Hi everyone. I hope you enjoy another chapter in the OC and for all of you who are struggling with whether or not to hate Marissa, I say hate her. She's a spoiled brat who can't let anyone else be happy if she's not at least in this story.

"Hey Taylor, are you awake," Summer poked her head into her step-sister's bedroom.

"I am now," Taylor rolled over and sat up. "What's up?"

"The police are here."

"Oh. Right. Okay, tell them I'll be right down. I just want to change my clothes."

Summer nodded and shut the door behind her. Taylor got out of bed and changed her clothes before she went downstairs. She found the detectives in the living room with Summer.

"Hi."

"Miss Townsend, I'm Detective McNamara and this is my partner Sergeant Hollis."

"How do you do," Taylor nodded.

"We have some questions to ask you."

"I'll be upstairs," Summer excused herself and Taylor took her seat on the couch across from the two detectives.

"We've been over this with your friends so all we need is your version," Sgt. Hollis said taking out a note pad and pen.

"But, first we need to clarify that you do know what happened to you."

"Yes. I was slipped rohypnol," Taylor said. "It reacted badly with my medication."

"You have a heart condition?"

"That's right."

"Okay," Detective McNamara nodded and looked to his partner.

"Now, for most of the evening you were sitting with Seth Cohen, correct?"

"Yes. His mom's head of the Newport Group so he had to be there and I went as his pseudo date," Taylor said.

"And you were alone at your table?"

"Yes, for a while," Taylor nodded. "We were talking about our week and the previous weekend."

"That would be Thanksgiving weekend?"

"Yes. We'd gone to Tree Hill, North Carolina."

"Why?"

"I have family there and it was time for the Tree Hill Country Club Annual Debutante Ball," Taylor pointed to the wall behind the detectives. "My cousin was being presented into society and I went to do it with her so she wouldn't have to do it alone. Seth came along as my escort for the ball and my stepfather was nice enough to fly in so he could walk me down the stairs."

"You look lovely," Sgt. Hollis told her.

"Thank you."

"Now, later in the evening, you were joined by Mr. Atwood and Miss Cooper correct?"

"Yeah, right around nine."

"You remember the time?"

"I got a phone call a few moments after they sat down and I noticed the time."

"From a friend of yours in Tree Hill? Peyton, uh, Sawyer?"

"That's right. Right after I got the call, the band started to play loudly so I went outside."

"Do you know how long you were gone?"

"Ten minutes maybe," Taylor guessed. "When I got back to the table Seth was alone. He said that Marissa and Ryan had gone to take a walk."

"And then what happened?"

"I drank some of my soda and we talked about Peyton and then it gets a little blurry but I think Summer and Anna came over because Summer wanted to know where Ryan and Marissa were and then it's a blank until I woke up in the hospital."

"How did you get your drink?"

"Uh, we ordered it from a waiter when we got there."

"And when you sat back down it was the same soda."

"Yes, I had the same drink all night."

"Has anyone been bothering you lately?"

"I got teased a little on Friday because I wore what was basically the equivalent of a Catholic school girl uniform to school but other than that, no."

"And have you had any fights with Mr. Cohen recently?"

"Seth? No," Taylor shook her head.

"What about Mr. Atwood?"

"Ryan and I barely speak but that's because we don't really know each other that well."

"So, you don't think either of them could have done this?"

"Are you crazy? Sorry," Taylor said. "Sometimes words come out and I don't mean for them to."

"It's alright."

"Let me just say this: Seth would never hurt me and Ryan has no reason to hurt me."

"And Miss Cooper?"

"Marissa? We don't get along but she's never taken things that far."

"Okay."

The detectives stood up, "If we have any other questions we'll get in touch with you."

Taylor nodded, "Okay."

"We'll let ourselves out."

"Okay."

Taylor waited until she heard the car start before she yelled upstairs, "Summer, can you come here?"

Summer appeared a few moments later, "Taylor, are you okay?"

"I can't drive."

"I've heard things to that effect but you'll get better."

"No, I mean Neil doesn't want me to drive until I go back to school on Monday."

"Oh."

"I need you to give me a ride. I know you're avoiding Seth but I need to talk to him in person and I don't wanna walk."

"Let's go," Summer grabbed her keys and her purse and followed Taylor out of the house.

OCOCOCOCOC

"Taylor, what are you doing here," Kirsten asked as she opened the door and let both Taylor and Summer inside. "Hello Summer."

"Hi Mrs. Cohen."

"I need to talk to Seth. Is he here?"

"Out in the pool house with Ryan," Kirsten said.

"Are they alone?"

"Yes."

"Summer, can you stay here?"

"Sure. I'll wait in the car."

"That's not necessary. Taylor, you go to the pool house and send Ryan in here while you talk to Seth. When you're done, you can both stay for dinner."

"Thanks Kirsten," Taylor smiled.

"Of course."

Taylor headed through the house and out the backdoor to the pool house. She knocked on the door and opened it up without waiting for an answer.

"Taylor, hey," Ryan looked surprised to see her and Seth looked guilty.

"Kirsten wants you in the house for a minute, Ryan. I'll help Seth clean up the debris from your video game marathon."

"Okay. Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Better, thanks. I got the books."

"Good. I'll see you guys inside." Ryan left and Taylor waited until she heard the kitchen door shut before she shut the door to the pool house and turned to look at Seth.

"Everything okay?"

"You tell me. I got a visit today from the police who first asked me if I thought there was any chance you or Ryan could've drugged me and after I made very clear that there was no way you could've done that and there was no reason for Ryan to have done it, he asked me about Marissa and I started thinking about the fact that you were by yourself when I got back to the table. Then I remembered that Summer and Anna came over and as far as I can piece together, 'cause things were getting a little fuzzy for me by that point, Summer was looking for Marissa and Ryan because they were her ride home. Do I have that right so far?"

"Yeah."

"So, I'm asking you, what happened between the time I left that table and when I came back?"

"Ryan and I went to get drinks and a few minutes after we got back Marissa said she was bored and dragged Ryan out for a walk. The next time I saw them was when they came in the front door the next morning."

"You didn't need to get me a drink because I still had a nearly full glass of soda left."

"Taylor-"

"So, Marissa was alone with my drink."

"Yeah."

"Oh my God."

"Yeah."

"Why hasn't she been arrested?"

"Because we can't prove it."

"Right," Taylor sat down on the floor by the doors.

"Taylor?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not," Seth sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. Taylor leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What did I ever do to her," Taylor said quietly. "My father is the one who slept with Julie and that caused more harm to my family than it ever did to hers. By all rights I should be the one making her life miserable."

"I don't think it's just that, Taylor."

Taylor lifted her head up and looked at Seth, "What are you talking about?"

"Did you notice Ryan's expression when you first got here?"

"Yeah, I figured it was because I just barged into the pool house."

"No. I told him you weren't allowed visitors and you were on strict bed rest."

"Why?"

"Because whether he realizes it or not and whether either of you want to admit it or not, he likes you and Marissa sees it and I am not going to let Ryan give her another excuse to mess with you."

"Not this again."

"Again?"

"The day of the party? Summer asked me if there was something going on with me and Ryan. I told her and I'm telling you. Ryan Atwood does not like me, okay? That boy has belonged to Marissa since the day they met and I don't know why it is so hard for Marissa to accept that she's got the guy. She's got him, he's not going anywhere, and if anything Ryan should be the one who's concerned about Marissa's loyalty to their relationship because as I recall, from what you told me, she's the one who was jerking both him and Luke around before she caught Luke making out with Holly on the dance floor." Taylor got up and walked further into the pool house before she turned around. "Not to mention the fact that infidelity just may be hereditary and if that's the case, then Ryan should watch Marissa like a hawk because I think Julie is raising herself all over again."

"No arguments here," Seth nodded. "But I think Marissa's a little more dangerous considering she also has Jimmy's genes and we both know he doesn't really have any concept of right and wrong considering recent history."

Taylor nodded as she sat back down next to Seth, "He probably did at some point. Your mom's a good judge of character. Jimmy had to have something to make her think that he was the one when they were together all those years ago."

"I'm not saying he's a bad guy. He's just a little flawed."

"Aren't we all?"

"Yeah, we are."

"So, I probably should have mentioned this earlier but Summer's in the house and Kirsten invited us to stay for dinner. She and Ryan are probably talking about the fact that I've been home for a few days, am allowed to walk around the house, take short walks outside, and will be returning to school on Monday. There's also the fact that Anna has been over pretty much every day with school work and games and trashy magazines and bad romance novels. What do you think Ryan's going to say when he realizes you lied to him?"

"I don't know and right now I don't care. I'm doing what I have to so you stay off Marissa's radar."

"And I love you for it. But you can't protect me forever Seth."

"Not forever. Just until high school is over or Julie wises up and sends Marissa to a rehab center. Whichever comes first."

OCOCOCOCOC

"You lied to me."

Seth sighed. He'd known that this conversation was coming. He'd managed to avoid it for the last few hours since they had company for dinner and then Taylor and Summer had stayed to watch a movie with him. But they'd left ten minutes ago and he was loading the dishes they'd used into the dishwasher before he headed upstairs to go to bed.

Now it looked like he was going to have to postpone the latter part of his plan.

He turned to face Ryan.

"You lied to me."

"You said that already."

"You have nothing to say to me about it?"

"I admit it. I lied to you."

"Why?"

"Because I am not willing to lose my best friend due to your inability to make up your mind."

"What?"

"Ryan the first day you met Taylor I told you that if you wanted Marissa then Taylor was off limits. You didn't listen. You tried to get close to her and you opened her up for an attack by your girlfriend, someone I told you didn't like Taylor and would perceive her as the enemy if she thought you liked her or saw her in any other way than my best friend. You really need to make up your mind here Ryan. You can't have them both. If you want Marissa, then stay as far away from Taylor as you can. If you want Taylor, break up with Marissa and then go for Taylor. But you have to choose."

"I hear you."

"Do you?"

"Yeah."

"Good." Seth started to walk upstairs but he turned around. "For what it's worth? I hope you choose Taylor. She'd be better for you than Marissa because Taylor can actually save herself in most cases."

Ryan nodded.

"Oh and one more thing. I think you've figured something out about Marissa and what kind of person she is. You might want to tell her that if I can ever prove that she's responsible for what happened to Taylor, it won't matter who her best friend is, or who her dad's best friend is, or even how you feel about her. I will go straight to the police and have her charged with attempted murder. Night Ryan," Seth said as her turned and went upstairs.

Ryan sat down at the counter and considered Seth's words. "You won't be going alone," he whispered.