DISCLAIMER: None of the The OC characters belong to me. Not even the show.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to the following people who reviewed this: meehgadoi, mel087, 01ryanlover, snoopygal16. Hope you all continue to review and tell me whether to continue or not.
It could have been another busy New York day for Summer had it not been for the presence of Marissa. She never thought in a million years that she'd be able to warm up in the East Coast. Summer Roberts has always been the West Coast Daddy's Girl from Newport. After the whirlwind time she spent on Brown, juggling her neurotic relationship with Seth as he went to RISD and her complete metamorphosis into being All for Green Summer, she never thought there's more out there to happen. She has always thought that she had it all fall into places. But now that Marissa's back and living in New York -next door to her- she's not very sure if things will still be falling into places like she always thought. And now, Summer needs to embrace herself for the unavoidable shake up that's bound to happen as she signs the paperwork over the counter of Oats & Sparkle.
"We need to ship the new collection to LA by Friday night." Anna told her as she arranges their bestseller Dish collection of shirts.
"Signing it." Summer answered.
"Hey guys, I think we should all go eat dinner together on Friday." Seth suggested.
"Not a bad idea." Anna agreed happily.
"You up for it Coop?"
"Yeah sure…..I can't believe you guys are actually doing this. I'm so proud of both of you." Marissa commented as she looks over the sets of clothes, shoes and bags on the store.
"Thanks Coop. Three years into business and we still can't believe we're actually here! In New York!" Summer responded with full honesty.
Just as Marissa was about to say something, the screeching sound of a Saturn Curve ripped the silence. It stopped and parked outside the store. The door of O&S opened and Ryan Atwood, dressed in a suit and trench coat, entered holding a take out set of coffee and pastries from Starbucks. He approached his friends and laid down the set on the counter. "I figured everybody would be here."
"I think it's more of a bribe for bailing out on us last week" Anna told him.
"Sorry guys, work calls." Ryan answered sincerely.
Marissa looked over to reassure herself that it's Ryan. Her Ryan. After making sure it's actually him, Marissa can't figure out what she'd do next. Should she approach him? Hug and kiss him the way she has been imagining for the past seven years? Say "Hey!" like nothing happened? Introduce herself as "Marissa, the Love of Your Life"? Either way, none of these sounds rational and none of these helped ease the mixed feelings she has inside and she froze on her steps looking over to him as he talk to Seth, Anna and Summer. She can't help admiring him from afar. Ryan almost looks the same, save for the growing stubble, –the blond hair, piercing blue eyes and the smile, that smile, Marissa craved to see all these years.
Summer never thought the big shake up she was thinking about a few minutes ago would actually start now. Sensing the urgency to get hold of the situation, she nudged Anna with her elbow who was standing next to her over the counter. Anna glared at Seth who in turn chatted Ryan up with his usual nonsense morning blabbering as Summer approached Marissa to grab her and lead her to the group. The tension increased between Seth, Summer and Anna as Marissa stood a few feet away from Ryan.
Oblivious of the tension, Ryan addressed Anna, "I need a new bed."
"What?" Anna asked in astonishment.
"I need a new one. It…..it broke this morning."
"Have you been sleeping with Barbarella and you're not telling me?!" Seth sarcastically told Ryan.
"Seth….."
"C'mon man!"
"Who's Barbarella?!" a confused Summer asked.
"You don't wanna know." Anna answered. "So Gisele is too much of a Wonderwoman, huh?"
"I'm not going to see her again. She broke my bed what else can she break in the future?!" Ryan announced uncomfortably to them.
"Now that, my brother, is an image I don't want to get." Seth told Ryan as he punched Ryan on his arm.
Summer knew it's time to stop avoiding the unavoidable. She needs to introduce Marissa to Ryan before things get out of hand in the future if she doesn't take the opportunity.
Summer stood next to Marissa and looked at Ryan. "Ryan we want you to meet------".
Summer was cut off as Ryan's mobile phone rang. He signaled an excuse and grabbed his mobile phone from his pocket. He looked at the caller's name quizzically before answering the phone. "Hey baby!...I'm sorry. I didn't forget to call you…..I just saw you two hours ago!...….No I don't think I can make it to dinner tonight…. I'd be caught up with work …..I'll call you ok?...Bye."
Marissa could only look at the other three in the store in amazement who in turn returned a look of dumbfounded sympathy. Marissa's heart was breaking inside with every word Ryan utters. She's breaking inside with every second she spends next to him knowing that she can't hold him, kiss him and call him Her Ryan. Up until now, she still can't understand how Ryan could agree to go through a procedure which would require him to erase a part of his memory. She can't understand why her? Why their memories……
Just as Ryan ends the call all the other four hasn't uttered a word or moved an inch. "It's Gisele. She wants---- " his phone rang again and he answered it. "Hey man….Yeah I'm on my way….On my way. You just hang in there ok? I'll talk to Mr. Saboro when I get there. I'll be there in ten minutes." Ryan hanged up the phone and looked up. "Sorry guys---"
"Work calls." Seth said glumly.
"Yeah." was what Ryan could only answer. He nodded towards Summer. "Summer, what was it you were saying?"
Seth and Anna looked at each other as Summer begins to introduce Marissa. "Ryan, I want you to meet Marissa."
Ryan Atwood looked at the beautiful woman standing in front of him. He has never seen a woman as stunning as she is. Having the architect instinct in him, he evaluated this Marissa he was just introduced to. She has a perfect bone structure, flowing blonde hair, the most gorgeous expressive blue-green eyes and the most beautiful smile he has ever seen in his twenty five years of living. Everything was perfect about her and he stared at her for few good seconds before Anna's fingers snaps him back to reality. "Ryan!"
Ryan knew a beautiful woman like this Marissa can't break the rough-killer smile and hot body-gentle Ryan Atwood façade he's known for. Not this Marissa. Hell no, I can get a woman like her anytime, he thought. Ryan decided to play it cool and cold. He doesn't know anything about this Marissa and he suspects this is another ploy by his main three to stop him from dating models and "other women", as Summer calls it. The Main Three has been his dating police for the past seven years and 70 of the time, they don't like the girl he's dating. This Marissa could well be another one of those girls from Kirsten and Julie's Newport Match the main three picked for him to date. Alright, cool and cold, he thought. He waved at Marissa and took a step to shake her hand. Smooth skin, he thought to himself.
"Hi, Marissa." He said with a wink and that killer shy smile all those women he dated fell for.
Marissa was nervous with excitement that she could hear her own heart treble and can't stop a big nervous smile from showing across her face. This is Her Ryan. Since Ryan can't recognize her and she noticed that he actually took a few good seconds at looking at her before he shook her hand, Marissa thought that it's a good start. She thought she'd play it warm and sassy. "And you are?"
"Ryan, Ryan Atwood." He stammered.
"Nice to meet you Ryan Ryan Atwood."
"Actually it's just Ryan Atwood……." He stared at her for a few more seconds before he shifted his gaze back at Summer.
"Chino, you're still holding her hand." Summer commented smiling. Ryan noticed he actually is still shaking Marissa's hand and let go.
Now there's your playing it cool and cold, he kidded himself.
Seth knew it's time to go for the kill. "Hey man, we're going to have dinner together on Friday. If you'd bail on us again for Barbarella…."
"I'm not sure man, I got work, but I'll give you a call" Ryan said as he turned to exit the store.
"Don't bail on us Chino." Anna called out.
"If you can get me a new bed by afternoon, I'll be in time for dinner on Friday." Ryan reasoned out, opened the store door and stop. "Thanks PA!" Ryan closed the door and road off on his Saturn Curve which turned heads on the streets.
Marissa, confused, asked "PA?!"
"Pittsburgh Anna" Summer replied.
"I gotta get to work before they start casting pantyless head shaving popstars for Nitro Girl." Seth said as he kissed Summer goodbye, grab his coffee and bagels, and exited the store just as Nadine, the O&S store manager arrived.
"Subway's being the usual bitch of my day." Nadine retorted as she stripped off her jacket and reviewed the set of documents left for her by Summer and Anna to mail to the Oats & Sparkle east coast distributor. "You girls will be out for the day?"
Summer and Anna nodded at her.
"Coop, Nadine's going to handle the store for us. In the meantime, the three of us can go shopping and what not."
"Sure. That's cool. What do you guys have in store for me?"
Anna glanced at Summer and Summer looked back at her with a nod of assurance. A lot, were the two words they both have inside their heads.
It's time.
Meanwhile on Atwood Developments and Properties Inc., Ryan slumped on his office chair in exhaustion as he tried to fight a building headache. He just got out of a meeting with the representative of a Japanese firm he's dealing with. The meeting went fine like he predicted, save for the painful way of communicating with the Japanese representative. Ryan had to talk and explain to the translator before he could get a reply from Mr. Saboro.
He loosened his tie to breathe properly just as Clarisse, his trusted assistant, knocked and entered the door. "Banking up more millions, Sir?"
Ryan laughed at Clarisse's comment. "Is that a call for a raise?"
"Maybe." They both laughed as Clarisse approached Ryan's table with sets of documents on colored folders. "You need to review and sign these. Half of these are from Mr. Cohen."
"Sandy never fails to remind me to beat that Brea proposal on the east coast."
"I think you'd get it anyway."
"Thanks Clarisse." Ryan told her as she exited his office.
Ryan went on document reading for the next seven minutes when his office phone rang. Knowing full well who's calling, he automatically put it on loudspeaker and continued his reading and signing of papers. "Seth."
"Hey man, what's up?"
"Don't what's up me. I just saw you four hours ago."
"Look I know you're banking up millions by the minute as you sit there on your swanky bleach sprayed geometrically perfect office but it's lunch. Save your "Work Calls" speech –you know I never believe that. How about some brotherly for old times sake Seth-Ryan time?"
"Alright, alright. I'll meet you at Dryden's in ten."
"Very good." Seth commented before hanging up.
Ryan hanged up, grabbed his jacket and told Clarisse he'll be out on lunch.
Seth was in Dryden's in five minutes since the billiards café was just a couple of blocks from OC Comics. He already ordered two burger platters and told Jim, the café keeper, to reserve a pool table for him and Ryan. Ryan arrived a few minutes after and told Seth he can't stay long. They ate and talked as they played a few rounds of pool.
Seth knows full well he needs to start investigating about Ryan's meeting with Marissa just as what Summer's text message told him. "So….what can you say about Marissa?"
"What about her?"
"She's tall, blonde, obviously pretty, model looking. Your type."
"Yeah she's pretty…..hot…."
"So you like her?"
"You said she's my type….but my hands are full, man."
"That's my brother there. I like the old you. Newport Ryan: Brooding, sensitive and ready to punch anyone."
"People change, Seth."
"I know man." Seth paused before continuing. "Listen, just go slow with Marissa. Just be sure you really like her before you start trying to get into her pants."
"What's up with all these pep talk about her?"
"She's Summer's sister."
"Sister?! The one she keeps on calling Coop all these time?"
Seth nodded and saw Ryan get all confused. "Oh. So how come I've never met her?"
Seth, even with his bad lying behavior can't find a good reason to say. "I don't know. Maybe you just can't remember meeting her. She lived in France with her dad."
"Oh." Ryan took a shot at the pool table but continued to wonder why he can't remember meeting Marissa. A girl that beautiful sure can never leave his eyes. Maybe he had met her before, spoke to her…but where? He kicked aside the idea. He sure had more morning after amnesias than he could remember where he wakes up beside a stranger he must have met on a party or one of those models he meets and sleeps with when he hangs out on Oats & Sparkle.
Whatever, I guess I'll see more of her anyway, he thought.
Anna, Summer and Marissa went shopping for a while before settling down on Patroon for lunch. Anna knows full well that things could get ugly in the next few minutes once she and Summer start telling Marissa the truth -the truth she should have known three years ago when Summer and Anna went over to St. Tropez for vacation and bonding time with Marissa- that's why they've let Marissa pick the bed Ryan requested for that morning. The girls can't help but notice how serious Marissa was when choosing the bed for Ryan. Summer would often reason out that she just have to pick one since Ryan is not fussy at all and it's not like Marissa would be sleeping on it anytime soon. Marissa told both girls that if there's someone out there who knew Ryan as much as he knew himself, it would be her and she'd take her time as much as she wants to.
"I hope you don't mind the Merlot. The French rubbed in on me." Marissa told her bestfriends as they noticed the sophisticated choice of drink for their lunch date.
"As long as you don't pass out on us like in TJ, we'll be fine." Summer laughingly answered. The girls laughed and started eating.
"Oh, when Ryan carried me on his arms to safety?!" Marissa said dreamily.
"Yeah, when you were almost raped and died on an alley. Nice memories Coop." Summer sarcastically commented at Marissa.
"What kind of girls has he been dating?!" Marissa asked, segueing the conversation.
"Chino's a modelizer. Majority of the girls he dates are models." Summer retorted. "You see, he's one of the most wanted bachelors here in New York. He gets invited to parties and fashion shows. Young, Hot and Rich. He's a model magnet."
"You should have seen that article they did on him last year on People." Anna raised both of her arms and made an imaginary signboard. "Ryan Atwood, New York's hottest architect is a sex on legs."
The girls laughed hysterically and Marissa realized how far Ryan has come since being that homeless kid neophyte in Newport. Sure, Marissa noticed he dresses well nowadays if what she saw of him that morning could tell. He seems gentler now albeit the old Ryan roughness is still there. All those pain and hate he's been carrying with him behind his eyes back in Newport seven years ago were gone when she looked straight at him that morning. It's a more mature whole new Ryan and that whole new Ryan met the whole new Marissa in her. She can't help to feel that she just fell more in love with him.
The girls finished their lunch and ordered dessert. Marissa noticed that Anna and Summer fell silent after they talked about the girls Ryan has dated. She can't help noticing that there's something they've been meaning to tell her and she decided to ask it herself to break the tension. "Is there something wrong?"
"Not really. There's just something you have to know but we want you to know it's nothing now. It's over and everybody has moved on." Anna assured her.
"After finding out Ryan erased every single memory he had of me and him, there's nothing more devastating than that." Marissa admitted to them.
"Coop, we understand. We just think that you should know before things fall right again between you and Ryan. It's just something that has happened in the past. You're the new Marissa now and we know you'd understand." Summer pointed out.
"You guys are making me nervous. C'mon, tell me. I'm not that old vulnerable pill popping alcoholic anymore. If there's anything I've been since I was away, I've matured and ready to face anything thrown my way."
"Okay, good." Anna said under her breath as she looked at Summer for support who in turn nodded at her in assurance. She took a deep breath before dropping the bomb. "Ryan and I used to be married."
"What?!?!" Marissa asked in bewilderment
"They got married three years ago but they're already divorced, Marissa. It's nothing now." Summer rushed in to explain.
"H-how? W-why? Is this a joke?"
"No it's not."
"So that's why you kept on avoiding me whenever I asked who you were dating when we were in St. Tropez?" Marissa addressed Anna.
"Yes. I knew you'd be upset. Ryan and I dated, we got married….it was crazy." Anna quickly answered.
Marissa can't believe the things they just told her. This feels like the moment she was told Ryan would never be able to remember her even if he sees her. It was all déjà vu. It was another heartbreak for her. All she wants is to stay away from them, take her time, breathe and think about what she was just told. She stood up and began to leave, "You guys are unbelievable."
Anna knew the gravity of the new information they just told Marissa is not for the faint of heart. All she could do was call out Marissa's name to explain as she leaves the restaurant. Summer told her Marissa may need time to think about it and that she can feel that Marissa may come around sooner than they think and realize that it's all in the past. They just have to give her credit.
A couple of days have past and Marissa hasn't spoken to Anna. She stayed in Seth and Summer's apartment next door thinking and coming into terms as Seth and Summer explain to her everything. Ryan and Anna became close when Ryan moved to New York to accept a job offer from his former professor in Berkeley. The professor was so impressed at Ryan that he made Ryan his prodigy. It wasn't long before Ryan opened his own architectural firm. Seth, Summer and Anna were already in New York when Ryan moved in with them. Seth opened OC Comics with his RISD friends while Summer and Anna started building Oats & Sparkle. Summer and Seth were so busy with each other which left Ryan and Anna closer. Eventually, they became bestfriends and that's when the name calling "Pittsburgh Anna" and "Chino Ryan" started. They fell in love, or so they think they did, and got married. It wasn't long before they both realized that their marriage was not working and they got divorced.
Marissa finally understood everything and prepared to face Anna. She went to Oats & Sparkle on that cold Thursday night as it closes down. Anna was left closing the store as Summer went on a dinner meeting with a potential San Francisco distributor and Nadine checked out early to attend her daughter's play downtown. Marissa stood behind the store window observing Anna and thinking about she'd say to her. She entered the store just as Anna told her that the store's about to close.
"It is now." Marissa said as she reversed the sign on the store door.
Anna stopped arranging the clothes on the rack and approached Marissa. "Listen, first of all, I want to say sorry if I kept it from you. I can never justify that part or the part when I married Ryan. Second of all, I want you to know I'm not going to stand on your way. In fact, I'd help you as much as I can…. If you want me to, of course."
"You were Mrs. Atwood. Who would have thought." Marissa replied.
"I was for five months. There's nothing more uncomfortable and disturbing as being married to your bestfriend. The marriage was a spur of the moment thing. We didn't think about it. The divorce was amicable."
"I understand, Anna. It's just so weird thinking about it."
"I know, but you get past it. Everybody did." Anna told her smiling. She continued, "If there's anything I know that is not weird is you and Ryan belonging to each other. You know, if there's anything I learned from the time Seth and I were together….there's fate when you get surprised to see someone with the same pair of shoes as yours, who wears the same tee, who also drinks your favorite frappucino, who listens to that same music that you always play, who thinks the way you do..….then you'll realize that you're still two different people living two different lives. He just walked in on the same line. After all, everything could be nothing fateful but just a cruel cosmic joke."
"Thanks Anna." Marissa said as she approached Anna to hug her.
They hugged and let go of each other. "But Ryan and Marissa is not a cosmic joke -no matter how combustible it is."
Marissa laughed at Anna's remark and they closed the store together.