The O.C.

Family

By: Mark A. Hogan Jr.

Chapter Three

Ryan could hear the sound of something shattering as he snuggled close to Lindsey inside the pool house. He looked up at the clock to see that it was ten thirty and the sun was shining bright. He sat up slowly as another crashing noise came from inside the house. Lindsey slowly stirred of her sleep.

"What's going on?" she asked as she yawned.

Ryan ran to one of the pool house windows and tried to see inside the house, "I don't know. Stay here, let me check it out."

Before Lindsey could object Ryan was out the door, shutting with a soft thud. Lindsey sat up on the bed and watched Ryan enter the house through the patio doors. She looked around for her shoes, finding them near the bed she slipped them on and slowly followed him into the house.

"Kiki, stop!" Caleb said sternly as another piece of Kirsten's home was thrown at his head, breaking on the floor behind him.

Kirsten picked up another piece of glass, "Get out of my house!"

"Please, Kiki," Caleb said dodging the glass, "I just want to explain myself…"

Kirsten looked up at her dad, two vases in her hands, "I don't care! Get out!"

Ryan ran into the new family room to find Kristen behind the bar throwing anything she could at her father to make sure that he kept his distance. He waited a moment to see what Kirsten did as Caleb attempted to dodge all her throws. Ryan soon entered, standing in front of Caleb blocking him from Kirsten and Kirsten from him.

"I think you should leave," Ryan said quietly to the tall white-haired man.

Caleb looked at Ryan, "Excuse me?"

"I think you should leave," Ryan said again. "Now."

Caleb looked at Ryan for a moment before pushing Ryan backward, "Get out of my way, Scum Child."

"I said you should leave," Ryan said again.

This time Caleb took a swing at Ryan, landing it right on Ryan's left cheek. Ryan stumbled back a few feet but quickly regained his balance. Everything was a blur for a moment, but he was quickly brought back to reality as he hear Kristen scream.

"Don't touch my son!"

Kirsten raised her hands above her head, a large liquor bottle above her head until she heard a young girl screaming from the entrance that lead to the kitchen. Everyone turned to see Lindsey running to Ryan, who was still standing where he had stumbled a few moments before.

"Stop!" she screamed, tears running down her face.

Caleb spoke softly in shock, "Lindsey… I'm so sorry."

"Dad," she said sternly, "Just leave."

Caleb tried to object, "But Lindsey…"

"Go," she said as she turned her attention to Ryan.

Caleb looked at Kirsten, and then to Lindsey. He stood in silence for a few moments before two men walked in from the front entrance way, pulling his arms behind his back. He could feel a cold metal object being locked onto both wrists, forcing his arms to remain there.

One of the men finally spoke, "Caleb Nicole, you are under arrest for trespassing and domestic disturbance. "

"Take these things off me!" Caleb snapped at the officers.

The officer continued his speech, "You have the right to remain silent…"

"I know my rights," Caleb growled angrily.

The two officers escorted Caleb out of the room just as Sandy walked in. He looked at Lindsey who was hugging Ryan as the shock of what happened slowly sank in. He immediately ran to Kirsten who had sank behind the bar, her face buried in her hands as she sobbed.

"Are you alright?" Sandy asked as he knelt beside her.

Kirsten didn't reply, she simply tackled Sandy with a hug that nearly sent both of them flying onto the floor as she cried. He held her close and whispered into her ear. Ryan stood silently, holding Lindsey as she shook.

"It's alright, Sandy," Ryan said quietly. "I'm the only one that was hurt."

Sandy turned to see Ryan, a large mark appearing on his cheek, "He hit you?"

"I told him he should leave," Ryan said looking at the floor, "He shoved me the first time, but then he hit me."

"Lindsey!?" a female's voice called from the front door.

Lindsey lifted her head just high enough from Ryan's shoulder to call out, "We're in here, Mom."

Her mother ran into the family room frantically, "I just saw the police putting Caleb into the squad car… Ryan!"

By now she had noticed the mark on his cheek, "I'm fine. Don't worry, everyone else is alright."

"Thank God!" she said with a sigh of relief.

Kirsten slowly retook control of herself, "Sandy,"

Everyone turned and looked at Kirsten as Sandy responded, "What is it, Sweetheart?"

"I want to press charges on Dad for hitting Ryan," she said. "I want him to pay for hitting Ryan. If Seth had been here, he might have hit him too."

Sandy helped Kirsten to her feet, "Don't worry, Honey. He's gone for now. Seth's safe over at a friends and Ryan and Lindsey are safe. Lets go get some breakfast and try to put this behind us."

"That's a good idea," Ryan said as Lindsey still clung to him.

Everyone slowly agreed with Sandy. They all left to clean up and met back at the Range Rover. They all crammed into the SUV and took off toward town. No one said a word. Sandy drove with Kirsten in the passenger seat, holding his hand tightly. Ryan sat behind Sandy, Lindsey sitting in the middle between her mom and Ryan, holding her mom's hand and resting her head on Ryan's shoulder.

Lindsey looked up to see the mark on Ryan's face taking a darker color, "You're going to have a pretty dark eye soon."

Ryan smiled slightly, "It's not the first time since I lived here. I got one defending Seth from a guy named Luke the first night I was here."

Kirsten turned to look at Ryan, "That's why both of you were so beat up and drunk?"

"Yeah, except I wasn't drunk, that was Seth," Ryan said as the smile grew larger, "I got the black eye."

Kirsten was obviously holding back tears, "I'm so sorry, Sweetheart. At the time I wasn't sure about you and I jumped to conclusions."

"Al that matters is that we're together," Ryan said resting his head on the head rest, "as a family."

Everyone couldn't help but let a small smile cross on their faces and said, "Here here."

The car sped down the road toward downtown Newport, the groups' spirits were beginning to rise as the moved away from the house and the scene of the morning's event. They all relaxed as they were moving toward one of the family's favorite take outs, Chinese food.

"Ugh…" Seth said as he sat up, the morning's light forcing him to squint.

He could hear someone opening the door to the room and speaking, "Morning, Sunshine."

"Alex…?" Seth called out still somewhere between sleep world and reality.

He felt her sit on the bed next to him, "Yeah, it's me."

"Where am I?" he asked as if in a daze.

She smiled, "My place. You had Zack drop you off and as you were heading into the Bait Shop. Summer cut you off and slapped you. I ran out and pulled you inside and once we closed, I brought you home with me… better than the couch in the bar's office."

"Thanks…" Seth said as the daze began to subside. "What time is it?"

Alex looked over to her nightstand, "It's about eleven forty-five."

"Oh shit," Seth said as he scrambled out of the bed, "My parents are going to freak."

Alex used one arm to push Seth back down on the bed, "You dad called your cell nearly two hours ago. I told him you were here and that you were fine so he said he'd call back later. He wasn't pissed. I told him what happened."

"Oh great…" Seth said quietly, "now the parentals get to pry into my personal life again."

Alex pulled the currently self-absorbed Seth into a short passionate kiss, "Come on, I made some eggs for breakfast. You better like them or I'll make you bleed too."

"Haha," Seth said with a smile, "I could take you."

Alex smiled, "If you think I'm as weak as Summer, you're in for a world of hurt."

"Yeah, whatever," Seth said sarcastically.

Alex pulled lightly on Seth's arm as she stood up, "Come on, eggs are getting cold."

"I'm coming," Seth said as he slowly stood up from the bed and gaining his balance back.

He followed through the small apartment and into the kitchen. They ate scrambled eggs and discussed what happened with Summer the night before and how Seth was feeling. Alex tried all she could to keep Seth happy and laughing, succeeding much better than Seth and his rambling jokes. Soon the two were playfully pushing each other around until she shoved him into her room, slamming the door behind her.

TO BE CONTINUED…