Season 4 Rewrite (Fanfiction)

The Daddy Dearest

Ryan hung up the phone and held a firm grip on his cup of coffee, frowning. As he thought he had enough of moping, he took his jacket and pulled it over his head, dangling keys in his hand. Opening the door to leave, but Seth came in, with a wary look on his face. 

"Hey, man, where you going?" Seth asked.

"Just out, I won't be long," Ryan dismissed, brushing past Seth towards the door, leaving no room for the guy to pry in further. He took the car and drove away, but he stopped by at the diner beforehand. To see someone in particular - someone whom he always confided in, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw her talking happily with that guy over the window. 

He sighed, guess those days were long gone now. The memory of him holding her so close after the accident, scared that she might not make it - was still vivid in his mind. But now that she was there, he felt like he had no right to be with her. Not after the things he put her through - the cops, the car chase, Volchok - no, he had to keep that smile on her face, even if he wasn't the one to cause it. 

Turning around, he walked back to his car, driving away. Hours had passed, it surprised him that he'd be back there. He was supposed to go back to college now that break was almost over. But apparently, God had other plans. 

He killed the engine as he approached the driveway, staring at the building before him. It took him long before he finally decided to get out of the car, walking inside. The ceremony was just starting, he looked around to see familiar faces, but he was stuck on the one closed casket upfront. 

His father's.

He might not have any good memories that he could tell the world about him, but surely it still pained him to see his mother in the front row, sobbing. Gulping, he took a step and strolled down to find an empty seat, only then did a hand reach out to him. Theresa. 

"Ryan, I'm so glad you came. I was scared you wouldn't, here, come sit with me." 

Debating whether to be with his mother, but since the longing stares coming from Theresa and her family, prying into him, he then decided to follow through and took a seat next to her. He didn't say anything, just listening in on what the priest had to say. 

The ceremony was soon over with, he chose to not stand too close to the burial, only observing from far enough away. He didn't want to cry, not over the guy who had been nothing but hurt him and his mother over the years. Still, he buried his hand in his pocket, holding in a tear from coming out of his eyes. 

"I'm so glad I found you." 

That voice. That familiar voice. But it couldn't be, he must be dreaming. 

He didn't, as he turned to the side, seeing the female whose blond, gold hair was curled and fell over her chest, stood next to him - holding a worried expression across her face. 

"Marissa," He called out. "How did you know I was here?" He asked.

A thin-lipped smile tugged at the corner of Marissa's lips, it could almost be taken for a frown, if one knew her well enough. "I saw you today," She replied. "Out by the diner, looking over. I thought something must have gone wrong cause I waited for you to come in, but you never did, so I called Seth." 

That damn blabbermouth!

"I'm really sorry about your father, Ryan." Marissa said as if he knew that he was still processing things and couldn't put together words. 

He shrugged, not glancing at her. 

She walked closer to his side, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me? I would've gone with you." 

He knew she would. The many times that she had accompanied him even if he refused to, but her determination on being together either way, was like someone slicing over his organs over and over. Hurt. Not because he hated it, but mostly because he couldn't do the same for her before. 

"I saw you with him," He began. "Nate. You were happy, he treated you in a way that I failed. I can't drag you down with me, not again." He said.

"Ryan," She frowned. "You're probably right; Nate did treat me so well that we bond over our love for The Notebook. Among other things," She paused, as if mulling over things. "And I also know that what you and I had was consuming, sure, sometimes in the worst way, but it was special. And I wouldn't have traded it for anything else." She stated.

He glanced at her, "If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been in that accident, let alone a coma." 

She shook her head. "No, Ryan," She said. "Everything that happened to us, was because we really loved each other. And you know, when I recovered from that coma, the one person I wanted to see was you. But they said that you went to Berkeley already so that's why I took that trip. And when I met him." She continued. "Sure he was simple, light, the opposite of what you and I had, but you were so much more than that. And to answer your question, no, I didn't think it was over." 

He laughed, remembering the time of when they were in that Model Home short after graduation, talking about that exact subject. 

"Why don't we come home now?" She asked, reaching out a hand for him to take. He smiled and did so, walking towards the parking lot to drive and leave this shitty town once and for all. One thing for sure, he wasn't going to take anything for granted anymore, now that he was the only man in his mother's life, he had to do whatever it was to make sure that she was cared for. That's what ran around in his mind during the drive back home, glancing to the side to see Marissa gazing out of the window then back at him, smiling. He was relieved.

He pulled up the Cohen's house shortly, heading towards the main door with Marissa clinging onto his side. Sandy was the one to open up the door for him, not once was the guy mad at him for taking off like that. 

"I'm sorry about your Dad," Sandy said, pulling Ryan into a hug. 

As Ryan broke away from the hug, he stared right into Sandy's eyes. "Hey, my Dad is right here."