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Episode#4: Surfacing
In this episode issues will be resolved while new ones will surface, leaving several futures in question. As it opens, Seth and Summer are in the kitchen looking at the poolhouse, waiting for the rest of the house to stir, and anticipating a day filled with tears and pain for Marissa. Although they dread having to see her upset, their curiosity about her past home life is getting the better of them. They are both drinking coffee, and for once Seth does not have an appetite. The house is extremely quiet, and the mood is somber.
Seth: I wonder if she got any sleep last night.
Summer: I wonder if Chino got any sleep last night.
Seth: Did you?
Summer: Ugh, not much. I tried, but I could not get the look on her face out of my mind when she saw her family walking towards her, and then how she looked as we drove home. I don't think that I've ever seen anyone as frightened as she was.
Seth: I eventually fell asleep, but I had nightmares all night of Julie Cooper being my Mom. I don't think my heart rate has gone back to normal yet. That woman is scary!
Summer: I can't believe your grandfather was dating her; at least there is one thing that came out of this mess. He no doubt will dump her after learning what whoppers of secrets she was keeping hidden.
Seth: I wouldn't be too sure, if I were you.
Summer: What do you mean?
Seth: Think about it. We all know that Caleb Nichol can keep significant secrets, remember the illegitimate child, the shady business practices? Knowing Gramps, he'll probably like Julie even more now. This will just give them something in common.
Summer: Wow, you really are upset about this aren't you? I've never heard you speak so harshly about your grandfather before.
Seth: I may be self-involved and selfish, but I know what type of man he is. (Kirsten and Sandy walk into the kitchen.)
Sandy: As do we all. (He startles Seth and Summer a little, because they were so lost in their conversation and thoughts, they never heard them approach.) So, Ryan and Marissa are still asleep? (He pours two cups of coffee, one for himself and one for Kirsten.)
Summer: We're not sure; at least they're still in the poolhouse. I'm not sure if either one of them would have gotten any sleep last night.
Kirsten: I hope they did. After the night they had, sleep would have been the best thing for them. At least then maybe Marissa could escape and forget her pain for a few hours.
Seth: If I couldn't sleep last night, well at least not well, and we all know that I can always sleep no matter what the emergency or tragedy, then there is no way they slept.
Sandy: So you two had a rough night, too?
Seth: Yeah, and not in a good way. (Summer gives him the eye.) What kept you up?
Sandy and Kirsten (simultaneously): Julie Cooper.
Seth: I feel your pain. For me, it was a nightmare and she was my mother.
Sandy: She was my wife. Scariest thing I ever lived through.
Kirsten: I can top you both. She was my Step-Mother, worse than a mother because she was married to my Dad and I had to pretend to be her friend. (Everyone looks at her with pity in their eyes.)
Seth: Yep, you win. (Everyone is just silent as they contemplate what had happened the day before, and simultaneously, everyone takes a drink of coffee and the scene ends.)
Credits and Commercial Break
As the next scene begins, the camera is in the poolhouse. It is a beautiful day out, but the poolhouse is quite dark as the blinds are pulled for privacy, hiding the sunshine from the inhabitants. Ryan and Marissa are still in bed, Ryan's arms are around Marissa attempting to keep her safe by holding her tight, but Marissa is not sleeping. As Ryan continues to sleep, she lays there staring into space, and although she does not say a word, it is evident that she is still not comfortable or content. After seeing her family, she has been on edge, scared, and unsure of herself. A moment of silence passes before she begins to cry, and although they are silent tears, her unconscious, emotionally prompted moments stir Ryan and cause him to wake. Although he had just been sleeping, he immediately rises to comfort her and reacts as if he had never been sleeping at all.
Ryan: Hey, what is it? What happened? (Marissa had not noticed that she had woken him from his slumber because she was so consumed by her grief, so when he speaks he slightly startles her.)
Marissa: When, when did you wake up?
Ryan: Just now, when you started to cry. Are you okay?
Marissa: I'm fine, don't worry about me. Go back to sleep. I know that you didn't sleep much last night.
Ryan: What?
Marissa: You watched me sleep practically all night didn't you, wanting to make sure that I was alright? (He doesn't say anything but his expression conveys that she is right.) Then you finally fell asleep, probably on accident, and I go and wake you up. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying, it's nothing, at least nothing new. I can't believe I'm acting like this. (She starts to dry the tears off of her face and takes deep breathes attempting to stop herself from crying.) This is not going to solve anything, falling apart and becoming emotional. I need to keep a clear head right now, concentrate on what I need to do, and forget everything else. I cannot do this. (At this point, she is becoming angry with herself. She is no longer lying against Ryan, letting him hold her. She has sat up in the bed and has pulled away from Ryan and is clenching the sheet.) I won't do this. (By now she has forgotten that Ryan is even in the room with her and she is basically talking to herself.) I don't do this. Emotions convey weakness. If I let them get the best of me, they win. (She stands up and starts pacing.) Marissa, you will not cry again, do you hear me? (Ryan cannot believe how hard she is being on herself, and he gets up out of bed and attempts to stop her by getting her attention, but she ignores him as she continues to chastise herself. Finally he grabs her arms, stands in front of her, and forces her to look at him.)
Ryan: Marissa, stop! (She struggles against him and tries to get away, but he won't let her.) STOP! (She does and just stares at him with a blank expression on her face that says what now.) Don't do this to yourself. It is okay to show emotion, to let your pain out, especially here, with me. I don't want you to keep this to yourself, I want you to let me in, let me share in your pain, so that I know what you're feeling and can comfort you.
Marissa: That is not your job, Ryan. (She breaks eye contact with him and looks down. Although he is still holding onto her arms, she does not seem to even notice he is there.) I've always taken care of myself, physically and emotionally. I don't need you to hold me together or protect me. I know last night I agreed to let you help me, hell, I basically asked for it, but I can't accept that now.
Ryan: Why not? Why won't you let me help you?
Marissa: (She looks back up at him and is slightly angry.) All night as you held me in your arms and thought that you were watching me sleep, I was laying there thinking. Finally, you fell asleep. Although my eyes were closed, I could tell because your body finally relaxed, but I never slept. My thoughts were a mess, they were jumbled and confused, probably because there was so much running through my mind, but the one, comprehensible thought that I was able to interpret and understand was the fact that I could not let you take care of me. If you fight my battles for me, if I depend upon you for support, comfort, and protection, what will I do when you're not there anymore? Eventually you won't be. I can't lower my guard; I have to remain strong and self-sufficient. I've never really had anyone to take care of me; I have always been the one to take care of everyone else. This is no time to become the dependent. Somewhere down the line, you'll be gone and I'll be alone again. Then what, hum? If I let you shelter me now and make all my cares go away, how will I go back to being on my own with no one and no thing to support and care for me? I can't do it; I can't let you be my knight in shining armor. (When she finishes speaking, her voice is extremely quiet and she appears to be exhausted, but she manages to pull away from Ryan and to walk away from him and go towards her suitcase where she starts to pack.)
Ryan: What are you doing?
Marissa: Like I said, I can't depend upon you, and there is no way I'll be able to keep my parents from finding me now, so as I said last night, I have to go.
Ryan: (He runs over to her, pulls what she is holding out of her hands and throws it in her suitcase, and roughly, although not intending to hurt her, pulls her around to face him.) NO!
Marissa: Ryan, you don't get to tell me how I will live my life. It is not up to you.
Ryan: Don't I get a say what happens to my own life though?
Marissa: What do you mean?
Ryan: You can't come waltzing into my life, make me fall for you and make me the happiest I've ever been, and then decide that you can't be here anymore because you're afraid of what you feel and then leave me alone again.
Marissa: I'm not afraid of what I feel; I'm afraid of the consequences of those feelings. (She is yelling, and although it sounds as if they are angry they both are just yelling out of fear and pain. She tries to break away from him again, but he doesn't let her. Before he speaks, he pulls her closer to him and makes her look into his face.)
Ryan: Yes you are; you're afraid of what you feel. Don't you understand that a part of being in a relationship is letting yourself be vulnerable to the other person? It is scary, hell, it's the scariest thing you can do, but if you don't open yourself up, if you don't let them in and share every aspect of yourself with them, if you don't let them take care of you just as you will take care of them, then you really aren't in a relationship, you really aren't in love, and without that feeling, what is there in life worth living for, your job, school? None of that matters, Marissa. The only that matters is this… (He stops talking and pulls her into a kiss. It is not a soft, gentle kiss, but it is filled with passion, with frustration, with every emotion coursing its way through his body. She resists at first and begins to pull back, but as his actions intensify, she melts under his touch and returns the kiss with even more force. After a few seconds, he pulls away and lets go of her. She just stares at him, wondering why he did that.) If you want to leave, I can't stop you. There's the door, but I can ask you to stay. I can ask you to give this a chance, to give us a chance. Sure, we don't know what will happen, and maybe things won't work out, maybe we'll break up, maybe someday we'll hurt each other so badly that we'll end up hating each other, but you don't know that. This could be it; we could be it, for each other. If you don't give us this chance, you'll never know, and you could be throwing away your one and only shot at happiness, my one and only shot at happiness. So what is it going to be, Marissa? Are you going to let me in; are you going, for once, to trust someone enough to let them take care of you? Are you going to be an adult and quit running away from your feelings? (While he is talking, he is very emotional, almost to the point of tears as he pleads for her to remain with him. By the time he finishes, he is emotionally drained and cannot go on. He just stares at her, knowing that he can do no more, and she just stares back. After a few seconds she runs to close the gap between them, throwing her arms around his neck, and kisses him. This time the kiss is slow, still passionate, but it is not desperate. Her arms hold onto him as tightly as possible, perhaps afraid that if she would let go, he would disappear, and as soon as she begins to kiss him, his arms go around her back and he pulls her to him so that there is absolutely no space between them. The kiss becomes more passionate. Before it can go any further than a kiss though, Marissa pulls back. She drops her gaze away from his eyes and lowers her head before speaking in a whisper that is barely audible.)
Marissa: I want to give this, give us a chance. (He lifts her chin with his hand so that she is looking him in the eyes. Although she is not crying, there are tears of joy and fear in her eyes at the same time.)
Ryan: Are you sure, because once we do this, there is no turning back. I'm in this for as long as we can make it, Marissa, and if you aren't that committed as well, I need to know now so that I can walk away, because I will not let another person walk out of my life and leave me.
Marissa: I'm sure. (She lets go of his neck and puts her hands on his face, pulling it closer to hers, so close that their foreheads rest on each others.) No turning back. (Ryan smiles which makes Marissa smile. He slowly leans in and begins to kiss her again, but it is gradual. First he just kisses her lips and pulls away again, briefly. Then he moves back in and gently opens her mouth with the urging of his tongue. She does the same, and they stand in each other's arms and kiss passionately. As the mood intensifies, Ryan's lips travel away from Marissa's lips and he begins to kiss every part of her body he can reach. First he kisses the side of her neck, traveling down to her collar bone and kissing the indentation between the two. As he continues to work his way down her body, she throws her head back in ecstasy, enjoying the feeling of his lips upon her skin and relishing his every touch. In order to be closer to her, he picks her up and she straddles him, wrapping her long legs around his muscular core as he holds her tightly to him. His lips then move from her neck to her shoulders, from her shoulders to her chest. He kisses her through her shirt, not caring that the material is there, but she does and pulls the nightgown over her head and tosses it behind her not caring where it lands. He pauses for a moment, because this is the first time he has seen her topless since they met, but quickly the passion takes over again, and he continues to kiss her all over her slim and elegant upper body. As he kisses her, she begins to kiss his neck and shoulders. Finally, she can't stand it any longer and she pulls his face back to hers so that her mouth can once again find his. They stand there, Marissa topless and straddling him, Ryan holding her as tightly as he can, drowning in each other and kissing as if there is no tomorrow, until Ryan could not take it any longer and he pulls away. He knew that if he did not stop this now, he might not be able to. Before he can speak though, Marissa pulls him back to her, wanting to not be two separate lovers, but one joined together. He pulled away again and starts to speak but she silences him by putting her finger to his lips.
Marissa: What? (She is breathless, breathing hard, and it takes effort to speak. Before he can respond, he has to take a few deep breaths.)
Ryan: If we….I won't be able to…..
Marissa: Ssh. (She begins to slowly kiss him again.) No more talking. I think we've talked enough this morning. (She smiles and he smiles back at her, slowly realizing what she is saying.)
Ryan: I thought you wanted to wait….for the perfect moment.
Marissa: (She kisses him slowly, but deeply before pulling away to speak.) Ryan, I want you now. I want to feel as if you are physically a part of me not just emotionally. If this is not the perfect moment, we will never find it. Now, if you would please kiss me, I would appreciate it. (He laughs when she finishes speaking. Slowly he walks towards the bed and lays her down gently on it. Before he can lie down beside her though, she sits up and begins to kiss his stomach as she holds onto his sides. Then she pulls him down to the bed and pushes him down so that he is lying down beside her. As they lay their, side by side, he looks at her for a few moments in disbelief that this woman was his to love and cherish, his to kiss and make love to, his to hopefully, grow old with. Self consciously, Marissa laughs while Ryan just stares at her in amazement.
Ryan: (Breathlessly and in a whisper.) Exquisite.
Marissa: What?
Ryan: You, you're exquisite. (Before Marissa can reply, his lips are once again on hers, and he pulls her towards him wanting her entire body to be on top of his. After kissing for a moment, their passion becomes even stronger, and Ryan turns over so that he is laying on top of her, not only so that he could more easily kiss and touch every part of her body but so that he can look into her eyes without her hair falling down into her face. Once repositioned, he begins to get up, but Marissa pulls him back to her.)
Marissa: Where are you going?
Ryan: I need to…. You know, get…. (Before he can finish speaking, she kisses him again.)
Marissa: No, please, don't leave me. I don't care; we don't need one.
Ryan: Are you…. (Again though, before he could even finish his sentence her mouth took possession of his and all thoughts were lost.)
Marissa: I'm sure. (They began to kiss again and although it is not seen (Remember I write these as if they were actual scripts. Plus, during this scene, the television guidelines, unfortunately, also have to be recognized and obeyed, so only certain body parts can be shown.) it is conveyed that the couple makes love for the first time. As the camera leaves them it goes to the Cooper residence. Although it is early, Julie has just arrived to speak to Jimmy. Caitlyn is up because she and Jane are going shopping that morning to get her ready for Harbor, and she answers the door to see her mother.)
Julie: Caitlyn.
Caitlyn: Julie. (Julie at first looks like she is going to be angry, but after she considers what her daughter has called her, she rethinks her original reaction and smiles instead.)
Julie: I actually like that. Please, don't ever call me Mother or Mom again.
Caitlyn: Gladly. What do you want? Why are you here? If you came for more money from Dad, he doesn't have any. You took it all.
Julie: Please, like I would want anything else from that man, but as for not having anything, look around Caitlyn, you're living in a mansion in Newport. If your father wanted money, all he'd have to do was ask. (Caitlyn just glares at her.) Anyway, though, I'm here to discuss the divorce terms.
Caitlyn: Dad didn't say anything about it.
Julie: That's because he didn't know I was coming. (She waits to be invited in, but Caitlyn just stands there holding the door and not letting her through.) Aren't you going to invite me in?
Caitlyn: Sorry, alcoholic whores aren't welcome here. Why don't you go back to that poor sucker who was escorting you last night? By the looks of him, I'm sure he has plenty of money to pay for another night of your company.
Julie: Ahah. When did you get so funny, Caitlyn? (This is obviously said extremely sarcastic, but Julie's patience are wearing thin, and she is becoming angry as well.)
Caitlyn: Somewhere between the time you gave birth to me and now, but you missed that time in my life, and I'm too busy to play catch up right now. I have shopping to do. If you will excuse me, (She walks out the door and into the driveway but leaves the door open. When she talks, she keeps her back towards Julie.) Dad's in the kitchen. Find your own way. (She continues to walk away, and Julie starts to enter the house when Jane reaches the door.)
Jane: What are you doing here? What do you want?
Julie: Oh, not you, too. First of all, you old shrew, this is none of your dmn business, and second of all, for your information, you should be nicer to me, because I'm here to discuss the details of the divorce. If you're not nice, I might decide to take Jimmy to the cleaners, and by Jimmy, I mean you and your loaded husband. Caitlyn's waiting and I thought you were leaving. (She flips her hand as if to dismiss Jane, but she does not leave that easily.)
Jane: (She pulls Julie around and makes her look her in the face.) Listen to me, Julie, no one speaks to me like that, and no one treats my family the way you did.
Julie: Such a close family, you haven't seen your son in 21 years and before last week, you'd never met your granddaughters.
Jane: And why is that? (Julie is silent.) You're in over your head little girl. Just try to threaten me and I'll ruin you. (Jane walks away as Julie looks after her a moment.)
Julie: Who spiked her Metamucil? (She shrugs, smiles, and shakes off everything Jane said, forgetting her warnings and turns to walk into the house, shutting the door behind her.) Jimmy, it's Julie, we need to talk, now! (She waits in the hall a moment before Jimmy walks into it.)
Jimmy: Where did you come from, well beside hell?
Julie: Caitlyn somewhat let me in as did your mother. We need to talk.
Jimmy: Don't you think this conversation is a little late. I don't know, maybe we should have had this before you ran off with all my money.
Julie: Apples, oranges. Jimmy, look, we both know that our marriage was a mistake, a joke, now we both want out, so this shouldn't be difficult. I won't fight you for anything, no money, no visitation rights…
Jimmy: Yeah, right, like Caitlyn would want to see you. She hates you more than I do.
Julie: Anyway, I'll give you a quick and easy divorce…
Jimmy: Why did someone else already knock you up?
Julie: No, not everyone can be as lucky as you, Jimmy. I just want one thing.
Jimmy: What? I don't have anything. You obviously wouldn't want our house back east, you already took my money, you don't want Caitlyn, what else could there be?
Julie: I want you out of Newport.
Jimmy: Excuse me?
Julie: You heard me, a quick and easy divorce in exchange for you and Caitlyn leaving town and never coming back. I want a life here, I want to belong in this neighborhood, and I can get everything I want if you leave and I continue working Caleb Nichol to my advantage.
Jimmy: And what about Marissa?
Julie: Oh please, like she wants anything to do with me, and trust me, that's just how I like it, but she can stay here, because, actually, she might be useful to me.
Jimmy: You're unbelievable.
Julie: Jimmy, I really don't have time for you to criticize me. Do we have a deal or not?
Jimmy: What's your hurry, is the bar about to open?
Julie: Now I see where Caitlyn gets her sense of humor. (Said quietly under her breath, but Jimmy still hears it.) Actually, I have a date, a breakfast date. Caleb and I are meeting at the club.
Jimmy: You're good, I'll give you that. Even after you lied about your identity, you were still able to keep the most powerful man in Orange County on your leash. You have either gotten better in bed or you're a better liar than you used to be.
Julie: For the first part, that is something you won't be finding out soon, and as for the second, I've always been a dmn good liar, I just never wasted the effort on you. Now, what's your answer?
Jimmy: No.
Julie: No?
Jimmy: You heard me, no deal, but I'll offer you one. While we were still living out east, I had started corresponding with my parents, and unbeknownst to you, they changed their minds about my inheritance. Turns out, I'll be getting it anyway, so if you leave town, I will give you a really generous and green divorce settlement.
Julie: Like anything you could offer me could compare to Caleb Nichol's bank account. No thanks. I'd rather take my chances and see if I can't land myself the biggest fish in the pond.
Jimmy: Don't get greedy. You don't want to end up without Caleb and without my money. Take the deal, leave town.
Julie: Not in a million years. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll let myself out.
Jimmy: Wait.
Julie: What now, Jimmy?
Julie: Have you heard anything about Marissa? Do you know where she is, how she's doing? She is dating Caleb's grandson.
Julie: No she's dating Ryan, Kirsten and Sandy's adopted, criminal son. Ryan is nothing to Caleb.
Jimmy: Whatever. Did he say anything about her?
Julie: Like he cares, and like I would ask him. Obviously, she wants nothing to do with you, smart girl if you ask me, just let her go. This desperate father routine is really sad, Jimmy.
Jimmy: You don't care t all, do you?
Julie: (She thinks for a second before speaking.) No. (This is said happily. After it, she turns around on the heel of her stiletto, walks towards the door and lets herself out. Jimmy is left standing in the hallway by himself.)
Jimmy: I wonder what she's doing now, where she is. (He says this out loud, thinking to himself. As the camera leaves him it goes back to the poolhouse where a post coital Ryan and Marissa have both finally fallen asleep and are laying in each other's arms at peace with smiles slightly curving their lips. A sheet is pulled over them, but it is obvious that they are both completely nude. The camera fades and the scene ends.)
Commercial Break