It's Chrismukkah

Seth was waiting for Ryan, Summer and Marissa to arrive at the airport for Chrismukkah. He was walking around when he thought he saw a familiar face going to the departure area.

"Anna?" He called out.

Anna turned back and saw Seth. "Cohen," She said. They walked towards each other.

"Hey, you're leaving?" Seth asked, "I thought you were staying for Chrismukkah…"

"Yeah, I uh, I was…but…But then figured out I needed to go…" Anna said. Seth was surprised at how gloomy Anna looked. "And besides, Cohen, I don't wanna interrupt you celebrating with Summer…" She smiled.

"Hey, don't worry 'bout that…It's okay, Anna…"

She hugged him hard and Seth was surprised with the tears that came out of Anna's eyes.

"Hey, anything wrong?"

Anna just shook her head and smiled, "I'll miss you, Cohen, you take care, okay?"

"Okay…" He said, still confused.

She hugged him one last time and said goodbye, and with a few waves, Seth saw her go away. He came back to the arrival area and was just in time to see Summer and Marissa arrive.

"Cohen!" Summer screamed as she ran to him and hugged him. Seth hugged her back and they kissed.

"I missed you!" Summer said.

"I missed you more, baby…" Seth told her and saw Marissa, "Hey hey Coop!"

"Hi Seth…" Marissa said, "Wow, Ryan's a bit late, huh?"

"Well, he was too early last time…" Seth quipped and they laughed. They were chit-chatting when Summer saw Ryan arriving…With Lindsay.

"Lindsay…" Summer said.

"What?" Seth said and looked at where Summer was looking. He then saw Lindsay. "Holy Schmoly…"

Marissa was surprised, and wasn't able to say a word until Ryan and Lindsay came up to them.

"Hey guys…" Ryan said as he gave each of them a peck on the cheek, "Guess who's here…"

Lindsay smiled, "Hi guys…"

"Hey…" Marissa smiled back, unsurely.

"She's in Berkely, can you believe it?" Ryan said, "So I figured it would be nice if she spends Chrismukkah with us here…"

"Oh, cool…" Seth said with more enthusiasm than everyone, "That's great, Aunt Lindsay…" They all laughed.

"Hey, uhm, guys, if I'm interrupting something, it's okay…I mean, I sure could go to Chicago and…"

"Hey, no worries, it's cool…" Summer said while hugging Seth.

"No, really…" Lindsay said.

"It's really okay…" Marissa said as she held her by the arm, "It's…perfect…" She said, "We're so glad you're in Newport for Chrismukkah…"

Lindsay smiled, "Thank you…"

Ryan smiled too, "So," He said, "Shall we?"

"All aboard!" Seth said and they left the airport.

XXXXX

"Lindsay," Sandy said as he opened the door of the Cohen home and saw Ryan with Seth and Lindsay, "Wow, It's been a while…Come in…"

Kirsten walked to the door to welcome Ryan back but was surprised to see Lindsay, "Lindsay…Hey…"

"Hi…" Was all Lindsay could say.

XXXXXX

Lindsay was helping Kirsten prepare some dishes for lunch.

"Kirsten," She said, "I just wanted to say…I'm sorry…I mean I wasn't there when…When Caleb, I mean dad…"

"It's okay…" Kirsten smiled gently, "I understand…" She said as she tapped her on the hand, "So, Lindsay, how are you?"

"I'm good…College is good…how are you?"

"I've been well…Everything's good." She said, "It's nice seeing you here again…"

"You too…" Lindsay said and they hugged.

XXXXX

"Let me guess," Summer said as she and Marissa were in her room that day, fixing their stuff. Marissa was playing with Princess Sparkle on bed. "You're actually distracted that Lindsay's here…"

"Well, not really, but…"

"Come on, Coop, you can't lie to me…" She then sat down on bed.

Marissa sighed, "Ryan loved her. Remember when she left and he was so devastated? And when we had our girls' night out and…and he got mad at me because Lindsay got drunk…"

"That was years ago…" She said, "And besides, Lindsay looks harmless…"

"She's always been nice."

"Coop, you and Ryan have been together forever."

"Not really," Marissa said, "I mean, there was Luke, Oliver, Theresa, DJ, Sadie…Johnny…"

"Alex?"

Marissa laughed, "Fine. Alex."

Summer laughed, "Coop, you're just being so paranoid. Relax, will you? Oh, and for the record, we should start selecting clothes for tomorrow night…It's Chrismukkah, gotta party!" She winked.

"Well…That we should…"

XXXXXX

Marissa and Lindsay were at the kitchen of the Cohen home the following evening making a Baked Lasagna for Chrismukkah.

"So, how are you?" Marissa asked Lindsay.

"I'm good, you?"

Marissa just shrugged, "Doing fine…"

"I'm really happy you and Ryan are okay, I mean, after the rough patch on Thanksgiving…"

Marissa just looked at her, confused.

"Ryan told me." She said.

"Oh." Was all Marissa could say, "Listen, Lindsay, I just want you to be really honest with me…And I'm gonna ask you this as honestly as possible…Are you…Are you really over Ryan?"

Lindsay smiled meekly, "I always thought you'd ask me that…" She said, "Well…" She looked out the back window where Ryan could be seen grilling the barbecues. She continued, "Ryan is special…And…And I admit, it's…It wasn't so easy getting over him…But I'm not you, Marissa…You and Ryan belong together"

"He loved you."

"I know," She said, "I loved him, too. But…Ryan and I just happened because you and him were having issues then…" She went on, "And Marissa…I'm engaged. I may not be getting married like, so soon, but someday…And I love my fiancé. You have nothing to worry about, I'm telling you. And I hope you believe me."

"Sorry, I was just…"

"Worried?" She said, "He's Ryan. He loves you."

Marissa smiled, "Sorry…" She said.

"You really don't have to say that." Lindsay smiled back.

XXXXXX

Summer and Seth were watching TV at the den when the phone rang.

"I'll get that…" Sandy said. He then went on and answered the phone. Seth was surprised when Sandy came back, the phone in his hand, looking really glum and surprised.

Seth stood up from the couch and so did Summer.

"Anything wrong, dad?" Seth asked.

Sandy took a deep breath, "It's a call from Pittsburgh…" He said.

"Whoa, that's where Anna lives…" Seth said.

Sandy looked at him for a little while before speaking, "Seth…Anna's gone."

"Gone?"

Sandy took a deep breath, "Dead." He said.

"Dead? That's…That's impossible… I just saw her yesterday, She was just leaving for Pittsburgh…"

"The reason why she was leaving is because…Because she didn't wanna die without her family…"

"But…"

"Seth, She has Cancer. She didn't really wanna tell anyone because you know, She is Anna…" Sandy said, "Her mom said she left you an email before she…" He trailed off.

Seth was really shocked. Tears welled up in his eyes. Summer was starting to cry, too.

"Cohen," She said and held him. Seth shook his head and went up the stairs to his room.

XXXXXX

Summer went inside Seth's room and found him on his bed, with the laptop open. He was reading Anna's message.

"Princess Sparkle and I brought you some food…" Summer said and placed the food on the desk. She went near Seth.

"She said she was thankful, you know?" He told her, with tears in his eyes. "She said, I was one of her first and truest friends…That she missed me, she will miss me…And…And that she loved me…But…"

"But we belong together…" Summer finished for him as she saw it on the computer screen. She was crying. "She was a wonderful girl, you know? We may not have been close but…But she is…different. Wow…Life really is short…"

Seth cried. Summer embraced him, held him.

"It's gonna be okay, Cohen…" She said as she patted him on the back, "We're here…" And with that, he cried harder.

XXXXX