Disclaimer: Do I really have to do this every single time?

A/N: Thank you to the sweet Anon for a lovely review. I'm really worried what you guys will say when this fic finishes which as I've said before is going to be in the next chapter. You guys will hate it. I can feel it.

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San Francisco was beautiful. She loved it. The Golden Gate Bridge at night took her breath away. She got a small apartment by the park. The job was actually pretty intense but she finally did what she always wanted. Helped others. Matt's friend, Travis, was her new boss and he was amazing. Hilarious, gorgeous and had the power of persuasion. But the reason why he gave her a job after Matt gave him a call, was because him and Matt had a 'friends with benefits' relationship once upon a time. Which put him out of Taylor's league.

"Why do all the good ones have to be gay?" She said to Summer on the phone.

"Because life screws us all." Summer sounded gloomy. "I mean your hot boss is gay and it's totally unfair that these pharmaceutical companies are still testing their products on animals even though it is animal cruelty and they can go to jail for that. GEORGE is working towards shutting them down but the corruption in the law system is like invincible or something. What is wrong with these people?" Taylor grabbed a cup of warm coffee and sat on a bar stool. The kitchen was also linked with the small living room, but the bar was much taller and the bedroom was separate. There was also two bathrooms, one in her room and one in the guest room. Yes, there was a guest room. Taylor grabbed a file about a girl who claimed her stepmother was abusing her.

"Maybe you guys should sue." She heard Summer sigh on the other side.

"We would but the lawyers say we still lack evidence. It's all hearsay."

"That sucks Summer. Well I guess if they don't give you evidence you should go and find it yourself."

"Like go undercover or sneak in or something?"

"That's what Lois Lane did when she wanted a good story."

"Taylor, I'm not Lois Lane. She had Superman. Seth is hardly Superman or Clark Kent."

"Well I don't know. He has that geeky thing that Clark had. Maybe there is something there." Taylor grinned.

"...Shut up! Seth doesn't have any secrets. He talks too much to actually keep something from me."

"Are you completely sure about that?"

"...Shut up!"

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

Marissa sat down on the stairs in front of his apartment and waited for him. She wandered how long they would keep doing this. Breaking up and then getting back together. She knew that he wasn't into the relationship as much as once upon a time. Even though he proposed and she said yes it wasn't good. She didn't feel the spark from him anymore. He walked up and was surprised to see her there.

"Marissa. What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting at the diner." She tilted her head as she looked up at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He looked at her puzzled. "About the job offer? Were you going to run away on our wedding day? Leave me in front of the altar?" He took a deep breath before sitting down next to her.

"No. I wouldn't do that. I was going to tell you today. At the diner." She laughed at that. "I can't be with you Marissa. Not after what you did." She stood up, quickly, with a glare in her eyes.

"It was ONE time, Ryan! God! Why can't you just let it go?"

"Because you said you'd stay sober." He said harshly. She went quiet, tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. "I love you. I will always love. But I've had enough of this. For God's sake Marissa, you even went to rehab. You have all the tools, you know what you are doing, yet you still...did it. And... do it." His head fell down. "I know about you sneaking off each night with Kaitlin."

"Ryan." She said choking back tears. "I couldn't help it. It's an addiction. I need help. If you leave me now I don't think I'll survive." Her voice cracking.

"And if I don't, I don't think I will." He said quietly. Marissa bit her lip trying to control her heartbreak.

"It's because of Taylor isn't it? You always wanted a perfect happy life and you know she could give it to you. Because according to you, she is flawless." Ryan rolled his eyes.

"This isn't about Taylor. This is about you and me."

"Can't you see Ryan? She doesn't even love you!" Marissa screamed at him. "Yet you are so willing to go to her! You're like her lap dog! I need you! I NEED YOU! She is fine! She doesn't want you but I do! I'm the one who loves you." Ryan stood up.

"Marissa. Calm down." He put his hands on her arms. "This is NOT about Taylor. This is about the fact that you and I will kill each other if we stay together. We're good as friends but as a couple...it's a disaster. I'm emotionally inept and you're a drama queen with an addiction problem. You need help and happiness but it can't be me who gives it to you. You deserve someone who will love you and stay with you. Like Johnny did." Marissa slapped him.

"Don't you dare mention his name after letting him die." Ryan sighed.

"Marissa-"

"You're a sick son of a bitch, Ryan. Here." She took off her engagement ring and threw it on the ground. "I'll be glad when you leave. We'll all be better off." She stormed off. Ryan picked up the ring and looked after her with resignation. Marissa picked it out. Ryan sighed and went into his home to finish off packing. Some things just had to be done.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

"Townsend. Here." Her work friend, Abby, passed her a couple of files.

"What? More?" She sighed but took them. "I'm already swamped, Clerk." Abby grinned.

"Yeah, and the boss wants you to go and see how Mickey's doing at the foster family."

"What? Today?" Abby nodded. "I'm gonna die."

"No, you're not. You never signed the DNR forms." Abby grinned. Taylor glared at the girl. She was younger than her by a few years, had a ginger pixie hair cut and green eyes. Taylor always thought that girls with a description like that, only existed in books or animes, yet here was living proof that Taylor was wrong.

"Okay, here's how this is going to go. I'm going to go to Mickey's, then I'm going to come back here. Do these cases first," She pointed to a small file in front of her. "...because they are most urgent and then I'll take the rest home. Yeah, I should make a table for that. How will I colour coordinate them though?" Abby snickered.

"And you wander why you have so much work." She walked away to her desk in the next cubicle.

"I like to be organised. What's so bad about that?" Taylor shouted after her. Taylor grabbed her purse and went to her car. Mickey was a 14 year old boy who has been thrown around from one foster family to another for all of his life and taught by kids on the street how to be a good thief but she hoped that this one would stick. She pulled up to the big, red, three stories high, family house. There was a family feeling around it but Taylor had to remember that appearances were deceiving. She rang the doorbell and Mrs Jenkins opened with a smile. She had flour all over her.

"Miss Townsend." She said surprised. "What are you doing here?" Taylor smiled at her.

"I'm just here to make sure that everything is alright. Mickey has a history of not really fitting into his foster families." Mrs Jenkins opened the door for Taylor to come in.

"Oh well he's been an absolute angel to be honest. The other kids adore him. And my husband's friend has been keeping him out of trouble. Carl is just in love with Mickey. Actually we're all in love with Mickey. I'm sorry, I'm rambling. I'm just nervous, Mickey is amazing. Please don't take him away." Mrs Jenkins laughed nervously.

"Mrs Jenkins, calm down. I'm not taking Mickey away, I'm just here to check on him and see how he is settling in. And it's alright to be nervous. I get nervous all the time. No worries though, I just need to talk to him." Taylor smiled at the elder woman who visibly relaxed.

"Okay, thank you. I'll call him down." They walked to the stairs. "MICKEY! Get down here! Someone's here to see you!" Mrs Jenkins turned to Taylor. "I'm gonna go and finish off the cake. Would you like anything to drink? Apple tea perhaps?"

"No, thank you." She heard something heavy rolling down the stairs. A punching bag landed at her feet. Mrs Jenkins shook her head with a smile and walked to the kitchen. Mickey ran downstairs.

"TAYLOR!" He yelled happily and fell down on the punching bag. "Ow." He got up rubbing his chin but then jumped and hugged Taylor tightly.

"Hey." She laughed and hugged him back. When they pulled away she over looked him quickly. "Did you get taller?"

"Hell yeah." Mickey stood straight. His blonde hair spiked up. "Look, I'm awesome that way." She laughed again.

"I came down to talk to you about your new family. Got some time?" He grinned at her.

"For you anything beautiful."

"You're 14 Casanova."

"As long as you're single, I will play the game." They went into the dining room. "So you don't call, you don't write. I'm starting to feel used here gorgeous." Taylor rolled her eyes and pulled out her notepad.

"Mickey. Be serious for a minute and answer my questions." Mickey nodded with a smile. "How do you feel here? Is everything okay? Are you fitting in?"

"I don't know. I like it here. I feel like they don't care that I'm a useless piece of crap." He muttered shrugging. Taylor squeezed his hand.

"Mickey, you're not a useless piece of crap. Don't think that. And the Jenkins have been a foster family for many years now so they know how you feel. They already love you from what I can tell. But the most important thing is that you feel comfortable being a part of their family. They accept you but do you accept them?" Mickey looked up at her and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I want to." He mumbled. "It's easy you know, just going around and being a part of...this. I don't think about all the other stuff. They take my mind off it." Taylor smiled softly.

"That's good right?" Mickey nodded and grinned.

"Yeah. Yeah it is." Taylor grinned back and resumed her questionnaire.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/

It's been two months. Mickey kept calling and inviting her to dinner over there but she always refused excusing herself with work. Abby shook her head at that. Summer kept telling her that she should eat something instead of noodles for once. Seth...well, Seth talked about how much he missed Summer and how he hated Zach for ruining his comic. Taylor was feeling pressured by everyone so one day she finally gave in.

"Really? You'll come? AWESOME! Be here on Friday at 8!" She laughed into the phone.

"Okay, but you might want to stop screaming and tell your parents."

"LISA! IS IT ALRIGHT IF TAYLOR COMES TO DINNER ON FRIDAY?" Taylor rolled her eyes at the boy. "Lisa says it's awesome." He was so excited. "Oh and she's also inviting someone else to dinner. I think she's trying to give me competition for my affections towards you. Don't worry beautiful. I will fight to the death to win your heart."

"Find yourself a girl your own age. Bye Mickey." Abby bounced up to her cubicle excited. "You know you look like a bouncy ball when you do that." Abby nodded with a Zen look on her face.

"You gotta be what you gotta be."

"That made no sense."

"Your face makes no sense. You done with the Anderson file? Travis wants me to send it to the District Attorney's office ASAP. By that I mean he thinks I can fly. But I can't."

"Have you ever tried? Maybe use an umbrella-?"

"Been there, done that." Abby interrupted Taylor. "The hospital said it was lucky I survived. I believe that's when they clipped my wings." Taylor looked confused. "You know, cut them off, so when I grew the wings out, I still wouldn't be able to fly."

"You're strange."

"You're anal." Taylor glared at her but gave her the file she asked for.

"Here. Don't get distracted by pretty lawyers. They can sue you for sexual harassment when you leer like that." Abby grinned.

"I think I can suppress my urges to throw down the hot pieces of meat and have my way with them in the courtrooms. But thanks for looking out for me." The days went by, Friday approaching fast and Taylor started to dread the fact that she said yes to dinner with the Jenkins. She had no idea what to wear. When she walked up the stairs to the house she still thought that maybe the black trousers and an orange tee were too casual or not casual enough. Mr Jenkins opened the door with a warm, friendly smile.

"Miss Townsend. How wonderful you joined us today." He opened the door wide enough so she could come in. "You didn't bring a jacket? See, that's an appropriate response to this weather. My wife thinks that just because it isn't 100 degrees outside you need to put on a parka and boots." Taylor laughed slightly. They went into the living room, Mickey ran up and hugged her. Mrs Jenkins was talking with someone in the parlour.

"You came. You actually came! This is awesome. When Ashley sees you she's gonna go crazy. Ashley likes to spin around and throw everything on the ground. I think it's kinda weird but whatever. As long as she isn't coming after me begging to play basket ball I'm good." Taylor grinned at Mickey getting along with his siblings so well.

"Honey, Taylor's here." Mr Jenkins said and Mrs Jenkins came into the living room with...

"Ryan." Taylor breathed out. Mr and Mrs Jenkins looked confused.

"You two know each other?" Mrs Jenkins asked Ryan who smiled slightly at Taylor and rubbed the back of his neck. Mickey looked between Ryan and Taylor.

"Yeah. From Newport." He said. Taylor nodded.

"Yeah, yes. We went to school. In Newport." Mickey poked her arm.

"So is he cool? 'Cause you know, I can kick his ass for you." Taylor laughed.

"Hey! Kid, you could never take me down." Ryan said to Mickey. He forgot how much he missed her laugh. Mr and Mrs Jenkins exchanged looks.

"Well since you're finally here, we should eat. I hope you're not allergic to anything. I made spaghetti Bolognese." The elder woman smiled.

"That's my favourite."

"That's her favourite." Ryan and Taylor said it at the same time. 'Well, this isn't going to be awkward AT ALL.' Taylor thought to herself as she tried to ignore the fact that his eyes were burning into hers.