AN: Guess what? I finished another one! Woohoo! Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to continue this and enjoyed reading it. Closure is a beautiful thing and I hope I can get that here.

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"Come on, kid, let's see those eyes…"

I definitely didn't recognize that voice.

God, I felt like hell. I opened my eyes and realized that I was still in the hospital.

"There they are…welcome back…" A nurse smiled at me.

"What's going on?"

"You've been out of it for a while…you're very sick…"

"Sick?" What was she talking about?

"You're getting over a pretty serious staph infection. I'll get your family."

Damn. That sounded bad. That must be why my whole body hurts.

"Ryan?" Sandy stepped inside. He looked exhausted.

"You look like hell," I said.

He smiled, relieved. "You're one to talk. How do you feel?"

"Tired. Sore."

"You've been unconscious for two days."

"Two days? What? Are you serious?"

"It's okay, you're awake now…the doctors say you're on the mend…"

"Two days? God, Sandy…" I've never lost that much time.

"It's okay, kid," He said with a sad smile. "You needed the rest so your body could recover."

I shook my head. This was unbelievable.

"Relax. They're taking good care of you…"

"God…all of this because I went to the beach?"

"You could have gotten it from a lot of places, it's under control, Ryan." He put his hand on my arm. "You're going to be fine."

God, I hated being scared. And I hated letting people see that I was scared even more. And I was fucking scared and Sandy knew it. I'd never been sick enough to be in the hospital this long.

"Ryan?"

I didn't know how to answer him.

"Come on, kid, say something…"

"I don't like being sick."

"You're doing much better. You'll be home before you know it."

"Wake up. Wake up."

I wanted to sleep but I recognized that voice. Julie Cooper. Oh shit. I was too weak to be able to get away.

"Wake up!" She hissed and I gasped in pain as she shoved my wounded side.

She was standing over me.

"You're going to get Luke to come here."

"What?" She slapped me. Damn, she had an arm.

"He won't talk to me…"

"You shot him…"

"I'm sorry about that…"

Julie was a lot like her daughter. She assumed that she could be forgiven for attempting to kill Luke.

"But he won't talk to me. There are these bodyguards always with him…so you're going to get him for me…"

"No way, Julie…you tried to kill him…"

"I'd never hurt him…" She snapped. "I love him…"

"So you shot him?" I deserved that slap.

"Get up."

"What?"

She pulled the IV out of my arm swiftly. "You're going to get Luke for me…"

"Julie, why are you doing this?"

She regarded me for a long moment. "Because I love him."

"He doesn't love you. If he loved you, don't you think he'd fight for you?" My own words echoed in my head. My mother hadn't fought for me. But the Cohens…I'd like to think they'd fight for me. But where were they?

"Get up," She ordered.

I slowly sat up and immediately saw stars. My vision went dark for a moment. She grabbed me, her hand brushed my bandage and the pain snapped me back to full consciousness.

I felt the nurse button under my hand as I swung my legs off the bed. I pushed the button. Hopefully someone would come.

"You think you know so much, but you're just a fucking kid…"

"Julie…" I was really fucking weak and I didn't know if I could stand.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are. You don't belong here, you don't know anything about this town…" She snapped.

"And you do? You're throwing your life away over your daughter's ex-boyfriend, a kid…you have to know that this is crazy…"

"Shut up. Here." She dropped sneakers on the floor in front of me. I was wearing sweatpants and I didn't remember putting them on. 2 days unconscious, there's no telling who dressed and undressed me.

"Let's go." I glanced at her. I saw the gun in her hand for the first time. It was a different gun but just as dangerous.

I slowly stood up and shakily took a step. Everything was spinning but she grabbed my arm and shoved me toward the door.

"Go. You first."

I stepped into the hallway and immediately heard my name.

"Ryan? You can't be out of bed…" Kirsten was down the hall at the nurse's station.

Julie stepped out behind me. She held my arm tightly.

"It's cool, Kirsten, everything's fine," I said quietly.

"We need security," I heard Kirsten say.

"You come with me. Don't make me hurt her. You're not worth anything but she's worth millions…"

It wasn't about the money. Kirsten was special. She was a pure soul. I wouldn't let her get hurt.

"Ryan. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, she just wants…"

Julie shoved me. "I can speak for myself."

"Julie, let him go." Sandy's voice was behind us.

"No. He's going to take me to Luke," Julie snapped.

"Julie, he can't take you to Luke," Sandy said. "Luke's parents took him out of town."

Julie looked at me. "Is that true?"

"I don't…"

She shoved me against the wall and pain coursed through my body. "Is it true?"

"I don't know, Julie, I haven't seen him since I've been in here…." I said, barely holding myself upright by bracing myself against the wall. She had her gun trained on me.

"It's over, Julie…" Sandy said. He had armed officers with him and his voice was closer now.

"I won't go to jail…This is all your fault…" Julie said right before the guards tackled her. The gun fell out of her grasp and skittered across the floor. It didn't go off.

"Ryan…" Sandy was in front of me, holding me by my shoulders. "Look at me, Ryan…"

I met his gaze. I didn't think I was capable of speech.

"Did she hurt you?"

"No…I'm okay…" I thought I was okay.

"Let's get you back into bed…"

I let him lead me past the cops that were pulling Julie down the hall.

"Ryan, its okay…" Kirsten appeared on my empty side and they supported me back into the room.

"Are you sure she didn't hurt you?" Sandy asked once I was seated on the bed again.

"No…I'm completely intact…" I thought I was. Kirsten was searching my body for injuries anyway.

"We were down the hall talking to the police…she must have walked right by us…" Sandy said quietly.

"I was sleeping. I woke up and she was here…"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kirsten asked. Damn, they'd asked me that enough times, you'd think they didn't believe me.

"Yeah…I mean, I'm totally freaked but…yeah…I'm okay…"

"Lie down. The doctor's on his way," Sandy said.

"When can I get out of here?"

"Tomorrow at the earliest," Sandy replied.

I relaxed against the bed, pulling my legs up.

"Just get some rest. We'll be right here."

The doctors released me the next day. I knew that I'd been pretty sick but I was a little hurt that Seth hadn't shown up to visit me. He must've been more upset than I'd thought about our little conversation in the hospital room. Talking always seemed to get me into trouble.

I wasn't sure what to think. I was just glad to be going home. I hadn't gathered the nerve to ask Sandy if Seth was upset with me, I didn't want to worry him any more.

"We want you to stay inside for a while…"

"Where?" I asked. Hailey was in the guest room and the couch was pretty exposed. I really didn't want to crash on Seth's floor either.

"We haven't figured that out yet," Kirsten admitted.

"The poolhouse is fine, guys…I sort of…I'd like to sleep in my own bed…"

"Last time we let you sleep in the poolhouse, you ended up drinking at the beach," Sandy said.

"Come on, guys…" I pleaded. I'd really been looking forward to that bed.

"You're still grounded…"

"I couldn't go anywhere if I wanted to," I replied honestly. I was exhausted. I wasn't sleepy, but my energy level was nonexistent.

"I told you we needed a plan," Sandy muttered.

"Well, if you didn't teach him how to negotiate like a lawyer," Kirsten teased. I closed my eyes and let their cute bickering lull me to sleep.

When we arrived at the house, I expected to see Seth but the house was empty. It was oddly silent.

"Can I go lie down?" I asked as we stood in the kitchen.

"I'll walk you to the poolhouse." Sandy walked with me outside. We walked in silence but he kept his hand on my shoulder as if he thought I'd fall over. I might.

"Thanks, Sandy…"

"None of that. Get some rest. We'll be back to check on you," Sandy smiled as I sat down. I watched him walk away.

"He looks dead," Summer's voice broke into my sleep.

"He's not dead," I heard Luke mutter.

"He looks dead," Summer repeated.

I felt a hand on my forehead. "I think he's okay."

"At least your parents are letting us see him. Kirsten was almost territorial," Anna said.

I opened my eyes. Seth and Summer were sitting on one side of my bed and Luke and Anna were on the other.

"I hope this isn't some kind of kink for you guys," I muttered.

"Hey," Seth grinned. "You live!"

"Barely. What's up?"

"Well, it's been a while since we'd had a Get-Along Gang meeting," Anna smiled.

"Mom and Dad wouldn't let us see you. You were…you were pretty fucked up," Seth admitted.

"I'm really sorry, man," Luke said quietly.

"Not your fault."

"Totally his fault," Summer said with a sympathetic smile. "But he's better now."

"Sandy said Julie came for you but he didn't tell us what happened," Anna said as I sat up.

"She's nuts," I replied.

"No argument."

"She didn't hurt you, did she? Like, what happened?"

"She wanted me to take her to Luke. Sandy told her that Luke was out of town and she flipped…the cops knocked her down and got the gun away from her…"

"Where the hell did she get a gun from? I mean, she just got out of jail for shooting you guys!" Anna said.

"Dad was pretty smooth telling her that, though. Luke didn't leave town…" Seth said, thoughtful.

I'm tired but its good to have my friends around me. Talking about the drama of the past few days with them almost makes me feel like this is normal. Like normal kids have psycho older women coming after them with guns. Maybe I really am fitting in here.

"Dude. You okay?" Seth called, thumping me.

"Yeah, man. I'm okay."

"Well, I was thinking that maybe we could take a walk down to the beach. You know, just for kicks," Luke said seriously.

"What?" Anna shoved him. "You can't be serious…"

"You've been hanging out with Summer too long, you hit too hard!" Luke laughed. "I was just joking…"

"What are you all doing here? Seth…" Kirsten walked into the room with a surprised look.

"Uh oh…" Seth muttered.

"Seth, he's tired, he needs his rest, I sent you out here to check on him, not have a party. Kids…" Kirsten started immediately.

"I thought you said we had permission?" Summer hissed at him.

"I had permission…I just extended it to all of you," He replied. Seth was a good brother. He knew that I needed my friends around me.

"Kirsten, it's okay. I'm fine. It's good to see them all…"

"You need your rest," Kirsten said.

"He's resting," Seth replied.

"Please, Kirsten?" Anna smiled.

"Please?" Luke and Summer echoed immediately.

Kirsten's sternness faded instantly. "I'll order dinner for everyone. But…"

"I need my rest. Got it."

"Good," She smiled.

I glanced around me. I had friends and a real family. I think that I might like it here. For the first time, this might be home.