The elder Atwood watched as his son slept through someone else being in the room instead of waking up, instantly on his guard like he remembered. It struck him how young Ryan looked. Frank also noticed how Ryan and Kirsten clung to each other. He observed Sandy cross the room and gently wake his wife. Kirsten startled awake and instinctively move to protect Ryan from the intrusion before she realized it was her husband.
"Come on Sweetheart. Let's get you to bed. I'll stay with Ryan while you rest." Sandy urged her. He gave her a second to lean over and brush the sleeping teen's hair back before tenderly kissing his forehead.
Frank was about to suggest that he sit with Ryan instead when Kirsten began to instruct her husband.
"Make sure that you wake him in two hours for his antibiotic and pain killer."
Sandy chuckled. "You know he won't want to take the pain killer."
Kirsten glared at him. "I don't care. I will not let him suffer unnecessarily. He was in pain when he left the hospital despite what the doctor had given him. You tell him it's non-negotiable. Oh, and make sure that he eats a little something or the pills will make him sick. In fact you may need to get him a bucket you know what antibiotics usually do to his stomach." She continued as Sandy ushered her towards the door.
When the couple spotted Frank they both stopped. Julie and Frank could tell that they were hesitant about leaving him in the room with Ryan for even a moment. Julie stepped forward.
"Kirsten why don't I show you to your room while Sandy stays with Ryan? I need to show Frank where to put his things, and the rooms are right down the hall from each other." Julie suggested, gently taking Kirsten's arm and giving Frank a significant look.
"Thank you Julie." Sandy stated softly before he kissed Kirsten and relinquished her to Julie's care.
"Wake me up if he needs me." Kirsten ordered on her way out the door.
Sandy smiled and shook his head ruefully at his wife as he walked across the room and grabbed the garbage can next to the vanity for use as "the bucket". He put it next to the bed and then sat down in the chair his wife had vacated to watch over his son.
Frank and Julie walked back into the kitchen together after Julie got Kirsten settled in the guest room. Kaitlin was sitting on the counter snacking on a pop tart. Julie poured both Frank and she a cup of coffee and settled at the island. She observed Frank staring morosely into his cup for a moment before finally speaking up.
"What's wrong Frank?"
Frank shrugged in a manner not unlike his son. "I was just thinking that it was no wonder that Ryan chose to stay with the Cohen's rather than come with me."
Julie raised her eyebrows. "Why do you say that?" She asked, not discounting the truth of his statement.
Frank glanced towards the door to the master bedroom. "This isn't the first time Ryan's been injured, in fact it's not even the worst injury Ryan's ever had."
Julie nodded for him to continue. She was well aware that Frank had hurt his son in the past.
"I remember one time when Ryan was five. Dawn and I had been out celebrating – something – I don't even remember what anymore. Anyway, we were both drunk and high, which wasn't unusual, and came home in the wee hours of the morning. Trey had gone over to a friend's house or something and Ryan was there alone. When he heard us come in the door he wrapped his arms around my leg. He had been frightened by a drug bust next door. Instead of holding him and telling him everything was going to be alright, I grabbed his arms and threw him across the room. Dawn just giggled and said her son could fly."
Frank paused and winced as he heard the gasps. He didn't look up, he was too ashamed.
"Ryan had bounced off the wall and landed on an end table. It broke the table – which was pressed wood. A sliver impaled his leg. I'll never forget his scream. It sobered both of us immediately. There was blood everywhere. We took him to the hospital and told them he had been jumping on the bed and fell. They kept him two days. We never visited. We picked him up, dumped him in his room and ignored him until he just showed up again in the kitchen getting some cereal."
"Oh Frank." Julie sighed.
Frank motioned his head towards the master bedroom. "I almost offered to sit with Ryan back there until Kirsten started telling Sandy what to do to take care of him. Then Sandy told her Ryan wouldn't want the painkillers and I realized something."
"What?" Julie asked curiously.
Frank looked right into her eyes. "I didn't know how to take care of my own son. When Ryan woke up, I wouldn't have a clue that he wouldn't want the painkillers, or that the antibiotics would make him sick. Sandy was right when he said that Ryan was their son. I may be Ryan's biological father, but he's a Cohen not an Atwood."
Julie reached across the counter and laid her hand on top of his. "That doesn't mean that you can't have any kind of relationship with him at all. He was willing to be friends."
Frank shook his head. "I don't know Julie. He seemed pretty adamant in the parking lot."
"Just give him time Frank. He was in pain and on a lot of medication. Maybe when things settle down for everyone he'll be more willing to talk."
Frank nodded and gave a half smile before taking another sip of his coffee.
Kaitlin felt sick. She hopped down off the counter and left the kitchen while Julie and Frank were still talking. The young teen felt a sudden urge to see her surrogate brother after hearing Frank's story.
She opened the door a crack and looked in to see Sandy watching over Ryan. Kaitlin slipped into the room and came to stand by Sandy's chair. She stared down at him anxiously.
"Is he going to be OK?" She whispered brokenly. She had never seen Ryan look so vulnerable. He was always the strong one in her eyes; invincible.
Sandy smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it's just going to take some time and healing." He turned to look at the girl and became concerned. "Are YOU ok?"
Kaitlin started to nod and then changed her mind and shook her head negatively. "Frank was explaining to Mom why he was a horrible father to Ryan. He told a story about when Ryan was five and Frank threw him against a wall. Ryan fell on a table and impaled his leg. He was in the hospital for two days and they told the doctor he had been jumping on the bed. They didn't even visit him there, or take care of him when he came home. Ryan had to take care of himself." She sniffled and wiped at the tears that had started down her cheeks.
Kaitlin continued before Sandy could comment. "Ryan's such a good guy, you know? He looks out for me even when he doesn't have to, and he was constantly rescuing Marissa even though she usually brought it on herself. He didn't deserve that."
Sandy stood up and gave her a hug. "No, Ryan didn't ever deserve to be treated like that. I think it's one of the reasons he tries to help everyone. He can't stand to see people he cares about in pain. But don't worry honey. Ryan has us now. He's not ever going to be hurt like that again. We'll always be here for him."
"Frank – shouldn't – have – told – you – about – that." Came a pained whisper from the bed.
Sandy and Kaitlin looked over to see Ryan squinting at them half-lidded.
"Hey kid. How are you feeling?" Sandy asked, letting go of Kaitlin and bending over Ryan to run his hand over his forehead and check for fever.
"I'm fine."
"Eh, wrong answer. Try again." Sandy negated.
"My – back hurts – and my – head." Ryan stated through clenched teeth. He looked over at Kaitlin and Sandy. "You – ok?"
"Sure big bro, we're not the ones in bed right now." Kaitlin exclaimed rolling her eyes.
Ryan stared hard at her. "Frank – shouldn't have – been telling you – about my – past."
Kaitlin shrugged. "He wasn't. He was telling Mom. I was in the room and I tend to be invisible."
"You're – not invisible." Ryan assured her.
Kaitlin looked down at him and her eyes softened. "I think Cohen's have x-ray vision or something. I've never been invisible to you."
Ryan smiled. "We will – always see – you."
Sandy smiled at the girl. "He's right you know." He said as he poured Ryan's pills into his hand and looked around for water.
Seeing his dilemma, Kaitlin spoke up. "I'll go get a bottle of water." She declared before hurrying out the door.
Frank and Julie noticed Kaitlin race into the room, grab a bottle of water out of the refrigerator and run back out.
"Now where's she going in such a rush? She's never run anywhere in her life." Julie wondered out loud.
She and Frank glanced at each other "Ryan!" They both said before hurrying towards the master bedroom.
They stood in the doorway and watched Sandy gently helped Ryan sit up. Ryan had his teeth clench and was biting back a pained groan. Finally Ryan was settled back against a stack of pillows gasping for breath. Sandy picked up a hand towel he had gotten earlier and wiped the sweat Ryan had accumulated from working to sit up. Ryan closed his eyes and surrendered to his Dad's care.
"Better?" Sandy asked when he was done.
"Better," Ryan nodded with a tired sigh. He opened his eyes and glanced around. He stiffened when he saw Frank standing in the doorway with Julie and then bit back another moan of pain.
"Relax Son." Sandy said softly as he handed Ryan his medication and the bottle of water that Kaitlin had brought.
Ryan nodded and took the pills then he handed the bottle back to Sandy. Sandy set the bottle on the nightstand and turned his attention to Julie, ignoring Frank altogether.
"Julie, do you have anything light that we can fix Ryan to eat?"
Julie nodded and hurried back into the kitchen to warm up some soup. Sandy sat down next to Ryan on the chair. "Try to stay awake, kid. You need to eat something after taking those pills – Kirsten's orders."
"How's Kirsten?" He asked, choosing to ignore his father's presence.
"She's resting in the guest room. She wanted me to wake her if you needed her."
Ryan shook his head. "No, she needs to sleep. She was up all night. That can't be good for the baby."
"You know she'd be right here if it wasn't for that." Sandy pointed out.
"I know. She'd be in full mothering mode. Taking my temperature, getting more blankets, forcing me to drink gallons of tea and soup…" Ryan gave a fake shudder.
Sandy chuckled. "You get a reprieve, but only until she gets a good six hours or so. Then you're on your own."
"Traitor." Ryan grumbled as Sandy laughed.
"Who's a traitor?" Seth asked as he stepped into the room. He glanced over at Frank and then chose to ignore him.
Feeling like an interloper, Frank left the room.
"I'm afraid I am. I just informed Ryan that I am abandoning him to The Kirsten as soon as your mother wakes up." Sandy spoke up.
"Dude, you are totally screwed." Seth grinned.
"Seth, don't say 'screwed'." Sandy and Ryan intoned.
"What are you doing awake already?" Sandy asked. "I figured you would be out until later this afternoon."
Seth shrugged. "Couldn't sleep. I guess I'm still a little wired from the mad dash to the hospital. Besides I got that little cat-nap at the hospital."
"You mean your fainting spell." Ryan rebuked with a tired grin.
"Tomato – Tomahto my friend." Seth replied. "How are you feeling?"
"It was rough when I first woke up, but it's better sitting up. I think the drugs are kicking in." Ryan informed him.
"You are sounding better than when you woke up." Sandy said as he stood up to take the tray with the bowl of soup and another bottle of water from Julie, who had just entered the room.
"I hope you like tomato soup." Julie said.
"Tomato is fine." Ryan smiled. "Thanks." He said as he began to eat slowly. His hand was shaking a bit, but he refused to show the weakness.
"So Kaitlin, please tell me that there is Playstation in the Casa de Roberts-Cooper." Seth asked after making himself comfortable next to Ryan on the bed.
Kaitlin shrugged. "Nope. Not that I've seen."
Ryan glanced over at Seth, waiting for the blow-up. Sure enough –
"WHAT?! Father! We have to right this wrong immediately!" Seth declared dramatically. "Why this poor child is being deprived of life's basic necessities."
"More like YOU'RE being deprived Seth." Ryan pointed out.
"Ryan! I'm appalled that you would insinuate that I would think only of myself in such a dire situation." Seth exclaimed, moving his hand to cover his chest as if heartbroken.
Ryan just raised his eyebrows.
"OK, I'm also suffering from this absence of a basic need, but still think of the children!" Seth admitted.
Kaitlin shook her head and laughed at her new housemate. She hoped it took a long time for the Cohen's to fix their house. Life was looking up.