Rylan stared over at Ethan. The pair silently driving through the town before he turned away to look through his window at the rustic charm provided by the South Dakota town. He scowled softly, resting his head against the frame. Before he glanced over at his grandfather again.

"Grandpa?"

Ethan sighed as Rylan snapped him out of his daze.

"Yes Rylan?"

"...Why is mom acting like that? You know...all zoned out like that back home?"

Ethan glanced over at Rylan before looking back onto the road.

"To be honest, I don't know specifically but...what I do know is our family has had a history of mental problems Rylan, so it might just be that combined with your father and her job situation, that's all."

Rylan looked more concerned and turned away from his window, looking up at him.

"Mental problems?"

Ethan glanced back at him and shrugged. Though as Rylan took a closer look, he could notice the air of anxiety that rolled off of his grandfather.

"Well, I can't explain it more in depth. I never really had the privilege of knowing our roots well you see, but I recently discovered that years ago through one of, if not both your uncles."

"Oh..."

"It's one of the reasons why your uncle isn't around much anymore. He's been trying to get help for it...but apparently he isn't the only one"

Ethan scowled and stared back out of the front window. To which Rylan rested his head against his window again.

"...You think I might have it as well then?"

"...No...I don't think you'll have it Rylan...not when you take good care of yourself...prevent making the same mistake a good chunk of this family did..."

"Including mom?"

"Well...yes...including your mother. Then again...a big part of me feels like it's my fault because I didn't stop her from spiralling down into that lifestyle in the first place..."

He muttered gently as he gazed thoughtlessly out of the wind shield and remained there for a majority of the ride. Rylan sighed and rested against his side of the truck again, until he spoke again.

"Grandpa...is it okay if I can stay over at your place tonight?"

"If your mother allows it, sure...Why though?"

Rylan scowled softly as he played with the hem of his shirt.

"Because...well...I don't want to sit alone with the gun again..."

"Those job searches of hers?...I...honestly can't stand it anymore, worrying. Also, I just feel like she needs I don't know...a break."

Ethan furrowed his brow but said nothing. Before he interrupted the brief silence to speak again.

"Sure then...you can stay with me for the night. We just have to ask your mother first, just to make sure we don't give her a heart attack when she gets home at the end of her search."

"Also, if you really gonna say it's you and it's your fault and all that B.S. then get out of the car. It ain't you Rylan, it's just the world throwing another spanner in the works. "

Ethan responded in a sharp, matter of fact like manner. Rylan sighed softly and nodded, before he looked over at his hands gently placed in his lap. The two then rode in silence until they drove down the usual road back to the Reservation and off to their old cabin.

Eventually parking next to it and getting out, with Rylan helping Ethan carry in everything before he made his way inside and into the kitchen.

Though to his disappointment, his mother wasn't there, so he made his way to her room instead, only to find her asleep.

Relieved, he walked over to her and looked for a blanket. Before he found one and pulled it over her. He sighed softly and looked over at the window, seeing movement within the golden fields.

He tried to make it out but couldn't make out anything outside of the grass licking in the wind. In the end, he thought of it as nothing but one of the rez dogs, roaming around in their new world. Though the longer he observed, the more he was able to make out that was nothing more than a young boy about his age.

Rylan looked over at him and smiled softly, following his trail to another cabin like his not far away. His eye catching the presence of a pretty woman with a teal blue throw over her shoulders.

Her kindly eyes on the other youngster as he played in the fields. He couldn't help but feel his heart leap slightly in his chest, having finally seen someone his own age that finally looked like him.

It gave him hope that despite his situation here, he'll be able to at least make a friend. Anything to convince him that he isn't alone. To him the past few months had felt like it was all he ever was. But eventually, the time came for him to leave the room and go to the kitchen.

"Well, I couldn't really ask her, since she's asleep right now"

Rylan responded to Ethan as he helped him pack out and restock the kitchen. Ethan sighed but shrugged slightly.

"Well, not like waiting can kill us, can it?"

His grandfather replied almost mindlessly in his preoccupation. Ethan's callused and scarred up hands eternally busy as he packed away the boxes and cans. Rylan attempted to help him before he eventually burned out and had to sit down.

"Tired?"

"Yep."

Rylan replied half-heartedly, to which Ethan paused and looked over at him.

"Well, suggest you take a rest and start packing, before you end up sleeping in your clothes."

Ethan replied back as he resumed packing the cupboards. The only response he got from his young grandson being a slight nod before he made his way out of the kitchen and off to his room. Where he eventually collapsed onto his bed and spent the rest of the afternoon staring out of his bedroom window at the golden fields outside.

Trying his best to bunker down and rest but the restlessness in his chest was there. His heart throbbing against it almost callously with concern for things that aren't even in his control.

Eventually, he got tired of trying to fall asleep. So, it did nothing but get him to get up and move around his room to pack up in an attempt to keep busy. No matter when his chest started to act up again.

The dull pain was enough for him to break into a wince and collapse lazily onto the bed. All the while, unknowingly knocking over the shoebox he cherished so much. The sound set off a fleeting panic in him.

A panic big enough to prompt him into getting up again and hastily gather up the spilt over contents. His arms filled with the sentimentality that belonged firmly, in his father's shoebox.

Despite the throbbing pain still dully making its presence known in his chest. But at this point, Rylan seemed to grow somewhat used to it. He looked around his room and contemplated the thought of continuing to pack but, in the end he decided to take a break.

His hand, drifting to one of his father's many history and science novels until he gently pulled away. Hesitant, even unwilling, to touch them. Regardless of his interest to read the things that often helped make him feel...normal.

He decided to leave it all together and eventually settle down to take a short nap for the time being. At least until he'd wake up a short while later to worry about those same things he just doesn't have the power to control.

Glossary:
Zikato/Pronounced: zee dkah(silent d) doh: Blue Bird

Also, thank you all of you for a hundred views!
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