For What It's Worth

Chapter One - Technicalities

Screaming, shouting, pushing, barging, everyone wanted a piece of Ryan Atwood. He could make a news-stand sell out in seconds; he could make your product sales sky-rocket within a month. With his baby blue eyes, and an irresistible smile, what was there not to like? Reporters queued up for hours to get a second of his time, and girls stayed out all night hoping for one single glance of him. Guys were jealous of him, and girls lusted after him. After all, he was single. Or soon to be anyway.

The Ryan Atwood himself sat in the red leather chair uncomfortably as they waited in the blank room. He sighed as he got up and looked carefully through the slatted blinds, surveying the scene in front of him. He quickly shut it again as he saw a photographer turn toward the window, eager for that front-page picture.

"I'm sure that they'll be here any minute." Ryan's lawyer spoke from the opposite end of the room, gesturing for him to sit down next to him. Ryan nodded slightly, sitting down and folding his arms.

"Now remember, check with me before you talk, you don't want to do anything you regret…" The lawyer rattled off various sentences, Ryan instantly blanking out as the door opened, and Marissa came in. He stood up offering a slight smile, but received what looked like a blank stare from behind her Gucci shades.

"Sorry we're late, traffic was terrible, and then there was that to get through..." Marissa's attorney signalled towards the window which Ryan had just been stood at. "I'm Jo, Marissa's attorney." Ryan nodded in response. She sorted through various pieces of paper, before settling on a pen and sitting in her chair.

"Well, now we're all here, I think we should discuss the settlement terms…" Ryan's lawyer, David, started, looking up confidently. "Considering the fact that…"

"Wait, the settlement has already been set, a little thing called a pre-nup." Jo replied, holding up a piece of paper which she had produced from her file. "And considering we both know that the pre-nup does not include necessary amendments, so the fact Ms. Cooper is still willing to include it, I think you should be grateful…"

"I take it that when you say "necessary amendments" you are referring to Mr. Atwood's alleged unfaithfulness?" David answered, as Ryan once again zoned out. He hadn't thought in a million years that it would come to this, not after everything he'd been through, after everything they'd been through.

"Alleged!" Marissa answered, leaning forward and placing her bag on the floor. "I've seen the pictures on the front page on The Tribune, I've heard about it on the radio; I've seen it on the television, what more proof do you need?"

"Mr. Atwood denies all rumours of an affair; we maintain the fact that he was loyal throughout the marriage." David replied, Ryan nodding at him as he tried to avoid Marissa's icy stare.

"We want double the alimony." Jo said, sitting back, and waiting for the answer to her somewhat ridiculous statement.

"What? No way!" Ryan replied, cutting in before his lawyer had a chance. "There is no way I am paying extra for something that I did not do!"

"Well looking at the reasons for this marriage's termination, it is not an irrational demand."

"Yeah, well I wasn't the one that terminated the marriage was I?" Ryan answered.

"You might as well have." Marissa replied. "You signed the piece of paper, didn't you?"

"Only because you practically forced me…" Ryan said bitterly, turning away in his chair.

"Whatever." Marissa turned away the same as Ryan, and the two sat in silence for the rest of the meeting, nodding if and when appropriate, avoiding each others glances which they had tried so hard to catch.

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"So what's it gonna be, Melrose or Rodeo?" Marissa threw off her sunglasses onto her car dash as she sat down in the driver's seat groaning at the sight of the paparazzi and sliding up her blacked out windows.

"Not really in the mood for shopping right now, Nic." Marissa replied to the somewhat cheerful red headed girl who climbed into the passenger seat beside her.

"Oh, come on, there's gotta be something to take your mind off of it." Nicola answered, shrugging her shoulders as Marissa pulled out of the parking lot and headed out onto the freeway, beginning the five minute ride home.

"That's just it; nothing can take my mind off of it." Marissa said, gripping the leather steering wheel frustrated, trying to focus on the road, but finding her mind tortured with other thoughts. "This whole thing just feels so………wrong, even when I know its right." Marissa turned off, driving up the long driveways which lead to a cul-de-sac of houses at the end, and into the huge double garage which lay at the very end.

"Look, babe, if you think this is the right thing, you've gotta move on, show them you're still Marissa Cooper, even through all the shit he's put you through." Nic replied taking her purse and grabbing a pretzel from the packet she had purchased as she exited the Jeep. "You're young free, single, who's holding you down now?"

"Well, technically I'm still Mrs. Atwood until the papers come through, we still haven't decided on the settlements yet."

"See? This is what it's always like with you, the negativity!" Nic turned as she waved her sugar-covered pretzel in the air, pointing it straight at Marissa. "Think positively." Marissa shook her head, flicking the car door locked with her keys, walking over to the mailbox which was situated in front of the pathway.

"Respectful, huh?" Marissa pointed to the magazine which lay in the mail, the front page emblazoned "Cooper Lay's Low after Allegations Turn on Her!" and a huge picture of her leaving her home, which was taken without her knowledge. "Who is she to judge? Read all about Marissa's own torrid love affair inside…" Marissa walked over and shoved the magazine in the trash, turning back to Nicola who raised her eyebrows at her.

"What? You know that's bullshit." Marissa stated, turning and locking the garage door, walking through to the kitchen, dumping her purse and phone down on the counter. "I dunno, Nic…maybe I should just leave the country. All I want to do is get some rest."

"You can't, you got the premier on Wednesday…" Nicola whipped out her organizer from her own purse, and scrolled down through the week, as Marissa placed her head in her hands, groaning. "And …… another meeting on Thursday. So you're pretty much booked up."

"Why can't my life be normal for just one day?" Marissa got up, walking over to the coffee machine and switched it on. "Just one day without any hassle. Then I'd be happy."

"Of course your life isn't normal, you earn over $10 million for every movie you make, you have a modelling contract with one of the most prestigious fashion design companies, your soon-to-be ex-husband is going to be the next George Clooney, face it, 'Ris, your life is never going to be normal." Marissa rose her eyebrows at her friend's statement, turning around as she heard the phone ring.

"Leave it!" Marissa said, facing Nic. "It's only gonna be Michael, I can't face him right now….." Nic nodded, waiting for the phone to stop incessantly ringing. It clicked onto answer-phone, and Marissa was filled with disbelief as the voice rung out into the air.

"Hi…Marissa, its Ryan…I was just---." Ryan's voice was cut off as Marissa stormed over to the phone, picked it up then slammed it immediately back down effectively cutting Ryan off, hanging up on him. Marissa turned back around, attempting a smile.

"Come on, let's go get ready. You up for Strobe?" Nic's eyes lit up as she heard Marissa's voice say the name of her favourite club, and she squealed the way blondes sometimes do, grabbing her hand and leading her up the stairs towards the closets.

"See, being positive? It always works!"

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A/N:- New story squeals Hope you enjoyed the first chapter, I know its short, but the next one will provide more of a background to the plot, and more Ryan which is all good.

Review, come on, you know you want to make me happy :D