Title : Shiny Happy People

Author : Helen C.

Rating : G

Summary : Some glimpses into the Cohens+1 lives after (or during, depending on how you want to look at it) the finale.

Disclaimer : The characters and the universe were created and are owned by Josh Schwartz. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

AN. Many thanks to joey51 for beta'ing this and to fredsmith518, who totally inspired me to write this fic.

2010

"I can't believe it," Sandy said, eyeing his Thai food and wondering what to eat first.

"Can't believe what?" Ryan asked, already starting on his plate. Maybe Sandy should have felt bad that they had made Ryan almost addicted to this food, but he didn't. Besides, he enjoyed it almost as much.

Sandy discreetly studied Ryan for a little while, thinking back about their first meeting. "Having a dream doesn't make you smart." If nothing else, they had kicked that kind of thinking out of him, or at least he hoped so. "Both my kids are graduating from college," he started, holding up a finger. "Seth is getting married in a few weeks," he added, a second finger joining the first. "And don't get me started on how fast Sophie is growing."

It hadn't been that great a shock to hear Seth's news, honestly. After all, Seth and Summer had tried living without each other several times already, in their convoluted relationship, and had never seemed as happy as when they were together.

It was just a shock to be reminded that he had reached the age where people saw their children get married and became grandparents.

When the hell had that happened?

And more importantly, what had he done with all that time?

Ryan was studying his surroundings with interest. It was the first time they had come here for their weekly meal—a new place, opened just a few months ago by someone Ryan had known in College. It was classier than most restaurants in Berkeley, without being as ostentatious as anything they could have found in Newport. And wasn't it astonishing how little he thought about that town now that he had left it?

"Do you miss it?" he asked out of the blue.

Ryan raised an eyebrow at him, obviously confused, and Sandy elaborated, "Newport. Our house there?"

Ryan pondered the question carefully, as he usually did whenever he was asked for an opinion, and Sandy smiled at the sight. It has been almost eight years, he thought, astonished all over again. Eight years since I met this kid. It felt like it had been yesterday.

"A little," Ryan eventually said with a shrug. "The town, not so much. The house... yes, a little."

Despite all the bad times you had there, Sandy almost said. Oliver and the pregnancy, Caleb and Luke, these cops showing up to arrest you after Trey. Marissa. But of course, there had been good times, too—shared meals and jokes and the warmth of family, new friends and lovers.

"But I like it here," Ryan added, his hesitant smile reminding Sandy of the kid he had once been. "It's different."

Going from Chino to Newport and then Berkeley must have made for a hell of a culture shock. The three towns might as well have been on three different planets. "That it is," Sandy said, simply.

Ryan shot a quick look around before eyeing Sandy, seeming worried about who might hear them. "Speaking of the wedding—"

Sandy couldn't resist. "You're getting married too?"

Ryan chuckled. "No! I just... The person I invited..."

Sandy gestured for him to go on. "Yes?"

"I'm seeing Taylor again."

Sandy couldn't help smiling at Ryan's awestruck expression. "Since when?"

"A few months." Ryan shot a distracted look out the window, then stared down at his glass. "She came back early from Europe, and we met, and..."

Sandy smiled reassuringly. "Good," he said. He had always liked Taylor, if only for her ability to bring to the surface a side of Ryan that wasn't often seen. He hoped that things would go more smoothly for them than the first time around. "Now, you know Kirsten is going to pump me for information tonight, so, details, mister!" he ordered.

TBC