So Johnny's not dead after all. He does have "severe head injuries," though, and the kids have been up all night waiting to hear from the hospital after the doctors sent them home to get some sleep and food. Marissa protests that she won't be sleeping, and that she's "definitely not hungry." Ah, the "Marissa is too skinny" jokes are now writing themselves. Excellent. Sandy and Kirsten come in with some breakfast, and Summer tries to be positive by reminding Marissa that Trey was in a coma for two months and then made a full recovery, which I'm sure Marissa really wants to hear. Seth adds that Marissa overdosed in Tijuana once -- just to be the Guy Who Can't Be Appropriate, I guess -- which sends Marissa out to check on Kaitlin, who's sleeping in the poolhouse. Sandy asks Ryan how he's doing, in a rare show of parental concern that won't be repeated, and Ryan doesn't answer him directly, just saying that he could tell Johnny's doctors weren't very hopeful. Summer says that doctors are taught to be negative in order to "manage expectations," so they need to remain positive. A cell phone rings. It's Johnny's mom. Sandy offers to answer it for Ryan, but he takes the call himself. We don't even get to see his face when he hears the news from Johnny's mom (there goes your Emmy moment, Ben KcKenzie!), but we do get to see plenty of Marissa's when she exits the poolhouse and sees Ryan on the phone. He hangs up on Johnny's mother without saying goodbye, like an asshole, and then runs to hug Marissa. Everyone around them can tell that the news isn't good except Kaitlin, who just asks what's going on. And where is Julie during all of this? Not there for her daughters, that's for sure.
Later that day, Marissa stops by Johnny's house. Chili answers the door and thanks her for coming by. He's making some tea for Mrs. Harper, whom Marissa calls "Gwen," because she isn't very polite. No one else calls her "Gwen," do they? Why does Marissa get to be special? Because she's the person who ruined and then helped to end Johnny's life? Chili and Marissa discuss Johnny's funeral. Johnny's mom doesn't want a priest or a body or anything depressing even though it's a funeral for a tragically killed young man, so unless you have nitrous oxide pumping through the vents, it's going to be sad no matter how colorful everyone's clothes are. They decide to do something on the beach during the day, and Marissa takes the tea to Mrs. Harper so that she can take all the credit for making it.
Seth tells Ryan not to blame himself for Johnny's death, since he did try to save the guy. "I failed," says Ryan. Seth doesn't deny this, as he probably should, and just tells Ryan not to beat himself up about it. He then notes that there is a bright side to all of this: Ryan no longer has to worry about losing Marissa to Johnny. Ryan just stares at Seth. My love for Seth just disappeared in one line.
“ Kirsten thinks they should focus on making sure their kids are okay after watching their friend plummet to his death. Oh, no, wait, I'm sorry -- she said that they should focus on making the Valentine's Dance super- awesome. I got confused because I was thinking of how any decent parent would act. ”
Kirsten and Julie take about three seconds to wonder whether they should follow through with their Valentine's Day Dance plans now that their kids are going through such horrible pain and loss. Surprise, surprise: they're still going to do the dance, but they are horrible mothers. The only reason Julie even considered canceling the dance is because she was upset that Dr. Neil hadn't invited her to it yet. Didn't he and Julie just decide to be together, like, last night? Give it time, Julie. Julie says she's worried that Dr. Neil doesn't think she's worthy of being his Valentine. Kirsten sympathizes, saying that Sandy isn't much of a Valentine's Day guy either. But she thinks they should forget about that for now, and focus on making sure their kids are okay after watching their friend plummet to his death and splatter his brains all over the ground. Oh, no, wait, I'm sorry -- she said that they should focus on making the Valentine's Dance super-awesome. I got confused because I was thinking of how any decent parent would act.
There's a new arrival in Newport -- Johnny's cousin, Sadie! Just when I thought Johnny was out of our lives forever, we get this. Great. She's in town to stay with Mrs. Harper to help her deal with her unimaginable grief. Of course, Sadie's heard of Marissa and is happy to finally meet her. Johnny was happy to meet Marissa, too, until his knee fell apart and his surfing career was ruined and he died.
Kaitlin answers a knock at the door. It's her ex-boyfriend Justin, who is even cuter now that he's gotten a haircut. He's kind of goofy and pathetic, though, too, thinking that he and Kaitlin can get back together now that her break is almost over. Kaitlin slams the door in his face, and then smashes something inside the trailer.
Ew, Sandy still has a job. So does Matt. Sandy wants Matt to go out on another date with Maya now that he's about to have a final meeting with her dad's board about the hospital. Looks like Sandy's moral dilemma about running a totally honest, above-board business has completely disappeared since last week. Matt says that he genuinely does like Maya and would be happy to see her again. On his way out of Sandy's office to give her a call, he bumps into Marissa, whose name he knows even though I don't recall their ever meeting. Everyone knows Marissa! Marissa and Sandy hug awkwardly, and then she asks Sandy if he can help her fill out some forms from the hospital she promised Mrs. Harper she'd do for her. I know you're sad, Mrs. Harper, but surely you have to see how leaving important forms with a seventeen year-old dingbat is not a good idea. Fortunately, Marissa had no intention of doing any work for anyone and is making Sandy do it. Sandy, in turn, fobs it off on Matt.