Title: Ryan and Joan

Summary: Ryan meets Joan from Joan of Arcadia.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The O.C. or Joan of Arcadia.

Chapter 12 - "Joan in Newport, part 3"

Sandy, the boys, and the girls had everything all ready for dinner by the time that Kirsten came home from the office. The six of them sat and ate at the kitchen table and had a nice getting-to-know-you conversation. Joan learned more about Ryan, the Cohens, and Newport Beach than she had learned from Ryan in all their phone conversations. And Sandy and Kirsten learned a lot about Joan, her family, and Arcadia.

After dinner, Ryan and Joan helped Sandy and Kirsten clean up. Anna had to leave because she had some family thing at home, and Seth walked her out. Ryan decided to take this opportunity to ask Sandy and Kirsten about Halloween.

Ryan took a quick look at Joan first. She saw that he was ready to ask, now, so she went over to the kitchen island where he was and stood next to him.

Ryan started, "So, um, you guys?"

Kirsten and Sandy looked over, and saw Ryan and Joan standing together. It looked to Sandy like Ryan and Joan had something to say, together.

"What's up?"

"Next Saturday - Halloween? I was wondering if it would be OK for me to spend the day in Arcadia with Joan? And then in the evening there's this thing --"

Sandy jumped in, "No, no, no. Not another party."

Joan quickly said, "It's not a party. It's a school dance. You know, chaperoned? My mother's even going to be there. She works at the school. She's going to be a chaperone."

Ryan looked at Joan. She hadn't mentioned before that her mother was going to be there. He wondered if she had just made that up to try and convince Sandy and Kirsten to let him go. He hoped not - they'd heard enough lies lately.

Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other for a moment. Then Sandy looked back at Ryan and said, "Kirsten and I are going to have to discuss this. If you kids could give us a few minutes..."

Ryan said, "Sure. Of course."

Ryan steered Joan out the French doors into the back yard. He stopped there and asked her, "Is your mother really going to be there? You didn't mention that before."

"You think I made it up?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. Joan continued, "Well, I didn't. She is going to be there, like I said."

Ryan took Joan's hand and said, "Sorry. I didn't mean to accuse you..."

Joan gave Ryan a little smile. "That's OK."

While Ryan and Joan were in the back yard, Sandy and Kirsten were talking in the kitchen.

Kirsten started, "I think we should let him go."

"I don't know. I don't know if we should let him go out again so soon."

"Sandy, it's a school dance. What kind of trouble can he get into?"

Sandy frowned. "If that's really where they're going..."

"It's easy to check. You can call Will Girardi, make sure there's really a school dance, make sure Joan's mother is really going to be there. If she is, she can make sure that's where Joan and Ryan are."

Sandy nodded, thoughtfully. "I guess I can do that."

Kirsten looked out the kitchen window and looked at Ryan and Joan in the back yard. Ryan was holding Joan's hand. Sandy joined Kirsten at the window and looked out at Ryan and Joan, too.

Sandy remarked, "Joan is a nice girl, isn't she?"

"That she is."

"Hmmm... I guess it would be OK, if it checks out. She's a nice girl. She's not the type to pull him into any trouble. And he's going to want to protect her, and keep her from getting into any trouble. And you know what? I'll bet Ryan knows that if he does get Joan into any trouble, her father would kick his ass."

Sandy smiled at Kirsten. "I mean, as a cop."

Kirsten smiled back, "Yeah."

When Kirsten and Sandy were done discussing it, and since they had finished cleaning up the kitchen, they joined Ryan and Joan in the back yard. When Ryan and Joan saw Kirsten and Sandy approaching, they stood side-by-side, holding hands, waiting for the verdict.

Sandy let them know the good news. "Ryan, we're going to let you go --"

Ryan and Joan smiled at each other, and Ryan squeezed Joan's hand. Ryan looked back at Sandy and said, "Thanks."

Sandy continued. "-- provided that this checks out. I'm going to call your father, Joan, and make sure we're all on the same page."

"OK."

"I want you two to stay at the dance. No making an appearance then sneaking out to some party."

Ryan reassured Sandy, "We're not going to do that."

"And the usual: no drinking, no drugs, no fighting. And your curfew is still midnight, so you're going to have to take Joan home and leave her house by 11 O'Clock."

"Right, OK, got it."

Sandy and Kirsten looked at each other. Kirsten said, "Well, I guess that's it."

Ryan smiled at Kirsten and Sandy. "Thanks, you guys."

When it was time for Joan to go home, Ryan walked her out to her car. "I hope you had a good time."

"Yeah, it was nice. The Cohens are nice people."

"Yup. So... I'll come up next week? I'll come early so we can hang out. You can show me Arcadia."

"Sounds good. And remember, we have to get you a costume." Ryan groaned.

Joan looked at Ryan for a moment. Smiling to herself, she decided to turn the tables on him this time. She reached up and gave him a quick kiss, saying, "Don't worry, we'll think of something cool."

Ryan looked pleasantly surprised. Joan saw his eyebrows go up, and he had a little smile on his face. That was the first time that she'd done that. He'd always been the one before who had initiated the kisses. Joan hoped that she didn't just get in over her head. She hoped that he didn't assume too much from that.

She wasn't surprised, then, when he reached out and put his arm around her waist and leaned into her and gave her another one of his long, soft, intoxicating French kisses, like in her bedroom that first night two weeks ago. She had feelings running through her that she'd never felt before. When he broke it off, she stood there for a moment, a little dazed.

When Joan looked back up at Ryan, he was smiling at her, like he knew what he'd just done to her.

To Be Continued