The Princess Jinx

Disclaimer- Eh bullcrap.

A/N-Okay, so we got a little more coming up in this chapter, a little more of Marissa's "past" shall we say. And thanks to Rosey for the help on one of the ideas :)

juzadream- You're right, this isn't exactly "angsty" I was planning on taking another direction, but after some time, which resulted in me not updating in such a long time, I've decided not to go into that direction and instead take a new lead. I hope you enjoy it anyways.

....Here it is...

Maddy looked out the car window, perching herself up a little higher as she played with the window controls. She looked over at Marissa, who was in the drivers seat, her eyes flamed with anger at the car in front of her. Maddy looked at her hands as they hovered over the horn, ready to hit it at any moment. "Damn bastard," Marissa whispered under her breath.

"Ahh," Maddy giggled, "you said a bad word." She continued giggling, playing with the bottom of her shoes. Marissa looked helplessly at the little girl. "Let's not tell Daddy, okay?"

All Maddy could do was continue letting out sweet little giggles. Finally bored with her shoes, she started to play with her dark curls, twisting them in her thumbs and alternating it with her pinky. "Where are we going?" She tapped Marissa's shoulder lightly. "We're going to my Mom's house."

"Why?"

"Because she really wants to meet you," Marissa squeezed the little girl's shoulder excitedly.

"Why?"

"Because she does."

"But why?"

Marissa sighed and stopped momentarily at the stop sign. Where the hell are you Ryan? she thought. He was supposed to come with her to Julie's, and Maddy was his for today, but instead, he called, saying he was caught up at work. And now Maddy was staring at her. "Sweetie." She squeezed her shoulder again, trying to make eye contact again. "I love your Daddy, you know that right?"

Maddy kept her head down and gave a simple shrug. "I do. Very much."

Her chocolate brown eyes looked up at her blue gray ones. "How much?" she asked weakly. Marissa laughed lightly. "A lot." Maddy sighed and continued to look out the window again. "I wish my Daddy was here," she whispered. Marissa looked over at her sadly, "So..." she decided to start up a conversation. "You excited about Eddie and Allison's baby?"

Maddy shook her head. "Babies smell, and they poop."

"Yeah, but so do grown ups. And you do too."

"I smell?" she looked at Marissa suspiciously. Marissa shook her head nervously. "No, no, of course not sweetie. You smell very pretty." "That's because I'm around you." She tried to come up with an angry reply but it ended up sounding sweet. Darn it, her little six year old mind thought.

She was going to try and make up a witty comment but Marissa pulled up to a house quickly and got out. "Wow," Maddy admired the Victorian house with its big white columns and pretty flowers slowly blooming out of their buds. "'s so pretty," she said dreamily as Marissa helped her out of the car. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?"

She took her hand, leading her inside the big house. "Mom! We're here!" She called out in the house as Julie appeared at the top of stairs, wearing a silk robe. She looked like Hugh Hefner. Except in woman form. She smiled brightly at her daughter and started to descend down the stairs, hugging Marissa tightly. "Oh sweetie how are you!?" She exclaimed cheerfully. Marissa raised suspicious eyebrows and looked expectantly at her Mother. "I'm good." Julie smiled and looked at the little girl Marissa had by her side. "And who is this?"

"I'm Maddy," she smiled shyly. Julie returned the shy smile and embraced Maddy. "Nice to meet you." "Mom, this is Ryan and Theresa's daughter," Marissa explained quietly. "Nu uh," Maddy shook her head. "Theresa and Eddie."

Julie's eyes fuzzed up and she stared at her daughter, oblivious. "I'll explain later," Marissa explained as she took Maddy's hand. "Maddy? Do you wanna see the rest of the house?"she asked. Maddy shrugged. "Sure."

Marissa looked at her Mother, asking if it was okay. Julie nodded as they started walking off.

--

"So this is nice." The dark haired woman pointed out, fingering the blank walls. "Could use some touching up," he retorted. "Well than I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time together." The young woman grinned.

--

"So?" Julie started, taking a sip of her coffee. "You had big news you wanted to tell me?" Marissa shrugged. "Well, um, I'm back in town."

"I can see that." She adjusted the lace doily on the coffee table, looking at her daughter. "No, I mean," she sighed, "Permanently." Julie was surprised. She never thought Marissa would be back, she hated this place. "Do you need anywhere to stay?" she politely asked, knowing how much Richard would hate it if her daughter stayed with them. Marissa smiled quickly. "Uh, no, thanks, I'm actually..." she took a quick breath, "I'm actually living with Ryan now."

"Living?!" Julie exclaimed hysterically. Marissa nodded. "Yeah, for a few months now." "Few months?" She scoffed. "I thought you just came back for work."

Marissa smiled. "I did...I'm just staying here now. With Ryan. Permanently." Julie shook her head. "Mariss, I don't want you so serious right away," she reached her hand out and took Marissa's, "After...y ou know, everything that's happened, it's too soon." Marissa's hand slipped out of Julie's. "Mom, I've loved him since...forever, what happened won't change anything, especially what happened in the past. It was all a mistake."

"Which part?" asked Julie coldly. "All of it," she said softly. "So than having the abortion was a mistake?" she shot back. Marissa's lip quivered and tears started to burn her eyelids. "Please don't bring that up." "Why not? Haven't told Ryan yet?" Julie started pacing, running her hands over neck soothingly. "I do not want you to get attached, take things slow...he just went through a divorce, and I know what that's like...you've got to give it time."

"Well doesn't look like that's happening. We're having a baby."

Julie's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "You're what?!" Marissa nodded. "When did this happen?" "Uh..." she looked around the room nervously. "Well, I don't know exactly, but sometime about a month ago."

"Ohmygod," Julie's hands flew to her mouth. "You've been having sex with him." Marissa rolled her eyes making sure her Mother didn't notice. "Yes Mom, Ryan and I have had sex, resulting in my pregnancy." "Sweetie," Julie was frustrated, resulting making her voice extra sweet. "It's too soon. You're not even married," she added distastefully. "Mom," Marissa whined. "Marissa, you're acting like a child! You're having a child--"

"I'm having a child! I'm not a child!" Marissa's hands pat her own knees nervously, tapping her fingers against the fine material of the burgandy skirt. "I didn't come here to ask for your blessing, I just thought you would want to know." "Of course I want to know what's going on in your life," Julie said nicely. "But I'm just saying it's a little too soon. You just got back together, and you're having a baby, while he just finished his divorce and is taking care of a child that's not even his!" she didn't take a breath until the end. "And especially with the baby, it's unsafe especially after your abortion."

"You know what? I don't care. I don't care about my abortion that I had two years ago, all I care is about my future, mine and Ryan's future, which will include this baby. Bye Mom." She got up and flipped her hair, opening the sliding doors and found Maddy perched on one of the stools. Quickly grabbing the little girl's hand, she turned on her heels and looked coldly at her Mother. "I appreciated what you did for me 2 years ago, I was just hoping you would be as supportive now." Julie shrugged. "I'm just looking out for you, and my decision won't change." "Too bad, you almost made up for ruining my life." She grabbed Maddy's hand tighter and walked out to the car. "Who ruined your life?" she asked. Marissa looked sharply at her. "No one sweetie."

"Are you having a baby?" she asked quickly, not looking at her. "Where did you hear that?" "When you were talking to the lady, I heard you." Marissa closed her eyes and rested back in the comfy seat. She wanted Ryan to be there when they told her the news. Damn you Ryan! "Yeah, sweetie, your Daddy and I are having a baby."

"Which Daddy?" she questioned. Marissa's eyebrows raised as she stared at the little girl. "Ryan Daddy." She clarified. "How do you feel about that?"

Maddy shrugged. "I don't know. I wanna go home." She hugged herself with her small arms and put the buckle around her. Marissa sighed and nodded, starting the ignition and backing out of the driveway.

--

They all picked at their brussel sprouts lamely. Maddy stared at the two adults before her. "I don't like these, can I leave?"

"Where are you gonna go?" Ryan asked. "My favorite TV show is on, I wanna go watch." She kept her head down, continuing to stab her fork in the brussel sprouts. Ryan looked briefly at Marissa. "Sure, go ahead." Maddy's brown curls bounced up and down as she hopped off her chair. Ryan rolled his eyes as Marissa got up from her chair and started clearing the table. Ryan came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, hands resting on her still flat belly. "Sometimes...I think it'd be easier if she was a boy," his husky voice suggested. She laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, her back still to his front. "Girls are easier to buy," she teased. "That's true," he said in all seriousness, craning his neck to kiss her cheek. "But than we wouldn't have any money for this little one," he pointed out, rubbing his hands against her belly. "So you're happy about this?"

Ryan looked weirdly at her. "Of course I am, I told you that." He ran his hands over her sides. "Why? What did your Mom say?" She let out a small laugh. "How did you know?"

"I had a feeling," he teased. "It wasn't anything big, don't worry." "I always worry about you," he said sweetly. She smiled and turned around, kissing him full on the lips. "I'm a big girl, you don't have to worry about me." "How can I not? You're my girlfriend." He mumbled in her lips. "And the mother of your unborn child," she jokingly added while clenching his bottom lip with her teeth. Ryan laughed and pressed himself into her harder, a hand going up her shirt in the meantime. Her lips left his shortly and kissed across his jaw, attacking his neck, her leg going up and wrapping slightly across his hip. He bit his lips to keep in check as Marissa giggled into his neck. "What?" he asked innocently. She smiled and shook her head, "Nothing, just...everything's turned out so good...it's almost unbelievable." "Hey now, knowing our luck, don't jinx it," he joked, squeezing his arms around her.

"Are we having dessert? I want ch--" Maddy stopped in her sentence and stared at her father distastefully. Ryan untangled his limbs from Marissa and stared at Maddy. "Yeah.What kind do you want?" he asked hurriedly.

"Pie!"

Marissa smirked and let her hands go from Ryan's shoulder blades as she walked back to the sink. "Okay, anything besides pie?" Ryan asked, picking her up. "Um...Go-gurt!" Marissa laughed and turned around. "We don't have that either." "What do we have?" "We have ice cream."

Maddy licked her lips, grinning brightly, showing all her baby teeth. "Okay, chocolate, I hate vanilla!" "Hey!" Ryan tickled her in the armpit, blowing a raspberry on her right arm, "I like vanilla." Marissa smiled to herself as Ryan sat down in one of the chairs, Maddy sitting in his lap as they continued to "argue".

After a few minutes, she came holding 3 bowls each filled with a certain type of ice cream. "You better be glad you got Napoleon," she whispered in his ear as she handed his bowl over. "I am," he teased, releasing Maddy out of his lap. They all started digging in, especially Marissa, who was the first one done. She got up to put her bowl away, nearing the sink when she heard it.

"Daddy? What's an ab-o-rtion?"

The bowl clattered it's way into the sink, fortunately without breaking. Marissa suddenly felt weak and put her hands dramatically over her forehead, leaning on the counter for support. "Mariss'? You okay?" Ryan asked worriedly, getting up and over to Marissa, resting his hands on her shoulder. "Yeah," she gulped, "Just fine." "You sure?" he asked, not convinced at all. Marissa nodded. "Yeah, I'm just...uh..." She blinked her eyes to keep the tears back, pointing towards their bedroom. Ryan kept his hand on her back for support and hesitantly nodded. "Is it 'cuz of your abortion?" Maddy asked, also showing a concern for her father's girlfriend. "What!" Ryan shouted.

He looked suspiciously between Marissa and Maddy. "Mads, what are you talking about?" he crouched down to her level, taking her tiny hands in his own. "Today, at the house, with the red lady, I heard the red lady saying Marissa had an ab-o-rtion."

Surprised, Ryan looked up at Marissa, seeing tears well up in her. He knew that what the six year old said wasn't a lie. "So what is it?" she asked, nudging Ryan with her pinky. He lifted himself up and continued staring at Marissa. "Maddy, go sleep, I"ll be there in a second to tuck you in."

"But you never--"

"Now." Ryan said sharply and firmly, scaring the girl. She pouted and stomped off angrily to her room. "You had an abortion?" he asked sadly, disappointment on each word. She put her face in her hands, letting out small, choked sobs. "With our baby?" His heart was heavy and his feet barely took him the few feet between them. "What?! No!" She exclaimed outraged. "It...it was a while ago."

Ryan sighed and brushed her tears away with his thumbs. "When?"

"It was 2 years ago," she continued sniffling. "I was just...everything was so messed up and I never thought I would see you again," he embraced her tightly as she cried on his shoulder. "I didn't think I'd see you again," she repeated, "And at the time, I was seeing someone..." She sniffled. "Mariss', shh," he soothed, "It's ok."

"--and I just felt it was the best thing to do. My Mom was there--"

"Julie?" Ryan interfered. "I thought you didn't even go to her wedding?"

"I didn't because at the time I was pregnant. I didn't want anyone to see me, I hadn't made my choice yet." "How far along were you?" He felt like a stranger in her past life, or the past few years. As many talks they have had over the past few months, she had never told him this.

"Just a month, my Mom came up there to...you know," she smiled weakly. Ryan nodded sympathetically and wiped his own small tears. "I just felt so..."

"Shh, it's okay. I love you."

"--there's a possibility that this baby might not even live, or I might even live." She explained, a sour look playing on her face.

"What?"

"There was some difficulty with the..." she couldn't say it. "And if I got pregnant again, it wasn't going to be a very safe pregnancy." "So you're saying--?"

"This is a riskful pregnancy." Ryan sighed sadly, frowning as he continued to wipe more tears away for both of them. "I don't wanna lose you." Her nose started to sting from the tears as they ran uncontrollably down her plump cheeks. Her tear stricken face pressed up against his and let her lips brush against his briefly. "You won't."

"You can't promise me that." He deadpanned.

"Please. I love you so much, our life has always been full of risks--"

"Not like this!" he cut in. "Ryan, please, please, I can't, I'm already attached," she put her hands over her belly, Ryan following after her lead. "I can't promise anything, or that you'll end up with both of us coming out...ok, but..."

"What am I gonna do if I lose you, huh?" his voice quavered. "You won't, ok?" Her broken voice shattered his heart to pieces as he cupped her cheeks, kissing her forehead. "Promise me that--"

"I can't promise you anything." She smiled weakly at him, her tears clouding her vision. Shaking her head sadly, he hoisted her up from the wood paneling floor and into his arms, taking her into their bedroom. He kissed her matted head and lay down next to her, snuggling up under her thin frame. "The only thing I can promise you..."

Ryan looked up hopefully.

"Is that I'll love you...always."

He smiled and brought her in closer. "Good."

How had such a happy occasion turned into a bad one? Than into a semi-sweet one?

This was the life of Ryan Atwood and Marissa Cooper.

A/N- This was one of the "original" plotlines, and I'm continuing with it, just changing a few things around. And it was extra long, at least it looks like it, so I hope you enjoyed it.