Disclaimer: Not mine, not mine, not mine. Have I said it enough?

Chapter 12 Losing your bearings

Hawaii

After hanging up with Summer, Marissa threw the handset onto her bed; she grabbed her sketch pad and made her way down to the kitchen in search of coffee. Despite only having gotten a couple of hours sleep, the brunette felt energized. She had woken up an hour and a half ago, her mind swimming with ideas for new designs, after finishing a few sketches she had called her best friend and filled her in on everything that had happened in the last 48 hours.

Even though she had resolved to tell Summer about Seth's knowledge and slight involvement in Ryan's affair with Theresa she had been spared that task when Summer had remembered that Seth had gone with Ryan to Hawaii last summer. Marissa felt for her friend, knowing that Seth did truly love Summer, but also that Summer could never forgive Seth keeping such a thing from her.

Walking through the living room, Marissa notices that the girls are all still asleep on the couches. Shrugging she heads for the kitchen, once there the brunette put on a pot of coffee, grabbing a bagel from the basket on the counter she waited for the coffee to begin percolating. Movement out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, looking to see who was up Marissa noticed one of the waitresses, she was pretty sure the girl's name was Kai, walking past the doors heading towards the drive way.

Marissa closed her eyes and breathed deeply, savoring the aromatic scent of the coffee. Pouring herself a cup, she grabbed her sketch pad and made her way down to the beach. The brunette was just making herself comfortable when sunlight glinting off something out in the water caught her eye. Shading her eyes Marissa stared out at the ocean, a smile spreading across her lips.

Alex stood out in stark contrast to the deep blue of the ocean in her white knee length board shorts and white rash guard. Marissa's smile got wider when she saw the girl wave briefly at her before catching the next wave and riding it in. The blonde seemed so carefree when she was out on the water. Marissa grabbed her sketch book and quickly drew a series of sweeping arcs and jagged curves, they were just guide lines to help her remember the images inspired by Alex's graceful movements on the water.

Marissa was still scribbling furiously when Alex came trotting up to her carrying her surfboard. "What are you doing?" the blonde asked smiling curiously down at Marissa's sketch pad. The brunette frowned at the large drop of water that had fallen on the corner of her drawing as if confused as to where it had come from. Looking up, the frown was replaced by a brilliant smile. "Hey, sorry, I was suddenly inspired by this really hot surfer. And when inspiration hits, it's like"

"Everything else just fades away. Yeah, I'm familiar with the whole artist thing." Alex smiled wryly at the girl. Marissa felt a blush begin to creep up her neck and across her cheeks. The blonde sighed, standing her board up in the sand she dropped down next to Marissa ignoring the fact that sand was now clinging liberally to her wet body. Resting her elbows on her bent knees, Alex nodded towards the sketch book, "May I?"

Marissa looked hesitantly between the girl's wet hands and her sketch pad; the blonde seemed to get the hint. "How about I move here." she began as maneuvered her body closer to Marissa's, so that her right arm rested on the sand behind the girl and her head hovered dangerously close to the taller girl's shoulder, her lips just a breath away from bare skin. "And you hold it up so I can see?" she finished letting her lips ghost across the bare flesh before her.

The brunette turned and looked into stormy eyes. "Okay." She breathed kissing the girl lightly before lifting the pad up so Alex could see her sketches. The blonde kept her eyes on Marissa's profile for a moment longer then turned her attention to the drawings. Tilting her head slightly she studied the jumble of lines.

Marissa watched the girl as she scrutinized the rough sketches, realizing that she probably couldn't see much of the design in this rough form. "It's just a rough sketch, to help my mind remember later." She explained. Alex nodded and raised her left hand, careful not to touch the paper, she traced along one of the images.

"Is that supposed to be me?" she asked. Marissa looked at her surprised.

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I saw you watching me surf." Alex said with a grin. Suddenly she stood up and held out her hand to the girl. "Come on." Marissa set aside her sketches and took the girl's hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, giggling slightly at the blonde's sudden enthusiasm.

"First, we are going to go and grab my long board. And then I am going to teach you how to surf Ms. Cooper." Marissa's eyes went wide.

"Wha I mean, I . Are you sure?" Marissa stuttered.

"Relax; I'm a damn good teacher."

"Cocky much?" Alex grinned at the girl.

"I'm not cocky, I'm just confident."

Fifteen minutes later, after Alex had loaned Marissa one of her rash guards and grabbed her long board, they were out on the water. Alex sat close behind Marissa on the board, explaining how to paddle to catch a wave guiding the girl's lanky arms with her own. After reassuring the brunette that she wouldn't let anything happen to her, they positioned themselves so that they were both laying flat on her stomach, Marissa further up towards the nose of the boards with Alex resting with her chest against the brunette's ass.

For the first run Alex had suggested that they work on Marissa's balance. The blonde paddled furiously as the wave she wanted came up; soon she had popped up on the board and was now helping the brunette get to her feet. Marissa had barely gotten up before losing her balance, dumping both of them into the water. They went like this a few more times, both girls laughing.

Finally Marissa was able to get her footing and they managed to stay up for a whopping ten seconds before again falling into the waiting water. Alex was the first to surface, excitedly calling for Marissa. When the girl didn't respond she began to panic, searching the wave tossed water for any sign of the other girl. The blonde was on the verge of frantic when the beautiful, if not water logged, brunette came sputtering to the surface a few yards further inland.

Alex quickly swam over to the struggling girl, cradling her head she pulled the girl into a lifeguards hold and began side stroking her way towards the shore. Dominic and Justin had been watching all this from the shore, met the two girls half way. Dominic swept Marissa up into his arms and carried her to the towel he had been sitting on, gently placing her on it and rubbing her back as she continued to cough. Justin ignored Alex's continual demands to let her go and half carried the struggling girl to where she was trying to get to.

"Justin let me go!" Alex demanded. The boy did as she said, but then had to catch her as her knees began to buckle under her weight.

"I got you Al, take it easy." Justin helped the girl over to the towel where Marissa was now smiling weakly at Dominic.

"Yeah, I guess I just got caught up in the wave, couldn't get my bearings." Marissa was explaining.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked attentively. Marissa looked at the girl and saw the worry that clouded her eyes as well as something else that the brunette couldn't quite figure out. As Alex gently cupped the girl's face in both her hands the two men took this as their cue to make themselves scarce. Using the excuse of retrieving the board to left the two girls alone.

Once they were out of ear shot Justin looked worriedly at Dominic. "Alex was totally freaking out Dom."

"She really likes Marissa, Justin, its cool."

"No man, she wasn't calling for Marissa when I pulled her out of the water." Grabbing the board before the water had a chance to sweep it back out to see, Justin looked down at the water. "She was calling for Katie." Both men turned to look at their friend.

"Alex, I'm fine, I swear." Alex was now fussing over large scrape that now adorned Marissa's left thigh.

"We should really get this cleaned up." The blonde said as she helped Marissa to her feet. Although Alex was showering the brunette with attention Marissa couldn't help but feel that the girl was putting up walls between them. She was completely aware of the fact that it hadn't been her name that Alex had been yelling as the girl swam frantically towards her.

"Guys, thanks for the save but I am gonna take her up to my place and get this scrape cleaned up." Alex called to Dominic and Justin as her and Marissa walked past them. The two men just nodded and went back to talking.

Once inside the guest house Alex made Marissa sit on her couch despite her protests. "Alex, I'm soaking wet, I'll ruin your couch." The blonde wasn't having any of it though; she gave Marissa a look that said she wasn't in the mood for negotiations. Once she was sure that the brunette didn't have any intentions of moving from her spot on the plush piece of furniture Alex disappeared in to the bathroom only to reemerge with a first aid kit.

Alex knelt in front of Marissa, setting the large blue box on the floor beside her and carefully examined the wound. It wasn't deep but it had been caused by the jagged rocks that littered the ocean floor and would have to be thoroughly cleaned to avoid infection. Turning her attention to the first aid kit, Alex grabbed a large gauze pad and soaked it with peroxide. Looking up into Marissa's eyes the blonde smiled apologetically.

"This might hurt a bit."

"It's fine Alex." The brunette beauty reassured her. Alex looked; being sure that the pad was hovering right over the wound then suddenly reached up and pulled Marissa into a searing kiss, gently placing the pad on the girl's leg as she did.

Marissa returned the hungry kiss with equal fervor, kissing the blonde surfer deeply. She was vaguely aware of the insistent stinging emanating from her thigh; but it was overridden by the incredible sensations Alex's lips were creating against hers.

Alex lifted the gauze away from Marissa's leg before breaking the kiss and leaning down to blow gently on the girl's thigh. Looking up, Alex was engulfed the azure depths of Marissa's eyes. The brunette grinned at the surfer, who in turn, cocked an eyebrow at her.

"What?" Alex asked as she tore her eyes away from Marissa's to examine the scrape.

"Nothing." Marissa answered innocently, still smiling at the girl. When Alex looked back up at her Marissa placed a gentle kiss on the girl's lips.

"What was that for?" Alex asked, perplexed. The brunette just smiled at her and said.

"For saving me and for taking such good care of me."

The blonde just laughed derisively. "Marissa if it wasn't for me you wouldn't have needed saving. I took you out on the water, I should have known better."

Marissa frowned at the girl's words. "Alex, you didn't do anything wrong."

"I shouldn't have taken you out there Marissa, you could have been killed." Alex said getting angrily to her feet. "Just like I got Ka..." The blonde cut her self off when she realized what she was about to say.

"Katie." Alex glared at the girl. "I heard you calling for her when we were in the water Alex." The blonde looked away, pain clouding her beautiful eyes.

"Who was she Alex?" Marissa gently asked. The surfer sighed heavily before turning back to face the brunette, her cerulean eyes drowning in unshed tears.

"She was my sister." Alex said quietly as a single tear slid down her face.