Title: Heist.
Author:cheekymice.
Rating: Um…PG13-R later chapters will be a higher rating.
Beta: mel39. Hugs and snogs Melly, as always
Disclaimer: I don't own The OC, Ryan or Benjamin McKenzie.
Story: As requested Hero! In peril Ryan! Yeay!!! All in the title really. Set post finale.
Notes: Thanks for being so good at waiting for this. mwah...this chapter is 5,071 words. Blimey, how'd I manage that :)

Heist

Chapter 12

Ryan woke up feeling a damned sight better than he should have done after a night spent asleep on Seth's floor. His back ached but his head felt a whole lot clearer. He didn't quite know why he'd opened up to Seth. Hell, he couldn't even remember half of what he'd said, but it had felt good, even though he felt as embarrassed as hell that he had. It had almost been like the times when he and Trey used to stay up late and talk when they'd first moved to Chino – before Trey had turned into a trainee asshole and found a gang to hang around with, that was, and their talks had become few and far between. Seth, for once in his life, had listened to him and hadn't overreacted to anything he'd said. Who knew? Maybe they had moved on in their relationship, maybe Seth had finally grown up? Ryan folded the blanket and put it on the end of Seth's bed with the pillow that had also mysteriously appeared at some point in the night. After his talk with Seth things seemed less complicated. Maybe things would be okay after all. He checked his watch. It was lunchtime, which would account for why he felt so refreshed, considering he and Seth had sat up until after three in the morning talking. He pocketed the remaining cigarettes and made his way downstairs.

All three Cohens were sitting at the breakfast table when he entered.

"It lives! Did you sleep well?" Seth grinned.

Ryan made his way to the coffee pot, poured himself a cup and sat down. They all looked at him with unreadable expressions. Kirsten was the first to speak.

"So...you started smoking again?"

Ryan swallowed.

"Sorry, they came looking for you and couldn't help notice that my room smelt like the bottom of an ashtray." Seth grimaced. "I tried to tell them that someone in the vicinity must have had a bonfire in the night but the packet of Marlboro by your hand was a dead give away."

Kirsten folded her arms and shook her head. She would have looked stern but for the ghost of a smile on her face.

"You're eighteen now so I suppose we can't stop you even though we're not happy about this. We've talked and we have certain rules. No smoking in the house from now on Ryan, and no openly smoking at any functions please."

Ryan blinked.

"Um, sorry. Is that it?" There had to be a catch here. Seth was looking equally stunned.

"That's it." Kirsten stated. Ryan frowned.

Both Cohens looked at each other and smiled.

"Don't buy it, Ryan, it's a trap. They've got something up their sleeves." Seth narrowed his eyes and looked at his parents.

Sandy and Kirsten smiled enigmatically.

"They've signed you up to nicotine anonymous. A full five step program, the works." Seth grinned.

"Seth…" Kirsten warned." Go and freshen up, Ryan, and I'll make you some lunch."

Ryan retreated, not quite sure what had just gone on.
He hadn't meant to walk so far. The sky had been azure blue when he'd set off but now it was turning dark. He didn't want to turn back even though the lack of moonlight and the lengthening shadows were starting to freak him out. He could beat this stupid childish fear. It was just the dark. Everything was the same as it was in the day. This was beyond stupid. Maybe this was what he needed? There was no get out here, no light switch to turn on, no Seth to run to. He had to face his fear head on and maybe that's what he needed.

The sound of the surf breaking on the sand was doing its best to soothe the jitters he felt and he liked the solitude after days of being watched. Ryan had the unsettling feeling that Seth had blabbed to his parents yesterday about their late night talk. He was kind of pissed off. Didn't Seth know that some things were sacrosanct and late night talks fell under that remit? It was too much of a coincidence for Seth not to have spilled his guts, the Cohens tentative talk of Berkeley and how he could defer his place if he didn't feel up to going just yet, and it would be a blessing for them as it would lessen the empty nest syndrome. They'd both been dreading both their 'boys' leaving. They both kept pushing the point home that he was one of them at every turn and to Ryan's ears it sounded kind of hollow. He wanted to believe, he really did, but somehow hearing how much he was part of this family only after being prompted, well that kind of sucked and did nothing to quell his doubts.

Ryan took out one of the last of Summer's post coital cigarettes and lit it as he walked, cupping his hand against the light breeze that swept off the surf. He forced himself onwards; he had to be at least three miles from home now but he wanted to test himself. He could feel the sweat prickle along his spine and his heart rate was starting to climb. Shit. He sucked the smoke into his lungs and looked behind him. Things were starting to close in and the creeping feeling of paranoia enveloped him. Okay, the idea that now was the time to face his demons quick fled with the enclosing darkness. He couldn't do this…not yet. He admitted defeat and turned around before it got too dark and he freaked out big time because as much as he hated to admit it he could feel himself losing it.

He walked a little way and saw one of the cliff paths; he started to run, his boots losing traction and slipping in the sand, suddenly needing nothing more than to get up on the road and near the streetlights. Sand gave way to gravel as he jogged up the slope. At the top he stumbled as he rounded the corner. He wasn't looking where he was going and hit something hard. That something squeaked and dropped several bags. He didn't stop to look at who he'd run into, instead he dropped to his knees, picking up fallen debris, glad of having something else to focus on.

"Ryan?"

Ryan snapped his head up.

"Ryan, what are you doing out here?"

"Hey." Ryan responded. He'd never been more pleased to see anyone in a long time. One thing his stupid phobia was doing was making him more sociable.

"What are you doing out here all on your own…no Seth?" Taylor looked around. "Have you escaped from the Cohens'? I did try and visit but they said you needed a little quiet time and I think they were scared I'd drive you to a relapse."

"I'd have loved to see you, Taylor. If I can put up with Seth then everything else pales into insignificance." She beamed at that and he smiled back, more in relief that he'd gotten her name right and, as yet, not fucked up and made her think he was brain dead. "And they do know I'm out." He wasn't lying. They did know that. The fact that he'd been out for longer than he'd and they'd probably expected was neither here nor there at this moment, he was just pleased to see a friendly face.

"I'm just off to a party." Taylor flicked her hair and nodded to the bags she carried. "I'm organizing the party games."

Ryan raised an eyebrow. In his book the best party games were played without props.

"So…. do you want to come? Keep me company?" Taylor all but scuffed the toe of her shoe in the dirt as she asked, trying to look nonchalant.

"I'd love to but I've got to ring first and let the Cohens know I've got a chaperone."

"Excellent." Taylor gave a little jump.

The call to the Cohens was fairly pain free. Sandy scolded him for not calling sooner but said it was fine if he stayed with Taylor, as long as she brought him home and he didn't stay out too late. The fact that he'd just come out of hospital was mentioned and Kirsten's voice was heard in the background telling him not to over tire himself. Okay, so the word party was never mentioned, he pretty much figured that would be a no no although he couldn't really see what the problem would be. Either way he was out and spending time with Taylor so the end result was the same.

"It's cool, but I can't stay for too long." He flipped his phone shut.

"It's Billy McGeehan's eighteenth. He's having a beach party over by Bookers Point. He asked about you…well everybody has really. We were worried." She looked slightly embarrassed. "I was really worried. It's great to see you up and about, Ryan."

Ryan took her bags. "Thanks Taylor, it's good to see you too." He put an arm around her and gave her a hug and the strangest thing happened, a fizzy frisson of burgeoning desire zapped him in the stomach as his arm touched her. Maybe it was just relief to be with someone after his mini-freak out. Either way he kept his arm around her as they walked and she didn't try and shrug him off.

The party was in full swing when they made it onto the beach. Someone had built a huge fire and there were about a million church candles on top of up turned crates. Blankets were laid out on the sand, most had half the beach on already but the people making out on them didn't seem to care. Beer kegs dotted the ground. Billy even had a makeshift bar area which was the open trunk of a Hummer. Even in Newport a beach party had a certain amount of class.

A beer miraculously appeared in his hand and a grinning jock swayed in front of him.

"Yo Atwood…." Ryan couldn't remember his name but he suspected that he wouldn't have before the 'incident'. "Hey everyone it's Atwood. See? I told you he wasn't a vegetable in hospital."

Ryan tensed and Taylor whispered that he was just drunk and to ignore him. People turned to look at him; several people came over and patted him on the back.

"We'd heard that you'd gone all 'Rainman' on us, that you couldn't even go to the bathroom on your own, needed someone to wipe your ass" The jock all but shouted and brayed at his lightning humor.

"Well, considering Dustin Hoffman was portraying autism I can't see how Ryan would suddenly develop that after being in a coma, you jerk." Taylor jumped in; she shook her head and looked pissed, saving Ryan from having to punch the guy for his stupidity and lack of intelligence.

More people crowded them asking how he was. Several jokes were made as to his supposed vegetate condition and Ryan tried not to rise to it, most were just joking and didn't mean any offence. He tried to answer with one-word answers. His head was swimming with forgotten names and where the fuck he knew half these people from. He'd learnt since he'd woken up from the coma that when he got uptight his memory and speech got worse so he tried to keep things simple. Taylor helped him by speaking as much as possible but he still managed to fuck up and cause people to look embarrassed. He jumbled his words a couple of times too often and the more he tried not to the worse it got. He wanted the ground to open up under him. His arm tightened around Taylor. This was a bad idea. Sympathetic looks and pity started to creep onto people's faces as they started to figure out the extent of his problem. Taylor once again came to his rescue and he felt a rush of gratitude to this girl that he didn't really know.

"Whoa, how much have you had to drink, Ryan?" Taylor laughed and made a show of taking away his half finished beer. "I guess that's me driving again."

Ryan caught onto what she was implying and leant into her heavily. His old classmates started to relax once more now that they could put his poor speech down to too much alcohol. That was something they could understand. Mention brain damage and it got people nervous, but if you chose to fry your brain with too many drugs and too much booze that was fine…. positively something to be proud of as a teen. But Ryan had had enough of it and pulled Taylor away down the beach to catcalls and shouted innuendos.

They walked away from the main party in silence. Ryan spotted a rock and sat down to try and gather himself. Fuck, he was shaking like a leaf.

"You okay?" Taylor asked concerned as she sat next to him. "They're just ignorant jerks, don't let them upset you."

Ryan leant forward and breathed deeply through his nose, his nostrils flaring with the effort to calm down. Taylor placed her hand on his back and rubbed slow methodical circles. It was a strangely maternal gesture but it felt good.

"Grant's an idiot." Taylor stated. "His IQ is less than an amoeba."

Ryan sighed. It was all very well to keep telling him his problem was hardly noticeable but in his book the acid test had been tonight and he'd failed. His peers had been frankly honest in their reactions and it made him realize that those closest to him were just being kind.

"I need you to be honest with me Taylor. How bad is it? I mean half the time I don't know I'm making mistakes or spacing out. It scares me."

Taylor stopped stroking his back and paused before answering.

"Honestly?"

"Yeah….please. I can't get a straight answer. My therapist says that the damage is marginal and will get better. The Cohens and Summer are pussy footing around me like I'm made of glass but I need to know. Please Taylor, I think you'll be honest with me."

Taylor pulled away and studied him. Ryan pulled out his cigarettes, more for something to dampen the severity of his question and maybe her answer, than for real desire, and offered one to Taylor, not expecting her to take one. Taylor immediately took one and he leant over and lit it for her. She was obviously no stranger to smoking and that somehow endeared her more to him right now, it put her down nearer to his level, less perfect. He wouldn't have pegged her for polluting her body. He gave a slight smile as the thought flashed through his mind inappropriately that a mongrel like him might actually have a shot.

She flicked the end of her cigarette as he lit his own. She started speaking, her voice soft and nothing like its usual strident tone.

"Seth rang me when you were in the hospital in a flap and said you were bad. You know how Seth is and I really didn't know what to expect. I was apprehensive of visiting you because of what he said and what you'd be like but to be honest I think you're doing great." She paused and took a lady like drag on her smoke. "My grandmother suffered a mild stroke five years ago and she sounded a bit like you at the moment, but after six months she was pretty much back to normal, well as normal as a hundred and fifty pound half German lunatic from Long Island can be. I know you must hate having to lean on people but you've got to learn to let people close to you in. Let them know this is hitting you hard and don't hide behind your scowl."

Ryan took a deep drag on his cigarette.

"You do scowl a lot…a whole lot." Taylor repeated.

"Is that so?" Ryan laughed.

"Yeah, you don't fool me but…"

Ryan tensed. Of course, there was always a 'but'.

"You've changed. I'm not talking about your speech. You seem less…um…less 'closed'."

Ryan's head snapped up and he looked Taylor in the eye.

"I've known you for a year Ryan, and to be quite honest at first I thought you acted superior to us. You were so quiet and watchful I thought you were judging us…me. In time Seth let slip about your past and I realized that it was just your way of protecting yourself. You're usually the archetypal iceman, guarded and locked behind your own private shell but…. but this evening you, you're different. I can't put my finger on it. I mean I know you're feeling low and you normally wouldn't want to spend time with me but I've got to say I like this side of you. You scare me less."

"I scared you?" Ryan's heart sunk. Here we go again, he thought. Why the hell did people feel that emotion around him? He remembered Marissa telling him more than once that he scared her. That depressed him. Taylor must have seen his face because she backtracked quickly.

"Oh, don't get me wrong, Ryan. I don't mean 'scare' as in the Freddy Kruger type way but you did intimidate me. You were …" Taylor faltered, embarrassed, suddenly unsure of what she was going to say. She finished the sentence. "…untouchable."

"Untouchable?" He snorted. That made him smile.

Taylor gave a little smile of her own.

"What I mean is …I always felt that you thought I was too stupid and vapid for words. I took your silence for indifference but I realized tonight that you, Ryan Atwood, are really quite shy underneath that hard exterior and you don't like people finding that out, do you? I love it when you scowl and look menacing but I know you are a big pussycat really."

Taylor gave him a big smile.

"Tonight you've treated me like an equal and you've made me feel like…like a friend."

"You are a friend, Taylor." Ryan tried to wrack his brain for any indication he might have given Taylor to the contrary.

"But before, you'd never actually talked to me. You're different now, more open. Seth's noticed it too."

Ryan scuffed the sand with his foot. What was it with Seth at the moment that he felt he had to broadcast everything he said or did? Ryan looked at her profile. She really was quite cute.

"I like it." Taylor said and looked briefly at him then away at the sea.

Even in the dark Ryan could see she was blushing. He was suddenly very aware of Taylor. Her thigh was barely touching his, which in itself shouldn't have made him breathe deeply but it did. Ryan followed Taylor's lead and silently looked out at the waves as they gently flowed onto the shore. They could hear the party going on just around the cove, shouts and flashes of music carried on the wind. Taylor shifted and her leg brushed his, sending a pulse straight to his dick. He swallowed and wondered where this was going. He didn't often misread situations when it came to women and he was pretty sure that Taylor had been subtly telling him that she was into him. The thing was that, until tonight, he had never given her a thought but here on the beach it seemed like a really good idea. He felt disloyal to even think it but in the past forty or so minutes Taylor had made more astute observations about him than Marissa had in three damn years.

He felt Taylor shiver. He paused for a moment contemplating what he was about to do, because he knew from past experiences what would probably happen. Did he really want this? The growing tightness in his pants told him he did but was it a good idea right now? Since the accident it was like someone had given him a shot of novocaine to the brain and decisions that should have come easily became clogged up like they'd been immersed in porridge. She shivered again and he threw caution to the wind. There would be enough time for thoughts another day, tonight this felt right.

He sat forward and pulled his jacket off. Taylor watched as he righted the sleeves. He shook it and settled the jacket over her shoulders. The move put him directly in front of her, his face inches from hers. He paused and stared at Taylor letting his eyes roam her face. She didn't pull back from him or break the delicious anticipation that the silence had woven between them instead she moved her head slightly nearer to his. Ryan relished the situation. This was what he loved, the beginnings of something and the build up was almost better that what came after. You could never recreate the intense jolt of that first accidental touch, the first time when your bodies met, sending a myriad of feelings buzzing through you and leaving you wanting more. Taylor licked her lips and just seeing the tip of her tongue made him harder.

He took the opportunity and moved his hand off her shoulder and ran it down her arm. She shivered again but this time not from the chill in the air. Their lips finally met and they shared an innocent kiss, a mere prelude they both knew, but they were in no hurry. Taylor moved her hand so it rested on his thigh, she squeezed and it caused his libido to dance the fandango probably more than if she'd grabbed his cock. Ryan pulled back to catch his breath. They looked at each other. Taylor gave him the cutest smile, part cheerleader, part slut. His dick jumped in his pants and he launched himself at her, pulling her down off the rock and onto the sand. She complied and melted into his body. She opened her mouth to him and damn if Taylor couldn't kiss. He was crouching over her, resting his weight on his knuckles and knees, straddling her, not wanting to scare the shit out of her by going too fast, but she put her hands on his ass pulling him down on firmly on top of her. That now gave him carte blanche in his book and he rocked his hips freely into her. There was no way she wouldn't feel how hard he was now, he might as well use it to his advantage. The way Taylor was writhing under him she had no objections. For the first time since Marissa died he felt like he wanted to be with another woman and it felt so damn good.

He pulled Taylor's top down and sucked on a pale pink nipple. Okay, this was why he hated fooling around on the beach, sand from his hands had transferred itself onto her chest but even he couldn't bring himself to care that much, sand in the mouth was a small price to pay. One hand kneading her breast, he lifted his hips off her and with the other he undid her pants, sliding his hand inside her panties. Taylor lifted one of her legs from under him and crooked it around his back and that in itself was hot. He played with for a while, just ghosting he mound. They continued to kiss, alternating between soft and gentle to hard and biting.

He shifted his body to one side, resting his hip against the sand mainly to gain a better angle on the situation but partly to give him time to calm down. Ryan finally let his fingers encounter her slick wetness now she seemed to really want more if the way her hips kept tilting upwards, loving the way she gave little moans and sighs at his ministrations. When he thought she was fully ready he slid one finger deep inside her, then another. She was so delightfully into it that he scooted down and added his tongue into the equation, flicking and twirling the tip against her clit as he finger fucked her. Her cries melded in with the sounds further along the beach. The taste and smell of her was sending direct messages to his dick, it was one thing to fool around but he wasn't sure if the full Monty were on offer tonight. Not that he minded, he'd take whatever was on offer. It was as if Taylor read his mind, she tugged on his hair and he lifted his head questioningly. He climbed up her body and kissed her neck.

"You weren't enjoying that?" he asked, knowing damn well she had been.

She answered by stroking the back of his neck and giggling.

"Do you want? I mean shall we…if you want to?"

He lifted himself up to look at her. She sat up.

"Yeah…really?" He couldn't help but show by the inflection in his voice that he wanted nothing more.

"Mmmm…yes please."

Ryan laughed. Taylor often came across like an uptight Valley chic but tonight she'd blown that image out of the window. To hear her tentatively ask if he'd screw her was one of those things he'd never thought he'd hear.

He rolled off her and fished in his pocket for his wallet and the prized condom within. He placed it between his lips and reached around, pulling his jacket off Taylor's shoulders, it would have to do. He laid it on the sand with all the aplomb of Sir Walter Raleigh. Taylor pulled her pants and underwear off and laid down, her legs coyly crossed as she watched him unzip, push his pants down and sheath himself. He gave her stomach a tiny bit of attention, pushing his tongue into her belly button and kissing it's flat surface but he wasted no time in entering her. They were fucking outside and that kinda blew any finesse out the window. The situation definitely called for urgent haste…or maybe it could be down to the fact that he hadn't been laid for about six months and seriously, seriously needed this. Taylor didn't seem to mind and got straight into it with him, wrapping her legs high up on his back.

They fucked to the faint sounds of U2 drifting up the beach. Ryan let his mind empty and he only thought of the here and now. He poured all his recent frustrations into screwing Taylor. She panted and grabbed at his back, racking her short nails up underneath his shirt and into his skin as she came. She made enough noise to massage his ego without making it sound like he was fucking a banshee. She was one hell of a lay; there was none of the first time awkwardness that sometimes crept into your performance with Taylor.

He had no regrets as he came.

They dressed in silence, perfectly relaxed with each other. They brushed the sand off each other and made jokes as to which intimate areas sand still lurked in. As Ryan shook his jacket out he saw that Taylor was watching him.

"What?"

"You know something?" She smiled and looked excited. "Your speech has improved. You hardly faltered at all the past five minutes."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah…maybe it's because you're relaxed at the moment and not trying so hard." She raised an eyebrow.

Ryan laughed and handed his jacket back to Taylor.

"So what you're saying is that the best cure for me is to screw you a lot? No complaints here. Maybe I should tell my therapist."

"Anytime you need any one to one therapy give me a call." She linked arms with him. "Lets get you home before you turn into a pumpkin or the Cohens will not be pleased with me."

They walked back up the beach towards the music and Taylor's car. The party was in full swing. Ryan hoped they could just breeze by everyone but this was Newport and people were always out for an opportunity to judge. Grant appeared in front of them, paralytic now and swaying.

"Dude…. did you just bang Taylor!" He spoke in a loud voice that carried over the music. Several people turned. "Jeez, dude…. it's fucking Taylor Townsend. The brain damage must be worse than they said for you to want to stick your dick in that!"

Ryan clenched his fists and stepped forward.

"Shut the f...f…fuck up."

"Ryan, no, it's okay." Taylor pulled on his arm trying to stop him.

Billy stumbled in a circle crowing to the growing crowd around him. Alcohol had made him as much of an ass as Grant.

"Whoa…. Atwood is all p…p…protective of the dog. Isn't that s…s…sweet?"

"Ryan, no." Taylor urged.

Ryan could feel the anger crash through his system. He stepped forward as Billy laughed at him. He got a strong sense of déjà vu that he'd been on this stretch of beach before, standing in front of Grant Norwich wanting to punch his face in. Déjà vu at the laughter and the music. His thoughts raced through his mind…the smell of salt and ozone was so strong, he could smell the lingering heat in the sand and the coffee he'd drunk over four hours ago on his own breath. A tingling sensation crept up his legs and arms. What the fuck was happening?

Taylor didn't want Ryan fighting…. especially not over her. She'd been the brunt of everyone's jokes at Harbor for years and she could handle it. It hurt but she'd heard worse than tonight. She just felt sorry for Ryan, he was a cool guy and sleeping with her had probably lowered him down several rungs of the popularity ladder. She tried to pull him away but he stood there staring at Billy and Grant as they taunted him over his stuttering. At first she thought he was just calling him out but the look of fierce intensity vanished from his face and he just looked confused.

She was still holding his hand when he fell to the floor and started violently shaking and jerking.

No one moved…everybody just stared.

TBC