryan didn't try to leave, knew Trey wouldn't let him. Maybe if he just stayed quiet for a while he could slip out when they weren't noticing.

Trey was still lounging on a chair opposite him, taking gulps from circulating bottles. At some stage he shoved a bottle of whisky in Ryan's face. Ryan put his hand up and shook his head, starting to feel unsteady. "Pussy" snapped Trey.

With more alcohol and the first of the drugs setting in came louder shouts. Someone fell into a cupboard which tipped over with a loud crash. "Shut up!" someone shouted, before cracking laughter erupted. Ryan heard someone yell "Oi, we better get outta here in case someone calls the cops."

They moved around packing stuff up and looking to move out. Ryan struggled to his feet as they all started leaving. "We're going to Max's" Trey said, pushing Ryan to the front of the house and out the door.

They moved to the other side of the street where some scraggly trees gave them some cover. As the group jogged back in the direction of the metal yard, Ryan glanced around, feeling slightly disjointed, looking for a chance to slip away.

Trey had sped up to grab a bottle off someone and take a messy swig. Ryan could barely force himself to run but didn't want to draw any attention. He was falling behind and was soon at the back of the group. He saw ahead a gap between an old deli and the fence of a place next door. Drawing level, he quickly darted left down it, hoping no one noticed.

Ryan heard the group continue to move away and forced himself on another couple hundred meters. He skirted around the back of the old shop, over a low fence then over another and stopped, crouched between a couple small bushes in a narrow corridor between the backs of some houses.

His heart was pounding so fast in his chest but he didn't seem to be breathing that hard. His ribs weren't hurting like before either which was strange especially after that short run. Then Ryan's head was feeling really weird and he realized the drug was really kicking in. His heart seemed to speed up more and he thought he might have a heart attack if it didn't slow down soon. What if he was having an overdose!

Ryan's thoughts became faster and more disconnected. He knew he had to do something about this but couldn't stop his mind racing to work out a plan. He felt his hands shaking Fucking Trey! He yelled in his head and shoved his hands deep into his pockets, fisting them in the material. The hard edge of cardboard pressed into his palm. Ryan pulled out the card and suddenly remembered the guy from the hospital – Sandy. Head whirling he tried to go over his options. Friends? – none that would help. Hospital – NO! Home – definitely no! That's where his brain stopped cooperating. When Ryan moved his head, the world seemed to take a second to catch up, making him disoriented and dizzy. Things seemed blurred around him, he had the urge to run, just run and never stop. Somehow a rational thought screamed 'bad idea'. Ryan noticed the card in his hand again and made a snap decision. He didn't know how much longer his senses would hold out, he was scared shitless and needed help.

Straightening, he paced down the pathway, eyes darting everywhere and soon came out into a street. He had no idea where he was. It struck him then just how flawed his plan was. He didn't know where any payphones were around here; could walk for ages and not find one. Meanwhile things were getting harder to keep straight – everything from his thoughts to his feet in front of him. He was barely aware of his surroundings and couldn't focus on much besides what was right in front of him. Reaching again into his pockets, he didn't even think he had any coins anyway. He checked his back ones and his hand closed around a small, hard object. He had a moment of euphoria when he realized it was the phone Trey gave him with a big grin a few days ago, the morning of his hospital trip in fact. He'd asked where he'd got it but Trey wouldn't say – probably stolen, but not much Ryan could do about it, it was wiped clean so no way to trace who's it was and he wasn't gonna turn his brother in for something that minor. He'd forgotten all about it since then anyway with all that'd happened.

He pulled the phone out and hit a button, again euphoric when the screen lit up. He groggily moved under a street light to read the number on the card. He had to try several times before he thought he had the right numbers, the screen kept rippling and moving. When he thought he had it he pressed call.

It was almost one in the morning when Sandy's phone lit up the room for second before it started its high pitched tune. Sandy had barely fallen asleep and quickly woke up, grabbing for the mobile. It has to be him he thought, noting the late hour. His chest tightened with worry, hoping he was ok and fearing what had finally triggered him to call.

He hit the answer key and held the phone to his ear while he made his way out of the room, not wanting to disturb Kirsten.

"Hello" he said, once he'd closed the door behind him. He tried to make his voice sound neutral but friendly.

There was silence. He tried again "Hello? – this is Sandy." Still nothing, he was sure he could hear shallow breathing on the other end of the line.

"Ryan? Is that you?" he asked quietly.

Finally he got a hesitant answer "S-Sandy?" He recognized Ryan's voice immediately, though it sounded off. Sandy was relieved to know it was in fact him and he'd called but again worried about what may have happened.

"Yea kid it's me, what's happened?"

Ryan was almost surprised when the phone picked up. It worked he thought absently. A second later he heard a "Hello" Ryan's brain and body froze. Why was he doing this? This guy was probably ages away. He was Ryan Atwood, he didn't ask for help. This would probably backfire, would this bring more trouble?

He heard another "Hello" then "this is Sandy." That voice, he remembered it from the hospital, remembered how he hadn't felt threatened by it, had wondered about the care he seemed to hear in it.

His frantic, muddled thoughts were interrupted again by "Ryan? Is that you?" He remembers me Ryan thought vaguely. Just then his body seemed to jolt of its own accord and he struggled to keep his footing. He felt his thoughts slipping and fear gripped him again about what was happening and what would happen to him.

"S-Sandy?" he mumbled out.

"Yea kid it's me, what's happened."

In that moment Ryan figured he'd just have to trust this guy, hope that he'd help him. He was after all the most sincere seeming person Ryan had met in a long time. The fact he was friggen terrified probably helped the whole thing along a bit.

"I… 'm in trouble." He managed, his tongue felt kinda numb.

"OK, what's happened?" Sandy asked, a million things running through his head but trying to keep it to one question at a time, the kid seemed to be struggling.

"Took something." Ryan slurred, too out of it to try and explain someone forced him to take something.

Fear gripped Sandy "Do you know what?"

A pause, then "No"

"Where are you?"

"Not sure."

"Look around kid, street names, are you in Chino?"

Ryan struggled to remember through his erratic thoughts. He hated this, not being in control of his own head and body. "Yea, Chino." He said. "Hold on." He looked up and around, the world taking a second to follow. He moved down to a corner feeling unnervingly separate from his body. He looked up at the sign for almost a minute before he got a clear view of it. "Burchester Street." He said.

"OK I can be there in under an hour. Do you need an ambulance though? How much did you take?"

"No no nonono!" Ryan almost yelled "Can't go back… can't go back." He said, quieter

Sandy's heart was beating frantically, Ryan sounded really out of it. He wanted him in a hospital now. He guessed from Ryan's reaction that it hadn't been good when he got back from his last visit, but if his life was in danger…

"Only had one." Sandy heard through the phone "Won't go if ambo comes, I'll run." Sandy felt his heart drop with sadness, knowing Ryan feared the results of going to hospital so much he'd risk his life. He knew he couldn't do anything though, if he called ambos or cops, Ryan would run, he knew, and then he'd be without any help and anything could happen to him. If he'd just taken one, he'd hopefully be ok, Sandy just prayed he didn't have a bad reaction.

"Ok Ryan, ok. I'll be there as soon as I can. Can you stay on the phone?"

"Yea" Ryan said, almost grateful for the suggestion. He didn't feel like being alone and talking to Sandy seemed to make things more stable.

"Good." Sandy replied. He held the phone with his shoulder as he scribbled a quick note to Kirsten, then he was out the door and in the car, speeding to Chino.