Wow. That was angsty in the extreme (always a good thing!). I think the Cohens would be at a serious loss if they knew how he really felt. I mean, they don't stand a chance of convincing him they love him, with a past like his and how he feels about himself and his family. Even though we can see it as plain as day, he always misinterprets their love for something else, duty, whatever. I can see your take on the Marissa thing, it's not something I particularly buy into but it works well here and is a plausible explanation for why he returns. I loved how he went back for more, even though he was convinced he knew how it would end. *sob*