Becoming Defiant •• OneRepublic {3}

What One Owes

Ryan's P.O.V.

Ramona fled from his arms only a few minutes after his promise, looking at no one else while she wiped tears from her face. Ryan had to get a hold of himself before he turned around, for he was certain some tears had reached even his eyes. Nonetheless, he blinked everything away and finally faced the others. They all stared at him, each with their own expressions. Vince's was curious, though, and Ryan grew angry.

"What?" He snarled.

"Why is she---"

"Scared of you?!"

Ryan turned, letting out a small laugh. It was the kind of laugh he could not help but release because the question posed was so ridiculous, so incredibly idiotic. He gave Vince Wood the most venomous stare he could conjure.

"You're really that fucking dense?" He asked.

"Hey, look, I tried to apologize---"

"And don't understand why the fuck she flinched the moment you stepped forward! You beat her, what more to it is there?!"

Vince clenched his jaw. Somewhere deep in his gray eyes, he knew it, and Ryan knew he did. About a decade of horrendously abusing one's only child wasn't something simply erased from the memory. Besides, he knew he had to apologize - and he knew for what, whether or not he was actually going to.

"Don't you dare try to come back after years and try to be her father again. You're nothing to her, and you don't deserve shit."

"You and I both surely know she wants family."

"And she's got it. Right here, with me," Ryan told him firmly. He made gestures at the other guys, "With them. And more friends. No one needs or wants you here."

"I'm her father."

"She owes you nothing."

"So maybe I owe her. That's why I'm here."

"Oh, you do owe her. But it's far too late to pay that debt."

Ryan grew tired of the conversation. There were a thousand terrible things he wanted to tell the man but decided it was a waste of his time. He looked at Daryl.

"When are you gonna question him?"

Ryan saw Vince look back at Daryl, confused again as if he was innocent. Daryl looked long at Ryan.

"Do you want to join?"

"Yes."

"Within the next hour."

Ryan nodded, and Daryl stepped forward to put a firm hand around Vince's left arm. He began to drag him inside, Cherry going on the other side of him to help. Ryan watched them go.

"Surprised you didn't punch him." Zach said as he came to stand beside Ryan. Ryan sighed, "Zach, I sure as hell wanted to."

"I'm sure you'll have plenty of chances." Eddie mentioned, shrugging and standing with them. Brent stood silently behind all three.

"And I'll definitely be taking one."

There was a long pause. After a few minutes of standing there, Ryan felt a large hand clap his back.

"You should go talk to Ramona." Zach said. Ryan shook his head.

"Later. She needs space right now."

"Are you sure? She could---"

"I know my own fiancée, Eddie. She's... She'll be alright."

With this, Ryan left them, following all others inside the main double doors. The hallways were empty and quiet when he looked. There weren't many Rebels walking around either, not that he could see. It was oddly foreboding.