Thanks for all the great reviews and support! …and now for the last chapter…

Chapter 4

"What have you got?"

Everyone looked up when the young doctor came into the operating room already scrubbed and ready.

"She was a victim in a car accident. Her leg was caught in the wreckage, and we thought we were just dealing with a regular patch and set job; but the bone sliced through the anterior tibial artery and we need your expertise Dr. Sloan."

Blue eyes narrowed as the vascular surgeon examined the bleed for himself before he rapidly began shouting out orders and saving his patient from bleeding to death. Once the bleed was stopped and the leg set, Dr. Sloan breathed a sigh of relief and gave a final nod at his fellow doctors who moved to finish up closing the wound.

"I heard you paged. Everything go okay?" A familiar voice asked from behind him as the young doctor made his way towards the doctor's lounge.

Ryan turned and grinned at one of his best friends. Despite their age, Dr. Jesse Travis had become something of a favorite uncle and big brother wrapped up in one person. "Yeah, had to sew together an anterior tibial artery. What's for lunch?"

Jesse chuckled and shook his head. "Nothing in the cafeteria if I can help it! I don't see how you and Steve can stand that slop."

"You just don't understand how bad food can really be. You would learn to appreciate when it's edible." Ryan argued as he led the way into the lounge and poured a cup of coffee.

"What you and I find edible are two completely different things." Jesse shook his head as he poured his own cup.

Ryan chuckled and took a sip.

It was amazing how life had turned out, Ryan mused as he half listened to Jesse ramble about edible and inedible palates. Ten years ago, he had been a patient in this very hospital, freshly exonerated but with nowhere to go. Then Mark Sloan had stepped in. Ryan had been afraid that he was going to end up in another Newport situation where everyone looked down at the delinquent from Chino and expected him to fail; but it hadn't been like that at all.

Mark had gone one step farther in making a home for Ryan than the Cohens – and it made all the difference. After a year of visits, paperwork and living under a magnifying glass, Ryan Atwood had become Ryan Atwood Sloan. He now had a father who was there for him and listened, and a big brother who looked out for him and protected him. Ryan wasn't alone anymore.

And to think, it never would have happened if not for a feisty mama-to-be Head of Pathology…

Ryan was laying in the hospital bed following the emergency surgery to his left kidney. Unfortunately it had been too far gone to save, but Dr. Sloan had assured him that people lived perfectly normal lives with one kidney. Dr. Sloan had also tried to talk Ryan into a guardianship, but the cynical teen was quick to turn him down. He just knew it would be "second verse, same as the first."

A knock on the door caught his attention. A smiling Amanda Bentley walked – or actually waddled – into the room. "There's my hero." She declared. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ryan replied automatically. "I'm not a hero." He corrected her.

Amanda's smile became a determined frown and she sat down in the vacant chair next to his bed. "Concidering the fact that I'm alive and so is my baby-to-be, I'd say that makes you a hero."

Ryan sighed and nodded just to avoid the argument.

Amanda was quiet for a short time. "Mark told me that he offered to become your guardian."

Ryan looked at her warily and nodded.

"He also said that you turned him down." Amanda continued softly. "Why?"

"Dr. Sloan may think that he wants to take me in, but he'll just quit when something bad happens – just like the Cohens, and just like…" Ryan swallowed hard.

"Just like your mom?" Amanda gently finished for him.

Ryan closed his eyes and fought the moisture that was gathering there before he nodded. "Yeah."

Amanda reached out and took Ryan's left hand. "My husband was killed in action overseas three months ago." She began.

Ryan looked at her startled.

"This baby is all that I have left of him." Amanda continued sadly. "He is what has kept me going despite the heartbreak and grief. I have had to concentrate on staying healthy for our son's sake. It would have killed me if anything had happened to him that day of the earthquake."

Amanda's eyes stared hard into Ryan's. "You risked your own life to save a complete stranger that day. You had no idea that I was carrying my dead husband's son. You had no idea that the famous Dr. Mark Sloan was like a father to me."

"It was the right thing to do." Ryan whispered.

"It was the right thing to do." Amanda repeated. "It takes a really strong person to do the right thing in that situation. It also takes a really good person. That's why Mark was so adamant that you were innocent. No one tries to kill a rival one second and then risk their life for a total stranger the next. You're a great kid Ryan Atwood, and you've had a lousy hand in life. I know what that's like."

"Is this where you tell me that I should accept Dr. Sloan's offer?" Ryan scoffed sarcastically.

Amanda's hand tightened on h is and her eyes narrowed. "Don't you take that tone with me young man." She scolded.

"Sorry." Ryan apologized quickly, startled by the rebuke.

Amanda's eyes softened. "I've heard that you're pretty smart – you'd have to be to go to private school in Newport."

"Yeah, so? It was the reason Sandy even bothered with me." Ryan shrugged angrily. "He saw my test scores.

"Even so, there is one thing that you haven't figured out yet, and I won't think you're all that bright until you do." Amanda continued.

"What's that?" Ryan asked, curious despite himself.

"You can't do this alone." Amanda stated.

"I – I don't have any other choice." Ryan replied softly. "I hear what you're saying, but you just don't understand."

"I was ten years old when I went into foster care." Amanda retorted.

Ryan's eyes widened in surprise.

Amanda smirked. "What, did you think that you were the only one to get a raw deal? I bounced around from place to place until I turned sixteen. That's when I met Martina Bentley. She had been carrying her groceries to her car when I saw one of the neighborhood gang members approach her. I yelled out that the cops were coming and it scared him away. I didn't think much of it, but Mama Bentley did. Next thing I knew, the group home director where I was staying came in my room and told me that I had a visitor. Two days later I'm living in a three bedroom home in the nicer part of town and Mama Bentley is talking adoption. That day turned my entire life around."

"So now you suddenly think that Dr. Sloan could do the same for me? Sandy already tried." Ryan disagreed.

"There is one major difference between Mark Sloan and Sandy Cohen that you're forgetting." Amanda pointed out.

"What's that?" Ryan asked.

"Mark doesn't expect you to change."

Ryan opened his mouth and then closed it quickly as those words infiltrated his brain.

Those six words turned his entire life around. Ryan agreed to a trial guardianship that a year later turned into a full adoption. Steve taught his new brother to surf, and Ryan found a joy in learning new recipes with his father. Mark and Steve had both been very empathetic to Ryan's feelings when Dawn and Frank signed over custody. Instead of private school, Ryan was enrolled in a good public school and took full advantage of his opportunities. There had been the ups and downs of girlfriends, broken rules, and even the occasional fight – but the older Sloans had dealt with them all fairly and even-handedly. Ryan never doubted he could come to his father or brother with any problem.

"Earth to Ryan!" A familiar voice pulled him out of him memories.

Ryan startled and glanced over at Jesse. "Sorry, you were saying?"

"You okay?" Jesse asked with concern.

"Yeah, just remembering some things." Ryan smiled.

"Good things I hope." Jesse continued.

"Mostly." Ryan replied vaguely before starting out of the room and towards the nurses' station in the ER. "Everything slow for now?"

"Yeah, we had a car accident victim earlier that you worked on, but it's been mostly broken arms and flu symptoms this afternoon." Jesse informed him as they walked down the hall. "Why people don't get their shots is beyond me…"

"Mr. Cohen?" A doctor was standing at the door to the waiting room. He was still dressed in scrubs.

Sandy, Seth and Summer stood quickly. "Yes?"

"Mr. Cohen, your wife is going to be fine."

Sandy breathed a sigh of relief. He had been scared to death since he got the call that Kirsten had been in a car accident while on her buying trip. After Caleb had lost the Newport Group due to shady business transactions, Kirsten had followed through on her life-long dream and opened her own art gallery. There was a new artist in LA who had interested her.

It had been a rough ten years since the last time they were at this hospital. Caleb's legal problems and then his death, Kirsten's drinking, Seth's drugs, and then his own legal problems when he attempted to save the Newport Group. Fortunately, everything had worked out in the end. Seth and Kirsten were now clean, and Seth was engaged to his long-time crush, Summer Roberts. Seth was now a reasonably successful comic book designer while Summer owned her own fashion boutique that she ran with her sometimes sober best friend, Marissa. No one had seen Oliver Trask again after he was sentenced to Juvenile Hall for attacking Dr. Bentley. Marissa, who had flunked out of UC Berkley, even lived over the shop when she was in between husbands…which she was at the moment. Sandy couldn't remember if this was number four or five. That girl definitely took after her mother.

The doctor's voice pulled Sandy out of his musings.

"She had a compound fracture of the right tibia. We had to call in our vascular surgeon to repair the artery, which had been sliced by the bone. Fortunately, Dr. Sloan is one of the very best in his field." The doctor informed them.

Now there was a name that Sandy Cohen would never forget. He would also never forget the day that Marcia Carter came to their house and took all of Ryan's personal things. Kirsten had tried to talk her into bringing the items that the Cohens had bought, but Marcia said that Ryan only wanted his backpack and what was in it. She then informed them that Ryan had specifically requested that he not be returned to Newport under any circumstances.

Sandy had tried to argue that he was just distraught. That's when Marcia had told them just how serious Ryan was.

"He asked that he be sent back to Juvie before coming here."

Marcia's words were burned into Sandy's brain – along with the name Mark Sloan, the man that he later found out had taken over as Ryan's foster father.

Sandy wondered if Dr. Sloan knew what had ever become of his former client. He also wondered how long Ryan had lasted in the doctor's home.

"We'll have Mrs. Cohen in a private room within the next hour. You may go see her then." The doctor's words broke through Sandy's thoughts.

"Thank you." Sandy replied softly.

It had been 12 hours since Kirsten's surgery, and she was resting comfortably. Sandy was on a mission. He had to know what happened to Ryan.

"Dr. Sloan! Can you sign off on these discharge papers for Mr. Gallant?"

Sandy perked up when he heard the name and started around the corner of the hallway. At the nurse's station was a blond man with his back to Sandy who was writing on a clipboard. Sandy sighed in defeat. There was no way that young man was old enough to be Mark Sloan. He was about to turn the other way when a female voice shouted down the hallway.

"Ryan Atwood Sloan! You are in big trouble mister!"

Sandy's eyes widened in shock and he whirled to see a small woman walk up to the doctor and place her hands on her hips.

Ryan raised both hands in surrender and took a step back. "Amanda, I can explain…"

"You'd better!" She declared, poking his chest with a perfectly manicured finger. "You promised me that I could help you pick out Allison's ring when you decided to pop the question. Imagine my surprise when I see a ring on her finger – one that I know I did not help you shop for!"

"I'm sorry, Amanda. I know I promised, but I was at the jewelry store with Dad. He was getting a watch fixed. I just thought I'd glance over and see what they looked like. I never intended to see it just sitting there! I knew that it was the ring for Allison, and I was scared that someone else would buy it before you could come back with me." Ryan stammered.

Amanda's eyes narrowed and she huffed out in anger. "Darn it Ryan, I just can't stay mad at that! You just had to go all romantic didn't you?"

Ryan smiled and tried to look sheepish. Amanda laughed and threw her arms around the younger man. "Congratulations! She's a wonderful girl!"

"Thanks Amanda." Ryan replied softly as he returned the hug.

Amanda stood back. "So what do Mark and Steve think about you moving out of the house? You are moving out of the house, right?"

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Of course I am! Actually, they're both fine with it. Allison and I close on the house next door on Tuesday."

Amanda's eyes widened in shock. "Are you serious? You bought the house next door? How does Allison feel about living next door to the in-laws?"

Ryan shrugged. "She said if it were anyone but Dad and Steve she'd pitch a fit, but she was fine with them. Steve and I have been teaching her to surf!"

Amanda raised an eyebrow. "And that enthusiasm has nothing to do with seeing your gorgeous fiancé in a bikini?"

Ryan had the decency to look a bit sheepish. "Maybe, but she's getting really good."

"You boys and your surfing…" Amanda grinned and shook her head in exasperation.

"Did someone mention surfing?"

Amanda and Ryan turned to see Jesse and Mark coming up behind them.

Ryan's eyes lit up. "Hey Dad! We were just talking about how well Allison is doing."

Mark draped a casual arm over his son's shoulders and nodded. "She has spent more time upright on the board lately." He chuckled. "Jesse and I were just heading out for lunch. Would you two care to join us?"

"That sounds perfect." Amanda replied happily.

The four doctors left without noticing the man standing just at the corner of the hall. Sandy no longer needed to talk to Mark Sloan. He had seen how well Ryan was doing for himself. As he turned and headed back to Kirsten's room, he couldn't help but be thankful that things had turned out the way they had. Despite the fact that he knew he'd missed out on something special with Ryan, Sandy was glad the young doctor had been there to save Kirsten. Maybe that earthquake so long ago happened for a good reason.

Finis!