Title: Beaten and Broken
Fandom: The O.C
Rating: PG-13
Summary: The Cooper family is trying to get a fresh start in Chino, but all of their old problems are still there.Her family is horrible-Jimmy is abusive and has a drinking problem while Julie is too weak to stand up to him and leave. The Atwood's aren't much better, but Ryan and Trey are still living in Chino with their mother and her endless cycle of boyfriends.

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1

Marissa picked up the last of the cardboard boxes that contained her things out of the back of her parents station wagon before slamming the trunk shut. She turned to her side and shook her head absently as she made her way up to her new house. The yard was a mess- a beat up old car still up on blocks from the last family- and it was contained by a beaten up old chain link fence. It wasnt that different from her last house. This one was blue and her old one had been red. But they both had broken windows and chipped paint. Neither one would ever be what she called a home. Nope, nowhere that her parents lived would ever become considered her home. Just a house where she'd be held captive.

Her family had moved from Fresno to Chino. She wasnt quite sure if that was a step up or down from where they were, but it was definitely a change. The idea of them moving first came up when her dad got arrested. Her mom thought that they needed a new start; that they could use this opportunity to finally get away from him. But he had paroled just a couple weeks ago and showed up at their doorstep once again. She thought that would be the end of them moving, but it wasnt. They still left. Apparently Dad owed some money to show shadey guys and needed a fresh start as well.

God she hated her parents. She hated her dad alot more than her mom though. He had a horrible temper and lost it on her and her mom all the time. He didnt look like that strong of a man, but when he got in that mood, he could over power anyone. As far back as she could remember, her dad had been hitting her, and her mom would just avert her eyes. Thats why she hated her mom. She never did anything to stop it. Whenever her father would go after her mom though, she'd try and do something, and always end up getting beat herself. But at least she tried. Her mom didnt even do that.

"Marissa, honey, come on, we're in the living room!" her mom called out when she heard the screen door snap shut behind Marissa. She sighed heavily and made her way towards her mother's voice. She set down her box with a thump near the door and stood up only to be greeted with the sight of huge smiles spread across both of her parents face. That was normal though. They always pretended everything was okay, even when it was everything but. Especially with the way that her dad was already nursing what she guessed was his third or fourth beer. Man, they were definitely going to be breaking this place in the Cooper way in a few hours.

"Sweetie, we figured we'd order some pizza and watch a movie together. You know, celebrate moving in," Julie offered up grinning ear to ear as she looked at her daughter. Marissa just shrugged her shoulders and gave a soft nod before turning to her dad.

"If its okay, I'm just going to set up some stuff in my room quick," she said shortly, not meeting her father's eyes. It became kind of a rule- she asked for permission for everything when he was drinking. When he was verging on drunk was when the 'yes sir' and 'no sir's were necissary as well. He nodded absently as he took a swig of his beer before getting up off of the chair he was sitting in to set up the tv. Grabbing up the box of her stuff, she was out of the living room and headed down the hall before they knew it.

Queitly closing the door behind her, she inched into what was going to be her room for the next few years. It was small, but not too small. Just enough room for her bed and a dresser, which was really all she had or needed. She set down the box on the uncovered twin matress in the corner and made her way to the window. Pulling up the blinds, she realized she didnt have much of a view. Her window peaked straight into her neighbors house. Great. She pulled on the cord and let the blinds fall back closed. Turning on her heal she headed towards the few boxes that sat around her room at odd places. One stood out impraticular, with a photo frame sticking out the top.

She smiled to herself as she took out the picture of her with her two best friends; Seth and Summer. Marissa had always been what everyone considered to be a 'troubled girl', but she had tried to clean up her act. Leaving behind her rough crowd of drug dealers and drunks, Marissa started to hang out with Seth and Summer all the time. Sure they weren't perfect. They both smoked like chimneys and got drunk every weekend, but they didnt take it over board. They didnt have to be left on her doorstep because they had passed out and no one wanted to deal with their dad. No, that was just her. But with them, she'd calmed down. She didnt think that would last here. Before they left Riverside she'd gone to her usual source of alcohol and stocked up, not knowing how long itd be until she had a connection here. She looked down at one of the long clear bottles and was about to pull it out when she heard a loud banging on the front door. Pizza must be here. Time to go pretend they were a family.

&

Marissa's eyes slowly fluttered open, completely confused by her surroundings at first. She wasnt used this place yet at all. It was dark and the only thing that was lighting the room was the blue from the TV screen. She must have fallen asleep during the movie. Slowly, she pulled herself up into a sitting position on the couch and rubbed at her eyes before looking over to the clock over the oven. 12:09. Where were her parents at though?

Her question was answered before she even got through thinking it. She heard a muffled scream from near the back of the house and quietly but quickly made her way to see where it was coming from. She stopped abruptly in the darkness of the hallway as she caught sight of her parents. There, illuminated in the doorway was her mother, whimpering as Jimmy tightened his grip around her forearm.

"Jimmy..." she protested weakly. Her mother had always been a coward and Marissa hoped she would never end up like her. She had every opportunity to leave her father behind, but she'd never do it. She was too scared.

Jimmy pulled harder on her arm and Julie cried out in pain but gave in, allowing herself to be pulled into the bedroom. The door slammed shut and Marissa heard her mother continue to whimper. This wasnt the first time something like this had happened, but there was nothing she could do. She had to get out of there. She pushed into her bedroom, grabbing a hoodie and pulling it over her head before heading back out the hall and out the front door.

The night air was cool and ran goose bumps across her long bare legs as she quickly headed off down the sidewalk. Maybe she should have changed out of her skirt into pants before she left too. She looked back at her house just in time to see the light in her parents bedroom go out and just kept walking faster into the opposite direction. It was extremely dark out and she really had no idea where she was going. It was kind of a shady neighborhood, but she didnt seem to pay any attention to that. Riverside hadnt been that much better. There's alot of people still out since its Friday night, and she's getting whistled at constantly. She runs her hand nervously through her hair. She cant go home yet, not to that. So she just keeps on going.