[Ryan] Uncle Ryan

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley lifted Lily’s carseat out of the backseat of his car as he smiled down at her, “ Hey angel,” he said to her,leaning down to kiss the top of her head. Riley tossed the diaper bag over his shoulder before he looked up, checking both sides of the street and made his way quickly over. He was excited enough to see Ryan just the way it was, but now he was introducing him to his daughter. Ryan was one of those guys where you could have a conversation about nothing, but a whole lot of things went unsaid. He was one of the greatest men he’d met in his life, and Riley knew he was fortunate to have him as a friend. “ Hi, it’s going to be for two and then.. the baby” he said, lifting Lily’s carseat up lazily. He smiled politely as he followed her over to one of the outdoor tables at the café. After asking for a swing to put her carseat in, Riley set Lily up so that she could see the rest of the table.

Riley had dressed her up in a pale pink sundress with a white cardigan. He’d taken a long time to pick out the appropriate pink sandals to go along with it, and her headband had been a product of Samantha. Either way she was adorable, and Riley surprisingly loved dressing her up. He reached over to fix her dress and place a pacifier in her mouth before he looked back over the menu. Riley took in a nervous breath, though he wasn’t sure why. Everyone had accepted Lily really well in their group so far. It was like she was a group baby and everyone loved pitching in to help take care of her. It was sort of adorable, watching how she genuinely loved each and every one of them, lighting up whenever she got passed around during Sunday dinners. His entire world had turned upside down, but he was surprised at how well they were all joining together to help him out. He’d been worried about how Mackenzie would react to all of it, but she’d been amazing. Lily’s grandparents had talked to him about their concerns with how Mackenzie could be seen as acting like a mother. Tough shit. He wasn’t going to let his daughter grow up without a mother, and Mackenzie was in no means trying to replace anyone. Lily was only a few months old, and it wasn’t in Mackenzie’s nature to try and disgrace the memory of Sarah somehow by replacing her. It was simple, she loved him. He could tell she was amazed by Lily sometimes, even if it was hard that she wasn’t actually her daughter when Riley knew how important it was for Mackenzie. If he could lay his life down , it would be for the people in their family. Watching Mackenzie with Lily had sort of been…perfect.It broke his heart a little that he hadn’t had a child with Mackenzie, and they might have been imperfect, but he still felt like they were a family.

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan continued walking down the block, looking at the different shops and sites, enjoying the fact that everything he really needed was right in walking distance unless he was heading to Logan's and Blake's for Sunday dinner. But other then that, his new place was right on the main strip, all of the city right at his finger tips. They were only here for two days, having just drove in this morning and had a show tonight, and then a show tomorrow. Then they were off again to tour more cities and be home in the beginning of August. They were supposed to get back in late July but because of the funeral for Riley's parents, the entire tour got pushed back a week and they had at least five or six shows to make up. For the time being, the small break from tour that they were getting here in the city, they were spending getting their shit together, finding places to live, unpacking big stuff so the had stuff to come home to. They hadn't realized, he, Shane and Kat, that when they left Malibu, they wouldn't be returning. Ryan had also not expected to leave Malibu a taken guy and then come home to the city single. From what Ryan had so quietly gathered, Madeline had it in her mind that Ryan had cheated on her while he was away, which he hadn't, but all the same, she had gone out and got herself some congressman husband and left Ryan high and dry. Ryan had already written a few songs about it and though he wanted to tell Madeline she was wrong, he was so fed up with females screwing him over he wasn't sure he was ready to even see her yet while he was here. He was only here these couple of days for shows, squeezing Riley in hadn't been in his plans either, but he knew meeting Lily was really important to Riley and Ryan wanted to meet her too.

Ryan approached the hostess at the cafe, explaining that he was meeting someone and she led him to a table where Riley was sitting with who had to be his daughter Lily. Ryan felt himself start to grin, she looked so much like Riley it was kind of silly. "Oh my god, you look exactly like your father," Ryan laughed bending down to get on Lily's level, "I hope we can be friends, I like juice boxes and tricycle racing, and I have friends with a large collection of Disney movies." Ryan sat down, leaning back in his chair and looked at Riley, "Dude, that is the craziest thing I've yet to see, I can't believe how she can look like you so much, only cute." Ryan joked, indicating that Riley wasn't, "So you two all moved in, same street as Renner and Chad?"

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley smiled as he looked away from his menu, bringing his attention back to Lily. He picked up the napkin and played peek-a-boo with her a few times, just eager to see her smile again. He lived for little moments like that. He couldn’t help but smile instantly as he saw one of his best friends kneeling down by Lily. She would have such different relationships with all of them. Shane,Kat and Ryan would be the go –to playmates.Samantha,Madeline,Mackenzie would make sure her closet and attitude was right on.Blake would make sure she was well fed.Logan would tap into any talents she had. She seriously was going to be one of the most well rounded children to walk the streets of New York. “ Man it’s so good to see you, so much…shit..” he laughed uncomfortably.A lot had changed since he last saw Ryan. Hell, they all lived in New York. He had a baby. Madeline was married. He smiled at Lily again as he watched her smiling at the new company. She had just started laughing recently and she used it to her advantage to flirt, and boy by the way she was looking at Ryan and making noises was she flirting.

‘ Yeah actually the move was pretty easy. My parents had real estate here already, so I just kind of lucked out that it’s on the same street as some of the family,” he said with a relieved expression across his face. Riley glanced down at the menu, only looking away again when Lily had smacked her hands on the table, trying to regain Ryan’s attention as she laughed at him, obviously thinking that he should flirt with her as much as she was flirting with him. Note to self; buy a shot gun when she turned sixteen. Riley smiled as he watched her before looking back at Ryan. “What about you… same street as Madeline,hm? That’s… I mean it’s a pretty packed street. Lots ofpeople. Different buildings, so… “ Riley genuinely hated seeing any of his friends in pain, especially when it’s because they were being complete dumbasses. Like Madeline. Riley had always been the one in the group to tell someone flat out when they were being an idiot. “Madeline knows you didn’t cheat on her now, Ryan.I talked to her after your sister said some stuff online the other day.She’s… she’s pretty tore up about it, man”

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan sighed when Riley mentioned living in the same neighborhood as Madeline but just shrugged. It was the area he wanted to live in and with the number of people that lived in this city the chances of running into her weren't that big. If you really wanted to see someone you'd have to plan it. "It's a big street, plenty of room for all." Ryan picked up his menu, scanning the choices while he eyed Lily and smiled at her every few seconds when she thought he wasn't looking, and then she'd giggle and Ryan would just laugh. Riley mentioned Madeline knowing now that Ryan didn't cheat on her and that she felt awful about it. Awful enough to leave her husband? Ryan didn't know how she felt about the guy, surely she didn't love him the way she loved Ryan. Surely that guy didn't love Madeline the way Ryan did, or treated her the way Ryan used to, or made her smiled like Ryan used to... Either way, Ryan wasn't really sure what the hell she'd been thinking but he was sure of one thing and that was that she couldn't nearly be as happy as she was with Ryan. "I don't know, maybe I'll shoot her a text, so she at least has my new number." She could do what she wanted with it. Text him, call him. Not text or call him.

The thing was Ryan really just wanted things to go back to the way things were before Madeline went and got herself married but her being married kind of made things difficult. The real question was whether or not Madeline was going to let this marriage stand and if she wanted to be back with Ryan. The only thing he could do at this point was tell her what he wanted and then it was really up to her to deiced to call off her marriage or not. After all, her citizenship was riding on it and everything. "I guess I should just talk to her. Her dad thinks she's being ridiculous, but I can't make her leave her husband, I can only tell her what I think, you know?"

[Riley Scott Collins]

It was really cute to watch Lily flirting with Ryan, and honestly he was surprised at how comfortable Ryan was with the situation. But that was Ryan; chill, relaxed, go with the flow and take what life handed you. He looked up as Ryan talked about the street they lived on and couldn’t help but laugh. ”Yeah the chances of you two never talking again is slim to none.I’m going to guarantee that one of you calls the other late at night some time.Most likely her.” Riley coughed before he tried to do his best Madeline impression,speaking in a higher pitch. “ Oh Ryan,I can’t stand the thought of waking up to the sunrise with out you. Please don’t put me through that pain and emptiness… hold me in your long…lanky…arms..” he laughed towards the end, trying to keep a straight faced before he shook his head, looking back at Ryan as he sat back in his chair.

Riley looked back at Lily as she started to move her legs inside the carseat. He moved into the diaper bag to see if he had packed the right bottle before he shook it up quickly and set it out on the table. He reached over, taking Lily out of her carseat and held her against his chest. “ Hey,” he said with a smile across his lips. ” You and your uncle Shane will get along great. He takes most of his meals from a bottle too,” .Riley worked with one hand, popping the lid off of the baby bottle before he held it to Lily’s lips and gave a soft sigh. Looking back at Ryan he bit the inside of his cheek, “ Look I understand more than anyone undesireable situations. I have this..beautiful..baby, and I’m in love with Mackenzie. She’s an angel with Lily, and it’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. But I know that taking care of my child, who I had with a woman that wasn’t her, isn’t what she considers an ideal situation. But you work with what you have. Yeah, I had a kid with someone else. But it’s proven to be a test that Mackenzie and I are having no problem facing. Okay.. so..Madeline got married. Dumbass move, yeah. But how is it going to test the two of you? Do you still love her? Do you think she still loves you? Cause I’m telling you.. I love Mackenzie..to the point where our entire worlds would crumble around us, but she’s … sunlight. You know what I’m saying? Mackenzie and Lily are my sunlight.No matter what happens in my world, I love them with all of my heart and I would do anything to protect that love.” Riley tried to take a drink of his water without movie Lily. “ You’ve been through a lot with women, Ryan.I know that first hand. I don’t think it’s fair for you to lump Madeline into that group of women. You probably don’t want to, but listen to what I’m saying. Madeline behaves rashly, correct? That’s part of the reason you like her. Except this time it bit you in the ass. But she wouldn’t have married someone if she wasn’t hurt. It was a misunderstanding, and now she’sin a situation she shouldn’t be in, and it puts you in one that you shouldn’t be in.But you’re an idiot if you think that love is gone. Love makes you do some of the stupidest things. She loves you , Ryan. She was hurt, and didn’t want you to see her weak when you came back from your tour because she’s told me many times that she doesn’t think she’s good enough for you. You’re this rockstar who is going to become more and more famous, and you’re the smartest guy I know. She’s looking at colleges here in New York. That was after she got married. She’s still trying to be better for you . You two are both walking around like puppies who got their toy taken away. You both wouldn’t be upset if you didn’t care about each other.But dude,…. Don’t lump her in the group of women who mistreated you. She didn’t hurt you because she wanted to, she did it unintentionally because she was trying to protect herself.”

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan couldn't help but smile hugely for two reasons. One, because seeing the way Riley looked at Lily was so sweet, it made Ryan hope he had a daughter someday to look at like that. And two, because for Ryan probably being the quietest one in the entire group who barely said two words at Sunday dinners unless he was addressed, Riley probably talked he most on a bad day. On a good day if you got him on a roll, it was difficult to get him to shut up but in Ryan's opinion, everything Riley had to say was valuable so he always listened with open ears. it was just the fact that they were on opposite ends of the verbal spectrum that made Ryan and Riley such good friends. Extremely compatible on the friend front. Plus what Riley was saying right now only backed up what Ryan was feeling and made him think that probably talking to Madeline was a good idea. It was just nice that someone agreed with him. "So... you're agreeing that I should just talk to her. Dude, honestly, I did not anticipate falling in love with her. I don't always dive in head first, you know. But at this point I can't see ever not loving her. Even when I'm pissed at her, I'm not really because I really can't stay mad at her. Madeline acts rashly. But I know she cares, that I do know." Ryan took a drink of his water and then set it down, leaning forward to look at Lily.

That baby had to be really fucking hard on Mackenzie right now, for all that she put on a smiling face for, she was doing a good job of it right now. Because Riley looked really happy and Ryan was sure that was all Mack really wanted. But it had to have been really tough on her. Kind of like Madeline marrying another guy. It sucked. Your boyfriend having a baby with another woman must suck too. "So, Mack just, what? Dropped everything and stepped up? I mean, that girl is really good at hiding what she's thinking, you'd know if it wasn't what she really wanted?" Riley knew her so well, he had to know if she was ever hiding her real feelings. Like now, if taking on Riley's daughter wasn't really what she wanted, surely Riley could see that just by looking at her. For being so complex, she wasn't always so difficult to read, just most of the time.

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley watched Ryan as he spoke, wondering just how well he was registering what he was saying. It wasn’t really like Riley to let his opinion not be known. There were so many people in this group that bit their tongue, put on a smile, pretended everything was okay when it was’t. Riley didn’t play that game. If he thought something was bullshit, he told you.So it was sort of strange that he had fallen in love with one of the three girls he thought did it the most; her being the one that ranked about them all. “ I do think you should talk to her,” he said with a reassuring nod. It wasn’t going to be easy, but that was the point, it was a test. The right thing would prevail in the end, especially when it came to love. Love never lies. Riley tested taking the bottle away from Lily to see if she was done before he quietly set it on the table. He moved her gently to her carseat and hoped that she would fall asleep soon as he tucked her back underneath her blanket. Having a child was sort of like taking care of your best friend that got drunk too soon at a party. Drink this, eat that, don’t pee yourself, get some sleep. So if he knew what he was doing at all; it was thanks to Logan, Shane, Ryan, Chad. Best training a new unmarried father could ask for.

“ I tried ending things with her in California but she’s just so damn stubborn that she wouldn’t let me. I didn’t want her to live a life of feeling like she was in someone elses’ shoes. I didn’t want to hold her back or make her think that this was her responsibility. But yeah, she stepped up when she didn’t need to. I think that… it’s hard for her. I think she wishes that my first child was her first child too. But, I think that… if she and I can make it through this, there will be a point in time where she doesn’t see Lily as me and Sarah’s child. It’s Mackenzie that I’m raising her with. It’s Mackenzie and I that are doing this as a team. And I’d want Mackenzie in Lily’s life even if she didn’t want to be with me romantically. But I seriously think that girl needs to get into some sort of kickboxing class for all that fake smiling she does. She needs to release tension somehow. “. Riley looked over at Lily to check on her, the way he did nervously every few moments. “ I bought an engagement ring, though. Blake went with me the second day we were here to look at engagement rings. Just in case things work out…” Riley took the ring box out of his pocket and set it on the table, sliding it to Ryan. “ Ever see yourself doing that? I mean seriously… I never, never thought I would be the kind to settle down until I started dating Kenzie. I mean why would I settle for anything less than the best?”

[Ryan James O'Neil]

Ryan nodded, "I really just think it'll hit a point when Mack will just look at Lily as her kid and Lily will probably look at Mack as her mom and that'll be the end of it. Instant family." Ryan shrugged. He could see Mackenzie wanting that. The family and the marriage and the dog and the white picket fence. He just didn't expect Riley to be the first guy with the. Everyone thought it'd be Chad, or Logan, surprisingly. Ryan shook his head, "I could never see myself going out and buying a ring before I met Madeline. I didn't even think about it. Then Renner and Parker got married and I was like, thinking about getting married. If I didn't know Madeline I wouldn't think twice about it." It was true. Suddenly he had been thinking about the future and he knew damn well it was because of the girl he was with, only because she was someone he could see a future with. Hell, he already looked at her father as his father, which was interesting now because for all the years Ryan had lost contact with his own father, he was pretty close in distance to the guy. For some reason he hoped his dad never had knowledge of him and Felicia being here in New York, especially Felicia. He didn't want his sister near their dad, if possible. Seeing how Riley was with Lily, it made him wonder how on earth guys like his dad ended up like his dad. How you could ever lay a hand on your loved ones or even think about harming your kid. They were better off with out him.

Ryan pulled his phone out and quickly sent a text to Madeline, "Hey Madeline, it's Ryan, here's my new number, I wasn't sure if you'd like to have it" and then slipped it back in his pocket. Now he'd have to wait and see if she responded, or when. "Texted her," he shrugged looking at Riley. Hopefully things got better rather then worse.

[Riley Scott Collins]

Riley nodded in agreement that they’d be their own sort of family in the future.They already were, he just thought that it was going to sneak up on Mackenzie. She was sort of filling the role right now, and then out of nowhere it would blindside her; she was a mother. Riley smiled as he listened to Ryan talking about how he could see himself marrying someone now, but that he hadn’t felt that way until he met Madeline. Yeah, know that feeling. Except for him it had been Mackenzie. “ Love’s a sneaky little bitch,” he said with a playful grin across his lips. “ I have to admit though.. you and Madeline? I mean come on. .. Parker and Renner makes sense. On some weird level. Yeah he was the bad boy musician whatever, but she wasn’t exactly Miss Peggy Sue. They had a lot in common. Shane and Kat is a no-brainer. Samantha and Chad.. that just seems right. Mack and I fit together… then there’s you and Madeline. The lingerie model…and the rockstar? The outgoing girl and the quiet nerd? Seriously dude I don’t understand how you two love each other,… I just know you do,”

Riley watched as Ryan took out his phone and texted her, giving a nonchalant shrug and said that he had texted her. “Man pretend that it’s no big deal all you want. But I’ve sat in the same exact seat you’re in and know how nerve-wracking it is waiting to hear back from the woman you love, when you’re stuck in a shitty situation.” He thought back to when Mackenzie had been dating Liam and instinctively shook his head. That guy was a prick, and had somehow managed to trick Mackenzie into feelinganything for someone as undeserving as him. Whatever, he’d gotten the girl in the end so that was all that mattered.