Summary: Marissa and Ryan's thoughts after they sleep together.

Background: This takes place in season two. Ryan and Marissa have gotten back together (obviously...) and Trey is back from Chino. Trey has NOT tried to rape Marissa.

If you haven't figured out by now that this story is a continuation of Join the Club and Afraid of the Unknown, you haven't been reading this very carefully. So that means you probably aren't reading this right now.

A/N: I am so sorry it took me so long to write this. I feel so bad, especially after the wonderful reviews I recieved. It was very hard for me to write this last part...I'm not quite sure why, but it was. Part of it is because I was at camp, as well as the fact that I wrote a one shot (Yesterday, Seven Years Ago) and started another story (Less of a Mother). It turned out a little more fluffier than I would have liked, but a little fluff now and then never hurt anyone. I would like any and ALL reviews, so please let me know what you thought of it..too fluffy for you? Or was it just right? Hit the button and let your voice be heard...like thesesix did:

Dogsbody: I have never understood that about men either...being female is so much better (no offense to males). I kept writing, so I hope you will keep reviewing. Kursk: On both accounts, your wish is my command. Sorry it wasn't that soon, though. J: I'm very glad that the last chapter was perfect for you; hopefully this one will be as well. IluvDanBen33: It always makes me happy to hear that a reader loves the story. So thanks! GalootMaster: All I can say is thank you. Sis2ACesarSalad: I'm glad that the last chapter was more enjoyable for you! Wow, that was one long review...thanks so much!

Enjoy the story---and remember to review. Please?

Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with the O.C. I do, however, own the story. Do not steal and do not copy.

Ryan was laying back on his bed, thinking about the previous night.

He and Marissa hadn't really talked since then.

Was that a good sign or a bad sign?

Usually when he was this nervous, it was because he and Marissa were in a fight.

Or, rather, Marissa was mad at him and he didn't know why.

This was perhaps the first time that he was nervous about something having to do with Marissa that had nothing to with a fight.

Although, he had been nervous about seeing her the night before school started—both years. Not to mention the night he had spent worrying over how soon Theresa would leave so that things could go back to normal.

So maybe it wasn't the first time. But it was definitely one of the rare moments where his nervousness was not due to an argument with Marissa.

There was a soft rap on the door.

Speak of the devil.

"Come in."

Ryan stared at the handle, willing the person on the other side to be Seth, yet knowing that it was Marissa.

The devil herself, looking as gorgeous as ever, walked through the now open doorway.

"Hey."

Ryan started to get up, ready to greet her and face the challenge that was talking to her.

"Don't bother getting up."

Marissa walked over to the bed and climbed into the familiar position. She fit perfectly with him. Why was this so hard for her?

Fears were something she had grown accustomed to living with. However, most of her fears evaporated when she was around Ryan. So then why had her fears and anxiety shot up as soon as she had entered the pool house?

Ryan wrapped one arm around Marissa and rested the other one on top her hair, stroking it gently. She sighed and he wasn't sure what that meant.

"You just left. I woke up and you were gone."

It had freaked Ryan out to wake up, expecting to feel his girlfriend next to him and then realizing that she wasn't even there. Some time between falling asleep and waking up, she had disappeared.

"Sorry. I had to get back or else my mom would flip out."

Ryan's unspoken words hung in the silence. His tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth and words were more difficult than they ever usually were. He had been afraid that she had left in a hurry because of something he had done.

It was clear that both were wrapped up in their own thoughts.

Marissa broke the silence first.

"Ryan?"

"Yeah?"

"You remember last Valentine's Day, when I came here to try to make the whole Oliver thing up to you?"

How could he forget? It was the time he had turned down sex, the time he had really hurt Marissa by saying that he didn't want to sleep with her.

"Yeah," Ryan answered, not sure where this was going.

"I'm glad that you turned me away," was her muffled response.

This was not what Ryan was expecting to hear. Why was she bringing this up now?

"Do you think we should have stopped last night?" Marissa asked cautiously. Honestly, she wasn't quite sure why she was asking this question. What happened to all the clubs and doors and moved on? Could it be possible that she was still insecure about the whole thing, even after discovering the Nameless Club?

She held her breath, waiting for Ryan to answer.

Ryan pondered what the right answer should be. Sure, he had decided he had no regrets about sleeping with her. But did this mean that Marissa had regrets?

Finally, he answered.

"No."

Ryan could hear Marissa exhale, as if she had been holding her breath.

"Do you?"

Her breath hitched up in her throat; she had not been expecting this from Ryan. Slowly, she raised her head up from his chest and settled on her hands.

"Am I really qualified to answer that?" Marissa asked with a small smile.

"Marissa, that has nothing to do with it."

"I think it does…" She was a little hurt by Ryan's statement.

"Look," he began to say, but stopped for a moment, finding the right words. "Do you have any regrets about last night?"

Damn. She had been wondering that herself.

"I…I don't know. Is that a good sign?"

"Better than if you had answered yes," he said, smiling a little.

"Do you ever think about her?"

"Who?" Who was she talking about?

"Theresa." Marissa wasn't quite sure why she was asking this, but it was something she had to know before she could answer Ryan's first question.

"What? Why? Why bring her up now?" Although, Ryan could easily guess where this was going.

"Ry…" That was all she had to say.

"I'm not going to answer that. It's a stupid question that doesn't matter."

"So that's a yes."

"I don't even know what the question was."

"Are you really going to make me ask it?" She cringed slightly.

"Ask what?" Ryan was having fun with this, although it was embarrassing for him.

"Did you think about her at all last night? Do you think of her when I'm with you? Do you ever think about…sleeping with Theresa?"

Ryan sighed and wondered again why she was bringing this up.

"No, of course not. Look, I know what you're getting at, but I'm not biting."

"Ryan, it's just that…I have to know."

"No, you really don't. It doesn't matter, just drop it."

"It matters to me," Marissa said, pouting a little.

"Well it shouldn't," he replied, kissing her on the nose.

Marissa responded by capturing his lips in hers. For a few minutes, they lost themselves in each other.

"You know who I ran into this morning?" she said, breaking away.

"Trey?" Ryan guessed.

"He gave me a very funny look. What was he doing here that early?"

"I haven't a clue…all he did was hassle me about..." Ryan broke off his sentence at the look Marissa was giving him. "He was just being annoying."

"I've made up my mind," she declared a minute later.

"Huh? About what?"

"About whether or not I have any regrets."

Ryan gulped, knowing full well that how she answered would pave the way for their relationship.

"And?" he asked tentatively.

"I don't. Have any, I mean."

Ryan broke out into a huge grin and pulled Marissa up to him. Their tongues collided for a moment, and then he spoke up.

"Glad to hear it."

"So does this mean that we were right not to stop last night?" Marissa was still unsure about where she stood on the issue.

He shrugged. "I think it does."

"Can you ever really be sure? I mean, how do you know if it was right?"

Ryan thought for a moment, then came up with the perfect answer.

"You do it again."