Oh this is a new chapter, which you can see... so um, read and review!

xoxo Jules

Chapter 28: "as if nothing really matters-"

Marissas POV: "The same situations"

I snuck back into Jimmy's house late last night… alright, so it was more like early this morning but who's paying that close attention anyway? Exactly. So I get in about three hours of sleep before Caitlin is practically dragging me out of the bed. I didn't know that people went shopping that early. She very excitedly explained to me how if we got there the earliest and bought things first then she wouldn't have to worry about all of her friends getting the same stuff and having to return it. Even Rhett was up and ready and dressed. It took me all of my strength to get up, but then again nobody knew, or could know that I had been out all night.

Everything with Ryan hadn't been what I had expected it to be, not like it was bad or anything because it was actually good, really, really good. I just wasn't expecting it to happen. I mean it was cool and all but it was also kind of scary. Sure, I mean I've been with a decent amount of guys but I don't think that I have legitimately had feelings for any of them. With Ryan it was different, almost more intense I guess? I wasn't drunk, or high like usual. I don't know, it was just all so different.

"Oh my god this top is SO cute!" Caitlin squealed holding up a red halter to my chest. "Oh my god Marissa red is TOTALLY your color. Oh my god this is SO fun!"

Honestly Caitlin had a grin on her face comparable to the Cheshire cat. It kind of made me grin. We already, after only having been here an hour, made two trips to the car to drop off bags. Rhett got tired of toting everything around for us. I carried Sophie on my back who had become tired and was lagging behind too far.

"Don't I have enough stuff already?" I am pretty sure that we had dropped about 6 bags off at the car that were solely mine.

"You can NEVER have enough!" Caitlin informed me. Although I begged to differ I thought it wise to keep my mouth shut.

Rhett looked at me and rolled his eyes a bit grinning as he shrugged.

Ryans POV: "Just Different Faces"

I stared down at the test, I knew all of the answers, it wasn't hard at all, it just took a lot of time. Dr. Kim glared at me. I think that she noticed that I had been glancing back up at the clock for the past two hours.

I had three essays left and the clock said 2:40. There was no way that I was going to make it to the Coopers by three. Neither Seth or Summer were nearly a fraction as close to finishing as I was. There was no way that I could let Marissa get taken away from me without telling her how I feel. At the same time I cant run out on this test. The Cohens are doing a lot to get me into this school and they gave me a home and have been taking care of all of us.

Maybe someone is just coming over to talk with them. Maybe Marissa won't be taken away. She has been doing better for awhile. I don't think she's used at all in the past week or so. That's good right?

No. I need to stop fooling myself.

Jimmy's POV: "Picked up her pace"

This is one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do. Have an intervention for one of my own children that has slipped through the cracks. I will never forgive myself for the life that Marissa had to suffer with her mother. I was right there, I saw her, but I walked away. I feel like this is something that I know that I need to do. She needs help, hopefully she won't resent me for it forever.

"So you remember how this is going work?" The counselor, Dr. Abbey asked me.

"Yeah yeah." I said as I nodded a couple of times.

It was right then, before I could process another thought that my three, no four children barged through the door with several bags in hand. Even Sophie.

"Caitlin, there was just no need to spend 76 dollars on underwear!" Rhett said as they entered the foyer.

"What does it even matter to you, its not like you're going to see it anyway!" Caitlin argued back

Sophie ran through the door and hopped on my lap. I picked up my youngest daughter.

"Hey kids." Jimmy said

They all got quiet and turned to face me when they realized that I had company. I was glad that they did this before they made anymore of a scene.

"Hey dad." Rhetts said with a nervous smile

"Hi daddy!" Caitlin waved a newly manicured hand at me.

Marissa just stood in place and smiled. I took a deep breath trying to gather up all of my courage.

"Rhett, Caitlin, do you mind taking Sophie upstairs with you for awhile?" I asked

Caitlin who knew better at this point than to object nodded her head and followed her brother upstairs grabbing Sophie's hand.

"Come on Soph, let's try on your new clothes." She said with a wide grin as they headed upstairs.

It took all of my strength to turn to my daughter who was still standing utterly confused in the doorway, her rare smile faded.

"How about you come over here and sit with your father and I?" Dr. Abbey suggested to my eldest daughter.

Marissa looked over at me with an expression that I couldn't read as she carefully entered the living room and sat across from the both of us on the couch. Marissa bit her bottom lip as Dr. Abbey began to speak.

"Hi Marissa. My name is Dr. Abbey, I'm from the Newport Beach Rehabilitation Facility." The man smiled gently at her.

Marissa received the man with distant eyes, like she was no longer in her body. She sat with her arms crossed over her chest as her eyes began to well up. Because of Marissa's non-responsiveness Dr. Abbey continued.

"Your father called us because he thinks that you are a bright girl Marissa. He wants you to get on your feet so you will be all set to attend school in the fall. Our facility has an extremely high success rate. We have never had to see a patient more than once. It is a pretty extensive program but both your father and I feel that you have a real shot."

This was so hard for me to hear. The last thing that I wanted Marissa to think was that I was abandoning her again. I wouldn't do that.

"So we were planning on having you enter our facility, tonight actually." Dr. Abbey leaned forward as he spoke to her. "We want to help you Marissa. Now you can come with me now or we can have Jimmy bring you himself."

It was then that Marissa made her first movement since she sat. She looked at me with pleading eyes.

"I'll take her." I offered up quickly.

"Alright." Dr. Abbey said rising to his feet as he shook my head. "We'll get her room ready, see you in twenty minutes?" He asked me, I just nodded in response.

He smiled at Marissa before making his way out of the door. I looked at Marissa who looked like she was trying with every fiber of her being to hold back tears.

"Marissa, I love you honey, I just want you to get better."

She just nodded as she bit her bottom lip as she absentmindedly began rubbing old scars and bruises on her wrists. I had wondered about those, she hadn't done them herself. As if she read my mind she began to speak.

"I had house arrest bracelets at Hartford House." She explained "When I got too out of control they would strap me to a bed… or when I had seizures from withdrawal. They tried to keep me to myself because they didn't know what to do with me. I ran away because they were sending me to an institution." She began to sob.

I should have been there to protect my daughter. This entire situation could have been prevented. I have made many mistakes in my life but none have, nor will they ever impact me like Marissa has. In a few short weeks she has changed my life.

"Honey, it's not an institution. You'll be home before you know it and you'll start school with your friends and everything will be fine."

Marissa looked up, her eyes meeting mine.

"You promise?"

That question really surprised me, she trusts me…

"I promise."

And right then something happened, something that I would have never expected. Marissa flew into my arms and hugged me, she clung to my body. I hugged my daughter, all bones, and honestly believed that it was going to be alright.

She needed me now to be there the way that I never was in the past.

Ryans POV: "Since her daddy left her"

As soon as we made it home I jumped out of the car I ran to Marissas drive just in time to see Jimmy's car driving away with Marissa in the passengers seat. I had missed her…

Which means it will be a matter of weeks/chapters until they are reunited, but its what they need. What'd ya think? Do you want to see Marissa at rehab? The next chapter is Summer btw.

xoxo Jules

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