Screaming. High pitched screaming. Terrified, distraught, painful screaming. Marissa's Scream.

Ryan woke with a start, swimming in sweat. Sitting bot upright, he looked scared and dishevelled. His eyes, wide with shock, darted around the room. No familiar faces sat by his bedside, no friendly smiles. No one even realised he was awake. Ryan was alone.

The lights above his seemingly useless bed were too bright; as he had to strain his eye's to see the machine's that lined either side of the room. They beeped rhythmically, showing various colours which meant different things. But it made no sense to Ryan, nothing made sense. He could see no further than the pale curtains before him.

'Ryan!' Kirsten said, coming into his little part of 'paradise'. Rushing over, she gently hugged him, making sure she caused no pain. He had to admit, it was good to see a friendly face, but not the one he wanted to see.

'Where's Marissa?' the teen asked bluntly, staring into space. He couldn't really remember what happened, other that he wanted his girlfriend. All that he wanted was to hold her, caress her. He wanted to tell her it was all alright, though it clearly wasn't at the time.

Kirsten's face fell. She hated to break bad news, Especially to Ryan. The love they shared was deeper than a high-school romance, deeper than marriage. Ever since their eyes met, a connection had been formed. Ryan lived off it, Marissa was his everything. She didn't know what to say. Luckily, Sandy walked in.

'Hey man!' He said, trying to sound bright. But, bangs hung under his eyes and lines of exhaustion covered his face. 'Glad to finally see you awake!'

Ryan wasn't in the mood. And, Sandy knew it. He slung his frail legs over the bed and attempted to stand. It had been about a day since 'the accident', so he had had enough time to stiffen, bruise and weaken. Never the less, his legs eventually agreed to support his weight. He had always been known for his strength, but when it came to those he cared about, Ryan turned to jelly.

Dried blood was matted into the hairs of his arms, with wounds underneath. He had stopped bleeding a while ago, but the pain still sook. But, everyone failed to notice the ever growing bruise on his muscled stomach, even the nurses. It was now crossing his chest, seeping into the soft skin like an unwanted itch.

'Either', Ryan started, angry, 'You tell me where she is or I go and find her myself'

Sandy and Kirsten were about to reply, but were cut off. Screaming. Terrified, painful, distraught screaming, like the one in his dream. And, also like the one in his dream, it was Marissa. The sound pierced Ryan's ears, causing him to double over in his own pain. Nothing hurt him more than to hear his beautiful girl in pain, nothing.

As soon as he recovered, Ryan took off down the hall, ripping the drips out of his arms. It was no use trying to stop the determined young man; all it would result in would be a fist in the face. It was always a fist in the face when it came to Marissa.

The hallway flors were slippery, either freshly polished or wet. Nurses swarmed around Ryan, trying to stop the blood rushing from his arms. A sharp, stinging pain was throbbing in his gut, yet he failed to notice. His eyes were fixed on a room at the end of the long path, where the screaming was coming from.

Bursting through the big door, Ryan was shocked at what he saw. His usually bubbly, happy girlfriend was now crying, depressed and in impossible amounts of pain. Due to her psychological state, they had to sedate the poor girl and strap her to the bed. But that hadn't stopped the sobbing, it hadn't numbed the pain. Marissa's bright eye's were dull and teary.

Never before, had Ryan been so unimaginably torn. He wanted so bad to take away all her pain, to make her ok. But, he couldn't. He couldn't help the one person in the world he loved unconditionally. That was what hurt the most.

Once he came to grips with Marissa's state, Ryan rushed to her side.

'Hey, hey. Its ok babe, I'm here. It's me, Ryan. C'mon sweetie, its ok…' he soothed, rubbing one finger across her forehead. Tears streamed from his bloodshot blue eye's, down and along his severely bruised neck.

They weren't exactly a sight for sore eyes. Under Ryan's thin hospital gown, were rows and rows of swollen stitches. Pus was building up below, due to infection that Ryan failed to notice and the doctors hadn't checked. Most would find it extremely painful, whereas Ryan was more concerned with Marissa. What happened to them? What was wrong with her?

Despite her poor state, Marissa still noticed her boyfriend. Her sobbing stopped, hazel eye's looking up at him. All of a sudden, life didn't seem so painful, everything came into proportion. Yet, the pain was still there, throbbing in every crevice and space within her body.

'Ryan?' she questioned quietly, throat dry.

His heart soared at the mention of his name coming from her bloody lips. Smiling wearily, he kissed her forehead gently. Who knows what would have happened if she didn't recognise him.

'Yes, it's me.', he encouraged.

Within a second, doctors burst into the room. One, who wore a name badge with Dr Patrick in blue writing, rushed over and griped Ryan's sore arm. He yelped in pain, yanking it out of the mans arms.

'Ryan, what are you doing out of your bed?', the Dr Patrick demanded, 'You have just come out of surgery. Plus, Ms Cooper needs isolation, she isn't in good shape. Lets take you back to your bed'

'No!' he yelled furiously, 'I want to stay with Marissa! She's my girl and she needs me!'

He looked over, to see tears spilling once again down her face. Ryan hated to see her cry and, when she did, he had to be there. He had to be the one to dry her tears.

'I'm sorry, Mr Atwood, but you can't. Ms Cooper is going into surgery right now, and she needs to be put to sleep for the operation. You are going to have to leave.'

He didn't even have a chance to reply when two larger men and a nurse carted him back to his bed. Screaming, he tried desperately to get back to Marissa's side, straining his body against their strong arms. Looking back, he could see her helpless body become limp as they pumped chemicals in her veins.

Eventually the people were able to drag Ryan back into his bed, then strap him down. It wasn't safe anymore to let him have free will. It saddened Sandy and Kirsten to see their beloved son in this state, to see him forced into submission. Sitting beside his subdued body, she tried to calm him.

'Ryan, she is in good hands…'

'I don't care; I want to be with her. I love her, she needs me.'

'Look, sweetie, you have had a very long few days. The accident has had a big toll on everyone, but mostly Marissa. We need to be strong, for her..', she said quietly, holding his hand in her own.

'What accident?' he replied blankly, staring straight ahead.

'You don't remember?'

Oh God, she thought, please don't make me the one to tell him. Looking around, Kirsten knew no one was approaching. Perching her small frame on the edge of she bed, she looked square into his blue eyes with her own, aqua like eyes.

'Yesterday, you and Marissa were down the beach. A large boat came towards you, and neither you two nor the driver saw each other. Before anything could be done, it slammed into you and Marissa, though she got most of the force. Seth and Summer got you out and to the hospital, but Marissa has lost the feeling in her lower legs. Her left arm is broken and so is her nose. She had internal bleeding to the liver as well.

You have broken all your ribs, if you haven't noticed, and you may have internal bleeding. You also got the propellers on your stomach, but not much.'

Ryan was speechless. None of this he remembered. He felt no pain at all, not anywhere. It took a while to sink in, for Ryan to realise what was really wrong with his girl.

She may never walk again. She may never be able to dance, to run, to jump again. Oh, how much she loves to move. Now, it may all be lost…Why did I take her out so far? Why couldn't we have stayed in the shallow area where it was safe? Seth and Summer were fine, Seth didn't pressure her. And, now she may never be able to move freely again. It's my entire fault. I ruined my beautiful girl's life, her dreams, her future…

Ryan broke down. Shoulders hunched over, he leant into Kirsten. Tears flooded from his big, 'soulful' and Marissa liked to call them, eyes. He had never felt so much internal pain in his life. And, no one could ease it. Kirsten rubbed his back, yet it didn't help. His body shook uncontrollably, heart wrenching within his usually strong chest.

This time, Ryan was broken.