I'm not really feeling the love for this chapter. Maybe it's because my beloved Shithead isn't here to sweet talk me.

Chapter Eighteen

Sandy was surprised the tentative knock on the door was Ryan. He ushered him into the office, keeping in mind this was his son, not just his client. He spoke of the few options they were limited to and the best way to approach the petition. Ryan slowly shook his head.

"I don't want to fight it… I'll do what it says…"

"Ryan… You don't have to… I'll find a way…"

"Look, we both know someone else is pulling the strings. My uh, Roger doesn't have the resources to make this happen and he doesn't do anything unless there's a payoff for him…"

"That's what we'll do then… We'll pay him to drop this…"

"No way…"

"Ryan, we have the resources… money's not an issue…"

"You could get disbarred. I won't let you do it."

Sandy raised an eyebrow.

Ryan gave a small shrug.

"Livin' with a lawyer, you learn a few things…"

"Are you sure this is how you want to do this because no matter what you decide we're behind you… We'll have your back."

Ryan allowed himself to be pulled into a hug, his stoicism crumbling.

"Why does He hate me so much?" Whispering so softly he was positive he hadn't said it out loud.

Sandy heard it.

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Sunday 10:30 AM

Sandy and Kirsten woke to the glorious smell of breakfast. The dining room table was set and Ryan and Seth were finishing up in the kitchen.

"Is this about the stain on the living room carpet?" Kirsten asked, maintaining a stern demeanour.

"Dude, I thought you told me it came out…" Seth hissed at Ryan.

"You never got away with anything as a kid did you. Your mom's messing with you and now she knows you dumped the grape soda…" Ryan smirked, looking at Kirsten.

"You said you wouldn't tell…"

"He didn't." Kirsten snickered. "You did…"

Sandy sat down at the head of the table, using his fork as an ersatz scepter.

"As refreshing as this morning's banter is, I for one am hungry and if you don't sit down, there may not be anything left."

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Monday 7:04 AM

Sandy knocked on the door of the former guest room, now belonging to Ryan. Getting no answer he walked in. The bed was already made, books piled carefully beside the school bag and the sound of the shower running.

"Guess I may need to find another job…" Sandy smiled to himself. He still had to wake up his other son, the one who was definitely not a morning person. The one who took after his mother.

As expected, Seth was still sprawled all over his bed, a tangle of arms and legs.

"C'mon Seth… Up and at 'em… Let's go…"

A mop of dark unruly hair emerged from a layer of blankets.

"Déjà vu or a nightmare?" He mumbled

Kirsten's voice carried from outside his room.

"Seth. Bed. Out. Now."

"Nightmare… Definitely…"

Kirsten dropped the boys off at school on her way to yogilates. Maybe she'd take a kickboxing class instead. Video hand to hand combat with a computer generated opponent that looked remarkably like her father hadn't done nearly enough to channel her anger issues. Maybe kicking the shit out of a rubber mannequin would help.

This time she didn't admonish herself for saying the word "shit".

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Sandy parked the car in front of a non-descript grey office building. A security officer held the door open, and the receptionist directed him to the fourth floor. Dean Ackles office was a good size. A secretary and a paralegal shared the front room. Sandy introduced himself telling her he was expected. Moments later Ackles came out of his office.

"Sandy Cohen?" Dean held out his hand. He could afford to be solicitous.

Sandy ignored the outstretched hand. He followed Ackles into his office. Opening his briefcase, Sandy pulled out the paperwork he'd completed.

Taking the papers the other lawyer scanned through them.

"You're not contesting the petition? He asked dubiously. He was hoping for a legal skirmish, something to set him apart from the other "very good" lawyers.

Taking on Sandy Cohen would give cachet to his career.

"My client doesn't wish to fight this. He'll abide by the petition. We'll just need to make the arrangements. I trust this will be satisfactory with your client?"

Sandy's face was unreadable, his emotions well hidden behind a professional façade. Dean couldn't get a sense of what he was planning.

Compliance was not the strategy he had expected.

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School couldn't end soon enough for Ryan. He'd grown tired of the stares and whispers. He'd stop in the hall and stare back at the other students until they'd lower their eyes and move away.

The gossip about Lindsey's whereabouts stung though.

The rumours he'd heard would have been laughable if there hadn't been a little bit of truth behind them. Caleb did manage to keep them apart, just not for the reasons that were being spread by the Newpsie spawn.

He had only one more class to get through. With the way Dr. Kim was fawning over him he could probably get away with clocking the next Speedo wearing, chest shaving, Abercrombie and Fitch clone in the face. He was about to test that particular theory after algebra when Seth appeared behind him, pulling him away from a potential fracas.

"Walk and talk Ryan…. Walk and talk… Although it would have given me pleasure in the most unlikely of places if you did in fact throw down with the water-logged jocks… Maybe a tactical withdrawl would be to our advantage… Not to mention Dad's out in the parking lot…"

Ryan allowed Seth to lead him through the doors. He was wound so tightly that one more snide comment would have pushed him past the point of no return.

"C'mon… We'll go get tattoos and a couple of hookers… My treat… If that doesn't do it for you… well, I don't have any other ideas right now but… Oh look, there's our ride…"

Seth had never worked so hard to keep talking. Even when he babbled there was usually some thought or reason behind his words.

Now he just hoped his non-stop prattle wouldn't get him punched.

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Kirsten's day had taken a left turn into the twilight zone. Forgoing a shower at the gym in favour of a long soak in the tub at home, she was met in her driveway by Charles Haydn.

Another one of Southern California's power brokers in the realm of commercial construction.

He asked if they could meet at 3:30.

But that was when the boys got home.

She wanted to be there for them, with milk and cookies if necessary. It was the start of a new parenting regime.

Involved.

Connected.

Informed.

June Cleaver.

She didn't give him firm answer. Haydn said he'd wait for her call.

Then, Sandy phoned.

He wasn't coming straight home with Ryan and Seth.

"Lebowski Therapy" he called it.

Now she was sitting in the Huntington Beach Yacht Club dining room.

Charles Haydn's proposal surprised her.

"This may be a conflict of interest." She murmured as she perused the documents.

Haydn smiled.

"I've done my homework. You had no exclusivity clause in your employment contract. As a matter of fact, there is nothing legally stop you from setting up shop and raiding the clients of The Newport Group…"

Off Kirsten's look he continued.

"Except your own moral compass…"

She closed the folder.

"I can't do this to my father. No matter what my reasons were for leaving the company…"

"Mrs. Cohen… The Newport Group has already forfeited this project. We made the offer on the condition you personally oversee it. With you no longer employed by the Group , the offer is void. The other tenders we received weren't able to meet our criterion. We want you to be the general contractor on the hospital expansion. You know the sub trades… They respect you. We're already behind on this and we're prepared to make it very much worth your while…"

Kirsten cleared her throat, giving her a moment to think.

"I'll have to discuss this with my family. I'll tell you up front that Sandy and the boys are my first priority. I will not be working 72 hour weeks and be available 24/7. Those are my terms. I'll have an answer for you within 48 hours."

Kirsten opened the menu.

"Now…what do you recommend?"

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Seth was less than enthused when Sandy pulled into the "Big Bowl Bowl-A-Rama".

"Bowling? It's bad enough we're in Anaheim. This isn't the happiest place on earth. In fact, I want to know what I did to deserve this form of hell?"

Sandy put his arm around Seth's shoulder as Ryan slid out of the back seat.

"If I wanted to punish you guys we'd be having karaoke night. As it stands now, we're just going to enjoy a few frames… a couple of hot dogs…"

"The thrill of wearing someone else's shoes…"

"Some male bonding… getting the testosterone flowing…"

"Mutant bacterium eating their way through our socks…"

"Spending some time with your dear old dad…"

"Burrowing into the soles of our feet, invading our blood stream, replicating at an incredible speed…Help me out Ryan."

"Not watching Stallone movies…"

Seth gave up.

Rather easily, for a change.

"At least Kid Chino and his Fists of Fury doesn't have to worry about his short game… I don't think there's a "nice and easy" in bowling…"

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It was a very impatient Caleb Nichol that paced Dean Ackles waiting room.

Caleb didn't do waiting.

He kept people waiting.

Finally the door to the lawyer's office opened.

An impatient Caleb strode into the middle of the room, waiting for Ackles to close the door again.

"Well…"

"Sandy Cohen signed off on the petition. He's not going to contest it…"

"What are you talking about? Of course he's going to contest it. He's the boy's guardian…" Caleb was incredulous.

Dean had to give props to Cohen. Despite everything, he still managed to one-up the old man.

"The papers are signed. Ryan signed them as well. They're going to comply with the terms we asked for…"

"How in the hell could you let this happen!"