When Will You Realize That I'm Your Child Too?

Ryan groaned and stretched, still underneath the covers. He lay still on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. He sighed and sat up and looked over to the other bed. Ariana was still asleep. He pushed the covers off him and stood up. He walked over to her side and gently shook her, "Ugh, Adam, go away!" She said mumbled into her pillow. Ryan laughed and shook her again. She looked up at him before collapsing back into her bed, "C'mon, get up. We're leaving in an hour."

"You said our flight wasn't until night-time." She replied.

"So that gives us a whole day together. Whether you like it or not." He walked away into the bathroom, after grabbing his clothes, and started the shower. She sighed and groaned. Then she looked down. 'When did I take me shoes off? When did I get under the covers? Did Ryan actually tuck me in? No, that's crazy talk. I probably just can't remember because I was so tired from crying.' She pushed the covers off her and sat up. She stretched and walked over to her bag. She grabbed a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and her shampoo before picking out her clothes. She grabbed a pair of black skinny jeans and a pair of red ballerina flats. She picked out a black and red Muse shirt and a red headband and necklace to top it off.

Ryan pulled on his clothes and brushed his teeth before unlocking the door. He grabbed his straightener and walked out to the mirror in the room and sat down on the floor so Ariana can get ready in the bathroom.

Ariana walked into the bathroom and locked the door before turning on the shower. She stripped down and stepped into the warm water. She lathered her dark hair with her melon scented shampoo and rinsed it off. After washing up and rinsing off, she turned off the shower and stepped out. She dried off and pulled on her clothes. She grabbed her blow drier and opened the door. She blow dried her hair before putting it back in the bag and pulling out her straightener. She straightened her hair that hung in smooth layers to her shoulders. She slipped on the headband, after sweeping her bangs to the side and put on her necklace.

She walked out to the room and slipped on her shoes and pocketed her cell-phone. She followed Ryan out the door and into the elevator, "Where are we going?" She asked, breaking the silence.

"Somewhere." He replied. She sighed and rolled her eyes before the elevator doors opened. She followed Ryan out to the line of taxis. They climbed into one and Ariana slipped on her sunglasses as Ryan did, "Where to, Sir?" The driver asked.

"Central Park." Ryan replied.

"Why are we going there?" Ariana asked.

"I'll tell you when we get there." He simply told her. She sighed and looked out the window at the buildings passing by. The taxi slowed down and the two got out. Ariana signed a few autographs before following Ryan into the calming large park.

"So why are we here?" She asked again.

"To talk." Ryan replied.

"About what?" She asked, crossing her arms. Ryan put his hands in his pocket.

"About our relationship. I haven't been treating you as I should have been." She scoffed.

"That's for sure." She mumbled. He ignored her comment.

"I really am sorry."

"Why did you do it in the first place?" She asked, looking out at the children playing on the grass with their mothers.

"I've always told myself that I wanted a boy that would follow in my footsteps. When I saw Adam, I thought he had a twin brother. I saw you and...I don't know. I tended to Adam more than I did to you. I never really glanced at you."

"I noticed that" She said sarcastically, finally looking to him. He let out a half smile, "Why should I believe that you changed?" She asked suddenly.

"When I was your age, my father never payed attention to me. My mom lived off over on the other side of town, so I rarely saw her. I promised myself that if I had kids, I would never treat them like my father did to me. I broke that promise...I wish I never had." He said softly. She stayed silent.

"You know, I wasn't going to do the Performing Arts Honors...I only did it because I thought you would be proud of me, like you were of Adam," She smirked, "I worked so damn hard to get those dance steps down and to memorize those songs, well, not the Fall Out Boy song," Ryan laughed, "And when I won, I thought for sure that you would tell me you were proud of me. I thought I had it. But then when me and Adam found you in the audience, you didn't say one word to me. You glanced at me then turned to Adam and told him that you were just so god-damn proud of him. I walked away thinking, 'When will you realize I'm your child too?'. From that day forward, I did everything possible to piss you off. I got an agent, I started becoming more known. I like the attention, but it was also a way to get you to open your eyes....What did open your eyes?" She asked.

"Your mom." He said softly.

"Seriously, what was it?" She asked. He took in a deep breath.

"The night you ran off we all decided to wait up for you to get home. I ended up falling asleep and your mom was there. She was talking to me. She started yelling at me and told me you were here in New York and told me that I was a bad father. She was right."

"Yeah, she was." Ariana added. He laughed.

"You're just like her, you know." He pointed out.

"So I've heard." Ryan and Ariana laughed. Ryan looked towards his left and smiled.

"C'mon." He said, grabbing her hand as they ran across the street.

"Where are we going!?" She had to yell over the mass of honks and yells in the busy New York streets.

"Close your eyes." He instructed. She rolled her eyes then shut them, well, not completely. Ryan laughed. He stood behind her and out his hands over her eyes and guided her into a large building.

The building was quiet and had marble flooring. You could hear the sound of Ryan's fancy shoes tapping against it every time he took a step. Ariana put her hands on Ryan's wrists, to keep her from falling. He steered her into a large room that had no other people in it, except a security guard in a booth. Ryan looked over to him and the security left the room completely. I guess it helps knowing you're Ryan Ross. Slowly, Ryan took his hands away from her eyes.

Ariana's eyes widened at the sight of the large theater. Radio City Music Hall, home of the Rockettes. She walked around the stage, her shoes making a light tapping sound. Ryan just smiled and watched her look around in awe, "I assume this is where you will be making your living," He smiled and she looked back at him, tears in her eyes, "C'mere," He whispered and pulled her into is arms before she could protest.

Ariana cried into her dad's shirt as she looked around the large theater. He just held her for the first time in all of his life and all of her life, "See, I'm not that bad," He said. She laughed through her tears and they held each other tighter, "I want a daughter now. Someone to go shopping with, someone to be super-protective of. A little girl that would come jump on me and call me daddy. I never looked at the bright sides of having a daughter." He whispered.

They walked out of the theater, his arm wrapped around her shoulders tightly. The sunset was just starting as they walked out the doors. The hailed a cab and drove back to the hotel. After gathering their things, they checked out and left for the airport.

As Ryan and Ariana were about to get off the plane, Ryan put an arm around her, "Now, about this Cory kid..." He started. Ariana laughed.

Ryan unlocked the front door and they walked inside. Adam ran down the stairs and stopped at the end of the hall at the sight of his sister. He ran into her arms and cried on her shoulder. She hugged him back. Then, all of a sudden, he pulled back and punched her arm, "OW! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?" She screamed and punched him back.

"DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!" He yelled and punched her back.

"OW! I GET IT, STOP PUNCHING ME!" She yelled again and punched his arm.

"Okay you two, stop it. Ariana just got home and she's tired. Let her get settled in at least before you two kill each other." Ryan said, stepping between them. They laughed and hugged and ran over to the couch so Ariana could say hello to everyone there waiting for her.