Don't You Cry No More

by Emily989

AU Season 3 What if Ryan & Taylor had an earlier and more dramatic reason for getting together? The opportunity presents itself for them to fall in love and try to escape as part of a kidnapping plot to set Orange County on its ear!

p style="text-align: center;"DONT YOU CRY NO MORE /p
p style="text-align: center;"BY: EMILY989 /p
p style="text-align: left;"Disclaimer: I do not own The OC cause I am not Josh Schwartz but Emily989. This is just a Fanfiction story and that's all it's meant to be./p
p style="text-align: center;"Chapter 1 /p
p style="text-align: left;"It was a beautiful afternoon cause the sun was setting very bright. Whether the sun was rising or setting it always was and with the gulls circling overhead and the surf is good with the white sandy Beach that she had her toes buried in. It made one glad to live nowhere else but here in Newport Beach in Orange County California. That's why Kaitlin Cooper had come back home to roost. /p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"Kaitlin had lived here once before with her family, the Cooper family: her dad Jimmy, her mom Julie, her older sister Marissa and friends with her best friend Summer Robert's, and she's who brought her to the Cohens: Sandy Kirsten and Summers boyfriend Seth, and Marissas ex-boyfriend Ryan Atwood. Kaitlin and Marissa were Kirstens step-sisters cause Kirstens dad Caleb Nichol married her mom Julie when she and Jimmy got divorced. It turned out that Kirsten had a sister Hailey Nichol and a half-sister Lindsay Gardner. Kaitlin didn't know much about Lindsay, but she remembered Hailey as being a lot like her. Just like Marissa was a lot like Kirsten. /p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"Kaitlin was sent to boarding school after she got remarried and Seth and Ryan left Newport for that summer. She spent the last year or so in Montecito where she learned a lot about growing up. She would always like to tell people if they can imagine growing up with Marissa Cooper as your older sister. Kaitlin would always look forward to her birthdays cause that was the one day she counted on everyone actually noticing her. Or at least that's what she thought when she came back home. Jimmy Julie got back together again, and she came home to visit for the summer but decided to stay for good cause they were making it up to and including her. Being included is all Kaitlin ever wanted./p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"You can't go home again, and nothing is as it seems. When you can't go home again, Kaitlin didn't know if that meant that the place had changed or you did. Over the summer she came to the conclusion that she grew up, and the place was the same as when she left. That's what made Kaitlin glad to be back home. So she could pick up right where she left off. First off, she wanted to make it on her own steam cause everybody still saw Kaitlin as Marissa Coopers little sister. She took a placement exam for Harbor High and got in for Freshmen Year and tested with in the top 3% of her class. She was a natural leader, and that made her more determined not to waste her potential. /p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"As for living in a place where nothing was as it seemed. Newport Beach looked like a picturesque brochure with everything looking so warm and peaceful and quiet. But in reality it was anything but that. Before Kaitlin came home for the summer everything just exploded for both families! Caleb had died of a heart attack, and the Cohens had an intervention for Kirsten to go to rehab for drinking. Then, Ryan's older brother Trey Atwood had moved to town from prison, and when Ryan was on vacation during spring break he attacked Marissa on the beach and almost raped her if she hadn't got away. Marissa tried to keep it from Ryan cause even Kaitlin remembered Ryan from 2 years ago as being a tough two-fister with a protector temper. Of course, once he found out. It played out as everyone feared. Trey Ryan almost fought to the death, and Trey would've killed Ryan if Marissa hadn't shot him! Yes, Kaitlins own sister Marissa actually shot Ryan's brother in the back with a loaded gun! He survived in a coma for the three months of summer when she first came home for Jimmy Julie's second wedding. When Trey woke up Julie forced him to say that Ryan had shot him cause nobody believed Marissa. Good thing she went with Marissa and Seth Summer to the hospital to get Trey to tell the truth. It was the only thing that got Ryan out of jail. Which brings Kaitlin to Ryan Atwood. /p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"Kaitlin remembers Ryan as this tough kid from Chino who steals cars, starts fights, and sets people's houses on fire. He was Newports Most Wanted for a while, and in a town where gossip ran rampant. The wilder the story the better for the Newpsies. Newpsies were basically rich, bored house wives who had nothing better to do with their time than plan parties and talk about people. Kaitlin would know cause Julie Cooper was head newpsie for years. Marissa and Julie butted heads ever since Ryan came to town cause it was mostly over him. People also looked at Kaitlin as a Julie Cooper in the making or a Julie mini me, and so Kaitlin didn't take to Ryan right away. As she was following her mom's lead. Now she knows that it was her loss. You see Julie wasn't actually from Newport but from Riverside, and they were always in denial about that. It wasn't all that different a neighborhood from where Ryan came from. Kaitlin figured that's what fueled Julie's dislike of Ryan. He was her past coming back to haunt her. So to speak cause he was a reminder of what she wanted to forget, and that's what started the mother daughter feed between Julie and Marissa./p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"It got really bad over the summer and when school started after the shooting. It made Kaitlin see her mother in a different light, and she saw a side of her she didn't care for anymore. Julie even went so far as to keep Marissa from seeing Ryan. Of course, Ryan Marissa had their own problems. Kaitlin remembered from day one how attracted they were to each other, but they could never get it together. After Trey left Newport, and they went back to school. A petition had been started by the parents to get Ryan Marissa expelled from school. A special dean of discipline was brought in a Dean Hess. Since Ryan was considered a victim, and Marissa pulled the trigger. Ryan was let off and Marissa was expelled. Kaitlin never liked that guy cause she thought he was a creep and turns out she was right. All the kids at Harbor High when to the Kick-Off Carnival that they do at the beginning of every school year. Ryan Marissa had broke up cause they grew so far apart after what happened with Trey. Marissa was now going to public school at Newport Union and started dating a guy there by the name of Johnny Harper. That meant that Ryan was a free agent. He invited Marissa and Johnny to the Kick-Off Carnival when that Dean Hess guy man-handled Marissa out, and Ryan and Johnny both layed him out right there in front of the whole student body! Honestly, anybody would've slugged that creep! But it still got Ryan kicked out of school too!/p
p style="text-align: left;" /p
p style="text-align: left;"It turns out that Seth Summer were having a lot of trouble from a girl from school by the name of Taylor Townsend, and she was one of Marissas biggest rivals for school dominance. It was her mom Veronica Townsend who started the petition that got Marissa expelled. So that way Taylor could take over from her. Personally, Kaitlin didn't think Taylor was so bad especially since it turned out that Taylor was having an affair with the creepy Dean. Then, Taylor herself broke it off and threaten to expose it. If he didn't let Ryan Marissa back into school. Now they were starting their first day back the following Monday. Now back to Ryan of course. Kaitlin just kept wondering why Taylor would go through so much trouble to get Marissa kicked out of school and then get her and Ryan back in as soon as he's kicked out. There was only one explanation. Taylor liked Ryan. Not that she could blame her cause he was so hot. Kaitlin can't believe she never noticed that before now. When she was a kid she always had a crush on Marissas boyfriend Luke Ward. But she never had it for Ryan. She figured cause she was taking after Julie in that way. How could she have not noticed him before? What a waste of time not to! Kaitlin also remembered how Ryan always had a way with the ladies. That's what made her realise Taylor liked Ryan cause it's just the sort of thing she would've done too. Of course, Kaitlin never made a play for Ryan yet, but now she had to find out all about this Taylor girl and see what she was up against. A girl can dream, and a girl had to try. LOL!

Newport Beach in Orange County California where nothing was as it seemed. A place where everything stayed the same except for some new cliff side condos that were going up. Kaitlin thought they were going to move into one but pulled out at the last minute. She thought it was cause they couldn't even afford the down payment. It turns out when Kirsten was released from rehab. They had a reading of Caleb's will, and it turned out he was broke. He left his whole family with nothing. Jimmy & Julie were panicking cause they couldn't even afford the mortgage on Caleb's house. So they would have to move soon and had nowhere to go except the Mermaid Inn. Some things never change cause they were making it all about the money. Kaitlin was a bit disappointed that she wouldn't be living in one of those condos cause the one they looked at was just beautiful. It was the most secluded one on the cliff. It was really wide open on the inside with big bay windows looking out to the ocean. It had a front door going right into the kitchen and dining room. Then, there was a wood staircase that went upstairs to a bathroom and 3 bedrooms. Then off the kitchen down a step or two was the living room and or den with another bathroom and a pocket door off to the side. She never saw what was in the pocket door, but it was no surprise to her that it was sold over the summer.

Kaitlin had grown up over the last two years as she was determined to make a name for herself as Kaitlin Cooper and not just as Marissas little sister. In Montecito she loved having cute guys do her homework for her, but here she wanted to do it herself. Such as she knew that if she didn't get an A in Chemistry. She only had herself to blame. If only they knew cause she was doing her homework in one hand and smoking pot in the other. Yes, Kaitlin was getting high while doing her homework on the beach. Only in Newport she laughed. For some odd reason pot helped her relax and concentrate better and never left home without it, and she never left home without her cuticle pusher. A girl may never know when she has to do her own medi-pedi. It was getting late and so she thought she better be getting back home. Even if it was Friday. She came through the door as it got dark. She was putting her bag by the door when she heard Julie hollering on the phone. Her voice liked to scared her too death! She was about to talk to Julie when she started overhearing her phone conversation. "You got the last condo on the cliffs! "How much more time do you need? " I want it done by this weekend! "After that I want them gone! "I know there was nothing in the will, and I know how much Jimmy owes you! "I found that out when he tried to leave town. "It was mine and a friend's idea, and that's why I sent him to you. "The round figure was his idea too. Kaitlin was dumbfounded at what was being said. Who was Julie talking too? What was she talking about? And when did Jimmy ever try to leave town? She had to hear more cause it was too intriguing to just walk off. "Look Ryan and Taylor have caused my family enough trouble and especially for Marissa! "All I know is that before Ryan moved to Newport our lives were a lot more normal, stable. "His dice was cast before he even moved into the Cohen pool house. "I thought I was rid of him when I framed him for his brother's shooting. "But my two daughters and their friends got him to tell the truth! "I know I said they broke up, but they always get back together, and I want him gone before they do! "Don't worry I know how to play them. "It won't be no problem. "Now the girls house is closer, and so you can send him there first thing tomorrow. "Because that girls mother had the nerve to start some sort of parent petition to get my daughter kicked out of school! "I mean I know she's back on Monday, but I need to do something about this girl before something else happens! "You can hold them long enough to get the ransom and do with them what you want, or at least until I can get you the money Jimmy owes you. "Now read it all back to me. "Veronica Townsend and the girl is Taylor Townsend," Julie said and said the address.

Kaitlin was feeling sick, actually physically ill, but she swallowed it enough to watch Julie write the address down on Jimmy's Rolex in Caleb's old office and put it in a drawer. She didn't hear Jimmy come up behind her. "Hey kiddo," he greeted. Kaitlin almost jumped out of her skin again. "Woah sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! "Are you ok? He asked. "Yeah I'm fine I was just looking for mom. "I think I heard her on the phone in the office, Kaitlin covered. Julie came out surprised. "Jimmy, Kaitlin, what are you doing here? She asked. Being away at boarding school taught Kaitlin how to be a good actress, and so she knew how to play it cool as ice. "I just came up on Kaitlin here and scared her too death, Jimmy explained. "Kaitlin baby are you ok? Julie asked. "Play it cool, she thought. "Oh yeah I'm ok I just came in from the beach, and I thought I might lay down cause I'm not feeling well, Kaitlin explained. "Oh well you need me or dad to fix you something light to eat or drink, Julie suggested. "No thanks, I'll just go on up to bed, she said. "Well call us if you need anything, Jimmy said. "Yeah I will, she agreed. Kaitlin was now feeling so sick it was making her dizzy. Jimmy & Julie left the foyer in opposite directions. When they were gone Kaitlin made a bee line upstairs and bulldozed passed Marissa. To get to the bathroom cause sure enough she just barely made it. Marissa knocked on the door. "Kaitlin are you ok? Marissa asked. Kaitlin was so tired of hearing that with what she knew. "Yeah I'm OK, she answered. "Well, it's Friday night and we were all going to the pier and the Bait Shop tonight, but do you need me to stay with you? " I can go out tomorrow night, Marissa suggested. "No, not tomorrow night, she thought. "Um no thanks I don't need you so go on out for tonight. "I'll see you later and Mom and Dad already know I'm not feeling good, Kaitlin said. "OK, Well you have my cell, Marissa reminded. "Yeah I got it, Kaitlin said. Kaitlin made sure Marissa was gone before she sneaked to her room. The room was spinning round and round. Kaitlin for once didn't know what to do. That wasn't like her at all, and it was a scary feeling! All she knew to do was cry. She started crying so hard she had the shakes! Could she have really heard Julie say what she did? Why did Julie hate Ryan so much? What did he ever do to her? She just didn't understand! So he was from Chino and she was from Riverside! Why did that matter? Everything wasn't Ryan's fault! He was just a victim of circumstances! What had Jimmy done to cause all of this? Then there's Taylor Townsend. It was true that she was weird and annoying, but that was no reason to go after her. Especially since Taylor got Ryan & Marissa back into school, and she wasn't so bad. She didn't even really know the Cooper family all that well. Here she was thinking of finding a way of getting to know her. To see what she was up against with Ryan. Now she was trying to figure out a way to save her or help her! Questions, questions, and more questions were swimming around in her head. What to do? Who could she tell? Who would believe her? If she confronted Julie she might try to have her put away like she did to Marissa after Mexico! Jimmy would just laugh like it was a bad dream! Marissa might not even believe her, and she had a lot of dirt on her as it was. She couldn't tell the cops cause they would wonder where she came up with such a story. How could a daughter blow the whistle on her own mother? This was crazy even by Newport standards. She couldn't tell the Cohens and risk it getting back to Julie. Could she testify to it in court? No cause of fancy lawyer talk from Sandy Cohen. It would be tossed out of court as circumstantial evidence cause it was heresy. So that wouldn't work either. Then Kaitlin remembered Julie reading off Taylor's address in the Rolex in Caleb's desk drawer. She would simply just go to Taylor's house and tell her to get out of town! As to how or why she didn't know yet, but that was the best option. She played for time and pretended to be asleep when everybody checked on her. Once all the lights were out she sneaked downstairs and went into Caleb's office. She found the Rolex right where Julie put it and saw Taylor's address. She put it in her purse and ran back upstairs to her room with it. Kaitlin knew she was feeling much better. Maybe it was cause she was getting one over on her mom and nobody ever messed with a guy she liked. Kaitlin knew she had to get a good night sleep cause tomorrow was going to be a very big day!