Sorry that it has taken so long to update but I've had tons of schoolwork. It's quite long though (compared to my first chapter anyway) – yay:) Please read and review and thanks to everyone who already has, and I'm glad you liked it. Enjoy:-

Chapter 8: Reliving the Nightmare

"Rise and shine!" Ryan unwillingly opened his eyes. He rolled over to find Seth standing beside his bed. He looked at his clock. He had hardly slept all night. He couldn't stop thinking about her.

"Seth it's 9:30 in the morning. We've had hardly any sleep. How are you so awake?"

"I tend to find that lack of sleep makes me feel more chipper, for lack of a better word."

"Chipper?" Ryan said rather bemused.

"Ye, chipper" Seth said grinning. "I am getting a serious lack of chipper vibe coming from you." Ryan gave him the look

"Or you know groggy, moody and scary hair is all good." Ryan touched his hair which was sticking on end.

"Anyway back to the reason I have come to visit you this bright beautiful morning. I thought we could go and visit Marissa. Dad has some meeting thing but Mom said she would take us and Summer. Jimmy will need a break after staying with her all night."

"Ye, sure."

"Oh, wo. Did I sense a tiny bit of chipperness in your tone?"

"Is that even a word?" Ryan asked whilst struggling up from his bed.

"That's not the point. Come on man. She's going to be fine. She'd love to see us, or at least you anyway."

Kirsten walked in to the kitchen where Seth and Ryan were both eating bowls of cereal.

"Hey guys. How you feeling?" she asked Ryan. He was about to reply when Seth cut in

"Oh, he's full of chipperness. Aren't you Ryan?" Ryan glared at him.

"Is that even a word?" Kirsten asked him as she made herself a coffee.

"What is everyone's problem with chipper!"

A couple of minutes later Sandy walked in to the room, doing up the cuffs on his shirt.

"Considering what we've all been through, you're looking rather chipper this morning son."

Seth looked very pleased whereas Kirsten and Ryan just looked at Sandy.

"See what I've had to live with all these years." Kirsten said to Ryan.

"Oh, I love you too honey." Sandy said planting a kiss on Kirsten's cheek.

Jimmy opened his eyes and prayed that it was all just a nightmare, but he knew it wasn't when the room came in to focus and he saw Marissa lying asleep on the hospital bed. He looked at his watch which said 10:30am. He had been sleeping on and off, the longest being about half an hour. He heard the door open and turned around to see a doctor.

"She still asleep?"

"Ye."

"She was put on quite strong pain killers so she'll be out for a while. She's doing well though. We'll have to keep her in for a few days to keep an eye on her."

"Wh-whatever is takes to get her better." The doctor smiled at him sympathetically.

"There's a café on the next floor up if you want anything." Jimmy looked at Marissa, reluctant to leave her.

"Don't worry there'll always be a nurse around for when she wakes up."

"Thanks doctor."

"No problem." He shook Jimmy's hand then left.

Jimmy walked over to the window and opened the curtains. It was typical Californian weather. The sun was shining and the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. He walked over to Marissa and sorted her covers which were falling of the bed. He gently kissed her head and went out to get a coffee, gently closing the door behind him. He headed towards the stairs when he heard a familiar voice

"We're here for Marissa Cooper."

"If you would just like to sit here and I'll let the doctor know."

He saw Seth, Ryan, Kirsten and Summer at the reception desk.

"Kirsten."

She looked around on hearing her name. He looked exhausted – not surprisingly.

"Jimmy." She walked over to him and pulled him in to a hug.

"How you holding up?"

"Ok, I guess." He shook Ryan and Seth's hands and gently hugged Summer.

"How is she?" Summer asked, her voice full of hope for her best friend.

"They gave her pain killers so she's asleep just now."

"Oh, maybe we should come ba…." Summer started.

"No, no. I'm sure she'd love you to be there."

"You look like you could do with a coffee, some sleep and a shower," Kirsten said to Jimmy, "I mean not that I'm saying you're dirty just that uh…"

"No it's fine," Jimmy cut in, laughing at Kirsten trying to recover herself. "I wouldn't mind a hot shower and a mug of coffee. I forgot how much I hate hospitals."

"Right then I'll take you home," Kirsten said to Jimmy "and you guys go and see Marissa and I'll be back later," she said to Ryan, Seth and Summer.

"Thank-you so much…for everything. If there's ever anything I can do…"

"Jimmy it's fine. I'm more than happy to help. Let's get going. Bye guys."

"Bye," Ryan, Summer and Seth all said to Jimmy and Kirsten. Just as they left a nurse approached them.

"Are you here for Marissa Cooper?" asked the nurse.

"Ye," replied Ryan.

"Follow me."

The nurse opened the door to let them all in.

"She had some pain killers so she may sleep for a bit - one of the side effects."

"Ok, thanks," Summer smiled at the nurse.

Summer perched on the end of the bed and Ryan and Seth sat on the two chairs beside the bed.

"I hardly slept last night," Summer said.

"Same," replied Seth. I can't even imagine what Jimmy is going through."

"Julie gets back later today. I have to say I'm not looking forward to seeing how that one will turn out," Summer said.

They all sat in silence just staring at their friend, all wondering the same thing – "What happened? And what will happen?"

Jimmy opened his front door. The TV remote and his half drunk beer were sitting exactly where he had left them when Kirsten had phoned him on the way to the hospital, the night before. He couldn't believe how much had happened in the past 12 hours.

"Jimmy, you ok?" Kirsten asked him.

"Ye. It's just all so surreal. Only a matter of hours ago I was sitting on that couch enjoying a beer with no idea what was about to hit me."

"I know. It's only just hitting me, how real it all is. Things like this don't happen – at least not in Newport. Hey why don't you go and have a shower and I'll clean up here."

Jimmy looked at her surprised.

"Oh come on! I know housework isn't exactly my strong point but I'm sure I can manage one small room."

"Are you sure? I mean this room is a lot more spacious than it looks," Jimmy said sarcastically.

"I'll struggle through somehow," Kirsten smiled "Now go."

Jimmy obeyed and left to have a shower.

He walked in to the living room scrubbing his hair with a towel. He froze when he saw the sight in front of him.

"Kirsten! I didn't know you had it in you."

"You're welcome," she said, smirking at his shocked expression.

"Oh, uh, sorry. It's great!"

The room was completely tidied and the sun was shining in.

"I've never been the tidiest person and having Marissa here as well didn't exactly improve the situation."

"Oh, I know. I clearly remember your dorm room."

"Ok, now that's not fair. It was so small that just having all my stuff in the room cluttered it up."

Kirsten nodded her head, clearly not convinced.

"So, um, do you want a coffee or something?

"I should really get back to the kids. But thanks."

Jimmy smiled at her. "You're welcome here anytime – I'll give you a call when it gets messy again."

"Come here." She hugged Jimmy. "Now you get some rest and I'll be by later."

"Thanks."

She let herself out. He was so lucky to have a friend like Kirsten. She was always there when he needed her the most.

He stared ahead, deep in concentration. This was his chance. He boldly reached out and did it.

"Check mate," he said, very pleased with himself.

"Except that it's not."

"What!" he exclaimed, his joy suddenly sinking.

"Cohen, that's like the 10th time that Coop has beaten you, just give up," Summer said, exasperated.

Marissa had woken up not long after they went in. Seth had gone and raided the children's games cupboard, insisting a board game would be exactly what Marissa needed, and returned with chess. He managed to rope Marissa in to playing him. Summer sat doing her nails (and making snide remarks on Seth's lack of chess skills) and Ryan sat playing with a small ball that Seth had also found.

"Oh, I'm sorry but I do not see you participating."

"Uh, clearly busy. Nails can be like magnets to dirt. I mean it's just like – eewww!"

"Just admit it Seth, I am clearly better at chess than you," Marissa said. Seth opened his mouth to say something but Marissa cut in

"And don't even try the excuse that you let me win." He shut his mouth and looked stuck for words.

"Wow! Is that really Seth Cohen without a sarcastic comeback?" Ryan said.

"You know what, I think it is," Summer said jokingly.

"Well they do say there's a first time for everything. Maybe the next one will be Summer not caring about the grain of dirt in her nail or wait, wait! I know – Ryan going a day without his wife beater!"

"Oh, ho," Ryan scoffed. He looked at Summer who had a glint in her eye. They nodded to each other and turned to Seth.

"Uh, guys. Remember, friends are the most important thing in the world," he said as the smirk faded from his face when he saw Ryan and Summer turn to him. Before he knew what was happening a ball hit his head and Ryan rugby tackled him to the floor and pinned him down. Marissa and Summer just laughed at the scene in front of them.

"Nooooo, not the jew-fro," Seth shouted.

"We'll only let you go when you take back what you said. I mean it wasn't even true. There are like 10 grains of dirt…."

She trailed of when she noticed everyone staring at her in amusement. There was a knock at the door and they all turned around. Suddenly things didn't seem so funny anymore.

"My name's Inspector Trueman, this is Detective Morrice. We would like to ask Marissa Cooper a few questions."

Marissa's heart sped up. She wasn't ready. She couldn't do it.

Kirsten was walking along the hospital corridor. She saw a couple of policemen talking to the receptionist. She didn't think anything of it until they headed towards Marissa's room. She sped up to try and catch up with them. She knew that Marissa wouldn't be ready to answer any questions. They reached the door and disappeared in to the room. A few seconds later she opened the door.

"……ask Marissa Cooper a few questions."

"Mum" Seth said as he struggled up from the floor.

"Seth, what are you…… never mind." There were more important things than why Seth was lying on the floor. She turned to the police officers.

"Hi, I'm Kirsten Cohen," she said shaking their hands.

"I'm Inspector Trueman and this is detective Morrice," he said, as they both showed Kirsten their badges. "We just want to ask Marissa a few questions concerning last night. Are you of any relation to Miss Cooper?"

"Oh, no, just a close family friend."

Marissa was sitting there with a million thoughts running through her mind "I can't do it. Not yet." But in the back of her mind was a voice telling her to do it. She had to go through it sometime….

"I'm not sure if she's ready yet though," Kirsten said.

"No, no I am," Marissa said with as much confidence as she could. That little voice had reached the front.

"Are you sure? You don't have to yet if you don't want to," Kirsten told her, her voice full of concern.

"No, I want to," Marissa said still trying to convince herself.

"Miss Cooper is a minor so she may have an adult present."

"Do you want me to stay?" Kirsten asked her. "Or I could phone your dad."

"No I don't want to worry him."

"I'll stay then?"

"Ye" She attempted a smile.

"I'll have to ask the rest of you to leave." Inspector Trueman said.

Ryan just stood there staring at him as Seth and Summer started to leave

"Sir, you'll have to leave the room."

"Ryan, just go. I'll be fine," Marissa said weakly but forcefully.

But he could tell she wasn't fine. He could hear the fear in her voice and could see it in her eyes.

"I'm not leaving you!" he said anger rising inside him. Not anger with Marissa. Anger over the fact that he couldn't protect her when she needed him the most.

"Ryan, please!" She could feel tears forming in her eyes. Ryan felt a hand on his shoulder and whipped his head around.

"Don't worry, I'm here for her," Kirsten told him gently. The officer took hold of his arm.

"Sir…" Ryan shook his arm free.

"Don't worry. I'm leaving." He took one last glance at Marissa and saw her eyes glistening with fresh tears. He couldn't bear to leave her like this.

"Come on man," Seth said to him. Ryan managed to stop himself from running over to her, and walked out the door with Seth following. As Summer was closing the door she smiled reassuringly at Marissa, who smiled weakly in return. It broke Summers heart to see the fear filling up her best friends innocent eyes. She didn't deserve it.

Kirsten sat on the chair beside the bed and took Marissa's hand in hers. She gently squeezed her shaking hand to let her know that she was there and wasn't going to let anything happen.

"Basically we are here to try and figure out what happened last night. Just a few simple questions. Ok?"

Marissa nodded her head still fighting to hold back the tears, but having Kirsten there made her feel safe.

"So you were out at The Bait Shop with your friends Seth Cohen and Summer Roberts. Is that correct?"

Marissa nodded her head.

"Sorry, I'm going to have to get you to speak – for the recording." Detective Morrice was holding a small recording machine.

"Yes," She mumbled.

"Could you tell me when and how you left?"

"Uh…" She could hear her voice quivering so she took in a deep breath and told herself to stay strong, everything was going to be ok. "I left at about 11:30. Seth and Summer go out together so I felt like a bit of a third wheel and I just wasn't really in the mood. I lost them in the crowd so I decided to leave. I saw some people from school heading out in their car so I asked for a lift up the road." She swallowed and looked down at her hands. She could feel the tears coming but forced them back. Kirsten could tell how difficult it was for her to relive everything that happened.

"So where did you asked to be dropped off?"

"I got dropped a few houses down from the Cohen' at the junction so that I could walk up there – they were heading off at the junction."

"Why didn't you go back to your parent's house?"

"Well my dad lives a bit away, not really in the direction my friends were heading. Plus Summer, Seth and I were going back to the Cohen's so I thought I'd just see them there."

Marissa was finding it hard to hold herself together. She didn't want to go through it again, to relive the nightmare.

"So what time would you say your friends left you at the junction?"

"Are all these questions necessary?" Kirsten asked, noticing that Marissa was finding it difficult.

"It is important that we get an idea of what led up to the event."

"It must have been about 11:45," Marissa said.

"When you got out did you notice anything strange, any parked vehicles?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Could you tell me what happened next?"

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Kirsten saw her hand shaking.

"I started to walk to the Cohen's. I had only been walking for about a minute when a car pulled up…" The tears reached her eyes. It was all flooding back to her. The voices, the grip on her shoulder. The cold barrel of the gun. A tear silently rolled down her cheek but she forced herself to go on.

"A car pulled up to the kerb beside me."

"What colour was the car?"

"Um, black. I think. It might have been blue I don't know, it was dark."

"What happened after that?"

Marissa sat staring straight ahead of her. Another tear rolled down her face.

"Marissa, honey. It's alright. You don't have to do this now." It tore Kirsten apart to see her like this.

"How could I have been so stupid?" Tears were now rolling down her face. Her voice was quavering. "He got out the car, I didn't know what to do, and then he…..he…." It was too much for her. She broke down sobbing. Kirsten sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Marissa in to her.

"Shh. It's alright." Kirsten could feel Marissa's body shake with each sob. She held on to her, just hoping that it would all be over soon. That the nightmare would end. Though she new it wasn't a nightmare. It was all real. Every single tear.