Something - Quinn Fabray

Chapter 34

The next morning, Ryan went out as usual for his run, and on his way back home, he spotted a familiar looking figure. He stepped up his pace and caught up to his target, who turned as he approached.

"Hi Ryan," James smiled, as he saw the teenager coming towards him. "You're up early."

Ryan smiled at his dad. "So are you."

James chuckled at him. "Well, five AM wake-up calls for twenty years does leave an impression. Do you do this every day?"

"Yeah, I think it clears my head. And a good exercise routine is important. Where are you going?" Ryan asked curiously.

"Oh, I just thought I'd go for a walk, get to know my way around. I'm moving here, after all. I was on my way to your house, actually."

"Oh, good," Ryan said. "I'm on my way back too, we could walk together." James nodded at him and they started moving.

"Is your mom up yet?"

Ryan smirked slightly. "Mom isn't really a morning person."

"That's an understatement," James snorted. "When we were at school she'd wake up exactly 30 minutes before she had to leave for school. She'd fit everything into those 30 minutes - shower, breakfast, last minute homework - just so she could get a few extra minutes of sleep. Used to drive her mom crazy."

Ryan had to laugh at that. He could just imagine his mom running around like that with his grandmother nagging at her the whole while. "She does occasionally get up before eight in the morning, though. The last time was to keep me from sneaking out the morning after I got grounded."

"I see her mom-radar came in already."

"What?"

"That's what she used to call her mom's uncanny talent for knowing when she was up to something," James explained. "It was as if as soon as Shelby got some scheme dreamt up, her mom was right behind her to pour cold water." They turned a corner, and found that they were on Shelby's street already.

"Can I ask you something?" Ryan said tentatively.

"Of course."

"What's up with you and Mom?"

James blinked at him. He hadn't expected that. "What do you mean?"

"Are you...getting back together?" Ryan had noticed that Shelby had been a bit preoccupied last night after getting home from dinner. "I'm not blind, I can see how you two look at each other."

"Oh." James ran a hand through his hair. "We talked last night. And we're...still not sure yet, I guess. Would you be okay with that?"

Ryan was quiet for a moment. "I know you're my dad, but you hurt her and I'll be very upset," he said bluntly.

James' eyes widened in surprise a bit, before he assured Ryan, "I have no intentions of hurting her. If we do decide to give it another shot, I promise I'll do it right. Okay?" A rush of affection went through him as he realized that Ryan really cared about Shelby a lot.

Ryan looked at him closely before he judged that his dad was being sincere. "Okay. Good."

James couldn't help but be amused at the situation. Shelby was afraid that their relationship was going to hurt Ryan, and Ryan was worried that Shelby would be the one to get hurt. The pair walked quietly for a moment. "About your grounding, I think you left part of the story out. Your mom said you got in a fight."

Ryan snuck a glance at his dad, but didn't know the man enough to read his expression. "Not really."

"Are you sure? She said you came home with a split lip. I can still sort of see it."