Disclaimer: I don't own the OC

Chapter Seven

The disinfectant smell of the hospital permutated every pore as it wafted down the busy hallways. Doctors and nurses rushed from room to room pulling charts heaped high with equipment and yelling at each other randomly. The lights were sterile white beaming the hard truth on the occupants. Ryan Atwood sat in the uncomfortable chair hunched over supporting his head on his hands. He was surrounded by chaos, but took no part. He was numb to everything.

Seth Cohen raced down the hallway frantically almost colliding into the reception desk at the corner. "Marissa Atwood," he gasped to the lady trying to find his breath as she adjusted her glasses and turned up her hearing aide.

"What is that deary?"

"I need to know," Seth spit out frustrated, "where Marissa Atwood is?"

"Humm, Atwood…Atwood. I don't see a…wait a minute. Did you say Marissa Atwood?"

"Yes," Seth forced between his lips while frantically turning his head trying to see his brother.

"She is in room 104, and…"

But Seth was already racing down the hall to the stairs. Taking them two at a time, a million thoughts ran through his head in a jumble. Yanking the bright blue door open, he stopped suddenly as if he ran into glass. Ryan sat in the too bright room alone in the corner with a vacant expression in his eyes. Seth had only seen that look once before and shuddered at the mere memory.

Seth was just on his way to continue his little marathon of PS2 when the door bell rang. Waiting to see if Summer got it, he groaned as the chime was heard again throughout the house echoing its demand. "Coming, coming…jeeze can't we be a little patient…" Seth stopped rambling as he looked at a soaking wet Ryan standing at his doorstep. "Ryan, my man. Here for a little Seth/Ryan time? Because you know…" Seth looked at Ryan closer and swallowed noticing his vacant almost desperate look. "Dude, what's the matter?" Seth had never seen Ryan look this way before, and truthfully it was a little creepy. .

Ryan looked up at Seth as if he just noticed that he was there. He swallowed trying to say something but ended up mouthing air. Trying again, he managed to mumble, "She left."

"Who left? You're not making any sense Ryan?"

"Marissa left. She left for good." He met Seth's confused glance with his own ghost like stare. "She's gone…"

Walking across the empty waiting room, Seth slid into the seat next to Ryan and glanced at the clock. It was 8:45 already. Looking back at Ryan, he saw that his brother had not moved at all but sat staring off into space brooding. Signing, Seth leaned back in his chair and tried to think of something to say. He never had had this problem before. "Ryan…"

Ryan's head snapped up startled and turned to Seth just realizing that he was there. "Seth, what are you doing here?"

"Summer called frantically three hours ago, but I got stuck in traffic on the way back to L.A. I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier."

"But Seth, why are you here?" Ryan looked at him slightly puzzled.

"Because," Seth hesitated confused at Ryan's behavior. What was going on? "Summer said I needed to get down here as soon as possible because something was wrong with Marissa." Seth chose his words carefully watching for Ryan's reaction.

Ryan shook his head slightly and muttered, "She is going to be fine. She is going to be fine."

He continued his mantra while Seth watched fearfully. Ryan seemed to be in complete shock over what ever was going on or in denial. Either one was freaking Seth out. By repeating each sentence, he seemed to be trying to reassure himself of the truth.

"Ryan, man. I need to know exactly what is going on."

Ryan turned to Seth with hardened eyes and spoke harshly, "She is going to be fine. There is nothing wrong."

Seth swallowed again and started to say something but stopped as the door opened and a middle age woman walked into the room with a clipboard. Seth felt Ryan stiffen next to him and looked at the lady with a new sense of foreboding.

"Mr. Atwood, the test results have come back. Why don't we go to my office and talk…"

To be continued….

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them! Let me know what you think so far.