Eyes Open

thirteen.

"Gramps, I'm fine, I swear," Sasha grumbled into the phone, pressing her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes. "I'm just a little tired and I hadn't eaten or anything so I felt a little faint, but I'm okay."

"I think you should come home."

"Seriously?" Sasha groaned. "I'm not doing this again, Gramps. I'm fine, I'm okay and I'm staying here to do my job. I just wanted to call you so you weren't worrying."

"Sasha you've been in the company of a convicted – and escaped – serial killer," he huffed at her. "If these people can't even keep a man that dangerous locked up, how to you expect me to believe that they can keep you safe?"

"I can keep myself safe," she rolled her eyes.

"That boy said he'd keep you safe!"

"I can keep myself safe!" she repeated, glancing over towards where Mike was stood with Ryan and Debra. She caught his eye and she swore she saw him blush before he quickly looked away. "Mike has nothing to do with this, okay? It's my own fault, he tried to stop me from running off but I didn't listen so please don't blame him or anyone else for it. I guess I'm more like Ryan than either of us realised."

"You are nothing like that man!" Robert snapped and Sasha winced, pulling the phone away from her ear with a sigh.

"He isn't that bad," she whispered.

"Sasha, that man left your mother when she was barely able to raise a child alone. He left you both and we had to take care of you. We had to practically raise you while your mother went to school and then when she had night shifts at the hospital... He abandoned you after she- when she- he just threw you away like you meant nothing to him and your grandmother and I had to put you back together again, so don't you dare tell me he isn't that bad."

"He's different now, Gramps..." Sasha paused, pushing her hair behind her ear. "I know you'll always blame him for what happened with Mom, I know you hate him for everything he did but he's not the same anymore, he's changed. He cares."

"That man will never care about anyone other than himself, Sasha, and it's about time you realised that before you get your heartbroken all over again."

"Please don't think you're going to lose me just because I want a relationship with my father," she mumbled. "You and Nana have been there for me my entire life and I'm not going to forget about either of you just because I have Ryan back in my life."

"That isn't what this is about at all-"

"Yes it is," she interrupted. "Police psychologist, remember? Plus I've known you since I was born, so I know how your mind works. I love you, Gramps. I'm not going to stop loving you and Nana and I'm not going to forget everything you've done for me just because I want to have Ryan back in my life, too. It doesn't work like that."

"I know you think I'm just a grumpy old man who doesn't like Ryan because he took your mother away from us," Robert sighed quietly. "But that's not it, Sasha. He was a nice kid, we liked him. Hell, even when he left your mother we still liked him, because he wanted to be involved with you and he wanted to help raise you. It's what happened after that..." he trailed off. "I had to watch you wait for him every single day after you came to live with us – it didn't matter what it was, but you held out for something. A call, a message, a visit, and it never came. I had to sit there and watch my only grandchild break her heart crying because she thought her father didn't care about it, and it broke my heart, Sasha. You are so much like your mother, I couldn't stand to see you hurt like that again. I'm concerned about your wellbeing."

"You don't need to be," Sasha told him. "I promise you, Gramps. I know how Ryan works, remember? I'm going to be fine, I swear. I mean it when I say he's different now."