fic : Better Days
title
Better Days
fandom
The OC
summary
A presumed dead Ryan returns home after a few months
timeline
AU (season 1)
beta
If it counts, MS Word 03
disclaimer
Sadly "The OC" isn't mine, but belongs to others (Josh Schwarz, FOX, ...)
previous
0 : The Worst Day |
1 : Realization |
2 : Home |
3 : Dreams
4 : A New Day
20th March 2005, Sunday
Ryan had wanted to stay awake the last evening. He’d planned to surprise his parents once they returned from the function they’d been attending. But at some point during the evening his exhaustion must have taken over and he’d fallen asleep, sprawled out on the bed in the pool house.
When he’d woken up again it was late in the night. He’d thought that he’d been awoken by light in the main house, but he hadn’t been sure of it. Considering the time he’d been positive that his parents were already at home and retreated to their bedroom since the house was completely dark. - So much for his plan.
Ryan, fully awake by then, had decided to postpone the family reunion until in the morning and taken his usual spot next to the pool house. He was sitting there often, but lately - before his accident - less and less because of something on his mind keeping him from falling asleep, but rather simply to enjoy the amazing view of the dark ocean, reflecting the moon on the surface.
Ryan wasn’t surprised that the house was still quiet when he awoke in the morning. Sandy and Kirsten had been out until late and since it was a Sunday there wasn’t any reason for them not to sleep in.
While he was looking for something he could do to kill time he caught sight of the PS2 standing under the flat screen in the pool house. He smiled sadly when he pictured Seth spending endless hours playing video games in the pool house just not wanting to let go of his brother. It was also that moment that he realized that the pool house looked almost like the day he left it a year ago. His things were still in the places they used to be. It was a pleasure to know that his room wasn’t converted back to a simple pool house as soon as he was gone, but it also made him wonder how much they grieved for him if they hadn’t been able to clean out his things yet, a year later.
Focusing back on the present and trying to block out his thoughts about the past year, the guilt he felt for not having believed in them and the suffering he’d caused with his continued absence, he hooked up the PS2 and soon enough was lost in the game.
Kirsten walked into the kitchen, just like every day. Her first objective was as usual a cup of coffee. Before she finished said cup of coffee she normally wasn’t fully awake and therefore not able to function right.
After she’d started the coffee machine she looked out of the window, letting her gaze wander over the calm sea, waiting ‘patiently’ for the coffee to get ready.
Staring absently out on the ocean she suddenly noticed movement in the pool house. As she took a closer look she froze, shocked and also scared that she was becoming insane. She still had to process the events of the previous night. And now she was seeing him again. Granted, daylight showed that his hair was different, but the boy playing video games in the pool house just looked like him.
She turned away from the window closing her eyes and taking a few deep breaths. When she opened her eyes again she found Sandy standing in front of her, concern written all over his face.
“Honey, is something wrong?” he asked his wife.
Kirsten turned back to the window, finding that the boy was gone, the PS2 tucked away as it should be. She turned back to her husband and said “No. You’re heading out already?”, wondering what was wrong with her.
“Yeah, bye honey” he replied, gave her a quick kiss and left the kitchen.
She leaned against the kitchen counter, processing what had just happened when she suddenly heard the click of the closing patio door. She turned around and there he was again, her so deeply missed son, standing not even two meters away from her, smiling widely. Just like before Kirsten stood there shocked, not able to move, not able to think.
She wasn’t sure how much time passed until she finally noticed Rosa’s concerned voice asking “Kirsten is everything ok?”
“I …”
“Mom?” and with that she collapsed. While the world around her drifted into blackness she was surprised that she never felt the impact on the kitchen floor, but someone gently catching and holding her.
next
5 : Reality