As it turned out, the next week was Ryan's last week in the hospital. Everyone agreed that he was ready to go home. Ryan asked Shivaun if she could gather the staff and some of the patients he'd gotten close to together in the hospital auditorium one afternoon, as he had a surprise for them. Shivaun guessed what he wanted to do, although he didn't tell her.
When they were all gathered, she watched with pride as Ryan came up front with his guitar. "You know," he said, "that I've been singing in occupational therapy, and that you've heard me playing and singing in my room in the evenings. Some of you told me you thought I could be a professional singer. Well, I have a confession to make." He grinned. "I AM a professional singer - for the last 5 years, I have been part of a group called Celtic Thunder, which some of you may have heard of." There were a few gasps at this. "The only reason I didn't tell anyone -apart from the staff - is because I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back to it. But I've been working with our musical director online, and in person this last week, and I know now that I can - and you lot get to be the audience for my first post-injury concert. I go back into rehearsal with the group next week for a performance in Dublin at the end of August and for a new tour in September."
Shivaun's eyes filled with tears at that. Even she hadn't known this. The joy in Ryan's face and eyes was incredible as he waited out the applause, and Shivaun wasn't the only staff member blinking back tears. As the audience quieted down, Ryan ducked his head and began strumming on the guitar, and then lifted his head again and began to sing "Ride On", continuing afterwards with "Brothers in Arms", "The Band Played Waltzing Matilda", and "Friends in Low Places" - although he never finished that one, as David had set up a wind-up on him and sent all the boys to the hospital, telling them to come in as they had in "Voyage" - and as they walked in the doors singing their hearts out, Ryan simply stopped, gaping at them all and then sat down heavily in the closest chair and watched them finish the song, speechless. The cheers from the audience rivaled any concert he'd ever done, and the boys mobbed him in a group hug afterwards, more that one of them with tears running down their faces as well.