Authors Note- Again, sorry for the delay, but…things happen. Thank you for being so faithful, and enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter Fourteen - " I really hope your plan works"

The next four or five weeks had represented the dramatic life changes for both Ryan and Seth since the age of seventeen, and amazed them that it took this long to happen. One was in a desperate attempt to gain custody of his child, the other was ready to fight in not losing his. As time progressed, Seth would make camp at either Elise's or Ryan's apartment. With skill, he still remained under Summer's acknowledgment, and at the same time, did not share news of his plan for Ryan's custody trial. This happened to be a very unsettling topic for Ryan.

Even with what little conversation Lillian had applied herself to when first in California, it was over now. The exposure she had to the residue of the trial lead her right back into a mute phase. Ryan had a feeling it was the psychologist in which she was forced into as order of the court, but he wasn't in the position to fight it right now. He just wanted her to stay with him.

Seth tore through the California streets, certain ones that he had come to know so well due to his extending visit. Especially the routes between Elise and Ryan, and any fast food place in between. Not only was it a nice substitute for the fact that neither of his hosts could cook, but, he figured it'd be a typical Summer-free zone. That was, until just now.

He threw himself through the apartment door, finding himself with barely enough breath to state his information. " Ryan! I saw Summer at Burger King, and she looked right at me! I had the sunglasses on, but I don't know, she looked freaked out!".

He stumbled into the living room, where he knew Ryan would be. And, sitting on the couch with Lillian in his lap, was Sandy.

" Holy hell, it's my dad".

Ryan looked away, while Sandy gave his son the glare that would emerge if something rather stupid had occurred. This, was one of those times. " Well, I guess now we can call off the National Guard search for you".

" He asked me not to say anything, I'm sorry" Ryan muttered, before taking Lillian and leaving the two in the room by themselves.

The younger Cohen remained frozen, reflecting on the fact that he had been in California for sometime, and never chose to tell his mom and dad. " Do you know your mother has been calling you three times a day for over a month? When you're suppose to be living in New York, what are we suppose to think?".

Seth sat himself on the chair where Ryan had just been. " Dad, I'm sorry. But, you don't know what's been going on".

" Oh, I saw Summer at the last court date, I can take a good guess on what's going on".

This was not how he pictured informing his dad that he was going to be a grandparent. " It's not like that. Summer doesn't know what I'm here, or that I'm aware she's even pregnant. She wants me to give up my rights, and I'm here to try and work that out".

Sandy had a new realization that his son- Seth Cohen of all people, who had played video games until….well, he still does- had finally his an extreme point of maturity. " And hiding out at Ryan's is your tactic?" but he wasn't going to let him get off that easy.

" It's a work in progress, I don't want to make a move unless I really know what I'm doing".

That was too easy to make a comment, so Sandy let it pass. " Why didn't you come to me? I'm your father, and if I'm helping Ryan I can certainly help you. You could be getting in way over your head here".

Seth felt his eyes beginning to roll in their sockets. " Dad, I understand that I'm your only biological child and everything, but impregnating my ex-high school sweetheart while intoxicated isn't something I'd really want to phone home about".

Sandy shrugged lightly, " well, either way, I'm going to be a grandpa".

" Okay, you just keep telling yourself that".

Sandy left later that afternoon, with promises of returning, but not saying a word to Kirsten…yet. Seth took to thought what his dad had said, about doing something right now, though still stayed the night at Ryan's. There was no word on the apparent sighting, which was good, but figured it'd still be a safer move.

The two boys fell asleep that night in front of a tacky cable movie they couldn't help but watch. The movie had ended two hours beforehand, leaving them in a deep slumber. But a combination of an odd sound coming from the back bedroom and flipping off the couch had Seth awake. He stumbled to the bedroom where he knew Lillian had been asleep, while half awake himself, to investigate the noise. But the night light that would briefly illuminate the room had shown that not only was window for the fire escape open, but the little girl was not there.

Seth searched the entire room, the spare bedroom, and the bathroom within ninety seconds. It then crossed his mind that if the bedroom door was closed when he first got there, she wouldn't have left the room. At least, not through the door.

The bottom of his stomach suddenly dropped, and the panic began. He ran so fast back the living room that he went right by the couch where Ryan had been sleeping.

" Ryan!" he screamed louder than thought possible, which threw him into a sitting position, " Ryan, Lily's not in her room! The windows open, but she's not in the apartment!".

Immediately, Ryan dove over the back of the couch and bolted to the bedroom. He didn't ask for more information, he was Ryan Atwood, he didn't have to. When Seth heard him climbing down the fire escape, he ran out of the apartment to the stairs, and would barely hit the steps on the way down.

Ryan was already pacing the sidewalk, screaming out Lillian's name.

" Do you think she ran off again?" Seth asked, interrupting Ryan's fury.

" I don't know what she would do that".

There was a faint screeching noise, or something that sounded similar, that came from around the street corner. It was too quiet to even tell if it was a human making that noise, but it was enough to get them running.

As soon as they had rounded the corner, the streetlights revealed a struggle between two darkened figures, an adult and a child. The taller figure had stopped running at that point to try and gain control of the smaller one who was using all her might to try and get away. It was Lillian.

Seth remained where he was standing, but Ryan took off, and had already tackled the guy who was restraining his daughter. He had been seen in enough fights to know exactly what it looked like. Lillian ran away from the brawl, heading towards Seth, who met her halfway to scoop her up in his arms. Knowing Ryan's top concern right now would be her safety, Seth ran back to the apartment.

By the time he had returned to the living room, he was entirely out of breath, but concerned if Ryan was alright. Surely, he was tough, but they had no idea who that even was. Lillian kept a tight grip on the back of his shirt, her face buried on his shoulder. She wasn't crying, she was screaming. And in the wake of an attempted kidnapping, he didn't know how to console her.

The front door slammed and, thankfully, Ryan appeared. He too was out of breath, a little flushed looking, but didn't seem to have suffered any battle wounds.

" He, he got away" Ryan breathed, " I let him go, wanted to make sure, she was alright".

Lillian hear his voice and pushed away from Seth, and he let her switch into Ryan's arms. He gently soothed her as she slowly began to cry.

Ryan snarled at Seth, giving him a look as though what had just happened was his fault. But they didn't even know what that was.

" I really hope your plan works".