When Our "Hobby" Became Something More
Summary- hehe, previous joke in the other chapter for the title
Disclaimer- What do I own? Squat!
A/N- You will find out why Theresa is here in this chapter. Any ideas for S/S will still be appreciated. I'll try to drag out the pregnancies as long as I can, and thanks for all the great encouraging reviews!
Moving on with the story...
After looking at the photo album, Marisa and Theresa went into the main house, only to find Emily and Connor eating cereal on the floor. Marissa rushed over to them. "What are you guys doing?" she asked.
Emily shrugged and popped a soggy cheerio on her mouth. Marissa picked her up and wiped off her face while Connor got up from all the milk that he had spilled earlier and waved at Theresa. Theresa looked down and waved back at him. "Connor? Right?" she asked.
Connor nodded his violently and got really into it as he walked away and kept bobbing his head. "Uh, sit down..." Marissa gestured towards the breakfast nook and Theresa sat down and watched Marissa tell Emily to go get dressed and she wiped a tear from her eye. Marissa noticed and watched Emily run off and started to pick up the bowls and clean the floor. She joined Theresa on one of the barstools and looked at her expectantly. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Talk about what?" she snapped.
"Talk about why you're in my kitchen, about to bawl?"
"Is that any of your business?"
"It should be...I give you a place to stay...and I think you should at least tell me the truth."
"Morning you guys, do you know where Mommy is?" Ryan's voice was heard coming through the living room. Marissa could just imagine the twins shaking their heads. "In here Ry!" Marissa yelled as Ryan came through the door frame of the kitchen. He spotted his wife and his ex-girlfriend, together, in his house.
Could it get anymore awkward?
"Morning...Theresa..." he greeted awkwardly.
"Morning Ryan!" Theresa said quickly.
He went over to Marissa, slinging an arm around her shoulder and giving her cheek a quick kiss. "Morning you," he said sweetly.
She smiled and repeated the words back to him. Theresa noticed the exchange and cleared her throat slightly.
Ryan backed up and looked at Theresa and muttered sorry under his breath. There was an awkward silence in the room which was filled by all four kids piling in at the same time. "Pancakes!" Jake announced.
"Eggs!" Riley followed suit.
"Already ate!" the twins shouted in unison. Marissa looked around and than back at Ryan, "Um, actually you guys, why don't you just take what you want and you can eat in you room," she told them. Glee overcame all the kids as they attacked the cabinets, Emily and Connor on the bottom ones while Jake and Riley got the higher ones. They had chips and ice cream all in their arms and mouth and started stampeding towards their rooms. All the adults lightly laughed and than the awkward silence overcame them again.
Ryan touched Marissa's elbow lightly, leading her over to the kitchen table and Theresa followed as well.
"You wanna know why I'm here, right?" she asked dismally.
"That would be nice..." Ryan replied, "And don't tell me that you're here for my birthday...I've had plenty of birthdays...20 of them...plenty of time!" he finished angrily, his voice still low.
"Mommy! I spilled my juice on the carpet!" Emily shouted from upstairs. "Me too!" Connor shouted after her. Marissa sighed, she really wanted to hear the reason why Theresa was here but got up anyways. "I'll be right back..." she said, rubbing Ryan's shoulder and walked away with a cloth in her hand."Coming!" Marissa shouted.
Ryan watched her until she was out of sight and than turned his focus back on Theresa. "So?"
"So...?'
"You were about to tell me what you're doing here..."
"Oh right..." Theresa said hesitantly, rubbing her temple viciously.
"Hey," Ryan said taking her arm from her forehead, "If you rub a hole through your head you won't be able to talk," he joked.
"Wow! You have changed!" She spat disgustingly.
Ryan looked taken back. "Yeah, well, people change!" he retorted coldly. He should've been sorry, but he wasn't, he demanded an explanation for her reasons here.
"Wow, who would've thought? Ryan Atwood? Funny?"
"Yeah, well, it rubs off..." he replied.
"Do you know how long I've dreamed about this day..." she said softly, moving herself so she was where Marissa was before.
"What day?" Ryan asked confused.
"The day..." she took a breath before continuing and putting a hand over his, cradling their hands together, "the day that I would finally see you again."
"Theresa?" Ryan asked nervously.
She put both of her hands on his and massaged them carefully while Ryan became even more nervous and pulled them back and far away from her. He leaned his head a little and started speaking. "You do know I'm married right? My wife? She was in here about a minute ago?" he questioned.
"Oh Ryan! Don't be so full of yourself." She retorted.
Ryan flushed and put his hands back on the table. Theresa noticed his gold band on his wedding finger. She reached over and touched it lightly. "Hmm? No one in Chino has ever worn a wedding ring I think," she commented.
"Well does it look like we're in Chino?" Ryan asked, fuming.
"Obviously not! I mean look at his palace!"
Ryan snorted, "So? I live in a big house?"
"Could you get anymore like June or Ward Cleaver!?" she yelled.
Ryan tried not to laugh at her reference and maintained a straight face. "You wanna know why I came back? I wanted to see how Ryan Atwood was doing. I heard from a guy a few days ago that you were divorced and living out of the back of a truck!"
Ryan rolled his eyes, "Newport gossip is like the tabloids, don't believe it!"
"Well, I did, and look where it got me...being embarrassed as ever in your fantasy world...with your jeeps and houses and your wife and kids and one on the way!"
Ryan looked shocked. "One on the way?"
Theresa nodded, "Yep, Marissa's pregnant..."
"But...but..." He looked around the room and found Marissa standing halfway in the doorway and fidgeting with her fingers nervously. He got up from the chair and cautiously asked, "You are?"
Marissa nodded, her head still down when Ryan came over to her, lifting her up and hoisting her up in his arms. She giggled and he put her down and held her closely by the waist. He put his hands over her belly, feeling the baby. He leaned in, oblivious to the other spectator watching the scene, and kissed her lips hard and passionately. He pulled back, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "You're pregnant," he stated in a whisper.
Marissa nodded. "Why didn't you tell me before?" Ryan asked.
"I just found out the day before yesterday," she playfully poked him in the ribs.
He laughed lightly and they stood there, not making any movements as he slowly ran his fingers through her hair. "So another baby?" he dumbly but sweetly asked.
"Another baby," Marissa confirmed, putting her hands around his upper torso and playing with the material of the thing shirt.
Theresa didn't dare say anything to ruin this moment.
Ryan leaned in for another kiss when Jake and Riley walked in. "Mom! Dad! My god! You have guests...please; they don't see you two more than they already have to!" Jake ranted as he saw his parent's embrace. Ryan and Marissa pulled back slowly and looked at their two oldest.
"I am so sorry about this..." Riley tried to think of Theresa's name, but came up short so just went with... "'Lady', they're like this sometimes," she said playfully to her parents, getting a coke from the fridge.
"Actually...we have something to tell you..." Ryan started to say but was cut off by Marissa whispering in his ear. "Not yet or at least right now..." she said quickly. Ryan caught onto her drift and nodded.
"What do you have to tell us?" Riley asked, annoyed.
"Go back upstairs..."
Both children looked strangely at all the adults in the room and jolted upstairs, laughing. "Sorry about that," Ryan said quickly to Theresa.
"Its fine," she lied through clenched teeth. That was the last thing she wanted to see. "I'm happy for you guys."
"Thanks," Marissa answered, her thumb which was interlaced with Ryan's hand, twitching slightly. She was getting nervous now. For what reason? She herself didn't know. They both sat down, Ryan in the chair he was in before and Marissa looked around, only to realize that Theresa had taken her earlier seat.
"Oh...did you wanna..." Theresa started to offer Marissa her seat.
"No, its fine," she said, walking behind Ryan and resting both hands on his shoulders supporting herself. I could so take you! Marissa thought, smiling fakely at Theresa who just returned the gesture.
"Ready to talk?" Ryan asked. Theresa looked down at the placement and than up again, "Sure..." she nodded hesitantly.
"As you know...I had the baby...and it turned out to be Eddie's and he decided to take care of it...child support, and weekends; the whole ordeal...So Ryan came back to you," she stalled and threw a glance towards Marissa. "Years went by and Danny wanted to know more about things, wasn't getting the education he deserved in Chino so we moved...and for about 5 years we lived in Washington but Eddie really started to miss Danny...so we moved back to Chino, and I found someone, but it turns out, he was married and I was pregnant," Theresa took a deep breath before continuing. "I had an abortion because I thought he wanted one, but he divorced his wife...and when he found out, he wasn't happy, so he broke it off...I went through a state of depression and Eddie wanted full custody of Danny and wanted me to get help, like therapy, I did, didn't help...got in some trouble...with the law and Eddie gained full custody...and I've been in and out of facilities for about 2 years, I'm clean now...and...a'," she stopped and started crying, leaving an awkward Ryan and Marissa staring at each other, wondering what to do but Theresa interrupted them again. "And Eddie called me a few days ago...out of the blue, telling me Danny was getting married in a few weeks, but he doesn't want me there because of all that's happened and I found out a few days ago from that guy that you were going through a divorce and living in a car...and I just came back to...I don't know...I guess..."
"To take him away again?" Marissa snapped.
Theresa shrugged, looking up at them, "I don't know, I guess I just came back to see if anything was still there...but when I stepped foot out of that cab and saw this house...I guess I finally realized...that there was never anything to build on, not even friendship, we've lost touch..."
"I'm sorry Theresa..." Ryan said, touching Marissa's hand which was on his shoulder and grabbing it lightly in his own, "But I think you're right...there's nothing to build on."
"I feel so embarrassed," she blushed, getting up and walking towards the pool house.
Marissa jogged after her telling Ryan "I'll go see what's wrong."
Once she was inside, Marissa stood at the door, arms crossed, looking as Theresa shoved things in her bag. "Do you think that worked? Throwing a little fit like that?"
Theresa turned around, "It wasn't a fit I was just embarrassed."
"Theresa...I love Ryan..."
"And Ryan loves you," she interrupted.
Marissa closed her eyes, thinking of the right thing to say. "He loves you too...but just...not like you do, or you want him to."
"No need to show it off!" she mumbled under her breath.
"Theresa! I have fought for that man since I was 16! 20 years, what makes you think I'm gonna give up now? I bet I can't say the same for you."
"I have known Ryan all my life...better than he knows himself sometimes," she defensively replied. She zipped her bag shut and started to head towards the door but stopped right before Marissa, looking up at her a little since Marissa was taller. "But you're right about one thing...he doesn't love me, as a friend, or anything more...and he never has and never will because he'd still love you forever. Good luck with the baby Marissa and thanks for letting me stay the night!" and with a flip of her hair she went towards the main house. Marissa stopped and grabbed her Theresa's arm, flipping her around so they were face to face.
"You might wanna be a little more appreciative next time."
Jake and Riley were in the kitchen, watching the scene with Marissa and Theresa. "All right! Go Mom!" Jake shouted softly. "So who is this chick Dad?" he asked Ryan.
Ryan rolled his eyes but answered anyways. "An ex-girlfriend."
"Whoa Dad, you got your wife and ex-girlfriend in the same house...what did you do?" he joked. Ryan got up and looked through the window and responded. "I don't know son, I don't know."
Outside; Marissa was glaring at Theresa, waiting for a response. "Thanks for everything!" she spat.
"Look Theresa! I understand you're..."
"No you don't!"
"I'm trying to understand why you're mad, but that gives you no reason to barge into my life and my family's life because after 20 years you wanna re-kindle something, I'm sorry that you weren't invited to your son's wedding, I really am...but what else can I do?"
Tears started pouring of her eyes. "I am so sorry that you think all I wan to do is ruin your family," she spoke clearly and whimpered.
"I can't help but feel that..."
"That what?'
"Just leave," Marissa spoke softly, wiping a few of her own tears away.
"I know what I did really hurt you...and I'm sorry but..."
"You did hurt me...and stood in our way, but we're over it, I guess in a way, you did me and Ryan a favor...you made me realize just how important he was in my life and how I couldn't live with him and that I would do anything for him...and the same for me, so in a way, thanks."
"Looks like we're even, thanks," and Theresa left her there and this time Marissa let her be. Jake and Riley scrambled upstairs leaving Ryan and Theresa alone in the kitchen. "Your wife's great, I'm glad."
Ryan was confused but went along with it anyways, "Yeah, she sure is, that's one of the reasons I married her."
"One?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Plenty more..." he said shyly.
"Then, Ryan Atwood...jail, now, Ryan Atwood...man who loves."
Again, she wasn't making any sense, but he let it go. "It was good to see you again Theresa...surprising, but it's always good to see an old friend."
"Yeah, I'm sure it was," and she leaned into hug him, her arms wrapped tightly his neck. Ryan patted her back awkwardly and pulled her off of him. "I hope everything works out for you."
"You too Ryan," and kissed his cheek, feeling the slight bristles of his cheeks. "You deserve it..." she said, almost growling.
"Theresa?" Ryan was finally catching on.
"What Ryan?" she asked with a slight smile. He decided not to say anything to make the situation any worse. "I called you a cab, it's waiting outside."
Theresa seemed disappointed. "Oh, thanks..." and started walking towards the front door. The mantle with all the pictures on it was right near the door, the "Kodak" moment with Ryan and Marissa and than she just practically ran out the door. "Bye."
"Bye," Ryan returned and closed the door. He breathed a sigh of relief and went out back to check on Marissa, who was, when he found her, violently taking the sheets off of the pool house futon. He went over to her and put both hands on her shoulders. "Hey, hey, calm down, ok?" he soothingly said turned her around. "I'm sorry, but who does she think she is?"
"She's Theresa, who do you think you are?" he joked.
"Ryan? This is not the time for jokes," she told him, cracking a slight smile.
"I know." He sat down on the bed, Marissa following in his lap. "Are you gonna be ok?" he asked.
"I'll be fine...just a speed bump," she replied.
Ryan laughed. "What?"
Marissa laughed as well, stroking his hair, "Nothing."
She felt Ryan's hands which were around her, graze the side of her thigh with the lightest touch of his fingertips and she moved on top of him, her knees beside his hips. He seemed surprised but happy. "I never gave you the other half of your birthday present did I?" she asked.
"Exactly how many halves is there?" he asked.
She laughed sarcastically, "Haha, just two."
He raised his eyebrows, "Care to give me the other half now?"
She smiled and kissed him sweetly and pulled back after a few minutes. "Better not get used to it, I'm pregnant."
Ryan rolled on top of her, "And that's what I was afraid of hearing," he teased.
She giggled as she felt Ryan kiss her neck, sending shivers up and down her spine. Cupping his face into her hands and brought his face to hers and kissed him.
"I love you Ry."
"I love you too 'Ris." He leaned on his side and placed a hand under her shirt, feeling her belly. "And I love you too...Maurice?" he suggested.
Marissa laughed and shook her head, "No...no Maurice."
"Got plenty of time to figure it out...how much time exactly?"
"7 months," she answered.
"You don't look big," he noted.
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"No, it's just...I can usually tell when you're pregnant, you get pretty big, even by the first or second month."
With raised eyebrows, she glared at him, "Should I take that as a compliment?"
"Yeah...I guess, do you have a doctor's appointment coming up?"
Marissa nodded, "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow, do you wanna come?"
Ryan nodded, "Of course."
"Good," and rolled back on top of him, "And its Jenny," she referred to the baby's name.
Ryan shook his head and kissed her. "Bernadette."
Marissa laughed and pulled back, "Where are you coming up with these names?"
Ryan shrugged, "I don't know," and than pulled her in again for a kiss. "Taylor."
"Johnny," she said smugly, in between kisses.
Faded out on the two of them naming baby names in between kisses.
A/N- That's that chapter, had to get some frustration out on Theresa, really don't like her. Hope you enjoyed it and um...I'll try to have s/s in the next chapter.
