A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed, its really nice to get my first reviews and for them to be so positive. I am going to keep continuing on and this time without so many errors. I hope you enjoy and please review again.
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, or anything really OC, this is just my interpretation of how I wish things happened.
Love Links to Life: Chapter 2- The Pre- Parent Weekends
School had been in session for 6 weeks at RISD for Seth and for Ryan it was 5 weeks at UC Berkeley. That meant that this weekend, Ryan, Sophie, Kirsten and Sandy would be on their way to Rhode Island for Parent's Weekend and family weekend if you think about it logically. It was Thursday night Ryan was back at the Berkeley house playing with Sophie in the nursery while Sandy and Kirsten ran around packing everything and making sure their huge care package of all the things Seth asked for is packed together for their plane ride the next day.
Ryan was glad that he had been smart about not taking classes on a Friday so he would have this time to travel with his family to see Seth. Seth had been talking about this adventure for weeks and couldn't wait to show off his new school to everyone. Ryan was glad to be able to see his brother and best friend also. Since they had all moved into the Berkeley house everything was unpacked and the house was fully furnished except for Seth's room. Ryan had the room and adjoining bathroom next to Seth's while Sophie had the room across the hall and next to the Master. There was an office for Sandy at the end of the hall and downstairs there were two more guest rooms for when Julie and anybody else wanted to come and visit. Every room had been unpacked and even Ryan felt at home in the new house now when he came home on the weekends. Seth's room though was nothing more than boxes and an empty bed, and it felt as if he didn't exist when Ryan saw into his room from the bathroom. However, that would all change the following week when Seth flew home for Ryan's Parent's Weekend at Berkeley which didn't count since one of his parents worked for the school.
Ryan had been adjusting well to going to school and had come home every weekend for dinner and to spend time with Sophie who was now two months old. She would smile all the time, and Ryan would listen to the noises she would make when he would play with her. She was easily soothed when he read to her and Sandy and Kirsten loved that Ryan and Sophie got along so well.
Seth had been missing Summer over at RISD and made sure everyone knew about it when they talked to him. He although was getting along really well at the school. His Atomic County drawings had been a hit in the classroom and his professor told him to keep elaborating the story so in hopes that one day it would be picked up and turned into a comic book. Seth had been receiving emails full of Sophie pictures and the webcam was turned on every Saturday night when they all had a dinner together at the house so that Seth could feel like he was still in the family. All in all the boys were adjusting well to their new school and new worlds, both missing the girls in their lives.
Ryan was sitting on the floor of the nursery surrounded by fairytale books and little squeaky toys as he held a smiling Sophie. He was reading to her the story of Pinocchio at the moment and he could see her look at him with her big blue eyes as he read. He knew she had no idea what he was talking about but at least having this time to spend with her meant he spent less time thinking about Taylor. Suddenly he heard a bubbly tune go off in the room and knew that was his text message alert. Sophie started to giggle softly when she heard the sound. Looking down at her as he pulled his phone from his pocket he said in baby talk, "You think that's funny Sophie Rose? Well when you get old enough I will play that tune all the time to bug you, the way Taylor makes it her tone to bug me. How you like that?" Sophie just giggled more as bubbles started to form and pop in her mouth. Ryan couldn't believe how having a baby sister could change him from brooding tough Ryan to soft lovable baby voice Ryan, but only Sophie would ever see that side to him and it was only until she could talk, once the secret could be spilled, he would stop. Laughing at his baby sister, Ryan pulled out his phone as Sophie was now amused by the lights flashing on the phone.
The text message was from Taylor, surprise, surprise since it was her message tone. It read: Have a safe trip to RI, I miss you, im getin ready 4 skool rite now and thought id tell u i luv u and tell sophie i miss her and Kiki and Sandy. Tell seth to stop emailing me about how much he misses summer, I KNOW! Luv and miss u. 3 Taylor.
Ryan laughed at the quirkiness of Taylor, he loved her and missed her so much. They had been apart for 6 weeks and it got hard to only live off of emails, webcam chats, phone calls and text messages. He missed her touch and kissing her and couldn't wait until Christmas when she would make the long voyage back to California. Taylor would have come home for Thanksgiving but they still hadn't figured out why she couldn't fly and the chances of her finding out by Thanksgiving and fixing it would be near impossible. Sending her back a quick text: I love You Taylor, have fun at school. Call me if you need anything. He snapped his phone shut and placed it on the floor next to him.
Looking down at Sophie again he smiled at her as he relayed Taylor's message, "Hey Sophie, Taylor says she misses you. You probably think I am nuts huh little girl?" Looking into her eyes, Ryan smiled as Sophie just stared back into him, he then started to talk to her as if she was really listening and could respond, "You know Sophie, Taylor really liked you from the beginning, she thought you were so cute and wouldn't stop cooing about you, I was starting to get jealous of you cause you took her time away, but don't tell anyone okay? I know you didn't mean it. She gets pictures of you just like Seth and Summer and she always talks about how you are changing, I never stopped loving her. I probably never will. Did I ever tell you how special Taylor is to me?" Ryan stared at the little girl again as he stood up and sat in the rocking chair and starting rocking her.
As he looked down at Sophie he starting talking about Taylor, finally having someone who would just listen, occasionally he would tickle her stomach but eventually his mind wondered as he kept talking, " Taylor is like this roller coaster ride that never stops going in loops, and I don't like heights, but for some reason I like her. Just like you, she is beautiful and has this infectious smile; I can't help but smile when I am around her, just like when I am around you. She saved me you know, she helped me get over Marissa. She showed me love again, and I think I might love her more than Marissa, but she is still apart of my heart don't get me wrong, but with Taylor, it's different. Do you get it Sophie?" He looked down at her again as she was looking intently at him, her eyes getting heavy. Continuing, "She gives me life again, and it's not the way Seth thinks it is, she is like this wave of sunshine, she does talk a lot though, and that may be why I feel like I am spinning when I am with her, but I think it's because I love her. It's hard to be away from her, and I sometimes am scared of loosing her, but I know, now don't tell anyone okay Sophie?" He looked down at the slowly fading baby as he whispered, "I will one day marry her, one day, no matter what, I am sure." As he said that, he noticed that Sophie was already asleep, and yet he felt a calm feeling come over him as he got to express his feelings, even if she couldn't retort it back to him, at least it came out. Saying a few more things to the sleeping baby as he got up and proceeded to put her in the crib, "I really love her Sophie, but don't worry, you'll always be number one in my heart, and I will always protect you okay? Don't ever worry, you are always going to be Princess Sophie, and I will always protect you, because Seth, well, he might loose you in a mall if he gets distracted. I love you little girl." And with that, he kissed the little girl on the head as she lay in her crib sleeping, turning around he saw a teary eyed Kirsten in the doorway to Sophie's room.
Startled that his secret was out, he started to pick up the books and toys from the floor as he asked Kirsten, "Umm, how long have you been standing there?"
Kirsten laughed as she noticed the embarrassment in Ryan's voice, "Just long enough to know that Sophie here is your number one girl and Taylor is going to have to learn to get used to it, oh and that Seth might loose her in a mall one day, remind me never to allow Seth to take her anywhere alone."
Sighing in relief and laughing softly at Kirsten's comment he walked out of the room toward her and gave her a hug, "Don't tell Seth or Taylor anything, or else I will tell Sandy about those new dresses in the back of Sophie's closet."
Laughing, the two of them made their way down the stairs to the kitchen where Sandy was making smoothies. Sandy looked up to see who entered the kitchen, "You all packed Ryan? You're bags next to the door with everything else?"
Ryan taking a seat on one of the stools at the breakfast bar laughed, "Yeah Sandy, they are buried under all of Sophie and Kirsten's bags, who knew a baby would need so much stuff?"
Pouring the smoothies into glasses and handing one to Ryan, he patted him on the shoulder, "One day you'll understand Ryan, one day."
Ryan looked from Kirsten to Sandy and said, "Uh, no, not anytime soon if that's what you are thinking."
Laughing, Kirsten and Sandy toasted their glasses with Ryan to a safe and fun trip this weekend as they sat around the kitchen talking and enjoying some family time before heading to bed and on their journey to Rhode Island.