Ok, first off a little author's note I think;
This is the first O.C. fanfic I have written. I'll post what I've got and dependant on feedback I might continue (just say if you want me to).

Rating: The first part is quite racy, probably worthy of an NC-17 rating (I think that's the American equivalent of "18").
Disclaimer: I dont own a thing, well I own a care bare I've had for twelve and a half years, but character wise, I dont own zip.
Pairing: Alex and Marissa.
Summary: Read for yourself.
Next instalment: That depends on the feedback I get back.

She could feel lips on her neck, careless kisses being placed over the upper half of her torso. A hand kneading her left breast lightly pinching her perfectly erect nipple
She was getting more restless as the hand between her legs got closer and closer to what she wanted. "Please", she muttered as she felt a pair of lips come crashing down on her own, "dont stop."
As she had asked for, she soon felt two fingers being pushed inside of her. She moaned in content as the movements became more frequent. Her head was spinning; she could no longer pinpoint where her pleasure was coming from. Her hips were thrusting in the air, her head rolling from side to side and her hands gripping anything they could, bed sheets, pillows, her headboard. She was nearing her gratification; she could feel it bubbling up inside, getting reading to explode.
As the fingers inside of her started pounding faster into her, she lost it, her hips bucked into the air, her toes curled over and the word "God" left her mouth at a very high volume.
With her eyes slammed shut she felt a body move her up stomach and a pair of arms encircle her.
"So did you enjoy that?" She opened her eyes to be greeted by Alex's smiling face.
"Do you even have to ask?" Marissa replied breathlessly, "Where are you going?" She asked as she felt Alex start to move.
"You didn't think I was done did you?" She replied grinning as she started to kiss down Marissa's body, only to stop just below her navel.

She felt her body jerk and shudder as she fell to the floor. "What the...Oh that's just great." She muttered to her self as she stood up and hurled her tired body on to her bed. Marissa lay on her side trying to get comfortable and trying to find a cold part of her bed to go back to sleep on. "That's the second night this week I've woken up covered in sweat after dreaming about Alex, what the hell is wrong with me?" She tried unsuccessfully to get back to sleep. After almost an hour of tossing and turning her thoughts locked on Alex, she decided to have a shower. Tossing a cursory glance to the clock that sat on her bedside table she left her bedroom muttering about being awake and sexually frustrated at five in the morning.

2

Across town, fine ten minutes away, Alex was having problems sleeping too. She had been lying in her bed, tossing and turning for the best part of two hours. She tried to rationalise her thoughts saying it was Jody that had messed her up, and turned her into an insomniac. She knew this wasn't the case, ever since she had walked into her life Marissa Cooper had been controlling the most part of her thoughts and dreams.
She finally decided to get up, what to do though? It was a quarter to six in the morning and most (normal) people were either asleep or passed out somewhere. After quite literally falling out of bed she stumbled around in the dark confines of her bedroom looking for her phone. She finally found it, after tripping over and walking into various random objects strewn around her room.
She quickly flipped through the different screens, "menu", "messages", "new messages", "write message". Ah, but what to say after scrapping "I know you're awake you little weirdo, so get your cute butt over here and we can have some fun", she settled on the less offensive choice. A few more phone screens latter and she was one "ok" away from "send new message Marissa's phone". Her thumb lingered over the faded button, before pressing down on it.
Why am I even bothering, she wont be awake, Alex thought to herself.

Ten minutes across town, Caleb's Mansion of Horrors.
Marissa walked back into her room, covered only by a small beige towel. She hit the "play" button on her Cd player, and her room was instantly filled with the delightful uplifting sound of Papa Roach. She walked back to her door and made sure it was locked, as Caleb and Julie always seemed to walk in at the most annoying of times, saying that just being in the same room as Julie (the manipulative she-devil bitch of a mother) or Caleb (never gona kick the bucket, cockroach scrooge of a step dad) was relatively annoying before they even opened their mouths. After she had made sure that it was almost impossible to get into her room, Marissa walked back over to her bed, which she launched herself at and sighed as her tired body it the soft mattress. As more depressive angry music filled the room she sung along, that was until she heard and loud melodic beeping sound, recognising it as her text-tone she rolled herself over to the other side of the bed and grabbed her mobile phone.
The option to read the new message popped up on screen and Marissa lay on her queen sized bed contemplating for a while (rather pointless, but still), "fine, read" she muttered to her phone. "I figured if there is anyone else that's awake in this crappy happy plastic little town then it's you. I can't sleep and I'm amazingly bored, if you're in the same situation then ring me and we can be bored together over the phone. If you are however asleep, then you're a bitch. Alex x." Marissa smiled to herself as she read the message. Pushing herself off of her bed, she pressed the green phone shaped button her phone a couple of times before she heard ringing.

3

As she was waiting for Alex to answer her phone Marissa decided it get some clothes out, as she was still clad only in a towel.

"Hey." Alex yawned into her phone as she answered.

"Hey yourself."

"So you are awake then?" Alex asked as she got comfortable on her bed.

Marissa smiled to herself hearing the sleepy tone in Alex' voice, "Yeah, I woke up about an hour or two ago and haven't been able to get back to sleep. Why aren't you asleep?"

"Couldn't."

"Why might that be?" Marissa asked upset by Alex' vague answer.

Alex sighed, "I just couldn't, I tried but, nothing. Hey, what are you doing?"

"Why?"

"You sound like you're moving around, you're not creeping around in someone's bushes are you?"

"No, nothing like that. At the moment I am just getting some underwear out." She smiled.

Alex looked puzzled, "You're not wearing any underwear?"

"No, at the moment, I am wearing a towel. And might I say I look damn good in it." She replied laughing a little.

Alex froze; on the other end of the phone Marissa was essentially naked. She was talking to a very hot, very almost-naked girl.

"Alex?"

"Uh, uh yeah?" Alex said snapping out of her daze.

"You ok, you sorta disappeared for a second there?"

"Yeah, uh, I'm just tired. You wana come over?" Alex asked longing to see her new friend.

Marissa smiled, she had spent most of her time with Alex, whether it was at Alex' apartment of The Bait Shop, or wherever, she just couldn't get enough of the other girl. "Why don't you come over here? It would make a change."

"Lazy."

"I am not."

"Liar!"

"Shut-up, why don't you." She asked sliding a pair of jeans over her long legs.

"Because, you hate your house. You hate the people in your house. You love my apartment and you love me." Alex said the last part of the sentence without thinking.

Marissa looked confused for a second, before brushing off any new feelings she was experiencing. "Just because you're too lazy."

"I don't have any petrol." Alex lied

"Oh, I guess that means I have to go over to you then." Marissa grinned to herself.

"I guess it does."

"I'll see you in about half an hour then."

"If you need me I'll be watching cartoons." Alex said about to hang up.

"Hmm, ok."

"See ya."

"Bye." Marissa said hanging up.

4

A couple of hours later Alex and Marissa were curled up on Alex' couch watching cartoons, well The Simpsons. Marissa went to get up only to get her limbs tangled up with Alex', the more she tried to get up the harder it became, in fits of giggles both her and Alex gave up trying to move. Their laughter came to an abrupt end when they noticed the position they were in; Marissa was lying flat on the sofa with Alex lying directly on top of her. Their eye's locked, their smiles gone, their lips inching towards one another's. They both knew what would happen, they both wanted it to happen, then it happened; Marissa's phone rung.

Alex jumped off of the sofa (and Marissa) and hurried off to her room. Muttering a few choice swear words Marissa grabbed her mobile and checked the called id, "She-devil", without a second thought Marissa turned her phone off and went off to find Alex.

"Who was that?" She asked as soon as Marissa walked into her bedroom.

"Just my mum, Alex about…" Marissa trailed off when she noticed Alex frantically looking through her jewellery box, "What's wrong?"

"My heart necklace is gone."

"I thought you wore it all the time?"

"Most of the time, but Jody was spouting some crap about me wearing it just to remind myself of her - you know with the matching one she has - so to prove that I was over her I took it off, I made a big show out of it, I think that is what finally made her leave. Seeing me take the necklace off. I only wore it because I like it so much. It was my heart."

"Symbolic."

"She must have taken it back to LA with her." Alex said, visibly upset.

Marissa smiled, "So we'll just go get it back."

"What?"

"She doesn't live that far away, we'll go and get it…" Marissa started, a plan already formulating in her head

"…Marissa…"

"…You can't let her take your heart." She cut in.

"Corny."

"So we're going to LA then." Marissa grinned.

5

Setting; Alex and Marissa are at Jody's. Alex is in Jody's room looking for her stuff

Marissa and Jody stand in an uncomftable silence as they her Alex muttering and "Jody taking almost all of her stuff"

"Break ups, huh?" Marissa weakly said doing anything to break the silence.

"Oh you'll be next." Jody replied making an advance towards the lanky girl.

"Excuse me?"

Jody smiled at her, "She'll act like you're the love of her life then the next thing you know she'll be dumping you for the next rich bitch in a mini skirt."

"What makes you think we're a couple?"

"It's obvious you two are sleeping together, I knew from the first time I met you at The Bait Shop, anyone that commands Alex' attention like that. Well lets just say, Alex would have to have been getting something in return." Before Marissa could set Jody straight (excuse the pun) Alex came out fuming about a pair of motorcycle boots.

"I'm just gona go to the toilet." Marissa excused herself. As she made her way through the apartment she could still hear their bickering. She couldn't help but wonder where Alex' self-control went when she was around Jody.

"Why are you still trying to hold on to us?" Alex asked, clearly not happy about having to drive out to LA to get her stuff back.

"I still care about you, I know you still care about me. Just stay and I'll show you exactly how much I've missed you." She said wrapping her hands around the taller girls waist. Alex was torn; she didn't want to get back into a relationship with Jody, as she had been messed about by her before. Her body wasn't letting her resist, no matter how loudly her mind screamed, she just couldn't pull her body away.

6

Marissa made her way back to the "living room" where Alex and Jody had gone quiet, she was grinning to herself, pleased with getting Alex her heart back. The smile left her face when she saw Alex in Jody's arms, she couldn't help the jealously that rushed through her veins. Something in her mind was telling her that if should be her arms Alex was in.

"Alex are you ready, you have to drive me back remember?"

"Alex is going to stay here for the night. You can take the jeep back, I'll return her in the morning." Jody said, a smug edge to her voice.

Marissa was pissed off now, she could clearly see Alex' confliction written over her face and Jody was just taunting both her and Alex with Alex' obvious lack of self-control.

Marissa cocked her head towards Jody and smiled, "You really think I'm gona let my girlfriend spend the night here?" she turned towards Alex and extended her hand to the shocked girl, "Come on baby, lets get you home." Alex decided against taking Marissa's hand, but instead wrapped her arm around the taller girl's waist, a gesture that Marissa reciprocated.

"It was nice seeing you again Jody." Marissa smiled as Alex picked up her belongings.

Once they were both safely in Alex' jeep the pair burst out laughing.

"I can't believe you did that." Alex said as soon as their laughter died down.

"It was easy, she already thought we were sleeping together anyway."

"Thank-you."

"You're welcome."

"I'm glad to have my stuff back, you know. Who cares if I didn't get that stupid necklace back?" Alex said throwing her "stuff" into the back of the jeep.

"What, this stupid necklace?" Marissa asked opening up her right hand, "or this stupid necklace?" she asked this time opening up her left hand.

"How did you?"

"It's not as if I've never lifted anything before." Marissa replied grinning. "And now you have both in case your next girlfriend decides to take one after you break up."

Alex shock her head, "No, this one," she said wrapping her hand around Marissa's left hand, "this one is yours."

"You don't have to." Marissa interjected.

"It's the least I can do. Here." She said pulling the necklace out of Marissa's hand and leaning over and placing it round Marissa's neck.

7

She felt it as soon as Alex had lent over, the charge that went through her body making her tremble. She could feel Alex all round her, enveloping her in warmth. She heard the necklace clasp shut and Alex slightly pull back, her arms still around Marissa's neck. Their eyes locked, and for the second time that day they were millimetres away from kissing. Her eyes dipped to Alex' lips, she could feel the other girls breath on her lips.

They were in their own little world where time was moving slowly, almost not at all, the world seemed to have paused to allow the two to properly acknowledge their feelings towards one another and to kiss. Unfortunately for the two young would-be-lovers, a car alarm down the street when off, shattering their little moment of tranquil affection. Alex ripped her body away from Marissa's and mental scolded herself. Two almost kisses and two interruptions in one day, she didn't know how much longer she could go on fighting her primal urges.

"So, uh, how does it look?" Marissa croaked out trying to get over her disappointment.

"Yeah, it uh, it looks, good." Alex said her eyes lingering a little lower than the necklace, "I should probably get you home huh?"

She paused for a second, "I don't want to go home. I just, I duno I feel like I need to do some thing, I duno…?"

"Uncharacteristic?" Alex supplied

"Yeah." (Authors note, uncharacteristic things Marissa could do; go to school and stop drinking.) She smiled, "Something, I don't know, crazy."

"I think I have an idea." Alex said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

8

It was exactly what Marissa had wanted without even knowing it. When they had gotten to the tattooist she had looked long and hard for a design she liked, one that meant something to her. She had finally settled on a flaming heart. It summed up how she felt about love; it was passionate, blinding and destructive. Choosing her left shoulder blade, she prepared herself for the pain she expected to feel. In the past she had been wary about tattoos, after all they were permanent, life long. And painful, at least that's what she had been told. When she had first walked in she noted that there was a rather large muscular man getting a scorpion on this arm, he appeared to be in agony, whimpering like a little girl.

After one final declaration of confidence, she heard the sound of the needle; there was no going back. She felt a strange tingling sensation on her shoulder and a slight twinge of pain whenever the needle hit a nerve but other than that it was painless. Every once in a while her face would twitch in pain, but nothing major, and when it came down to filling the colour in she barely felt a thing. Glancing over at Alex' smiling face she shot her a nervous smile, to which Alex replied with a thumbs up and Marissa's nervous smile turned into a full-blown grin.

After paying and receiving a sheet on "aftercare" Marissa and Alex exited the tattooist's and made their way back to Alex' jeep.

"So, do you like your new tattoo?" Alex enquired buckling herself in.

"I don't know yet, once the scab comes off, probably. Although I do feel empowered." She replied still grinning, "Thank you, for suggesting it."

"Well you're welcome. I always say getting a tattoo is something everyone should try once, like drinking and weed."

"Now, that's a motto for young kids." Both girls laughed.

"I think I better get you back."

9

The next day, Roberts house of drugged up step-mothers.

Marissa and Summer where sat on Summer's bed whilst she fiddled about with something for Princess Sparkle.

"So you almost kissed Seth huh?"

"Yes, No! It wasn't a kiss, it wasn't an almost kiss either. It was I don't know, a, a nose graze." Summer said finding the right words to convey what she meant.

"So you almost kissed him huh?" Marissa asked fully aware of her friend's feeling for Seth.

"Didn't you listen, it was a nose graze. Completely different from a kiss."

"Not really. Sometimes you can just have a moment with someone, where the air seems to be charged and no matter how crazy you life has gotten and no matter how confused you might be everything just seems to make sense, and in that moment everything just seems to click, and you can just get so out of breath; more so than some kisses." Marissa stated seeming to get lost in her own little world.

"Who've you been nose-grazin' with?"

"Huh? What, oh no one. I just mean sometimes everything can just seem chemical or electrical or something, you know what I mean?" Marissa desperately wanted to tell Summer about her feeling for Alex, but decided against it, not really sure of what her feelings were.

"Yeah, even if you're dating a really hot guy that really likes you, you can still get flustered by a bobble-headed geek in size twenty seven jeans."

Marissa could help but smile at Summer's unique way of putting things, "Yeah, I mean what is that? And what do you do about it?"

"I think it depends, if it's someone like Cohen then you just have to get out you pepper spray and use it abundantly. But if it's someone normal then you should just go for it."

"But what, what if it's someone who's nose you never thought you'd graze?" Someone of the same sex, Marissa added to herself.

"Well that depends too, if you enjoyed the graze then there is no harm in seeing where it could lead, but if you never want you nose to graze theirs again, then just, back off." Summer said as she carefully snipped at the black fabric in her hands.

"Ok, what if you did enjoy the nose graze and you're pretty certain the other person did too, but you were nervous?"

"Nervous of what exactly? Getting hurt?"

"No, not getting hurt, just nervous, like scared of the unknown."

"Hmm, well considering that you haven't been nose grazin' with anyone then there shouldn't be a problem." She knew something was going on with her best friend, but she also knew that if Marissa wasn't ready to tell her then it was best not to push it.

"Sum'…"

"I think, that it's down to you to ask yourself if you want your nose to graze theirs again or not, and that there is nothing wrong with being a little scared." She said giving her friend a reassuring smile.

Caleb's Mansion of Horrors. Room of Angst, Alcoholism and Latent Homosexuality.

Her mind wandered back to Alex; Alex' eyes, Alex' smile, Alex' hands, Alex' lips, Alex' nose, Alex' hair (including the purple streak), Alex' lips, Alex' lips. Oh god she wanted to kiss those lips. Could she? Would Alex let her?

Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone going off, she grabbed it and quickly looked at the caller id, before flipping it open and accepting the call.

"Hey Summer."

"Hey Coop'! Oh my god, I had to tell someone. I kissed Cohen."

"You kissed Seth?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, I didn't see that coming. So how did it happen?"

10

Cool teen "hang-out", hey where's the beer?

"Hey!" Alex said warmly as she saw Marissa walking towards her, "What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, I just thought, I'd bug you whilst you work."

"Kind of you." Alex replied stapling a flyer to the wall.

"Hmm, I thought so. Alex can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"You said you were over Jody, right?" She asked passing Alex another piece of paper.

"Yeah."

"Then why do you seem powerless to resist her womanly charms?"

"I don't know, some girls just seem to have that affect on me, like leaving me powerless, she was one of them, I guess I wasn't completely over her, I am now though." She said confidently.

"So if she walked through the door now, wrapped her arms around you and started kissing you, you would just be able to shrug her off?"

"Yeah."

"Really, so you're really over her then?"

"Completely." The blond replied turning towards Marissa.

"Good." Marissa said handing Alex another flyer.

Roberts house of drugged up step-mothers, room of denied feelings of love for Seth

"Hey Coop', you sounded kinda urgent on the phone, what's the problem?"

"Uh, I don't know where to start."

"The beginning is usually a good place." Summer said motioning for Marissa to sit next to her.

"Ok, well you know we were talking about nose grazing?" she said taking a seat next to Summer

"Yeah, I knew it, you have been nose-grazin'!" Summer said triumphantly.

"Yeah, but it's not that simple." Summer gestured for her to continue, "It's not that I've been grazing my nose against… I mean, the nose, the person… well, I never would have guessed that my nose would be gazing hers." Marissa stuttered trying to express what she wanted.

"Hers?" Summer asked in disbelief.

"Alex'." Marissa replied looking down.

"Alex, as in Bait Shop Alex?" Marissa nodded.

"Punk Alex?" Marissa continued to nod.

"Girl Alex?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. I was not expecting that."

"Sum'…"

"Well she is hot."

"Sum'!"

"Now if you have said that you had been nose grazin' with someone like Cohen, then I would of had to check you into the nearest loony bin." She said smiling.

"What like you have?"

"Shh, so you're like a…?" she trailed off.

"No. Well maybe, I don't know. I've never felt this way about anyone before. Just because I have feelings for a girl, it doesn't necessarily make me gay does it?"

"Of course not, so you really like her huh?"

"Yeah, you don't have a problem with it do you?" Marissa asked averting her eyes.

"What? Oh no, aw, sweetie, come here." Summer said embracing her friend and giving her a peck on the cheek.

"Thanks."

"Wait, that didn't turn you on did it?" Summer asked smiling.

11

Caleb's Mansion of Horrors. Room of Angst, Alcoholism and Latent Homosexuality.

"So you're on your way over now? I just want to hang, you know. Yes I know you hate my house, okay, see you soon." Marissa hung up the phone and threw it onto her bed. Alex was on her way over and Marissa was gona declare her feelings, she looked over at her silver hip flask that sat on top of her dresser, she wanted a drink, she wanted a drink so badly, she couldn't, she wouldn't. She wasn't gona enlist any help from the Russians for this, she needed to be sober.

Alex' Jeep, she should really clean that thing, I mean the amount of sex on the back seat…

She pushed her phone into her pocket, Marissa wanted to see her, that couldn't be good. She wanted to see Alex at her house; that really couldn't be good. She thought back to her conversation with Marissa earlier that day, she had been truthful when she said that she was over Jody. If over was the correct term to describe how she felt about Jody, then she was very much under Marissa, or at least she wanted to be under Marissa. She scolded herself for having such a dirty mind, she wanted Marissa that much she knew, she didn't just want a casual thing though. She loved spending time with her, she loved how Marissa made her feel, the fact that whenever they were together Alex had to stop herself from practically jumping the girl was hardly good for their friendship. Marissa was straight and not interested in Alex in that way. Alex sighed as she turned into Marissa's street.

Caleb's Mansion of Horrors. Room of Angst, Alcoholism and Latent Homosexuality.

Marissa was getting nervous, she though back to her conversation with Summer;

"Alex gave me her heart you know. And now, now I have to give her mine. God only know's if she'll take it."

"Aw, Coop' don't worry. She totally wants you, and who wouldn't? You're like the most desirable lesbian I've ever met."

She blinked, her mind bringing itself back to the present. There was knocking at her door and Alex could be heard asking to come in. The butterflies in her stomach rose, threatening to escape her body – via her mouth.

"Yeah, come in." she shouted, her voice cracking.

"You wanted to hang?" Alex asked shutting the door behind her.

"Uh, sort of, er, I think you need to sit down." She said motioning to the bed.

"Marissa…"

"I do at least." The brunette muttered parking herself on the corner of her bed.

Is she breaking up with me? Alex asked herself noting Marissa's nervous exterior.

Marissa raised her cloudy blue eyes to Alex' before averting them and looking 'round her room confused. Alex thought she looked she adorable, she decided to sit on the opposite corner of the bed, so she was facing Marissa.

"I um," she let out a shaky breath, "I really like spending time with you Alex, you are um, really, cool." She winced at her own words, "Not cool, I mean you are, but that's a lame word. You're so, charismatic, there is just something about you, I feel like, I duno, like I'm almost drawn to you in some weird way." She paused. Raising her eyes to look at Alex, to see if there was any indication of how she was feeling. Marissa stared into Alex' clear blue eyes and felt herself getting lost, they were just beautiful, Alex was just beautiful, and…no, she had to get what she wanted to say out.

Seeing only confusion written over Alex' face, Marissa started talking again, "There is something about you that makes me feel so happy and so alive. When I'm with you, I never want to leave you and when I'm not with you, I'm thinking about you; when I'll next get to see you, how amazing you are, how, how beautiful you are."

"Marissa…"

"No, no, Alex, please just let me finish. In my life I don't think I've ever had so much fun just spending time with someone, when I'm with you, when we're. When I was with Luke and Ryan I never, I mean, but when I'm with you." She paused, not even able to understand her own incoherency. "When I've dated guys it's been okay, you know, but there always felt like something was missing, just like I was, I duno, with a friend or something, when I was, when I am, when we're. When I'm with you, just as a friend, there is this thing, inside of me, it just feels right, it's like this spark or something, it's something I've very felt before, and I just don't want it to go away. I never thought I'd feel this way about a girl. I never thought I'd feel this way about you. But I do. And now I'm really scared about what you're going to say." She cast her eyes, down and watched as her hands played with the hem on her shirt.

Alex rubbed her nose, "So, you like me, like me?"

"Yeah."

"Hmm, I did not see that one coming." There was a long pause, Marissa didn't know if she could take the silence any more, "Please Alex, say something, I really want to know what you think."

"About this?"

"Yes."

"I don't think that I could give a spiel like you did."

"Oh." She said dejectedly.

"Marissa." Alex said before leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on Marissa's lips.

"Oh."

"Would you like to go out with me? Like a date, say tomorrow night?" Alex asked grinning.

"I'd love to."

"In the mean time, do you just wana make out?" she asked devilishly.

Marissa thought for a moment, trying her best not to grin like a lovesick fool, "Hmm, sounds like a good idea." She said bringing her lips up to Alex'.

The End.