AN: Hope you enjoy a little AU Ramy. With all this speculation over the promo for next Monday and the sudden fear that the proposal script passed around months ago was somehow scrapped or even a fake, I realized that we all need a little bit of RAMY love. This story has just enough of the drama but the SOLID PROMISE of a Ramy happy ending. Please review!

The Start to Something Big

Ricky Underwood rubbed away the tension in his neck and sighed, letting his back fall against the elevator wall and his hands slip into his pockets. It had been a long day of meetings and business that had lost its appeal early on and the seventeen year old found himself tired and itching to go back to the apartment. His mother was caught up with her assistant, putting the final touches on a charity event Boykewich Butchers was hosting the next day and had graciously allowed him to head down to the car. She promised to only be a moment, so he took his time, unbuttoning his jacket and letting the elevator music soothe him.

As he made his way from the top floor to the basement parking lot his thoughts drifted to the moments that brought him to where he was: seventeen, about to enter into his senior year of high school, and the heir to half of a business empire. He was in awe of how easily everything could have been different and how blessed he truly was.

Thirteen years ago Nora Underwood: alcoholic, druggie, and unfit mother had caught her husband, Bob Underwood, sexually assaulting their only son. In a moment of sheer maternal clarity she shoved an inebriated Bob away, knocking him out on the bureau and took Ricky out of their dingy apartment to somewhere safe. The only place she knew of was the home of Margaret Shakur, the social worker who had been so concerned for Nora and her son. Nora came to Margaret, desperate to be helped, and called the police, putting Bob away in prison. Afterward, Nora agreed to go into voluntary treatment while giving parental rights to Margaret and her husband, Sanjay. They became his foster parents.

And so, for the next seven years Margaret and Sanjay cared for Ricky while Nora, who at first did well in rehab, relapsed and moved in and out of different centers. She wanted to be helped, but couldn't seem to stay motivated and Ricky became bitter towards his mother, feeling as though she didn't find him a good enough reason to stay clean. More than that, he was still dealing the after affects of his sexual abuse and was naturally distrusting of other people.

Over the course of that time Leo and Sarah Boykewich began looking into adopting a second child, after unsuccessfully becoming pregnant on their own. They had a son, Ben, who was eleven, but they wanted more children.

Ben was always an awkward child more privileged than spoiled, but, none-the-less, sheltered and naïve, which made him an easy target for bullies. It was on one particular day, in the city park that two older boys cornered Ben and demanded he give them his prized remote controlled helicopter. When he refused, they moved on him, ready and willing to take it by force, until Ricky Underwood happened upon them.

'Leave him alone!' he cried out, calling attention to himself as he strode over with a hard glare and an unshaken resolve.

'Mind your own business,' one of them responded, turning back toward the smaller boy who clutched at his helicopter toy with wide eyes.

'No.' Ricky said. 'I told you to leave him alone.'

The confrontation had resulted in a fistfight with help from Ben's remote controlled toy, which ended up getting destroyed anyway. But both boys came out relatively unscathed and best friends. From that moment on they were practically inseparable and Ricky spent most nights with the Boykewichs, becoming like family. They took Ricky in, treated him like their own son, and when the opportunity presented itself in the form of Sanjay getting a different job in a different state, the Boykewichs offered to adopt Ricky, who didn't want to move away.

Though Ricky had become attached to Margaret and Sanjay he couldn't deny how much he loved the Boykewich family and how much he had wanted to be apart of them. It took about a year and an intense search for Nora, who needed to sign over all of her parental rights, which didn't go over well with her, but soon Ricky was officially Leo and Sarah Boykewich's son and Ben's brother.

He often thought about how different his life would have turned out if he had never met Ben. He probably would have ended up moving away and, though he loved Margaret and Sanjay for everything they did for him, still considering them to be parents of his, he knew that he wouldn't be who he was today. They were always taking in foster kids and he learned, pretty early on, how easy it is in a foster home to get lost in the shuffle. To act out because no one is really watching what you're doing. But the Boykewich family was all about close-knit relationships and being in each other's business. And he kind of liked being kept in line.

With a slight smile Ricky made his way out the elevator and to the car, pulling the keys from his pocket and sliding into the passenger seat, hoping Nora was close behind him. His thoughts lingered on Nora, his biological mother, and he sighed thinking of the changes she had gone through because of him meeting Ben. Having to sign over her parental rights had been difficult, sobering for the most part, and she tried her hardest to get clean after that. Leo and Sarah had helped her, put her in a center close to them so she could still see Ricky and they brought the family to visit her every weekend they could.

Seeing Ricky happy made her realize how much she wanted for him and so, after a grueling three years of getting back on her feet, Nora Underwood was finally sober. But she didn't go to court to get Ricky back, she knew that he was better off with the Boykewich family. So instead, Leo allowed her to be around and even gave her a job in Boykewich Butchers, which she worked hard at, moving up in the company until Leo realized her potential in public relations. He appointed her as a PR rep and she moved to the New York office just last year.

And that's where Ricky was, spending the summer with his mother and seeing her in action. He couldn't express the pride he had in her, how much he loved seeing her thrive in a good in place in her life. And he also could never express the gratitude he had for the Boykewich family. They had taken him in and had never let the "truth" of his adoption stop him from being a part of every facet of the Boykewich name, including the business. Blood was never an issue and sometimes he forgot it ever had been.

The opening of the driver's side door roused him from his thoughts and he turned, seeing Nora slip into her seat and motion for her keys. He handed them to her with a smile and she laughed. "My god, that new assistant of mine can really talk a mile a minute. I would actually still be up there had I not told Donovan to just email me the itinerary. Thank God for the Internet."

Ricky smiled. "So everything is set up for tomorrow?" Nora nodded and sighed, easing into her seat as she turned the keys into the ignition.

"It should be good," she sighed, backing up out of the parking space and heading toward the entrance of the lot. "We're going to really be reaching out to the community tomorrow with that barbeque and the donation we're making to the foundation will help a lot of needy kids." She glanced at him as she pulled out into the street and smiled. "Plus it feels good to get the opportunity to give back to Sanjay and Margaret. I really wish your dad could be here. Did you call him yet?"

Ricky dropped his gaze into his lap and shook his head. "I planned to do it when we got home. I've been worried about him and Ben and had hoped they would decide to fly out here for the event, but I think it's just too hard right now. They keep throwing themselves into different activities just to stay busy. I almost postponed coming a few days just to be with them."

Nora nodded and reached out her hand to take his. "It's a hard time, for everyone, but they'll be okay and I'm glad you're here." Ricky shared a smile with her as she gripped his hand a little tighter. "How are you doing?" she asked, pulling her hand away as they drove through the city toward the apartment. But Ricky only shrugged.

"I'm okay. It's hard to believe it's been a year since Sarah passed away and I miss her, but I've always had three moms so I think I'm better equipped to be okay than Ben is."

"And Ben? How is he doing, really?"

At this Ricky sighed and leaned his head against the headrest. "He's gotten better. Those first few months were hard on him, he lashed out a lot, but the sessions with Dr. Fields really helped. It's just that, the closer we get to her death day the more Ben and dad are throwing themselves into their work and school. Ben's been busy with student government stuff and his side projects with Henry and Alice, but I think he'll be okay."

Nora nodded. "Yeah, I think so. And in the mean time I'm just really glad you're here."

Ricky nodded, but said nothing, unsure of what else there was to say. He and his mother were close and they loved each other, but were hardly the type to become overly sentimental. That was more his relationship with Sarah than anything else, or maybe even Margaret. But Ricky and Nora were buddies. Mother and son, but mostly buddies and he was glad that Nora understood that because soon enough she sighed deeply with a laugh and pulled into her spot. "Alright," she started, "enough of that. You hungry? Want to order in?"

Ricky chuckled and nodded. "Chinese?"

Nora smiled. "You call your dad, I'll order alright?"

He smiled and agreed, getting out of the car as he pulled his cell out of his pocket. He was glad that the summer was off to a good start and was looking forward to what, felt like, would be an eventful vacation.

AN: So, a different take on Ricky Underwood, but completely plausible. Ever since the Round II episode I've always wondered, what it would be like if Ricky and Ben had been brothers. That certainly looks like a potential future for them if Ricky is as special to Mr. Boykewich as Camille eluded to. Leave some love in the reviews section and I'll be sure to update soon.