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"Marissa? Sweetie? Can you hear me?" Jimmy asked. Marissa turned to her father. Her eyes widened at the sound of his voice, she could hear. She would be okay.

"Your going to be just fine honey, you have a minor concussion and broke a couple of ribs but everything is will heal." He tried to comfort her.

"Summer?" Marissa choked out.

"She's fine." Her mother added.

"Hey Coop. I'm okay." Summer said softly and smiled. Marissa looked to Summer, and noticed her injured arm and band aid on her forehead.

"I'm so sorry, I." Marissa began.

"No, its fine. I'm fine, you're fine. Don't worry about it." Summer tried to reassure her.

Marissa looked around the room at everyone, she felt like she was half- asleep, still unclear with all that had happened; she looked to Ryan for an answer.

"Hey." His smile eased her.

"Hey." She answered meekly.

"How're you feeling?" Ryan began to stroke Marissa's hair lightly.

"I've been better." She forced a smile and squeezed his hand.

"The doctor said that you're just gonna have to take it easy for the next month or so and you'll be fine. So no more heavy lifting."

Marissa smiled.

"Or heavy drinking." Julie said sternly.

"Julie." Jimmy started, "I don't think this is the."

Julie cut him off. "Now I appreciate all of you coming down here but Marissa should be with her family, we have some things to discuss."

Jimmy sighed, trying to keep from tensing up.

"Coop we'll be right outside." Summer stared Julie down as she walked out of the room.

Seth smiled, "Take care" He followed Summer out.

Julie stared at Ryan, waiting for him to leave. Ryan didn't move, he continued looking at Marissa, avoiding eye contact with Julie.

Julie cleared her throat loudly.

"Julie, I think." Jimmy started.

"Ryan, you can visit with Marissa later, right now she needs her rest." Julie interrupted.

"So which is it, does she need her rest, or her family?" Ryan didn't want to leave Marissa to deal with Julie's third degree. He didn't want Julie to take her away from him, and he knew that's exactly what she wanted.

"Both. So, Ryan, why don't you."

"Mom. I'd like Ryan to stay." Marissa didn't want him to leave anymore then he wanted to.

"Marissa sweetie, Ryan can come back and visit you later. We have some things to talk about." She flashed her daughter a fake smile and then looked to Ryan, waiting for him to leave.

"I'm not leaving." Ryan said abruptly.

"Look-" Julie began. She was loosing her temper.

Marissa exhaled, she didn't want them to fight. "It's okay." She tried to convince Ryan.

"You sure?" He whispered, trying to read her eyes.

"Yea." Marissa nodded her head.

Ryan hesitated, but eventually stood up, leaned down and gently kissed Marissa on her forehead. He lingered there for a few seconds, inhaling her scent. He pulled away and slid his hand away from hers. He glared at Julie and his jaw muscle tightened.

"I'll be right outside." He said still looking at Julie. He glanced at Jimmy who nodded his head, trying to ease the situation. Ryan walked out of the room, and shut the door silently behind him.

Meanwhile, in the waiting room.

Seth and Summer had just exited Marissa's room, and walked into the waiting room.

"That was. Intense." Seth looked worried.

"Yea. Poor Coop." Summer shook her head slightly. She couldn't help worrying about Marissa; she just couldn't catch a break, first her dad, then the divorce, then Luke, then the overdose, and now this. "It wasn't her fault, I mean, we were both messed up. I made her drive, I was so stupid, if I hadn't dragged her to that stupid party we." Summer babbled.

"Hey, hey, hey. Its not you're fault. Everyone is okay. That's all that matters." Seth stroked her arm. He could see she was obviously upset.

"I know but I can't help feel responsible. I mean, I don't know what Julie is gonna do to Marissa, what if she ships her off to San Diego... She almost did after Mexico, what's stopping her now." Summer's heart rate began to quicken and her vision started to blur. Her eyes began to well up in tears and trickled down her cheeks. Seth wrapped his arm around her back and Summer buried her face into his chest. He rested his chin on her head, and began to stroke the back of her head.

"Marissa's dad wouldn't let anything like that happen. It'll be okay, I promise." Seth whispered into her hair. He could feel her body swaying with her breathing, and her quiet sobbing. She could feel his heart pounding against her chest. She forgot about the shooting pain in her arm and the growing hunger in her stomach. All the aftermath of the accident faded away. He was all that mattered; he would make it all go away, he would keep her safe, because he loved her. They stayed in embrace for a minute or so. It felt like forever, but ended too soon.

Ryan walked into the waiting room, looking crushed, worried, and angry all at once. Seth looked up at him.

"Hey, how'd it go." A concerned Seth asked. Ryan just shook his head and sat down in one of the waiting room chairs. Summer pulled away, she wanted to stay cradled in his arms forever, but she had to get a grip. She wiped the tears off her mascara stained cheeks. She glanced up at Seth.

"Thanks." She said so only he could hear her. Seth just smiled. Summer walked away from him to sit in a chair across from Ryan. Seth took a seat next to her.

The three of them sat there, in the waiting room of Hoag Hospital in silence.

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