Summary: Ryan's closest friends grieve his death.
Timeline: A little twist out of Anger Management.
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Written by Nanna
Posted and translated to English by Karen
Marissa thinks that Ryan had suffered a thousand deaths.
But nothing had her prepared to the sight of Ryan's strong, worked out, loved body lying immobile inside of a casket.
The Cohen's huge house were replete with people, Sandy, Kirsten and Seth being the centers of attention, the three of them deeply affected by what had happened to Ryan.
There were lots of friends of them from school. Luke and Anna were hugging each other, Anna with her head leaning on Luke's shoulder. Holly, Chip and Zach were talking amongst themselves close to the door. Lindsay had flown in from Chicago with her mother and was sitting next to Kirsten. Taylor was a little away, looking enviously at Seth and Summer who were sitting on a couch.
Johnny, Casey and Chili had also come. Enrooted on her despair, Marissa didn't feel peaceful and capable and strong enough to talk to them – she didn't want to see the pity inside Chili's eyes, the challenge inside Casey's and the hope inside Johnny's – and that was what hurt her the most. She would never be able to love Johnny. Neither now, nor ever.
Because Ryan was dead. Her Ryan. Ryan, of sweet, expressive blue eyes, of serious face, of dark obscure past. Ryan who had escaped unharmed from death last summer. Ryan that she loved. Ryan that loved her. Ryan, who protected his friends so much that he had taken a bullet on the aorta to save Summer.
Summer… Ryan had died because of Summer. No, because of Johnny. If Ryan hadn't protected Johnny, he wouldn't have triggered Volchek's fury and wouldn't have been murdered. Ryan, dead…
Marissa broke down in tears. Julie took her in her arms and rocked her like a little baby.
Out of the three Cohen, Seth was who had reacted worse to Ryan's death. Because it had been Seth who had helped Ryan, it had been Seth who had tried to stop the blood loss, it had been Seth who had been bathed and covered in Ryan's blood.
Seth has come to shower every hour, since he had left the hospital. But he still didn't feel clean. Seth still could feel the smell and the weight and even the taste of Ryan's blood.
Ryan, dead. His brother, dude, best friend. Ryan…
Last time Ryan had gone away, Seth had run away. He couldn't live in Newport without Ryan. But, at least that time, Ryan was alive. Working his ass off in Chino, living unhappily next to Teresa, but alive.
Now, he was dead. He would never show up again, he would never laugh of Seth, he would never say a smart irony that revealed an attentive and experienced observer.
Summer was clinging to him, crying silently. She didn't let him go even for a minute, apparently fearing that he would bolt if she let go of him for more than thirty seconds.
But she didn't have to get worried. He wasn't going anywhere. Ryan, his best friend, his older brother, was dead.
The summer before last's getaway was an act born out of revolt, to get Ryan back. This time, there was no need to escape, because there wasn't a way to have Ryan back. Fate had taken Ryan to a place from where he couldn't be ripped off.
He rested his head over Summer's and cried, once again.
Summer could feel Seth's cheek's weight heaving over her head. She could feel the top of her head getting wet. She could feel her heart falling apart for him, for herself. And for Ryan.
Seth had lost his best friend. Marissa had lost her only love. Sandy and Kirsten had lost a son. What about her? What had she lost?
A friend. A good friend. A great friend. A fucking amazing friend. And her soul mate.
Seth was adorable, sweet, caring and a smart ass, but he was naïve. He had grown up on a house with parents who loved each other and who loved him. He didn't know what there was out there in the dark. Even with Ryan there, and the disgraces that always came down on Ryan (Teresa's pregnancy and miscarriage, the mess with Trey that almost made Ryan go to jail), Seth could keep an aura of innocence.
Ryan wasn't innocent. Neither was Summer. The two of them had grown into torn houses, with parents who didn't love each other. Summer's mother had run away, as had Ryan's. Summer's dad locked himself in work, while only God knew where the hell was Ryan's.
The two of them had learnt to take care of themselves to escape unharmed.
But this time he didn't get to escape unharmed.
Ryan was dead. He had thrown himself in front of Summer to save her from a bullet Volchek shot. And he had kissed her, before Seth and Marissa showed up.
She would keep that kiss with herself forever. No need to hurt Cohen or Coop letting them know that their loves had cheated on them with each other.
Ryan was dead. And a part of her, of Seth and Marissa had died with him
T H E E N D