Disclaimer: I do not own the OC. Its just that fox left us off until October 31 and lets face it true fans can't wait that long.

The following takes place following the Season final. A special thank you to HOTTERTHNU, my beta who did a amazing job editing all my chapters. Please review every chapter. Its what keeps me writing! I accept both signed and anonymous reviews. Enjoy.

The air stood still as Seth took a deep breath before pummeling into a high wave. Salty tears falling from his face, his breath cold, waves continuously hitting the Summer Breeze. The warm sun felt like ice against his skin.

"Kirsten it's okay, we're going to get through this," Sandy's warm words slightly comforting her. Tears mirrored her son's.

"Ryan, Ryan!" Theresa said almost yelling. Ryan gave a quick jerk forward.

"Yeah, sorry" Ryan sighed, a frown on his face.

Theresa adjusted her mirror on her car and looked directly at Ryan, "Are you going to be ok?"

The sun starting to go down, Seth realized that traveling to Tahiti right now might not be the best idea. What else did he have? Taking a deep breath he stood, pulling a rope and securing it to a notch. Then shifting to the opposite side of the boat he changed the direction of the sail to match the wind. The only thing that took his mind off life itself was sailing. Years before Ryan Atwood was ever destined to leave his life, Seth's only true friend was a boat. That boat could take him anywhere. Out of his sorry life and to a New World full of hope and friends. Who knew that the place he had grown up to hate had changed so magnificently by the appearance of one human being? All he need was a real friend, a true friend, that was now gone. Seth screamed at the top of his lungs. Dropping what lay in his hands. Tears flooding through his eyes, screaming at the top of his lungs and he couldn't stop. Never...

Kirsten walked up to Seth's closed door. Knocking softly and reserving no answer, "Seth, are you ok? I know it's hard. We will get through this." Kirsten quickly turned away from the door. Her face almost breaking up into tears, she walked back into her room, seeing Sandy lying on the bed. She walked over and gave him a light kiss on the check.

"I suppose Seth isn't taking it well," Sandy said in a soft voice.

"No, he didn't even open his door."

'Well, he's young, he'll adapt."

Kirsten forced back a tear. "Its just Ryan was Seth's friend, he's grown so much. With Ryan gone how will Seth survive?"

Sandy kissed her and slowly pulled away. "He'll be all right. We'll all be all right."

The night was cold for Seth. He had landed on a small island, about three hours from Newport, and unrolled his sleeping bag. His parents would most likely have found the note by or would surely find it by tomorrow. It was hard to see how they would react to him leaving for suck a long time. It was hard to see how summer would react to his letter. His dad had once made him promise when Ryan had just started living with his family, that he would never run away, No matter how bad it got. He wasn't running away, he was fulfilling a life long sailing dream. Just as he had planned to do before Ryan came. Picking up where he had left off, that's it. Seth unzipped his sleeping bag and crawled in, his boat tied firmly to two trees. Looking up at the stars, as their glow entranced him into sleep.

The warm California sun brightly shone through the Cohen's bedroom window. Sandy stood up and got dressed, it was Sunday, and he hated Sunday. Sunday was when the bad things happened. Yesterday, Saturday, wasn't the greatest day ever either. He then walked to Seth's room. Reached for the door, began to turn, when a loud ring screamed throughout the house. It was the door, the first bad thing that was about to happen on Sunday, was behind that door, Sandy thought to himself. Opening the front door, Sandy saw Summer.

"Well your not so bad," Sandy said jokingly.

"How's Seth?" She said in a low toned voice.

"What a coincidence, I was just going to get Seth. I haven't seen him since Ryan left." Sandy spoke with a smile on his face. "But I'm sure he would much rather talk to you then me."

"Thanks," a dim smile on her face.

Summer walked past Mr. Cohen and to Seth's room.

"Cohen," Summer called to Seth. "I'm coming in so you better be decent!"

Sliding the door open, and looking in, Summer found the room empty. She walked in and looked around, when two letters caught her attention. She picked up the one marked Summer and using her fingernail ripped it open. Unfolding it she began to franticly read. Kirsten opened Seth's door to find Summer almost in tears.

"Summer what's wrong," Kirsten called.

"Seth's gone," Summer cried. Sandy now appeared behind his wife.

Sandy looked at Kirsten, "Damn I hate Sundays."

"Marissa Cooper!" Julie yelled. "Have you been drinking?"

Marissa lay half passed out on the floor. The glass flask lay at her side. She blinked several times, trying to shake off the pounding hangover. To no avail, she stood up in front of her mother.

"Mom," Marissa winced.

"Marissa Cooper!" Julie's voice rose in volume, "This is because of that stupid boy Ryan leaving. He got that cheap girl pregnant. You should just be lucky it wasn't you!

"Mom," Marissa yelled back. "Who told you?"

Julie stepped closer to Marissa. "I overheard at the wedding, and lucky I did. You should be happy that that filth is going back to the garbage can he fell out of.

"Speaking of filth," Marissa blurted out.

"What did you just say to me?" Julie said shouted erupting with anger.

"I called you what you are. The only reason I'm here is because Caleb forced me."

"What, did he put a gun to your forehead?" Julie spoke with a sarcastic smile.

"No, but he wouldn't buy dad's restaurant unless I agreed to live with you."

Julie's face turned red, her anger now so intense, she raised her hand to slap her daughter but caught herself before doing so. She turned and ran out of the room. Marissa walked over to her new dresser, reached into it and pulled out a clear bottle, filled with a clear substance. She uncapped it and drank.

A strong pull released a small amount of slack. Pulling it again he found the rope tight, reaching down and tying the knot to the bottom of the boat. Rocking up and down, Seth fell spread out on the small deck of the boat, exhausted. Sleeping on the ground wasn't as much fun as he had been led to believe. Seth opened his backpack and grabbed a squeeze bottle half full of water. He opened the top and drank.

He was tired but there was no time to stop. He had to sail all day if he wanted to get to the next island. Seth turned suddenly to see a large tree on the main shore. He had never gone past it. Seth unfolded the map that Ryan had given back to him and immediately thought of his lost friend.

Ryan flipped down the car sun blocker looking into its small mirror. Within it lay an unfamiliar face, yes it was his, but behind that, behind the face, there was emptiness. Theresa looked over smiling at Ryan.

"It's going to be good to have you back," Theresa whispered softly.

Ryan turned his head away from Theresa. "Well, I guess it might be good to go home."

"My mom said you could stay in the guest room," A smile on Theresa's face.

Ryan smiled, "Great, thanks," A frown on his face.

Ryan didn't want to think about the words, but he couldn't help it. Ryan "could" stay in the guest room, or he could stay with Theresa. Wait no, he loved Marissa and she loved him, it's just how is he going to...Ryan caught himself rambling on, must have got it from Seth…Seth, he was so mad at him. He just didn't understand and couldn't. Even so, he thought Seth would understand. When Ryan entered Newport Seth had no friends and truly the more he thought about it, he didn't ever have any real friends either until him.

"I just wish he could understand," Ryan mumbled.

"What?" Theresa asked.

"Nothing," Ryan wiped an eye, hiding a single tear from Theresa.

The phone rang loud in Caleb's office. The old man sat in his chair staring into space. He had never had this problem before. He could always solve anything. He picked up the phone.

"Mr. Nichol," grunted a deep voice on the end of the phone. "This is Jon Stephen, I'm with the state attorney's office. There is a little problem with your construction company and I'm going to be the one to fix it." Caleb stood from his chair.

"Really, and what might that problem be?"

"Mr. Nichol we both know what I mean. In a few weeks I'll have enough evidence to freeze your assets and sent your sorry ass to jail."

Theresa's car rolled to a halt. Ryan opened the door and grabbed his bag from the back.

"So how did the Cohens take it?" Theresa asked.

Ryan's eyes met Theresa's. "They took it well, and Sandy and Kirsten understood why I had to leave."

"And Seth?"

Ryan's gaze broke from Theresa eyes and darted for the ground. "We really didn't talk. He was just sad to see me go I guess."

"Its ironic isn't it?" Theresa uttered.

"What?"

Ryan looked at Theresa, she was thinking hard about the words she was about to say.

"Nothing, never mind."

Theresa walked towards her mother's small house, opened the door and called out.

"Mom, you home?"

She went in, holding the door for Ryan, and walked into the kitchen where she found a note. A note, Ryan thought, that brings back memories.

Love Mom,

"Well Ryan I'll show you your room and you can get unpacked."

For a split second it felt the Cohens never had existed. It had just been a dream and now it was time to wake up. He wasn't a smart kid given a second chance. He was a stupid street kid who got a chick pregnant. The story was old. Ryan exhaled and with it a part of him left. All he knew was he would half to struggle through this...Alone.

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