The Other Storylines
Caleb Nichol is a bad man. When he isn't walking in to his scantily-clad step-daughter Marissa's room unannounced, he is ignoring or shouting at his illegitimate daughter Lindsay and her boyfriend Ryan. Cruela Deville, a.k.a Julie, is touring spas in Europe. How on earth did she get by immigration?

In other, less grey-haired, news, Sandy Cohen was visited by his college mentor Max Bloom, who's daughter, Rebecca, Sandy had been in love with--and engaged to--until she blew up a nuclear facility and ran off to Canada.

Max asks Sandy to find her for him, as he is ill, but Sandy keeps being told that Rebecca is dead. But she shows up on Max's doorstep, bringing with her the award for Worst Plot Line Ever. Kirsten drinks expensive wine, and the audience wishes they had a glass to get them through this, too. Thankfully, the younger generation is infinitely more entertaining.

With a little help from Zach, Seth finds the artistic calling that has been staring at him in the face ever since the first episode. Seth, Zach and Ryan brainstorm ideas for their own comic--which is basically just The O.C. with superpowers and bigger boobs (in Summer's case.) Summer, and her boobs, finds and steals a book full of pictures of her cartoon-self that Seth tried to hide from both her and Zach. Instead of issuing a restraining order, Summer is actually touched (and concerned about her inflated boobs). Seth and Summer share a moment full of comic book glory.

The Alex-Marissa Storyline
At the beginning of the episode, Seth goes to Alex's to try and win her back. Or at least get a threesome. However, Jody is still at her apartment--and Alex refuses to make up with either of them. Instead, she talks to Marissa on the phone, who was playing Interpol loudly on her stereo and skipping school. We learn that they have seen each other "every day this week," and that both of them want to continue doing so, after the whole "are you sure you aren't sick of me?" questioning.

When Marissa goes over to Alex's later, they discover that Jody, in leaving back to L.A, took Alex's matching heart necklace with her--a necklace that Alex loved, even if she didn't love Jody. Marissa suggests that they get it back tomorrow because "she can't steal your heart."

So the next day, they drive to L.A in Alex's open-top car, and talk about emancipation from your parents, and tattoos. Alex finally delivers the "my friends are my family, you know?" line that has been quoted in forums all over the net in anticipation of this budding relationship.

When they get to L.A in the evening, Alex starts to get nervous and tells Marissa not to let Jody intimidate her, and to let her do all the talking. But when Jody opens the door to her apartment (which is also blasting out Interpol's 'Evil'--a great song, but I hope it isn't meant to contain any subconscious interpretations of these scenes), Alex gets sweetly dumbstruck in the face of the obviously delighted Jody. Marissa steps into view and takes over, telling Jody "We've come to get some of Alex's stuff."

It turns out Jody has hoarded up a lot of Alex's cool stuff, with everything from motorcycle boots to bras adoring her apartment. When Alex is searching the room, Marissa shrugs"breakups, huh?" to Jody, who smiles knowingly and tells "you'll be next." Marissa looks surprised and responds "I'm not her…" but Jody doesn't believe her.

Alex comes back into the room, and she and Jody have another fight. Marissa excuses herself and sneaks into Jody's room, while we see Jody imploring Alex to stay. When Marissa comes back into the room, Jody has her hands on Alex's hips, and Alex looks trapped as Jody tells Marissa to take the Jeep, that she'll bring Alex back later.

But Marissa takes charge again, grabs Alex's hand, and says "Do you really think I am going to let my girlfriend alone with you overnight?" After Marissa marches them out of the apartment, Alex is happy and grateful. "You think she bought it?" Marissa asks? And Alex says "Oh, totally! She thought you and I were sleeping together the first time she met you at the club."

Alex is talking excitedly about how she owes Marissa, and about how she doesn't care that she didn't get the necklace, since she got her CDs and fat jeans. Just then, Marissa opens the palm of her hand--to reveal the necklace, or, as Alex calls it, "my heart." Alex is speechless and touched, and when Marissa reveals the matching necklace in her other hand, Alex tells her to keep it. Marissa leans forward a little as Alex puts her arms around her neck to fasten the clasp, and the creators of the show rejoice at another opportunity to pair two beautiful women, only an inch apart, with suggestive glances and soft piano music.

Alex breaks the tension by announcing they better get Marissa home, but Marissa has a better idea.

Several scenes later, we see Marissa and Alex back at Marissa's house, where she takes off her top (that is supposedly sticking to her) and asks Alex if she is bleeding. We see that Marissa has a new tattoo--oddly similar to the one Alex has, in the exact same place on her lower back, and Alex proclaims it to be "so hot." Just at that moment, the step-father walks in without knocking, and tries to assert his authority. Marissa basically tells him in different words to f-off, and Alex, with matching tattoos and necklaces, defiantly leave the house.

Next Week on The O.C.: Alex asks Marissa what she's doing with her; Seth and Summer get closer; Sandy talks with Rebecca and not his wife; and Ryan unleashes his "fists of fury" for the first time since season one.

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