Disclaimer: I do not own The O.C. nor am I making profit for taking the characters for a ride. Please don't sue, I have nothing to give you.

Author's note: This story takes place in first season, before Oliver. Sandy has started his new job, Marissa is with her dad, and everyone is in school.

Also, I know the first chapter is a little slow, I'm just setting things up, I promise.

Facing the Past

Chapter One

The sun was just setting as Sandy Cohen walked through the door in to his spacious and beautiful house. An orange glow settled over everything, giving the community a warm and happy overlay.

It was the days like this that made Sandy love Newport and all things that came with it.

"Dad, you're home" Seth greeted Sandy as he walked in to the kitchen, "Just in time too, mom was contemplating cooking food…you know we can't have that…lives are at stake"

Kirsten walked up behind Seth, hitting him in the head with a box of Kraft Dinner, "How hard can this be…really?" Kirsten asked, looking at the box, "You are all being ridiculous"

"Seth, Ryan" Sandy greeted, watching his wife study the directions on the side of the KD box, "Kirsten" he smiled as she looked up and kissed his cheek.

"Uhh…get a room guys…please… but not before food, I'm hungry, we're hungry, right Ryan?"

Ryan finally looked up from the daily newspaper, raising his eyebrows at Seth.

"We gotta stick together man, help me out here" Seth begged

Ryan just shrugged and went back to the paper.

"Look, you just have to boil the water and add the box…some milk, butter and cheese powder….Does anyone know where we keep the cheese powder?" Kirsten asked, looking up.

Seth's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull as he snatched away the box from his mother, "I am not standing here and letting you take away the life of an innocent box of Kraft Dinner…I'll cook"

Sandy laughed out loud, as Kirsten glared around the kitchen at them. Ryan, seemingly immune to Kirsten's glares was still reading a story in the paper.

"Hey kid" Sandy put his hand on Ryan's shoulder. "Whatcha reading?"

Ryan unconsciously flinched from under Sandy's hand, then corrected himself, straightening, "story" he replied, shooting Sandy an apologetic glance.

Sandy pretended not to take notice to his action and bent over what Ryan was reading, "Ahh, how entertaining, a story on Medicaid reform…mind numbing, really"

Ryan sighed and pushed the paper away.

"Hey, I'm just jokin with ya you know…but it wouldn't help for you to… relax..be a kid Ryan… You're only sixteen, I don't think Seth even recognizes the National section of the paper as reading material."

Ryan grunted a reply then took a drink of water.

"How was school?" Kirsten intercepted.

"Gee, thanks for asking mom" Seth's voice was full of sarcasm as he filled a pot with water, "But we're actually both so traumatized by the daily experience of school, we don't want to talk about it"

"Funny" Kirsten remarked.

"Ahh… you know what else is funny mom…" he held up a package of powdered cheese, "The cheese comes with the box" he smiled.

Kirsten rolled her eyes, "If you don't need me here, I think I'll just go upstairs and go through you're underwear drawer Seth, I'm sure some of them need replacing by now" Kirsten smirked and made to leave the kitchen.

"Uhh, mom…no.. You can.. You know what you can do that would be helpful is uh.. uh..You could open this can of mushrooms" Seth smiled.

Ryan shot Seth an inscrutable look, getting up from his stool. He walked to the sink, filling his glass with water, " What do we need mushrooms for, Seth?" he asked quietly.

"We don't… But I don't need her rifling through my underwear drawer either."

Ryan grinned.

"So, Ryan.. Soccer, how's that goin' for ya, you like it?" Sandy asked.

"Soccer's cool" Ryan shrugged.

"So you ever think about surfing?" he asked.

"If by surfing you mean getting up at the crack of dawn to hang out in the cold water with you, dad, I doubt Ryan wants to go surfing" Seth commented.

Sandy almost looked hurt and Ryan met his eyes, quickly looking away, "No.. it could be cool" he replied. "Surfing"

"Next step Water Polo and shaving your chest, Ryan, better watch out 'cause I'll kick yer ass"

"Yeah?" Ryan asked, looking up at Seth, tilting his head to the right side.

"Well, no but… I won't give you any more comic books to read" he threatened.

"Water Polo it is then" Ryan smiled.

Seth dropped the wooden spoon he was using to stir in the macaroni, "Ohmygod, Ryan.. You just made a joke.. I am… I think I'm going to cry"

Ryan smacked him lightly in the head, "All it means is that you're contagious"

"Another one…Dad.. camcorder, now." Seth turned to Sandy as they all laughed.

……………………………..

Ryan lay spread across his bed, the moonlight softly floating in the pool house windows. He could hear the waves crashing against the beach just yards away. He stared up at the ceiling, at a spot he could swear was moving.

This place, Newport, was crazy. The Cohens were crazy. After sitting down to a dinner of mac and cheese, Sandy had finalized surfing plans for the morning, telling him he had an old wetsuit Ryan could borrow until they could run to the store and grab one.

Surfing. He, Ryan Atwood, was going surfing in the morning. After sleeping in a poolhouse.

He rolled over on to his side, this time focusing on the alarm clock beside his bed that Kirsten had put there. The green digits shone through the darkness. It felt like… It felt like he was finally starting to settle down.

Like Newport was finally setting down. A new life. Marissa's situation was starting to cool down, their relationship was getting better. Classes were good, tests were great and he hadn't been in a fight for… probably the longest he'd ever gone without.

And he was going surfing in the morning. Ryan smiled, beginning to feel sleep take him over, until the silence was broken.

Ryan glared at the phone next to him, the little red light flashing incessantly. Kirsten had put it in shortly after he moved in and unpacked. It was the same number as the one inside the house.

Less numbers to memorize she'd said.

He reached over and grabbed it, checking the time on his clock, 2:03 a.m. No wonder no one else had answered, no one else was crazy enough to stay up this late when they had to be up at seven in the morning. Or in his case six.

" Hello?" he asked, hoping something hadn't happened to Marissa. He felt his breath catch in his throat for a moment.

"Is that you baby?" a woman's voice came over the line.

Ryan knew that voice. "Mom? Wh.. What are you calling.. What happened, are you okay?"

"Baby I'm sorry" she slurred, "I need something, your momma's in big trouble"

Ryan bit his lip as his heart sank, curling his toes under the covers. "Are you drunk?" he asked.

"I need your help RyRy…"

"What did you do Ma?" Ryan sighed closing his eyes.

"I need some money Ry… Or they're gonna kill me"

"Who's gonna kill you mom?"

"Louis"

"Your coke dealer" he was getting angry now.

"Please Ryan… there's no one left" she whispered, "AJ doesn't have the money and –"

"AJ?" Ryan asked, "You're back with AJ? Course he has no money ma, cause AJ is a freeloader, he doesn't work he doesn't get money"

"Please"

"How much do you need?"

"Eleven fifty" She replied, drunkenly.

Ryan licked his lips, he knew it wasn't eleven dollars and fifty cents she was asking for. "Where do you think I can get that kind of money mom, huh?"

But Ryan's mind was already working. He had worked at the Crab Shack most of the summer, and he'd saved most of it for when he needed some new clothes or lunch, or whatever. It would clear out his account, but he knew he had it.

"How 'bout those new parents of yers?" she slurred, "They got lotsa money"

"I'm not asking Kirsten and Sandy for money mom, they've done enough already."

"Please Ryan, they're gonna kill me… maybe even your brother. He said he got people in there Ry.. help me, help us, your family."

Ryan sank back in to his pillow, "fine.. I'll get you your damn money ma, but this is the only time.. I won't do it again, ever, so you'd better just lay off… I'll call you tomorrow" and he hung up the phone, staring at the clock again.

2: 15 a.m.

So much for sleep tonight.