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Authors note: First I have to thank two wonderful people that wrote me on my birthday actually and volountered to beta read for me. Hands up for Famous99 and Joey51. Thank you so very very much. You rock. This chapter you are about to read is actually Famous99 doing that its being readable :) If you hold your horses you will also see that this whole story will be beta read and maybe finally you get to read it without all my swe-english misstakes :) Ok enough of the speech right now. Let's go back to some action...

Beneath the surface - Chapter 6

The silence in the kitchen was absolutely deafening. After Ryan interrupted their conversation, Kirsten claimed a migraine and went to bed. Since Seth was still asleep, this left Sandy and Ryan to eat dinner alone, or more accurately; Sandy eating while Ryan mostly picked at his food, shuffling it around on the plate.

Even though he didn't want them to, his thoughts constantly turned back to the words he'd heard Kirsten say. It had scared him badly, not so much the words, as the reality that he'd hurt her. Ryan waited for Sandy to say the magic words, signalling him to pack his bags and leave the family. It was his way off solving problems at least for the minute. Whenever he'd done something that wasn't approved of, one of his mom's old boyfriends would give the signal, which often contained the words, "Get the hell out of here before I knock your skull in." After that he would pack his bags and then scurry out of the room to either live on the streets or at some friend's house, until things had settled down and they were ready to take him in again.

Swallowing hard, Ryan felt his stomach flutter.He'd lost the little appetite he had and instead he concentrated on dissecting the potatoes like it was some kind of science experiment.

"You all right kid?" Sandy's voice cut through his thoughts, making him start in the process.

"Eh..Uh…what?" He could see Mr. Cohen looking at him. "Yeah..yeah." Ryan ran his hand through his hair. "I was just thinking about something. Spacing out you know." He gave a weak smile.

"Ok." Sandy didn't press further; instead he attempted to get the teenager to talk. "So how was school today ?" Unlike his wife, it had never been a problem to get Ryan to open up. Maybe it was because he felt that he knew the kid and that kids like Ryan needed time to reveal what was on their mind. Today however the teen was as silent as a clam.

"Ok I guess, " the young man muttered without looking up from his plate.

"Kirsten said that you stayed after school to do some homework. Is that so?"

Upon hearing the question, Ryan felt his stomach churn. This was it! Now Sandy would start with the inquisition and then after he found out Ryan lying to him Sandy would kick him out of the house. Deep inside he knew that it was old ghosts talking but the mere thought of having to leave the Cohens and go back to living out in the street made him break out in a cold sweat although "Eh..Uh..Yeah, you know lots of work." He swallowed noisily, which had Sandy looking at him strangely.

"Can be tiring eh?"

"Mmm..A little." Ryan took a swig from his glass. "Actually not too bad, but I have a huge assignment that is due for tomorrow." He thought back at the extra reading he had to do.

While Sandy went on with small talk about Ryan mostly picked at his food again. Feeling distracted. Sandy didn't take his eyes off Ryan, who started to shift uncomfortably in his seat; still not meeting the older man's eyes. This was pure torture not knowing what Sandy's next move would be. At least with AJ he had known what would happen. Usually a blow to his head or a fist in his stomach.

"Is that all you're going to eat? Sandy pointed with his fork at Ryan's untouched plate. "That's not much for a growing teenager."

"Uh..I'm not..not very hungry." Ryan could feel himself blushing. "Sorry."

"That's okay, son." Sandy's tone was gentle. "Is your stomach bothering you? Kirsten told me that you might be coming down with Seth's flu and that you were sent home from school.

"No not really." The teenager hung his head. "It's probably nothing. Just a little upset stomach." Seeing the escape route he so desperately needed, he added sheepishly, "May I be excused? I've got to start working on that paper. You know, the one that's due tomorrow."

Sandy nodded. "Yes do that." When the young man stood up and picked up his plate he added with a concerned voice, "Son, don't overdo it. If you don't feel all that great it's better to rest. The paper can wait."

"I won't." Feeling like he had to get out off the room or he would burst or even worse cry, e stood up and walked towards the kitchen sink. "Tell Rosa that the dinner was great." He could hear Sandy chuckle in the back.

"I'll do that kid, although I don't think you ate very much."

"Sorry." Ryan blushed. God he had to stop doing this as well as apologizing.

"It's okay." Sandy's warm eyes looked at him. "I'm not that hungry either." Walking over to Ryan, he placed his hand on the teen's shoulder. "You've been awfully quiet this evening. Is there something bothering you kid?"

Ryan swallowed hard. He had a chance to tell someone that he knew cared for him about his problems. Instead, he stood there like a nerd, unable to say anything. He wanted so desperately to ask Sandy if they would kick him out of the house, and if Kirsten was very upset with him. But all he could do was stand there like a moron.

The older man was the first to finally broach the subject. "Listen, Ryan if it's what Kirsten said earlier when you walked into the kitchen, you shouldn't read too much into that. She can be blunt sometimes and I know that she didn't mean what she said." He looked straight into the teenager's eyes.

Ryan felt his body break out into cold sweat. So this was it. Sandy was giving the goodbye speech. He waited nervously for the "but" to come. Instead the older man continued, "You know how you sometimes say stupid things without meaning it even if you had a good meaning behind it?"

The young man nodded. His throat was dry and he felt like he was close to a panic attack. He was so scared because where would he go if he was told to leave? His mother wasn't around and his brother and dad were in jail. He would be out on the streets. Not that it would be a problem if it came to that. No, it was more that he had let the Cohens down when they had been so good to take him in. He could feel his muscles tense while he waited for the bomb to drop.

"Well, that's what Kirsten did. Her concern for you made her say things that she didn't mean and it all came out so wrong. She's afraid that you don't like it here and knowing my wife she is afraid that you would think that we don't want you here. Which, by the way, is not true." Sandy looked at the teenager, "Do you think you can forgive her? Think you can forgive me?"

Noticing Ryan's doubts he continued, "Kirsten has a good heart and she means well, even if it sometimes comes out wrong. I know that she likes you very much and she wants you to live with us." He breathed in. "We all want you live here."

"'kay." Even though he felt relieved, it also made Ryan feel even more uncomfortable than before. All this attention was new to him and he fidgeted. "Is it okay if I go now?"

"Sure." Sandy let his hand drop. "Do you need anymore Tylenol? Need anything for that stomach of yours?"

Ryan shook his head. "No. I'm fine." God that phrase seemed to be the only thing he could say lately. He sounded like a broken record. From the look he received from the older man, he could tell that Sandy didn't believe him.

"Okay, let me know if you start to feel worse or if you need any more medication. We don't want you to be sick alone in the pool house do we?" He chuckled but Ryan could see the concern shining in his eyes.

"I guess not." The teen forced a smile in return, despite feeling like he would throw up if he didn't get out of this tense situation in a hurry. "Don't worry. I'm just tired." Another one of those lies that he was so great at telling. If he told it enough times maybe they would become the truth.

"If you say so." Sandy wasn't that easily fooled. "Listen kid, if there's something on your mind that you feel the need to talk about, I'm here to listen." He patted the teenager on his back. "Now go to bed. God knows that you look like you need it. I'll come and check up on you later on."

"'kay." Ryan faked a yawn then mumbled a short, "thanks," before he scurried off to the pool house. The moment he was alone he let out a long breath he hadn't even been aware that he was holding it in. Ryan felt so many different emotions going on inside of him, he didn't know which way to turn. One minute he was certain Sandy was going to throw him out and the next Sandy was asking for him to understand and forgive Sitting down on the bed he let his shoulders drop. The headache that had accompanied him most of the day was still there, lurking behind his eyes. The queasy feeling he felt in his stomach was there too and he decided that it was his nerves playing a trick on him. Deep inside he wished he hadn't been such a fool and that he had told Sandy about his mother's phone call, but now he felt as if it were too late. Lying down on his bed Ryan closed his eyes. He tried to think about something other than the churning sensation in his stomach.After lots of tossing and turning he was finally able to relax and soon fell into another restless sleep.