"Chris, I need a favor. Can you just come over and talk to Lys for me?" Ryan had spoke over the phone, sighing.
"What's wrong?" Chris could hear crying in the background and knew it was her.. But he wasn't sure why Ryan wasn't doing anything about it.
"She's mad at me, she doesn't want me near her but she's a mess. Please." Ryan didn't need to say anything more, Chris was already grabbing his wallet and keys.
"Yeah, on my way." On the drive Chris couldn't help but wonder why Lys was mad at Ryan, what was wrong and what had happened. The two never fought and whenever she was upset Ryan was always her go to person. So the situation was just odd.
Chris parked his BMW behind Ryan's challenger in the driveway before heading into the house. He headed into the livingroom, seeing Lys laying on the couch.
"Alyssa." Chris spoke softly, heading to her and sitting down beside her. "Come here." He opened his arms for her and she immediately pressed herself into his chest, grasping his hoodie in her hands as she sobbed. "What's the matter?"
The response he got was a few attempt at words that were cut off by sobs and her panicked breathing.
He held her tight as he helped her through some deep breaths and talked her down.
When Ryan had came into the room Chris turned the same question on him.
"She went over there today to g-"
"Over where?"
"His place. She wanted her stuff and he was at work so she went over and... Lys, you wanna tell Chris what you did?" Ryan caught the death glare Lys shot him but held back from saying anything. She was already upset enough so he had to let it slide.
"What happened pumpkin?" Chris asked her softly, bringing her attention back to him.
"Her stuff was there.." The girl cried. Chris looked to Ryan with a not so happy expression as he shook his head.
"Im sorry." Chris kissed the top of her head, squeezing her close.
"And Lys had a meltdown over it and decided that punching his walls untill her knuckles were bruised and bleeding was a good idea." Ryan rolled his eyes. She shot another glare his way and Ryan let out a low growl. "Alyssa, youre already in enough trouble, don't you think? Stop acting like this!"
"Alright, alright. Ryan, I got her. Go cool off, do whatever you gotta do. I've got her." Chris interrupted the situation before it could go further. Ryan hesitated but left the room, deciding it was the best thing for the girl.
"Let me see." Chris spoke quietly and soothingly as he reached for her wrists. His eyes went straight to the blood that was already on his hoodie from her holding onto him. "Lys..." His tone was laced with dissapointment as he looked over her swollen and bleeding hand.
"Im sorry." She cried into his shoulder, pressing herself into him. She just wanted comfort but Ryan had gotten too pissed over the situation. She was hoping Chris wouldn't do the same.
"Look at me." He instructed her softly, still with a firmness to his voice as he took her face in his hands. His eyes met her tear filled ones as he used his thumbs to brush away the ones that fell. "You are worth more than this Alyssa. He's not even worth the pain you're going through... But I get it. You were hurt, probably pissed and you let it out. Was it smart? No. But we all do stuff like this. Don't make it a habit but I do get it love." He eventually took her to the bathroom to clean and bandage her up before following her to Ryan's bed. He laid down next to her as she buried herself in his chest, seeking comfort. He played with her hair and spoke soothing words to her.
That evening while she layed in bed sleeping Chris and Ryan stood around in the kitchen, cooking dinner while they talked.
"Why do I feel like there's more to this?" Chris asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back against the counter as he looked at Ryan's pissed expression. His jaw was clenched, shoulders tight as he stood at the stove, his attention on the pan he was using to cook.
"I'm pissed at that girl. Goddamn, I know she's hurting but she's being so.. So fucking stupid!"
"She was upset Ryan, she acted out of anger. We've all done it. What's the big deal?" It was then that Ryan put the spatula down and turned towards Chris.
"She didn't come home last night, I stayed over at her place to make sure she was okay and she never fucking came home. And to make matters worse she wouldn't answer any of my calls... Then she comes home like that. Dude.. I-" He broke off, shaking his head. He was worried about her more than anything but the situation did make him angry. If she wanted space she could've at least just answered to tell him what was up so that he knew she was okay.
"That's not like her." Chris scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. They both knew that wasn't like he, especially when something was wrong.
"I feel like I don't even know her right now."
"Come on man... She's still your Alyssa... She's just going through shit."
"Yeah well, right now she's your Alyssa. Cuz I don't know what to do with her and she's mad at me anyways. So please go get her up for dinner." Ryan sighed, turning his back to Chris.
Chris didn't say anything else before heading upstairs. When he got to Ryan's room he sat down next to her and gently woke her up. When she was awake he decided to dig deeper.
"You know you can trust me, right?" He asked her. She nodded her head as she played with the edge of the blanket. "Where'd you go last night?" He asked her bluntly. Her eyes shot up to his as she got a questioning look on her face. "You weren't with me and you weren't with Ryan. Look, I just wanna know that you were safe Lys."
"I stayed with Meghan.. Why-.. Why are you asking me this?" The look on her face definitly had a little bit of anger on it now.
"Then why couldn't you answer the phone?" She narrowed her eyes at him and shook her head.
"Can I not have my own space?" Her tone dripped venom and Chris was quick to get stern with her.
"First of all you can lose that tone with me Alyssa. You know damn well I won't put up with it. I'm just trying to make sure you're safe, I care a lot about you." She instantly got quiet and dropped her head. "Why Lys? You could've been hurt and we wouldn't have known."
"I just wanted space and I needed to get my stuff alone. I knew if I told him where I was going he wouldn't let me go alone."
"And when you come back with bruised and bleeding knuckles that proves why you shouldn't have went alone. Let us be there Lys."
"I just needed to." She mumbled quietly.
"Lys, we love you. We care about you and we want you to be okay, let us help you through stuff." He pulled her in close when he noticed she was crying. "I love you Alyssa. Ryan loves you. We don't want you to go through stuff alone, that's what we're here for... Lys, please let me be here for you. Don't shut me out. You could've called me." As she climbed onto his lap he rocked her back and forth, holding her tight and letting her cry. "I know it's alot right now but im here. Ryan's here and we just want to make sure you're okay."
"I'm sorry." She cried into his shoulder as he held her, rubbing her back with one hand while the other was on her head, his fingers threaded through her hair.
"Its okay Lys. It's alright Pumpkin. Just please.. Please, call me next time, okay?" She nodded her head and he started to calm her down so that he could get her back downstairs. When she had stopped crying and caught her breath Chris pulled back and wiped her tears away. "Lets go downstairs. Ryan's got dinner ready." He told her, causing her to shake her head. "Yes baby, we're going. Come on." He stood up, bringing her with him despite her protests. "I'll carry you down if I have to." He threatened. He wasnt sure if she didn't want to go because of Ryan or because food was involved but either way those were both things she was gonna have to get over.
Dinner was awkwardly quiet and when everyone had finished eating Chris let out a sigh.
"You know, you guys are gonna have to let shit go. Both of you."
"Chris-" Ryan had started with a sigh but Chris broke him off.
"She did something stupid that you don't agree with, I get that. Her not answering the phone or coming home would've driven me crazy too. But if you would've just sat down and calmly talked things out you would've gotten alot further instead of having to call me to do it.
And you, little miss, cannot be shutting us -him, for that matter- out. Anything could've happened to you.
You were both wrong, get the fuck over it."
Alyssa's eyes followed Chris as he got up and took his plate into the kitchen. As she started to do the same Ryan interrupted her.
"Alyssa, hold on. Sit back down princess." When she had reluctantly listened he continued. "Chris is right.. I'm sorry, I should've kept my cool I just barely got any sleep after waiting up half the night for you and you wouldn't answer me... Then you came home bleeding and I just lost it. I'm sorry baby."
"I'm a big girl, Ryan. I can take care of myself. You don't get it."
"No, no I don't because you're my little baby Lys. Are there moments where your a big girl? Yes.. But not in moments like those and all you did was prove my point."
"Well sometimes I just have to handle things on my own. It's life, I don't know what to tell you."
"And I get that. I don't like it, but I get it. Still this shouldn't have been one of them. And if you wanted me out of it, fine. At least call one of the guys. At least make sure you're safe.. Who knows what could've happened."
"Fine... Are we done with this talk?"
"No, baby I still have no idea where you were last night. We're far from done."
"Then ask Chris. I'm over this."
"Thought you said she wasn't with you?" Ryan shifted his attention onto the man who stood in the doorway, trying to stay out of it.
"I wasn't. But her and I just had the same talk before dinner. She was with Meghan and then went and got her stuff this morning."
After talking everything out they all ended up in the livingroom watching a movie together and when Alyssa fell asleep on the couch Ryan carried her up to bed after Chris went home.