Disclaimer: stands up> Hi. My name is Rae and I'm an O.C. addict... and I'm finally read to admit that... I don't own anything to do with The O.C. and probably never will..... it's all Josh's. Hopefully, with the help of you wonderful reviewers.. I can get past this!

Thanks guys, enjoy! R&R

Arms Around You

Chapter One

Ryan emerged from the pool-house dressed in his typical jeans and wife-beater combo, playing with the wide leather strap around his wrist and stifling a yawn.

He could already feel the heat of the day coming on, thanks to the eternal sunshine of the California coast. He was sure it hadn't rained more than a few days out of his entire stay here so far.

Four months, he thought. That was how long he'd been living with the Cohens. It didn't seem like that long, but when he actually thought about all that had happened in those four months, since Sandy had originally taken him home, it was a lot to wrap his mind around.

Instead of a dumpy house living with his alcoholic and drug addicted mother, as well as her boyfriends, he was now living in a pool-house. Adjoined to Sandy and Kirsten's property, overlooking a beach.

He had people who cared about him, instead of people who sent him on drug runs or beat him.

He had Seth, a real friend, an almost-brother. He had more of a relationship with Seth than him and Trey had ever had together.

And he had a girlfriend, instead of what ever Theresa and him had had. On and off, mostly off, relationship.

He lived in a pool-house. The thought entered his mind again, and he smiled widely, pushing away another yawn.

Ryan slowly shuffled his way to the back door, through it and in to the kitchen where, to his surprise, the rest of the household was waiting for him.

Seth was slumped over and supporting himself with his hands, while trying to read today's Arts and Leisure section.

Kirsten was leaning sleepily against the counter, sipping coffee from her mug.

And Sandy was sitting on a stool, staring dazedly in to thin air.

"Morning" Ryan greeted, noticing Seth jump and Sandy snap to attention.

"Good morning Ryan!" Kirsten welcomed him cheerfully, he squinted at her. "Coffee?" she asked.

"Yea, thanks" he replied, looking around the kitchen again. What were they doing up? They never got up on weekends before the clock hit nine, and that was an early day for them.

"Uh, did I miss something?" he asked Kirsten, the only responsive one, when she handed him his coffee.

"No" she replied quickly. A little too quickly.

"Did… something happen?" he asked, glancing at Seth whose head was slowly sinking lower in to the paper.

"No. Why?" Kirsten asked, he noticed the red tinge to her cheeks. Embarrassment? He wondered.

"Uh. It's Saturday" he pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh huh."

"Saturday morning" he added.

Sandy snorted, "Don't remind us".

Kirsten paused to shoot her husband a glare, before returning to smile at Ryan.

"You guys are never up this early… on a Saturday"

A small sound escaped Sandy's throat, and Kirsten sent him another glare. Suddenly Ryan got it, a smile stretched across his tired face.

"You didn't have to all get up on account of me" Ryan told them.

"Thank god!" Seth interrupted, pulling himself up from the stool, "It's too early-"

"Sit down!" Kirsten demanded, "We're going to have a nice family breakfast and you're all going to like it!"

"But mom!" Seth whined, "Sleep"

"Honey.." Sandy joined in, "Surfing.."

Kirsten set her cup down and crossed her arms.

Ryan began to chuckle, and a smile finally pulled at the corners of Kirsten's mouth. "Fine, but we're all eating dinner tonight. Together!" she told them sternly.

"Thanks hon" Sandy told her, kissing her quick on the cheek and running off to change and grab his board.

Seth mumbled something unintelligible and stumbled out of the kitchen, leaving Kirsten trying to hide behind her coffee cup.

"You get an A for effort" Ryan finally broke the tense silence, a smile crossing his lips. Kirsten sent him a fake glare until her eyes widened.

"Oh. There's mail here for you" she said, setting her cup down again and beginning to dig through the pile on the counter. She finally emerged, successful, and handed a long white envelope to Ryan.

He took it and looked down at it and tore it open, eyes quickly skimming it. He set it on the counter, "Just a bank statement" he told her.

"Right. About that. When did you even get an account?" she asked.

"Uhm, when I started working at the Crab Shack. Thought I'd save up and help out" he shrugged.

"Help out?"

"Buy clothes and… that"

"You don't have to do that Ryan. You're not a burden, you know. You demanded a lot less than Seth ever does. " She thought for a moment, "I don't think you've ever even demanded anything.."

"Don't need anything" he offered a smile.

Kirsten put her hands on her hips, "You know what, Ryan? You should invest that money. Save it for a rainy day or something."

"Invest?" Ryan snorted, "It's hardly anything"

"Depending on how you do it, there's no minimum Ryan. Really, I'll take you to the bank sometime, we'll talk to an advisor and figure it out. Maybe get a college fund started for you.."

College? Ryan wanted to ask, but stopped himself. Ryan Atwood. In College. He smiled.

"Okay" he finally relented.

…………………………………………

"So Ryan, I called Allen at the bank, he takes care of most of my transactions, and he said he could see us both on Tuesday, after school. Is that okay with you?"

Ryan nodded, "Yeah. Sure" he was still trying to decide if he should try and keep some of it available instead of wrapped up in investments.

Seth studied the exchange between his mother and Ryan, a forkful of Lo Mien half way to his mouth. "How come Ryan has money?" he asked.

"Because I work, Seth" Ryan teased.

Seth shot him a sarcastic smile.

"And he doesn't spend it all on comic books" Kirsten put in.

"Uhm. Mom. Number one, they are called Graphic Novels, and number two, it really is a shame that Ryan doesn't spend his teenage years wasting money with me."

"You wouldn't waste it so much if you worked for it, would you?" Sandy asked, eyeing his son.

Seth dropped his fork, "Dad" he whispered, a look of fear prominent in his eyes, "No. You can't…no! It's cruel and unusual punishment. Look at me, Father! I am.." he shook his head frantically searching for a word, "I'm embarrassed about it but… I just don't think I'm cut out for manual labour"

Ryan snorted and Sandy began chuckling heartily.

Seth shot them both glares, "Thanks for rubbing it in" he turned to his mother, "mom… make them stop!"

Kirsten broke out in a smile and shrugged, "Free will, Seth"

"I am disappointed in all of you" Seth told his family, picking up his fork again, "And I'll be sure to send my therapist's bill directly to you guys"

……………………………………

Hey you guys" Kirsten's voice interrupted Seth and Ryan bickering later.

They both turned, staring up innocently at her from the video game screen.

"Yes?" they both chorused.

Kirsten stared at them both for a moment, bewildered. "Two things. No more synchronisations because they're scary, and number two, would one of you take the Rover and grab me some Advil? Those nice friendly blue ones….?"

Seth groaned, leaning back in to the couch, "Why can't you go?" he demanded.

"Because I've been drinking upstairs with your –"

"Stop!" Seth demanded, "I've heard enough!"

"I'll go" Ryan offered, standing up, "Where are the keys?"

"Hey. No, Ry you can't leave me here alone with… with them.. with that!"

Ryan smirked across the room at Seth, "Should have thought of that before, huh?" he asked.

"I didn't know they were…were" he seemed to convulse for a moment, "Ew" he stole from Summer.

Ryan laughed, "Your loving parents, upstairs. All alone. Sandy nicked the bottle of wine

From the kitchen after dinner…"

Seth covered his ears frantically, "Not you too!" Seth groaned.

Ryan laughed, shrugging his shoulders, "It's fun to get you all…" he waved his hand towards Seth as if to demonstrate.

It was this point that Kirsten dropped the keys in to Ryan's open hand, as well as a twenty. She smiled heartily at Seth and continued on her way up the stairs.

"I'm coming with you!" Seth gasped, throwing himself off the couch and rushing ahead of Ryan.

Ryan grinned and turned on his heel to follow his brother.

…………………………………..

Ryan pulled the Rover in to a parking spot in front of the small Beck's, turning the ignition off and glancing over at Seth, "Make yourself useful" he grinned, slapping the twenty Kirsten had given him in to Seth's hand.

Seth glared, unlatched his seatbelt and grumbled while removing himself from the vehicle. "Don't say I never do anything for you" Seth told him, slamming the door closed.

Ryan grinned and began drumming his thumb against the steering wheel to the beat of the current song.

Fight your nature, if you can hope for heaven, where we land

Ryan yawned deeply, glancing at his watch. Just after nine.

Seth finally emerged from the store, but it wasn't until he was back in the Rover Ryan noticed he wasn't holding a bag of some sort.

"They didn't have any of the kinds mom likes" Seth answered his unasked question.

Ryan nodded, "Next store?"

"We could just go home. I'm sure she's probably forgotten about it by now" he shrugged.

Ryan glanced to his side, meeting Seth's gaze.

"Or… we could go to another store" Seth agreed.

"Uh huh" Ryan answered, starting the car and pulling out.

First you tell me not to fret Then you frighten me again

"Ryan, what is this?" Seth demanded, gesturing to the radio.

"Music" Ryan replied shortly.

"Uh. Sure. Who plays it?"

"Halloween, Alaska"

"I didn't ask for random mutterings-"

"That's the group, Seth"

Seth snorted, pulling out a chocolate bar and peeling back the wrapping.

"Where did you get that?"

"I bought it" Seth replied.

"With Kirsten's money?" Ryan eyed him.

Seth shrugged, "her money, my money. There's no difference really, Ryan"

You're the brother and the beast You're the friend I knew the best

"Hey, Ryan, that's kinda like us" Seth commented, his mouth full of chocolate.

"You can be the beast" Ryan commented lightly, "I don't suppose you got me one of those?" he asked, nodding to the chocolate.

"Didn't know what you'd want" Seth shrugged.

"Definitely the beast" Ryan sighed under his breath.

Again, Ryan pulled in to a small parking lot, this time pulling up against the sidewalk across two spots, he nodded to Seth.

"Mmm, busy Ryan. I did it last time" he smiled, handing Ryan a wad of scrunched up bills and change.

Ryan glared at him.

"I'll move the truck" Seth smiled back.

"It's fine here"

"Yeah. I'm sure the police officer waiting to pull in here is going to agree" Seth smiled, already climbing across the gearshift.

Ryan shook his head and got out of the car, slamming the door behind him, and walked warily in to the small variety store.

Cops still made him nervous, no matter the scenario. It had been bred in to him, really.

Ryan briskly entered the store, a small bell tinkling over his head. Surveying the aisles he made his way to one that looked as though it would have medicines.

Sure enough, the three shelves were packed full of small boxes and bottles developed for home remedy.

Ryan glanced around, meeting the eye of the cashier, "Do you have any advil?" Ryan asked, "Uhh.. the… blue ones?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

She let out a nervous smile, stepping out from behind the counter.

The lady had to be about thirty, but she was walking as though she had arthritis. Slowly and almost hesitantly. When she finally reached Ryan, she pointed to the third shelf from the top to a couple boxes nestled in behind some other things.

"Yeah, they're right here" she said so loudly and suddenly Ryan jumped, sending her a look.

Was something wrong with her?

He saw it then. A familiar look in her shining eyes. Fear.

She bent down to his ear, reaching for a box of the advil, "Help" she whispered so quietly he nearly missed it.

Her trembling fingers finally settled on the small box, but knocked just about everything around it off the shelf at the same time.

"I'm sorry!" she said loudly, glancing around as if expecting something.

"Are you.. okay?" Ryan asked, his voice lowered a tone.

She swallowed nervously. Another glance over her shoulder, "I'm being robbed"

Ryan froze, "You're –"

She nodded desperately.

Shit