Late the following afternoon, Ryan, Seth, Marissa, and Summer pulled up to the Mermaid Inn with the Range Rover. They had decided that they could all fit into one car. Ryan turned off the car, and they all got out and walked over to where the front desk was, since none of the kids knew where Lindsey's room was. They all stood in front of the clerk, who was watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. Ryan stepped forward to talk to the clerk.

"Hello," Ryan said. The clerk turned around and saw the group.

"Oh, hi! How can I help you?" he asked.

"Do you know what room Lindsey Gardner is in?" Ryan answered.

"Let me check," the clerk replied. He got onto the computer to check. They waited for a moment. "Uh... she is in room number... 4."

"Thanks," Ryan answered. Seth, Summer, Ryan, and Marissa walked out of there, and up to her room on the second floor. Ryan once again stepped forward to knock on her door. They waited a moment for someone to come. Then her mother answered the door.

"Hi, Ryan. You guys are here to pick Lindsey up, right?" Renée asked.

"Yeah, is she ready?" Ryan wondered.

"Yes, want to come in?" Renée offered. She opened the door wider. The group of kids stepped inside the room without saying a word. Lindsey came out of the bathroom momentarily. She did not look any more glamorous than before she left. She had jeans and a sweater on. Her hair was curled, which was something a little more classy, though.

"Hey, guys," Lindsey said, greeting everyone.

"Ready to go?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah," Lindsey replied. She turned to her mother. "Mom, I'll be back later."

Her mother smiled and waved at her, as the five of them walked out the door. They walked down the corridor, down the stairs, and out to the Range Rover, which Ryan drove. They all pilled in the car. Ryan and Marissa in the front, while Seth, Summer, and Lindsey sat out back.

"So where are we going?" Lindsey asked.

Marissa shrugged and replied, "The diner. We figured you hadn't had a good short stack in awhile."

Lindsey smiled, "Yeah, I really haven't."

The five of them went to the diner, and had dinner. They sat and lingered for awhile, exchanging stories and other things that had happened while Lindsey was in Chicago. Most of them were minor things. No one said anything about what had happened with Trey, Ryan, and Marissa. Nor did anyone mention anything about Theresa and the baby. Eventually, they ordered and ate.

Lindsey really enjoyed herself. While she had been going to school with these kids, she hated them. Well, she did not hate them, but she did not enjoy herself either, while now, she was truly happy to be in California with these people. They did not have people like this in Chicago.

After dinner, the five of them went down to the pier where they were having some festivities to celebrate the coming of Thanksgiving. There was face painting and things of the sort for people to enjoy. They broke off into groups when they were there. Seth and Summer went to go have their faces painted, while Ryan, Marissa, and Lindsey went over to see the sunset on the water. They stopped at a cart to get some pier fries..

"So how were your summers?" Lindsey asked. "Anything interesting happen?"

Ryan and Marissa looked at each other. Neither one of them was sure they wanted to tell Lindsey what had happened, but then again, they were not sure that they could keep it from her either. Marissa replied, "You really wanna know?"

Lindsey nodded her head. Marissa sighed.

"Ryan's brother Trey got released from prison, then he tried to rape me. Ryan found out, and tried to kick his ass, but Trey ended up almost killing him, so I shot Trey," Marissa explained very quickly.

"What?" Lindsey asked. She paused for a moment, and looked at Ryan. She seemed slightly confused. "You have a brother?"

"It's a very long story, but yes, that was summer in a nutshell," Ryan replied.

"Did Trey die?" Lindsey asked.

"No, he took off to Vegas or something like that after," Ryan answered. He ate another pier fry.

"Wow... there really is never a dull moment in Newport," Lindsey sighed. "Did you get convicted? How does the school like that?"

Ryan and Marissa looked at each other. Marissa said, "Actually, I don't go to Harbor anymore - because of what happened."

"They kicked you out!" Lindsey exclaimed.

"Yeah, they did. Ryan got to stay because he didn't do anything wrong, but now I go to Newport Union High School," Marissa explained. "I haven't gotten in trouble yet either. The trial is still coming, though."

"Wow," Lindsey said again. Everyone became quiet for a moment.

"You know, I think I'm going to go over and get a bottled water," Marissa stated. She slowly meandered her way over to the hot dog stand where the bottled water was. Lindsey took this opportunity to talk to Ryan alone.

"Listen, I'm really sorry for leaving the way I did," Lindsey said. "I hope I didn't hurt you... too much."

"I understand," Ryan replied. "I mean, you had to do what you had to do. To be honest, I probably would have done the same thing."

"Well, to make it up to you, do you want to go to the Baitshop tomorrow night? You, me, and Marissa?" Lindsey asked. Ryan smiled. He knew that it would come out eventually. That he would have to eventually say it out loud - that he had a son.

"I wish I could, but I can't. Although Marissa can, I mean, if you're still looking for someone to go with," Ryan replied.

"Oh, okay, but I was kind of hoping to repay you for leaving," Lindsey said.

"I know, but I have someone coming over tomorrow, and I'm not allowed to blow it off," Ryan explained.

"Who's coming over. Hailey said to stop by before I left, so can I meet this mystery person?" Lindsey asked.

"I never thought I would have to say this," Ryan said to himself. He sighed and turned to look at Lindsey. "Tomorrow, Theresa, my ex-girlfriend, is coming over to bring over our son, Matthew."

Lindsey looked at him perplexed. She did not understand how he had a son. Lindsey had heard people, like Caleb, talk about the girl he had gotten pregnant that summer, but Ryan had told her that the girl lost the baby. "Your son? You never told me about this when we were dating."

"That's because I didn't know about it when we were dating," Ryan replied. "It's complicated."

"Wow... How is Marissa dealing with it?" Lindsey sighed. She wanted to ask Ryan more, but she knew that it was not her place because she was not his girlfriend anymore.

"Okay, I guess. The best that she can, anyway," Ryan stated. Marissa walked back and sat down next to them. She handed a water to Ryan and one to Lindsey as well.

"Hey, guys, what's up?" Marissa asked. Ryan and Lindsey looked at each other.

"Actually, I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go to the Baitshop tomorrow night or something, Marissa?" Lindsey asked.

"Uh, sure, that sounds fun," Marissa replied. She saw Seth and Summer walking towards them. They got up and walked towards them. Everyone decided that it was time to go home, and went to the Range Rover, where Ryan drove them all home. They dropped Lindsey off first, then Summer, Marissa, and Seth and Ryan drove home.