Title: I've Loved You Forever

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I still sadly don't own the O.C.

Chapter Three: Home Isn't Home

She was beautiful, even with the scratches over her face. Her long dark blonde hair fell over her face in an almost seductive way, almost blocking out her striking blue eyes. He sighed as he watched her eyes light up in surprise.

"Ryan?"

"Hey Marissa."

"Oh, my God! What are you doing here?" she began to sit up.

"No, don't sit up," he walked over to her and pulled a chair near her. He smiled at her.

"So what are you doing here? Is everything with Theresa okay?" Ryan was amazed at how she could care so much about him when she was the one lying in the hospital bed.

"Um, well, actually no. She lost the baby." Marissa cast her eyes down.

"Ryan, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I came here to see how you were, not to talk about my problems." He laughed lightly, but Marissa could tell his heart wasn't in it. She couldn't help herself as she watched him; she was fallingfor Ryan all over again. The way he looked at her, the way he smiled, his eyes... she couldn't stop herself from getting lost in them all over again. What she didn't know was that he was getting lost in hers.

"You know, I'm getting kind of tiredofonly being able to see you when we're in the hospital," Marissa said, scooting closer to him.

Just then, ruining the perfect moment, the doctor walked in. "I'm sorry Ryan but it's time for you to leave."

"Wait," Marissa said. "Could he stay with me? I think I could rest better with him here." The doctor thought about it.

"All right. But you have to leave in the morning. And I want you to get some rest okay?" Marissa nodded and smiled at Ryan when the doctor left.

He looked at her. "Why did you do that?"

She smiled. "So I could do this." She wrapped her weak arms around his neck and kissed him softly. That was all it took for both of them to plummet back into that thing called love. A small knock at the door made them pull back from their embrace.

"Hey Coop. How are you feeling?" Summer said, rushing over to her asSeth walked in behind her.

"I'm okay. What are you doing here?"

"The doctor said we could all stay here tonight." Marissa smiled as she took Ryan's hand, following Summer's display with Seth.

"That's cool. I guess it could be like old times." She said, smiling. Ryan looked at Seth who mouthed the word "YES" to him. He shook his head and smiled. Seth plopped down on the couch and Summer lay down next to him.

"Hey, who says you get the couch?" Ryan said, getting up and playfully punching Seth in the arm.

"Well, considering I got here first, I think I should get the couch."

"Watch it Cohen. I can still kick your ass." Ryan laughed as he said this while Seth kicked him in the shins.

"Shut up you two. Or I'll kick both your asses." Summer said, drifting off to sleep on Seth's chest. Ryan held up his hands and walked back to his chair. He sat down and watched as Seth tried to mouth something to him.

"What?" he mouthed back. Then Seth added hand gestures to the mix, leaving Ryan completely confused until Summer broke the silence.

"Ryan, he's telling you to get into bed with Marissa." Summer always had a nice way of putting things. He looked over at Marissa who was smiling to herself. She looked at Ryan and mischievously slid over in the hospital bed. He grinned at her, a rare thing for Ryan Atwood, and slid next to her, but not before giving her all of the blankets. She lay facing him on her side and he did the same. He slid closer to her and brought her head onto his broad chest, copying Seth. He looked over at him and he, in his usual geeky way, gave him a thumbs up.

Ryan woke up in the middle of the night with a small pressure on his chest. He blinked his eyes a few times and then smiled when he noticed the source of the pressure. During the night, Marissa had tilted her head up so that she was facing him. He smiled again and softly ran his fingers over her face, her cheekbones, her lips. Lips he wanted so badly to kiss again. Ryan leaned his head down and put his lips to hers, softly. She stirred a little in her sleep and tucked her head under Ryan's chin. He rested his head on top of hers and fell asleep again.

"Julie, that's absolutely insane! She's your daughter for Chrissakes."

"I know, Kirsten, but till you know how our relationship is. And now with Ryan back, I just don't see the point in her coming back homeso soon. So why can't you just let Marissa stay with you. Just for a few days. Please Kirsten." Julie Cooper put on her best begging face. Kirsten Cohen wanted to slap that pleading look right off of her face. She sighed deeply.

"All right, she can stay with us."

Julie's eyes lit up. "Oh thank you Kirsten. Oh, what would I do without you?" She stood up, but not before kissing Kirsten on the cheek, and then walked off to findCaleb.

Kirsten felt a hand run across her back. "So," she heard Sandy say, "which one of us is telling Marissa?" She turned and glared at him playfully.

A/N I'm so sorry it was so short. The next one will be longer I promise. :-)