As always, thank you guys for the great reviews and I'm glad that you seem to be enjoying it.

I don't go back into Alex's family this chapter, but they are not forgotten.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Where We Left Off:

As Marissa pulls into the Bait Shop parking lot, it seems as though she isn't going to get her answer. She parks her car in front and turns expectantly towards the blonde. Alex opens the door and grabs her messenger bag. Before getting out of the car, she turns and looks at the other girl.

"Two months before I was emancipated, she killed herself."

With that, Alex exits the vehicle and leaves Marissa alone to stew in her car.

Chapter Eight- Problem Solved

Marissa watches as the other girl enters the Bait Shop, stunned at what she just heard. Oh my god. Alex had a sister…A sister that killed herself. Wow. I just don't even- Her thoughts are cut off as her cell phone begins to sound. Looking down at the screen, she sees Summer's name come across.

"Hey Sum," Marissa greets in a daze.

"We're still on for the mall right? You aren't still in bed with Ms. Kelly, aren't you?" The shorter brunette chuckles.

"Ha ha ha," Marissa deadpans. "I just dropped her off 10 seconds ago. I'll be there soon," she says, struggling with whether or not to tell her best friend what she learned a few short moments ago.

"Everything okay Coop?" Summer wonders, picking up on her friend's mood.

"Yeah. It's just…I don't know. We'll talk when I get there, okay?"

"Sure. See you soon." They both hang up.

--

"Okay. Spill," Summer orders her friend the moment she spots her walking up.

"What?" Marissa asks, not understanding right away. "You mean about Alex?" She guesses after a pause.

"No, I mean about Lou the night janitor at Harbor and what the deal is with that unfortunate brown jumper he always wears," Summer rolls, earning a blank stare from the other brunette. "Of course I mean Alex!" She barks obviously.

"Well, for starters, she and Jodie aren't actually a couple" Marissa begins optimistically.

"That's good news…Kinda…Isn't it?" Summer questions as she sees the torn expression on the taller girl's face.

"Actually, their relationship is worse than them being a couple," Marissa asserts glumly.

"What are you talking about?" The shorter girl wonders, shaking her head to clear out the confusion.

"They are 'friends with benefits', as Alex put it," Marissa snarls.

"Oh," Summer blurts out, slightly put off. "Like fuck buddies or something?" She asks for clarification, receiving a glare for her trouble. "Okay, so how is that worse than them being an actual couple?"

"Also, they're best friends. So, clearly, they are really, really close. Probably closer than you and I are," the lighter brunette points out.

Summer pauses to stare at the other girl before her eyes widen slightly. "I love you Coop, but I am not going to sleep with you to prove that we are as close as Alex and Jodie," she says sternly, making sure to put her foot down on the matter. She then notices the horrified expression her friend is wearing. "I never said that," she awkwardly declares.

"Right," Marissa drawls, glancing at her friend strangely. "My point is that they are obviously close and Jodie doesn't like me."

"I don't get it," Summer says after a moment of trying to find the significance.

Marissa sighs slightly. "If you started to date someone and I told you that I didn't like them, didn't trust them or, generally, didn't approve of them, what would you do?" She asks the shorter girl slowly.

"I'd break up with him," is the automatic response.

"And if I dated someone you didn't like, trust or approve of, I would do the same," Marissa continues, still speaking slowly.

"Oh, so you don't think you stand a snowball's chance with Alex because Jodie doesn't like you," Summer finally catches on.

"Exactly!"

"Why?" The short girl asks.

Marissa just stares at the other girl incredulously. "I just spent the last five minutes explaining why Alex wouldn't want-"

"No! I get that part," Summer interrupts. "Why do think Jodie hates you?"

"She thinks I'm a whiny little bitch, that I complain too much at work, and that I disrespect and undermine Alex's authority on a constant basis. Oh, and that I, essentially called Alex a dumb loser at school yesterday," Marissa sums up.

"Is that all?" Summer smirks sarcastically. "Was she there when you forced Alex to spend the night with you?"

"Uh, actually, she's the one that brought up the fact that Alex had spent the last few nights at the Bait Shop in the first place," the taller girl responds, her nose scrunching in thought.

"Really?" Summer asks, clearly shocked at this revelation.

"Yeah, she even encouraged Alex to stay over," Marissa elaborates before becoming thoughtful for a moment. "It was actually kind of weird because, earlier in our shift, Jodie and Alex were getting all close and I could've swore that Jodie was staring right at me and smirking that bitchy little smirk of hers."

"And yet you still think she hates you?" The shorter girl rolls her eyes.

"I don't know. What do you think because I am completely at a loss," she pleads, wanting some kind of an answer.

"Maybe she is trying to make you jealous," Summer suggests idly. "Or, maybe she's trying to hook the two of you up. Or maybe, she is sadistic and enjoys watching you squirm like a bug on the end of a toothpick. Or-"

"I get it Sum. I get it," Marissa says, calming her increasingly agitated friend. "Why would she want to get the two of us together? Then she would be losing a fuck buddy," she continues, spitting out her friend's term with distain.

"Who knows?" Summer shrugs before glancing at something just past the other girl's shoulder. "Hey guys!" She greets to two approaching figures.

Marissa turns around, only to be greeted by the sight of Ryan and Seth. "Hey," she smiles awkwardly, not wanting the boys to interfere with her conversation.

"We figured you two would be at the mall today," Seth announces. "So, can we watch you try on clothes?" He practically begs, wagging his eyebrows suggestively. Summer smacks him with her purse.

"So, how's work?" Ryan asks his ex-girlfriend awkwardly.

"It's just so…I don't even know…There's drama," Marissa grimly informs the blonde boy.

Ryan furrows his brows. "Seth told me that she was actually being nice to you. Did it only last a day?" He wonders.

"She's being a bitch again?" Seth cuts in, finally turning his attention to the pair.

"No. She's actually been fine. It's just girl stuff," Marissa explains lamely, shooting a pleading look towards her best friend.

"Yeah just girl stuff. You know, having to work so closely with her former enemy and having six classes with her during the day. Alex is probably totally stressing by having to hire three people and, um,…" Summer trails off, not sure how she intended to finish that sentence.

"And not being able to take her frustrations out on me," Marissa supplies with a smirk.

"It sounds like she was taking her frustration out on Jodie at the Bait Shop," Summer mumbles, referring to the encounter her friend walked in on yesterday. This little outburst earns her a glare from the taller girl.

"Did you walk in on Alex and Jodie getting busy at the Bait Shop?!" Seth exclaims, his eyes widening slightly and a grin taking over his face. "Can you supply details? What they were doing exactly?" He asks desperately.

"Cohen, if your mouth keeps running, you are going to be sleeping alone for the rest of the year," Summer growls at her boyfriend. He shuts up.

Ryan shoots a surprised expression from the cowering boy over to Marissa. "I bet that was awkward," he understates.

"Uh, yeah," Marissa confirms with a slight smile.

"So they're dating?" Ryan asks, continuing without waiting for an answer. "I didn't even know that Alex was…um…you know, a…" he trails off, unsure how best to phrase it.

"A lady loving lesbian?" Seth supplies helpfully, shrinking back at the dangerous glint in his girlfriend's eyes.

"She's bisexual…and she and Jodie aren't dating," Marissa explains, emphasizing the part about them dating.

"But you just said they were-"

"That's why Marissa has drama at work. She needs Alex to hire nice, stable people to balance out the bizarre relationship between Jodie and Boss Lady," Summer interjects.

Ryan eyes the two girls suspiciously. Something weird is going on with them. It's something to do with Alex and Jodie. It's got to be more than Marissa just being weirded out by walking in on them.

"Like there are any 'nice, stable people' in Newport," Seth scoffs.

"You don't think I'm nice and stable?!" Summer rages at her boyfriend.

"No, I didn't mean you, I just meant…Help," Seth eeks out, trying to hide from his girlfriend's wrath.

Marissa keeps replaying her best friend's words in her head. Nice, stable people. Hmm. Maybe if…There's no way that would even work. Alex would never even…But she did ask if I knew of anyone…

"Summer, you're brilliant!" Marissa announces, unwittingly preventing a humiliating battle between a skinny geek and his short angry girlfriend in the middle of the mall.

"But she just called Seth an asshat," Ryan points out, unsure why that makes the short brunette brilliant. Marissa cocks her head to the side as she glances over at her other two friends. Seth is crouched down by a trash can and Summer is staring over at Marissa, her purse poised over her head, getting ready to hit her boyfriend.

Slowly, Summer lowers her purse, much to Seth's relief. "What are you talking about?" She asks, her attention shifting over to her best friend, who finally announced her genius to the world…er, mall.

"Okay, I have an idea…" Marissa begins.

--

"I totally come here all the time. I heard that, if you work here, you get free tickets to all the concerts. Is that true? How long do you have to work here before you get the tickets. Is it a long time? I hope not because I really want tickets to this concert in two weeks, it's-"

"Okay! Thank you," Alex grinds out at the bubbly blonde in front of her. "I'll let you know. Bye now," she says as she practically shoves the girl out of her office.

"Great!" The oblivious teen grins before exiting the club.

Alex, by now, is at her wit's end with lackluster applicants. She bangs her head down on her desk several times in frustration. Four hours of idiots.

"Why me?" Alex mutters pathetically. There is a faint knocking on her door. "Come back later!" She shouts through her door, her head still face-down on the desk.

"Alex?" Comes Marissa's confused voice through the door. "You busy?" She asks after a brief pause.

The blonde allows herself a moment to debate with herself on whether or not to see what the other girl wants. "It's open," she says finally, lifting her head off of the desk and feeling the inevitable headache beginning to set in.

Marissa opens the door just enough for herself to slip right in the door. She walks over and drops right into a chair across from Alex, who merely quirks a brow at the intrusion. The two are silent for a few moments.

"Can I help you?" A confused Alex prompts the brunette as the other girl's lips begin to curve into a smirk. For the love of god, don't let her bring up Ashley.

"Have you hired anyone yet?" Marissa answers the blonde's question with one of her own as she noticed the fleeting look of fear flit across the shorter girl's face.

"No," Alex groans, half relieved at the question.

"Then I think I can help you," Marissa grins.

She sounds like a used car salesman. Alex smirks to herself. "How's that Princess?" She humors the taller girl.

"You asked if I knew of anybody that needed a job the other day," Marissa says slowly in hopes of the other girl catching on.

"So what?" Alex rolls her eyes. "I was kidding, no need to remind me that I am still down three people," she grumbles.

"You are such a blonde," the taller girl mumbles, causing Alex to bristle slightly. "Anyways, as it turns out, I know three people who need a job," she smiles brightly at her boss.

"Don't fuck with me Cooper," the blonde scowls menacingly. "It's already been a long ass day and it is so not even close to being over and the last thing I need is-"

"Hey Lex, did you know that you have three losers sitting around at the bar right now?" Jodie cuts in as she pops her head in the doorway to the office.

Alex shoots Marissa a shocked expression. "You were serious?" She questions even though she already has her answer. Marissa just looks smug.

"Do you want me to get rid of them or what?" An impatient Jodie asks.

"I'll be out in a sec," Alex assures her friend, never taking her eyes off the girl before her. "Um…I just assumed that…"

"You know what happens when you assume right?" Marissa jokes, referring to their conversation the previous day.

Alex actually laughs at this. "I guess I'm the ass this time," she smiles. "Uh…Thanks," she offers shyly.

"Don't thank me yet. You don't even know who's out there," the brunette responds impishly.

"I don't care, they're hired because I'm tired of looking," Alex immediately replies as the pair stand up and make their way to the door. "Considering the shallow pool I dealt with today, anyone would…" she trails off upon seeing the trio Jodie is supervising at the bar.

"Hello Boss Lady," Seth immediately greets the stricken blonde with a grin.

"Alex," Summer acknowledges her with a warm smile.

"Hey," Ryan offers with an awkward half-smile, not really knowing the other girl very well.

"You guys are hired," Marissa repeats the blonde's earlier sentiments ecstatically.

Jodie smirks over at her friend, who is standing in the doorway to her office, her right eye twitching in irritation.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Well, at least Alex's hiring problems at work are solved. Then again, this may only be creating a whole mess of new ones.

And so far, the vote is 2 people to keep out Alex's family and 4 people to bring them in. Still, it's not too late because I haven't gotten to a point where I can choose to bring them in yet...Added incentive to review (hint hint).

Also, for those of you interested, I also posted the second chapter of Taking A Chance over in the House, MD section.