Summary: A hung-over Dawn faces and angry Ryan.

A/N: SCREAMS. I had this entire thing written, and then my comp went STUPID and went to a diff page! I'm going to kill something! Okay, so this part will be quick because I am NOT in the mood to rewrite a part no one reads. Sorry for the slow update. Um, Dawn is a bitch in this chapter, but I promise she gets a little more motherly. At least a little...I apologize if this description of a hangover isn't perfect...having never been drunk, I don't have any personal experience. Thanks to previous reviews, altho I only got one more suggestion for a song. Please please please rack your brains and think of a song. Or maybe just a band? At the very least, leave a review. Enjoy.

Shout outs...kursk: I'm not sure if this counts as freaking out...IMO! It's so obvious! While we are on the subject of abbreviations, what does AU mean? I feel stupid and have been trying to figure this out for ages. J: Congrats on being an aunt. Thanks for putting my story before homwork. Hopefully it's more enjoyable. lol. Ansy Pansy aka Panz: Personally, I like the bruises flashback better than the other one as well. And don't worry, I'm still writing... fAB: Marissa is putting a lot of stuff on him, as usual. I tried, though, in this chapter to make her more of a...knight, you know? Or would it be a knightess? Pyrinsomniac: Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I'm glad my style of writing makes the story good. TeacherTam: Nope, this chapter didn't turn out well for them. And don't feel bad about being a late bloomer in rock, all lovers are welcomed at any age. You wanna know what's worse? I used to CHOOSE to listen to only classical. Not that there is anything wrong with classical music (I play flute!), but I was like eight. Yups, that me, the dork. Dogsbody: Messed up, I know. Then again, talking has always been one of the weaknesses in their relationships...

P.S.--What did you all think of the premiere? I thought it was dissapointing. Everything was wrapped up way too easily. I mean, they didn't even leave the dock and they were caught! I was talking with my friend and you know what would have been awesome? If they had gotten half way there, and then had a huge chase scene. Now THAT is old school OC drama.

P.P.S.--Warning, the following Post Post Script contains a spoiler.----------->I have read at several different places that in the third episode, Ryan and Marissa FINALLY have sex! I am so excited!

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.

Hangovers sucked.

Plain and simple.

One would think that hangovers alone would stop a person from drinking.

More often than not, hangovers drove Dawn to drink more.

That was what Dawn was thinking as she slowly blinked open her eyes and felt the throbbing headache.

In a few hours, the alcohol would help her get over it.

Except when she looked around with squinted eyes, she didn't recognize where she was.

The furniture was too nice, the place too big, and the walls too pretty.

This was not her house.

A second look with eyes open a little more revealed someone sitting in a chair, watching her.

Ryan.

It was clear he was brooding, something he had taken up as soon as he hit the teenage years.

Although it seemed to her that he had started brooding from the moment he was born.

Dawn opened her mouth, and found that her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.

There was a knock on the door and Ryan seemed to come out of his head.

An extremely tall girl (hangovers always seemed to magnify everything to Dawn) walked in with a smile on her face.

Ryan glanced over at the bed and Dawn and the girl nodded.

He got up and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her softly.

In turn, Marissa put her hands around his neck and sighed.

Dawn felt awkward watching this exchange, but she knew it would only get worse if she made it known she was awake.

A few whispered words were traded, and, with a final look towards Dawn, the couple grasped hands and walked out of the pool house.

Out of habit, Dawn looked over to the left, where the bedside table was. Even after the past two years, she did this every morning she woke up hung-over.

When Ryan had lived with her, he had always placed a bottle of Tylenol and a glass of water on the table if she came home drunk.

For the first time in two years, the Tylenol was sitting there beside a glass of water.

She stretched her arm and felt her muscles complain. Ignoring them, she grabbed the glass and raised it to her lips, feeling the coolness wash over her dry mouth.

Two Tylenols and a trip to the bathroom later, Dawn was ready to look in the mirror.

At least, she thought she was.

The sight before her was frightening. She threw on a robe she found and shook out her hair.

A little better, but no comparison to Kirsten, she was sure.

Dawn stepped out into the bright sunlight and felt her head pounding in protest.

Sitting near the pool was Ryan and Marissa. They were intertwined and silent.

Despite her efforts to be quiet, the door clicked shut and her footsteps seemed to echo.

Ryan looked up and saw his mother.

Marissa expected him to let go of her, but instead he held on tighter.

"Mom," Ryan said, obviously embarrassed by her disheveled appearance.

"Morning," Dawn replied with apparent strain. "Marissa, you look fabulous this morning."

"Um…Thank you," she replied, taken aback by the 360 change in character.

Reluctantly, Ryan untangled himself from his girlfriend and stood up.

"Do you want some coffee?" he asked, knowing full well that coffee was the last thing Dawn was in the mood for.

"Er…No, thanks. Maybe just a glass of orange juice…" she replied, the thought of caffeine making her stomach queasy.

Marissa got up and took Ryan's hand as he walked towards the kitchen. Dawn knew that Ryan had only said that to remind her that he knew what had happened yesterday.

By the time her muscles remembered to move, the couple was already inside. She could see Marissa sitting on the counter and throwing cereal at Ryan, who was getting a glass for Dawn.

The moment the door opened, however, the two quit smiling.

Somberly, Ryan handed his mother the glass of orange juice.

"Would you like some cereal, Mrs. Atwood?" Marissa politely asked.

Her stomach churned again and she shook her head. "I'm not really much of a morning person."

Ryan mumbled something under his breath, which Marissa pretended she hadn't heard and Dawn paid no attention to.

She sat down at the end of the island and sighed. It would have to come out sometime. It seemed Ryan was in a better mood when around his girlfriend, so Dawn decided it would be better when she was around.

"Look, Ry, I just wanted to apologize for last night."

"Don't apologize to me. I'm used to it."

Marissa blushed for Dawn and in expectation of the apology directed towards her.

"You're right. Marissa, I'm sorry. I can't…er…remember most of what I said last night, but I know from experience that it can't have been nice. Or even my true thoughts."

"Now, that's not true, Mom. It always seemed to me that the truth only came out when you were drunk."

"I wasn't drunk," Dawn said in defense.

"Oh, right. So you don't have a hangover this morning?"

Dawn hung her head.

"I'm just a little under the weather."

"That's the story of my life," Ryan muttered.

"I know you're mad. But can't you just—"

"Of course I'm mad! I thought you said you didn't drink anymore."

"I don't. That is why I am simply under the weather."

"Cut the bull shit, Mom. Look, we all know you were drunk last night. We all know you are hung-over this morning. So just cut to the chase. Why did you really come over yesterday?"

"I needed to talk to Marissa, plain and simple," Dawn said steadily, meeting Ryan's gaze. "What we talked about is between us and does not involve you."

"You accused her of killing Trey on purpose!" Ryan said in disbelief. "How can you say that doesn't involve me?"

Dawn flashed an angry glare at Marissa before looking towards her son.

"Maybe it does."

"How could you even think that she would do something like that?"

"How could you not?" Dawn said evenly.

Ryan laughed bitterly and shook his head. "I can't believe you."

"It was the perfect way to get her anger out, I gotta say. You know, kill two birds with one stone? Save you and get revenge."

Marissa remembered the way Dawn had laughed hysterically at that metaphor and shuddered. Unfortunately, Dawn noticed her shudder and took it to mean something else.

"You see! With that one body movement, she confessed it all."

"You're unbelievable," Ryan said disgustedly. He took a hold of Marissa arm and walked towards the front hall.

"Don't tell me that thought has never crossed your mind. I know you, Ryan, better than you think I do," Dawn called, willing to say anything to stop her son from walking out on her.

He let go of Marissa's arm and stormed back into the kitchen.

"You don't know the first thing about me," he practically shouted. "If you did, you would know that I have not once thought about it that way. How could I? Marissa saved my life."

"And in doing so, took another," Dawn replied, an evil smirk playing across her face.

Ryan squared his jaw, considering his options. He knew that his mom would never understand, the way his dad would never understand love.

"You gotta choose, Mom," he said at length, emotion clogging the back of his throat. "Are you gonna focus on the son you lost, or the son you still have?"

Dawn's mouth fell open and she stared at Ryan. No way was he putting this on her.

"Well that depends. Who do you choose?"

"What do you mean?" Ryan responded, having a pretty good idea of what she meant.

"Me or her. Your mother or the girl who killed your brother." Dawn smirked again, positive that she had this in the bag.

"It doesn't work that way. Because for me, there is no choice. No matter which son you choose," he said, pointing towards his mother, "I choose Marissa. You see, Marissa, unlike you, has been there for me. For God's sake, she shot someone for me."

Dawn could not believe what she had just heard. Her son had chosen the killer over her? No son was supposed to put anyone before their mother. It just didn't work that way.

"I'm gonna give you one more chance. Say that again, and that's it for us," she said.

"Well then I guess that's it." Ryan stalked out of the kitchen, brushed past Marissa, and slammed the door shut behind him.

Dawn bit the inside of her lip, feeling the tears threatening to spill over. She had officially pushed everyone she cared about away. Even if she didn't know Ryan as much as she thought, she knew him well enough to realize that he wouldn't want to talk to her ever again.

There was a soft click and Dawn suddenly remembered that Marissa had overheard the entire exchange.

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The lifeguard tower was usually Marissa's place and the pool house was his.

However, seeing how the pool house was currently full of his mother's shit, the tower was the next best thing.

The ocean mist sprayed over him, settling in his hair and lungs. The salt was a welcome feeling; it had been too long since he had visited the beach.

Ryan could hear quiet footsteps on the ramp, but chose to ignore them. Marissa came in sight and sat down next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder and lacing their fingers together.

"That went well," he said sarcastically.

"I'm not asking you to choose between us. I would never ask you to do that," she said.

"No, I know you wouldn't. But she did."

"I told you I would just get in the way of everything. Look, maybe," it broke her heart to say it. "Maybe I should just give you guys a little space. Let you guys work stuff out."

Ryan turned his head and kissed her. Resting his forehead against hers, he shook his slightly.

"If you leave, if you 'give us some space', I will have no one. I didn't choose you to be abandoned. That was why I didn't choose her."

"I would never abandon you," Marissa said confidently.

"Good." Ryan kissed her again, and she held on to it. "And, from experience, that whole time and space thing is never a good plan."

She smiled into his mouth and ran her fingers through his hair.

"So you're not going to try the whole space thing with your mom?"

Why was she always so adamant that they interrupt every perfect moment with words? He knew there was a reason he remained silent.

"I said it earlier and I'm saying it again. Even more so now. I don't want to have anything else to do with her."

"Ryan, she's your mom."

"Nope," he said bitterly. "I don't have a mom. At least not a biological one. As far as I'm concerned, she is just some screwed up drunk who has pissed me off one to many times."

"What about the funeral? You're going to have to sit next to her during that," Marissa pointed out.

"I can sit next to a stranger," Ryan said, not feeling so sure that he could. "I just don't have to talk to her."

"Don't do something now that you'll regret later. Haven't we all learned what that can lead to?"

Damn, she was good.

"I know what it's like to wish you had a different mom. Believe me, I know."

"Not like this, you don't," he replied, shaking his head. "You don't know what it's like to have a mom who won't get help, who won't even admit she gets drunk every evening, and then gets more drunk to fight off the hangover. You've never been kicked out of your house. Hell, your mom was anxious to get you back."

Ryan sighed.

"I was trying to be sympathetic," Marissa said indignantly.

"Well I don't need your sympathy. And I don't need your space. I just…I just need you."

"In that case, I'm all yours."