Chapter Fifteen: The After

"You know, I think I could just lay here with you and not ever get tired of it." Marissa leaned her head up from where it was positioned on Ryan's chest and kissed him lightly. They were laying on the poolhouse bed together, watching the pool water ripple in the wind and listening to Seth and Summer argue about something having to do with Princess Sparkles and Captain Oats. Marissa laughed as they fought. It was a cute way of fighting, one with a lot of Summer hitting Seth in the stomach and Seth making his little one-liners. And it always ended up with "make-up sex" as Summer liked to say.

"What's so funny?" Ryan asked, stroking her hair.

"Those two," she said, snuggling closer to Ryan. He smiled and then remembered something.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to show you this. The hospital found it in your jeans pocket." He pulled something out of his back pocket and Marissa gasped when she saw what it was. It was the picture she had been looking at the night of the accident. In it was the two of them, posing for a picture a Julie and Caleb's wedding. It had been the last picture taken before Ryan had left.

"Thanks," she said quietly, taking the picture and staring at it. Ryan saw the look in her eyes and knew what she was thinking.

"Marissa, I'm not going anywhere." She looked at him with such a grateful look on her face that he had to kiss her.

"Um, sorry to interrupt your little looove fest here, but we have a problem," Seth stood in the doorway.

"What now Seth? Can you not knock?"

"No, I can't. I am physically unable to knock. It's in the gene pool.But we have bigger problems. Summer just threw Captain Oats in the pool."

Seth waited for the stunned reaction, but Ryan and Marissa just stared at him.

"What? You may think I'm crazy- but, what if he can't swim?"

"He floats, you dumbass," Summer called, walking over to them with a dripping Captain Oats in hand. Ryan just rolled his eyes and Marissa burst out laughing as Summer plopped on the bed next to her.

"Scoot over, Chino. I have to make room for the pansy over there."

"Hey, don't call me a pansy, woman. I am as manly as they get." To prove his point, Seth sat down and pulled down his t-shirt.

"Yes, Seth. We all know you have no chest hair, but you don't have to flaunt it," Ryan said this, causing Summer and Marissa to laugh and Seth to smack him across the head.

"Nice, Cohen. I think Ryan has been slapped enough this week," Summer said.

"Yeah, and I think Julie slapped me harder." This caused another outroar of laughter, and this time, even Seth joined in. Summer then looked at her watch and gasped between her laughter.

"Cohen, walk me to my car, I have to go. Bye Coop, Chino." Summer stood up and began to walk out the door, but Seth was still trying to dry off Captain Oats.

"Cohen!"

"All right, I'm coming slave driver."

Seth rolled his eyes at Marissa and Ryan and followed Summer out to her car.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think that she was walking him to his car."

"Yeah, that's usually how it goes."

They laughed and leaned back against the pillows. They sat there in silence for a few minutes and Ryan was about to move when he heard Marissa's light and steady breathing. She was fast asleep. He smiled and kissed the top of her head. He then realized that hewas going to be stuck in that position and made himself comfortable. Ryan leaned his head against Marissa's and in almost minutes he was asleep as well.

-THE END-

A/N: WOO!! I am finished! I hope you all like where I took it with the crazy Julie Cooper. I really would like to see her go nuts once and awhilebut I doubt it. Well, anyways, thanks for all the great reviews and I hope you liked it!! Luv yas!

planet oc ;)