Chapter 1

Ryan's knees ached as the hard wood pressed into his knees. He had been in the chapel for the last hour, trying to find the strength to carry on for his family. He knew this would be the last time they were at the hospital to see him, and he didn't know how he was going to try to fill his father's shoes. Ever since the call had come that morning that his father's condition had taken a turn for the worst, the family had been in chaos. Ryan had felt this day coming for quite some time now and he only hoped that he had the strength to see his family through the coming days.

A minute ago Ryan had felt his father's passing and knew it would only be a few more minutes until someone came to retrieve him. It came as no surprise when he felt the soft, tiny hand of his girlfriend Chelsea on his shoulder. He briefly let his head rest against her arm, taking what small amount of comfort that he could from her touch and then rose to his feet.

She didn't have to tell him anything. He quietly stated, "It's time" and then took her hand as they left the chapel and headed back up to his father's room. In the elevator, Ryan to Chelsea's tear-stained face and gently wiped the wetness away.

Walking through the doorway into his father's room, Ryan was suddenly hit by the flying bodies of his two eldest sisters. Elizabeth and Alyssa wiggled into his arms and broke down crying. Kristen ran to him and wrapped her little arms around his leg and pressed her face to him. Beckoning to his mother he gathered Heather into his arms with her daughters and the family all took comfort in the feeling on closeness with each other. Chelsea laid a hand on his shoulder and Ryan felt completeness. With everyone helping each other they would get through this tragedy.

Ryan and Chelsea break away from the group and go over to pay their respects to Ryan's father. It was a crushing moment for the two teens. Ryan had lost a father and for Chelsea, she had lost her father figure as well. Ryan's dad had stepped in to fulfill that roll for her and her family after her own father had been killed in Iraq. To lose that guidance in her life for a second time was crushing for the young woman.

As they stood at the bedside, Ryan took his father's hand in his own, while Chelsea held on to Ryan's other hand for dear life. Ryan noticed the lines of fatigue his father had carried for the last few years seemed to be gone, and Ryan hoped that his father was resting and at peace now. The pain and worries that had plagued him finally laid to rest, ready to be taken up by a younger generation.

"I will take care of them, father, I sear it," Ryan told his father.

Chelsea reached out one of her hands to cover both Ryan's and his fathers and echoed, "We both will."

Ryan gently placed his father's hands back on his chest and turned to face his family. The emotional and physical fatigue on everyone's face was plain to see. He picked up little Kristen and took Chelsea's hand. "It's time to go home now," he said. "We've said our peace, we need to let dad go and we have to move forward with our lives as well."

Kristen, who had almost been asleep on her feet a few minutes before, snuggled into Ryan's warm embrace. Feeling his warm arms wrapped around her and the strong beat of his heart in his chest soon had her fast asleep.

The group made an impressive sight as they left the hospital and headed for the vehicles. Six beautiful women surrounding one very handsome young man was not something that you saw everyday and not a sight soon forgotten, and indeed the eyes that followed their progress would not soon forget them either.

Ryan drove Chelsea and his sister's home in his car while his mother rode home with Diane. The ride home in Ryan's car was quiet as no one really wanted to break the silence and bee the first to speak.

Entering the house, they were met by the most mouth-watering smells. There was a nice roast sitting on the dining room table with the places all set and diner ready to be eaten. Chelsea's sisters Catherine and Faith guided the exhausted looking family to the table. There was a little bit of confusion of where Ryan was to sit. He had started for his typical spot at the table when his mother told him to sit at the head of the table where his father usually sat.

Very little was said at the table while they ate. Everyone was too hungry and no one really wanted to talk. It was decided that Diane and the kids would stay the night because it was getting late for them to be heading home and it would be easier for them to be here if Heather and the kids needed help with anything.

With everyone pitching in to was the dishes, they were soon done and everyone gathered in the kitchen to figure out rooms and where everyone was going to sleep.

Diane would share Heather's room. She was worried about her best friend. When Diane had lost her husband just a few years before, it was only Heather who had kept her together and Diane was afraid that Heather was not through the worst of her grieving yet. That Ryan and Chelsea would share his room was a given. They had been dating for several years and were closer than most married couples. The parents had long since given up trying to make them sleep apart. Ryan's sisters would sleep in Elizabeth's room, and Chelsea's sisters would sleep in Kristen's room.

Everyone got up and began saying their goodnights to each other. When Ryan got to Diane he told her to take good care of his mother. Ryan had suspected for the last few years now that his mother and Diane were lovers. Ryan saw nothing wrong with this, and had kept quiet about it because Heather had not made it public knowledge. Diane's cheeks pinked up at his comment, making Ryan think that he was right on the mark about Heather and Diane.

"Take care of yourself and sisters," she replied. "I'll worry about your mother." With a quick kiss on the side of his face, she led Heather upstairs to the master bedroom.

Ryan and Chelsea entered Elizabeth's room to say goodnight to his sisters. He gave each of them a hug and kiss on the forehead as he tucked them in. As Ryan closed the door he could see the three of them snuggling close to each other for comfort and warmth. They all got along well with each other and Ryan knew they would need that bond to get them through the night.

Ryan knocked on the door before entering the room being shared by Chelsea's sisters. He quickly thanked them for their wonderful work on dinner. Faith blushed at the complement. She had been learning how to cook since she was a little girl. She had loved to cook for as long as she could remember and was always trying to learn new recipes, and cooked with her mother whenever she could. So to have someone as handsome as Ryan complement her on her cooking, it sent a rush of excitement straight between the young girl's legs. Faith and Catherine both wanted a hug goodnight from Ryan, so he opened his arms and hugged each of them in turn.