Giving Thanks

Disclaimer: I have no affliations with The O.C., Fox, Lindsay Lohan's breasts (real or not), or anything else mentioned in the story.

A/N: A few notes to my reviewers first. 60sChic, sucks about your account, by the way, and I don't think I'll keep it coinciding with Thanksgiving time. It'd be an awesome idea, but I'm just not organized enough. SC-Angel, Ryan and Marissa will be involved, but not exactly how you may want. Thanks for reading, I love the feedback.

It was after dinner, and Eva and gone to sleep early. She was getting over the flu. Theresa and Ryan sat together on the couch, flipping through the few channels they had without cable.

"Stop," Ryan said as an repeat of "The Valley" flooded the screen.

Theresa raised her eyebrow and looked at Ryan with a surprised look on her face. "You like this?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Look, I've been meaning to ask you something," he said, changing the subject.

Theresa turned her attention to Ryan. "Say it," she ordered.

"When Seth and his girlfriend, Summer, came by today, Seth had an idea…His parents haven't seen me ever since I left and according to him, they really miss me. So, his idea was that I would come for Thanksgiving dinner and spend it with his parents, but if you want me to stay here with you and Eva…"

"Ryan," she said in her "You-Know-Me" voice.

He knew that's her way of answering, but he couldn't exactly decode it.

Theresa continued, "The Cohens are a huge part of your life. They're your family. I could never make you stay. And if I did, you'd be all sad and brooding at me all day,"

Ryan laughed. She was defenitly right. "Thanks. I'll bring you back some yams,"

Theresa rolled her eyes. "Yams? Eww! God, Atwood, you don't know me at all!"

"Too bad you never met Summer," Ryan said with a smile.

"They are so not real!" Summer squealed at lunch with Marissa and Seth.

"Oh my God, they are definately real! You developed late, too!" Marissa debated, taking a bite out of her salad.

Seth drank from his soda bottle. It was times like these he really missed having Ryan around. Or Luke. Or Anna. Or even Danny, he really just needed a friend around that didn't argue about whether or not Lindsay Lohan had breast implants.

"Does it matter? She's still hot," Seth said.

Marissa continued to eat her salad and prepared for a Seth-Summer-bicker-fest. "I'm only a C-cup, you know," Summer stated.

Seth, oblivious, nodded.

"So, you think Lindsay Lohan's hotter then me?"

"No! I like your boobs, much, much more," Seth exclaimed.

Summer giggled a little and threw a crouton from Marissa's salad at him. Marissa took a bite of Summer's rice in return.

The irritating high-pitched version of "Barbie Girl" rang from Seth's phone.

"That would be the work of Summer," Seth said, turning to Marissa.

Marissa laughed and looked at the phone. Ryan Home came up on the Caller-ID. She bit her lip.

Seth got up from the table and answered the call.

"Sum, why do you think Ryan's calling Seth?" Marissa asked, part curious and part yearning to talk to him.

Summer shrugged and looked down at her plate. She could never lie to someone's face. "Probably to check up...Those two were like inseperable,"

Marissa sighed. "Yeah, anyway, I'm gonna go get my stuff for next period. Two more classes and school's done for the break!"

She took her plate and got up from the table, just as Seth was coming back.

"He's coming,"

Summer smiled, but then realized how much work they would have to do. "We can't let Coop and Chino see each other,"

Seth nodded. "They probably won't. But I've kept two people apart on Thanksgiving,"

Summer gave him a dirty look and got up from the table. "Wanna be alone by Thanksgiving?"