A WEEK LATER, SATURDAY MORNING

It has been a week since Summer walked out on Zach, and despite his numerous attempts to call, she was not interested. Marissa had been away again on business organizing a charity event in San Francisco, but had arrived back the day before.

Summer and Marissa had decided to go for a workout at the local gym. Both were dressed in their designer tracksuits and brand name cross-trainers, and were taking a slow walk on the treadmill next to each other. Both had a bottle of water in hand and a sweat towel draped over the left bar of the treadmill.

"So you just walked out on him?" Marissa commented.

"Yup, just high-tailed it out of there… let his baby-sitter or tutor or whatever deal with his self-righteous ass."

"Wow, a lot can happen in a week in The OC."

"Never again Coop… I am through with Zach, his little 'religio-extremist' views, through with boys, and through with relationships. I mean how can anyone live like that? No sex for eight years… it's… it's just unnatural. How do you know if you are… you know… compatible?"

"I dunno…" Marissa said laughingly. "Some people are just like that I guess, and for some people it works…"

"Not for me, from now on I just fend for myself."

"So where are you gonna stay? Isn't the house in Zach's name? Doesn't he want it back? He's probably gonna have to sell…"

"Not my problem… I've had the locks changed, so his as.s can't get in there anyway… Besides, he's off to Italy for a few weeks again… something about his sister and her husband not being able to work things out… I dunno… Not my problem anymore."

"Well, if you need a place…"

"Thanks Coop… will keep that in mind."

"And what about transport? You can't take the bus forever… well, you could, but I just couldn't see YOU doing it…"

"THAT, girlfriend, is what we will be sorting out this afternoon!" Summer said with a smirk on her face.

SETH, RYAN, ZACH & NOW ABBY'S PLACE

Zach was lying in the TV room under a blanket looking very sorry for himself. The blinds were drawn shut and past episodes of Dr. Phil were showing.

Ryan came down from upstairs.

"Are you ever going to get up from there?" Ryan asked unsympathetically.

"No." Zach mumbled, depressed.

Seth came through from the kitchen and went and stood next to Ryan, handing him a cup of coffee.

"Still pouting?" Seth asked Ryan as he motioned with a movement of his head in Zach's direction.

"Yup." Ryan took a sip of the coffee.

"I'm not pouting… I'm grieving." Zach responded.

"Grieving… pouting… sulking… what difference does it make, its all just semantics…" Seth said back.

"… actually you can call it whatever you want, the bottom line is its taking up space in our TV room."

"Hello? Guys, I'm still here!" Zach said sounding a bit annoyed.

Seth went and sat on the adjacent couch.

"Dude, let me give you some advice… coming from being a victim of the Summer-dump myself may I suggest that it is important that you move on… get over it… burn that bridge… cross the hurdle…"

"Ok. Seth. I get it." Zach was not getting it.

"Actually buddy… when did you ever get over Summer?" Ryan said with a smirk as he sipped his coffee again. "If I remember not so long ago a little conversation between you and me about…"

"OKAY! Dude. You're not helping here…" Seth said cutting Ryan off. He stood up and walked back to Ryan's side. He whispered in Ryan's ear, but loud enough for Zach to hear. "It's called tactics my friend… you need to learn some. We've got to get this guy off our couch!"

"Here, hold this." Ryan handed Seth his cup of coffee.

He walked up the couch from behind and with all his strength lifted it, causing Zach to roll off and fall face down on the floor. He walked back to Seth and took his coffee.

"THAT is how you get someone off the couch."

Zach moaned. "Ah man, do you not have sympathetic bone in your body?"

"Not for people who cheat on their fiancés." Ryan responded coldly.

"I didn't CHEAT."

Just then Abby came through and walked right on over to Zach, and knelt down next to him.

"Ah, baby… did you fall off?"

"Uh huh… that is very clear to me now." Ryan was coldly sarcastic as he walked off to the kitchen.

Zach got up and, looking the complete picture of misery, made his way up the stairs. Abby followed him, and Seth followed Ryan to the kitchen.

"So bro, do you think this is now a good time to perhaps move in on recently vacated property?"

"You just referred to Summer as a house." Ryan said emotionless.

"A very small, beautiful, cute house… like a condo… actually I was thinking more along the lines of a country cottage…"

"I wouldn't advise it."

"No, you right. She needs time to get over Zach before she can have another boyfriend."

"Don't think she's gonna want another boyfriend all too soon. You know what she is gonna need? … A friend. Be a friend, Seth."

"A friend with benefits?"

"NO! Just a friend…"

"No Benefits?"

"No Benefits."

"Unless of course that's what she wants right? I mean she has been without benefits for while now, so if I were to deny that to her wouldn't it just be considered selfish?"

Ryan just shook his head, and just then the doorbell rang. Ryan went to answer it.

"Hi Ryan."

Sandy. Hi." Ryan responded warmly and stepped aside for Sandy to enter. "Would you like some coffee?"

"No. Thanks." Sandy was unusually reserved. Normally he was full of life and excitement and ready for a cup of coffee any day.

"What… What's wrong?" Ryan could tell something wasn't right.

"Maybe you should sit down, Ryan."

Sandy and Ryan sat down on the couch in the lounge.

"Is… this about Trey?" Ryan perceived well.

"Yeah… He's been found."

"That's… that's good… right?"

Sandy just sat there in silence; don't say a word. He didn't know what to say. Ryan's look of excitement turned to utter despair and sorrow within seconds as he read Sandy's body language.

Ryan and Trey had never really got on well after Trey came out of prison, but they had begun really being friends and brothers again recently when they started the company together.

"I'm so sorry." Sandy offered his sympathies.

And as he said that for the very first time in almost ten years of him having known Ryan he saw something he's never seen. Ryan's eyes began to fill with tears.

"Oh, kid…" Sandy felt Ryan's pain. "If there is anything that I and Kirsten…"

"Actually… I think I just need… to be alone." Ryan pulled back the tears, trying to compose himself. He stood up and turned around towards the kitchen, and in the entrance way stood Seth. He had heard it all.

Ryan put his cup of coffee down on the table and made his way upstairs. Seth and Sandy just stood and stared at each other.

"He's gonna need you now more than ever." Sandy advised Seth.