Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of The OC. They all belong to Josh Schwartz.
A/N: This story is AU and takes place early season one, a couple of weeks after "To Be Seventeen" ended. Also, I've written the character of Frank Atwood differently then how he was portrayed both physically and personality-wise on the show. In my story, Frank Atwood is not a nice person.
I'm truly appreciating all of the support and feedback I've been receiving for my story. It really means a lot and helps me continue with my writing. :-)
Chapter Twenty-Seven
"Dinner was delicious, Mr. Cohen," Marissa compliments as she carries some dishes into the kitchen, "but I should probably be getting home now."
"Ryan, why don't you walk Marissa home," Sandy offers, having witnessed the two teenagers happily engaging one another during dinner.
"Sure," Ryan says as he places the rest of the dishes in the sink, looking forward to spending a little time alone with his pretty neighbor.
"Why does Ryan have to walk Marissa home?" Seth asks, slightly confused. "She lives right next door..."
"Because that's what a gentleman does," Sandy explains to his son.
"Well, why don't I go with them..."
"Seth, stay here son," Sandy orders, wanting Ryan to have some time alone with the girl. God knows, the boy could use the pleasant diversion, Sandy thinks to himself. "Your mother and grandfather are finishing up their work... that leaves us in charge of clean-up," Sandy states as he tosses Seth a dishtowel.
"But, Dad..." Seth moans, not happy with the current state of events.
"No buts," Sandy admonishes, just wanting Kirsten and Caleb to finish their proposal so his father-in-law will leave. "Clean! It's good for the soul."
Sandy notices Ryan teeter slightly and rub the back of his neck as he starts walking out of the kitchen with Marissa.
"Ryan, are you feeling okay?" Sandy asks with concern.
"I'm fine, Sandy," Ryan quickly replies, not wanting to tell his guardian how he's truly feeling until after everyone has left. "Just tired."
Sandy furrows his brow, thinking the boy may be keeping something from him. He makes a mental note to talk to Ryan in private when he returns from walking Marissa home.
Ryan slowly walks down the driveway with Marissa, suddenly feeling nervous and at a loss for words as he tucks his hands in the front pockets of his pants.
"So, I'm really glad you're alright," Marissa says, somewhat tentatively as she walks alongside Ryan. "I mean... I know you must be going through an awful lot, but I'm just glad you're back here and safe... living with the Cohen's." Marissa glances over at the good-looking boy from Chino and smiles nervously. "I'm just really glad you're here."
Ryan looks over at Marissa and smiles warmly at the girl's thoughtful words. "I'm glad to be here, too."
"You see that? I'm tellin' ya, that kid from Chino is to blame!" Luke snaps as he sits stewing in his pickup truck parked across the street with his two friends, Brad and Chip.
"I don't know, Luke," Chip pipes in. "I've been watchin' the news... the guy has been through a hell of a lot..."
"What! Are you questioning me?" Luke asks in a threatening tone of voice. "It's clear my girlfriend... I'll repeat, MY girlfriend has got a thing for this guy," Luke sneers, watching Marissa flirt with the unwelcome boy as jealously completely envelops him. "It's his fault she broke up with me... HIS fault! Who knows, maybe he got kidnapped on purpose... planned it, just so people would feel sorry for him..."
"So, um... I was thinking maybe... if you're not busy... maybe you'd like to come over tomorrow night... you know, hang out... watch a movie..." Marissa stammers, surprised by how nervous she feels in her attempt to invite Ryan over to get to know him better. "My parents are going out and I have to babysit my little sister." Marissa peers over at Ryan, hoping the boy will say "yes".
"What about Luke?" Ryan asks, glancing over at Marissa, somewhat confused. "Won't he mind?"
"I broke up with Luke," Marissa explains. "I'm surprised Seth didn't tell you."
Ryan rubs his warm forehead, trying to remember conversations from the past week, but everything suddenly becomes a blur. "If he mentioned it to me, I must've forgot."
"Ryan, are you alright?" Marissa asks with concern as she notices the boy's increasing pallor and perspiration drip down his forehead.
"I'm fine," Ryan replies as he quickly wipes the sweat off his brow. "I just might be coming down with a cold or something..."
"So, you should tell the Cohen's," Marissa urges, not wanting the boy to get sick on top of everything else he's been going through.
"I know... you're right," Ryan acknowledges. "I'm planning on telling them after Mr. Nichol leaves. Kirsten and her father need to finish something important for work by tomorrow."
And, I don't want to get in the way, Ryan thinks to himself.
"Something that's more important than your health?" Marissa inquires, trying to understand the boy's way of thinking.
Ryan attempts a slight smile, appreciating the girl's concern. "It's complicated."
Marissa shakes her head and gazes out at the setting sun. She suddenly notices Luke's truck parked across the street and grimaces.
"What's wrong?" Ryan asks, noticing the girl's look of annoyance and hoping it's not due to something he said.
"Nothing... I really should be heading in," Marissa replies as she glares at her ex-boyfriend sitting in his truck, then looks back at Ryan. "I hope you're feeling better by tomorrow evening and you can come over." Marissa hesitates at first, but then smiles and leans in towards Ryan. "I am really glad you're safe and back home... here with the Cohen's," Marissa whispers as she places a gentle kiss on Ryan's cheek.
"There! What did I tell you! God, I want that kid gone..." Luke grumbles loudly as he pounds his fist against the steering wheel. "Why the hell did I ever drag his sorry ass out of that model home. I should've left him there..."
Brad and Chip remain quiet, allowing their friend time to vent his frustrations.
"Do you know that the police actually questioned me about tampering with the brakes on the Cooper's SUV?" Luke says, seething as he thinks back to a little over a week ago when he had to come up with an alibi or face possible charges. "He probably told the police it was my fault... trying to get me in trouble..."
"Yeah, like you would even know how to cut a brake line," Brad says with a chuckle, then suddenly becoming serious when he gets a cold glare from his friend as he realizes his statement came out wrong. "Not sayin' that you're stupid or anything, just that..."
"Oh, shut up," Luke orders, not in any mood to listen to a lame explanation.
"So what do you want to do, Luke?" Chip asks, curious as to what his friend has in mind for the kid from Chino.
"Teach him a lesson, that's what," Luke answers coldly. "Then I want to send him back to where he came from." Luke glares out the windshield as he watches Ryan make his way back to the Cohen's. "First opportunity we get, we're sending Ryan Atwood back to Chino... where he belongs."
As Ryan slowly walks back home, he places his hand on his cheek where Marissa kissed him, enjoying the warm, tingling sensation course through his body... a good feeling that he hopes will last for awhile. He gets halfway up the Cohen's driveway when he sees Caleb come out with Kirsten, Sandy and Seth; the elder man happily saying his "goodbyes" to his family.
Suddenly, Ryan sees police lights flashing as a dark blue sedan rapidly approaches from down the street, then coming to a screeching halt at the end of the Cohen's driveway. Ryan stops walking when he notices the two detectives who had questioned him a week ago jump out of the sedan and start walking briskly up towards the house.
"Caleb Nichol!" Jack calls out as he and Kathryn quickly flash their badges. "You're under arrest!"
"I beg your pardon?" Caleb gasps in disbelief. "On what charge?"
"Conspiracy to commit kidnapping, for starters," Jack replies as he takes a set of handcuffs out of his coat pocket. "Turn around and place your right hand above your head," Jack orders as he quickly puts the handcuff around Caleb's wrist, then pulls the man's arm down behind his back to secure his other wrist.
"This is outrageous!" Caleb shouts. "What's your proof?"
"Frank Atwood sang his heart out... or more like coughed his lungs out, literally, on his deathbed," Jack explains, hoping to cut into the man's smugness. "A hundred grand... is that what you felt you had to pay to destroy an innocent boy's life?"
"Whatever that man told you, it will never hold up in court," Caleb snarls. "No judge will allow it."
"Doesn't matter," Jack snaps back. "It was enough to finally get our search warrant, and my, oh my... the interesting, delectable nuggets we're discovering..."
"Dad, what's going on?" Kirsten asks, becoming frantic with each passing second. "Conspiracy... kidnapping... I don't understand!"
"Kiki... this is all just a big misunderstanding..."
"You have the right to remain silent..." Kathryn states in a bold tone of voice, knowing she and Jack must tune out the family's understandable concern and confusion as she reads the man his Miranda rights. "Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law..."
"No! You must have the wrong person!" Kirsten cries out, not being able to come to grips with what she's witnessing. "My father would never do anything to harm..."
"You have the right to consult an attorney..."
"Kiki, call my lawyer!" Caleb orders.
"Oh, if you're referring to Karl McLaughlin, then I suggest you start looking for new counsel, Mr. Nichol," Jack states as he firmly yanks down on the handcuffs, causing as much discomfort as he can to the pompous, arrogant man. "Karl McLaughlin will never practice law again, but thanks to his insight and information with regards to your dealings with Frank Atwood and the late, Vincent Manetti, he won't be facing life in prison like someone else I know."
"If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed..." Kathryn continues.
"How about that, Cal," Sandy pipes in with a snide grin on his face. "You can get yourself a bona fide public defender now that Karl has jumped ship."
"Dad! I don't understand!" Kirsten wails as tears start streaming down her face.
"Kiki..." Caleb pleads.
"Dad... no..."
"Take your hands off me!" Caleb orders as he wrestles his cuffed wrists away from Detective O'Brien's firm grasp. "Kiki... honey... you must believe me when I say... I never meant any harm to come to the boy..."
"OH MY GOD..." Kirsten spits out with utter disgust. "You never meant any harm to... he's just a boy! An innocent boy!" Kirsten screams, feeling the hot tears sting her eyes as she glares at the man she has looked up to and has tried to please for all these years.
"Kiki..."
"Get out of my sight! I never want to see you again!" Kirsten cries out. "I hope you rot in hell!" Kirsten abruptly turns around and runs into the house, slamming the door behind her.
Sandy and Seth stand on the front stoop as they watch the detectives whisk Caleb away in the sedan.
"Dad? What has grandpa done?" Seth asks, his voice trembling as tears begin to fill his eyes.
"Something very, very bad, son," Sandy replies quietly as he lets out a woeful sigh.
Then at that very moment, out of the corner of his eye, Sandy spots him. "Ryan..."
Ryan stands halfway down the driveway in a state of shock, not quite believing what he's just witnessed.
"Ryan... come here son," Sandy tells the noticeably distressed and confused boy. "Everything's going to be alright."
Ryan stares at Sandy as the stinging, hot tears fill his eyes. The distraught boy immediately wraps his arms tightly around himself and takes a step back.
"Ryan, you must come here," Sandy states firmly as he takes a step towards the boy. "You must come to me now."
"Stay away from me," Ryan orders with a shaky voice as he takes another step away from his guardian.
"Please, Ryan... please don't run," Sandy pleads, knowing by the look on Ryan's face and the posture of his body that the boy is getting ready to bolt.
"I can't... no... I need to..." Ryan takes another step back as he desperately tries to make sense of what has transpired. "I have to be alone..."
"No, Ryan... you do not have to be alone," Sandy urges, hoping he can get through to the boy in time. "Come on, kid... we'll work this out together... as a family."
"No... I can't... I can't do this..."
"Ryan... son... please don't run away..."
Sandy watches with a heavy heart as the boy bolts into the darkness, knowing his sole desire is to disappear and deal with his anguish alone.
"Dad! We have to stop him!" Seth pleads.
Sandy tries desperately to shake the panic rising within him as he realizes the boy has run away again, only this time he may be ill and time is truly of the essence.
"I'll go after him," Seth announces as he brushes past his father to go find his friend.
"No, Seth... you'll never catch up to him," Sandy states as he grabs his son's arm, keeping him from leaving. "You need to stay here with your mother."
"But, Dad! We need to find Ryan!"
"I know... and we will," Sandy says as he quickly walks back inside the house. Sandy grabs his wallet and car keys off the table in the foyer then turns towards his son. "Seth, I need you to stay here with your mother."
"But..."
"Also, turn on the patio lights and make sure the pool house is unlocked," Sandy instructs as he grabs his cell phone and jacket from his office. "Ryan may decide to come back here and if he does, he'll probably go to the pool house." Sandy stops and looks directly into his son's worried eyes. "Can I count on you Seth? Will you stay here and take care of your mother?"
Seth groans slightly but deep down, he knows his father is right. "You can count on me, Dad."
"All right, son, call me if you hear anything," Sandy says as he places his hand on Seth's shoulder and looks at him reassuringly. "I'll find him... I promise."
Seth watches his father run out of the house to his car and let's out a mournful sigh. "You have to find him, Dad... we can't lose him again."
Sandy pulls out of the driveway and immediately places a call to Detective O'Brien.
"O'Brien here."
"Detective O'Brien, this is Sandy Cohen."
"Mr. Cohen... first let me say how sorry I am for how Detective Strauss and I conducted the arrest of your father-in-law. You must believe me... we would have preferred to do so in private but..."
"There's no need to apologize, Detective," Sandy says, wanting to assure the man that he understands they were just doing their job. "I'm actually calling about Ryan."
"Yes, I saw the lad... He must be terribly upset with finding out about Mr. Nichol's involvement and hearing his father has passed away."
"Detective, Ryan has run away," Sandy says as he slowly drives around the neighborhood. "I'm looking for him now."
"I'm sorry to hear that, Mr. Cohen, but usually the police won't do anything until the person's been missing for at least twenty-four hours."
"I know but... Detective, I think Ryan may be sick..."
Jack's heart sinks when he hears the father's apprehension.
"All right, Mr. Cohen... Detective Strauss and I are bringing your father-in-law down to booking right now. When we're done, we'll swing back around your place and see if we can find the lad."
"I appreciate it, Detective," Sandy says with a touch of relief in his voice.
"I'll also put an alert out to the officer's on patrol tonight... give them Ryan's description and ask them to keep an eye out for the lad..."
"Thank you, Detective," Sandy says as he ends his call, feeling slightly better knowing that he'll have help in finding a boy who, in most likelihood, doesn't want to be found.
"Come on, kid... please don't do this," Sandy sighs quietly to himself as he carefully peers between houses and into dark corners, looking for any sudden movement. "I know it's going to take more than a couple of weeks for you to learn to trust us, but if there was ever a time to start... this is it."
Please, Ryan... you have to trust me...
