The Unexpected - Part Four
Dec. 5th, 2006 12:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
missmara13Title: The Unexpected (Four)
Author: Mara
Rating: PG-13 (Chapters with higher ratings will be mentioned)
Warnings: Some violence in the first chapter, a mention of sexual assault (NOT of Ryan!) later... and near the end a smutty chapter... though maybe the warning on that one should be it was my first attempt at smut and is probably horrible... lol
Summary: A simple run to the store ends in tragedy as guilt abounds and the meaning of family is pondered.
PART FOUR
"Coop!" Summer called down the hall as she saw her best friend. "Where were you last night? I kept calling and the housekeeper kept saying you were out."
"I was out. Now that I'm living with mom and Caleb, Mom keeps taking me shopping to fill my new huge room with stuff," Marissa said.
"Well I have major, tragic, bad news," Summer said, taking Marissa's arm and guiding her outside. "He's gonna be fine from what I overheard the doctor say and what Cohen said when I talked to him earlier, but Chino's at HOAG."
"What?" Marissa asked, horrified.
"Yeah, he like went out to the store with Mrs. Cohen last night, and this mugger shot him. But I ran into the whole Cohen clan at the hospital when I was picking up my schedule, and I heard the doctor say he'll be okay. Probably in like no time cause Chino's tough. But he's suppose to be awake today, so if you want go see him after school, I'll even drive and sneak you in for a minute."
"I can't," Marissa said. "Mom and I are going shopping after school. If I cancel..."
"Coop," Summer said. "Chino could have been killed last night, and you're choosing shopping over him?"
"If I cancel, it'll just give mom more of a reason to hate him!" Marissa protested.
Summer sighed. "Whatever. I gotta go pick up Chino and Cohen's homework for them. I'm working this afternoon so I'll drop it off and get a report on how he is, okay?"
Marissa nodded. "Thanks, Summer."
~~~~
"The bullet missed all vital organs," Sarah reported. "And that is truly a miracle. Just another inch or so up and his lung would have been punctured. He could have died before help could arrive. But, something tells me Ryan is a fighter."
"In more ways than one," Sandy said.
"Don't be cute, Sandy," Kirsten said, her eyes never leaving the window she could see her sons through.
"If you don't mind me asking, is Ryan... he's not your biological son, is he?" Sarah asked. "The different last names is the first clue."
"Ryan came to us last summer. Sandy was assigned his public defender after his older brother got him in a lot of trouble. And Sandy decided to bring Ryan home. He just... ended up staying," Kirsten said. "But now... he's our son as much as Seth is. He brought our family back together after years of pulling apart. We were losing Seth bit by bit until Ryan came along."
Sandy put an arm around his wife as tears started to form in her eyes. "He's going to be fine," he reassured her.
"I know," Kirsten said, nodding. "But... he could have died. Protecting me. And here when you brought him home I was so cold towards him."
"I think even the coldness was better than Dawn," Sandy said. He looked over at Sarah. "Ryan's mother is a drunk. She... she just couldn't handle being a mother."
"Something tells me he's better off without her," Sarah said as she watched the two teens inside the room. "Looks like he's got a wonderful family right here."
~~~~
"Now I know why we always play video games," Ryan said with a small smile as he beat Seth, again, at poker.
Seth muttered about cheating, but put the money the other teen had just won on the bed table. "I gotta get a pair of gameboys with the connector cable thing so we can play anytime, anywhere."
"Don't be a sore loser," Ryan said.
"How much money have you won?" Sandy asked as he and Kirsten walked back into the room.
"Let's just say I need an advance on my allowance to buy even one comic book," Seth said.
Ryan grinned. "I'll loan you the money, Seth," he promised.
"Thanks man," Seth replied, raising his fist and tapping knuckles with Ryan.
"Hey, I always get to read them after you anyway, so..." Ryan said, shrugging. But as he did he let out a hiss and put a hand against his side.
"Honey?" Kirsten asked, concerned.
"Hurt a little bit," Ryan replied, though the look on his face said it hurt more than a little.
"Do you need us to get the nurse to give you some pain medicine?" Sandy asked.
Ryan shook his head. "It already feels better," he said. "Don't worry about it."
"Okay, but if it starts hurting any more let us know," Kirsten said. brushing Ryan's hair off his forehead and being rewarded with one of his half smiles.
"Okay," he promised.
"Good," Sandy said. "So, we've got some good news."
"I can leave before two weeks?" Ryan asked hopefully.
"No," Kirsten said, laughing softly. "But you're already doing so well, they're going to let you have non-family visitors starting tomorrow."
"See? Marissa can come tomorrow and I'll leave you guys alone for a while and even get the parentals to leave you guys alone..." Seth rambled.
Ryan chuckled. "That may not work since you just said you plan in front of them," he pointed out.
"Oh, yeah," Seth said.
Kirsten laughed. "We might be convinced to leave for 5 minutes, if Ryan asks and promises not to get too..."
"Excited," Sandy finished, grinning. Then he grunted as Kirsten smacked him in the stomach. "Ow."
"Serves you right for being crude," Kirsten said.
"Parents, man," Seth said, shaking his head. "Can't live with them."
"Isn't there a 2nd part to that?" Sandy asked.
"Not when I'm saying it," Seth replied, making Ryan laugh.
"Can't live without them," Ryan said, hesitantly reaching out and grabbing Kirsten's hand. When he felt her squeeze it back he smiled up at her, then yawned.
"Whoops, looks like we tired you out," Kirsten said. "Why don't we get you laying flat, and then let you get some sleep?" she suggested.
"I'm fine," Ryan started, only to stop as he yawned again.
"Sure you are," Kirsten replied, hitting the call button. When a nurse came in, she smiled. "Ryan's feeling tired, can you lower the head of his bed? I don't even know where the controls her."
The nurse smiled and walked over, lowering the bed and checking Ryan's vitals. "Hit the button if you need anything else," she said.
"Well, Seth needs to eat before he passes out, so why don't we leave you to sleep?" Sandy suggested, pulling the protesting Seth off the bed.
As Kirsten started to follow, she found Ryan was still holding on to her hand. "Ryan?"
"Don't go," he said quietly.
Kirsten moved close again and sat down in the chair by the bed. "You two go ahead," she said. "I'll stay here. I don't want to let Ryan out of my sight again quite yet."
Sandy nodded in understanding, having noticed Ryan's grip on her hand. "We'll bring something back for you," he promised. Then he pushed the still protesting Seth out of the room and closed the door.
Kirsten gently rustled Ryan's hair and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere, baby," she promised.
"Thanks," Ryan said, smiling slightly and closing his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again. "Kirsten?"
"Yes?" Kirsten asked.
"I meant thanks for everything. For... for trying to find my mom, for letting me stay when she left, for treating me the same as you treat Seth..."
"Ryan, you don't have to thank me for loving you, baby. You are my son, just as much as Seth is. It just took me a while to realize it."
Ryan smiled. "You're a better mom than Dawn ever was. And Sandy's a better dad, and Seth is a much better brother. He's always got my back."
"And you have his," Kirsten agreed. "You are a wonderful brother to Seth, and a wonderful son to me and Sandy. We love you."
Ryan smiled again, and this time when his eyes drifted closed they stayed that way. And though he kept ahold of Kirsten's hand, his grip loosened as he fell asleep.
Kirsten kissed his forehead again, then shifted to get a little more comfortable in the chair. After a moment, she leaned forward and rested her head on the bed beside Ryan, and within minutes she had drifted off herself.
~~~~
She bolted awake a few hours later as the door eased open and Summer stuck her head in. "Summer?" she asked, yawning.
"Sorry," Summer said quietly, seeing Ryan was asleep. She stepped the rest of the way into the room, revealing her Candy Striper uniform, and bit her lip. "I just... Coop wanted to know how he is, and since he's still family only visitors, I figured I could use my Candy Striper status to check on him and say I was making sure there were plenty of magazines and stuff and that you didn't need anything." She paused, her gaze going over Ryan and the machines he was hooked up to. "Is he okay?" she finally asked quietly.
Kirsten nodded. "He will be. He's just... recovering. Getting shot and then having surgery, all in the matter of hours, is a little tiring."
Summer nodded. "I picked up him and Seth's homework. If they get really bored I guess they can stay caught up with it," she said, setting two folders down on the bed table. "I can do the same tomorrow if you want."
"Seth's going to school tomorrow," Kirsten said. "We let him skip today because he was worried, but tomorrow he'll be there. But thank you for today, and if there's classes you share with Ryan but Seth doesn't..."
"I'll get his homework from them," Summer promised smiling. Then she pulled a couple of magazines off the cart. "I though Chino might like these," she said, setting them on top of the homework. "A couple of video game magazines to give him tricks to beat Seth for once. And a couple others."
"Thank you," Kirsten repeated. She looked at the magazines and noticed the top one. "Architectural digest?"
"Chino mentioned he likes architecture in class one day," Summer replied, shrugging. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate it," Kirsten said quickly.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Mrs. Cohen? Like get you some coffee, or food, or something?"
"I'm fine, but thank you for the offer."
Summer smiled, then looked at Ryan again. "I hope... I hope he gets better real quick. He's a good guy."
"Yes, he is," Kirsten agreed.
"I should go, before I get in trouble for breaking the rules," Summer said. "Tell him... tell him Coop'll come see him as soon as she can."
Kirsten nodded. "I'll tell him."
With one last smile, and a last sad glance at Ryan, Summer hurried out of the room.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Author: Mara
Rating: PG-13 (Chapters with higher ratings will be mentioned)
Warnings: Some violence in the first chapter, a mention of sexual assault (NOT of Ryan!) later... and near the end a smutty chapter... though maybe the warning on that one should be it was my first attempt at smut and is probably horrible... lol
Summary: A simple run to the store ends in tragedy as guilt abounds and the meaning of family is pondered.
PART FOUR
"Coop!" Summer called down the hall as she saw her best friend. "Where were you last night? I kept calling and the housekeeper kept saying you were out."
"I was out. Now that I'm living with mom and Caleb, Mom keeps taking me shopping to fill my new huge room with stuff," Marissa said.
"Well I have major, tragic, bad news," Summer said, taking Marissa's arm and guiding her outside. "He's gonna be fine from what I overheard the doctor say and what Cohen said when I talked to him earlier, but Chino's at HOAG."
"What?" Marissa asked, horrified.
"Yeah, he like went out to the store with Mrs. Cohen last night, and this mugger shot him. But I ran into the whole Cohen clan at the hospital when I was picking up my schedule, and I heard the doctor say he'll be okay. Probably in like no time cause Chino's tough. But he's suppose to be awake today, so if you want go see him after school, I'll even drive and sneak you in for a minute."
"I can't," Marissa said. "Mom and I are going shopping after school. If I cancel..."
"Coop," Summer said. "Chino could have been killed last night, and you're choosing shopping over him?"
"If I cancel, it'll just give mom more of a reason to hate him!" Marissa protested.
Summer sighed. "Whatever. I gotta go pick up Chino and Cohen's homework for them. I'm working this afternoon so I'll drop it off and get a report on how he is, okay?"
Marissa nodded. "Thanks, Summer."
~~~~
"The bullet missed all vital organs," Sarah reported. "And that is truly a miracle. Just another inch or so up and his lung would have been punctured. He could have died before help could arrive. But, something tells me Ryan is a fighter."
"In more ways than one," Sandy said.
"Don't be cute, Sandy," Kirsten said, her eyes never leaving the window she could see her sons through.
"If you don't mind me asking, is Ryan... he's not your biological son, is he?" Sarah asked. "The different last names is the first clue."
"Ryan came to us last summer. Sandy was assigned his public defender after his older brother got him in a lot of trouble. And Sandy decided to bring Ryan home. He just... ended up staying," Kirsten said. "But now... he's our son as much as Seth is. He brought our family back together after years of pulling apart. We were losing Seth bit by bit until Ryan came along."
Sandy put an arm around his wife as tears started to form in her eyes. "He's going to be fine," he reassured her.
"I know," Kirsten said, nodding. "But... he could have died. Protecting me. And here when you brought him home I was so cold towards him."
"I think even the coldness was better than Dawn," Sandy said. He looked over at Sarah. "Ryan's mother is a drunk. She... she just couldn't handle being a mother."
"Something tells me he's better off without her," Sarah said as she watched the two teens inside the room. "Looks like he's got a wonderful family right here."
~~~~
"Now I know why we always play video games," Ryan said with a small smile as he beat Seth, again, at poker.
Seth muttered about cheating, but put the money the other teen had just won on the bed table. "I gotta get a pair of gameboys with the connector cable thing so we can play anytime, anywhere."
"Don't be a sore loser," Ryan said.
"How much money have you won?" Sandy asked as he and Kirsten walked back into the room.
"Let's just say I need an advance on my allowance to buy even one comic book," Seth said.
Ryan grinned. "I'll loan you the money, Seth," he promised.
"Thanks man," Seth replied, raising his fist and tapping knuckles with Ryan.
"Hey, I always get to read them after you anyway, so..." Ryan said, shrugging. But as he did he let out a hiss and put a hand against his side.
"Honey?" Kirsten asked, concerned.
"Hurt a little bit," Ryan replied, though the look on his face said it hurt more than a little.
"Do you need us to get the nurse to give you some pain medicine?" Sandy asked.
Ryan shook his head. "It already feels better," he said. "Don't worry about it."
"Okay, but if it starts hurting any more let us know," Kirsten said. brushing Ryan's hair off his forehead and being rewarded with one of his half smiles.
"Okay," he promised.
"Good," Sandy said. "So, we've got some good news."
"I can leave before two weeks?" Ryan asked hopefully.
"No," Kirsten said, laughing softly. "But you're already doing so well, they're going to let you have non-family visitors starting tomorrow."
"See? Marissa can come tomorrow and I'll leave you guys alone for a while and even get the parentals to leave you guys alone..." Seth rambled.
Ryan chuckled. "That may not work since you just said you plan in front of them," he pointed out.
"Oh, yeah," Seth said.
Kirsten laughed. "We might be convinced to leave for 5 minutes, if Ryan asks and promises not to get too..."
"Excited," Sandy finished, grinning. Then he grunted as Kirsten smacked him in the stomach. "Ow."
"Serves you right for being crude," Kirsten said.
"Parents, man," Seth said, shaking his head. "Can't live with them."
"Isn't there a 2nd part to that?" Sandy asked.
"Not when I'm saying it," Seth replied, making Ryan laugh.
"Can't live without them," Ryan said, hesitantly reaching out and grabbing Kirsten's hand. When he felt her squeeze it back he smiled up at her, then yawned.
"Whoops, looks like we tired you out," Kirsten said. "Why don't we get you laying flat, and then let you get some sleep?" she suggested.
"I'm fine," Ryan started, only to stop as he yawned again.
"Sure you are," Kirsten replied, hitting the call button. When a nurse came in, she smiled. "Ryan's feeling tired, can you lower the head of his bed? I don't even know where the controls her."
The nurse smiled and walked over, lowering the bed and checking Ryan's vitals. "Hit the button if you need anything else," she said.
"Well, Seth needs to eat before he passes out, so why don't we leave you to sleep?" Sandy suggested, pulling the protesting Seth off the bed.
As Kirsten started to follow, she found Ryan was still holding on to her hand. "Ryan?"
"Don't go," he said quietly.
Kirsten moved close again and sat down in the chair by the bed. "You two go ahead," she said. "I'll stay here. I don't want to let Ryan out of my sight again quite yet."
Sandy nodded in understanding, having noticed Ryan's grip on her hand. "We'll bring something back for you," he promised. Then he pushed the still protesting Seth out of the room and closed the door.
Kirsten gently rustled Ryan's hair and leaned forward to kiss his forehead. "I'm not going anywhere, baby," she promised.
"Thanks," Ryan said, smiling slightly and closing his eyes. After a moment, he opened them again. "Kirsten?"
"Yes?" Kirsten asked.
"I meant thanks for everything. For... for trying to find my mom, for letting me stay when she left, for treating me the same as you treat Seth..."
"Ryan, you don't have to thank me for loving you, baby. You are my son, just as much as Seth is. It just took me a while to realize it."
Ryan smiled. "You're a better mom than Dawn ever was. And Sandy's a better dad, and Seth is a much better brother. He's always got my back."
"And you have his," Kirsten agreed. "You are a wonderful brother to Seth, and a wonderful son to me and Sandy. We love you."
Ryan smiled again, and this time when his eyes drifted closed they stayed that way. And though he kept ahold of Kirsten's hand, his grip loosened as he fell asleep.
Kirsten kissed his forehead again, then shifted to get a little more comfortable in the chair. After a moment, she leaned forward and rested her head on the bed beside Ryan, and within minutes she had drifted off herself.
~~~~
She bolted awake a few hours later as the door eased open and Summer stuck her head in. "Summer?" she asked, yawning.
"Sorry," Summer said quietly, seeing Ryan was asleep. She stepped the rest of the way into the room, revealing her Candy Striper uniform, and bit her lip. "I just... Coop wanted to know how he is, and since he's still family only visitors, I figured I could use my Candy Striper status to check on him and say I was making sure there were plenty of magazines and stuff and that you didn't need anything." She paused, her gaze going over Ryan and the machines he was hooked up to. "Is he okay?" she finally asked quietly.
Kirsten nodded. "He will be. He's just... recovering. Getting shot and then having surgery, all in the matter of hours, is a little tiring."
Summer nodded. "I picked up him and Seth's homework. If they get really bored I guess they can stay caught up with it," she said, setting two folders down on the bed table. "I can do the same tomorrow if you want."
"Seth's going to school tomorrow," Kirsten said. "We let him skip today because he was worried, but tomorrow he'll be there. But thank you for today, and if there's classes you share with Ryan but Seth doesn't..."
"I'll get his homework from them," Summer promised smiling. Then she pulled a couple of magazines off the cart. "I though Chino might like these," she said, setting them on top of the homework. "A couple of video game magazines to give him tricks to beat Seth for once. And a couple others."
"Thank you," Kirsten repeated. She looked at the magazines and noticed the top one. "Architectural digest?"
"Chino mentioned he likes architecture in class one day," Summer replied, shrugging. "Seemed like a good idea at the time."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate it," Kirsten said quickly.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Mrs. Cohen? Like get you some coffee, or food, or something?"
"I'm fine, but thank you for the offer."
Summer smiled, then looked at Ryan again. "I hope... I hope he gets better real quick. He's a good guy."
"Yes, he is," Kirsten agreed.
"I should go, before I get in trouble for breaking the rules," Summer said. "Tell him... tell him Coop'll come see him as soon as she can."
Kirsten nodded. "I'll tell him."
With one last smile, and a last sad glance at Ryan, Summer hurried out of the room.
TO BE CONTINUED...
