fic - just push play
fandom: the oc
title: just push play
disclaimer: I don't own anything oc related.
rating: PG for this chapter.
author's note: AU for season two. Ryan/Summer. Not recommended for Marissa or Seth fans.
- 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 -
- 5 - - 6 - - 7 - - 8 -
- 9 - - 10 - - 11 - - 12 - - 13 -
Sandy forced himself not to jump up to help when Ryan reached for his crutches.
"I got it," Ryan smiled.
"I'll follow at a safe distance, if you don't mind. Bathroom again?" he asked.
"You and Kirsten keep making me drink fluids, so, yeah," Ryan said.
Sandy resigned himself to sit back down and wait impatiently.
He'd be much more comfortable hovering at home. But Ryan was more comfortable here. Sandy's home wasn't Ryan's home.
He wished that Seth could've come to his senses. That he hadn't lost his senses in the first place.
But he realized how much Ryan considered his life with them due to Seth more than to what he and Kirsten had done.
They'd left a lot of babysitting Seth to Ryan. And he'd been 'babysitting' Marissa the whole time, too. It was only when Ryan was with them without Seth or the Cooper girl that they really got to know Ryan as a person.
And that upset him more than anything that had happened since he watched Ryan ride away with Teresa.
He'd never dropped the ball as much as he had with Ryan. He'd promised the kid a family. But he'd only done a half-ass job and Seth had picked up the slack. Which only made Ryan and Seth's new rift that much worse.
"I'm supposed to be the one that broods," Ryan said, maneuvering expertly on the crutches.
"Kirsten said you were good on those sticks," Sandy said.
"And you didn't believe her?" Ryan asked.
"I just didn't like thinking about the other times you were on crutches," Sandy replied honestly.
Ryan lowered himself to the couch and raised his leg like he was supposed to. But he didn't answer.
Sandy distracted himself by flipping channels on TV.
"Did you ask Seth to go to a shrink?"
He glanced at him, confused. "I'm sorry?"
"When you and Kirsten split us up, before, like, the accident, and she came to the poolhouse. She said she wanted me to see a shrink..." Ryan started to explain.
"And you said, and I'm paraphrasing: 'Hell No'," Sandy said. "She told me."
"Did you ask Seth to see a shrink?" Ryan repeated.
"No, because his problems..."
"You don't have to say anything else. But that's why I said I wouldn't go. He's the one going through something right now..." Ryan said.
"Maybe. But you're the one who lost a child, started a new relationship and has to deal with a friend's betrayal," Sandy said. "Adding that on with your history outside of Newport, that weighed heavily on our decision to ask. All last year...we considered it. Your temper, while it's a slow burn...when it breaks through..."
"I've got it under control," Ryan replied.
"You punched Seth in the face in front of us," Sandy countered.
Ryan didn't meet his eyes.
"We aren't pushing you. But...what would you have to lose? You don't like talking to us, and while you talk to Summer, she's just a kid, just like you and it might help to have...someone impartial to talk to," Sandy said.
Ryan didn't answer. And he still didn't look up.
"We hate this. Having you think that you needed to move out. Having you feel less a part of our family than Seth. We hate it. We understand, but it doesn't make us hate it any less."
Ryan finally looked at him. "Do you really think it would help?"
"It won't hurt," Sandy said. "And yeah, it might help. It doesn't make you crazy or unstable. It just means you're trying to make your life better. Make yourself better."
"I'll try it. See how it works. But...will you make sure you find somebody that's not going to make me lie on a couch?" Ryan asked.
"We'll look for someone together. Find someone that fits," Sandy said.
He was optimistic about the idea and hoped that Ryan would start thinking of it as a help and not a punishment.
------------
Summer frowned when she saw Seth walk into her first class.
He met her gaze for a moment before dropping his head and speaking to the teacher. He shuffled to one of the desks in front and she had a pang of sympathy when Chip nailed him with a wad of paper as soon as he sat down.
Just a pang, though.
She'd have to be blind and deaf not to know how pissed off the soccer team was at Ryan's injury. They'd had a shot at the championship with him starting but now...
She shook it off.
She was just trying to make it through the day so she could go and check on Ryan.
Once she'd fought her drowsiness through the first class, she retreated to the lounge for coffee and texting before her next one.
She wanted to sneak out for lunch, but she knew that Sandy was staying with him today and she had to bide her time before he went to her dad and said they should stop dating again.
She knew their hearts were in the right place, but Ryan needed a friend right now and she was a friend in addition to being a girlfriend.
She'd just clicked 'send' on her phone before she saw Seth standing in front of her.
"How's he doing?"
She glared at him. "None of your business."
"Please. Mom and Dad won't tell me anything and believe it or not, I am really sorry about everything..."
"I don't believe it. I don't believe you ever cared about Ryan at all. The sad thing is that he believed you did," she said, standing up and walking out of the room.
She'd hopefully have a text from Ryan when she got out of Chemistry.
------------
"How was school?" Kirsten asked Seth when they sat down for dinner. Sandy was still outside closing down the barbecue.
"It sucked. I thought the water polo players were bad, but the soccer team is out for blood. I didn't really realize how good Ryan was at soccer until he was off the team. Even the coach gave me dirty looks every time I saw him," Seth said. "I know I deserve it, but it still...sucks."
"I think Ryan was pretty surprised too when the team drafted him for the team again. He wasn't planning on playing this year," Kirsten replied.
"Why not?" Seth asked.
"Because he had such a hellish summer. I think he wanted to just enjoy school and being a kid again instead of supporting a family," she replied.
"Oh," he whispered.
"So other than your awful treatment, how did things go?" she asked.
She wished Sandy was in here to make conversation. She hated being mean to her son and she was worried she was going to let her guard down without Sandy to support her.
"It was okay. I'm behind on everything, but I'll catch up. I went to the comic book club at lunch, they've changed the time and I feel lucky that the guys in the club are too geeky to hate me yet. But there was this guy there, Zach," Seth started.
"Zach's a nice boy,. he's been a good friend to Ryan," Kirsten said.
"Yeah. And he went out with Summer over the break," Seth said. "He told me how upset she was over me...he said that she loved me...and that it took Ryan to get her over me."
She studied his face for a moment to see how he reacted to that news.
"I'm an asshole. I had the girl of my dreams and I just pissed her away. I get it, you know? Now...and I'm way too old for tantrums. I know I'm not as mature as I should be, but...I'm really sorry. I don't even...know how to explain what I was thinking. I just know that...I have no idea how to fix this."
"Language, Seth," Sandy said, walking in and washing his hands before sitting down.
"Is he...okay?" Seth asked. "Summer wouldn't tell me...I didn't bother her, I just asked her how he was doing and she said...but is he okay?"
"He's doing as well as can be expected," Sandy replied.
Kirsten watched as Seth hung his head and went back to picking at his food.
The anger was slowly wearing off, but she knew she couldn't let her guard down. Not after the soccer game fiasco.
She just hoped that he meant what he said. Because until he did, nothing would be able to heal.
------------
Ryan was expecting Summer to show up after having dinner with her father but when he heard the doorbell, he was confused because he'd left it unlocked for her.
He needed to stretch, though, so he hobbled to the door and swung it open.
He regretted it immediately.
"Ryan. May I come in?" Caleb Nichol asked.
"Oh. I guess so," Ryan said, moving aside.
"I was sorry to hear about your accident," Caleb said.
"But not that I was moving out, right?" Ryan replied before he could stop himself.
"I know I'm not an easy man to get along with but I can admit my mistakes. I never gave you the benefit of the doubt. And when I found out you'd gone back to Chino to raise a child, I thought you'd validated all my fears about you. But when I learned that you knew the child wasn't yours and you still were willing to support it...my feelings changed. I think maybe my daughter was right about you all along. And I see how much she's hurting now that you've moved out."
Ryan wondered if he was dreaming.
Caleb cleared his throat. "I feel like I need to give you a sign of good faith. Kirsten mentioned that you were interested in architecture and that you've worked construction. I wondered if you would be interested in doing some work for me."
"Uh, I'm not really up for working construction these days," Ryan said, glancing as his crutches.
"I was thinking more of a desk job. Learn the ropes, shall we say. You're a part of my daughter's family and since Seth has never shown any interest in the Newport Group at all, you seem to be my best bet on keeping the business in the family unless Hailey, god forbid, brings home a child."
Ryan blinked at him.
"Come by the office after you've had time to think about it. Tell my receptionist and she'll bring you in straightaway," Caleb said.
Summer nearly ran into Caleb when she arrived, stopping in her tracks when she saw him. "Oh. Sorry..."
"I was just leaving."
"Caleb?" Ryan called as he ducked Summer's curious glance.
"Yes?"
"How's Marissa?" he asked.
"Her mother and I have sent her to an inpatient facility to hopefully get her some help. Julie's going up next week to see how she's doing but she's not allowed visitors until then," Caleb replied.
"Sit down, Ryan, you're not supposed to be on your feet," Summer scolded him. "Caleb, thanks for the update. She was my best friend for a long time and I hope one day we can get her back to the girl she's supposed to be."
"Good evening, kids," Caleb said, nodding to them both before walking away.
"What was that all about?" Summer asked after she'd closed and locked the door.
"I have no idea," Ryan replied honestly.
He didn't think he'd ever trust Caleb Nichol.
title: just push play
disclaimer: I don't own anything oc related.
rating: PG for this chapter.
author's note: AU for season two. Ryan/Summer. Not recommended for Marissa or Seth fans.
- 1 - - 2 - - 3 - - 4 -
- 5 - - 6 - - 7 - - 8 -
- 9 - - 10 - - 11 - - 12 - - 13 -
Sandy forced himself not to jump up to help when Ryan reached for his crutches.
"I got it," Ryan smiled.
"I'll follow at a safe distance, if you don't mind. Bathroom again?" he asked.
"You and Kirsten keep making me drink fluids, so, yeah," Ryan said.
Sandy resigned himself to sit back down and wait impatiently.
He'd be much more comfortable hovering at home. But Ryan was more comfortable here. Sandy's home wasn't Ryan's home.
He wished that Seth could've come to his senses. That he hadn't lost his senses in the first place.
But he realized how much Ryan considered his life with them due to Seth more than to what he and Kirsten had done.
They'd left a lot of babysitting Seth to Ryan. And he'd been 'babysitting' Marissa the whole time, too. It was only when Ryan was with them without Seth or the Cooper girl that they really got to know Ryan as a person.
And that upset him more than anything that had happened since he watched Ryan ride away with Teresa.
He'd never dropped the ball as much as he had with Ryan. He'd promised the kid a family. But he'd only done a half-ass job and Seth had picked up the slack. Which only made Ryan and Seth's new rift that much worse.
"I'm supposed to be the one that broods," Ryan said, maneuvering expertly on the crutches.
"Kirsten said you were good on those sticks," Sandy said.
"And you didn't believe her?" Ryan asked.
"I just didn't like thinking about the other times you were on crutches," Sandy replied honestly.
Ryan lowered himself to the couch and raised his leg like he was supposed to. But he didn't answer.
Sandy distracted himself by flipping channels on TV.
"Did you ask Seth to go to a shrink?"
He glanced at him, confused. "I'm sorry?"
"When you and Kirsten split us up, before, like, the accident, and she came to the poolhouse. She said she wanted me to see a shrink..." Ryan started to explain.
"And you said, and I'm paraphrasing: 'Hell No'," Sandy said. "She told me."
"Did you ask Seth to see a shrink?" Ryan repeated.
"No, because his problems..."
"You don't have to say anything else. But that's why I said I wouldn't go. He's the one going through something right now..." Ryan said.
"Maybe. But you're the one who lost a child, started a new relationship and has to deal with a friend's betrayal," Sandy said. "Adding that on with your history outside of Newport, that weighed heavily on our decision to ask. All last year...we considered it. Your temper, while it's a slow burn...when it breaks through..."
"I've got it under control," Ryan replied.
"You punched Seth in the face in front of us," Sandy countered.
Ryan didn't meet his eyes.
"We aren't pushing you. But...what would you have to lose? You don't like talking to us, and while you talk to Summer, she's just a kid, just like you and it might help to have...someone impartial to talk to," Sandy said.
Ryan didn't answer. And he still didn't look up.
"We hate this. Having you think that you needed to move out. Having you feel less a part of our family than Seth. We hate it. We understand, but it doesn't make us hate it any less."
Ryan finally looked at him. "Do you really think it would help?"
"It won't hurt," Sandy said. "And yeah, it might help. It doesn't make you crazy or unstable. It just means you're trying to make your life better. Make yourself better."
"I'll try it. See how it works. But...will you make sure you find somebody that's not going to make me lie on a couch?" Ryan asked.
"We'll look for someone together. Find someone that fits," Sandy said.
He was optimistic about the idea and hoped that Ryan would start thinking of it as a help and not a punishment.
------------
Summer frowned when she saw Seth walk into her first class.
He met her gaze for a moment before dropping his head and speaking to the teacher. He shuffled to one of the desks in front and she had a pang of sympathy when Chip nailed him with a wad of paper as soon as he sat down.
Just a pang, though.
She'd have to be blind and deaf not to know how pissed off the soccer team was at Ryan's injury. They'd had a shot at the championship with him starting but now...
She shook it off.
She was just trying to make it through the day so she could go and check on Ryan.
Once she'd fought her drowsiness through the first class, she retreated to the lounge for coffee and texting before her next one.
She wanted to sneak out for lunch, but she knew that Sandy was staying with him today and she had to bide her time before he went to her dad and said they should stop dating again.
She knew their hearts were in the right place, but Ryan needed a friend right now and she was a friend in addition to being a girlfriend.
She'd just clicked 'send' on her phone before she saw Seth standing in front of her.
"How's he doing?"
She glared at him. "None of your business."
"Please. Mom and Dad won't tell me anything and believe it or not, I am really sorry about everything..."
"I don't believe it. I don't believe you ever cared about Ryan at all. The sad thing is that he believed you did," she said, standing up and walking out of the room.
She'd hopefully have a text from Ryan when she got out of Chemistry.
------------
"How was school?" Kirsten asked Seth when they sat down for dinner. Sandy was still outside closing down the barbecue.
"It sucked. I thought the water polo players were bad, but the soccer team is out for blood. I didn't really realize how good Ryan was at soccer until he was off the team. Even the coach gave me dirty looks every time I saw him," Seth said. "I know I deserve it, but it still...sucks."
"I think Ryan was pretty surprised too when the team drafted him for the team again. He wasn't planning on playing this year," Kirsten replied.
"Why not?" Seth asked.
"Because he had such a hellish summer. I think he wanted to just enjoy school and being a kid again instead of supporting a family," she replied.
"Oh," he whispered.
"So other than your awful treatment, how did things go?" she asked.
She wished Sandy was in here to make conversation. She hated being mean to her son and she was worried she was going to let her guard down without Sandy to support her.
"It was okay. I'm behind on everything, but I'll catch up. I went to the comic book club at lunch, they've changed the time and I feel lucky that the guys in the club are too geeky to hate me yet. But there was this guy there, Zach," Seth started.
"Zach's a nice boy,. he's been a good friend to Ryan," Kirsten said.
"Yeah. And he went out with Summer over the break," Seth said. "He told me how upset she was over me...he said that she loved me...and that it took Ryan to get her over me."
She studied his face for a moment to see how he reacted to that news.
"I'm an asshole. I had the girl of my dreams and I just pissed her away. I get it, you know? Now...and I'm way too old for tantrums. I know I'm not as mature as I should be, but...I'm really sorry. I don't even...know how to explain what I was thinking. I just know that...I have no idea how to fix this."
"Language, Seth," Sandy said, walking in and washing his hands before sitting down.
"Is he...okay?" Seth asked. "Summer wouldn't tell me...I didn't bother her, I just asked her how he was doing and she said...but is he okay?"
"He's doing as well as can be expected," Sandy replied.
Kirsten watched as Seth hung his head and went back to picking at his food.
The anger was slowly wearing off, but she knew she couldn't let her guard down. Not after the soccer game fiasco.
She just hoped that he meant what he said. Because until he did, nothing would be able to heal.
------------
Ryan was expecting Summer to show up after having dinner with her father but when he heard the doorbell, he was confused because he'd left it unlocked for her.
He needed to stretch, though, so he hobbled to the door and swung it open.
He regretted it immediately.
"Ryan. May I come in?" Caleb Nichol asked.
"Oh. I guess so," Ryan said, moving aside.
"I was sorry to hear about your accident," Caleb said.
"But not that I was moving out, right?" Ryan replied before he could stop himself.
"I know I'm not an easy man to get along with but I can admit my mistakes. I never gave you the benefit of the doubt. And when I found out you'd gone back to Chino to raise a child, I thought you'd validated all my fears about you. But when I learned that you knew the child wasn't yours and you still were willing to support it...my feelings changed. I think maybe my daughter was right about you all along. And I see how much she's hurting now that you've moved out."
Ryan wondered if he was dreaming.
Caleb cleared his throat. "I feel like I need to give you a sign of good faith. Kirsten mentioned that you were interested in architecture and that you've worked construction. I wondered if you would be interested in doing some work for me."
"Uh, I'm not really up for working construction these days," Ryan said, glancing as his crutches.
"I was thinking more of a desk job. Learn the ropes, shall we say. You're a part of my daughter's family and since Seth has never shown any interest in the Newport Group at all, you seem to be my best bet on keeping the business in the family unless Hailey, god forbid, brings home a child."
Ryan blinked at him.
"Come by the office after you've had time to think about it. Tell my receptionist and she'll bring you in straightaway," Caleb said.
Summer nearly ran into Caleb when she arrived, stopping in her tracks when she saw him. "Oh. Sorry..."
"I was just leaving."
"Caleb?" Ryan called as he ducked Summer's curious glance.
"Yes?"
"How's Marissa?" he asked.
"Her mother and I have sent her to an inpatient facility to hopefully get her some help. Julie's going up next week to see how she's doing but she's not allowed visitors until then," Caleb replied.
"Sit down, Ryan, you're not supposed to be on your feet," Summer scolded him. "Caleb, thanks for the update. She was my best friend for a long time and I hope one day we can get her back to the girl she's supposed to be."
"Good evening, kids," Caleb said, nodding to them both before walking away.
"What was that all about?" Summer asked after she'd closed and locked the door.
"I have no idea," Ryan replied honestly.
He didn't think he'd ever trust Caleb Nichol.