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.

Chapter rating: PG

Victim of a Foolish Heart
Chapter 3

"Are you okay?" Brooke whispered. He nodded and gave her hand a light squeeze. It seemed like that had been standing there for hours, but in reality it had only been a few seconds. "Are you going to say something?"

"Yeah. I just don't know what."

"How about hi?" She offered with a smile. It was forced, but she'd always been good at those. He attempted to smile back, but it fell short. "Do you want me to say something?"

"No. I'll talk to her, why don't you go inside and I'll be in soon."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." She glanced in Marissa's direction again. They were still far enough away that she hadn't noticed them. She turned back to Ryan. "I can handle this, baby. I can handle her." She nodded and kissed his cheek softly before reluctantly letting go of his hand and finishing the walk to their apartment.

Marissa noticed her figure and stood up abruptly. "Do you live there?" She asked coldly. "Where's Ryan?" Brooke turned her gaze to Ryan and Marissa's followed. "Ryan!" She exclaimed, her voice suddenly upbeat.

"Marissa." His tone was even as he greeted her, but his eyes were following Brooke's figure and he watched as she closed the door behind her.

"So is that your girlfriend?" Marissa asked abruptly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to see you."

"Why?"

"Because I missed you, Ry."

"Don't call me that."

"You used to love it."

"I used to love a lot of things that I don't anymore." He spat and locked eyes with her for the first time.

"Why are you being like this?"

"What did you expect?"

"I expected you to be somewhat happy to see me."

"Why would I?"

"Ryan."

"Look, Marissa. I have a life now and you're not a part of it. So say what you have to say and then leave me alone."

"You don't want me to be a part of your life, Ryan? Is that what you're saying? That you don't ever want to see me again?" She questioned with a voice and expression that he knew all too well.

Marissa watched him. She had no idea what he was thinking, but then again, she never had. She just knew he was always there when she needed him and she needed him now, so he had to be there. He had to. That's what he did. That's who he was. She watched him for several moments, but he didn't move. He didn't even blink.

"Ryan." She whispered and reached for his hand. He let her take it. "I know that's not what you want."

"You just left," he said finally. "You packed your bags. You wrote me a note, Marissa. Four years together and you wrote me a fuckin' note." His felt anger rise within him as he thought about the experience again.

"I know and I'm sor..."

"Don't." He took a few steps back, putting space between them. "You didn't call. Nothing. You left me. You cut me out of your life, not the other way around. We're not together, because you left me."

"But I'm back now."

"You're about three years too late."

"Ryan, would you stop." She yelled.

"Stop what?" His tone matching her's. "Stop telling you the truth. Stop treating you like a person, rather than a china doll that might break if I screw up. Stop acting the way you have your entire life?"

"Stop being such a jackass."

"So I'm a jackass! That's funny, since I'm not the one who cheated on you and then left for Paris."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not, at least not anymore."

"Is this because of that girl? Ryan, she's not for you. She's not your type."

"This isn't about her. This is about you and me and the fact that whatever we could have had, you threw away the moment you decided that I wasn't good enough."

"God Ryan. You know I didn't mean that."

"You said it, not me."

"Why are you so angry? It's been three years, I thought you'd be over this by now."

"Is that what you want, for me to be over it?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I want things to go back to how they used to be. We were good together, Ry."

"Well that's over now."

"It doesn't have to be." She told him and erased all the space he had put between them earlier. She found his hands and moved them to her body. "It's not too late. We have another chance." She whispered as she moved her lips closer to his. "I'm back Ryan. I came back for you. I want you." She lowered her mouth to his and kissed him gently. He didn't respond, at least not at first, but she pushed and he responded. Kissing her was different, unfamiliar and then he remembered why. "Brooke," he whispered, pushing Marissa away.

"What?"

"Brooke. The girl."

"So she is your girlfriend?"

He nodded. "You should go."

"But Ryan, we were just..."

"It was a mistake."

"It wasn't."

"It was. I love her."

"Do you love her like you loved me?"

"Just go." He turned away from her and walked inside.

----

Brooke shut the door behind her and collapsed on the couch. She ached inside. She thought he would be okay. He had managed to convince her everything was going to be fine, but then she saw his face and it was all over. She'd never seen that look before and that scared her. It was unfamiliar and intense. He was thinking or feeling something that she'd never known before. She almost always knew what he was thinking. Whether it was the look in his eyes or the fidgeting with his hands or watch. She knew everything about him and his tendencies, but she didn't know what she just saw and now she was scared and she didn't know what to do.

She reached for the phone on the coffee table and dialed a familiar number. She knew it was almost 3 o'clock in the morning, but she had to talk to someone. It rang several times before a groggy voice picked up.

"Hello?"

"Put Summer on."

"She's sleeping. Call tomorrow." He mumbled, completely unaware of what was going on.

"Seth," Brooke pleaded.

He recognized her voice now. "Brooke? Is everything okay? Did something happen?" He questioned, fully alert.

"I just need to talk to her."

"Where's Ryan?"

"Seth, please."

"Okay. Just let me wake her."

"Thank you." She bit her lip to hold back the tears while she waited. She hated this feeling. She hadn't felt like this since high school.

"Davis, what's going on?" Summer questioned immediately.

"She's here."

Summer didn't need any more details. "Oh. Where's Ryan?"

"With her."

"What? What the hell is Chino doing with her at 3:00 in the morning. I'm gonna kick his ass."

"She was waiting when we got back."

"Waiting?"

"We were at the beach and when we got home, she was sitting on the stairs waiting. He was different, Summer."

"Different how?"

"That's just it, I don't know. I thought I knew him, but the look on his face, I've never seen it before. Do you think..."

"No. He's probably just took him by surprise."

"He knew she was coming."

"Yes, but not that she was going to be waiting for him in his stair well in the middle of the night."

"But..."

"No buts, Davis. Ryan's crazy in love with you. You have nothing to worry about."

"Then why did Seth sound so frazzled on the message?"

"You know Cohen. He's always been a bit of a drama queen." Brooke was silent. "Talk to Ruam, he'll tell you the same thing."

"I'm sorry I called so late."

"Don't worry about it. You were there when I flipped out about Anna coming back."

"Yeah, you were a mess." Brooke remembered.

"And now you are. We're just big girly messes trapped inside two of the world's most gorgeous bodies. Tomorrow you'll be perfect again, just like me."

Brooke laughed. "Thanks Sum."

"Get some rest and call me tomorrow."

"Good night."

"Night, babe."

Summer hung up the phone and snuggled back into Seth's arms.

"I guess that was about Marissa?"

"Yep."

"Is everything okay?"

"It will be."

"I hope so. Marissa's no good for him."

"And Brooke's perfect for him, just like I'm perfect for you."

"Speaking of you, I didn't know you were a mess when Anna came down."

"Shut it, Cohen."

Seth smiled, but kept quiet as he watched the girl of his dreams drift off to sleep in his embrace.

-----

Brooke was too tired to shower or even change her clothes. She just crawled in bed. It smelled like Ryan and she felt tears threaten to fall. She hadn't felt this insecure since after she found out about Peyton and Lucas. She didn't want to think about that, though. She just wanted to go to sleep and pretend like it was all a dream. Exhaustion overcame her and minutes after her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

----

Ryan locked the door behind him and walked slowly through the dark condo. Brooke must be asleep. He was glad for that. He couldn't believe he had kissed Marissa. He wasn't a cheater. Never had been and he wasn't about to start now. But seeing her had stirred too many old emotions, opened wounds he thought had long ago been sewn up. He didn't know what he was doing. One minute he was so angry at her he wanted to pound his fist into the wall, but then next he felt sixteen and in love again. He thought he was done with her and now he didn't know.

He walked into their bedroom and found Brooke fast asleep. He removed his shirt and slipped into bed next to her, watching her. She'd been crying. He could see the tear stains on her beautiful face and he ached for her. He didn't want to be like the last guy. He didn't want to lie to her or make her hurt. He loved her. He brought his hand to her face and caressed it gently. She felt his touch and stirred beneath the blankets.

"Ryan," she whispered, her eyes still closed.

"I'm here."

"I love you."

"I know, B." She reached for his hand and brought it to her mouth, kissing it softly. He lay down and pulled her body as close to his as possible. "I love you," he whispered and they both drifted off to sleep.

----

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