Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Ryan or Brooke, they belong to Josh Schwartz and Mark Schwahn. I don't own Seth, Summer, Marissa (all belong to JS as well) and if other OTH characters make an appearance, those are MS as well.

Summary: Ryan/Brooke - The OC/One Tree Hill Crossover - Future Fic. Brooke moved to California immediatley following her graduation from Tree Hill to attend UCLA. She met Ryan at the end of her senior year. It's not two years later. Things are starting to get serious, when a part of Ryan's past comes looking for him.

Note: A big part of Ryan and Brooke's appeal to me is their sensuality. Just a warning that sex is going to play a large part in their relationship, so please take that into account if it's not something you're comfortable with. The title comes from the Joss Stone song.

Thanks everyone for your reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. To answer someone's question, there is no baby. Not for Ryan/Brooke, Ryan/Marissa, Seth/Summer, Ryan/Theresa. No baby ever happened. Also, I don't know if they'll be going to Tree Hill, but maybe some of Tree Hill will turn up in California. Grace, I noticed the mechanical errors when I read it again, so I uploaded a corrected version of the first chapter. Again, thank you all for reading.

Chapter Rating: R

Victim of a Foolish Heart
Chapter 2

Half an hour passed in silence. Brooke was busying herself in the kitchen preparing their breakfast and Ryan had stepped out onto the balcony. Brooke glanced up a few times and he was either pacing or running his fingers through his hair. Neither a good sign.

She'd never met Marissa, but from what she'd heard, she wasn't the best person for Ryan. She'd taken advantage of him and used him for whatever she wanted on the time. Seth said he was unhappy most of the time they were together, but Marissa had issues and Ryan always thought he could save everyone. She had moved to Paris about six months before Brooke had met him. She didn't even tell Ryan she was leaving, just left him a note explaining that he wasn't what she wanted anymore and she'd found someone else. According to Summer, Marissa had met the someone else a few months before she left and been cheating on Ryan the whole time. Just thinking of her enraged Brooke. She may not know her, but she certainly didn't like her.

Brooke had just finished his omelet when Ryan came back inside.

"Okay. I've been thinking." He leaned against the refrigerator as he spoke. "And maybe it won't be such a big deal."

"You really believe that?"

"It's been two years, maybe she's changed."

"Maybe," Brooke said turning away from him. He reached out and grabbed her hand gently. "What?" She asked turning back to him. She didn't want to get upset, but she didn't know what she was supposed to do, no one had given her any reason to trust this girl and from Seth's message, it didn't seem as though she had changed at all.

"I'm sure she's different."

"How?"

"I don't know, but she wouldn't come all this way to tell me she thought I was beneath her."

"No, she'd come all this way to tell you she made a mistake and that she wants you back." Brooke replied softly.

"Is that what you think?"

"Why else would she come back? It's been almost three years since she left. Girls don't come back for a guy three years later unless they love them."

"Brooke, you're being crazy."

"No, Ryan. I'm being realistic. From what you've told me, from what everyone's told me, this girl gets some sick pleasure out of torturing you."

"She didn't torture me." Brooke eyed him steadily. "She didn't."

"Seth said you weren't happy."

"It wasn't because of her."

"Summer said the same thing and she was Marissa's best friend."

"Maybe she won't even show up."

"You and I both know that's not going to happen."

"Well, if she does, I'll be fine."

"Will you?"

"I'm not a kid anymore, Brooke."

"Whatever." She reached behind him and opened the refrigerator to grab the orange juice, but Ryan grabbed her first. He brought her close to him, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his face in the nape of her neck.

"Why are you so worried?"

"I don't want her to hurt you."

"She won't."

"How do you know?"

"I just do. You have to trust me, B."

"I do. I just..."

"What?"

"I don't want her coming to change things...you know...between us."

"Is that what this is about?" He asked as he turned her to him. "Brooke, I love you and Marissa isn't going to change the way I feel. I thought you knew that." He explained quietly. Brooke saw hurt flash in his eyes as he spoke. She ran the back of her hand gently down his cheek.

"I do. You just, you haven't seen her since we got together."

"And I haven't missed her, either."

"I just don't know what to expect."

"Nothing. Nothing's going to change. If she shows up, she'll say what she needs to and then she's gone."

"I hope it's that simple."

"It will be." He cupped her face in his hands and stared into her beautiful eyes. "You have nothing to worry about. I promise." He laid a gentle kiss on her lips and held her for a few moments. "So, is that my breakfast?" He asked as he gestured to the two fully prepared plates on the counter.

"They're cold now."

"We'll put them in the microwave. It'll be fine."

He kissed her nose playfully before warming their breakfast.

----

After breakfast, Ryan decided that he needed to get Brooke out of the apartment. She was being all fidgety and watching the door like a hawk. He had no idea that the Marissa's presence would affect her so much. She was more worried about it than he was. And he was worried, he just didn't want to admit it.

A day at the beach was just what she needed. She loved the beach and not the way Marissa loved the beach. Marissa loved the beach because she could get a tan. Brooke loved the beach because it made her feel free. The first time they'd gone to the beach it had been with Seth and Summer, which was a big mistake. Brooke was a persuasive girl, as was Summer, but together, they were dangerous. He and Seth had spent most of the day lying in the sand while the girls buried them. He had sand in his unmentionable places for days.

Today it was just them. And it was beautiful. Summer was just beginning, so the heat hadn't become unbearable yet. I light breeze blew most of the day and the water was perfectly calm. By the end of the day, they were both exausted, but they stayed and watched the sun set from underneath the lifeguard station. Most of the beach was vacated, but Brooke liked to stay late.

They'd spent a lot of nights on that beach. She'd told him all about Tree Hill and he'd told her about Chino and the Cohen's. The first time he talked to her, he'd been surprised at how easily the words came out. It was like he'd known her his whole life. She reminded him of Theresa in a lot of ways. She was strong and independent. She'd been taking care of herself since she was barely a teen. Financially, she'd never had any worries, but he'd come to realize from his stay in Newport that money didn't make life any easier. In fact, sometimes it made things a hell of a lot harder. Unlike Theresa, Brooke still had faith. She had faith in herself, in the world, even in him. She woke up each morning ready to face the day, not dreading what was going to come of it. She taught him to have faith, as well.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked. He'd been staring off into the night and she had watched as a smile slowly came across his face.

"You," he answered turning his attention back to her.

"What about me?" She asked playfully.

"About all the nights we've spent on this beach, everything that we've shared."

"There were some amazing times." She nodded. "Yeah, but you can never have too many good memories," she said. He watched as a very familiar smirk appeared.

"Guess not." He rolled them over on the blanket, moving himself so he was hovering over her, holding himself up with his arms. Brooke ran her fingertips slowly down his back. She was barely touching his skin, but it drove him wild. The first time she'd done it, he'd let out a low moan. She knew he liked it rough, but every once in awhile a guy needed some tenderness, even a guy like Ryan.

She worked her hands all the way down to his swimming trunks, before dipping a finger inside and running in gently across his waistband. She enjoyed teasing him, watching him. His eyes were closed now and his head bent down low, just inches from her face. She leaned forward and captured his lips with her's. Her hands were busy fidgeting with the string on his shorts and as soon as she got it untied, they were off. She pulled Ryan on top of her, and he rolled them over again. Her body pressed hard against his. His tongue exploring her mouth feverishly, looking for something he hadn't yet discovered, something that would set her off.

Brooke could feel him hard against her leg. Sex on the beach always got him excited quicker, but then again, it did the same for her. They were in sink like that. She stood up in front of him and removed her bikini, first the top, then the bottom. Ryan smiled as he watched her. He never grew tired of that body or the girl who possessed it. Seconds later he was inside her, their bodies moving together once again. There was no determining where she ended and he began. They were truly one.
------

It was close to 2 a.m. when they arrived back at their apartment complex.

"I'm so freakin' tired," she said leaning her head on his shoulder as they rode the elevator.

"Then, I've done my job."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "You always do."

The elevator doors opened and they turned down the hall to their apartment. Brooke saw her first, sitting on the stairs, her dull brown hair hanging in her face. She stopped.

"Brooke?"

"She's here."

"Who?" She pointed to Marissa and felt Ryan tense when he saw her.

This was definitely not good.

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