OC Fic : Twelve Things That Never Happened to Ryan Atwood, 4a
One thing first: don't be surprised to see a lot of squeeing here in upcoming months, as I make my way through my Farscape DVDs.
Damn, but I had forgotten how good that show was...
Now, on to the fic:
Title : Twelve Things That Never Happened to Ryan Atwood
Author : Helen C.
Rating : PG-13
Summary : Twelve things that never happened to Ryan. D'uh.
Disclaimer : The characters and the universe were created and are owned by Josh Schwartz. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
AN. Many thanks to joey51 for beta'ing this!
Twelve Things That Never Happened To Ryan Atwood
Helen C.
the price we pay
Part One
-at first-
"I want you to come back to Chino with me," Dawn says.
Ryan feels the Cohens stiffen behind him, but none of them speak. He knows they'll allow him to make his choice, even if they don't like it. For a brief moment, he almost hopes that one of them will speak up, take the burden from him, make the decision in his place. Then, he shakes himself, disgusted.
Dawn is his mother. His responsibility. The Cohens offered him shelter for a moment, yes, but nice as it was, he always knew that in the end, Dawn would be back for him.
"Please, baby," she pleads. "Give me another chance."
Once upon a time, Ryan dreamed that he would hear these words-the proof that his mother loves him after all, the proof that she didn't forget him, that she isn't happier without him around.
Now, as he looks around this house that is now his home, as he looks at the Cohens, all of them pale with shock, he wishes Dawn had never come back at all.
"I'll be a good mom, this time around."
She's his mother. The first time Trey was sent away to juvie, they promised each other that they would always be there for one another. The fact that she betrayed that promise once doesn't matter. Nothing matters, because his mother wants him back.
He hangs his head, hears Sandy's whispered, "No" and Kirsten's sharp intake of breath, and prays that he's making the right decision.
Deep down, he already knows he's not.
"Okay," he says, and allows Dawn to hug him, allows her promises of another new beginning to sink in and chase away the doubts and the fear.
***
-then-
"It seems that Dawn Atwood and Ryan moved out," Mark says.
Sandy closes his eyes, resisting the urge to punch something.
At first, Ryan kept in touch with the Cohens, calling them once a week (which was more than they had dared to hope for). He was tightlipped about his life with Dawn, but at least he was maintaining contact. Then the phone calls dwindled, and stopped completely over a week ago. Sandy hired Mark when Social Services didn't return his calls.
"I'm sorry, Sandy." Mark's a friend of his; he knows what Ryan means to the Cohens.
Sandy nods, acknowledging the sympathy. He can't even say he's surprised; he felt that something like this was going to happen, prayed that it wouldn't. Obviously, his prayers went unanswered.
"Apparently, they left of their own accord," Mark adds gently.
Of course they did. Following the guy Dawn is currently sleeping with, no doubt. And to what kind of life?
"I'll keep an eye out for them," his friend adds. "She's going to have to register him to school eventually. If she doesn't, we'll call the police."
And the police won't be able to do anything, because it's not like Ryan ran away, is it? He's with his mother-his alcoholic, abusive mother, who always showed a frightening inability to take care of anyone at all (even herself).
Why did Ryan agree to go back with her? Sandy wonders, not for the first time. As if he didn't know the answer.
Dawn is Ryan's mother. The Cohens are the strangers who took him in, and one year wasn't enough to convince him that he was part of the family, and not just because the Cohens pity him, not just because Seth needs a friend, but just because he is.
"I'll let you know," Mark says, bringing Sandy back to the present. They both rise at the same time, shake hands, and when Sandy closes the door behind Mark, all he can do is stand there and wonder where Ryan is, and whether or not he's safe.
***
It's six months before he sees Ryan again.
Part Two
Damn, but I had forgotten how good that show was...
Now, on to the fic:
Title : Twelve Things That Never Happened to Ryan Atwood
Author : Helen C.
Rating : PG-13
Summary : Twelve things that never happened to Ryan. D'uh.
Disclaimer : The characters and the universe were created and are owned by Josh Schwartz. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
AN. Many thanks to joey51 for beta'ing this!
Twelve Things That Never Happened To Ryan Atwood
Helen C.
the price we pay
Part One
-at first-
"I want you to come back to Chino with me," Dawn says.
Ryan feels the Cohens stiffen behind him, but none of them speak. He knows they'll allow him to make his choice, even if they don't like it. For a brief moment, he almost hopes that one of them will speak up, take the burden from him, make the decision in his place. Then, he shakes himself, disgusted.
Dawn is his mother. His responsibility. The Cohens offered him shelter for a moment, yes, but nice as it was, he always knew that in the end, Dawn would be back for him.
"Please, baby," she pleads. "Give me another chance."
Once upon a time, Ryan dreamed that he would hear these words-the proof that his mother loves him after all, the proof that she didn't forget him, that she isn't happier without him around.
Now, as he looks around this house that is now his home, as he looks at the Cohens, all of them pale with shock, he wishes Dawn had never come back at all.
"I'll be a good mom, this time around."
She's his mother. The first time Trey was sent away to juvie, they promised each other that they would always be there for one another. The fact that she betrayed that promise once doesn't matter. Nothing matters, because his mother wants him back.
He hangs his head, hears Sandy's whispered, "No" and Kirsten's sharp intake of breath, and prays that he's making the right decision.
Deep down, he already knows he's not.
"Okay," he says, and allows Dawn to hug him, allows her promises of another new beginning to sink in and chase away the doubts and the fear.
***
-then-
"It seems that Dawn Atwood and Ryan moved out," Mark says.
Sandy closes his eyes, resisting the urge to punch something.
At first, Ryan kept in touch with the Cohens, calling them once a week (which was more than they had dared to hope for). He was tightlipped about his life with Dawn, but at least he was maintaining contact. Then the phone calls dwindled, and stopped completely over a week ago. Sandy hired Mark when Social Services didn't return his calls.
"I'm sorry, Sandy." Mark's a friend of his; he knows what Ryan means to the Cohens.
Sandy nods, acknowledging the sympathy. He can't even say he's surprised; he felt that something like this was going to happen, prayed that it wouldn't. Obviously, his prayers went unanswered.
"Apparently, they left of their own accord," Mark adds gently.
Of course they did. Following the guy Dawn is currently sleeping with, no doubt. And to what kind of life?
"I'll keep an eye out for them," his friend adds. "She's going to have to register him to school eventually. If she doesn't, we'll call the police."
And the police won't be able to do anything, because it's not like Ryan ran away, is it? He's with his mother-his alcoholic, abusive mother, who always showed a frightening inability to take care of anyone at all (even herself).
Why did Ryan agree to go back with her? Sandy wonders, not for the first time. As if he didn't know the answer.
Dawn is Ryan's mother. The Cohens are the strangers who took him in, and one year wasn't enough to convince him that he was part of the family, and not just because the Cohens pity him, not just because Seth needs a friend, but just because he is.
"I'll let you know," Mark says, bringing Sandy back to the present. They both rise at the same time, shake hands, and when Sandy closes the door behind Mark, all he can do is stand there and wonder where Ryan is, and whether or not he's safe.
***
It's six months before he sees Ryan again.
Part Two