Never Again (Chapter Seven)
Nov. 17th, 2008 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
missmara13Title: Never Again (Chapter Seven)
Author: Mara
Fandom: The OC/One Tree Hill
Rating: R
Warnings: Some violence (Mostly in flashbacks), language, possibly sex
Summary: "You hit me, even once, and I swear to god it'll be the last time you ever lay a finger on me."
Notes: It's been a little while on this one, but I hope it's been worth the wait. This one has some moments I love.
Never Again: Chapter Seven
"You alright, kid?" Paulie called through the door to the staff bathroom at the restraunt.
"Fine," Ryan said through gritted teeth as he held a handful of cool, wet, paper towels against his stinging side.
"I'm coming in," Paulie said after a moment's hesitation.
"No, it's..." Ryan began, only to cut himself off, body going tense, as Paulie opened the door and saw the scars on Ryan's arms and chest.
"Oh, Ryan..." Paulie breathed out, his voice pained. "Who did this to you?"
"No one," Ryan said, grabbing for his soup stained shirt to hide the scars again.
"Please don't lie to me," Paulie said, somehow soundign both gentle and firm, all at once.
"He was drunk, and it was an accident," Ryan said, gaze at the stained shirt clenched in his hands. "He didn't mean to hit me that hard, and he didn't think the glass would shatter like that..."
"Who? You're father?"
"Closest thing I had to one," Ryan admitted softly. "He promised no more drinking, and two weeks later he was doing it again. A friend's dad helped me get out of there and start over."
Paulie nodded, then put his hands on Ryan's shoulders to catch the younger man's attention. "Honest truth. If I get you a clean shirt, can you go back to work, or do you need the rest of the night off?"
"I can work," Ryan said, nodding. "Can we just pawn off the 'the gazpacho's cold, heat it up/it's too hot, take it back' lady on someone else?" he asked, gesturing at the reddened skin caused by her splashing the hot soup all over him.
"I asked her to leave for pulling that shit," Paulie said. "No one treats my people like that."
"Thanks, Paulie," Ryan said.
"Anytime, kid."
"You could have been killed," Paulie lightly scolded later as he stood by the window in Ryan's hospital room. "What were you thinking getting in the middle of things?"
"That if that guy had been poiting a gun at Brooke, I'd hope someone would help her," Ryan replied. "Trust me, Paulie, I know how stupid it was, but... I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd let him shoot Maria."
"We gotta get you to work on letting go of that hero complex, kid," Paulie said with a sigh, turning away from the window. "Do you have any idea how many people would be devastated to lose you?"
"I get it, Paulie," Ryan said. "Brooke kinda hammered it into my head that I'm not allowed to be heroic again if it means putting my life at risk."
"You've got your girl and that baby to think of now. They need you."
"I know," Ryan repeated.
"Alright, I'll stop being pushy now," Paulie said. "But you're taking a full month off, no arguements."
"I can't afford..." Ryan began.
"It's called paid leave," Paulie said, flicking a hand dismissively. "You've more than earned it over the years."
"Paulie..."
"I'm the owner, I can make those decisions," Paulie said.
"As long as Beth approves them?" Ryan questioned, smiling slightly.
"Right," Paulie said, nodding. "And she whole heartedly agreed to this. You need the time off to rest and recover, we need you to come back fully healed and in a good state of mind."
"You're sure?" Ryan asked.
"I'm sure," Paulie said. "You know me and Beth love you, kid, you're family. Hell, you're in our wills."
"I am?" Ryan asked, surprised.
"You think we're gonna leave the restraunt to one of the nieces or nephews who constantly tries to convince us to sell?" Paulie scoffed. "That place is gonna be yours."
"Paulie..."
"We never had kids of our own, Ryan," Paulie reminded him. "You're the closest we've got, and that means we're gonna be there for you and make sure you, Brooke, and that baby are all okay and taken care of."
"That mean you're gonna play Grandpa and Grandma?" Ryan asked.
"We might have to come up with better names than those, but... yeah," Paulie said.
"Good to know," Ryan said, nodding.
"Hey, why so serious?" Brooke asked as she and Beth returned.
"Well, apparently, Paulie and Beth are demanding to play grandparent to the baby, and we really don't have any choice but to let them," Ryan joked.
"Horrors," Brooke said dryly as she sat on the edge of Ryan's bed. "He or she could do worse."
"Yeah," Ryan said absently, remembering when he'd been told he was the one who could do worse, and how that turned out. After a moment, he shook his head to clear it, and took Brooke's hand. "Dr. Julian cleared me to go to Tree Hill," he said. "On the condition that I rest as much as possible."
"You will be," Brooke said firmly. "Or I'll kick your ass."
"That's what we assured the doctor," Paulie said with a smile. "Told her Ryan's no fool, he has a healthy fear of his girl."
"He better," Brooke said teasingly. "But I called Hales, and she said that we're getting the first floor guest room, so no climbing stairs, and she's told Nathan that he can't drag you out to play basketball, either."
"So, in other words, I won't be enjoying this vacation at all?" Ryan asked, trying to hide his smile.
"Yup," Brooke agreed, kissing his forehead. "But you'll be okay, and that's the only thing that matters."
Ryan squeezed her hand. "It's okay," he said. "I'm gonna be fine."
"That was way too close," Brooke insisted. "You could've died."
"But I didn't," Ryan insisted. "It's okay."
"We'll have to agree to disagree about that," Paulie said. "Because none of us think that you risking your life is even remotely 'okay'."
Ryan sighed. "Okay, okay, I get it."
"I knew, the second I heard that gunshot, I knew..." Brooke said. "I thought... I thought I was going to get there and you'd be..."
"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered. "I promise, no more tackling guys with guns. And defintiely no more falling through glass doors."
"You better mean that."
"Can I ask about these?" Brooke asked, her fingertips gliding over the scars.
"What do you want to know?" Ryan replied.
"How'd they happen?"
"My foster father was drunk and shoved me through the glass patio door," Ryan said softly. "I landed in a pool of blood and pain, and he promised no more drinking. Two weeks later..."
"He was drinking again," Brooke guessed, laying her head on Ryan's chest and closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat. "You didn't deserve that."
"That's what Dr. Roberts said," Ryan replied. "His daughter was dating my foster brother, and when they found out what was going on, they came over, and he loaned me the money to get the hell away from Newport and start over."
"Sounds like a good guy."
"I have lunch with him once a month," Ryan said. "Just to let him know I'm okay."
"Anyone ever tell you that you're an amazing guy?" Brooke asked.
"Not really," Ryan said.
"Well you are," Brooke said firmly, turning to face him, her chin on his shoulder. "And I think I'm pretty damn lucky to have found you."
Ryan smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "I was thinking... you're over here all the time anyway... maybe you wanna keep some stuff here? Like a change of clothes, a toothbrush, stuff like that?"
"Are we pre-moving in?" Brooke teased.
"Not if you're gonna mock me," Ryan replied, smiling.
"Who's mocking? Not me, uh-uh," Brooke said, shaking her head and widening her eyes as she feigned innocence.
Ryan laughed and pulled her into a kiss. "So?"
"I'll bring some stuff over with me tomorrow night," brooke said. "And you will regret suggesting it when I take over."
"Like you haven't already?" Ryan asked, gesturing at the furniture he'd gained just since he'd started dating her.
"No way was I gonna sleep with a guy who slept on a futon," Brooke replied, laughing.
"I will admit, an actual bed is nice," Ryan said.
"Damn straight."
"Even nicer is sharing it with you."
"You sweet talker you," Brooke teased, kissing him again.
To be Continued...
Unrelated to this fic, but related to a different one (Not sayign which one because I don't wanna spoil it)... would you guys be interested in a little interactivity? Like, the story is going to have a wedding, and I'm thinking I could post a couple polls with pictures of the possible wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, decorations, cakes, locales, and you guys could vote on which I should pick. And whatever gets the most votes wins and wil be what I describe as I write. The only thing that might vary is like if the winning dress has a colored sash and the winning decorations are in a different color (especially a clashing color) I'd describe the decorations as being a co-ordinating color.
Anyway, anyone interested in that?
Author: Mara
Fandom: The OC/One Tree Hill
Rating: R
Warnings: Some violence (Mostly in flashbacks), language, possibly sex
Summary: "You hit me, even once, and I swear to god it'll be the last time you ever lay a finger on me."
Notes: It's been a little while on this one, but I hope it's been worth the wait. This one has some moments I love.
Never Again: Chapter Seven
"You alright, kid?" Paulie called through the door to the staff bathroom at the restraunt.
"Fine," Ryan said through gritted teeth as he held a handful of cool, wet, paper towels against his stinging side.
"I'm coming in," Paulie said after a moment's hesitation.
"No, it's..." Ryan began, only to cut himself off, body going tense, as Paulie opened the door and saw the scars on Ryan's arms and chest.
"Oh, Ryan..." Paulie breathed out, his voice pained. "Who did this to you?"
"No one," Ryan said, grabbing for his soup stained shirt to hide the scars again.
"Please don't lie to me," Paulie said, somehow soundign both gentle and firm, all at once.
"He was drunk, and it was an accident," Ryan said, gaze at the stained shirt clenched in his hands. "He didn't mean to hit me that hard, and he didn't think the glass would shatter like that..."
"Who? You're father?"
"Closest thing I had to one," Ryan admitted softly. "He promised no more drinking, and two weeks later he was doing it again. A friend's dad helped me get out of there and start over."
Paulie nodded, then put his hands on Ryan's shoulders to catch the younger man's attention. "Honest truth. If I get you a clean shirt, can you go back to work, or do you need the rest of the night off?"
"I can work," Ryan said, nodding. "Can we just pawn off the 'the gazpacho's cold, heat it up/it's too hot, take it back' lady on someone else?" he asked, gesturing at the reddened skin caused by her splashing the hot soup all over him.
"I asked her to leave for pulling that shit," Paulie said. "No one treats my people like that."
"Thanks, Paulie," Ryan said.
"Anytime, kid."
"You could have been killed," Paulie lightly scolded later as he stood by the window in Ryan's hospital room. "What were you thinking getting in the middle of things?"
"That if that guy had been poiting a gun at Brooke, I'd hope someone would help her," Ryan replied. "Trust me, Paulie, I know how stupid it was, but... I couldn't have lived with myself if I'd let him shoot Maria."
"We gotta get you to work on letting go of that hero complex, kid," Paulie said with a sigh, turning away from the window. "Do you have any idea how many people would be devastated to lose you?"
"I get it, Paulie," Ryan said. "Brooke kinda hammered it into my head that I'm not allowed to be heroic again if it means putting my life at risk."
"You've got your girl and that baby to think of now. They need you."
"I know," Ryan repeated.
"Alright, I'll stop being pushy now," Paulie said. "But you're taking a full month off, no arguements."
"I can't afford..." Ryan began.
"It's called paid leave," Paulie said, flicking a hand dismissively. "You've more than earned it over the years."
"Paulie..."
"I'm the owner, I can make those decisions," Paulie said.
"As long as Beth approves them?" Ryan questioned, smiling slightly.
"Right," Paulie said, nodding. "And she whole heartedly agreed to this. You need the time off to rest and recover, we need you to come back fully healed and in a good state of mind."
"You're sure?" Ryan asked.
"I'm sure," Paulie said. "You know me and Beth love you, kid, you're family. Hell, you're in our wills."
"I am?" Ryan asked, surprised.
"You think we're gonna leave the restraunt to one of the nieces or nephews who constantly tries to convince us to sell?" Paulie scoffed. "That place is gonna be yours."
"Paulie..."
"We never had kids of our own, Ryan," Paulie reminded him. "You're the closest we've got, and that means we're gonna be there for you and make sure you, Brooke, and that baby are all okay and taken care of."
"That mean you're gonna play Grandpa and Grandma?" Ryan asked.
"We might have to come up with better names than those, but... yeah," Paulie said.
"Good to know," Ryan said, nodding.
"Hey, why so serious?" Brooke asked as she and Beth returned.
"Well, apparently, Paulie and Beth are demanding to play grandparent to the baby, and we really don't have any choice but to let them," Ryan joked.
"Horrors," Brooke said dryly as she sat on the edge of Ryan's bed. "He or she could do worse."
"Yeah," Ryan said absently, remembering when he'd been told he was the one who could do worse, and how that turned out. After a moment, he shook his head to clear it, and took Brooke's hand. "Dr. Julian cleared me to go to Tree Hill," he said. "On the condition that I rest as much as possible."
"You will be," Brooke said firmly. "Or I'll kick your ass."
"That's what we assured the doctor," Paulie said with a smile. "Told her Ryan's no fool, he has a healthy fear of his girl."
"He better," Brooke said teasingly. "But I called Hales, and she said that we're getting the first floor guest room, so no climbing stairs, and she's told Nathan that he can't drag you out to play basketball, either."
"So, in other words, I won't be enjoying this vacation at all?" Ryan asked, trying to hide his smile.
"Yup," Brooke agreed, kissing his forehead. "But you'll be okay, and that's the only thing that matters."
Ryan squeezed her hand. "It's okay," he said. "I'm gonna be fine."
"That was way too close," Brooke insisted. "You could've died."
"But I didn't," Ryan insisted. "It's okay."
"We'll have to agree to disagree about that," Paulie said. "Because none of us think that you risking your life is even remotely 'okay'."
Ryan sighed. "Okay, okay, I get it."
"I knew, the second I heard that gunshot, I knew..." Brooke said. "I thought... I thought I was going to get there and you'd be..."
"I'm sorry," Ryan whispered. "I promise, no more tackling guys with guns. And defintiely no more falling through glass doors."
"You better mean that."
"Can I ask about these?" Brooke asked, her fingertips gliding over the scars.
"What do you want to know?" Ryan replied.
"How'd they happen?"
"My foster father was drunk and shoved me through the glass patio door," Ryan said softly. "I landed in a pool of blood and pain, and he promised no more drinking. Two weeks later..."
"He was drinking again," Brooke guessed, laying her head on Ryan's chest and closing her eyes as she listened to his heartbeat. "You didn't deserve that."
"That's what Dr. Roberts said," Ryan replied. "His daughter was dating my foster brother, and when they found out what was going on, they came over, and he loaned me the money to get the hell away from Newport and start over."
"Sounds like a good guy."
"I have lunch with him once a month," Ryan said. "Just to let him know I'm okay."
"Anyone ever tell you that you're an amazing guy?" Brooke asked.
"Not really," Ryan said.
"Well you are," Brooke said firmly, turning to face him, her chin on his shoulder. "And I think I'm pretty damn lucky to have found you."
Ryan smiled and ran his fingers through her hair. "I was thinking... you're over here all the time anyway... maybe you wanna keep some stuff here? Like a change of clothes, a toothbrush, stuff like that?"
"Are we pre-moving in?" Brooke teased.
"Not if you're gonna mock me," Ryan replied, smiling.
"Who's mocking? Not me, uh-uh," Brooke said, shaking her head and widening her eyes as she feigned innocence.
Ryan laughed and pulled her into a kiss. "So?"
"I'll bring some stuff over with me tomorrow night," brooke said. "And you will regret suggesting it when I take over."
"Like you haven't already?" Ryan asked, gesturing at the furniture he'd gained just since he'd started dating her.
"No way was I gonna sleep with a guy who slept on a futon," Brooke replied, laughing.
"I will admit, an actual bed is nice," Ryan said.
"Damn straight."
"Even nicer is sharing it with you."
"You sweet talker you," Brooke teased, kissing him again.
Unrelated to this fic, but related to a different one (Not sayign which one because I don't wanna spoil it)... would you guys be interested in a little interactivity? Like, the story is going to have a wedding, and I'm thinking I could post a couple polls with pictures of the possible wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresses, decorations, cakes, locales, and you guys could vote on which I should pick. And whatever gets the most votes wins and wil be what I describe as I write. The only thing that might vary is like if the winning dress has a colored sash and the winning decorations are in a different color (especially a clashing color) I'd describe the decorations as being a co-ordinating color.
Anyway, anyone interested in that?
