READ THIS BEFORE THE STORY!!!!!
Oh my gosh. This is the last chapter… it is almost surreal. This was my first story I ever posted here and really worked with. I owe you all a great deal of thanks, without the reviews I got there is no way I would have had the motivation to continue this story. This chapter could have been broken down into two because of length… but there is no way to split up the events. I hope that you all will review. I REALLY REALLY want to know what you think. Your response to the end of this will also depend on whether or not there will be a sequel… I wrote this entire chapter in one night. I really hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the support.
Xoxo HaLeY
Chapter 21/22: "You know all I am, can you teach me to Believe in something?"
Marissa woke up with the familiar feeling of Ryans arms wrapped around her. She sank back into the protection of his strong chest, as he kissed her forehead.
"Hey." He said.
"Hey." Marissa said turning to face him.
Suddenly Seth came into the pool house, followed by Summer and Dylan. Summer and Seth each hada tray, and Dylan held two bottles.
"Good morning beautifuls!" Seth said putting on a smile.
"Whats all this?" Marissa asked sitting up in bed, with one of Ryans arms still around her waist.
"Breakfast in bed." Summer said.
"It's really nice you guys." Ryan said sitting up next to Marissa
"Yeah it is, so enjoy it this once." Dylan said picking up Madison and handing her to Seth, and then picking up Piper. "We'll give you guys time alone, and feed the girls in the house." Dylan said as the trio headed out.
"Aw, this is so sweet." Marissa said looking down at her plate. "Do you think it's safe?"
"As long as Kirsten was far from the kitchen it should be."
Marissa smiled and kissed him and then they both dug into the food. The two quickly finished.
"So what are you going to do today?" Ryan asked
"I actually have somewhere I need to go."
Ryan looked at her and raised his eyebrow.
"I'll be fine, I won't be long."
"Will I ever get to find out to where this excursion is?"
"Maybe." Marissa said flirtatiously
Ryan kissed her cheek softly.
"Come on, let's go get the girls." He said grabbing her hand and leading her off the bed.
Later thay day, after Marissa left to… where ever she was going, Ryan and Seth took the girls out on the board walk.
~ Marissa pulled the car to a stop outside of the Newport Correctional Facility.
She sat in her car for a second as she stared at the large brick building… the building that has housed her father for the past year.
She took a deep breath and stepped out of the car, smoothing out the wrinkles in her light green top, and pulling her purse over her shoulder. She approached the guard at the gate.
"Yes." He said
"Hi…" She stuttered "I am here to visit my dad." She said
"Is he an inmate?"
"No, he's a guard." Marissa thought sarcastically. She had really been spending too much time around Seth.
"Yeah."
"Follow me mam." He told her.
Marissa got a lot of stares as she walked in the the jail, from inmates that looked at her like fresh meat.
"You can wait here." The guard said, sitting her alone in a room.
Marissa looked at the guard standing in the corner. The awkwardness of the situation was overridden by her anxiousness in reuniting with her father.
The guard led Jimmy Cooper into the room. Jimmy was so confused, not expecting any visitors.
"Daddy!" Marissa said running to him, and throwing herself in his arms. They held each other for what seemed like forever.
"It's okay." Jimmy said running his fingers over her cheeks, and wiping her tears away.
"I have missed you so much…" She said "How have you been?" Marissa asked looking around.
"Alright. I am up for parole in a couple of months." He said
"That's great." Marissa said smiling. "I can't wait."
"So how have you been?" He asked
Marissa hesitated. Was now really the time to tell her father all that she went through… running away, … the hospital, Piper and Madison?
"I've been alright…" She said. "Actually, I kind of have something big to tell you."
Jimmy looked his daughter in the eye.
"Um, I got pregnant awhile back." She said nervously.
"I am a grandfather?" Jimmy said in fascination
"Yes. I have twin girls."
"Twins!" Jimmy said letting it sink in…
"Yeah… Piper and Madison." She said smiling thinking of the girls and handing her father a picture of Ryan asleep with the two girls asleep on his chest.
"Ryan is their father."
Marissa nodded.
"You seem to be really happy honey."
"I love you Dad." Marissa said, beginning to cry again
"I love you too pumpkin." He said kissing her forehead.
"I can't believe it took me so long to visit."
"It's okay, you're here now…"
"I've missed you so much…"
"You too honey." He said grabbing her and pulling her closer
~ Seth and Ryan walk around the boardwalk with the twins. Seth was carrying one, and Ryan the other. The duo had been too lazy to unload the stroller from the car.
Seth held Piper in one arm and a fudge cicle in the other, as did Ryan with Madison and his fudge cicle.
"I wonder who made these things." Ryan said examining his ice cream
"God." Seth said.
Ryan looked at his "brother", and rolled his eyes. Suddenly Seth stopped dead in his tracks…
"What's going on man?" Ryan asked
Seth nodded down the board walk to where Luke was standing with some girl.
"That bastard!" Ryan said beginning to head towards Luke.
"Don't even Ryan, he;s not worth it." Seth said.
"Here." Ryan said handing Seth Madison.
"Woah! Ryan! Ryan!" Seth called as Ryan charged down the boardwalk.
"Ryan what's up man!" Luke said.
Ryan greeted him with a fist in the face.
"What the fuck man!" Luke said wiping the blood from his mouth.
Ryan yanked him up by his collar.
"You stay away from my girlfriend!" He said slamming Luke against the wall
"I don't know what you are talking about Chino!" Luke said
"I am talking about you raping my girlfriend!" Ryan said through gritted teeth.
"Look man theres no need for this." Luke said putting his hands up
"Really? Then stay the hell away from Marissa. I swear if I see you anyway near her it's over."
"Whatever Chino." Luke said pushing Ryan off of him.
"No, whatever… Newport." Ryan said giving Luke one alst shove against the wall.
Ryan was sitting on the couch with Piper and Madison when Marissa returned from the jail.
"Hey baby." Ryan said standing up, lying the girls on a yellow blanket on the floor.
"No, you can sit back down." Marissa said kissing him.
Marissa was the first to kneel down next to the girls.
"Hey sweet hearts. Mommys here."
Ryan watched Marissa with the girls. She had grown up so much since he met her. She was his girlfriend… Piper and Madisons mother…
"How was your day?" Marissa asked Ryan
"Alright, yours?"
"Alright." She said nodding, with a small smile.
"I have something planned for us tonight."
"Oh really?"
"Yep." Ryan said
"Good, I'm up for anything." She said kissing her cheek.
That night Marissa had been dragged into the main house by Summer and Dylan, where Kirsten was doing her makeup, Summer getting her dressed, and Dylan attempting to do something to her hair, while Piper and Madison were in their play pen in Sandy and Kirstens room where they were staying that night.
Ryan was in the pool house with Sandy and Seth. Sandy was attempting to show him how to tie his bow-tie. After being in Newport so long it was a wonder that he had yet to pick it up.
"You ready man." Seth said patting his brother on the shoulder
Ryan nodded as though he was trying to swallow a lump in his throat.
"You will do fine son." Sandy said giving him a manly hug.
Ryan, again, nodded.
"We should get out of here dad." Seth said.
Sandy checked his watch.
"Oh yeah, lets go!" He said rushing Seth out, patting Ryans shoulder on the way.
Marissa stood outside of the poolhouse. She could see Ryan sillouette walking back and forth in the window. She grinned. Ryan Atwood, nervous? Never. She thought to herself sarcastically.
She slowly tunred the knob, and Ryan stopped mid-pace.
"Wow." He said.
Marissa was wearing a long black dress. Her hair fell in loose waves around her shoulders. She wore a simple necklace and a matching bracelet. Marissa was a girl who had to put no effort into looking beautiful. Ryan smirked at the realization she was not wearing any shoes.
Marissa noticed her boyfriend looking at her feet.
"The shoes weren't very comfortable…" She said blushing, taking Ryans hand.
"You look beautiful." He said
He led Marissa to the big window that looked out over the pool. The wind blew the plams, playing the couple their own sad love song.
"You are amazing." Marissa said
Ryan leaned forward and lit the candles.
"I know." He said smiling.
Then the door opened.
"Dinner is served." Dylan said coming in, wearing a white shirt and black slacks.
She sat the tray of lobster in front the two…
"Oh my god Dyl!" Marissa said smiling
"Have a good night Coop." She said leaving the two alone.
"Ryan, I don't know what to say…"
He smiled at Marissa Cooper, the love of his life… now and forever… They had come so far…
He returned to her bed and pulled off Marissas mud caked pants. He stepped back and put his hand over his mouth when he saw her thighs. Both legs covered in deep cuts. Dried blood was covering them. He tried to get over the sight as he stripped off her shirt. He saw the same thing on both of her wrists.
Ryan spoke but Marissa was not listening to what was coming out of his mouth. There was so much to take in those moments. She felt feelings towards Ryan that she never knew anyone was capable of feeling. She used to feel hopeless…
Marissa suddenly felt dizzy. A sharp pain shot up her spine. She entered her bathroom and curled up in the floor in a ball, crying. She didn't know why she had these random breakdowns, it just happened. She looked at her reflection. She stared once again for so long, as she always felt herself doing. Suddenly she remembered something. She opened up her medicine cabinet, and immediately found what she was looking for. There infront of her sat a bottle of her fathers pain medication. She thoughtlessly grabbed the bottle and downed a couple of pills not even bothering to get water.
No longer did she need artificial means of happiness…. All of the happiness that she needed lay in her family, and in the man in front of her.
Ryan never imagined that he would be living in the Newport social scence, and be in love with the girl of his dreams… Actually she was more than just the girl of his dreams… He never dreamed a girl as amazing as her could be obtained… by the kid from Chino at least…
Ryan smelled the scent of Marissas hair as she settled back against his chest. He wished that they could stay like that forever. In that moment, with the girl of his dreams lying in his arms he felt as if anything were possible.
Marissa never made Ryan feel like the under dog. She needed him as much as he needed her… still needs…
Marissa jumped out of the bed and grabbed Ryan tightly, her whole body shaking from her harsh sobs. Ryan held her shaking body firmly against his. He pulled her to the bed and laid down beside her, and held her until she fell asleep, whispering in her ear, "I will help you if it's the last thing I do. You just have to let me in."
And she just that… she let him in.
She had to wait to steady her hand before she began. She pushed the tip of the razor into her arms and slid it across. A satisfying amount of blood showed with each push, each pull of the razor, until Marissa sat, covered in her own blood. And in the peace she now felt, she fell asleep… still bleeding
Now Marissa goes to bed with a different comfort… knowing that Ryan will be there holding her tight when she falls asleep, and when she wakes up.
Ryan was there for her than more than she could have imagined…
She fell through the window onto her mattress. She lay there on her bed for what seemed like forever until it sunk in, … she had been raped, … by Luke. She ran to the trash can and threw up as the realization sunk in., or maybe it was her hangover.
Ryan and Marissa had the strength that one another lacked… without each other they were lost. They were seemingly one sould within two bodies…
"So hows she doing?"
"Better. Ryan said. "Yeah, I mean she is sick all of the time. I think it's just stress though." Ryan said looking at Seth out of the corner of his eye, waiting for a reaction.
"What do you mean sick?"
"I don't know. She just gets really nauseous around food early in the morning and late at night."
"She's pregnant Ryan." Seth said looking up from the experiment, his expression getting serious.
So what Piper and Madison were biologically Lukes? They were Ryans daughters, … he was their father… and as much as Marissa tried to change that-
*I've taken up too much of their time, I have to show them that I am better. I have to show Ryan that I am better…*
It seemed that fate had other plans…
"You got all that you wanted from me." Marissa said looking at the ground and lowering her voice so he didn't see the tears coming to her eyes.
"You know you liked it baby." Luke said looking like he was doing his best impersonation of Danny from Grease.
Marissa got up just before he touched her arm, and ran out of the room. Luke followed her out.
"Hey Marissa where are you going?"
Luke asked pulling her into the locker room.
"Luke please let go of me!" She pleaded as he shoved a rough uncaring hand up her skirt.
"Or what? Will you scream?"
The two silently hoped and prayed that Luke would remain a distant memory… They ahd overcome so much already though if he ever happened to pop up again, there was no doubt in either of their minds they could handle it. Because their love was just that strong…
When Marissa found out she was pregnant… she thought her world was over , until that night…
The moonlight outside reflected off of the water. The palm trees gently blew in the breeze. In that moment Marissa felt as though she would never see another sight so beautiful as long as she lived.
She slowly slid herself out of Ryans arms, and tip-toed into the bathroom, careful not to wake anyone.
She leaned against the door, as her body weakly slid to the floor. Her hand went to her abdomen. There was a baby in there. Marissa found the whole thing hard to fathom. She felt it for the first time since she found out she was pregnant. She felt like she wanted it. She felt she had to protect it.
It was the first time that she remembered feeling anything towards Piper and Madison, … and the last thing until-
Marissas thoughts often drifted to Ryan, Seth, Dylan, and the rest of the Cohens. Where were they? What were they doing? Had Seth and Dylan hooked up yet? She couldn't stand not knowing. But truly, deep, deep, down in her heart she believed that they were better off without her.
Her stomach fluttered at the thought of Ryan. Or maybe it was the baby kicking. Marissa often wondered if it was a boy or a girl…, what it would look like… how she wished Ryan would be there for the birth…
Something of Ryans was always with her, Even when they were apart he was her safety net…
The breeze blew coolly across her face. She hugged Ryan's jacket around herself tightly. She pulled the knit cap down further over her ears. She had never remembered it being so cold in October. Maybe because this was her first time on the streets.
The separation from Marissa had been the hardest thing that Ryan ever had to endure… but the reunion… well he hated to say almost made it worth it…
Suddenly Ryan heard footsteps behind him… he dropped his pen
"You don't have to write me anymore."
Ryan turned around to see Marissa smiling at him. The two in tears hugged each other, Ryan knew he could never let go.
And so it went that they reunited…. Again
And then there was everything that came after…
Ryan stared blankly into space, with Pipers finger wrapped gently around his own… He was worried about he and Marissa… but he knew that they had both gone through too much to not make it work, or try at least. And regardless of what happens with he and Marissa Ryan knew that he would always be there for his daughters… he would give them the father that they had always drempt of. When Pipers light brown eyes looked up at him, and she smiled showing her mothers dimples, he knew that it would be okay…
Marissa knew that this was her life… Ryan, her daughters, the Cohens, Summer, Dylan… She had her dad back. This was it. This is all that she needed.
Marissa awoke hours later that night from not feeling the warmth of Ryans arms around her. She sat up slowly in bed becoming alarmed… then she saw it. Ryan was in the doorway across from the bed, gently swaying from side to side… He wore only his red plaid pajama pants that Marissa got him for Christmas the year before, now it being Summer are terribly out of season. She was wearing his trademark wife beater. Based on the pink pajamas Marissa saw peeking out, she knew that he was holding Piper in his arms. Her small head rested gently in the crook of his arm. Ryan muscles flexed as he held her, hiding her protectively behind them, … Piper being smaller than his muscle.
The moonlight glowed and reflected off the pool onto the two. Marissa knew that she would never forget this moment.
So many moments that neither of the would forget… that made up their history, … as Ryan and Marissa, so much more than two parents… two teens,… two kids with two lives… two lost souls… what they were, … are is indefinable… and that is okay.
Marissas green eyes looked up at Ryans to find them staring back at her… And then Ryan stood up…
"Ryan what are you doing?"
Then Ryan got down on one knee…
"Marissa Cooper…" He began
……… But that's another story
The End… or not?
Hey! I really need you guys to review! Even if you never have. Next story. Piper and Madison will either be
~ 5
~7
~10
~13
~16
I really want to know what you guys want. I want to know plotlines, couples WHATEVER! Does anyone else have kids? Do Kirsten and Sandy retire and move to Florida? Seth/Dylan/Summer? Any new characters? The return of Luke? The return of Julie Cooper? TELL ME!
Xoxo HaLeY
