A/N: This chapter takes place later the same day as the last chapter.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Visit

-Trey-

Later that day I could finally walk straight. Sooo, I decided to stop at the Cohens' since I have no other place to go.

"Trey! Come in! Would you like some dinner?" Kirsten said, excitedly, pushing me to sit down at the table.

"Hey man," Seth said, "I tried calling you to see if you wanted to go visit Ryan tonight, but Luke picked up. He said 'hey queer', so I figured I had the wrong number."

Oh great, I hope he wasn't there.

With perfect timing, the doorbell rang and Kirsten welcomed in a tall blonde guy in surf shorts, no shirt.

"He clearly shaves his chest," Seth whispered when he leaned over to my ear.

"Would you like something to eat?" Kirsten's voice echoed in the hall.

"Actually, no thanks, I gotta get goin' to a party soon. Do you mind if I just talk to Trey for a minute?"

"Sure! No problem!" Kirsten walked into the dining room. "Trey honey, Luke wants to see you for a minute," then she sat down at the table.

I stood up and walked into the hall.

"It'd kinda loud in here," Luke said and opened the front door, stepping down onto the driveway.

Oh no, I thought, he must have been at the Baitshop concert this morning.

He pulled my cracked phone out of his pocket and handed it to me. I closed my eyes preparing to be harassed or called a faggot or something.

"Look man, it's cool. I'm over that," he said, tapping me on the side of my shoulder.

"Just so you know, I'm not ga-"

"Yeah I know," he interrupted. "That's what we all say. You don't have to tell me."

We?

"Alright man, I gotta get goin'. I put my number in your phone. It's speed dial 2 after Alex. So call me when you figure things out. You can always come live with me and my dad."

Figure things out?

"Alright, thanks man," I said and he shook my hand. I watched as he hopped into his Land Rover and sped away. I stood there breathing in some fresh air before going back inside.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"That was some good food Kirsten."

"Why thank you, Trey! You should come over and eat more often," Kirsten said, smiling.

"Yes mother, delicious. So, who catered it for you?"

"Seth," Kirsten said, shooting him an evil glare.

"Aw, man you gave it away," I said laughing.

Sandy laughed secretively behind his glass of wine.

Kirsten returned to the dining room and sat down after carrying all the dishes into the kitchen.

"So, is Marissa all moved in with Summer and Alex yet?" Kirsten asked, concerned for her.

"Yes she has made herself quite at home," Seth said grinning a little. Everyone looked over at him strangely.

"That's good," she said, "she'll be much happier if she's not all alone."

"Yeah," Seth mumbled, "I went over there to ask if they'd like to visit Ryan but they had their hands full. Very very full."

Everyone looked confused.

"Actually," he smiled, looking at his watch," They might even still be busy right now," and he shook his head.

I saw a smirk emerge across Sandy's face like he decoded Seth's stupidity. He his it behind a glass of wine again.

No one knew what the hell the girls were so busy doing but for some reason, Sandy kept raising his eyebrows at Seth. They did it back and faith like they were having a conversation with their eyes. Like father, like son.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We walked through the metal detector after I took off my belt and the dog sniffed me. Wow, good thing 'Chok took all the shit when we were done the other night.

Seth and I walked down a hall of cells and the guard opened the barred door. We walked in and Ryan was sitting there on his bed. He pointed for us to sit in the chairs facing him.

His eyes were outlined in black and blue. There were a couple fresh gashes on his cheeks and his face and hair looked dusty. I started to hate myself again for not stopping him. For allowing him to do this to himself.

Ryan looked expressionless. He didn't look like himself.

"How are you doing?" Seth said, distraught.

"I'm fine," Ryan said quietly.

I looked over at Seth, who was looking even more upset than I was. Well, technically he was more of a brother because I came around pretty late. Oh and I got him arrested.

"How's Marissa?" Finally Ryan had some emotion in his look.

"Well," Seth said, "Alex and Summer are definitely keeping her busy."

"But how's she doing?"

"She appeared to be just fine." Seth was still grinning about it.

"Okay man, what's so funny!" I couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you really wanna know," he asked, squinting.

"YES," Ryan and I shouted simultaneously.

"Well you see, I went over there this morning to ask them if they wanted to come along tonight. I wasn't even sure if they'd be home 'cause it was lunch time. But I walked in 'cause it was lunch time. But I walked in 'cause the door wasn't locked and when I walked into the bedroom there were girls and limbs everywhere and buzzing and when I looked at them upside-down they looked like birds pecking at each other and w-"

"Seth, we get it. Man I knew it!" I said feeling betrayed.

"No you didn't, um hellooo…" Seth raised his hands and shook his head.

"Shut up," I said aggravated.

"Are you shittin' me?" Ryan looked shocked.

"My thoughts exactly, as I held myself," Seth said laughing, "I think it tried to jump out and ask them if he could join."

Ignoring Seth's stupid comments I asked, "Why didn't Alex just tell me when I asked her if she found someone new! I would have told-" I stopped in the middle of my sentence remembering what I did last night. To correct my sudden pause, I quickly asked how long it's been going on.

"How would I know?" Seth shrugged.

"Did Marissa get my note?" Ryan asked like he was hoping she did.

"I don't know, what was it?"

"It was inside the drawer in a box; a jewelry box."

"Did you plan on proposing to her?" Seth asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but who knows now. She's clearly found something else."

"Wait a minute!" I screamed. The guard looked over at me. I waved and apologized. "I saw her wearing a ring. It was green and white."

"Trey? Those would be emeralds and diamonds. Genius…" Seth said sarcastically and I whacked his arm. He winced, rubbing his booboo like a baby.

"Really? What'd you see her for?"

Not wanting to make her confession for her I made up an excuse. "Oh, I went over to visit and make sure she was doing okay after you left."

To change the subject I quickly said, "Ryan. You know more than everyone that Marissa goes through phases. Phases are temporary. This phase will end eventually. But between all of these phases, who does she always return to? Ryan, you're the only permanent thing in her life."

The guard walked in. "Time's up."

He escorted us out and as we walked away, a man in a suit, holding a briefcase and appeared to be a lawyer, walked into Ryan's cell.

"Ryan, we need to discuss your case. It's been re-opened due to some new discoveries…" The man's voice trailed off as the double doors closed behind us.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Disclaimer: I do not own The OC or any of its characters.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------