Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of The OC. They all belong to Josh Schwartz.
After Theresa tells Ryan she has miscarried, Ryan returns to Chino to offer her support. Beginning of season two, missing scenes, for some closure for Ryan and Theresa.
A/N: I never liked how the writers abruptly ended Theresa's and Ryan's storyline. I understand they wanted to get the attention back to Newport and that Theresa lied about the miscarriage, but when they introduced a storyline as serious as teen pregnancy, they should have seen it through instead of abruptly brushing it under the rug.
I also didn't care for how Ryan was written so out of character. This sixteen-year-old boy was willing to give up everything for Theresa, but then when she miscarries, he goes back to Newport as if nothing happened. In this story, Ryan returns to Chino to make sure Theresa is alright. I feel this rendition is more in character for Ryan. :-)
Letting Him Go
"I lost the baby, Ryan."
Ryan hears Theresa's voice over the cell phone... quiet, slightly shaking... clearly distressed.
"Theresa... I'm so sorry..."
Ryan cringes at his words. Is that all he can offer her? An 'I'm sorry?'. He wishes he could offer her more. But he's a thousand miles away in Portland and was given the task of bringing Seth back home before the new school year starts.
For the life of him, Ryan still doesn't understand why Seth even left Newport. He had Summer, a girl he has pined away for since he was in grade school and fought so hard to get. And if it was because he left, Ryan still doesn't make sense of it. He was only moving to Chino, a mere forty miles away. They could have gotten together every weekend. But instead, Seth chose to move a thousand miles away... away from Summer, away from his family...
Away from me...
Ryan's thought gets interrupted when he again hears Theresa's quivering voice.
"It's okay, Ryan. I'm okay..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Go back to Newport, Ryan. Arturo can bring over your belongings...
An uncomfortable silence hangs over the phone line. Ryan adamantly searches his brain for something to say. That's when Theresa breaks the awkward silence.
"Go back to the Cohen's, Ryan. They're your family now."
Theresa hangs up the phone. She wipes away her tears... tears she hopes Ryan didn't notice through her quivering voice. She needs to be strong. She needs to stay strong...
"You did the right thing, dulce hija," Eva says as she sits down on the bed next to her daughter. "Ryan wasn't happy here. He has a good family and a promising future with the Cohen's."
"I know, Mama," Theresa sadly acknowledges. "But, I love him. I love him so much."
"I know you do," Eva says as she wraps her arm around Theresa's shoulders. "Do you remember what we talked about? What you will tell Ryan if he comes back here?"
"I remember," Theresa replies as she gently places her hand upon her ever-growing belly and runs the story she will tell Ryan through her head. "But he won't come back here."
"Oh, but you're wrong. This is Ryan we're talking about," Eva says with a warm, heartfelt smile. "He cares about you very much."
"Yes, he does," Theresa acknowledges.
But he doesn't love me...
"You said you weren't sure if Ryan is the father of your baby," Eva says as she gently squeezes her daughter's shoulders.
"I want him to be..."
"I know you do," Eva acknowledges. "After the baby is born, we'll do a paternity test. It's important for the baby to have a father. Whether it's Ryan or Eddie..."
"I don't want to know," Theresa says solemnly. "I'll raise the baby myself." Theresa looks into her mother's warm, brown eyes and sees a woman who was left to raise two kids on her own, working long hours but somehow always having the time for her children. She and Arturo always felt loved. They always felt safe.
"But, I may need your help," Theresa acknowledges.
Eva smiles and wraps both her arms around her daughter. "Of course, I'll help. I'm always here for you, dulce hija. Te quiero."
Sandy walks down the hallway towards the kitchen with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. He couldn't be happier. Just an hour ago he witnessed a joyous, family reunion. When Seth and Ryan appeared around the corner to greet Kirsten as she sat at the kitchen table, the look of utter elation on his wife's face was so uplifting. He hadn't seen her smile or heard her laugh all summer. She immediately stood up and ran over to the boys, embracing them both with sheer joy and love. Yes, Sandy is one very happy man.
Sandy stops abruptly when he sees Kirsten standing with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, staring out the sliding glass doors onto the patio, looking concerned.
"Sweetheart, is everything alright?" Sandy asks as he makes his way over to his wife.
"I'm concerned about Ryan," Kirsten replies.
"Why? Did something happen?"
"He's just sitting out there... on the patio..." Kirsten turns and looks at her husband. "His head is lowered; his hands are clasped together. He's hurting, Sandy."
Sandy peers out onto the patio and confirms his wife's observation.
"But I don't understand," Sandy says quietly as he places his arm around his wife. "Ryan seemed so happy to be home."
"I believe he is happy to be home," Kirsten acknowledges, "but the baby..." Kirsten lets out a plaintive sigh and continues with her thought. "Theresa lost the baby. And there is a very good chance that Ryan was the father. He's in mourning, Sandy. Ryan is mourning the loss of a life and most likely feeling very sad for his friend. He and Theresa are close. They have a history we know nothing about."
"You're right," Sandy acknowledges. "Maybe I should talk to him."
"No, I'll talk to him," Kirsten states firmly. "I think I know what he needs to do."
Sandy agrees. This is Kirsten's area of expertise and he understands her need to reconnect with Ryan.
Kirsten walks outside onto the patio. She suddenly recalls how much she cried after Ryan left. She remembers sitting on the edge of his bed in the pool house, clutching a pillow... the tears streaming down her face. She knows she needs to help him through this. She knows now, more than anything else, the boy needs a mother.
Kirsten pulls a chaise lounger over next to Ryan's and sits down. "Ryan, are you alright?"
Ryan glances over at Kirsten and offers up a small smile. "I'm fine."
"I'm so very sorry for your loss, Ryan," Kirsten continues, knowing full well the boy is anything but 'fine'. "Losing a baby is devastating..."
"I don't know what to do," Ryan says quietly. "How can I help Theresa through this. Do I just go on as if nothing ever happened?"
Kirsten places her hand on Ryan's slumped shoulder. She studies this young person who was willing to take on so much responsibility. Now that responsibility has been lifted and yet he's still burdened... he still cares.
"I wish I could see her... make sure she's alright."
"Then go see her," Kirsten states as she gently squeezes the boy's shoulder.
"Really? It would be alright with you and Sandy if I went to see her?" Ryan asks, looking over at Kirsten.
"Of course," Kirsten replies with a reassuring smile. "Go and see Theresa. Make sure she's alright."
Kirsten stands up and coaxes Ryan up off the lounge chair, then takes his hands into hers. "Go and check on your friend. Take my car. The keys are next to my purse in the foyer."
"Thank you," Ryan says, already starting to feel better.
"But, you need to promise me one thing," Kirsten says as she gently squeezes the boy's hands.
"What's that?"
"You have to promise me you'll come back home," Kirsten says with a heartfelt smile.
Ryan smiles and replies, "I promise. I'll come back home."
Theresa sits in the living room reading "Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care", a book her mother gave her just weeks after Theresa found out she was pregnant. Her mother calls it the "bible of child rearing". Theresa calls it a life-saver.
The doorbell rings.
"Can you get that, Theresa?" Eva calls out from the kitchen as she tends the stove, making her delectable sweet potato and black bean chili. "I think Arturo is expecting a package."
Theresa sets her book down and makes her way to the front door. She opens the door and freezes. Instead of the UPS man she sees...
"Ryan!" Theresa says with surprise, suddenly realizing her mother was right.
He did come back...
"Theresa?" Ryan says when he sees his still very much pregnant friend standing before him.
"Ryan, what are you doing here?"
"I was worried... worried about you," Ryan says, still slightly confused. "You sounded so upset over the phone. I just... I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
Theresa feels a pang of guilt rise up inside her. She instinctively places her hand over her baby bump and confirms to herself that Ryan's caring nature is just one of the reasons why she loves him so much.
"I thought you lost the baby," Ryan says gently. He doesn't want to upset Theresa but he's still confused.
"I did," Theresa says as she swallows down the painful lie. "When I hadn't felt any movement for a day, my mom took me to urgent care."
"Urgent care?" Ryan asks with panic in his voice.
I should have been here, Ryan thinks to himself. I should have been here for Theresa, but instead, I went to Portland...
"The doctor couldn't detect a heartbeat," Theresa continues, remembering the story she is supposed to tell Ryan. "I'm undergoing medical management..."
"Medical management?" Ryan asks. It just sounds so cold to him.
"I'm taking a medication that will cause my cervix to dilate and then the fetus will pass..."
Theresa suddenly feels the baby kick. She wraps her arm around her stomach and musters up the courage to continue.
"I'm going to the hospital tomorrow..."
"I should come with you," Ryan states emphatically. "I should be with you. I don't want you to go through this alone."
"I won't be alone, Ryan," Theresa replies. "My mom will be with me."
"But, I should be with..."
"No Ryan," Theresa interrupts. "I just want my mom to be with me. Please, I hope you understand."
"Theresa, I'm so sorry," Ryan states earnestly. "I know I shouldn't have left."
"I understand," Theresa says. "The Cohen's needed you. Seth needed you..."
I'm sure Marissa probably needs you, Theresa thinks to herself. Everyone needs you...
Theresa steps in close to Ryan and places her hand upon his cheek. She leans in and places a soft kiss upon his lips. Tears begin to well up in her eyes but she quickly blinks them away.
"You never have to apologize to me, Ryan," Theresa says quietly. "You've already done so much for me."
"But I need to help you..."
"Go back to Newport, Ryan," Theresa says. "Will you do that for me?"
"But what about you?"
"I'll be okay, Ryan," Theresa reassures with a heartfelt smile. "But what I need most of all is for you to return to Newport. You have a promising future. Don't give that up for me.
"Is this what you really want?" Ryan asks.
"Yes," Theresa states solemnly. "You have a chance, Ryan. You can get an education and I know how much the Cohen's love you. They're your family now."
"But you need me..."
"What I need is for you to take care of yourself," Theresa says, feeling a small kick again from her unborn baby. "I have my mom, Ryan. I'm okay. Trust me... I'll be okay."
Theresa runs her hand over Ryan's cheek and offers a comforting smile. "I really am okay, Ryan."
Ryan feels the warm caress of Theresa's hand over the side of his face. He can't help feel that he's let her down. But what more can he do?
Theresa takes Ryan's hands into hers and peers into his eyes. "Go home, Ryan. Just for once in your life, put yourself first. You deserve it."
"Will you call me if you need anything?" Ryan asks. "Will you stay in touch?"
"Yes," Theresa replies warmly. "Now go. Return to Newport. Go back to the Cohens."
Theresa watches as Ryan reluctantly turns and walks away down the front steps, back to Kirsten's SUV. Tears begin to stream down her cheeks. This time there are too many to blink away.
Eva steps up and wraps her arm around her daughter's shoulders. "You did the right thing, dulce hija."
"I love him, Mama," Theresa says, wiping the tears away with the back of her hand.
"I know you do," Eva says as she gently caresses her daughter's shoulders. "But when you love someone, sometimes you have to let them go."
"It hurts so much..."
"I know," Eva says as she watches Ryan drive away. "But this is best for Ryan. You love him."
"The hardest part is letting him go," Theresa says as she looks into her mother's warm, brown eyes. "But I know I've done the right thing."
For Ryan...