THE VEGAS
Life, finally complete,
Back to normal, feeling fine.
Should be able to see,
That things have only just begun.
Age
"You're kidding," Ryan said looking at the two people before him in complete shock.
"My parents work in mysterious ways," Seth commented tightening the arms which he had placed securely around Rachel's waist, who, at the moment, could not make her mind work enough to process words she had just heard.
The Cohen family sat around the lounge, the younger members on one side, the older on the other. Kirsten and Sandy glanced at each other after seeing the disbelief in both Ryan and Rachel's eyes when they had made their announcement.
"You're looking a bit sick there Rachel," Sandy stated looking at the young girl sitting on Seth's lap with a smile.
Rachel stared back at him for a moment before letting out a small laugh. "You guys can't be serious about this…can you?"
Kirsten shrugged slightly. "We do work in mysterious ways."
Ryan looked over at his sister feeling the exact same thing as she was. This couldn't be true. This was too good to be true.
"I personally have no objections, just for the record," Seth insisted.
Rachel turned slightly to face him. "This coming from the guy who talks to a plastic horse," she joked.
"Hey, there will be no comments made about Captain Oats during this conversation. These things will get back to him," Seth said pouting slightly and causing Rachel to smile at his cuteness. "And you know how his ego is in tatters after his broken relationship with the My Little Pony we saw in the Toys 'R' Us catalogue."
Rachel raised an eyebrow at his comment. "A horse with low self esteem. Now I think I've heard it all."
"When Seth's involved," Ryan began. "You probably haven't."
Seth nodded slightly seeing the grin which grew on Rachel's face as he did. He loved to make her smile, because that was when she looked the most amazing. Her entire face lit up, her eyes sparkled. It was the smile that after first meeting her, Seth had very soon fallen in love with.
"So, when has this all been arranged for?" Ryan asked.
Sandy answered. "We leave here tomorrow night, so you kids don't have much time to get ready."
"Wait," Rachel began. "You never told us why we were going."
Sandy looked at her strongly suddenly realising that she was right. "I have a business conference for the firm there, so Kirsten and I thought to bring the whole family."
Ryan was nodding his head slightly as Seth spoke. "Well, looks like we'd better get packing. I'll help Rach with any heavy lifting of the clothes variety."
"Oh no you don't Buster," Rachel stated. "You touch my stuff and you die."
Seth's expression turned to one of alarm as he stared at her. "Uh-oh."
Rachel's eyes flashed at the thought of him already going through her things before she realised that he was only joking. "I can't tell when you're joking and being serious any more."
"It's my best attribute," Seth insisted not being quick enough to block to playful hit which came his way.
He quickly caught Rachel's wrists in his hands and looked at her strongly.
"There will be none of that missy."
"Just because if we start to fight you know you'll get your ass kicked," Rachel smirked.
Seth raised an eyebrow. "There's always that."
"Will you two get a room," Ryan suddenly spoke.
Rachel laughed slightly at her brothers comment. He always had a way with words, even though he wasn't one to use them around people often.
Well, around people that aren't me, she thought.
Over the years it had become more and more obvious to Rachel that Ryan seemed to be most comfortable when they were together, a trait which had shone through many times. He was able to speak out more freely, to offer more in-depth advice, and to just be himself while she was around.
Rachel smiled to herself at the thought. Ryan seemed to keep a special side of himself just for her.
"Packing would probably be a good thing right now," Seth said moving his hands to Rachel's waist and lifting her off his lap, causing her to suddenly snap out of her trail of thought.
"What? Oh, yeah…" she murmured.
Ryan frowned in a deep thought. "What do you take to Vegas anyway?"
Marissa looked at her strongly, seeing Summer frown slightly at the same time. Anna stood before them, a hopeful expression on her face. She took in a deep breath waiting to hear their answer.
"I honestly don't think that this is a good idea," Marissa commented.
Summer nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I mean, you're totally going to ruin his vacation."
Anna shook her head in shock. "No, if I tell him once he's gone then at least he will have the vacation to take his mind off it."
She shrugged slightly, unsure as to whether her choice of action was the right one to take. She loved Seth as any friend would love another and seeing him hurt was the last thing that Anna wanted. Especially after everything that had happened between herself and Rachel in the previous months.
"Look, the Cohen's leave to go to Vegas tomorrow night, that gives you enough time to talk to Seth and still have him enjoy the time away from Newport," Marissa stated folding her arms.
Anna looked at her friend sadly. "I don't think I could bare to see him watch me leave. You forget Marissa, I'm not coming back."
"Anna, are you like the most selfish person on the planet? It'll kill Cohen to know that you just up and left without ever thinking about how it might, you know, make him feel and whatever," Summer said.
Anna smiled sadly at the girls before her. "I can't tell him face to face because…that would mean that I have to say goodbye."
"But it's not goodbye," Marissa insisted.
"And that's why I don't want to have to say it," Anna stated. "The more I think about this, the more I realise that I'm right in what I'm saying."
Marissa and Summer fell silent at the comment. They both knew that no matter how much they tried to convince her otherwise, once Anna's mind was made up, it was made up.
"I just hope you know what you're doing," Marissa said quietly.
Anna smiled at the comment. "I do."
Kirsten stood there in shock staring at her husband who did not seem to understand why she was so upset.
"It's not like you all won't be busy. You probably won't even realise that I'm gone," Sandy insisted as he threw two pairs of work pants onto the bed.
"What do you mean we will all be too busy?" Kirsten insisted. "The kids are underage which means that they won't be out gambling, they'll probably spend the entire time in the hotel or out exploring the town. And then what am I supposed to do?"
Kirsten looked at Sandy strongly, not being able to grasp what he had told her only moments before. After receiving a rather long phone call Sandy had announced to her that he would be spending minimal time with the family during the vacation, as the business conference would run for longer hours than he anticipated.
This was the first time in too long that the whole family had the opportunity to leave their hectic lives at Newport behind and be together. Kirsten didn't understand why Sandy had to spend so much time away from them when it was his idea to bring everyone along for the trip in the first place.
"You know what Sandy?" Kirsten said. "We're just not going to go, okay?"
Sandy almost laughed at the comment. "What do you mean you're not going to go?" he insisted.
Kirsten whirled on him and made no attempt to mask her anger as her voice rose with every word. "What's the point of going when we can only spend as much time with you that we would if you had left us behind?"
"This isn't up to me Kirsten!" Sandy fumed. "If it was we would be spending every hour of the day together."
Kirsten stared at her husband, seeing the frustration in his eyes and knowing that it would be evident in her own. She turned to leave when she came face to face with Rachel who looked rather awkward at the situation that she had walked in on.
"I'm sorry," she began. "I'll just go."
Sandy let out a calming sigh. "Rachel, what is it?" He asked, trying his best not to sound aggravated.
Rachel turned back to them and smiled slightly. "Um…Seth was just wondering if we could take two cars, just in case we wanted to do something that you two didn't." She was quick to answer her own question. "But don't worry about it, we don't have too."
"No," Kirsten said. "That would probably be a good idea seeing as one of us will never be around anyway." Her emphasis on the word 'never' only made Rachel look away self-consciously.
She had never seen Kirsten and Sandy fight before, at least not as severely as this. Rachel felt completely out of place walking in on a private moment such as this.
"I'll just…" Rachel began glancing quickly at the couple. "Go and tell them." And with that she turned to leave.
As soon as she was gone Kirsten glared at her husband. "See what you've done now, Rachel felt completely out of place walking in on us fighting."
Sandy only looked at her before turning around and resuming his packing.
"Just think," Seth said kissing Rachel as they stood outside near the Range Rover waiting for the rest of the family to bring out their things for the trip. "A whole two weeks in The Vegas together. We can be completely alone in our own hotel room." He brought his lips to hers again.
"Seth, we have our own bedroom right here," Rachel stated but this only provoked him to kiss her again.
"Yes, but it's not a hotel room," he commented.
Rachel pulled away and stared at him strongly. "Are you suggesting something Cohen?"
Seth looked at her playfully and raised a single eyebrow before whispering softly into her ear. "Maybe."
Rachel hit him across the arm causing Seth to recoil and give her a questioning glance, which Rachel only smiled at. At that moment Ryan walked out of the front door with two full suitcases in either hand and rolled his eyes.
"Something might be able to be arranged," Rachel murmured to Seth whose eyes only grew wider at the thought.
"Hey!" Ryan called out to the pair causing them to notice him. "How about you two stop flirting and help with the bags?"
Seth turned to Ryan placing his hands on Rachel's waist. "A little busy right now dude, I kinda have my hands full."
Ryan moved up close to Seth and stared at him strongly. "That would be my sister you're talking about Seth."
Seth looked down at Rachel who's eyes were ticking from him to Ryan and then back again. "I'm well aware of that," Seth said.
Ryan put a strong hand on Seth's chest and pushed him away from Rachel. "So am I," he said menacingly. "So how about you go and help." The words were a statement rather than a question.
"Fine," Seth grumbled and moved away from the pair after a moment.
Rachel leaned up against the four-wheel drive and soon Ryan joined her, both of them looking back at the house and sharing a quiet moment.
"I haven't seen you around much lately," Rachel spoke.
Ryan smirked. "You've been to busy with your hands full to notice," he mocked causing Rachel to glare at him.
"You know that's not what I was heading towards," she insisted.
"Sure."
Rachel playfully elbowed her brother in the side only making him laugh at the gesture. "You love to pick on me, don't you?" she asked. "So where have you been?"
Ryan shrugged slightly at the question. "Around," he answered.
Rachel narrowed her eyes at him. "Around with your hands full of a little thing called Marissa?" She looked over at him when she received no response and stretched her arms up above her head. "Ooh, the student has become the master."
Ryan rolled his eyes. "I'm not a student compared to you."
"Lately you have been, it's taken you too long to get back in the dating saddle."
"How do you know it hasn't happened before this?"
"I know you too well Ry', you can't keep anything from me," Rachel stated.
"Who said I wanted too?" Ryan asked causing his sister to stop short at the question as he looked at her.
"Then why didn't you just tell me? And don't you dare say what you want to say."
Ryan shrugged sheepishly and put his hands up in defence. "Things are just going so good right now, I thought I might end up screwing it up."
Rachel placed and arm around Ryan's shoulder. "Telling me won't ruin anything, okay?" Ryan just smiled. "Okay, good, now we'd better go help Seth before he breaks his back with those bags."
"You packed a lot?"
"Just to see if he could carry it," Rachel said innocently.
Ryan laughed at the comment before she took his hand and pulled him toward the house.
Seth let out a long sigh as the car he, Ryan and Rachel were in finally came to a stop at a red light. Rolling down his window to reveal the noises of the busy city that they had finally arrived in Seth took in the view.
"Ah, take in that sweet, sweet air," he stated taking in a large intake of air, including the fumes which the truck beside them had just blown out.
Ryan and Rachel simply stared at him and Seth began to cough and splutter, winding his window back up.
"Very healthy," he managed.
Ryan took a quick glance at his watch as he drummed his fingers upon the steering wheel as the light changed and they began to move. "We're gonna be there early," he stated.
"And that matters, why?" Rachel asked.
Ryan looked over at her as she sat beside him leaning back against the headrest. He could tell, even though she was wearing dark sunglasses, that her eyes were closed as the warm wind from her opened window blew her hair lightly across her face.
After feeling that his eyes hadn't left her, Rachel turned her head to look at Ryan who had a half smile planted on his face. She lowered her sunglasses on her nose so that she could see over the top of them and fix him with a glare.
"What?" She asked.
Ryan's smile only grew wider. "Nice look," he said.
Rachel flipped the sun visor down, revealing the small mirror attached and saw that her hair was sitting in a wavy form around her face, giving her the just-gotten-out-of-bed look. Ryan, though seeing that despite the change in her look his sister still looked as attractive as ever, couldn't help but tease her.
Rachel ruffed up her hair until it fell back into its normal place and flipped the visor back up. The smile hadn't left Ryan's face even as he turned back to the road they were driving along. Rachel narrowed her eyes at him before pushing her finger down upon his window control, sending the glass downward as a particularly strong gust of wind came through.
Ryan's hair whipped around his face, despite its short cut and Rachel couldn't suppress the laugh that rose within her as he turned to face her, a mass of disordered hair, mangled around his face.
"Very sexy," she said seriously causing Ryan to scowl at her.
"Ooh, Ryan, I'm loving the sex hair," Seth spoke from the backseat.
"Shut up Seth," Ryan said. "A minute ago your girlfriend was looking the same."
Seth nodded in agreement. "Maybe so, but at least she still looks as hot as ever, no matter what her hair is doing."
Rachel turned her gaze to outside, not being able to help the smile, which tugged at the corners of her mouth. Seth never seemed to find any flaws in her though she knew that they were there. That was something, which made her love him even more.
"Wow…"
Ryan's voice pulled Rachel back into reality and she followed his line of sight to the expansive building which they had pulled up outside.
"Damn…" Was the only word, which escaped her lips as her breath caught in her throat from seeing the sight, which would be there home for the next three days.
Seth looked out of his window to the hotel, which stood towering above the street. He had never been to the town personally but his father had told him enough about it for the sight to not come as so much of a shock to him.
A driver approached Ryan's window and tapped on it lightly when he didn't immediately capture the Atwood's attention. Ryan shook his head as though clearing it before winding down his window and addressing the young man who stood beside the car.
"Would you like me to take it from here Sir?" The man asked.
"Uh…yeah, thanks," Ryan replied switching the car off and stepping out. Soon Rachel and Seth followed suit.
"Come on," Seth said taking Rachel's hand and leading her and Ryan through the expanding double doors and into the hotel's lobby.
Rachel's eyes couldn't take in everything fast enough. There were people moving about everywhere, bouncers guarding the entrance to what looked like the largest casino she had ever seen. She was absently looking about the room even as a doorman came to take them to their suite. It was only after they entered the penthouse did Rachel actually realise that they had left the car.
"Oh…my…God…" Rachel spoke completely taken aback by the palace which she had walked into.
The main lounge area was painted a rich red colour with a fine crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. To their right was the outdoor entertaining area and to the left was the kitchen, each furnished with what Rachel could only imagine as the most expensive furniture in all of America.
"I suppose we should get unpacked," Ryan suggested, picking up his bags and moving to one side of the lounge. "Hey look," he said disappearing for a moment before coming back with a makeshift sign, his name written in thick black marker on it. "I guess this is my room."
Rachel was standing completely frozen to her spot, gawking at her surroundings when she felt Seth behind her.
"Let's go find our room," he whispered in her ear.
They moved together through the penthouse trying to find what would appear to be the place they would stay. Seth finally let out a small shriek, which could easily have been mistaken for a girls. Rachel laughed as he put his hands over his mouth.
"Okay, that was not meant to come out like that," he said.
"Sure."
Seth placed his hand on the doorknob, which lead into the room they had been assigned to and looked at Rachel who had one eyebrow raised.
"Are you ready?" He asked.
"Too late if I'm not," she replied.
Seth pushed the door open and was instantly confronted with what must have been the most incredibly built room in the history of hotels.
"This is awesome!" He yelled bounding into the expansive room and diving onto the bed.
Rachel watched him as she walked slowly into the room feeling so overwhelmed by everything that she feared she would collapse if she didn't sit down very soon. As she moved over to the bed, Seth began to jump up and down on it like a small child.
"Bouncy bed," he said before leaping off and leaving a confused Rachel in his wake. He ran through into the adjoining room and disappearing from sight for a long time.
Rachel let out a breath and she couldn't help the smile, which slowly creeped across her face. The room in which she sat was at least twice the size of Ryan's pool house and decorated with the most precious of ornaments. China dolls sat proud upon the mahogany draws on the opposite side of the room. Artwork by Van Gogh, Monet and Michelangelo hung from the golden coloured walls. The entire room carried with it a sense of warmth and riches. Candles lined a small shelf, barely three inches wide, which ran right the way around the room. Roses were placed in a delicate vase, sitting upon the hand calved table against the wall.
This would have to be the most incredible thing, which had ever happened to Rachel. She was sitting on the bed of the most expensive suite in the entire hotel, watching her boyfriend run around like a kid in a candy store, and all the while she knew that this was just the beginning.
Suddenly Seth re-appeared a look of utter contentment on his face. "They have shower-caps," he beamed.
Rachel couldn't help but laugh at that. "We have them at home Seth."
"Yes," he agreed. "But they don't have little blue elephants on them."
The smile never left Rachel's face even as Seth went to explore the rest of the room. He moved around in a hurried frenzy, not being able to take in enough. Finally, after what seemed like an age he moved over to the bed and sat beside Rachel with a long sigh.
She simply looked at him for a moment. "Satisfied?"
Seth raised an eyebrow and looked at the room they sat in for a moment. "Not entirely."
Rachel gave him a shocked look. "Should I get the doorman to assist you?"
Seth smiled. "Well considering the doorman is a fifty year old Mexican with a receding hairline I think I'll have to pass."
"You sure?" She asked playfully.
Seth thought for a long moment before shrugging. "He'll surely be missed."
Rachel laughed softly but she was abruptly cut off by Seth's lips against hers. He snuck an arm around her waist pulling her as close as possible to him as she swiftly returned the gesture with a passion.
After what seemed like an eternity they finally broke apart but Rachel's eyes were still closed, prompting Seth to smile at her.
"That was nice," she murmured finally looking at him.
"Welcome to The Vegas."
TO BE CONTINUED………
(Well I'm back, finally.This story is going to take a different turn to the previous ones, it won't be based to heavily on Rachel's problems but rather the other main characters. Certain characters will make surprise appearances and certain characters will make surprise exits. And also, could you please tell me how you pictured Rachel, my friends and i are having a debate and i would be very interested to know your side. PLEASE REVIEW. Will post soon.)