Seth hangs up the phone and smiles. That was the first time he didn't get a strait forward no. Things were looking up. He knew she hated it in New York. But she didn't want to leave Jimmy there all alone.

Jimmy Cooper had finally find a good job, not a great one but a good one. He had just got remarried about 2 months ago and things seemed to be going good for him. Marissa on the other hand was a different story. She was unprecedentedly loyal to her father.

Seth had to go to New York last year for a meeting with another company. As he was checking into his hotel he saw someone he thought he would never see again, Marissa Cooper, uh Anderson now. She was and still is the manager of the hotel he had booked a room at.

She had been as surprised to see him as he was to see her. They had spent a lot of time during that week together. He had told her all about him and Summer's wedding. Plus all of the crazy stuff that had happened after she had left to be with her dad.

The whole Ryan and Taylor thing. About the big public break up. How they had been scared that Summer had been pregnant. About him having a 5 year old sister. All of the juice from the last 6 years.

She had told him about her daughter Erin and her ex-husband. About the abuse and her staying with him because she thought she deserved it. How she had packed her daughter and herself up the very day he had laid a hand on her daughter. It was one thing for it to happen to her, but not a 2 year old. How just 2 years ago she had gotten custody of her 12 year old cousin Allison. About how rough it was at first getting to know her. She was now 14 and had started to return to normal after her mother died. It was hard but rewarding she kept telling him.

She had said how she missed everyone and how she thought most were mad at her. How she thought they would never want to see her. She was just gald he was ok with talking to her.

It had been a good week. Almost like old times, only they were missing half of the dynamic foursome. He had tried to convince her to come home, that he would get her a better job.

She had declined at once, stating she couldn't leave her dad. He had just gotten his new job and was just trying to settle in. He had changed his tactics and tried to get her to come just for a visit. She had thought about it, but declined. He could still remember what she had said.

"Seth I would love to, but you have no idea just how draining children can be on your bank account. Especial when you have a job like mine."

He really couldn't argue against that statement. It was true he didn't know what is was like to have a kid, let alone two. Though he was about too. She was always worried about money, so he had tried to help.

First he had offered her a job if she moved back home.

She had declined.

Then he had offered to give her enough money to get herself out of debit and live comfortably.

She had declined.

He had been at a loss as to why. After taking the 2 weeks she hadn't called him to think about it, he understood why.

When she started calling again he had backed off a little. But would still drop settle hints about at least a visit. She had never responded to any of his hints. Acted like he had never spoken the words.

Which is why when she called him late one night crying, he didn't hesitate to help. Erin had to have her appendix removed and she just didn't have the money for what her insurance wouldn't cover. Of course the hospital she had to go to would do it. But the interest would be a killer, and 5000.00 was a lot to owe. He had sent her 10 grand just to make sure she had everything she needed for herself and Erin.

She had insisted on paying him back, even though he told her it wasn't needed. But with out fail every month he had received a check from her. He had decided that he would put it in an account, plus he was tripling the money each time. He called it the get Marissa home fund.

Maybe this time he would be able to get her to come for a visit. He knows that if he could get her here that half the battle would be won. He just had to find a way to show her she would be ok living here.

He had a plan he was about to put into motion if he could just convince Ryan that it was a good investment. He rarely got involved with the Newport group even though he was one fourth owner. That was Ryan's baby after their parents had decided to retire.

Ryan had done a great job with it so far in the 2 years he has been running it. He has restored it to it's former glory, and had done it the correct way. No short cuts as his grandfather had done. It was the biggest company on the western seaboard. Luke had come back to Newport and had taken the job Ryan had offered him. It is there that he had meet his now wife Jill.

He had decided his talents laid in a different direction. He had started his own comic book company. Then it had expanded into anime, then into films. They had all done well for themselves. Summer had joined him in the business after she had graduated from Brown. The only one struggling of the group was Marissa. He hated to think about her struggling like that. He also knew her pride would never let her take what she considered a hand out.

So he had hatched a scheme to bring both her and her dad back to Newport. For it to work though he needed to have the backing of the Newport group. He just couldn't afford to do it on his own.

Summer was in Seattle visiting her dad. She had called to tell him that her dad and new step-mom would be joining them for the holidays as well.

With him being home a lone he decided tonight was the night to see if he could get Ryan on board. But he had to do it without letting Ryan know why he wanted to do it. Marissa had made him promise not to tell anyone where she was at. If he did she would move change her number and not talk to him again.

So he had found a housing community of 170 units. It was in the numbered streets and the owner was looking to sell. He figured they could buy them, offer Jimmy ownership of one of the units and double the salary he was making now to come manage it. If he could get Jimmy to agree then he was sure he could get Marissa to move back as well.

His thoughts was to get her a job at either company and give her one of the units at a discount rate. If he was lucky he could convince her that it was a perk of the job. All of this was running through his mind as he grabbed his keys and headed out the door.

"So tell me Chris what is the story behind you sitting on that wall today? And why did you want to know about lawyers?" Ryan asks.

"You don't really want to know do you?" Chris asks him.

"Of course I do, I wouldn't have asked if I didn't." Ryan tells him.

"How much time you got?" Chris says with a chuckle.

"As much as you need." Ryan says seriously.

"Well when I was 4 my mom deserted my dad and me for some rich guy. This made my dad start to drink heavily. One night he never picked me up from the babysitters house. The next day a police officer came and got me, I was told he had drove off a cliff and died because he was drunk. Since then I have been bounced around from foster home to foster home. None ever being a good fit, either because of me acting up or the foster parents acting up. The last home I was in, lets just say you learned to work fast. If you didn't then you got what he thought you should get." Chris tells him.

"And what was that?" Ryan asks.

"The business end of his leather belt and then nothing to eat till dinner of the next night. That is if you were good the next day." Chris says looking out the window of the car.

"Wait he beat and starved you?" Ryan asks.

"Where you from man, yeah that really happens in the real world." Chris says.

"Ok I think there has been a misunderstanding. I was not born into this life. I was born and raised at least till I was 16 in Chino. It wasn't until I got busted stealing a car with my brother that I got to experience this kind of life. So I know kinda what you are going through. Why did you say you needed a lawyer?" Ryan smiles at him.

"Chino? Man that place is no joke! I tried to stay away from there at all costs. As for the lawyer, the last time Alan took a belt to me I took a baseball bat to him. His wife was yelling she was going to call the police, so I ran. That was when you found me." Chris says.

"I see, so the police may be after you?" Ryan asks.

"Yeah, does that change your mind?"

"Nope, what else is on your records?" Ryan asks.

"I don't want to talk about it." Chris says looking out the window.

"Ok, well I will need to know before I can completely help you. But maybe tomorrow you will feel more like talking. After you eat a good meal and get some rest." Ryan says.

"Maybe." Is Chris' reply.

Ryan drives into the drive of the house in Newport where Sandy and Kirsten so graciously accepted him into there lives, home, family and hearts. He wonders sometimes what would have happened if they hadn't. He would probably be in jail now, or dead. He swore that one day he would do the same if he ever had the chance. Maybe this was his chance.

"Come on, lets go in. Dinner should be here in a little while. You like pizza right?" Ryan asks.

"WOW! This is your house?" Chris asks.

"Yeah, it belonged to my parents when they took me in. It got partially destroyed during the earthquake 5 years ago. I had it rebuilt when they gave it to me as a project while I was in school. Just couldn't let it go, to many memories." Ryan smiles as they get out of the car.

"All good ones I bet." Chris says.

"No not all. Some were good some were bad." Ryan tells him.

"Bad ones living in a house like this, please." Chris chuckles.

"Yep bad ones even in a house like this. Grab you bag we will deal with your bike later. I am going to take you to the pool house so you can get settled in and cleaned up. I will call you when it is time for dinner." Ryan tells him.

"Pool house? What is that?" Chris asks.

"You will see come on kid."

Ryan smiles at him as he watches Chris grab his bag and start to follow him to the house. As they start for the door a car pulls into the drive. Ryan chuckles to himself as he shakes his head. 'Leave it to Seth to show before I can even get him in the house.' Ryan thinks.

"What is so funny? You know this person?" Chris asks.

"Yeah it is my brother." Ryan smiles.