From Here to Eternity

-Summer-

Squeezing Alex's hand firmly, I sat on the bench at the side of the courtroom watching Ryan's nervous face. Trey sat beside him, both with the same public defender.

The head juror stood, holding a clipboard in her hand looking from the judge down to her notes.

"We have found the defendant, Trey Atwood, guilty of the charges, which were withholding information from the police, and assistance in the murder of Christopher Trask."

The Cohen family gasped at what was being said.

"However, we recommend a sentence, of time served."

Ryan turned to hug Trey, with a smile on his face. I was happy at first until I realized that if Trey was guilty of helping, then the jury must believe Ryan had something to do with it to.

"As for the defendant Ryan Atwood, we have found him guilty of the murder of Christopher Trask in the first degree, based on premeditation. We recommend the standard life sentence."

Everyone in the audience remained silent and Ryan sat still, emotionless. After hearing a thud, I turned to my right, and Marissa had passed out, falling forward to the floor.

-Marissa-

(A Week Later, After Ryan Was Put In Prison)

I was no longer in shock about Ryan being found guilty. I knew all along that he was responsible and I even lied and made up excuses in fear of him being punished for what he did. He told me he was bringing Trey with him to help because it was some sort of repayment for how Trey tried to rape me on the beach two years ago. As if it were some kind of good deed. As far as I know, Trey didn't participate in killing Chris. He was just there, watching. But he didn't stop Ryan either.

I figured my life with Ryan was over. I had to move on. I've gone too long bottling up my problems and drinking them away, only to learn that the problems don't just go away. They're only swept under the rug. Left to deal with later, as they build up.

The first step in moving on is to remove all reminders of Ryan that will hurt me from day to day. I walked around our bedroom, cleaning all the clothes up off the floor, putting mine in laundry baskets, his in black garbage bags to get rid of later on.

I sat down on his side of the bed just thinking, looking at the picture on his nightstand of us together at the Kick-off Carnival a few years ago. I picked it up and held it against my chest, closing my eyes. I took a deep breath and opened his drawer to place it somewhere I don't often look. Before I pushed the drawer shut, I noticed a small, square, velvet box. I curiously picked it up, and opened it slowly. I lifted a small folded piece of lined paper out, and in the box sat a thin, white gold band, centering a square emerald surrounded by many tiny diamonds. I started to cry.

I opened the small piece of folded paper, and it read:

I did everything I could to get you here tonight
Without telling you why
Now if you only would please hold out your hand
And just close your eyes
I've been dying to ask you one burning question
Will you be mine?
From here to eternity,
I'm asking you to share your life with me
Now and forever I guarantee
I'll always stay by your side
I promise my love to you
I'm willing and able and ready to
Whatever you need I am here for you
And I'll always be,

From here to eternity.

I saved a year for this ring
I can't wait to see how it looks on your hand
I'll give you everything that one woman needs
Because I'm a one-woman man
I'll be strong I'll be tender
Man of my word
And I will be yours
From here to eternity,
I'm asking you to share your life with me
Now and forever I guarantee
I'll always stay by your side
I promise my love to you
I'm willing and able and ready to
Whatever you need I am here for you
And I'll always be
From here to eternity.

I folded the paper back up, and slid the ring on my finger, snapped the box shut and put it back in the drawer. I rolled over and lay on the bed, watching my thumb turn the ring back and forth on my finger, as the tears streamed sideways down my face, across my nose, seeping into the sheets.

Disclaimer: I do not own The OC or any of its characters. I do own Christopher Trask. The letter is a song called "From Here to Eternity" by Michael Peterson. He owns it.