Chapter One
Quick question was Theresa ever given a last name? I can't find one so I am guessing that she wasn't so it's going to be Rodriguez.
The group goes completely silent unable to form a coherent thought between them let alone find the words to responds to Theresa's mother's words so she wipes her eyes and continues, "the only thing they've told us is that Ryan is in surgery to control internal bleeding and they are delivering the baby. There are just so many things that could go wrong."
A doctor comes out then and questions, "Are the guardians of Ryan Atwood present?"
"That's us." Sandy states as he and Kirsten step forward.
"How is he?" Kirsten asks.
"The surgery went well, and we have the bleeding under control. He'll be out of it for awhile but a nurse will come and get you when he starts waking up."
"My daughter, how's my daughter?"
"I'm sorry, mam, I don't know anything about your daughter's case. I'm sure her doctor will be out as soon as there is news."
"He's okay?" The words are just now sinking into Marissa's head as she loosens the death grip she has on Seth's arm.
"He'll be okay." The doctor assures. "He's very lucky."
The group, with the exception of Theresa's mother, relax, slumping into the waiting room chairs. Despite the words they had exchanged earlier Seth has his arm wrapped around Summer's shoulder and she is cuddled up next to him. Sandy and Kirsten sit in a similar position and Marissa sits with her knees pulled to her chest.
"Why don't you sit?" Sandy asks Theresa's pacing mother.
An hour later they are still waiting for news on Theresa when the nurse comes out saying that one of Ryan's legal guardians can see him. "Do you mind if I go?" Kirsten asks.
Sandy shakes his head and Kirsten follows the nurse down the hall, "right in there," the nurse states when they stop in front of an ICU room.
"Thank you." Kirsten murmurs and she attempts to steady her shaking hands. Griping the door Kirsten finally pushes it open to find Ryan slumped in the bed, "Ryan," Kirsten sighs softly hurrying over to his bed.
"Kirsten," Ryan mouths.
Kirsten moves toward the bed taking Ryan's hand and gently brushing his band off his forehead.
"I'm sorry," Ryan's voice is barely audible.
"Shh," Kirsten whispers leaning close to catch is words. "You need to rest, we just wanted to let you know that we were here." Kirsten figures the small head movement is a nod from Ryan before he slips asleep.
Kirsten takes the chair beside the bed tears slipping down her cheeks as she watches Ryan sleep, "Miss, I'm sorry but visiting hours times are only for five minutes every hour."
Kirsten brushes at her cheeks, "alright, thank you." Standing up Kirsten walks out of the room attempting to compose herself before she gets into the waiting room. She manages to regain full composure by the time she reaches the waiting room door but the instant she steps through the doors she nearly loses it again. Theresa's other is on the ground, sobbing, and Sandy has a comforting arm around her and Seth, Marissa and Summer are sheet white.
"Mom!" Seth calls once he sports her, he rushes forward and wraps his arms around her settling there for a long time. Much like he had when he was younger and the world was to tough, either because of a broken toe or a scraped knee, but a huge and a cookie made the world seem like a better place then and Kirsten knew that those times were over.
"Theresa is dead," Summer doesn't falter as she says the quiet words, standing strong just behind Seth with Marissa holding onto her tightly.
Kirsten knew this the instant she walked in the door so the words don't come as ay sort of a surprise, she just holds Seth tightly as she watches the horror that she can't help but be glad she doesn't have to go through, feeling a deep sense of pity for Theresa's mother. A nurse walks into this knowing the full situation, "I'm sorry to bother but..." the nurse's eyes look back and forth between the three adults in the room. "There are some forms that need to be filled out regarding the baby, the files say that a paternity test is to be done at birth."
The baby, Kirsten's heart drops, everyone in the room had forgotten about the potentially orphaned baby, "I'll take care of it." Kirsten states pulling away from her son.
The nurse nods, "this way please."
Marissa is cold, the waiting room air conditioning has chilled her straight through, wrapping her arms around herself she glances around the room, Mr. Cohen had control of the Mrs. Rodriguez situation and Seth is clinging to Summer. Part of Marissa wants to cry and the other craves a drink, knowing she can't, or won't, give into either she leaves the waiting room hoping that somewhere else is less cold. She wanders the hospital, because she's never been there before she has no idea where she is going until she stops in front of the nursery window. Her eyes rove the clear baby baskets until her gaze finally settles on the empty baby basket with a pink card that says Baby Girl Rodriguez.
Minutes pass and Marissa continues to stand there starring at the empty basket until a nurse appears holding the baby and getting Marissa's attention she holds up for Marissa to see the baby more clearly. Marissa doesn't need to see the paternity test results to know that the little girl is Ryan's daughter. Marissa doesn't know how she can tell the tiny girl doesn't particularly take after either one of her parents but deep down Marissa just knows. Marissa stands staring at the fragile girl for what could be a few short minutes or house, something about the baby had Marissa in some sort of thrall she didn't want to shake herself out of, something about the innocence of the baby kept Marissa's eyes locked on her.
"Marissa," Kirsten lies a gently hand on Marissa's arm. "They have the test results back, she's..."
"Ryan's baby," Marissa interrupts.
"How'd you know?" Kirsten asks.
Marissa shrugs, "I'm not sure. I just do."
Kirsten nods, "I understand. I spoke to Ryan's doctor, they gave him the news about Theresa, Eddie and the birth of the baby."
"Is that good?" Marissa asks.
"The doctor didn't want to but you know Ryan, he wouldn't rest until he knew. Now he says I can go in and tell him about the results, I thought you maybe you could hold the baby up to the window."
"I don't know anything about holding babies." Marissa immediately panics.
"It's easy," Kirsten assures, "you'll do fine." Kirsten waves to the nurse in the nursery who is watching them and then points at the baby.
"Can I help you?" The nurse questions.
"We'd like to take the baby to see her father."
"And you are?"
"Her father's legal guardian." Kirsten responds simply.
"Okay," the nurse nods setting down the clipboard and settling the baby into Kirsten's arms.
"Hi sweetie," Kirsten greets gently touching the newborn's cheek. She yawns in response, her eyes flutter open for a minute but then her eyes close again and her long eyelashes settle on her cheeks again.
"She's," Marissa stares, "beautiful."
"Yes," Kirsten responds, "she is. You take her now."
"What if I drop her?" Marissa asks.
"You won't," Kirsten promises.
Gently Marissa takes the baby into her arms and instinct suddenly takes over, the jostling wakes the baby up again and she lets out a soft mewing cry as her blue eyes focuses on Marissa. "Shh," Marissa coos "it's alright, go back to sleep." The baby seems calmed by Marissa's voice and with another yawn she is asleep and Marissa is following Kirsten down the hall until they finally reach ICU.
The ICU is really just a lot of glass cubicles surrounding a large circular nurses station, "we re here to see Ryan Atwood."
The nurse nods, "doctor James said you were coming, he said only you were allowed in."
Kirsten nods, "she's just going to hold the baby up to the window."
"Ryan," Kirsten calls softly when she steps into the room.
Ryan slowly opens his eyes and Kirsten can see how sad he looks, "I really don't..." Ryan's voice coneys both his physical and emotional pain.
"I know you want to be alone," Kirsten responds, "but I had to tell you that you have a daughter."
Ryan's eyes widen, "mine?"
Kirsten nods, "they ran the rest right away. Look."
Ryan follows Kirsten's finger to where Marissa is holding up the baby wrapped in a pink blanket, he stares at the baby for a long time and several minutes pass before Ryan even realizes that Marissa is standing there as well. "Marissa?" Ryan asks.
Kirsten nods, "Seth, Sandy and Summer are here too. They can't come in here so you have to concentrate on getting well, okay? Your daughter needs you."
Kirsten and Ryan's eyes lock and finally Ryan nods, "I'll try."
"I should go," Kirsten states, "I'm already pushing it being in here. We're getting a hotel room as near here as possible, we'll be back tomorrow."
Ryan nods and doesn't say anything until Kirsten is near the door, "thanks for coming Kirsten."
Kirsten turns back around to face the bed, "of course, we'll be back early."
Tears are slipping down Marissa's cheeks when Kirsten walks out of the room, "Marissa, what's wrong?"
"He looks so sick." Marissa whispers.
"His doctors said that with some recovery time he'll be fine. We'll get the little one back to the nursery and then we'll call your mom to see if she'll let you stay the night with us. Summer already called her father."
Quick question was Theresa ever given a last name? I can't find one so I am guessing that she wasn't so it's going to be Rodriguez.
The group goes completely silent unable to form a coherent thought between them let alone find the words to responds to Theresa's mother's words so she wipes her eyes and continues, "the only thing they've told us is that Ryan is in surgery to control internal bleeding and they are delivering the baby. There are just so many things that could go wrong."
A doctor comes out then and questions, "Are the guardians of Ryan Atwood present?"
"That's us." Sandy states as he and Kirsten step forward.
"How is he?" Kirsten asks.
"The surgery went well, and we have the bleeding under control. He'll be out of it for awhile but a nurse will come and get you when he starts waking up."
"My daughter, how's my daughter?"
"I'm sorry, mam, I don't know anything about your daughter's case. I'm sure her doctor will be out as soon as there is news."
"He's okay?" The words are just now sinking into Marissa's head as she loosens the death grip she has on Seth's arm.
"He'll be okay." The doctor assures. "He's very lucky."
The group, with the exception of Theresa's mother, relax, slumping into the waiting room chairs. Despite the words they had exchanged earlier Seth has his arm wrapped around Summer's shoulder and she is cuddled up next to him. Sandy and Kirsten sit in a similar position and Marissa sits with her knees pulled to her chest.
"Why don't you sit?" Sandy asks Theresa's pacing mother.
An hour later they are still waiting for news on Theresa when the nurse comes out saying that one of Ryan's legal guardians can see him. "Do you mind if I go?" Kirsten asks.
Sandy shakes his head and Kirsten follows the nurse down the hall, "right in there," the nurse states when they stop in front of an ICU room.
"Thank you." Kirsten murmurs and she attempts to steady her shaking hands. Griping the door Kirsten finally pushes it open to find Ryan slumped in the bed, "Ryan," Kirsten sighs softly hurrying over to his bed.
"Kirsten," Ryan mouths.
Kirsten moves toward the bed taking Ryan's hand and gently brushing his band off his forehead.
"I'm sorry," Ryan's voice is barely audible.
"Shh," Kirsten whispers leaning close to catch is words. "You need to rest, we just wanted to let you know that we were here." Kirsten figures the small head movement is a nod from Ryan before he slips asleep.
Kirsten takes the chair beside the bed tears slipping down her cheeks as she watches Ryan sleep, "Miss, I'm sorry but visiting hours times are only for five minutes every hour."
Kirsten brushes at her cheeks, "alright, thank you." Standing up Kirsten walks out of the room attempting to compose herself before she gets into the waiting room. She manages to regain full composure by the time she reaches the waiting room door but the instant she steps through the doors she nearly loses it again. Theresa's other is on the ground, sobbing, and Sandy has a comforting arm around her and Seth, Marissa and Summer are sheet white.
"Mom!" Seth calls once he sports her, he rushes forward and wraps his arms around her settling there for a long time. Much like he had when he was younger and the world was to tough, either because of a broken toe or a scraped knee, but a huge and a cookie made the world seem like a better place then and Kirsten knew that those times were over.
"Theresa is dead," Summer doesn't falter as she says the quiet words, standing strong just behind Seth with Marissa holding onto her tightly.
Kirsten knew this the instant she walked in the door so the words don't come as ay sort of a surprise, she just holds Seth tightly as she watches the horror that she can't help but be glad she doesn't have to go through, feeling a deep sense of pity for Theresa's mother. A nurse walks into this knowing the full situation, "I'm sorry to bother but..." the nurse's eyes look back and forth between the three adults in the room. "There are some forms that need to be filled out regarding the baby, the files say that a paternity test is to be done at birth."
The baby, Kirsten's heart drops, everyone in the room had forgotten about the potentially orphaned baby, "I'll take care of it." Kirsten states pulling away from her son.
The nurse nods, "this way please."
Marissa is cold, the waiting room air conditioning has chilled her straight through, wrapping her arms around herself she glances around the room, Mr. Cohen had control of the Mrs. Rodriguez situation and Seth is clinging to Summer. Part of Marissa wants to cry and the other craves a drink, knowing she can't, or won't, give into either she leaves the waiting room hoping that somewhere else is less cold. She wanders the hospital, because she's never been there before she has no idea where she is going until she stops in front of the nursery window. Her eyes rove the clear baby baskets until her gaze finally settles on the empty baby basket with a pink card that says Baby Girl Rodriguez.
Minutes pass and Marissa continues to stand there starring at the empty basket until a nurse appears holding the baby and getting Marissa's attention she holds up for Marissa to see the baby more clearly. Marissa doesn't need to see the paternity test results to know that the little girl is Ryan's daughter. Marissa doesn't know how she can tell the tiny girl doesn't particularly take after either one of her parents but deep down Marissa just knows. Marissa stands staring at the fragile girl for what could be a few short minutes or house, something about the baby had Marissa in some sort of thrall she didn't want to shake herself out of, something about the innocence of the baby kept Marissa's eyes locked on her.
"Marissa," Kirsten lies a gently hand on Marissa's arm. "They have the test results back, she's..."
"Ryan's baby," Marissa interrupts.
"How'd you know?" Kirsten asks.
Marissa shrugs, "I'm not sure. I just do."
Kirsten nods, "I understand. I spoke to Ryan's doctor, they gave him the news about Theresa, Eddie and the birth of the baby."
"Is that good?" Marissa asks.
"The doctor didn't want to but you know Ryan, he wouldn't rest until he knew. Now he says I can go in and tell him about the results, I thought you maybe you could hold the baby up to the window."
"I don't know anything about holding babies." Marissa immediately panics.
"It's easy," Kirsten assures, "you'll do fine." Kirsten waves to the nurse in the nursery who is watching them and then points at the baby.
"Can I help you?" The nurse questions.
"We'd like to take the baby to see her father."
"And you are?"
"Her father's legal guardian." Kirsten responds simply.
"Okay," the nurse nods setting down the clipboard and settling the baby into Kirsten's arms.
"Hi sweetie," Kirsten greets gently touching the newborn's cheek. She yawns in response, her eyes flutter open for a minute but then her eyes close again and her long eyelashes settle on her cheeks again.
"She's," Marissa stares, "beautiful."
"Yes," Kirsten responds, "she is. You take her now."
"What if I drop her?" Marissa asks.
"You won't," Kirsten promises.
Gently Marissa takes the baby into her arms and instinct suddenly takes over, the jostling wakes the baby up again and she lets out a soft mewing cry as her blue eyes focuses on Marissa. "Shh," Marissa coos "it's alright, go back to sleep." The baby seems calmed by Marissa's voice and with another yawn she is asleep and Marissa is following Kirsten down the hall until they finally reach ICU.
The ICU is really just a lot of glass cubicles surrounding a large circular nurses station, "we re here to see Ryan Atwood."
The nurse nods, "doctor James said you were coming, he said only you were allowed in."
Kirsten nods, "she's just going to hold the baby up to the window."
"Ryan," Kirsten calls softly when she steps into the room.
Ryan slowly opens his eyes and Kirsten can see how sad he looks, "I really don't..." Ryan's voice coneys both his physical and emotional pain.
"I know you want to be alone," Kirsten responds, "but I had to tell you that you have a daughter."
Ryan's eyes widen, "mine?"
Kirsten nods, "they ran the rest right away. Look."
Ryan follows Kirsten's finger to where Marissa is holding up the baby wrapped in a pink blanket, he stares at the baby for a long time and several minutes pass before Ryan even realizes that Marissa is standing there as well. "Marissa?" Ryan asks.
Kirsten nods, "Seth, Sandy and Summer are here too. They can't come in here so you have to concentrate on getting well, okay? Your daughter needs you."
Kirsten and Ryan's eyes lock and finally Ryan nods, "I'll try."
"I should go," Kirsten states, "I'm already pushing it being in here. We're getting a hotel room as near here as possible, we'll be back tomorrow."
Ryan nods and doesn't say anything until Kirsten is near the door, "thanks for coming Kirsten."
Kirsten turns back around to face the bed, "of course, we'll be back early."
Tears are slipping down Marissa's cheeks when Kirsten walks out of the room, "Marissa, what's wrong?"
"He looks so sick." Marissa whispers.
"His doctors said that with some recovery time he'll be fine. We'll get the little one back to the nursery and then we'll call your mom to see if she'll let you stay the night with us. Summer already called her father."