Deception, Chapter Ten
Title: Deception
Author: Why, me, of course. Un-beta'd cuz that's just how I roll
Warnings: Language, violence
Summary: AU version. Sandy didn't go in when he dropped Ryan off in the pilot. Ryan has been trying to make it on his own but reaches out to Sandy for help, only for Kirsten (an uber-bitch in this one. For now. That may or may not change) to throw up roadblocks.
Crossposted at fanfiction.net
A/N: She's alive!!! Sorry, gang. No excuse really. I had end of the year work stuff and then beginning of the year work stuff but things settled down. The muses just weren't cooperating. I kept sitting down to write and not liking what I had written and erasing everything and then starting over again. I think I started the next one for A Beautiful Noise three times. I just wasn't liking anything I was writing and moving to the next fic to give them a go and having the same problem. So I had to step away from all of them for a while. Still not quite sure I'm happy with this but I've left you all hanging long enough. It jumps around a bit so I hope the scene changes aren't too abrupt.
Un-beta'd so all grammatical, punctuational and any possible fluctuating tenses are all my mistakes.
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Chapter Ten
"Atwood! You have a visitor."
Trey's brow furrowed. Who the hell would come visit him? He couldn't think of anyone besides Ryan. Dumb kid. He didn't know what had compelled him to go by the house the night they got arrested. He'd been restless and his buddies were too wasted to go out and raise a little hell. He found himself at his mother's and walked in on AJ going at the kid. He got him out of there before things could get really ugly but then he couldn't get rid of him. So he decided to take the opportunity to teach him a few things. Ryan would be out of that house soon enough and he wasn't going to be able to count on him to help him out. He needed to learn to make it on his own. He spotted the Camaro and knew it'd be easy to steal, being an older car. Just their luck, a cop happened to drive by at just that moment.
The clanging of the door shook him from his thoughts and he warily sat down across from the PD that drew his and Ryan's case when they got busted. Bastard didn't do him any good but he did manage to keep Ryan out of juvie. He suddenly worried that maybe he was here because of Ryan and that whole fake ID business. Maybe the dumb kid got caught. That's all he'd need is for that to come back and bite him in the ass. All he did was send him to Jesse, but helping that kid out always amounted to a load of shit. He'd just have to play dumb and hope that Jesse kept his mouth shut about all of the business he sent his way if he did get caught. Jesse had been surprised that Trey still wanted a cut even when the client was Ryan but, hey, business was business, brother or not. He was going to have to pay like anybody else. The fake ID market had gone high tech and meant big bucks if people wanted it done right. Buying and selling names and histories that could give people a new start or simply an ID that could squeak past a cursory run through a law enforcement database without raising alarms if anyone was pulled over. You were on your own, though, if you were actually brought in and had your fingerprints run unless you had the kind of money to have that wiped out of the system. Jesse handled the lower end clientele and as far as he knew Trey didn't know enough about that operation to be considered a real threat but, as with any of the extra-curricular activities he'd managed to wedge a hand in, from selling drugs to jacking cars, he'd kept his ear to the ground and learned a lot more than they were aware of. He had briefly entertained the thought of selling any one of them out to cut down his time but, in the end, he knew there were some bridges best not burned. What good would a shorter sentence do him if he got shanked before he got out or had a target on his back when he did? Besides, he wasn't about to give away any favors when he may be in need of one himself down the line.
"Trey", Sandy said, not quite knowing what to say. He hadn't really thought through how he was going to handle this meeting. He just wanted to spend a little more time with Trey to see if he could get a real feel for the kid. To see if he could understand Ryan's devotion to him. He knew part of it was guilt, from what Ryan had shared of their lives growing up, but he needed to see if there was more there. To see if there was something in Trey that warranted the loyalty. Meeting the boy's penetrating stare, he could see bits of both Kirsten and Jimmy in his features. He forced himself to look away when Trey's eyes narrowed at the scrutiny. He cleared his throat and asked how he was doing.
Trey studied him before saying, "What do you want? I doubt that you came all this way out of concern for my well being all of a sudden. Is it Ryan?"
Taking the opening, Sandy used it to cover the real reason he was there. "He's in the hospital. Your mom took off and he's been living on the street".
Trey nodded. "Yeah, I know", he said flatly. "He came to see me after she left. So what happened to land him in the hospital?", he asked as he picked at his fingernails and then let his eyes trail around the room seemingly bored with the conversation.
Sandy frowned at the behavior and lack of concern in his voice. He shifted in his seat and told him about Ryan being attacked in the warehouse he was sleeping in and having been in the hospital for what turned out to be two weeks, fighting the stubborn infection that had set in due to lack of immediate medical care. Ryan had a bit of a relapse due to a reaction to one of the meds and ended up needing a longer stay than first thought. The extra time had allowed Sandy's assistant to find a furnished apartment. Sandy agreed to it sight unseen, more than happy to have that settled. It was in a good area, not far from either his office or Seth's school. Ryan's, too, once he got that sorted.
Again, Trey nodded. "I can believe it. He's a good lookin' kid. He could make a lot of money peddling his ass on the corner." He smirked at Sandy's shocked expression. "Hey, sometimes you have to do what you have to do", he shrugged.
"Did you....", Sandy started, a knot forming in his stomach at the thought of Kirsten's son having to...
Trey laughed hollowly. "Nah. There are other ways to make money. I'd put a bullet in my head the day I ever got that desperate for cash." He sat back in his chair and studied the man before him. "What are you really doing here, Mr. Cohen?", he asked again, not quite able to get a read on the man. Something was off about him but he couldn't put his finger on anything.
"Ryan's worried about you. He's getting released today and I've arranged for him to stay with me and my son but he's concerned about you and where you'll go once you get out. He wanted to have a place of his own waiting for you but...."
"But since he's going to be with you I'm shit outa luck. Is that it?", Trey finished. He shook his head and laughed. "Look, I wouldn't have stayed with the kid anyway. I sure as shit wouldn't stay with you. Like I need his goody two shoes ass whispering in my ear to do the right thing all the time, let alone some lawyer breathin' down my neck. I can take care of myself. Been doing it a long time. So don't you worry that I'm gonna cry into my pillow knowing you don't have room for my ass." He leaned forward and rested his arms on the table. "What I want to know is, why the interest in my brother? Why the fuck are you taking him home? What's in it for you?"
Sandy frowned. "There's nothing 'in it' for me. Ryan's a good kid. He needs help. That's all."
Trey snorted and sat back. "Right. So tell me, how many kids have you 'helped' before? Nobody does anything for free. Everybody wants something."
"I'm sure you believe that, Trey, but..", Sandy said.
"I'll tell you what I believe...no. Make that what I know. The only person you can count on is yourself. The sooner Ryan figures that out the better off he'll be", Trey said. "Hell, I shoulda remembered that or I wouldn't be here right now. That's what I get for trying to teach the little shit how to survive."
Sandy's eyebrows raised. "How to survive? That's what you think you were doing by stealing a car with your little brother in tow?", he asked incredulously. His thoughts going back to Ryan's version of events and that Trey was following through on some childhood promise of escape. A childhood promise that Trey had clearly long forgotten.
Trey shrugged. "Like I said, you do what you gotta do to survive. An opportunity presents itself and you've gotta take it and milk it for all it's worth. That's what I was trying to show him."
Sandy studied Trey and the cynicism radiating from him. He didn't suppose he could blame him really. His biological parents had given him away. Only to be taken in by a family that disintegrated before his eyes. Dawn turning her back on him as soon as she had Ryan. It saddened Sandy that the one person Trey probably felt ever truly wanted him was Frank Atwood. A man who beat him and Ryan and turned to a life of crime. A path Trey followed. Quite comfortably, it seemed. If only he'd had someone to help him see that there was another way. He didn't want to think of him as a lost cause but hearing him speak....looking into his hardened eyes, he couldn't help but feel it may too late for him, but could he really just go on pretending he didn't know the truth? Could he really keep it from Ryan and Kirsten?
Trey bristled under the scrutiny as his instincts continued to tell him that there was something more going on here than met the eye. "Look, man, my time's almost up so why don't you just tell me what you want from me?"
"I don't want anything from you, Trey", he said. "You're...Ryan's brother. I...I want to help you. If you..."
Trey's eyes flashed. "You want to take pity on Ryan and take him in like some fuckin' stray puppy then go ahead. I'll be happy to have him out of my hair but leave me out of it. I don't need or want your help. I can make my own way. I don't need some do gooder sticking his nose in my life."
"Your way landed you in here. It doesn't have to be....", Sandy tried to say.
"Inside. Outside. It's all the same. You just have to know how to play the game", he said plainly. He met Sandy's eyes with a cold stare. "I know how to play the game. I don't need you to fuckin' save me. The world uses you and you use it right back. Go play daddy to Ryan. Leave me the fuck out of it."
Sandy swallowed and studied the young man before him one last time. He slowly nodded and heard himself say, "Well, then, I guess we're done here."
When Trey offered nothing in response he asked if there was anything he wanted him to tell Ryan, to which he responded with a shrug and a "not really". With that, he wished Trey well and left, telling himself he was doing the right thing. He had Seth to think about. He had no doubt that Trey would take one look at the life Seth had led and feel he was cheated. He'd feel they all owed him something. He shuddered at the thought of this kid manipulating his son to get what he wanted. He imagined Trey playing on Kirsten and Jimmy's guilt. No. Trey was locked up for a few more years. He'd make Seth understand that keeping Trey's true heritage under wraps was the best for everyone right now.
Kirsten sighed as she hung up the phone. Her dad had not yet found Dawn Atwood and that boy was going home with Sandy and Seth today. She rubbed her forehead and poured herself a glass of wine. Early, even for her, but she had a headache and just needed one glass to settle her down. She had tried to call Seth but his cell phone rang twice and then went to voicemail, indicating to her that he'd looked at the name and diverted her calls. She sighed. She didn't think she'd ever be able to make any headway with Seth as long as that boy was around, unless she started being nice to him. She didn't think she could do it, though. He was responsible for the state of her marriage. He was responsible for her losing Seth's respect. She couldn't stand idly by as someone else took a son from her. She had briefly thought of using her money and her father's influence to wrest custody away from Sandy but flashes of her behavior filled her mind and she knew that Sandy wouldn't have to work too hard to make her look unstable. There was the affair, the slap in the hospital in front of a social worker, and she was certain that nurse there would take great pleasure in testifying against her. Both Seth and Sandy could attest to her fondness for wine and there was also the fact that Seth was not a child. He was old enough to where a judge would take his wishes into account and right now he wouldn't even speak to her. She knew she had no chance of winning.
She stood and stepped out onto the patio and breathed in deeply. Who knows how long it would take for her father to find Dawn. She needed to suck it up and accept that Ryan was going to be in their lives. For now. Just until Caleb could find Dawn and give her encouragement to play the role of mommy well enough to lure Ryan back and then they could both be nudged out of town. Sandy would probably never forgive her for the affair but she couldn't lose Seth, and if they never found Dawn then she'd just have to find some other way to deal with Ryan. In the meantime, she'd make nice. She had to act like she liked people she couldn't stand all of the time. At work. At social functions. She could do it with Ryan. She could get Seth to trust her again and get close enough to keep an eye on Ryan. Close enough to make sure he never settled in too comfortably.
Sandy and Seth drove to the hospital to pick up Ryan. Sandy kept casting glances toward Seth. He was quiet. Too quiet. Sandy had told him how his visit with Trey went and Seth expressed his objection to keeping the truth from Ryan. He could understand not telling his mom. She was clearly teetering on the edge these days and he could even understand not telling Trey. Trey had told Ryan that he didn't want to know his real family. Seth wished he didn't know the truth. He felt guilty for feeling that way. Trey was his brother. Even though he didn't know him, he should feel something, shouldn't he? But all he felt was that he was glad he was locked up because he didn't know if he could handle coming face to face with him right now. Not after everything he'd heard about him. From some of the things Ryan had told him, and his dad the other day, he also couldn't help but feel that Trey might not react well to knowing he was his real brother and that while he was growing up poor and getting the shit beat out of him Seth was being spoiled rotten and living in a mansion. Nope. He most certainly would not react well to finding out that either one of his biological parents had more than enough money to take care of him and yet they'd both chosen to give him away. Not to mention that his biological mother had another child. One that she kept. He sighed.
"Seth?", Sandy prompted at hearing the sigh.
Seth turned to look at his dad. He noted the tired circles under his eyes and the tenseness in his shoulders. He could see how all of this was weighing on him. He tried to give a reassuring smile. "I'm ok, dad. I just.....I don't like the idea of lying to Ryan. I get mom and Trey. I do. I feel like a jerk but I trust you to know what you're doing. I...I don't know if I can...."
"I don't want to keep things from Ryan, either, but...for now, I think it's for the best. Let's just take it one day at a time", Sandy said, unsure himself as to whether or not he'd be able to keep Kirsten's son a dirty little secret for very long. He pushed it to the back of his mind as they pulled into the hospital parking lot.
They walked into Ryan's room to find him already dressed and sitting on his bed, seemingly lost in thought.
"Hey", Seth said as he approached.
Startled, Ryan looked up and gave a small smile. "Hey, man".
"You ready to get out of here?", Sandy asked with a smile.
Ryan nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Yeah. Dr. Monroe already checked out my hand again and said I'm good to go. I've got to come back in a week and they'll see about taking out the stitches. It'll all be on my discharge papers when the nurse brings them. She, uh, she said she'll go over it all with you before we can go", he said, shifting uncomfortably.
Sandy studied him, frowning at his subdued manner. "Everything all right, kid? I thought you'd be happier at the thought of getting out of here."
He glanced up and quickly said, "I am." He chewed his lip and looked down. "It's just...are you sure?", he asked as he lifted his head slightly and looked back at Sandy through his bangs. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
Sandy pulled up a chair and sat, now able to meet Ryan's lowered eyes. "I've never been more sure. The question is, is this what you want? If you're having second thoughts..."
Ryan stared down at his bandaged hand and plucked at a loose thread. "It's not that", he sighed. "Mrs. Cohen can't be too happy about it."
Sandy smiled sadly. "Ryan", he said softly as Seth said, "Dude..."
Ryan shook his head. "No. Look, you guys. I appreciate all you've done but I don't want to be the reason you can't work things out. She's your mom, Seth. I don't want to come between you two. I feel like all I do is screw things up for everyone. I can do the foster care. I mean, I've done it before and it sucks sometimes but it might be ok this time. I can..."
"Ryan", Sandy said again, more firmly. "Look at me", he said, waiting for Ryan's eyes to meet his. "Kirsten has done some things. Things that had nothing to do with you, that I don't know if I can forgive. If we aren't able to work things out then it's on us. Not you. And as angry as Seth is at his mother....."
"Also, nothing to do with you, dude. Not really. She may use you as an excuse but the reason I'm pissed is all on her, man. For what she did to dad and, yeah, partly because of the way she's treated you but she's the one that's been way out of line. You're not screwing our family up. She is."
"Let's just get you home, kid. Ok?", Sandy asked.
Ryan looked from one to the other, wanting to believe them. He nodded and hoped he wasn't about to destroy another family.
"Atwood. You've got another visitor."
"Well, ain't I mister popularity. Who is it?", he asked as he was being led to the visitor's room.
"I'm not in charge of your social calendar. I just bring you to 'em", the guard said.
As they reach the room the guard announces Trey's arrival to another guard and he's pointed to a table.
Trey slowly walked over, not recognizing the man sitting there. The man stands the second he sees him approaching the table. Eyes wide and all the color drained from his face. "Am I supposed to know you?" Trey asked as he sat.
The man sat slowly and took a breath. His eyes studying Trey's face intently, causing him to shift uncomfortably. "I....I don't know how to say this so I'll just......My name's Jimmy. Jimmy Cooper and......I'm your father."
A/N: Ok, probably a bit fast for Jimmy to be able to track down what happened to his kid but.......
I just wanted to throw a wrench in things for everyone. lol. I was also just reading the first chapter of this again and, at the time, I was planning on going a different direction with Trey and so he sounds like not so bad a guy in the little bit that I mentioned him there but I suppose you could just look at it as being Ryan's perception of Trey and what he thought was concern at their mom ditching him was more Trey seeing dollar signs at being able to send another client in Jesse's direction for a fake ID. lol. At any rate, Trey's turning out to be harder edged than I originally intended. Oh well. He's nicer (still messed up but clearly caring for Ryan) in my other fics so I'm kind of liking making him darker here.