A/N: Thanks for all the reviews so far- it's a great response! Few matters brought up though-
Thank you to the reviewer who pointed out that the timings didn't match (how could Sophie Rose be two when she was born towards the end of season 4?), I hope you can bare with me on that matter- you'll also notice that if Summer had been away for the past year, she would have been away for the whole of season 4. As Marissa didn't die, season 4 wouldn't have happened the same…
I'll get to what happened with Ryan- I'm trying the suspense thing, as well as trying to get everyone's feelings out of the way before getting into the main part of the story.
"Yes, I miss you too," Marissa muttered into the phone as Summer walked into the kitchen, "Yes, I can't wait till you come, I really want you to meet everyone too…" Summer noticed that Marissa was impatiently tapping her biro on the top of a notepad and wondered what Marissa's fiancé was like.
She opened the freezer door and pulled out a large tub of chocolate ice cream that was hidden at the back. Grabbing two spoons, she pushed the tub towards her friend, who smiled gratefully.
"Yes, I love you too, okay… Yes, I promise they'll love you too… Okay, bye…" Marissa finished the call, trying her best not to sigh thankfully. Instead she hastily pulled the lid off the tub and buried her spoon into the frozen goodness.
"Missing you is he?" Summer asked, sliding into the high stool next to Marissa, pushing Kaitlin's handbag out of her way and adjusting her loose top she'd put over her bikini before taking her own spoonful of ice cream.
Marissa shrugged as she placed the spoon in her mouth, hoping she wouldn't have to answer, concentrating on placing her wrap on her knees. Summer nodded with a knowing smile.
"Well, I miss him too…" Marissa added hastily, catching Summer's look.
"I didn't say you didn't," Summer stated, taking another spoonful, "Your marrying him, you must love him a lot."
Marissa rolled her eyes- Summer had made no secret of how much she disapproved of such a relationship so soon after the accident. She couldn't even imagine Marissa getting engaged to anyone that quickly.
"He feels right," Marissa explained.
"Oh well, if he feels right…" Summer smiled.
"Oh, Sum!" Marissa groaned after a few seconds, nudging her friend as she giggled, "Only you could turn that around!"
Summer shrugged, licking the chocolate ice cream off her lips.
"Are those his plane times?" Summer asked, nodding towards the notepad, still smiling.
Marissa nodded, closing the notepad.
"Yep, he arrives tomorrow…" Marissa sighed, pushing the notepad away.
Summer sighed, "And in a week you'll be the next Mrs Pete Crash…"
"Hey, I've already said you'll be maid of honour!" Marissa stated, failing at making it easing the tension.
"I don't like this Marissa- don't you think there's a reason he's already been divorced?" Summer asked carefully.
"Summer- I've explained that to you!" Marissa stated, a bit harsher that she meant it to sound, "I mean… the age difference doesn't matter, we'll be fine…"
Summer fell silent, stunned at Marissa's reaction. But, then again, if they were going to have an argument, she wanted her friend to face the facts-
"Have you invited Ryan yet?"
The whole room seemed to freeze with the tension, Marissa looking like she would flip if she was pushed any further. Tears filled behind her lashes, which she stubbornly rubbed away. Marissa had known Summer would send her on the guilt trip- just so she would know what she was getting into. But it didn't change things, didn't change how guilty, betrayed, Marissa felt.
She took a shaky breath.
"Anyway, how are you and Seth?" Marissa asked, glancing at Summer who quickly diverted her gaze. Finally, she was making Summer feel awkward, and it didn't make either of them feel any better.
"We're good… yer…" Summer muttered, suddenly very absorbed in Julie's magazine that lay on the counter.
"He's still not called back?" Marissa asked quietly.
Summer bit her lip, flipping through the magazine. Marissa fell silent too, eating more ice cream, but that seemed tasteless now… she hated fighting with Summer, her best and oldest friend, but she also knew her better than anyone else- and if her and Seth were having a fight than it must be serious.
"He's taking it hard…" Summer whispered. Marissa hesitated. "Everyone's taking it hard…"
"It's all my fault…" Marissa muttered.
"No, its Ryan's… if he hadn't just run off like that then…"
"He wouldn't have gone if I hadn't…" Marissa argued.
Summer looked away again. She knew Marissa was right, and there was no way she could save Marissa's feelings without lying to her, and that would be going to far.
"I'll try calling him again later," Summer stated quietly, even though she knew Seth wouldn't want to speak to her. Her two best friends were completely cutting her out… She'd loved Ryan too, but those two had depended on him and that's a loss even new Summer couldn't relate to.
Marissa nodded, even though she wasn't even listening anymore. She was lost in her own little world, a little world where the Core Four still existed.
"Hiya Summer, Marissa!" Kaitlin smiled as she walked into the kitchen dressed in her typical outfit of a short denim skirt that showed off her long tanned legs and a low cut blouse. She headed straight for the tub of ice cream that neither Summer nor Marissa were touching. "Oh, ice cream!" She muttered, grabbing her own spoon and digging in. She took a couple of scoops before stopping, noticing the silence. "Wow, you guys really are the life and soul of the party!" She muttered sarcastically.
Marissa looked up, as if her sister had just woken her from a trance.
"Oh hey Kaitlin…" She muttered.
"Oh, now you notice me!" Kaitlin grumbled, "You eating this? No, thanks," Kaitlin grabbed the tub and moved to the table in the centre of the kitchen. "Why are you guys so bummed anyway?" She asked, turning in her seat to face them.
Marissa shrugged.
"Wow, I've heard of cold feet before a wedding but come on Marissa!" Kaitlin stated, before sliding a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.
"It's not cold feet…" Marissa snapped, before walking out of kitchen quickly.
Summer sighed.
"Whats her problem?" Kaitlin asked, swallowing another mouthful of ice cream.
Summer shrugged, "Like she said- it's not cold feet…"
"Well, what's it called when you know your marrying the wrong guy and the right one is living on the opposite side of the world just so he doesn't have to face his problems?" Kaitlin asked with a raised eye brow.
Summer turned to the teenager, then back towards the kitchen door.
"Atwood…" She muttered, before walking out of the kitchen.
Kaitlin frowned, now left alone in the kitchen.
"Well… that's nice how we're too polite for 'how are you's'…" She grumbled before getting up and grabbing her cell phone which was in her Dolce and Gabbana handbag on the counter. "I am so not having this while mum's away!" She muttered, before slidding open the pink phone. She quickly dialled a number and put the phone to her ear.
"Taylor? Hi, it's Kaitlin, Atwood around?"