Help

"I hope this is the last time, too." Eric really meant it. Dylan wasn't his child and he wasn't very close to him either. But it pained him to see him hurt himself, and to see Mick and Jade go through all of this too. He hoped that Dylan, when better, would realize how much everyone here gave of themselves for him.

Returning to brush Static, Eric smiles at Ashlee's idea of a card. He didn't know if Dylan would truly appreciate such a gesture or not. But what mattered was Ashlee's big heart. "I think... that's a great idea."

Finishing up Static with Ashlee's help, Eric eventually puts him away then gives Ashlee another task to do before supper. No matter what was going on with Dylan, the rest of the ranch had to keep going...


The night was long. By evening, Dylan's symptoms had worsened, leaving him with a high fever and half the night in the bathroom. Mick does all he can, sticking close and making sure he got up when he needed to or back down in bed. Changing sheets twice from Dylan's sweat alone, he tries to get his son to drink plenty of water but it wasn't easy. By midnight, Mick tells Stacy she doesn't have to stay and she could come stick close in the morning if she wanted.

Dylan wanted to eat or drink nothing and didn't want anyone to touch him. But he was too weak to fend off Mick, forcing him to give in. Vivid nightmares plagued his mind through the night, awaking him with screams and cries for help just to end the torture. He begged Mick for relief... begged him for just one more dose, even though it was an impossible request. Finally by mid morning the next day, he seemed to be resting a little more peacefully, giving Mick a short reprieve...


Mick leans on the kitchen counter and takes a deep breath. He just needed to get Dylan through this. After a few days, the worst would be over and they could work towards change. But right now, he just needed to find the strength to help his son through this critical point. He'd had no sleep last night, and his tired eyes proved it. He knew Rosetta probably hadn't slept much either, but he'd insisted she at least stay in bed and try to sleep unless he needed her help. So far, he'd been able to handle everything on his own, though it was difficult at times.

Now it seemed Dylan was resting at least, giving Mick a short break to get some coffee. He assumed the rest of the ranch was moving forward - he hadn't been outside since yesterday. He'd seen Rosetta briefly earlier and knew she'd gone to the office to do some filing. And Stacy? She was probably nearby somewhere. Everyone else? He hadn't a clue. But he also knew it was okay - he needed to be here and he trusted that everyone else understood that.

Pouring himself some coffee, he sighs deeply, letting the warm liquid slide down his throat. This should keep him awake for a bit longer.


In the spare bedroom, Dylan pries open his eyes and squints at the half-open door. His body trembled and his stomach was in knots. His head was going to split open, he was sure. And the determination from the morning before... was all but gone. Right now, only one thing mattered, and no one was giving it to him. He needed to get some. Somehow. Or anything. Maybe he could find something in Angel's office that would at least get him close to where he wanted to be. She had powerful stuff, right? He'd seen all sorts of meds in there before.

It was his desperate craving and fever that drove him. Rational thoughts didn't exist. No matter the stupidity of his notion, in his state, it was the only thing that mattered or made sense.

Almost falling out of bed, he gropes for his jeans. The room spun and he manages to pull himself up and aim for the door. Later, he wouldn't even remember leaving the room. But right now, he had one destination and he dragged himself forward.


Hearing the front door open and close, Mick whirls around just in time to see Dylan leaving the house. "Dylan!" Mick hadn't even heard him get up. What on earth was he doing? Mick had thought he'd been asleep, and now felt stupid for being caught off guard. "Dylan!" He sprints for the door and heads outside.

Dylan staggers in the direction of Angel's office. He wanted anything. He needed it. Something to take away the pain. Something to give him that blissful feeling that everything in the world was just fine. He could find it. He didn't care what it was. He didn't care if it was a lethal combination of over-the-counter drugs. Just once. He had to have it.

"Dylan, stop!" Mick knew his son was desperate and probably didn't even know what he was doing, but this was no time to give in. Getting around in front of Dylan, he puts his hands on his shoulders to stop him. "Get back to the house," he orders gently but firmly.

"No!" Dylan shrugs off his hands and continues forward. His pulse was racing, his breathing shallow. Feverish and driven half-mad, he wasn't thinking clearly at all. Nothing here would give him the relief he was hunting for, but it didn't matter. He would try anyway.

Mick stops him again with a firmer grip. "Yes! Turn around and go back to the house. Come on. I'll go with you."

"You can't make me!" Dylan glares at him and tries to shoulder past, but Mick stood his ground. Instantly riled, Dylan takes a swing at him but misses and before he realizes it, he's put in a bear hug from behind, locking both his arms. Now caught and restrained, his lethargic state is overpowered by a sudden surge of adrenaline. "Let me go!" he screams. Thrashing wildly, he stumbles forward with Mick but isn't able to break loose.

"I won't let you go," Mick retorts. "You're coming back to the house. Now."

"No!" Dylan tries ripping himself loose and when that doesn't work, he throws his head back, smacking Mick squarely in the face.

Pain surges through Mick's nose and he can feel blood start to trickle down. Sheer willpower keeps his hands together with arms locked around his son. "Cut it out!" he barks. "Calm down!"

"Let me go! Just let me go!" Seeing he was aimed toward the house again only serves to double Dylan's efforts of trying to break free.

Mick's muscles ached and he was gasping for breath. Though Dylan was stronger, his adrenaline-induced power was enormous and Mick didn't know how much longer he could hold him. "Just... stop.... stop fighting...." His hat is knocked off and he tries to keep his balance as his son whips back and forth.

"I won't stay!" Dylan screams. A mix of sweat and tears runs down his face, his muscles straining to break free. "You can't stop me!" He lunges forward with all his might. But breaking free isn't what happens. Instead, as he heads for the ground, he takes Mick right along with him.

Hitting the ground hard, shoulder-first, Mick winces but refuses to unlock his arms from around his son. He gasps for breath as the wind is knocked out of him and fights blindly against Dylan's thrashing body. On his back with Dylan on top of him, he's helpless to do anything but keep him in his grasp, taking elbows to the ribs and kicks to his legs. His grip loosens. "I need a little help here!" he calls out. He had no idea who was even within earshot, but surely someone had heard Dylan screaming and would be close by. He knew Dylan couldn't go anywhere, let alone far in his shape. He was only afraid of him hurting himself, or others, when he was like this. "I can't hold him!" Mick calls louder and with a little more desperation.


Pete grins and nods. "Yeah... these indoor parties never did much for me." He looks around the room too. "At least at the beach I can go for a walk or sit by a bonfire. And it's cheaper."

Ariel rolls her eyes. "You two don't know the meaning of socializing. But if you're both going to go to Mom and Pop's, I'll go with. I think tonight's the weeknight they're open late."

"Mm-hmm." Pete nods again. "Carson shouldn't mind too much"

Ariel gives Trey a sidelong glance before looking back to Pete. "I'll um... I'll meet you guys there, okay?"

Pete got the hint that she'd rather drive alone. "Sure thing. Come on, Trey, let's go see what we can stir up."