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At the club, Marissa asks Alex about a drawing that Seth did that is on the wall, prompting Marissa to ask about Alex and Seth's relationship:

ALEX: We never really left the ground. We taxied down the runway, but never achieved lift-off.
MARISSA: Yeah, I just got out of one of those.
ALEX: Yeah, well, they are good for getting over someone, I guess.
MARISSA: Or getting you ready for someone.

At this comment from Marissa, we see Alex stop and wonder. When Marissa asks if she can crash at her place again, Alex decides to confront her:

ALEX: Can I ask you a question?
MARISSA: Sure.
ALEX: What are you doing with me?
Marissa (looking confused): Picking up a pint of Cherry Garcia and renting some DVDs?
ALEX: I mean, sleeping over, hanging out all the time, borrowing my clothes. Things that never happened with Seth when I was dating him.
MARISSA: (jokingly) Well, Seth's not really your size.
ALEX: No, but he was--however briefly--my boyfriend.

There is a long pause, and then Marissa backs off, saying she will return Alex's t-shirt, although this was obviously not Alex's point. Alex isn't angry, or upset, just confused about her own feelings towards Marissa, and Marissa's feelings towards her, but Marissa's reaction seems to upset Alex, as if she wished she had not said anything. Marissa briefly sees this reaction as she walks up the stairs, and looks confused and upset herself.

Later, Marissa is over at Summer's, talking about the "almost kiss" or "nose-graze" that Seth and Summer shared earlier. Marissa is not at the hospital fussing over Caleb because he's a cockroach that will "outlive us all." Marissa tries to process her feelings about Alex under the guise of analyzing Seth and Summer's relationship:

MARISSA: Again, you almost kissed Cohen?!
SUMMER: It was not an almost-kiss. It was a nose-graze. Totally different.
MARISSA: Not totally. Sometimes you have like, a moment, with someone. You know, when you are doing something totally random and i's just like, charged. Or something.
SUMMER: Who you been nose-grazing with?
MARISSA: What? No one. I just mean...(sighs) Do you know what I mean?

Marissa seems distracted and wistful as they talk about how annoying it is that Summer can get flustered by Cohen even though she has a "hot" boyfriend, and they debate how to handle the situation.

SUMMER: If it's a normal person, you go for it.
MARISSA: What if it's someone whose nose you never thought you would graze?
SUMMER: (after playing about with Princess Sparkle, her toy pony) You are young, you are single, and you have a cute nose. So why not put it out there?

While Marissa looks thoughtful, we cut to Alex dropping off the drawing she had in her office at Seth's house. They exchange friendly banter about his house, and talk about relationships--how theirs was just getting themselves ready for the next person (as Alex puts it, "We were each other's in-between people.")--or, in Seth's case, getting him ready for Summer again. They wish each other luck, and Alex leaves.

Back at the Bait shop, Rachel Yamagata is singing a mildly-depressing tune, and Alex is looking despondently at happy couples smooching. She walks over near the stage, at the same moment that Marissa strolls in, spots her, and cautiously makes her way over. Before Alex sees her, Marissa stands next to her and entwines her hand with Alex's. Alex stares speechlessly at Marissa, amazed, happy, and smiling. The shot ends with them switching their hands around so they are comfortable.

Next week on The O.C.: Nobody does Valentine's like The OC, where Kirsten is angry at Sandy, Seth, Summer and Zach are in San Diego, and Alex and Marissa finally kiss.

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