A/N: Hey! Well, I must say looking back that I can understand completely how this isn't the most promising chapter… I've changed the format for the thoughts like suggested to ease a few confused and irritated people, and since I'm not willing to go back and re-write the whole chapter I'll just try to salvage the mess I made. I'd still really like to kill of Caleb because, um, I hate they guy's guts, but even though it was logical and believable, I hate to think of Trey as a would-be rapist, so I'm going to keep him around. Kirsten will be going to rehab, but I'm going to address that in a couple chapters… I don't want it to seem like I'm throwing a bunch of unrelated events together to try and create a "dramatic" appeal.
Chapter Four: A Change in Direction
Marissa's Thoughts Why did I do that? I don't have feelings for Trey! I mean, he's a great guy minus the criminal past and it's not like he's ugly or extremely weird or anything, but I just… I love Ryan. What was I thinking? Being confused isn't any excuse… I just really wish that things were different. I'm going to go and talk to Ryan right now and straighten this whole thing out. I need to stop being so SELFISH and focus on him! End
"Hey, Marissa, what a nice surprise!" Kirsten said, opening the door up. "Seth and Summer are upstairs, and I'm not quite sure where Ryan is. I think he left to see Trey or something." She shrugged her shoulders apologetically.
"Oh, no! Thank you, Mrs. Cohen," Marissa called out, waving before turning around and running out the door.
Turning the key in the ignition, she looked down at her shaky hands, willing them to still. Realizing she was going to be unsuccessful for awhile, she turned into reverse and got out, speeding towards Trey's.
"Trey? Ryan? Are you guys there?" she called out, knocking on the door loudly. Theresa answered the door, a strangely uncomfortable Ryan behind her.
"Hey, Marissa," Theresa said, giving her a nod and beckoning her to come in.
"Hey. I know how this looks and I'm sorry, but could I possibly speak to Ryan alone?" Marissa asked, biting her lip hesitantly. She saw Theresa grow almost possessive of Ryan as she moved closer.
"I don't think that there's anything that you can't say in front of both of us. Should we just wait for Trey to start having this out?" Her tone was as sharp as and arrow, and unfortunately it hit its mark.
"Fine. If that's the way we have to do it… look, I do need to apologize for being irrational and for grabbing onto the first person who offered me a shoulder to cry on. That was Trey. We met up for lunch. I held Charlie. He wiped away a couple of my tears and we had an uncomfortable moment. We realized that we were treading on dangerous ground and crossing a line, so we stopped. We stopped, guys. You have to believe me, Ryan…" She could see Ryan's eyes reflecting regret as he met her gaze.
"Well, then I guess that I need to apologize too. I was sitting in the car and watching you and Trey. I don't know why, but for some reason, I just kept on thinking back to you and DJ, and it all just seemed so similar, even though they were two completely different things… I guess that I just let it get to me. I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."
"It's fine. I mean, you didn't do anything wrong at all… I probably would've thought the same thing," Marissa admitted, looking down at her feet.
Theresa cleared her throat. "Guys, I think that we need to discuss something. It's obvious that you two are still in love, and I… I just don't know how to handle this. I'm more than willing to step aside, but I think that for everybody's good, Marissa's included, we need to talk about how we want Charlie to view this."
"I don't know what there is to talk about," Ryan objected. "You'll always be his mom and I'll always be his dad, and we'll split the time that we spend with him. As far as Marissa goes, I guess that it's up to her what role she plays in his life."
Marissa fidgeted uncomfortably as both pairs of eyes turned to her. "Well, I'd really like to be involved in Charlie's life. I'd never, ever try to replace Theresa or come in between you guys… I mean, I'm just going to have to accept that whether or not you two are romantically involved you'll always have a special type of friendship because you have a baby. I would really like to be like and aunt or a special adult friend of his, though."
"What happens if you and Ryan eventually break up? How is that going to affect Charlie? We all know that you two can't stay together forever… we need to discuss this now."
"How about you just back off and let them discuss it with you when and if it happens, Reese?" They all turned to look at Trey, standing in the doorway.
Theresa's thoughts I can't believe he used my pet name! None of this even concerns him! Can't he just leave for now? End
"Watch it, Trey. This is none of your business," Theresa warned.
"The heck it isn't his business! He's the uncle!" Ryan exclaimed, his voice getting surprisingly loud without reaching the shouting level.
"I just don't see why so many other people have to be involved with raising OUR kid!"
"Other people were always involved. Ryan and I hadn't resolved our breakup the right way yet, so I was involved. Seth was his confidant and Trey is his brother, so they're both involved. Your family's involved, too, just like all of the Cohens. You can't try to make this about you, Theresa. Yes, you are his parent, but no, you can't try to single-handedly control everyones' lives like that." Ryan and Trey looked at Marissa, shocked. She hadn't had her usual angry or biting edge when she'd said it, and her face was completely free of any sign of sarcasm.
"Speaking of which, where's Charlie?" Theresa asked.
"I left him with Seth and Summer. I had a feeling that I'd managed to screw things up over here, and I figured that it couldn't be good for him emotionally to be around a bunch of adults duking it out."
"But being around two people who are most likely making out right now is?" Theresa shot back, glaring at him.
"Let's give them some credit, okay? As self-centered as Seth is, Summer will probably be doting over him," Ryan said, getting slightly irritated by the jab at his friends.
"Fine! You know what? I can't deal with this right now. You two define you relationship, you go pick up Charlie and make sure that they haven't managed to kill my son, and I'll go cool off and get ready for round two." Theresa threw her hands up in the air.
"There isn't any round two. It's not your choice what I do with my life. I can assure you that being with Marissa isn't going to negatively affect my fathering abilities, considering that I haven't even seen the little guy yet. If Marissa and I break up then we'll explain it to Charlie when we get there, but I don't appreciate your lack of faith in my relationship skills," Ryan stated, taking Marissa's hand and walking out the door.
"Well, I guess that you'd better start picking your battles, missy," Trey commented as he plopped down on the couch, turning on the old TV he'd been able to pick up for twenty bucks at a yard sale.
"Yeah, whatever," she muttered, retreating to the bathroom for some peace and quiet.
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Seth's Thoughts Holding a baby is surprisingly less nerve-wracking than I imagined. I mean, you've got to admit that when he has Atwood genes in him you don't know whether he's gonna start bawling or beat the bloody pulp out of you. Plus, it isn't exactly a tragedy that Summer is really feeling this whole paternal vibe I'm giving off. End
"Oh my gosh, he is SO cute, Cohen! You should write him into your comic book as the baby with the power to charm anyone! Did I mention that is undoubtedly the CUTEST baby EVER!"
"Oh, only three thousand times," Seth deadpanned, leaning in to stare intently into Charlie's eyes just as a small hand reached up and clamped onto his hair, unwilling to let go. "Ow, ow, OW, Summer, get it OFF me!" he yelped, and Summer laughed before preceding to detach the baby from Seth's hair and cradling him in her arms.
"Who's the cutest widdle guy on the pwanet? YOU are! That's right, YOU are!"
"Hey, I thought that title belonged to me," Seth mumbled, crossing his arms.
"Sorry, but you've been dethroned." She paused a minute, letting Charlie grab onto one of her fingers. "You know, I always assumed that I would hate babies. I don't know why. I mean, in theory they're cute, but… I've seen the comedies where all of a sudden poop starts erupting from their butts and it's impossible to pacify it, whether you're rocking or bouncing or feeding or changing the poor little thing. With Charlie, though… I mean, I changed my first diaper today, Cohen! And I loved it! I mean, earlier when he was screaming bloody murder, I got so irritated I thought that I might have to hit you a couple times to relieve the stress, but I didn't! Who would've guessed that I'm, like, maternal dynamite!"
Seth looked at her, and not knowing what else to say, he just added, "Well, I'm glad that you didn't have to hit me."
"It's also a good thing that this cute little bundle is in my arms right now, because if he wasn't than you would be getting your…"
"Let's not have his brain absorbing profanities quite yet, all right?" Seth interrupted, playfully covering the baby's ears. Suddenly Trey walked in.
"Hey, thanks for watching him. I'm really sorry for the short notice…"
"That's okay, just fill us in on everything," Seth said.
"Well, it wasn't pretty. I mean, it wasn't terrible, but it could've gone a lot better. Theresa kept on getting catty and possessive of Ryan, and he wouldn't take it. Then she started attacking Marissa and claiming that she was looking out for Charlie's best interests, and Marissa put her in her place…"
"Go, Coop!" Summer cheered.
"… and then everyone kind of drifted off. I think that Ryan and Marissa might actually be in the poolhouse talking right now."
Seth snorted. "They're in a perfectly good poolhouse. WHY would they be TALKING?"
"Perv. Don't let the baby hear you talking like that!" Summer softly reprimanded.
"Well, I've gotta be going, so thanks again and I'll talk to you guys soon," Trey said, moving to take Charlie from Summer. She paused for a moment looking at him with foreboding before handing him Charlie.
"If you so much as give him a SCRATCH…"
"Okay, let's leave Trey and the baby alone," Seth interjected, putting his arms around Summer's shoulders.
When Trey finally left he came closer to Summer, kissing her neck. "You know what the GOOD think about not having a baby around is? Finally being able to do this." He turned around and kissed her, still feeling the same old delight as she kissed him back.
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Ryan's Thoughts Okay, so this isn't a bad way to pass the time. In fact, have a blond-haired, blue-eyed beauty in my arms isn't bad at all. This time, I've just got to remember not to get anyone pregnant. Okay, bad joke man… DON'T start acting like Seth…End
"Hey Ry?" Marissa suddenly asked, turning to face him from their spot at the pier, looking out at the ocean.
"What is it?"
"Do you think that we'll end up breaking up again like Theresa said?"
"I think that for once, it might do us some good to NOT think about the past or the future or worry about whether or not we're being mature or immature. Maybe we should just let ourselves be," he answered, taking a long time to form what he wanted to say and get it all out.
"I think that the poet in you has been hiding out behind that silent, broody exterior all this time," she replied, lacing her fingers behind his neck and touching his forehead with hers.
"Don't push your luck."
"I wouldn't dream of it," she answered, kissing him slowly and intently. He wrapped his arms even more tightly around her waist, wanting her so much that it made his whole body ache.
"How about we sit down before we get too out of hand?" she whispered, motioning to a nearby bench.
"Okay. I don't really want to talk about this anymore, though."
"Who said we had to talk? How about we just say nothing at all, and watch the ocean, and think about us and who we are right now without thinking about other people, and do exactly what you just suggested?" Being the first to start, Ryan answered with a nod.
So the sun faded away from its brilliant hues of oranges and reds and gold while it reflected over the water until it faded, making way for stars, however few, to twinkle next to a moon that shone in silver against a velvet-blue sky, and still they sat there.
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"Hey Trey?" Theresa asked, sitting down next to him, looking almost lost.
"What is it?" he responded, getting ready to tune her out.
"Ryan's never going to love me; not the way he loves Marissa, will he?"
Trey paused for a moment, looking her in the eyes. "No, I don't think he will."
"So maybe I should just leave and let them be happy." She couldn't seem to stop the steady stream of tears dripping down her face.
"Hey, nobody's leaving. Without you here, who am I going to talk about the old days in Chino with? Seth?" They both laughed at the idea, and he gave her a hug before they turned back to the TV. Theresa looked down in surprise when she felt Trey's fingers intertwine with hers. Instead of moving or saying anything, she simply responded, sitting there in her flannel PJ's with her son sleeping in his playpen in Trey's room where he was letting her stay.
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"Hey, Sandy? I need to talk to you about something," Ryan said quietly, sitting Sandy down.
"Sure, what is it, kid?" As every last detail unfolded, Sandy put his head in his hands. "So she's staying with Trey? At least that's taken care of… I'm so sorry, Ryan. Kirsten and I are here for you all the way. I'd rather we waited until tomorrow morning to talk with her about this, though."
"I understand," Ryan replied, almost grateful that he didn't have to talk with his surrogate mother about it tonight.
"I'm telling you Summer. If Trey and Theresa go together then we could be the Stealth Six! I mean, isn't it catchy?"
"Sure, Cohen…" Ryan and Sandy laughed. Suddenly, the phone rang.
Sandy answered, a string of "Oh, no" "I'm so sorry" and "Of course we will" phrases being thrown around. When he set down the phone, an enclosing silence filled the room.
"Mr. Cohen…?" Summer questioned uncertainly.
"It's Caleb. He's dead."