Title: Everybody's Changing

Summary: A Ryan/Marissa fic. Set summer before/early S3

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I own nothing, characters and sections of plots are from the writers and producers of the show

AN: This is my first attempt at writing a fanfic- so please go easy on me. Reviews are appreciated; I'm always up for advice and new opinions. There isn't much of a plot to this story so far but I promise it will develop in the next few chapters.

Marissa slowly opened her eyes and yawned. She shifted and started to get up, but noticed the strong arms wrapped around her. She glanced behind her and smiled at her boyfriend Ryan. He was still peacefully sleeping with his mouth crooked into a half smile. She remembered the last time this happened almost 2 years ago. Marissa drove down to Tijuana with Ryan, Seth, and Summer during their sophomore year. Their car broke down and they were forced to stay in a crappy motel and she was awkwardly staying in the same room as Ryan. That night her dad called her and told her that he was moving out. She cried herself to sleep, feeling more alone than ever. But when she woke up she found Ryan spooning her and she felt more safe and comfortable than she ever had before. Now, as she did before, Marissa drifted off to sleep again.

About an hour later, the smell of coffee and blueberry pancakes woke her up. She slowly sat up in bed as Ryan came through the pool house entrance carrying breakfast on a tray. He set it down in front of her on the bed and then bent down to kiss her and whisper "Good Morning."

"Good morning to you, too." Marissa softly said pulling his head down for another kiss. "Wow you made breakfast for me, that's so sweet," she smiled.

Marissa turned to her food and starting taking a bite out of her pancakes

"Your welcome, I just wanted to do something nice for you. We both could use a rest with everything that's happened this summer."

Marissa paused with her fork midway to her mouth.

"Sorry," Ryan rushed quickly. "I didn't mean to get you down especially so early in the morning."

"It's okay," she replied, wondering how much longer they were going to skirt around the fact that she shot Trey.

Marissa resumed eating her pancakes while Ryan sat down on the bed next to her sipping his coffee-black.

"So," she continued in between bites. "What do you want to do today?"

"Hmm...maybe go hang out on the beach and then hit the pier for lunch?"

"Sure, sound's good. But can we stop at my house first? I'll just slip in to grab my bathing suit."

"Are you sure it's okay for me to come over? I haven't exactly been your mom's favorite person lately."

"You've never been my mom's favorite person," she lightly chuckled. "But it's okay. She's been so caught up with getting back together with my dad; she probably didn't even notice I was gone last night."

Marissa finished her breakfast and Ryan went off to change into his bathing suit. They grabbed the car and drove over to her house. They quietly tiptoed into her humongous house.

"Hello?" Marissa called. No one answered.

"Hmm... I guess my parents are off eating breakfast or something," she shrugged.

"Anyways, let me just grab my bathing suit," she said as she led Ryan to her room.

She went over and pulled open a drawer searching for the new bikini she had gotten on her last trip to the mall with Summer. Just then, she felt Ryan's warm arms slide around her waist as he came up behind her and starting kissing her neck. Marissa turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck, placing long kisses on his lips.

She came up for air and said jokingly, "I thought we were going to the beach."

"How about we just stay in?" Ryan whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.

They backed up onto her bed, kissing quickly and hungrily. After a while they stopped and Marissa just laid her head on Ryan's chest listening to his heartbeat. Ryan slowly stroked her back, kissed her forehead, and said "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said with a smile as she gave him a soft peck on the lips. She was so happy that these words came easy to them. Back when they were dating 2 years ago, she was so worried that Ryan didn't return her feelings when she said those same words to him. But now she didn't have to question their relationship and she knew that there was no where that she felt safer or more loved than when she was with him.

They sat there holding each other in peaceful silence for about an hour. Marissa suddenly heard the front door of her house creak open. "We should probably go now," she said as she started scooting off the bed. She already felt the emptiness that came from not lying next to Ryan as she had done so a minute ago.

Marissa grabbed her bathing suit and then the couple walked down the hallway to the kitchen and saw Julie and Jimmy talking as they were putting away some groceries.

"Hey Mom, hey Dad," Marissa greeted.

"Hi, Marissa how are you?" Julie asked warmly. Then she noticed Ryan and with less enthusiasm said "Oh, hi Ryan."

"Umm... I'm good. Me and Ryan were just heading down to the beach and then were thinking about grabbing a bite to eat at the pier."

Julie opened her mouth to protest when Jimmy cut in and said "That sounds cool. Have fun, you guys."

"Okay, see ya."

Ryan and Marissa hopped in the car and drove down to the beach. They we're riding along the winding roads and singing along- well she was- to the music. They arrived on the beach and spread out a towel in front of their lifeguard stand. She was putting suntan lotion on and turned to Ryan, "Hey, can you get my back?" She handed him the pink bottle of suntan lotion.

"Sure," Ryan said as he grabbed the bottle. He started putting a dot here a dot there and a few lines.

"Ah, that tickles!" she shrieked. "What are you doing back there, Picasso?"

"Nothing, just working on my latest masterpiece," he laughed.

He rubbed the smiley face he drew into her back, getting every last white speck. He kissed Marissa's shoulder and she leaned back with her head resting in his lap. I could stay this way forever, she thought as she closed her eyes. Ryan automatically started running his fingers through her hair, thinking about how beautiful she was when she asleep. About a half an hour later she woke up, at up, rubbing her eyes a little bit.

"Hey how'd you sleep?" Ryan asked with a smile.

"Good," she said as she sat up and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

Right on cue her stomach let out a loud grumble.

"I guess so," he chuckled as she lightly blushed.

They stood up and Marissa took Ryan's hand as they started back towards the car to drop their towel and suntan lotion off.

They then walked down to the pier and grabbed their usual booth. Ryan and Marissa were sitting on the same side with his arm casually draped across her shoulders. They ate their late lunch and then headed back to the Cohen's house.

When they got to the pool house Ryan rubbed his hand through his hair and said, "I don't know about you, but I could use a shower."

"Wow, what a coincidence, me too," she joked.

They headed over to his bathroom, shed their clothes and jumped in the steaming shower. They kissed in between washing each other's hair, with the smiles on their lips never leaving. When they were done cleaning up the couple grabbed two towels and started drying themselves off.

"Hey, do you have something I can wear? I'd rather not stay in my bathing suit and shorts all day, although you might want me to."

He laughed, went over to his dresser, and pulled out a shirt and boxers. They both got dressed and Marissa plopped down on his bed.

Ryan sat down next to her and cupped her face in his hands. "You're so beautiful," he said.

"Thanks, but, Ryan Atwood, I think that you have been watching a little bit too many soap operas," she grinned.

He started tickling her ribs and she giggled and shrieked like a little girl. Ryan had discovered early on that she was the most ticklish person in Newport. They rolled around on the bed Marissa trying to stop laughing. The only thing she could think of to stop his tickling rampage was to quickly tackle him and kiss him. They made out, slowly trailing soft kisses on each other. They seemed to go on forever. But when they stopped they faced each other, holding hands as Ryan absent mindingly rubbed her hands with his thumb.

"I love you," he said softly.

"I love you, too."