On a High

Marissa, Seth, Ryan and Summer were in Seth's car that Sunday morning. They were heading back to the airport when Marissa received a phone call from her mom, Julie.

"Marissa,"

"Mom? Hey…"

"Sorry for just calling, it's just…I need your help."

"Oh. What's it about?"

"Okay," Julie said, "Sorry I didn't tell you this when you were still here at home but…I didn't have the chance…"

"What is it, mom?"

"It's Kaitlin…"

"Okay…" Marissa said, confused, "What's wrong?"

"Okay, I know when I was that age, I experimented on some stuff, and I know you did, too…And…And I think now Kaitlin is in that road…and she's not taking it so well…"

"Oh. Wow, uhm, what are you actually insinuating, mom?"

"She's…She's taking drugs."

"What? Mom, you can't just say that."

"Marissa, you know how good my intuition is." Julie said, "Look, I just need you to help me, you know, sleuth around…Just…just stay here for a few more days…"

"Oh, okay…maybe I could do that."

"There's something going on in the Bait shop tonight, maybe you could go…I don't want your sister going down the drain…"

"Relax, mom," Marissa said, getting out of the car, "I'll stay."

"Thank you…" Julie said, "I'll see you…"

"What is it?" Ryan asked Marissa.

"Uhm, guys, I think I need to stay here for a while…"

"What?" Summer asked, "Coop, like, be absent in school for a while?"

"Yep…"

"Is something wrong?" Ryan asked.

"Mom thinks Kaitlin's doing drugs."

"Oh another Cooper family trouble…" Seth said.

"Cohen!" Summer nudged him.

"I'm sorry, guys, I need to stay…You know, just for a few days…"

"I'll stay with you." Ryan said.

"No, you don't have to…"

"I want to." Ryan said.

"Summ?" Seth smiled.

"Oh, oh, well, a few days won't hurt…" Summer smiled.

"The fab four's definitely back! Seth quipped and the rest laughed.

That evening, Ryan, Marissa, Summer and Seth went to the bait shop, looking for Kaitlin.

"You know, Coop, I think your mom maybe right about Kaitlin…" Summer said, "I mean, she's like…really dark, you know what I mean…"

"Like me back in the day?" Marissa smiled.

"More like Ryan…" Seth joked.

"Shut up," Ryan laughed. They went upstairs and found a couple of kids smoking pot, sniffing something under their noses, just like Jess did back in the day. They walked towards the end of the tables area and found Kaitlin at the dark, with some kids, she was sniffing something as well.

"Kaitlin?" Marissa called out. Kaitlin looked at her.

"What are you doing here?" Kaitlin asked.

"What are you doing?" Marissa said and grabbed Kaitlin's hand, "Let's go home."

"No, you can't…" Kaitlin protested but Ryan and Seth helped Marissa take her out of the bait shop. She let go of their grips when they finally got out of the Bait shop.

"What is wrong with you all?" Kaitlin screamed.

"Can you hear yourself?" Marissa asked, "What is wrong with us? Come on, Kaitlin, what are you doing? Taking drugs? Ruining your life? What for?"

"Oh, come on, Marissa, you're not a saint." Kaitlin said, "Who even cared when you were such an alcoholic, when you got in that relationship with Alex, when…"

"Stop," Marissa said, "This isn't about me."

"Of course it's about you! It has always been about you!" Kaitlin shouted, "Do you know how it feels like having you as a sister? Not good. I wish you died!"

"Hey, that's out of line," Ryan said.

"Don't even bother, Ryan," Marissa said, "She doesn't care." She took a deep breath, "Get in Seth's car now or I'll call the cops on your friends."

"You're impossible." Katlin said and made her way to the car.

XXXXX

"Was I really that hard before?" Marissa asked Ryan, Seth and Summer later that evening while they were in the balcony of the Roberts' residence.

"Well, we all were…" Ryan told her, "Or at least, we both were."

They all laughed lightly.

"Don't worry, Coop, she'll be fine." Summer said.

"She'll hate me more tomorrow when she gets to rehab…"

"Nah, she won't…" Seth said, "My mom didn't hate us when she got there, you know. It will be alright."

"Thanks," Marissa said.

"That's what friends are for, you know?" Summer said. Marissa smiled.

XXXXXX

Kaitlin went down the stairs next morning to find a doctor inside their house. Julie, Neil, Summer, Marissa, Ryan and Seth were all there, as well.

"What's this?" Kaitlin said.

"Hi, Miss Cooper," Doctor Stevens said, "I'm doctor Stevens and I'm here to help your family stage an intervention…"

"Crap." Kaitlin said. "I'm not going to rehab."

Julie went to Kaitlin and held her by the shoulders, "Hun, I'm so sorry I have to do this…It's for the best."

"You're being unfair."

"I know I haven't been the best mom, and not the best example, too…But I love you, Kaitlin, and I just…I just want the best for you. You're still young, after this, it's gonna be okay."

Kaitlin was crying now. Marissa came up to her.

"I know you're mad at me," Marissa said, "And I haven't been the best example, but you're right, no one cared too much for me before so…so things happened. And I didn't take care of myself well enough, too. But Kaitlin, you're my sister, I don't wanna see you pushing yourself off the edge. You'll be alright, just…just do this."

Kailin cried and hugged Marissa, "I'm sorry," She said, "I'm so sorry."

"Sssh," Marissa said, "You'll be alright…It'll be alright."

XXXXX