Thanks for keeping on reviewing!! DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT own 'The OC'

Ben stared at her. Eventually he shook his head. "No. Grace, he isn't."

Grace lifted her hands in desperation. "Look at the picture. It's him."

Ben kept on shaking his head. Grace didn't know what to do. They stayed silent for a while until Ben asked:

"Grace, what do you know about Volchok?"

Ben looked at her intensely. She swallowed. "He and my mum were a couple for some weeks. But she broke up with him because he was an idiot. And, well, he caused this accident after which my mom disappeared."

Ben looked down. "Did you know he was arrested for murder?"

Grace gasped. "For murder? But my mom… Oh." She looked down as well. "They don't know."

Ben nodded. "And I haven't heard that he had been released. But he could have been without my knowing."

A shiver ran down Grace's back. "You mean… If he found out Marissa lives… he'd want revenge?"

Ben said nothing but his look was answer enough. Grace shivered. "We have to stop him", she said, panicking. "What if he finds her?"

Ben took her hands. "Grace. Listen to me."

Grace looked at him with big eyes. She had to do something.

"We have to tell my dad. He will know what to do. He knows Volchok and he knows your mom. C'mon, let's go."

Grace didn't move. She stared at the wall. Something… something was wrong… Volchok… seventeen…

Suddenly her legs couldn't hold her anymore. She fell to the floor.

Ben yelled: "Grace, are you OK? You're so pale… what's wrong?"

Grace grasped his hand. "Ben… What if… What if he's my father?"

For a terrible long moment no one said something. They heard voices from outside, people going shopping with friends or on the way back from work…

"Grace." Ben's voice was surprisingly soft. "Listen to me."

Grace didn't look up. She didn't want to see any pity in his eyes because she was suddenly sure it was right what she'd said.

"You can't know whether Volchok is your father. It could be everyone. You can't always believe in things you don't like."

"But it has to be someone from Newport. I didn't… realize until know that… I'm seventeen, but my eighteenth birthday is in two months. That means, when my mom left Newport she was already pregnant. And the only one she was together with was Volchok." She felt tears in her eyes.

Ben was about to reply when someone knocked at the door loudly. Ben and Grace looked at each other, stood up and went to the door.

"Marissa", a voice yelled, "open the door. We have to talk."

Ben turned to look at Grace, aghast. "It's my dad", he whispered. Grace nodded.

"Please, just open. He's here. He's looking for you. Open the door." The voice sounded desperate.

Grace couldn't stand it any longer. She grasped the handle and opened the door.

Ryan looked worried and determined but when he saw Grace his mouth fell open.

"My mom's not here", she said quickly. "But he was."

Ryan stared at her. "How…"

Ben stepped into the doorway. "We know."

"Ben, what are you doing here?" Ryan looked totally confused now. "I thought you were..:" "At a friend's. I am, actually."

Ryan's face became serious. "What happened?"

Grace replied hastily: "We were about to meet some friends when someone knocked. We opened the door. It was Volchok. He asked if my mom was here and I said that there's no Marissa Cooper living here", she thought she saw Ryan jump at this name, "and he went away. I… recognized him. From a photo."

Ben spoke on. "How do you know from Volchok being here?"

"I saw him", Ryan answered. "I… came to talk to Marissa and I saw him cross the street. I thought he didn't know where she lives."

He turned to Grace. "You're her daughter, aren't you?"

Grace nodded in silence. She didn't know what to say. Something terrible was happening here and she didn't understand what.

"Do you know where your mother is?" Ryan asked slowly.

Grace shook her head. "I… I thought she was off to… I really don't know. She just left. Is… is she in danger?"

Ryan looked determined again. "Not if we find her first. C'mon, let's go."

"Where are going?", Grace asked. "We don't even know where she is."

"I think I do", Ryan replied firmly.

A short while later they sat in Ryan's car, driving through Newport. Grace now and then looked out to see if she saw her mum's car. When they finally stopped she was surprised she knew the place.

It was the small café on the hill near the school. Frowning, she stepped out and saw Marissa's car.

"She's here", she said excited. "Let's go."

Ryan said nothing. Grace turned around to look at the front door of the café. Her mother was stepping out of it. Next to her was a small woman with dark hair.

Grace heard Ben gasped and looked at him.

His voice full of surprise, he said: "Aunt Summer?"

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