NOTE: I do not own any of 'The O.C' characters… you can thank FOX. If you have any questions or comment you can e-mail me at liverbrain22@hotmail.com

(Please read and review!)

Chapter Eleven

Marissa was lying down on the bed in the doctor's office, waiting for the doctor to come in. Today was the day where they were going to find out if the baby was a boy or a girl.

Dr. Walker came strolling into the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Atwood, how are you doing this morning?" She asked.

"Excited. I'm dying to know if it's a boy or a girl." Marissa replied and then lifted up her shirt, so that the doctor could get to her belly. Dr. Walker wiped down her belly with the gel and took out the ultrasound.

"Well let's just hope nature shows us today." Dr. Walker laughed and took an ultrasound.

Ryan stood next to Marissa and looked on at the screen. "Can you tell?" He asked.

Dr. Walker moved the instrument around Marissa's belly to get a better view. "You see that." The doctor pointed to the screen. Both Marissa and Ryan nodded their heads. "Well, congratulations, it's a girl."

Marissa started to cry. "Ryan, it's a girl!" She repeated.

Ryan kissed Marissa and then glanced back at the screen and looked at the baby, his baby. He was going to have a baby girl. He couldn't believe it. He knew Marissa wanted a girl, so she can have someone to teach. Ryan had the boys, now Marissa was going to have a girl. He couldn't wait to tell everyone.

Dr. Walker wiped down Marissa belly and brought her shirt down. "Well, I'll have my secretary call you to book another appointment in a couple of months. The baby looks fine, so I shouldn't have to see you here for awhile. Unless there's any complications, which I doubt."

"Thank you, Dr. Walker." Ryan thanked her and helped Marissa up off the bed.

"Congrats, again and have a great afternoon." Dr. Walker said, as Ryan and Marissa left the room.

Ryan and Marissa went back to their car and drove home.

"Oh, Ryan! I'm so happy that we're going to be having a baby girl!" Marissa exclaimed. "I hope the boys will be happy."

"I bet they will be." Ryan replied. "And Summer, too." They then both started laughing.

"Yeah, I forgot about Summer. She's definitely going to spoil the new baby for sure! Remember when she thought Conner was going to be a girl? She was so excited."

"Yeah, that was funny." Ryan pulled up into the driveway and turned the ignition off. "Well, time to tell the boys." He said as he got out of the car.

They walked into the house and saw Seth and Summer making out on their couch in the living room.

"Seth…Summer, you call that babysitting the boys?" Ryan asked, surprising them.

Seth and Summer pulled apart. "What is it? A boy or a girl, Coop?"

"Hold your horses! BOYS!" Marissa shouted at the bottom of the staircase. "COME HERE!"

"Now I know where Conner gets his screaming from." Ryan said, sarcastically.

"Who knew." Seth commented as Ben and Conner came downstairs. They went over to the couch and sat down next to Seth. "So, tell us already!" Seth demanded.

"It's a girl!" Marissa shrieked. "Conner, Ben, you're going to have a baby sister!"

Conner jumped up and hugged his mom's belly. "Hellllllllo in there." He poked at his mom's belly. "Can she hear me?" He asked.

"She sure can." Ryan replied and then turned to Ben. "Aren't you happy, Ben?" He asked.

"Thrilled. Can't wait." He said dryly and then left the living room.

"Go talk to him." Marissa told him.

Ryan left the living room and went upstairs to Ben's room. He opened the door and stood there looking at him. The room had changed a lot within the week. They had gotten rid of the bunkbeds and bought Ben his own bed. They also got rid of most of Aden's belongings.

"What?" Ben asked. He was sitting at his desk, with Captain Oats right next to him. He was glad he had had Captain Oats, but he never admitted it to Uncle Seth.

"What's wrong, Ben?" Ryan asked. He came inside the room and shut the door behind him. "Did you want to talk about the new baby?"

"Nothing's wrong and I don't want to talk about the new baby." Ben replied.

Ryan went over to Ben's new bed and sat down. "Come here and sit down, Ben." Ryan patted the spot next to him on the bed.

Ben rolled his eyes at his dad and sat down next to him.

"Look, I know you're scared about the new baby coming. I am too." Ryan admitted. "Everyone is scared. But, we all have to work together for all of this to work. Your Mother's going to need your help for when the new baby comes. You're the big brother here and Conner and the new baby are going to need you around."

"I'm not the big brother." Ben mumbled. "Aden was the big brother and I can't take that away from him."

Aden was born a couple of minutes earlier than Ben, so he considered him the 'bigger brother'.

"Okay, Ben." Ryan replied. "You don't have to be the big brother, but can you at least try and be happy for Mom and the new baby?" He asked. He didn't want to push Ben any further with the 'big brother' issue.

"I am happy for the new baby, Dad." Ben replied. "I just – It's too…Fast." He admitted. "I don't think I'm ready to have a sister."

Ryan wrapped his arm around Ben's small shoulders. "It's okay, Ben. I know it's too fast, and I'm sorry. Aden is still with us, and he will always be here with us…In my heart and in your heart. Okay?"

Ben nodded his head.

"Okay, well I think it's time you go give Mom a hug, don't you?" Ryan asked and then stood up.

Ben got up and faced his dad. "Yeah, I guess." He replied and then he hugged Ryan. "I'm trying to be better, Dad."

Ryan embraced him and kissed the top of his head. "I know you are."

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++