Ryan knew that Marissa had Seth's cell number in the memory, so he was fairly sure that she would answer the phone if she was near it. If Marissa had taken off, she was probably in great danger. His own physical injury nearly forgotten, all he could think of was Marissa's well being. He turned to Seth as the phone continued to ring and said, "I don't want to go to the hospital, I want to get to Marissa."

*

Marissa couldn't quite reach her cell phone, so she unintentionally let go of the steering wheel so that she could bend down farther. She finally got a hold of it and saw that the call was coming from Seth. It must be Ryan, she thought. She stretched back up and grabbed the steering wheel with her left hand, as she flipped her phone open with her right hand in her lap.

"Marissa! Where are you?" She heard Ryan's voice on the other side even before she put the phone to her ear. She was looking at the steering wheel, trying to figure out how long she'd let go of it.

"Ryan," she stammered. "I um, I'm by the beach. I think I had too much to drink."

She never even saw the parked car ahead of her.

*

He heard the word "drink" just before he heard a loud crash and the phone went dead. He dropped the cell phone next to his lap without even realizing it, and looked at Seth.

By the look on his face, Seth had also heard the loud crash.

Ryan felt like he was going to pass out. "She said she's at the beach. And she's drunk," he mumbled.

Seth knew there was a bar that everyone from Harbor hung out at. Marissa must be near there. He reached over and plucked the cell phone off the seat and speed dialed his dad.

"Dad, it's Seth. Ryan's with me, he's pretty messed up, but Marissa just got into an accident." He told his dad about the bar and gave him directions before hanging up.

"Ryan, listen to me. I'm going to find Marissa, okay? I'll get us there." Seth was looking back and forth between Ryan and the road ahead.

Ryan just looked straight forward, but he nodded slightly in response to what Seth had said.

*

Sandy called 911 and explained the situation. Hearing his conversation, Kirsten grabbed her cell phone and dialed the Coopers.

They met the Coopers in the driveway. All four were silent as they got into Sandy's truck and sped towards the beach.

*

Marissa was aware of pain before she opened her eyes. Something was pinned against her abdomen and she felt vinyl against her face. The airbag must've gone off. She had no idea how long she'd been out. Slowly, she opened her eyes. She could make out street lights in front of her, as well as the crumpled car that she must've smashed into. Her right arm felt like something was broken, so she slowly wiggled her left arm free and pushed the deflated airbag out of her face.

*

Seth sped along the highway trying to get to Marissa as soon as possible. He'd made a terrible mistake in not calling her sooner, and eventually he was going to have to deal with that. For now, he just needed to get them to her.

He looked over at Ryan. Seth couldn't imagine what he was feeling right now with the beating he'd taken, and now with Marissa… He couldn't even let himself think about it. He pressed the accelerator down harder and the Range Rover rocketed forward towards the beach.

*

Ryan stared straight ahead. This was his fault again. He should've never taken off, at least not without talking first to Marissa. When she needed him most, he'd bailed on her. Now she was in trouble and he couldn't let himself even imagine what might've happened. He'd made a huge mistake.

*

The Coopers remained silent in the back seat of the Cohen's truck. Both of them were replaying in their minds the argument they'd been having when Marissa had fled the house. How could they have been so stupid? Now their daughter was hurt somewhere, and it was their fault.

*

A police car saw the crumpled truck and the officer inside had called 911 before getting out of the patrol car to check on the driver. He saw a teenage girl pinned to the seat by the steering wheel. He couldn't tell how badly she'd been injured, but she was conscious, and it was obvious she'd been drinking.

The ambulance had shown up just before Seth did. He saw the ambulance and two police cars, as well as the Coopers' truck, or what was left of it.

Seth pulled up to the scene, and he and Ryan both got out of the Range Rover and ran over to the paramedics, who were getting Marissa out of her truck. A police officer tried to stop them, but when he saw Ryan's face, and heard him call out to her, he let them go.

Ryan approached the stretcher where Marissa was laying. She was awake and saw him coming.

"Ryan, what happened to you?" she slurred, tears coming to her face.

Seeing her, and hearing her sweet voice, he broke down too. "Marissa, everything's going to be okay."

Just then, Sandy pulled up to the scene, and the four adults got out of the truck and ran over to the kids. Julie saw Ryan and Marissa, and felt herself choke. He looked like he'd been in a fight or something, and there he was, comforting her daughter.

As she approached, she gave Ryan a long look, and then looked at her daughter. Marissa saw her mom and whispered, "Sorry." Julie looked back up at Ryan, who'd backed away a few steps to let the Coopers see their daughter.

"Ryan, are you okay?" Julie asked.

Sandy, Kirsten, and Jimmy all looked at Ryan for the first time.

"Oh my gosh!" Kirsten exclaimed, seeing Ryan's injuries.

Ryan mumbled that he was fine, and Julie turned her attention to the paramedic who was checking Marissa's heart rate. "I think this young man also needs to go to the hospital."

*

After spending most of the night, and part of the early morning in the waiting area of Hoag Hospital, the Cohens and the Coopers went home. The next morning, both sets of parents were having heart to hearts with their teenagers.

"Ryan, I am so sorry that it sounded like I was blaming you for what happened with Marissa. I was just so shocked that she would do something like that, and we really don't know that much about your background, but that was totally out of line for me," Kirsten started. "I don't ever want to lose you again, and I'm scared to even ask how and why you got beat up so badly in Chino."

Ryan gave her a half smile. "Let's just say what happened in Chino, stays in Chino, and I belong here."

*

The conversation at the Coopers' house went a little differently.

"Marissa, kiddo, that conversation you heard," Jimmy started. "that was something that you were never meant to hear, and I'm very sorry that you heard it the way you did."

Marissa looked at both of her parents, still in disbelief at the previous day's events. "So, it's true?" she whispered.

Julie looked at her daughter and then at Jimmy. "Marissa, honey, this is something that I'd hoped would never come out. But, I had a one night encounter with another guy when I was dating your dad …dating Jimmy," she stammered. "The act was a bad decision, but having you was not. I told Jimmy everything, and he accepted it. Accepted us. Even though he isn't biologically connected to you, he is still your dad." She felt herself holding her breath, waiting for Marissa to say something.

Jimmy jumped in. "Just because our DNA doesn't match, doesn't mean I don't love you 110%, honey. And I want us to find a way to make this family work." He shot Julie a meaningful glance which was not returned.

"Marissa, honey, now about the DUI. I think that you'd be better off in a treatment facility, perhaps the one we talked about, in San Diego. I think that just agreeing to see a therapist here is not enough."

Marissa started to protest when Julie cut her off. "Ryan may come down and visit you as often as your doctor will allow." Seeing that this wasn't quite enough, she continued, "And I'll call Harbor first thing in the morning and talk to the principal about getting Ryan back into Harbor immediately."

Marissa nodded. She wasn't looking forward to San Diego, but she knew that she needed help. She felt for the first time in a long time that she was doing the right thing.

THE END.