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Ryland met Jody after Colt's accident, when she called him and was almost sobbing down the phone as she talked about his brother falling, the awful sound and could he please get here on the next flight because it was really bad and Colt needed him?
Of course he would. She looked like she'd seen a ghost when she saw him, probably because of the whole twin thing, but hugged him tight and for a good minute, they just stood like that in a hospital waiting room.
"He's out of surgery," she was holding back more tears, "just resting but only family's allowed back, and…he always talks about you, his brother the scientist, the teacher. I've seen photos but it's different in person, it's really nice to finally meet you."
"Sorry it wasn't under better circumstances."
"Go see him for me, yeah?"
…
Colt pushes them both away through avoiding calls and just yelling until his voice is gone, which didn't work as well as guilt-tripping because "you could have been there, Ry, I invited you so many times and maybe it wouldn't have happened if you'd shown up like you promised."
Jody dragged it out of him and was appalled. "Are you serious? Right, I'm going over there and making him speak to me."
"Please don't, you know he's-"
"No, I know but I don't care if he's injured, he can't speak to you like that. It was horrible, but it was an accident and you didn't know."
"I just wish he'd let me be there, he's never pushed me away before."
"And god, aren't you going home tomorrow?"
Unfortunately, yes. "They only gave me a couple weeks off and I'm getting back early to make sure my classroom isn't completely decimated."
She gave him a hug. "You've got my number, of course, and I've actually got some big things in the works so listen out."
…
He had a lot of regrets after his injury. The biggest was pushing away Jody and Ryland, of course, and especially the way he'd snapped at his brother, resorting to the cruelest thing possible to make him leave because Colt refused to drag him down too.
Those regrets did not compare to coming to the Metalstorm set and realising that Gail not only lied to him, but failed to mention that Ryland was here. He should have known, his brother had said he met Jody and they got along really well and this movie was her big directorial debut, she would invite him.
Oh, this was going to suck, he regretted everything.
"It'll be fine," Dan tried to reassure him, "Ry doesn't seem like the type who'd punch you."
"No, Jody will punch me for both of them," Colt groaned, head in hands. "I can't do this, I can't face them again and I hate myself, is it too late to quit?"
"Man, I can't believe you're both here, this is nuts. You look so similar."
"Thanks, that's the idea of being twins. So glad we're having this conversation, you're such a big help."
"Do you know if he's single? 'Cause I-"
"Better stop it right there," Colt pointed, "one and only warning, I could still kick your ass."
And Gail hadn't screwed him enough because then she told him about Tom going missing, so the movie didn't have its main star and was officially in trouble. Jody could be mad at him all she wanted, he didn't care, but he wasn't letting her movie fail, no fucking way.
But you know, a disappearing dead body was kind of a bigger shitstorm than he'd planned for.
…
Jody had brought him onto the set as her assistant, then gave him basically nothing to do aside watch her make Colt repeat the same stunt over and over, watch them not-so-subtly argue, then somehow get roped into being Tom Ryder's new assistant since his randomly quit out of nowhere.
All of this brought Ryland to the next day where he was taking Tom's dog, an Australian Kelpie according to Gail, to the dogsitting service at the park.
"Hey! Ry, wait up! Jean-Claude!"
Immediately the dog turned, almost dragging him back because wow, that thing was strong, to where Colt had crouched down to pet it. "Hey, long time no see, buddy. I've been looking for you both everywhere, how'd you get bumped up to Ryder's assistant?"
"I- what are you doing here? Dan's been trying to call you all night, you're lucky the shoot got cancelled for today."
"God, don't tell me you've been hanging around Dan," his brother groaned, standing. "Look, I need to talk to you about something and it's gonna sound crazy, but you gotta trust me."
Ryland managed to pull Jean-Claude along. "I'm kinda busy, Colt, I don't have time to hear about how everything's my fault again."
"Oh come on, you know I didn't mean that!" he kept walking with him. "Alright, so Tom Ryder, right? Why'd his old assistant quit anyway?"
"No idea, she just said the stress was too much and something about not getting involved?"
Interesting. "And what, Gail gave you the job instead?"
"Ryder wanted me to do it, she told me, so here I am. Gave me his phone, information about his schedule and the dog and-"
Colt grabbed his shoulder as he came to a stop. "Wait a sec, you have his phone?"
"Okay, can you just tell me what's going on?"
"Let's drop Jean-Claude off first and I'll tell you everything, promise."
…
As expected, Ryland didn't believe him.
"You said it yourself, you were high, and there was no body when you came back."
"But why is he missing? Gail said he got in trouble with some bad people and now his assistant quits under pressure, he apparently asked for you specifically, it's just all really sketchy. I don't think you should stay here, Ry, it's not looking good."
His brother's laugh was loud as a garbage truck pulled in behind them. "Wow, okay, so this was just an excuse to push me away again? Because what, you think you saw something?"
"Can you just- please? At least give me the phone? I'll take you to see Jody or…or Dan, I guess, just the phone and I'll drop it."
"Fine, whatever, take it. And by the way, I'm not interested in Dan, okay? You don't have to…I don't know, but it's nothing, we're just friends."
"Seriously? He ratted me out? Now I am gonna-"
Neither of them noticed the "garbage men" until it was too late, both feeling the electric shock in their necks that almost knocked both out, but thankfully Colt didn't get that far. Ryland unfortunately was unconscious and hauled up into the truck.
Oh, forget Dan, he was probably gonna end up killing these fucking assholes.
They drove down the road and he gave chase, jumping over the gate into the park and over the other side. "Jean-Claude!"
…
"Woof!"
"I see it, I see it! I'm going as fast as I can! This is a very dangerous move, don't you dare tell him about this, you got it!?"
"Woof!"
"Good boy. Engage your core."
Driving up the makeshift ramp of flowers, they landed right behind the truck and rammed into it, the windscreen smashing as one of the men could be seen trying to get them off.
"Okay, Jean-Claude, attaque!" Colt commanded, sending the dog away.
It was becoming clear that he'd have to ditch his car and get up there so hopefully Ryland couldn't see him from here because this was something else, climbing through onto the hood of the car, one hand on the steering wheel to keep close as he drove to the side, jumping for it in the end to the back of the truck.
He could see his brother in the front, thankfully unharmed, and grabbed the guy who Jean-Claude had subdued, hanging him over the road. "Who are you working for!? Where's Ryder!?"
Oop, lost him. Shit.
The next one unfortunately had a shovel and got quite a good hit on him.
"Colt!"
Yeah, come on, Colt, you need to lock the fuck in. Your little brother needs you right now, you can do this!
He managed to kick the guy between the legs, bashed his head in with the shovel and saw how the driver was trying to hurt Ry. "Jean-Claude! Attaque!"
The good dog jumped over, bit the guy's arm right before he could strike, gave Colt enough time to disconnect the skip and jump over to the main part of the truck where his brother had started to fight back, reaching over to open the door and kick that last motherfucker out before taking the wheel.
"Hit the brakes, Ry! Hit the brakes!"
"I can't! There's- something- fudging- stuck!"
"Jean-Claude, come on! Aller chercher!"
With the obstruction removed, the brakes were slammed, the truck came to a stop but while his brother and the dog were strapped in, Colt was obviously not and went flying through the front windshield, hitting the road below.
Big improvement from running into a car the night before, honestly, especially when this came with a successful rescue.
He pushed himself up and ran back over. "Fuck! Ry! Ry, you okay?"
Alive, at least, just pale and shaking slightly as he pried his hands off the wheel. "Colt…Colt, oh my god!"
"Hey, I'm okay! Nothing I'm not used to, just-"
Ryland had practically jumped out to hug him with a huge sigh of relief. "I can't believe you did all that."
Colt gripped him tightly, almost never wanting to let go again. "You're my brother, Ry, no one ever messes with you and gets away with it, I'll protect you. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry, I-"
"Shut up. I forgive you, just shut up a minute."
He could do that. They were okay. Ry was okay, that was the most important thing.