A/N: This takes place the same day Ryan is released from prison. He took a bus home since Sandy left long before inventory. This is the last chapter guys. Hopefully it's not too random lol.
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Time
-Marissa-
I was sitting on the couch watching TV after Summer and Alex left to go grocery shopping. I went last time so it's their turn now.
I was finally just dozing off when the front door swung open and Ryan walked in. I could hardly believe my eyes. I didn't even recognize him at first. He's usually clean shaven but his hair formed a goatee around his mouth and was no long blonde. It looked more like a light dusty brown shade. His blue eyes looked red and tired. But when he looked at me, a smile spread across his face like it was the first one in about a year.
When I realized it was him, I just sat there staring in disbelief.
Is this real? Am I dreaming?
"Ryan?"
"Hey," he answered quietly.
Oh my god it's really him. Did he escape?
He sat down next to me.
"What are you doing here?"
"They let me go."
"What!"
"I guess I didn't actually kill him."
"Then who did?"
"I don't know. Neither do they. Apparently someone went there after I left."
"Wow…" I said, spacing out.
"A couple cops were saying that some witnesses saw a skinny dark-haired guy leaving the house after I did. I think that's bullshit because they probably saw Chris before the whole thing even happened. And he was definitely beyond dead after we left. He didn't like get up and walk away after I knocked his ass out with a chair, that's for sure."
"Are they going to investigate it?"
"No I guess not. The release was some kind of agreement sandy made with somebody. I just think of it as I got lucky," he shrugged.
"Well that's good enough reason for me," I said.
He leaned over and put his arms around me waist, holding me close.
Ryan lifted my left hand, smiled lightly and kissed my ring finger. He pulled me even closer than I thought was possible and we stayed like that for about an hour.
Then the door swung open again.
"Oh my God! CHINO!" Summer freakedout, dropping all the grocery bags in the doorway and ran towards us.
Alex followed in after her. "Oh look, it's Mr. Girlfriend Stealer," Alex mumbled as she tackled him.
Ryan laughed and said, I wouldn't be able to steal girlfriends from you if you weren't all a bunch of lesbians!"
"Hey who told you!" Summer shouted too loudly in Ryan's ear.
"Seth."
Summer rolled her eyes. "That ass."
Ryan shifted his right leg so Summer fell off the couch and bumped her ass on the coffee table then landed on the floor.
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(One Year Later)
-Seth-
The music started.
In a line on their left stood myself, Trey, and Luke.
In a line on their right stood Summer, Caitlin, and Alex.
Marissa and Ryan stood facing each other hand in hand. Ryan was clean shave. His hair was carefully trimmed. He looked thing yet muscular in his tall black suit with a peach tie and a white button down shirt hidden. Marissa stood looking in his face, her eyes filling with water, sun-kissed skin and long layered and wavy chestnut hair. Her long, flowing, white dress showed her shoulders which glowed under the dimmed lights.
Ryan's hands carefully lifted the veil up over her head. The priest beganto speak.
Looking past the peach, yellow, and white rose-covered alter toward the sand, I saw the row of parents. Mom and Dad, Mr. Roberts and Julie, Jimmy Cooper, Mrs. Atwood…
Dad sat staring proudly at Ryan, an innocent man.
-Flashback-
I sat behind the fence and waited until the headlights faded. I hope they don't see my car. The car sped away and I climbed back over the fence into the front yard, glancing back and forth to make sure I wasn't spotted. I opened the door and looked around at the scattered furniture and the pool of blood surrounding who I assumed to be Chris.
His eyes were open looking at me. "Help me man," he struggled to speak as he curled his legs in toward his stomach in pain.
"Help you?" I kneled down and pressed my thumb and index finger on either side of his wind pipe. His hands couldn't pry mine away. For the first time in my life, I was stronger than someone else. His face began to turn purple as all the veins in his forehead filled. I leaned down with my mouth next to his ear.
"Summer didn't belong to you," his eyes still looked up to mine," but you stole a piece of her anyway. A piece of her you didn't deserve." I pressed his throat harder. "So now you're giving it back to her." I released my hand and watched the life leave his face, his eyes remaining open so he could stare at the world and the mistake he made.
-End Flashback-
-Alex-
"You may kiss the bride." Their faces locked for what seemed like forever.
Summer, Caitlin, and I stood holding hands, watching the best thing that's ever happened to Ryan and Marissa. Anyone who's truly loved either one of them knows deep down that they were always meant for each other.
I stood staring at the ocean, thinking about how everything seems to work out in the end. People heal over time. I've accepted it and I have faith in it. From now on, all we can do is look ahead. I mean, there's no use in looking back. It distracts us from what we have and what we love. But we've always been stuck dwelling on the past. Especially Summer and Marissa. It's just that it's so much easier than looking right here and now. The present always seems so unreal. Especially in the eyes of Marissa Cooper. But now she's Marissa Atwood.
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-Trey-
I can't believe how afraid we've all been at some point to show who we really are inside. We've all thought the same thing. We all wish people would accept us for who we are. We expect people to have faith in us. But maybe we need to have more faith in everyone else. Faith that they really are here for us. But most of all we should have faith in time. Time is what spread out everything that's happened to us. Time leaves room for change and change is what helps us move on.
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A/N: The end! I know it was dumb but I have no experience. Blah. Please read and review!
Disclaimer: I do not own The OC or any of its characters. I do own Christopher Trask. The song is "Circle Dance" by Bonnie Raitt. She owns it.
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I don't why it should be so hard giving up this circle dance
Warn out steps from long ago don't give love a chance
It's a bitter heirloom handed down
These twisted parts we play
I'm not her and you're not him
It just comes out that way
Can't go back to make things right
Though I wish I'd understood
Time has made things clearer now
We did the best we could
I'll be home late, that's what you'd say
And I little kid believes
After a while I learned that love
Must be a thing that leaves
I tried so hard just to hold you near
Was as good as I could be
Even when I had you here
You stayed so far from me
Can't go back to make things right
Thought I wish I'd understood
Time has made things clearer now
We did the best we could