Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original plots, character or concepts of the OC. Everything else is all mine!
A/N: Thank you for your reviews everyone! And thanks to people who reminded me to update; it really makes me wake up and motivates me to continue writing (so do reviews). I really am trying my hardest to get new chapters up, but I am very busy and hope you understand why reviews are taking a little longer.
Once holidays come, I'll be writing chapters faster than you can read them!
Thanks and enjoy!
CHAPTER 20: AN ARRIVAL OF SORTS
Summer stood at the airport and anxiously awaited the arrivals. She had been waiting for this moment for so long and now it was actually here, she couldn't really believe it.
Next to her stood Seth, holding Noah, marvelling at how heavy he now was. They decided not to go to all the trouble of packing the stroller into the car, but after a while he definitely strained Seth's meagre arms.
Noah was blissfully unaware of what was happening; he was now nine months old and loved making sounds wherever he went. He bounced enthusiastically in Seth's arms and went on talking nonsense to himself, and Summer found it so funny that he was acting exactly like Seth. He had crazy corkscrew curls all over his head, and those hazel brown eyes Summer knew so well. And as much as Seth liked to pretend it wasn't true, Noah really was the spitting image of his daddy. And Summer got jealous sometimes, that he looked so much like Seth, but then she looked at him blabbering away with his curls in his face and nobody listening to him, and knew it was just cuter that he was exactly like Seth. It was just the way it was supposed to be.
The arrivals television screen suddenly highlighted that the plane had arrived from Heathrow airport. That meant they should be here shortly. Seth and Summer shot each other a significant look, before waiting for them to arrive. It was after all, a very big day.
Seth thought back to the worst day, three months before. The day they found out Marissa and Ryan had been in a plane crash, and they didn't know whether they had survived or not.
After that first day, it had gotten a little better. They had found out that they had both survived, although both had sustained serious injuries. The worst part about it was they couldn't go over to London and see for themselves the condition of their best friends. Seth had used up all his leave taking care of the baby, and it just wasn't practical, no matter how much they wanted to leave their responsibilities behind to go see them.
Sandy and Kirsten had gone over, and kept them updated, but the first week was torture. Marissa was in a coma, and the doctors didn't know whether she'd come out of it or not. Summer could still remember the day that news was delivered.
Summer was sitting on the lounge reading a baby book to Noah, who was resting comfortably on his back, surrounding by an island of pillows. The phone rang and she answered, knowing who it would be.
It was Kirsten. As soon as she heard her normally soothing voice breaking up in sobs, Summer knew something bad had happened; something really bad.
Kirsten had told her that the doctors didn't know whether Marissa would survive the extent of her injuries, and Summer should probably say goodbye just in case. Kirsten held the phone up to Marissa's ear, although Marissa was deeply unconscious and was probably unaware what was happening.
"Hey Coop. You can't die on me OK? I know you can pull through this, I've seen you pull through so much before and I need you here with me. Seth needs you and Noah needs his cool auntie, and you can't die OK?" Summer by this stage had lost it, and was openly sobbing as she tried to get through to the end of her message. "I love you so so so much, you're my closest friend in the whole world, and we need you here. I'm sorry if I ever hurt you, but don't do this to me; don't do this to Ryan. He loves you more than life itself, and he wouldn't know what to do without you. If you don't do it for me, do it for him. I love you Coop. You're my best ever friend and I'll never forget that, but I need you to pull through this."
It wasn't a goodbye message, but Summer couldn't handle saying goodbye to Marissa Cooper, not after so much, and especially not over the phone. She thought about flying over to London at that stage, and even started packing a suitcase, but she needed to stay with Seth, so they could both pull through it together.
Luckily, Summer didn't have to say goodbye to Marissa. She had pulled through it and woken from her coma, although suffering memory land concentration loss. They were of course devastated that so many significant memories of the past had been lost, but the most important thing was that both of them survived.
After the initial two weeks of not knowing what would happen, Marissa woke up. Summer cried with joy that day when she got the news, right in the middle of the supermarket. After that, Ryan was rushed in for an emergency surgery for a collapsed lung, and Marissa had a subdural haemorrhage operated on, but slowly things improved.
Marissa and Ryan got a room together, and they could spend their days talking to each other instead of staring at a blank wall. Marissa regained most of her memory, but there were still patches where she went weeks without knowing what had happened. Perhaps most shattering to Ryan was that she couldn't remember their wedding, as it was so close to the accident. Summer and Seth had planned a little surprise to deal with that, but the foremost thing to worry about was greeting them when they got off that plane. Sandy and Kirsten were back in Newport, so it was Seth and Summer coming to greet them when they came through JFK airport, before Ryan had to spend some time with some apparently famous New York physician, to work on Ryan's stuffed knee.
All of a sudden there was a flurry of excitement as the gate doors opened and people started crowding towards the door, and people started pouring through the exit. They weren't expecting Ryan and Marissa first; they would take their time, but it was so close now.
Ryan was the first one through the door. He was on crutches, about to undergo a knee reconstruction but preferring to wait until he got back to the United States so he could spend the recovery time with Summer and Seth.
Marissa was the next one through, looking very thin and frail, having lost a lot of weight in those first two weeks. Summer had already heard this from Kirsten, and had planned on fixing her up with some high calorie meals to get her weight back on track. It was just unnatural. She had a scar running along her hairline, which most would not notice, but Summer knew was new because she had grown up with Coop and knew everything about her.
Summer ran over to Marissa and gave her the biggest hug of her life, careful not to crush her too much though, because she was still recovering.
Seth walked over to Ryan and hugged him as well; not just a man hug but a proper hug, a brother hug because that's what he was.
"I can't believe you're OK! I was so worried." Summer was talking a million miles a minute, but no one seemed to mind.
"You knew we were OK. We've talked on the phone remember? And Sandy and Kirsten kept you pretty up to date."
"But I had to see for myself. You guys look great."
"Thanks Summ, but what about the scar? And how gaunt I am. I look horrible."
"No you don't, you look like a survivor. And you too Atwood."
She ran over to him and gave him a big kiss on the cheek, before Ryan picked her up and spun her round. He was so glad that he had gained enough strength to do that again, and was so in awe of how spending two minutes with Summer's bubbly attitude could improve his mood which had been temperamental to say the least.
They went over to the baggage rack but Summer wouldn't let Marissa or Ryan help out; she left Noah with Seth, and then went to do the hard slogging by herself. She knew she was more valuable than Seth anyway.
Nobody could get a word in on the car trip home, everyone wanting to talk and ask questions and hear stories. Even Noah wouldn't shut up, having reached that stage where he had to be speaking (or more precisely making sounds) every second of the day. Summer only hoped he would grow out of that like his dad never had.
Once Ryan and Marissa were settled into the guest room after they got home, and Summer had made some lunch and Seth had fed Noah his bottle, they were ready for the hard conversation to start.
Ryan talked about the day he had first been allowed out of his bed to visit Marissa. He was wheeled into to her room and the first thing he saw was the deep gash on her forehead, the bruises all over her body; she looked like she was sleeping. But Ryan knew she wasn't just sleeping; he couldn't wake her up if he wanted to, and she wouldn't have had all the tubes if she was just sleeping.
He was wheeled beside her and started stroking her hair, which was greasy and filled with tiny shards of debris, which no one had even washed out. He kissed her cheek and felt the tears run down his own. There was no need to speak, he just wanted to sit next to her. If he could give his own life to see her wake up, he would have. At that moment, there was nothing he wouldn't do to see her eyes open.
Summer was in tears by the end of the recollection, but the serious talk was just starting. They couldn't just leave the subject untold though; the only way to get over things was to talk about them. Ryan had been told that by a grief counsellor who was brought in a week after the crash. Ryan wasn't really talking and was rarely away from Marissa's bedside. Kirsten was worried about him, and surprisingly, the grief counsellor worked and Ryan was able to talk about what he was going through.
After all the serious talk was over and Noah was fast asleep in Marissa's arms, the fun and games could begin. Seth got out the trusty old playstation and set up a game of grand theft auto for old time's sake. Just like they'd been doing since high school, Summer and Marissa gossiped on the lounge and Ryan and Seth got very into their game. Only this time their was a baby in the picture and so much had happened that had scarred everyone in the room, that it was never going to be the same as it was before.
After everyone had left to go to their respective bedrooms, Summer and Seth lay in bed together thinking about their day.
"Summ, you don't have to worry about Ryan and Marissa anymore. You saw them and they're fine."
"But they're not fine. Did you see how fragile Marissa looked? She's always been so strong. And Chino just doesn't look the same on crutches, having to be taken care of instead of taking care of others."
"They're going to be just fine. And did you see Marissa with Noah? I reckon they'll be having a baby of their own sometime soon."
"But not until after our surprise I hope. It's gonna be awesome."
"Cos our plans always are."
Summer settled down and closed her eyes, but felt Seth start to trace light kisses along her neck.
"Stop it Cohen, I'm tired."
"You won't be when I'm finished with you."
"And our best friends are down the hall."
"And you think they don't know what married couples do?"
"And what about Noah?
"He's had a big day, he'll be sleeping like a baby. Well, obviously."
He continued to kiss her, slowly moving down to other areas of her body.
"Cohen…" Summer used her whiniest voice but it didn't seem to have any effect on him.
"Summ, you know on the inside I'm still a sixteen year old boy, I have needs."
She rolled over and started laughing, deciding to give in to the moment that she knew she would love so much.
After all, she could always sleep later.
A/N: For those who want more SS, its coming! I promise you, writing SS is my favourite and I think you'll like the next few chapters.
Also, Would you like me to write more stories once this one is done? Y/N? Also, if you have any suggestions about storylines, let me know!