A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. I have never got so many before, I guess you were kind of happy with the ending. I didn't want to disappoint you. I got some great ideas from some of you too so thanks for them. Two chapters left after this one.

Chapter 18 – Waking Up

He woke up again after a while when the paramedics lifted him up on a stretcher. They were careful with him but still felt the pain in his body.

"Can you talk?"
He tried to talk but no words came out of his mouth and they nodded understanding.

"You didn't have any ID on you so we can't inform any relatives but when we get you to the hospital we will give you some pills that calm you down so you maybe can get a few words out. Is that okay?"

He nodded and then laid his head back again. His family probably wouldn't be worried yet, he had just been gone for a day he thought. He didn't know that the lady had found him when he had lain on the beach for 3 days.

Ryan sat quiet by the table again. He had barely opened his mouth since he last saw Summer. No one could make him talk; he was back to his old self again. Silent and brooding was his strategy. Anna walked in and sat beside him, she couldn't stand seeing him like this. He hadn't touched his dinner and she was really worried.

"Ryan you have to eat sometime, and you have to talk to someone"
"I talk"
"Yes you do but your sentences usually consist of 2 words. You can't get depressed and loose it. You have to be strong, like you always are"
"That's the problem, I was strong, but the things that made me the strongest was Seth. Without him I would never have made it here. It seemed like I took care of him but it was the other way around. I need him"
"I know, but"
"No you don't know. I'm sorry but you don't, no one knows how I feel, no one knew him like I did. I don't want to be disrespectful to Sandy and Kirsten but I knew him better then they did. He was just like me before we met, silent and not very popular. We connected and together we made it through all the obstacles we faced that year"
"But you have me"
"Yeah well that's not the same thing. You don't get it, when I came back and he wasn't there I felt like shit. It was my fault and I didn't think I would ever get through it without him"
"But you did"
"Yes but I barely didn't, and I don't think I can go through that again"
"We'll make it through, somehow we will make it"
"I'm not so sure about that"

Summer put on her clothes and closed the locker. She walked against the door.

"Roberts! Hey Summer!"
She turned around and saw her boss.
"Don't forget that you start early tomorrow, Suzy couldn't make it"
"Yeah whatever"
She walked away from the cafeteria. She started yesterday and she really hated it, but she needed the money, and it was close to her apartment. But it wasn't really an apartment, more like one room to sleep in and one tiny bathroom. But it was better then being alone in Newport, without him. She closed the door to her place and leaned back against the door and sat on the floor and started to cry. She started to cry as soon as she thought of him, it was too hard to think that he was gone but she couldn't help it. He really was and she had to get used to it, but she didn't think she ever would.

They sat in silence eating their dinner. Ryan, Anna and Trisha had been coming to the Cohen residence almost every day since they found out. Seth didn't use to be there so much but they weren't there to replace him, they were there to keep them company when they were this devastated. But the dinners almost didn't contain any words spoken. There was nothing interesting enough to be said. But Trisha couldn't take it anymore; she had to know why they were so quiet. Ryan had told her that Seth wasn't coming back, but she wanted to know why, she liked him and wanted him back.

"Why isn't Seth coming back? Is he away on his boat again?"

Kirsten got up and ran to the bathroom; she couldn't handle to talk about him yet.

"You haven't told her what happened, Ryan?"

"What am I supposed to say to her so that she would understand?"

"You can't keep this from your daughter forever, its better that she finds out sooner rather than later"
"I know, but I can't tell her, it's too hard"
"Then I will, because someone has to"

"What are you going to tell me?" Trisha as confused and she didn't like it when her dad was depressed. "Is Seth coming back?"
"No sweetie he isn't, Seth was in an accident and he was hurt. He was hurt bad and the doctors couldn't save her. He is dead and that is why he isn't coming back"
She started to cry and she couldn't stop, she ran out of the kitchen.. Anna who had been quiet so far jumped in.

"That was really smooth Sandy, you don't think you could have handled it worse?"
"Hey don't get that way on me, you don't think this is hard for me?"
"Yes I do, but you are older and understand, how do you think a 6 year old reacts to this kind of news? She isn't as strong as we are"
Anna got up and ran out after Trisha. Sandy and Ryan sat there, quiet again, Seth's sudden death really did affect them a lot.

He woke up. Huh where am I? White beds and bright decoration, looks like a hospital. Wait, am I at a hospital. I don't feel hurt. Maybe I'm not, he tried to get up, or maybe I am. A doctor walked in and saw that he was awake.

"Hello! Finally you are awake, you had no ID so we haven't been able to identify you"
"My name is Seth, Seth Cohen"
"You were in an accident at sea, you hit your head pretty bad but it is recovering. You should rest for a couple of days but then you can get out. Do you have any relatives you want me to call?"
"Wait a minute, how long time has gone?"
"About a week, so they are probably worried, you want me to call them"
He thought this through, the boat must have been found, and if they couldn't identify him before just this moment then no one knew where he was. And if the boat was alone without a body on it then they would think that he was dead. Oh my god they must be freaking out. He didn't want tot take that over the phone. How would that sound?

"Hi this is the Cohen residence?"

"Hi this is the son you thought was dead. But it turns out I am alive. Hello?"
They would probably catch a heart attack. He had to get out of her.

"Hello? Mister Cohen? Do you have anyone to call?"
"No I'm alone here. Um can I get some time to think this through by myself"
"Sure, push that button when you need me"

The doctor walked out and left him alone. So how was he going to get out of here? His clothes were on a shelf in the room. He got up, ouch his head hurt a little. But he could stand it, it would probably be better soon. He puts on his clothes and look out the window. Lucky me, he thought when he saw a fire escape outside. He opened the window, got out and climbed down. He put his hands in his pockets, there was some money there. It would probably be enough to a bus. He walked against the bus station and tried to ignore the pain in his head. There was a bus leaving in about fifteen minutes. He could take that.

"Hello?"
"Hi Summer this is Anna"

"Hey Anna"
"Why can't you come home?"
"You know why, I thought Ryan and I went through this"
"Yes you did, but you and me didn't. I know you don't think you can live here without him but we need you, all of us"
"No one needs me, I'm not good at anything, especially not a crisis like this"
"That's not true, you are good at lot's of stuff"
"Yeah whatever, I'm really not in the mood, I'm sorry Anna but I'm not coming back. Bye"

She hand up. Why did everyone have to make this harder then it already was? It wasn't like she wanted to leave, but she had to.

The bus pulled over at the Newport stop. He got out and started to run towards his parent's house, they were probably worried sick, or they were devastated. He stopped when he got to their driveway. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, if they thought he was dead they would get a real shock when they saw him. Maybe he should do a damage check first. Who can I talk too? Oh Alex probably knows, if something happened I guess Ryan has been there a lot. He turned and ran away from the house and ran against the pier and the Bait Shop.

She was going crazy, she even thought she saw him standing outside on their driveway just now, but then he ran away. It was probably just a hallucination.

"Alex! Hello, are you here?"
"Yes who is it?" Alex walked out from her office but stopped and the sight of Seth. "Seth! But how? You are supposed to be dead"
"Yeah that's what I was afraid of"

"But how?"
"I was splashed up on a beach a while from here and brought to the hospital"
"But why didn't you call anyone? And why are you here now and not at your parent's?"
"I didn't call because I didn't want to take it over the phone. And I came here because I wanted to know if everyone thought I was dead. I guessed Ryan would have been here a few times if that was the case"
"Yeah you guessed right. And I guess he needed something right now too"
"What?" He turned around and saw his brother walk down the stairs. He didn't seem to have noticed him yet. But when he got down he did.

"Seth?"
"Yes it is me"
"But how?"

"It feels like I just drew this story but okay, I got splashed up on a beach not far from here, I got driven to a hospital and haven't contacted anyone yet"
His brother hugged him long and hard.

"Oh my god, you have no idea how glad I am"
"Yeah me too, I'm glad to be back. But I need to know how bad my folks are. Am I going to give them heart attack when I come there?"

"I wouldn't count on that they stand up straight but you have to go there now. Come on I will drive you"

Fifteen minutes later they walked in their parent's house.

"Hello! Mom, dad? I want you to be calm and don't freak out now okay?"
"What are you talking about Ry…"

They walked in to the kitchen and his parent's saw him. They both cried.

"He is back again? How do you manage to do this kind of stuff all the time? Do you have any idea how freaked we were, we thought you were dead"
"I almost was"
"But how?" They both hugged him and kissed him more than one time and they never wanted to stop.

"Short story, I was rescued and came here"

" I just can't believe it"
"Well I hope you will soon because it is true, no hidden cameras coming up"
"Good, and don't you dare to leave us again"

"No I won't, I promise. Um how is Summer doing?"
The three of them looked at each other. "Who will take this?"
"I will" Kirsten spoke up.

"Take what? What is going on?"
"She freaked out honey, she couldn't stand it here without you"
"What? Is she dead?"
"What? No of course not, but she left. She left and she is in L.A. now"
"L.A.? But she doesn't like L.A., why did she go there?"
"She said she couldn't live here when you were gone, she thought it was hard enough once and I agreed, but I stayed even so, but she didn't"

"I have to go get her then"
"What? Now?"
"Yes, the sooner the better, she needs me now more than ever and I need her. I have to go right away. Can I borrow your car Ryan? Thanks!"
Off he went and left some very shocked people behind him but the one that would be most shocked was still left.

So what do you think? Two chapters left as I said earlier, but I have plenty of ideas to a sequel if you would like one. Read and review!