Authors Note- Second to last chapter, thank you for the reviews. I didn't
get the chapters out before 2004, but Happy Belated New Year
Chapter Twelve- Still Not Title
Ryan place his suitcase next to the front door. He stopped for a moment, replaying the last two days. Only two days, but at least he was completely alone with Lillian. Though that was after he and Marissa spoke to her about who Ryan really was.
She didn't react, not in the least. It was more of them proving her right, because she had known all along. But she adored her time alone with him, almost as much as he did. Lillian did respond to their time together, but not verbally. Despite Marissa, Ryan, Summer, and Seth's hopes, she still had not said one word.
And now he was leaving, as it was promised. Back to California, his old life, until Marissa made sense of the situation. And he prayed it would be sooner than later, as he couldn't see any normal in his life until he was to see them again.
" Take care Ry, Chino's always welcomed here" Seth's own version of saying good-bye, then immediately hugged him.
Ryan glared at both Seth and Summer, " I know it sounds weird, but, thank you, for everything".
" Anytime you need a squealer, you know who to call" Summer said, " maybe we can hang out or something when I get back to California" she glanced at Seth, " whenever that may be".
" Sure" he softly said. He was halfway to Marissa's apartment when Seth closed the door. She opened her own before he could knock, " I-I just came to say good-bye, really fast".
Marissa extended her arm, " bye".
Though stunned, he shook it, " bye". Lillian appeared at her side, gazing up at him. He smiled and knelt down, " I'll see you soon, okay?" she didn't respond as he had hoped in one last attempt, in fact, she looked down right mad at him. He couldn't blame her.
Ryan stood up, getting one last look at them, " I love you both" he said and headed towards the elevator.
Marissa remained in the doorway, watching him, " I'll call you". She wasn't sure if he had heard that, but it no longer felt like he was walking away forever.
Lillian stepped into the hall as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside. They then closed.
" Daddy!" she screamed.
It wasn't too loud, but Marissa still jumped. Like magic, Ryan was back in the hall, jaw dropped.
" Daddy, please don't go" and she began running towards him.
A gaping Marissa noticed Seth and Summer had emerged from the other apartment before turning back to watch her daughter. Ryan had dropped to her knees just in time to catch her. She held on tightly, her tears overflowing onto his shoulder.
" Please say you wont go!".
" You're speaking" he mumbled, increasing his hold on her, almost in tears himself, " your voice is so beautiful".
But Lillian didn't care how anyone found her slurring tone, " I don't want you to go" she pulled back to face him, " I'll be really good, I promise, I'll talk!".
Trying to hold back the tears himself, Ryan pushed a few hair strands out of her face, " it's not you Lilly, it was never you. I have no choice, I have to go. But I'm not leaving for good".
Aggravated, she madly wiggled out of his grip, " no!" she turned to Marissa, " why are you making him go?" she yelled, Marissa's hands covered her mouth, she couldn't speak. " I hate you! I hate you!".
Ryan tried to grab her arm, " Lilly...".
But she whipped away, " no! I hate you too!" Lillian bolted down the hallway, her parents behind her, though they weren't sure about Seth and Summer.
" Ryan catch her!" Marissa called.
He ran down the staircase, where she already had a two flight lead. Amazingly, Lillian managed to stay ahead of them, even when reaching the lobby.
Seth had come running from the elevators, and still had no luck. Lillian threw herself against the main door, and ran outside. Ryan's heart nearly stopped as she headed into the street. " Lillian, no!".
He tried to go after her, but something had stopped him, pulling him back, leaving him on the sidewalk. It was Marissa, dashing ahead of him after the little girl. The cars whizzed by in all directions, without a care. Providentially, the girl was still safe, the little one at least. Ryan stood, frozen on the sidewalk, and watched the deranged taxi cab lunge into Marissa.
Chapter Twelve- Still Not Title
Ryan place his suitcase next to the front door. He stopped for a moment, replaying the last two days. Only two days, but at least he was completely alone with Lillian. Though that was after he and Marissa spoke to her about who Ryan really was.
She didn't react, not in the least. It was more of them proving her right, because she had known all along. But she adored her time alone with him, almost as much as he did. Lillian did respond to their time together, but not verbally. Despite Marissa, Ryan, Summer, and Seth's hopes, she still had not said one word.
And now he was leaving, as it was promised. Back to California, his old life, until Marissa made sense of the situation. And he prayed it would be sooner than later, as he couldn't see any normal in his life until he was to see them again.
" Take care Ry, Chino's always welcomed here" Seth's own version of saying good-bye, then immediately hugged him.
Ryan glared at both Seth and Summer, " I know it sounds weird, but, thank you, for everything".
" Anytime you need a squealer, you know who to call" Summer said, " maybe we can hang out or something when I get back to California" she glanced at Seth, " whenever that may be".
" Sure" he softly said. He was halfway to Marissa's apartment when Seth closed the door. She opened her own before he could knock, " I-I just came to say good-bye, really fast".
Marissa extended her arm, " bye".
Though stunned, he shook it, " bye". Lillian appeared at her side, gazing up at him. He smiled and knelt down, " I'll see you soon, okay?" she didn't respond as he had hoped in one last attempt, in fact, she looked down right mad at him. He couldn't blame her.
Ryan stood up, getting one last look at them, " I love you both" he said and headed towards the elevator.
Marissa remained in the doorway, watching him, " I'll call you". She wasn't sure if he had heard that, but it no longer felt like he was walking away forever.
Lillian stepped into the hall as the elevator doors opened and he stepped inside. They then closed.
" Daddy!" she screamed.
It wasn't too loud, but Marissa still jumped. Like magic, Ryan was back in the hall, jaw dropped.
" Daddy, please don't go" and she began running towards him.
A gaping Marissa noticed Seth and Summer had emerged from the other apartment before turning back to watch her daughter. Ryan had dropped to her knees just in time to catch her. She held on tightly, her tears overflowing onto his shoulder.
" Please say you wont go!".
" You're speaking" he mumbled, increasing his hold on her, almost in tears himself, " your voice is so beautiful".
But Lillian didn't care how anyone found her slurring tone, " I don't want you to go" she pulled back to face him, " I'll be really good, I promise, I'll talk!".
Trying to hold back the tears himself, Ryan pushed a few hair strands out of her face, " it's not you Lilly, it was never you. I have no choice, I have to go. But I'm not leaving for good".
Aggravated, she madly wiggled out of his grip, " no!" she turned to Marissa, " why are you making him go?" she yelled, Marissa's hands covered her mouth, she couldn't speak. " I hate you! I hate you!".
Ryan tried to grab her arm, " Lilly...".
But she whipped away, " no! I hate you too!" Lillian bolted down the hallway, her parents behind her, though they weren't sure about Seth and Summer.
" Ryan catch her!" Marissa called.
He ran down the staircase, where she already had a two flight lead. Amazingly, Lillian managed to stay ahead of them, even when reaching the lobby.
Seth had come running from the elevators, and still had no luck. Lillian threw herself against the main door, and ran outside. Ryan's heart nearly stopped as she headed into the street. " Lillian, no!".
He tried to go after her, but something had stopped him, pulling him back, leaving him on the sidewalk. It was Marissa, dashing ahead of him after the little girl. The cars whizzed by in all directions, without a care. Providentially, the girl was still safe, the little one at least. Ryan stood, frozen on the sidewalk, and watched the deranged taxi cab lunge into Marissa.