A/N- Sorry for not updating sooner. I just felt really lazy this past week and just did not feel like updating. Ok, people have been asking for more Ryan and Marissa. And right now I can't get them back together, because that would just be too soon after Marissa did what she did. I was planning on having them still broken up at the end of the story so that's what's gonna happen. I can compromise however and try and incorporate both of them back into the story more. But it will most likely not be with them as a couple. Thanks for all the awesome reviews and all the positive encouragement. You guys rock. I hope you like this chapter! Don't forget to review.
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As Time Goes By
Ch. 9 – The Crash
The blue Honda came speeding through the intersection and Seth slammed his foot on the breaks. But it was too late. The oncoming car smashed into the Range Rover on the driver's side and Seth immediately fell unconscious.
"Seth! Seth!" Ryan called. Seth wouldn't wake up. Terrible thoughts raced through Ryan's mind. He hoped Seth wasn't dead. He reached over and took Seth's wrist in his hand and felt for a pulse. He found one. Thank god. Ryan was not hurt badly. His leg hurt but that was about it. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911.
"911, please state your emergency", a women's voice came over the phone.
"I was just involved in a car accident in the intersection of", Ryan looked out the window and glanced up towards the street sign. "Ocean Avenue and Cherry Street. My friend is unconscious."
"Thank you sir. We are sending an ambulance now", the 911 lady said.
Ryan flipped his phone shut and prayed to god that Seth was okay.
The paramedics arrived about five minutes later. They pulled Ryan out first and put his leg in a splint. The other car was still jammed into the Range Rover on Seth's side, so they had to pull Seth out through the passenger side. The paramedics immediately put him on a back board and sent him away in the first ambulance. After Seth's ambulance pulled away they loaded Ryan into an ambulance as well and sent him away to the hospital. For Ryan the ride to the hospital was a quiet one. He was fine except for a possibly broken leg. For Seth though it was a completely different story. Seth drifted in and out of consciousness many times and the paramedics were fighting to keep him awake so they could monitor him and at least know he was stable.
As Seth's ambulance pulled up to the emergency room doors at HOAG, the paramedics quickly pushed the doors open and in no time were wheeling Seth into the emergency room. The ER doctors started shouting off commands to each other while assessing Seth's injuries. One doctor commented that there may be internal bleeding so they wheeled Seth away to the cat-scan room. Ryan was wheeled in next and was taken to the x-ray room to see if his leg was in fact broken. After three x-rays the doctors determined that it wasn't broken. Just sprained and bruised badly. A removable brace was put on his leg to help it heal faster and he was then wheeled into another room to wait. Ryan was exhausted and all he wanted to do right now was fall asleep until news of Seth's condition became available. And that's just what he did. He fell in to a deep sleep.
Ryan was awoken by the ringing of his cell phone. He fished around in the bag containing his belongings on the nightstand and finally retrieved his phone. He flipped it open. "Hello", Ryan said.
"Ryan!" Kirsten exclaimed. "Where are you?" she asked getting worried.
"Shit", Ryan thought to himself. He had totally forgotten to call Kirsten and Sandy. He didn't want to worry them but he knew that they deserved to know the truth about their sons. "Umm…", he began reluctantly. "Well after we left the party we kind of got into a…car accident so know we're, uh, in the hospital."
Kirsten gasped. "Oh my gosh, are you guys okay?"
"I'm fine but Seth I'm not so sure about. I don't really know his condition, but the other car crashed into the Rover on his side so, right now I'm just waiting to hear something.
Kirsten began to cry.
"Don't cry", Ryan said trying to comfort Kirsten.
"How can I not cry? My two sons were involved in a car accident and now both are in the hospital. I think I have a right to cry", Kirsten said.
"Good point", Ryan thought to himself. "Well I think you should get down here. Both of you", he said to Kirsten.
"Yah, yah", Kirsten said beginning to wipe the tears away from her face. "We'll be right there. Bye", she said then hung up the phone.
Kirsten sat down as Sandy walked into the kitchen.
"What's this I heard about a car accident?" he asked his wife, oblivious to the fact that his wife had just been speaking with Ryan.
"Ryan and Seth are at HOAG. They got into a car accident. Ryan's fine, but Seth's not", Kirsten said emotionlessly, without looking up from the counter.
Sandy was stunned and just stood at the counter speechless for a few moments. When he finally snapped back into reality he began to panic. "We need to get the hospital right now", Sandy said.
"What if he dies Sandy?" Kirsten began to cry hysterically into her hands.
"He's not gonna die", Sandy tried to console his wife. By the looks of things, it wasn't helping much. He walked over to her and out his arms around Kirsten's waist. She continued crying when he finally took her head in his hands and forced her to look at him. "Seth is not going to die. We need to be strong and believe that, for Ryan, and for Seth."
Kirsten nodded her head in approval and eventually the tears subsided. Kirsten pulled herself up from her seat and she headed over to the entryway closet to grab her coat. Sandy and Kirsten hopped into the black BMW and sped off towards the hospital.
They pulled into the HOAG emergency room parking lot about twenty minutes later and rushed in. Kirsten ran up to the front desk and demanded to be told where her sons were. Sandy came up behind her and tried to calm her down.
"Excuse me, I'm Sandy Cohen and this is my wife Kirsten. Our sons were involved in an auto accident about an hour ago. Their names are Seth Cohen and Ryan Atwood", Sandy stated.
"Hold on one second sir", the receptionist lady said as she typed the information into her computer. "Ryan is in room 346 and Seth is in surgery right now. He should be out within the hour."
"Kirsten's face turned white as if she had seen a ghost, and Sandy led her away from the desk and over to the waiting room chairs. "He's in surgery Sandy", Kirsten said almost not believing it herself. "What if he's hurt really badly?"
"Calm down, we'll go see Ryan right now and he can tell us what happened.
Kirsten and Sandy walked into room 346 to find a sleeping Ryan. The two of them sat down quietly not wanting to wake Ryan from his slumber. Sandy took Kirsten's hand and gently rubbed the back of it, reassuring her that things would be okay. This continued for a couple more minutes when Ryan started to stir in his sleep. He woke up and noticed Kirsten and Sandy sitting across the room. They didn't notice him at first but when he sat up, they stood up and hurried to his bedside.
"Hey guys", Ryan said relieved that they had made it.
"How are you", Kirsten asked looking over his whole body to make sure his leg was the only damaged part. Aside from some bruising on his face, this seemed to be the case.
"I'm fine really. That's the truth. My leg is just sprained. And there's some bruising. But I'll be fine", Ryan admitted. He didn't want to say that they should be worrying about Seth instead of him because that would just upset Kirsten further. She looked like she had already been crying and he didn't want to cause her any more pain.
"Ryan", Sandy began. What happened tonight?"
"Well, Marissa came up to me at the reception and started saying a bunch of things I really didn't need to hear, so I was getting frustrated ad wanted to leave. I had already had a couple of glasses of champagne so I asked Seth to drive me back to the house. We were stopped at a red light and then it turned green so Seth went, then this other car ran the red light and came plowing into the Range Rover. I checked Seth for a pulse but he was unconscious. Then I called 911, the ambulance came and we drove off to the hospital. And that's it", Ryan said after he had finished the story.
"Okay well, we'll just let you get back to sleep. Kirsten and I are just going to be out in the waiting room until we hear about Seth", Sandy informed him. Kirsten took Sandy's hand and led her out of Ryan's room.
He lay back down but then decided he should call Summer and tell him where he and Seth were. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed her cell phone number. She picked up after the third ring and Ryan hesitated but then decided that Summer ought to know that her boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, whatever they were, was in the hospital in critical condition.
"Hello", Summer's seemingly chipper voice came through the phone.
"Hey Sum", it's me Ryan.
"Hey Ryan! Where are you guys? I turned around and you guys were like gone", Summer told him.
"Actually Summer. That's why I called. After Seth and I left the reception, we kind of got", Ryan hesitated. Telling people he and Seth were in a car accident didn't get any easier as the night went by. "Into a car accident."
"Oh my god!" Summer exclaimed. Are you guys okay?"
"Umm…well I'm fine, well sort of, and Seth is kind of in surgery", Ryan said reluctantly.
"What the hell do you mean he's kind of in surgery?! He either is or he isn't. There can't be an in between!" Summer said getting hysterical.
"Summer, just calm down. I think you should come down here so when he comes out of surgery you'll be here. It would probably make him feel a lot better if he knew you were here when he wakes up", Ryan suggested.
"Yah, yah you're right. I'll be right down Ryan", Summer said.
"Ok, I'm in room 346 and Sandy and Kirsten are in the waiting room, so you know where to find us. I'll talk to you when you get here. Bye Summer", Ryan said.
"Bye. Oh, and by the way, I'm really glad you're okay Ryan. See ya", Summer said and then hung up her cell phone.
Ryan closed his cell phone, but then contemplated calling Marissa. He then decided against it, she had hurt him, and didn't deserve to know he and Seth were in the hospital. Ryan realized this was a little self-centered but still decided against calling Marissa.
Summer arrived at the hospital thirty minutes later. She raced into Ryan's room and was relieved to find out that he really was okay, despite the leg brace. She went over to the bed and hugged Ryan. Surprisingly he hugged her back.
"Umm… Ryan I brought someone with me", Summer said hesitantly. "To help cheer you up."
The door knob turned and Ryan was stunned when he saw who it was who walked through the door.
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A/N- Evil, evil me. I had to end on another cliffhanger. I just had to. lol. I like this chapter, though I will admit it is not one of my best. I hope you liked this chapter and don't forget to review!! Thanks!
-Nicole