Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me, enough said.

A/N: So, I've only seen one episode of The O.C. all the way through, so I'm going to try not to mess anything up. Now, my mom watches this show as religiously as I watch Tru Calling so I know a little bit about the characters; I know that I hate Oliver and wanted him to shoot himself The Texas Chainsaw Massacre style, but that didn't happen! So, here's my hopeful wishing story. It's my first O.C. fic, so be gentle, but please review and, of course, enjoy.

When Marissa Cooper stepped into the penthouse suite she had shared with Oliver, she was relieved to find the living room empty. She was alone, which made this the first time Oliver had left her alone for more then two minutes. I've got to get out of here, Marissa thought as she sighed, trying to gain hold of herself. The thought was simple enough but putting it into action wasn't; Oliver had driven his car here and she had no idea where the keys were. She'd have to find another way out.

Marissa's eyes settled on her purse, which contained her cell phone; she scrambled toward the couch and snatched her purse off the cushions. She tossed her wallet and house key aside as she dug through her bag, finally finding her cell phone. Her ex-boyfriend Ryan was still number one on her speed dial and she hit the button eagerly.

As the phone buzzed through its first ring, Marissa looked up to see Oliver standing in the foyer, watching her silently. Unsure of what to do, she stared at him with wide eyes, unaware that the person she had called had answered the phone.

"Hello?" The sound of Ryan's voice brought Marissa out of her stunned state. She kept her eyes on Oliver, heart pounding.

"Ryan, I need you." She said quickly, not bothering to keep silent. "You were right about Oliver, he-"

"Marissa, hang up the phone." Oliver commanded harshly, his voice heavy with a hatred she had never heard before. He started toward her, holding something in his hand that made her heart freeze and her fingers go loose with shock, causing her to drop her cell phone. Oliver was carrying a silver pistol in his left hand and his finger was on the trigger.

Oliver knelt down in front of her, picking up her cell phone from where it had fallen. Marissa could hear Ryan's voice coming from the speaker, somewhat muffled, calling her name. Oliver placed the phone against his ear and, with a grin unlike anything she had ever seen before, said, "Goodbye Ryan." He flipped the phone closed, ending the conversation, and tossed the phone across the room.

Marissa watched him with wide eyes, her gaze shifting from his face to the gun and back again. "Oliver please-" She began, but he silenced her before she could finish.

"Shut up Marissa." He commanded, his voice oddly calm, the inane grin gone. "Get onto the couch." His eyes never left her face, nor did his expression change. Marissa sensed that something inside of him had changed, that he was no longer the person she had known.

Wordlessly, Marissa moved to do as he said.

* * *

As soon as he heard Oliver's voice on the line, Ryan knew that Marissa was in more trouble then he had ever anticipated. He could hear it in the other boy's voice, the surreal calmness that enveloped someone right before they crossed the line. He started to speak, to threaten, but the line went dead before he could even open his mouth. Ryan dropped the phone and leapt up, pulling on his tennis shoes as he grabbed his key ring off the dresser, complete with a set of Cowen house and car keys. He was going to Marissa, he just hoped he wouldn't be too late.

* * *

Marissa watched Oliver pace in front of the couch, watching the hand holding the gun more then she was watching his face; before, she had never believed that he was never capable of hurting anyone, especially her, but now she was not so sure. Whatever compassion and love he had for her was definitely gone now.

"Oliver, why are you doing this?" She questioned, thinking that perhaps she could talk some sense back into him.

For a moment, Oliver didn't turn to look at her, simply continued pacing; finally, he stopped and gazed at her. "Doing what, Marissa?" He questioned, as though it was a perfectly reasonable thing to say.

Marissa tried to remind herself to take a deep breath, not to panic, but it was slowly becoming impossible; she was close to panicking, which she knew would only make matters worse. "Oliver, I don't understand, I thought you and I were friends." She tried again, speaking slowly.

Oliver looked at her as though she was the one who had gone crazy. "Marissa, we are friends. I love you, I've always loved you." He explained just as patiently as she was trying to do.

"Then why do you want to hurt me?" Marissa asked, voice becoming shrill with panic and fear. She thought about never seeing her father again, or Ryan or Summer or even her mother, and that only made things worse.

Oliver sat down beside her, resting the muzzle of the pistol against her knee, unaware of her unease. "Sometimes, it's the only way."

* * *

Ryan hustled into the kitchen to find Seth, his girlfriend Ana, and his ex-girlfriend Summer, standing by the counter, eating ice cream with piles of comic books spread about them. Seth was busy explaining to Summer why Spiderman was much better then The Hulk, seeming unaware of the glare Ana was giving to both of them.

"Where are your parents?" Ryan asked, surprised to see that Sandy and Kristen Cowen were not around. Seth, Summer and Ana looked over at him, surprised.

"They went back to the grocery store." Seth explained, sensing how upset and jittery his friend was. He didn't know why, but he figured it was something serious.

Ryan didn't look at all pleased by this news. "Did they take the car?" He questioned, stepping forward. He didn't want to be having this conversation; every second he wasted talking to Seth was a second that Marissa surely didn't have.

"You didn't expect them to walk five miles, did you?" Seth questioned, though he was certain this was no time for sarcasm.

"Damn." Ryan snapped, throwing the keys across the kitchen and nearly hitting Ana in the head. "Damn!"

Ana stared at him quizzically. "Ryan, what's the matter?" She questioned, brow knitting.

"It's Marissa, she's in trouble. Oliver's got her, I think he might hurt her." Ryan explained, wondering for a moment whether or not any of them would actually believe what he was saying.

Seth studied him for a moment before saying, "How do you know this?"

"She called me, all right? We don't have time for twenty questions right now, all right? I have to find a way to get to her before Oliver hurts her." Ryan snapped, running his hands through his hair and letting out a strangled sigh. Marissa was counting on him, and he was going to let her down.

Ana stood up. "I borrowed my mom's SUV, we can use that to get to Marissa." She suggested, looking from Ryan to Seth, who smiled slightly. She smiled back, amazed that he was actually paying attention to her.

"Let's go." Ryan said and headed toward the front door. Ana followed after him, joined by Seth and Summer.

By the time the other three teenagers got outside, Ryan was already sitting in the passenger seat of the SUV.

* * *

Marissa had never been so sure of anything as she was of the fact that she was going to die in the pent house, murdered by someone she had trusted. She could see it in Oliver's eyes, in his bizarre, crooked grin, hear it in his voice. He was going to kill her, of that was sure.

"Oliver, I still don't understand, you don't have to hurt me." Marissa whimpered, unable to take her gaze away from the muzzle of the gun, which was cool against her skin. She was surprised at how greasy the metal was, how cold and hard.

Oliver reached out to touch her cheek, looking surprised when she shied away from his fingers. "Marissa, I see now that you'll never be anything more then my friend, you'll always love Ryan." He stated, his voice filling with a sudden anger.

If I can't have you, no one can, Marissa thought and shivered. She hoped that Ryan had understood the fear in her voice, hoped that he understood that she needed him. And she hoped he would arrive before Oliver made good on his words.

* * *

Summer drummed her fingers against her knees, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. "I hope Coop's all right." She muttered. "You don't think he'd really hurt her, do you?" She looked at Seth, who patted her knee reassuringly.

"I'm sure Marissa will be all right." Seth said, but he didn't doubt the fact that Oliver would hurt the girl. He just wished he had paid more attention to Ryan this whole time; maybe they could have avoided this somehow.

Summer nodded, though she didn't seem reassured; she had never expected her best friend to be in a life or death situation. "Can you drive a little faster, Ana?" She questioned, looking up at the blonde girl, who glared at her in the rearview mirror.

"Relax, Summer," Ana snapped back. "I'm going as fast as I can." Summer shrink back in her seat, avoiding the other girl's gaze.

Though Ryan remained silent, he didn't believe that they were going fast enough. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if they didn't make it on time.

* * *

"You're going to shoot me, aren't you?" Marissa questioned, no longer wanting to beat around the bush. She wondered if it would be easier to face death if she knew, for a fact, that it was going to happen.

Oliver stared at her, almost lovingly, though the crazy crooked grin was still on his face. "It's the only way, the only way to keep you from Ryan and have you all to myself." He explained.

"You can't have me if I'm dead." Marissa just about shouted, wishing that she had listened to Ryan all along. How could see have not seen that this was going to happen, that Oliver was unstable.

Without a word, he reached out to touch her once again but Marissa turned her head before he could. Oliver's face contorted with rage at her actions and his hand whipped out, grabbing the back of her neck and jerking her forward; Marissa cried out in surprise and pain, eyes filling with tears of fright. "You just don't get it, do you Marissa?" He snapped, accenting each point by jabbing the muzzle of the gun in her face. "I love you, but you'll never love me and I'd rather see you dead then with anyone else." Oliver released her, looking calm once again. "Besides, you won't be dying alone."

* * *

Ryan bolted out of the SUV before Ana had even put on the parking break; Seth and Summer followed after him, running down the sidewalk. The electric doors slid open to allow them access into the hotel and Ryan didn't even bother stopping at the front desk, heading straight for the elevator. He was vaguely aware of a bell hop shouting after them, but his pace didn't falter; he had to get to Marissa, that was the only thing that matter.

Ryan came to a halt abruptly as he practically crashed into the elevator doors; he pressed the up arrow a couple of times the doors slid open. He rushed inside, impatiently, waiting for Seth, Ana and Summer to join him; when they had, he pressed the button marked penthouse and watched the doors slid shut once more.

Seth turned to face him. "Look, man, I'm sorry I didn't believe you about Oliver before; I should have listened to you." He apologized.

"It's all right." Ryan said, knowing there would be time enough for all of that later, once Marissa was safe.

Summer watched the digital red numbers count off slowly, still worrying her bottom lip. "I hope she's all right." She mumbled meekly, unable to believe that just forty-eight hours ago she had been more then upset with her best friend. How things can change.

"She will be." Ana offered the dark-haired girl a slight smile of assurance, to which Summer managed to force a smile back. She wished she was as sure as Ana sounded.

The elevator finally came to a stop at the top of the hotel and the doors slid open to reveal one door, marked Penthouse Suite in gold lettering. Ryan didn't pause to admire the decor as he rushed out of the elevator, banging on the door as soon as he reached it. "Marissa!" He shouted.

* * *

At the sound of someone pounding on the door, both Marissa and Oliver jumped in surprise and Marissa half expected the gun to go off on accident. "Marissa!" There was no mistaking Ryan's voice coming from the other side of the door, filled with concern and fear for his ex-girlfriend.

Oliver reached forward and clamped his hand over her lips, crushing them roughly against her gums as he forced her not to reply. Marissa's eyes grew wide, unsure of what to do; she might be able to pull away from Oliver and shout for Ryan, but the door was locked and Oliver might shoot her if she cried for help.

"Cooper, are you in there?" Now it was Summer's voice, worried laced in her words, and she banged lightly on the door with the palms of her hands. Marissa could hear the fear in her best friend's voice and realized just how much she meant to Summer; and here she had been, blowing the girl off to spend time with the same guy who now held her at gun point.

More pounding on the door, Marissa knew it had to be Ryan. "Marissa, answer please, are you all right?" He shouted, sounding more worried then he had before. "Marissa!"

Heart pounding, she wrenched herself away from Oliver and shouted, "Ryan, he's got a gun!" Oliver looked surprised by her actions, but that surprise didn't last for long; he quickly cocked the gun and pointed it at her.

The pounding on the door became much heavier and more frantic; someone was trying the knob, only to find it locked and Seth was shouting for Ana to get security. Oliver turned to face the door. "Ryan, if you come in here, I'm going to kill her." He called.

Ryan backed away from the door and squared his shoulder, ramming at the wood with all the force he had inside him of him; despite the way his shoulder was beginning to throb, he continued ramming against the door. "Oliver," he grunted, "If you touch her I swear to God I will kill you." He had never been so certain of anything in his life.

Oliver looked away from the door and back toward Marissa, who had been inching away from him when his back was turned. Upon seeing that Oliver's attention was on her again, Marissa froze for a moment before turning and bolting toward the door, knowing this was her only chance of escaping.

Without thinking, Oliver pulled the trigger, the bullet fired from the gun striking the fleeing Marissa in her back, near her hips, the force knocking her to the floor. Marissa screamed in pain and shock and Oliver looked almost stunned at what he had done.

"Marissa!" Ryan shouted and began pounding on the door once again. Summer screamed her friend's name once again, banging with her balled fists. Ryan resumed ramming against the door, feeling the wood and lock finally beginning to give way.

With a final burst of strength, Ryan managed to knock the door open, cracking the lock and dislodging the gold lettering on the cracked oak door. He hurried into the room, looking for Marissa, his heart stopping when he saw her lying on the floor, blood blooming on the back of her shirt. Oliver was motionless, staring at Marissa with eyes wide, as though he was a spectator and not the trigger man.

Ryan rushed to Marissa's side, kneeling beside her and gently lifting her, relieved when her eyes fluttered open. "Ryan?" She mumbled, staring up at him.

Tears welling in his eyes, Ryan brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "Yeah, baby, I'm here. You're going to be all right." He promised, leaning her against his chest.

Seth and Summer stood in the doorway, watching both Ryan and Oliver, unsure of what to do. Oliver seemed just as unsure as they were, looking as though he hadn't expected real bullets to come out of his gun.

Ryan looked over at Oliver, his face hardening with anger. "Drop the gun Oliver." He commanded and when he didn't he shouted, "Drop it!"

Oliver's face contorted with sorrow, tears filling his eyes and trickling down his cheeks. "I didn't...I didn't mean to..." He trailed off, taking a step forward, then stopping. "Is she all right?"

"Don't move Oliver." Ryan warned, his grip on Marissa tightening. "Just put down the gun and stay right there until the cops get here." He hoped that Ana had succeeded in getting the police, because Marissa was going to need a doctor and they were going to need someone to handle Oliver.

"I didn't mean to shoot her." Oliver continued, staying motionless but keeping his grip on the pistol. "Marissa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean..."

Marissa was watching him through half-dazed eyes, though there was no mistaking the hatred in her stare. Oliver saw this as well, and more tears coursed down his cheeks. "I didn't mean it." He lifted the gun and pressed the warm muzzle against his temple. "I didn't mean it." He repeated.

Seth took a small step forward. "Oliver, man, put the gun down." He said, knowing what was going to follow. Summer gripped his arm tightly, palms sweaty, eyes filled with tears, for Marissa and Oliver both.

Oliver was focused on Marissa and Ryan, watching them steadily. "I'm sorry." He said before squeezing the trigger. The bullet blew into his skull, killing him instantly and shattering bone and brain alike; for a moment, Oliver's corpse remained upright, but toppled to the floor with a crash, landing in a pool of blood and gore.

Summer screamed and squeezed her eyes shut tightly, her hands flying up to cover her face; Marissa screamed as well, though that only increased the pain in her back and she crumpled, pressing her face against Ryan's chest. Seth pulled Summer against him, eyes wide with shock even as he tried to comfort her.

Only seconds later -though it felt like years for those in the room- Ana bolted in with the security guards and manager close behind her. Upon seeing Oliver's skull-less corpse, she choked out a scream and whirled away, gagging as she squeezed her eyes shut. One of the guards rushed into the room while the other unhooked the radio on his belt and put in a call to a nearby police unit as well as an ambulance.

Ryan watched the guard hustle over to Oliver and looked back at Marissa, who had opened her dazed eyes once more. He slipped one of his arms beneath her knees and stood, lifting Marissa just as he had that night in Mexico, being careful of her bullet wound, and started toward the security guard. "She need's an ambulance." He said, causing the man to look over at them. "We need to get her to the hospital."

The guard looked at Marissa in surprise. "What happened?" He questioned, already motioning for Ryan to lay her out on the couch, which he did gently.

"She's been shot." Ryan explained, kneeling beside Marissa and gently stroking her hair. Marissa looked up at him and managed to smile slightly, reaching to take his hand in her hers.

"My hero." She muttered, a tear trickling down her cheek.

Ryan stayed beside her until the trauma unit arrived, wheeling a stretcher in after them. They nudged him out of the way and lifted Marissa onto the stretcher, checking her pulse, blood pressure and bullet wound upon her back. Marissa's grip tightened on Ryan's hand as they strapped her onto the gurney. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, I should have believed you." She muttered, voice thick with pain and emotion.

"It's all right." Ryan assured her, her grip loosening as they began the wheel the stretcher out of the room.

Somehow, he knew everything would be all right.