Sophia gave a weak smile to her dad. "Please don't kill him, Dad. I really like him." She whispered "Sorry I didn't tell you earlier but y'all were all so busy. I didn't want to... be in the way" she walked down the hall with Zephyr. she sighed once they were out of earshot of her parents. "Sometimes I can't understand why Dad is so protective of me. All I can guess is that someone Mom was attached to once hurt her in some way" she gave a shrug and elbowed him gently in the ribs.

-

Abby nodded slightly. She couldn't tell what Sophia said. "Be easy on him Ryker. He's not Gavin. He's not going to hurt her. Plus he already looks a little uncomfortable here in the first place. Remember, once you were in a new place and some girl came bounding up and befriended you. You protected her with your life- almost literally- and now you have two little girls." She took a breath, a tired smile crossing her face. "Let someone else protect her for once. If Mom hadn't rolled Dad from me when Gavin was around, I probably wouldn't have been through all the stuff with him and wouldn't have given you a chance to fight for me" she gave him a weak squeeze of his hand that she had grabbed.

Zephyr glanced at Sophia, pausing for a second. "Not my business, but why don't you just ask him? He sounds like the person that wants to open up, but isn't going to do it without an invitation." He commented quietly, his gaze lighting up slightly as he saw the glow of a small cafeteria looking place. "Food. At last."
+++

Ryker glanced at Abby with a small sigh. "I know he's not Gavin, but that's my daughter..." He said quietly, running a hand through his hair and keeping the other wrapped around Abby's hand. He smiled faintly at her words, nodding slightly. "You know, if Sophia asked why I do things, she'd understand a lot more." He grunted, then seemed to fully accept her words. "Okay, I'll... try to give them a chance"

"And that's my plan... but I can't now. I feel like it'll hurt him too much. Especially if it has something to do with Mom." Her stride lengthened when she caught a whiff of the food being prepared. "Hungry hungry hungry" she said before she paused at the counter. "What do you want Zephyr?"

-

"she's my daughter too you know. And maybe if you had told her in the first place it would be different. I feel like if she heard my side she would think of me as a clumsy teenager who managed to get herself into a few too many tricky situations. My knight in shining armor had to same me a time or two" she shot him a small grin. She rubbed her thumb over his fingers for a second then yawned. "Ok... now I'm actually tired. No need to drug me again. It didn't last long anyway. What time is it? Wait" she started looking around. "Where is Ryan? And Pyper and the twins?"

Zephyr shook his head. "Your father is strong- you should know that by now. I can tell by looking at him for two seconds. It might hurt him a little, but I'll bet he loves that you want to talk to him and know." He smiled a little. His eyes flitted to the counter, then the menu. "Just a burger- mmmm, burger. Smells good."

+++

Ryker smiled faintly. "I know I know... but I can't tell her if she doesn't want to know. How am I supposed to know anything, or even feel OKAY speaking to her if she never wants to speak to me?" He sighed heavily, dropping his head slightly. "You were a clumsy teenager." He teased lightly, flashing a smile. "A time or two." he repeated with a small snort, then nodded slightly and glanced around. "They went home... Sophia and Zephyr stayed, though. She's really worried about you." he said quietly.

Sophia sighed. "You've learned more about him today than I feel like I have my whole life... but it's partially my fault. I always hung out with my older siblings to the point that when I was little, I called them mom and dad once." She grinned" They broke that habit really fast. But Mom was always busy with the horses and since I wasn't completely into them I always stayed back. Pyper would ride so Ryan would care for me while Mom and Dad taught her lesson. Then they would switch. I think the moment I called my siblings mom and dad was when Pyper and Ryan started staying away. Pyper doesn't really speak to me as often as I would like, but Ryan.." she chuckled. "He's like my best friend. He has always been there for me." She looked down at the burgers that were placed in front of them. She grabbed her tray and walked to a small table, sitting on the bench.
-

Abby sleepily rolled her eyes. "Just pull her to the side and calmly ask her. About how her day has gone and about her boy. Just... friendly." She rubbed her finger along his hand one last time. "I think I was just too hyper for my own good. Can't help being clumsy when you skip and walk backward all the time like I did." She looked down at her legs. "I was really worried about her when she was in my position. It's just so hard with all the what ifs that rattle in your brain." She grinned "I am the queen of what ifs. Don't forget that... but I can only imagine how Sophia feels, watching me lay helplessly on a bed when I usually push through and would normally try to walk out of here by myself" a flash of memories from when they were younger swirled in her head, making her smile. "Im glad she's not alone though. Happy that this Zephyr guy is hanging out with her and not ditching her because of the circumstances." She risked a glance at Ryker. "He sounds like a good kid"

Zephyr listened intently, tilting his head slightly. "I'm not the right person to judge or talk to this about, but I have a feeling that he may feel a little detached from you. That may be why he hasn't approached you with a bunch of sensitive information about his past." He smiled faintly. "However, your decision. Ryan is a great guy, and I'm sure he's an amazing best friend. I understand why you hang out with him." He commented, taking his burger with a slightly relieved look. He was so hungry.

+++

Ryker glanced at Abby with a small frown. "It's not that easy. I barely talk to her anymore- she's like a snail, where she only comes out of her shell to get food or water. Most of the time she's at school. I don't even know if I've been a good father to her. Have I ever been there when she's needed me, or has it always been Ryan? Does she view it that way? I know she's much closer to him than she is to me..." He trailed off with a pained look. "I guess hanging around your old man can be a little boring sometimes, though." He tried to smile, but there wasn't much joy behind it. Where had he gone wrong? He tried to focus on her words, but he felt like he was in a haze of his past mistakes. So many of them. "You are the queen of what ifs. I wish you weren't." He smiled faintly. "I wish I could just ... be the dad I should've been. I don't even feel comfortable talking to my own daughter." He hung his head slightly, but he was getting too caught up in his problems. Abby was the one laying in the bed with three broken limbs. +stop being a wimp+ he thought, the emotions disappearing off of his face, like he had resumed having a mask on. "Don't try and walk out of here, that'll hurt, but you're going to get better. Soon. Bones take time to heal, but they will heal." He said, then nodded slightly. "Zephyr doesnt seem like the type to just ditch her." He admitted reluctantly, still feeling that protective tingle.

Sophia looked down at her tray, her appetite suddenly gone. "Yeah... I just don't understand. He has always been there but for some reason I run to Ryan instead. I didnt tell him about anything that happed lately. He didnt even know I was going to prom with you. I just feel like im leaving him in the dark. No I feel bad! I've been a terrible daughter!" She put her head in her hands and wiped the single tear that tried to escape her eyelashes. "What have I done? Why is everything falling apart?" She sat up though her posture was not as straight as it usually was. "The only people who have hung around me long enough is you and Ryan. And Mom maybe, but Dad is definitely higher than Mom. She's just too horse crazy" she cracked a smile at the thought. For some reason there was bacon painted on the ceiling in the kitchen and she fawned over a painting she had done in one of the hallways. Apparently the one before had been burned but she had repainted it.
-

Abby shook her head violently. "No Ryker. Stop. She doesn't talk to anyone. Ryan was the only one who out his own problems out there to her no matter how hard it was for him to say. I think that's why Sophia hung around him so much. If you think about it, she doesn't talk to me much either. Probably why Ryan was the only one who knows about Zephyr. But come to think about it, my parents didnt even know you existed until our wedding day. Same for Martin. He didnt know anything about me until a ring was placed on my finger and he was invited to our wedding." Her eyelids fluttered as she fought to stay awake for a few minutes longer. "Look... all I'm saying is while im asleep go sit with Sophia and Zephyr. Talk to them as a friend, not a father. Get to know the boy and replenish your relationship with your daughter." She yawned and gently pulled her hand from Rykers. She patted his hand once then set it on the bed.

Zephyr looked at Abby with a slightly forlorn expression for a moment before re-evaluating and keeping his face calm. "You're NIT a terrible daughter." He huffed quietly, putting a hand on her arm. "You're a great daughter. Ryker would say that too." He added, then frowned. "Everything is NOT falling part. You can fix this with one conversation. And there isn't even too terribly much to fix. He loves you. You love him. You two tell each other that. Perfect father daughter relationship forever." He snorted quietly, then smiled. "If you're not going to eat that burger, can I have it/" he teased lightly.

+++

Ryker sighed heavily. He had been a bad father, and that was his fault. Nothing could change that. "I'll talk to them. Thank you, but just get some rest. You need it." He smiled faintly. After she fell asleep, he stood and paused, sighing again before walking out. He assumed they had gone to get food, as that was the only other thing in his gloomy hospital, so he headed that way. He saw them talking, and walked over, reminding himself of Abby's words. He was a kind friend. Not a protective father. "hi, Sophia. Hi, Zephyr." he had to force himself to say those last two words as he sat down.

Sophia tried not to laugh, but a giggle still escaped her. "I guess so. And I'll split the burger" she put her other hand over his and looked at him. She then looked back down at her food. She took a bite then swallowed. "Mmm" she smiled. She looked around with a sigh. She gulped when her father came around the corner. "Oh... hi Dad." She looked down at her burger. "Do you want it?" She lifted the tray towards him.

Zephyr smiled, triumphant that he had gotten her in better spirits. At least for now. He glanced up as Ryker came in, a little surprised at the greeting. He was being treated as a human and not some radioactive spider trying to east Sophia alive? Wow. "Hello... Mr. Rivera." Drawing a blank on exactly what to call the guy.

+++

Ryker slowly glanced at Zephyr with a snort of amusement. "Just call me Ryker." He said with an easy smile before looking at Sophia. "No, thanks though. How are you doing?" He asked, a bit of concern sparkling in his dark eyes, almost the same shade as Zephyr's.