Okay, this is my take on what will happen this summer on the O.C. Except it's switched a little…there's no Lindsay (even though I like her, it messes up my story line) and there's no Alex or DJ either. Seth and Summer got back together and Zach was always there, he was just their friend though. Ryan and Marissa got back together after the 1st episode, but she still had the drinking problem. I'm just experimenting with stuff ok. I don't own the O.C. etc. This is just a story that popped into my head. If you like it, review it! Jamie.

It was hard for him to remember the last time he felt safe. The last time someone had told him that they loved him. But then it hit him, Marissa was the last one to tell him that she loved him. And he didn't say it back.

As he was sitting in his Pool House, he wondered why everything had happened. If it wasn't for Oliver, they would be together. He knew that's what really tore them apart. He felt so guilty about everything.

"Hey Ryan, watcha doin'? Wanna play some PS2?" Seth walked in casually and saw Ryan. Ryan didn't look that good. So Seth decided to help. He knew what was wrong…he just didn't know how to fix it or what to say. Seth felt like an idiot…Ryan was always there for him, making him feel better, but Seth didn't know what to do to make Ryan feel better.

Ryan woke up from his daze. "Yeah, sure." He smiled, it was such a fake smile, he knew Seth could tell. "How about the Pirate game?" Ryan laughed on the inside. He secretly liked that game, and knew that Seth hated it.

"Alright, I guess…but I was thinking San Andreas…?"

"Yeah, that sounds better…let's play that one."

Seth and Ryan sat and played for a couple of hours, Ryan felt better now. He knew what he was going through would eventually go away. He just wished he could see her, talk to her. Anything.

"Hey man, I'm really sorry…y'know, about Marissa. Her mom's a bitch. I can't believe she sent her away like that."

Seth had hit Ryan's soft spot with those words. "Me either. Maybe she'll be okay though. Maybe she'll get better. It's only a few months."

Seth knew Ryan was just trying to make himself feel better. Julie had sent Marissa to the recovery center, so Marissa could sober up from drinking. "Yeah, that's right buddy. Plus, you can always go see her on weekends. Me and Summer will go with you."

"Okay." Ryan gave the controller to Seth. "Your turn." Seth took the controller and played around for a while.

"You think she'll get better?" Ryan asked.

Ryan sounded so little when he asked that…like a little kid who was asking why their dog had died. "Yeah, I really do." Seth responded, he knew she'd get better. She had told him herself. She wanted to get better for Ryan.

"I do too." Ryan sat quietly. He thought about how he had hated Julie but was kind of happy too. He wanted Marissa to get help, she had needed it. He just wished that it didn't take her having to go to a recovery center and leave him.

-

Marissa sat with the other girls in a circle on the floor. She had only been at this place for 5 days and she already hated it. She missed Ryan, and her dad. She wanted to tell her dad everything that was going on…but he was in Hawaii. She missed Newport, even though she had hated it so much there the past summer. This summer was different though…Ryan was there, he was staying. They were happy. But now she was depressed and miserable again. She admitted to needing the help, she knew she did…but she didn't want to sacrifice everything her and Ryan had worked for. He had told her that he would wait for her though. She believed him. Ryan would always wait for her and she knew it.

After the 2 hour discussion for the day Marissa went back to her room. She didn't have to share a room and she was happy for that. It was Friday, which meant that Ryan could come see her tomorrow. They could even go out for a little while. It wasn't completely like a prison…she had some freedom. She sat on her bed and wrote in her journal. Everyone that went there had to write in their journal everyday. They could write about anything they wanted, it was just something to help everyone get their feelings out.

Marissa wrote:

Today, I missed Ryan even more. I wish I could just go back to Newport and lay in the sun with Summer. I wish we could all sit and play PS2 and listen to music or go to a movie. Like it used to be. I was so happy with my life. I messed it up. It's all my fault. I thought that drinking would make the bad disappear. I'm such a fuck up.

She put down her journal and started to cry. She knew it wasn't all her fault. She hoped no one blamed it all on her. She fell asleep on her hard white bed with tears in her eyes.

-

Ryan fell asleep thinking of the school year he had with Marissa. They had so much fun. He couldn't wait until tomorrow.