Two weeks later, the phone rings. Ryan doesn't usually answer it, but Sandy and Kirsten are out, and whoever is calling is persistent. They haven't left a message, but they've called enough times that he's considering picking up the phone.

One more ring convinces him. "Hello?"

"Ryan?" Ryan's mouth drops a tiny bit. Someone's calling here for him? Marissa doesn't know he's here. Luke's gone, as is Seth. And it's not like Summer would ever call him. The voice is male, anyway. And sounds vaguely familiar. Actually, it sounds a lot like...

"Arturo?"

"Yeah, man, it's me." Ryan needs to sit down for this. "Listen, I hate to bother you, but Theresa miscarried. She's at the hospital right now and she keeps asking for you. You think you can get here?" His tone is light but sarcastic, as though Ryan isn't worth his time if he says no.

"Of course." Ryan wracks his brain, trying to come up with a way to get there, since Sandy and Kirsten have the car. "I'll be there as soon as I can get there."

"Thanks, man." Arturo's voice is flooded with relief. "See you soon."

"How is she?" Ryan asks, but Arturo has already hung up. "Now what?" he mutters to himself.

Summer. She has a car. He can't call Sandy and Kirsten – he doesn't want to interrupt their evening. And he certainly can't call Marissa. She doesn't even know he's here.

"Hello?" She sounds irritated to have to answer the phone.

Ryan swallows. "Summer?"

"Who is this?" He can picture her eyes narrowing on the other end of the phone. "Seth?"

"No, it's Ryan."

Now she sounds genuinely surprised. "Ryan? What's up?"

"I was wondering if you could give me a ride. To the hospital. Sandy and Kirsten are out –"

"Say no more. Be right there."

Click.

Well, that was easy. Easier than he thought it would be.

Summer must not have been far away, because she gets there five minutes later. She runs up to the door. "Ryan? What's going on? Who's in the hospital? What hospital are we going to?"

"It's Theresa," he responds, hearing her sigh in relief. "She had a miscarriage. The hospital's in Chino. I can direct you there."

Summer looks at him sympathetically, without asking anything more. They are at the car. "All right. Get in."

Ryan directs her to the hospital. Otherwise, they don't talk.

When they get there, Summer parks and gets out of the car with Ryan.

"What are you doing?"

"Going in there with you."

"Why?"

"You don't seriously expect me to drive an hour to drop you off without knowing what's going on or how you're getting home," she states. In that moment, Summer sounds so much like a mother.

"Actually, yes, I did. But since you're so set against it," Ryan reluctantly says, "Come on."

They walk right into the waiting room, and Summer scrunches up her nose. "Um, why does it smell in here?"

Ryan gives her a look. "Summer, just go with it. Okay?"

"Fine, Chino. Whatever."

They stare each other down for a long minute. Finally, Summer gives. "All right. I won't say anything. Even though it does smell like-"

"Summer," Ryan warns, "Don't say it."

"Okay, okay."

They walk silently up to the desk. "Hello. Theresa Ramirez's room, please?"

"Room 146. On your left."

"Thank you," Ryan says, leading Summer down the long hallway.

She looks around. "No elevator?"

"Summer."

"Why is she on the first floor? Does this hospital, like, only have one floor or something?"

Ryan doesn't respond. "Oh my god, it does? That's so ghetto, Chino."

"I thought we were clear, Newport," Ryan says. "And what's up with calling me 'Chino?' I thought we were past that."

She shrugs. "I don't know. Seth's gone." He waits for an explanation beyond that. When one doesn't come, he says, "And...?"

She just looks at him. "Seth's gone? That's your explanation? What the-"

"146, Ryan," Summer says, poking him and simultaneously pointing at the door. 146. Right.

"Maybe you'd better wait here," Ryan says.

"Are you kidding? And miss all the action? I'm coming in," Summer declares.

When they walk in, Theresa smiles palely up at them. "Hey, guys."

Though Arturo and her mom are right there, Ryan is instantly kneeling at her side. "Hey." His voice is soft, tender. His concerned voice, Summer realizes. "How're you doing?"

"Not so great," she says. Her gentle smile clashes with her words. "It turns out that, as much as I didn't want to be a mom, I'd actually gotten pretty attached to the little dumpling. See? I even named it. Kind of." She giggles, but Ryan knows she's masking her pain.

"Hey, guys?" He says to Mrs. Ramirez, Arturo and Summer. "Can we have a minute?" Mrs. Ramirez and Arturo immediately leave, but Summer is slower to get the message. He stares at her.

"What? I'm leaving!"

When the door closes behind her, Ryan takes Theresa's hand. "So how are you really?"

She instantly bursts into tears.

"Shhh," Ryan says, wrapping his arms around her. "Okay. I'm here."

When she finally stops sobbing, he pulls back and looks at her. "Do you want me to come back?"

"Well..."

"Theresa. Forget the Cohens. Forget your mom and Arturo. Do you want me to come back?"

"Yes," she whispers.

"Okay."

Well, that's that, then. Ryan loves Sandy, Kirsten and Seth, but if Theresa needs him, even for a little while, then he's there.