A/N: Thanks for all your reviews. Also if you thought I spelt mum wrong im sorry…it's the Australian spelling :-). Enjoy! Note: Kirsten and Sandy accepting Ryan in their house was more rushed because I didn't want to spend too much time on him settling into Newport. You'll discover why later.

Ryan slept like he hadn't slept in four years. The poolhouse bed was more comfortable than any other bed he'd ever slept in. But, the mattress wasn't the reason for his peaceful slumber. He had dreamt of her, Marissa. That they were together, in each other's embrace, accepting each other and starting a new life. Then he woke up…

At first he didn't recognize the feel of his surroundings; the soft covers, the birds outside and the waves crashing but then he remembered his whirlwind day yesterday. Meeting Sandy in juvy, being abandoned, meeting Kirsten and Seth, discovering Newport Beach and meeting Marissa Cooper. He found his cane and slowly he made his way to the back doors of the mansion, it was a simple trek since he had counted the steps yesterday. Ryan instantly felt the heat hit his face and he breathed in the salty breeze. This must be paradise….

Walking down the three steps, he opened the doors and heard someone chewing a few feet away.

"Hey man. Did you seep well? It's 12:30." Seth's voice rang out. Ryan followed it and found a chair next to him.

'Yeah it was good" Seth didn't respond and Ryan felt him become very uneasy.

"Do they hurt?" Seth inaudibly asked.

At first Ryan was confused by what Seth had meant. Placing a hand over his eyes he realised he didn't have his sunglasses on. Ryan then understood Seth's question was directed at his eyes. They always made people feel uneasy. After the accident they turned a lighter blue and slight scarring marked the outer corner of his eye.

"No…it did when it happened though." Ryan replied.

What also made people uneasy was that he blinked but never looked around, there was no need. He mostly looked ahead when talking. Breaking the silence Ryan heard the front door open and Sandy walked into the kitchen.

"Hey guys. So we'll head around to the fashion show at six."

"Yeah. Right. Have fun." Seth commented and continued eating his frosted flakes.

"C'mon…it's a whole new school year Seth."

"It's also the same kids Dad. Why do they need a fashion show? Every day's a fashion show for these people."

"Well Ryan has to go Marissa invited him." Sandy remarked causing Ryan to blush.

"Really? Marissa invited you?" Seth asked and Ryan just felt for the cereal box. "I've lived next door to Marissa since like forever, and she's never even invited me to a birthday party."

Ryan nodded. He really wanted Seth to go…and he knew just how to get him there. "Maybe Summer will be there."

Seth thought about this. He needed to get on her radar for Tahiti. "Interesting she's Marissa's best friend…Six?"

Sandy patted Ryan on the back, thanking him. "Six" He confirmed.

Ryan and Seth leaned back in their chairs smiling; tonight they would see their ladies.

------

Marissa was interrupted from her writing when someone knocked on her door.

"Come in." She replied putting dpwn her pen and turned in her chair. Her father entered with a large box.

"Hey kiddo"

"Hey daddy" Marissa jumped up and hugged him.

"You were writing your article?" Jimmy Cooper asked as he sat on his sixteen year old daughters' bed. She loved writing and reading news stories and she frequently sent some into the local newspapers.

"Yeah. What's that?" Marissa asked, motioning to the box. Jimmy passed it to her.

"It's for you."

Marissa smiled excitedly and hugged her dad. Opening it she saw the beautiful Donna Karen dress she wanted to wear for the show.

"Thanks dad." She kissed him lovingly, lifting the dress and holding it to her body.

"I'll see you tonight sweetie."

As Jimmy left the room Marissa looked at the time. Four hours until the show, she'd need to get ready early…if she wanted to look beautiful for Ryan.

------

Alright. Let's try this again. Ryan told himself. He took the piece of material, folded down his collar and tried to tie his tie again. No luck. Frustrated he dropped the thing, found the suit jacket and put it on. The poolhouse door opened.

"It fits you beautifully. Where's your tie?" Sandy asked walking towards Ryan and picking up the tie from the floor.

"I'm not going to wear one. Open collar it's a good look, or so I would imagine."

Sandy turned Ryan to face him.

"I didn't know how to tie a tie until I was twenty five." Ryan felt Sandy do up his collar and start tying. It felt in that moment Ryan belonged in the family.

"So you got to hang out with Seth. How was that? He's an interesting kid once you get to know him."

"He's cool. Too bad I won't get to see him again." Ryan replied disappointedly.

Sandy smiled though as he finished. "Well Ryan we haven't been able to locate your mother. We all enjoy having you around, especially Seth so….we would like to know if you would like to stay with us?" Ryan, at that moment though he was deaf as well as blind. Did Sandy Cohen just offer for him to stay with them? In Newport?

"Uh…it's ok. I don't want to be a burden." Ryan didn't want to impose.

"You'd never be a burden. You deserve a chance kid. We want you to stay."

"Oh…but what if something happens. And you guys change your mind." Ryan didn't want to be abandoned again.

"Ryan when you become a Cohen you stay a Cohen."

------

As they drove to the fashion show there was a great euphoria in the range rover. The Cohen's had a new family member and Ryan had a family. Giving the car to the valet, the Cohen's plus one, walked into the grounds of the Four Seasons Hotel.

"Welcome to the dark side." Seth whispered in Ryan's ear. Ryan smiled and sensed the atmosphere around him. He could hear the pool's fountain, women gossiping, drinks being poured and men talking business. He definitely wasn't in Chino anymore.

Marissa sat boredly, waiting for when the show would start. She hated Newport charity functions, but since she was the head of the charity league she had to host most of them. She hated the pod people who air kissed her and asked how her father was. She wished she could break free from everything and be different, but she was Marissa Cooper- the poster girl for sunny popularity. Or so what the people of Newport thought. She retained her gaze on the entrance and finally saw what she was waiting for. Ryan. She smiled, getting up, and walked towards him.

Ryan was confronted by 5 people in the first ten minutes, word spread fast that he was Sandy's juvenile delinquent. He made his way to quiet corner and pulled out a cigarette. As he was going to light it, he smelt something. It was vanilla. It was her.

"Hey Marissa" Ryan said smiling, not even turning his back.

Marissa hadn't even said anything and he knew it was her. She smiled

"Hey, I didn't even say anything." He turned around, smoking a cigarette.

"You don't have to." Ryan smiled then took a drag.

"Can I bum a ciggy?" Marissa asked, she never smoked in public but with Ryan she didn't care.

Ryan was surprised by her request but he gave her a smoke and she lit it off of his.

"So are all Newport parties this much fun?" Ryan asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. Pretty much." Their smoke intertwined.

"Guess I'm going to have to get used to them." He took another drag.

"What do you mean?" Marissa thought Ryan was only staying the weekend.

"The Cohen's want me to stay….I can't understand why….but I'll be in Newport for a while"

Marissa broke into a huge grin. Ryan was staying for good.

"That's awesome!" Marissa then blushed realising how lame she sounded. "Um…I mean that's cool…" Ryan laughed. Little did Marissa know that's what was he was screaming on the inside.

------

Seth awkwardly stood near the bar where Luke Ward was standing. Luke was the most popular guy in school; he surfed, partied and was captain of the waterpolo team. Naturally he hated Seth. Seth thought this was his chance and decided to make an attempt to talk to Luke. They were coming up on a new school year, they were older, more mature- maybe things had changed.

"Hey Luke" he said timidly.

Luke sipped his drink and walked right past Seth. "Suck it, queer"

I guess some things never change. Seth cowered, embarrassed. Ryan, however, had overheard after Marissa went to get ready for the show. He then realised how Seth fit into this world and he didn't like it. He let his cane out a bit in front of Luke, who was walking by, Luke tripped over it.

"Oh sorry man, I didn't see you" Ryan tried to stifle a laugh as Luke got up embarrassed. Seth then walked off laughing with Ryan to a nearby table. Luke didn't like that kid at all.

Seth, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing.

"Dude that was awesome"

Ryan smiled, "So when do I get to meet Summer? Are you going to talk to her?" Ryan asked as he felt for his seat next to Seth.

Seth swallowed nervously, "Uh…maybe I …oh…look it's starting"

Ryan chuckled at Seth's change of topic and he heard a beautiful voice fill the room and an audience clapping.

"Thank you. Thanks so much for coming. Every year we put on a fashion show to help raise money for the battered woman's shelter. It's such a good cause and we couldn't do this without your support or the support of Fashion Island and all their great stores. All right enjoy the show!"

Ryan clapped with everyone else as Marissa finished and the music started. The whole room knew her and Ryan wanted to feel apart of that. Seth then told Ryan Summer was on the catwalk.

"She has Tahiti written all over her" He was in awe with her.

Ryan smiled then his concentration focused on the person walking down the catwalk, her vanilla scent clouding his mind.

"Marissa's on-" Seth told Ryan but Ryan knew. He smiled.

Marissa stopped at the end of the catwalk and did her routine pose. Her gaze, though, travelled to Ryan who smiled at her, she smiled back. He knows it's me.

A/N: Thanks for all your great reviews. Sorry this chapter was late. Next chapter you'll see Ryan in action.