Ryan looked up in surprise to see who it was. Even though he already knew who it was, because he could never forget her voice. But despite what he knew, he had to see her for him self – to prove to his mind that she was really there. "Marissa."

"Hey." she said softly.

"Hey." he replied, shooting her his classic half smile. "You woke up." he stated the obvious.

"I wasn't sleeping." Marissa argued.

Ryan raised his eyebrows doubtfully.

"I was just … resting my eyes." she attempted to justify.

"You were out cold."

Marissa sighed in defeat. "Well even if I was, I'm up now. I couldn't sleep by myself in the pool house. It was just too weird; I mean the only times I've ever been in there have been … with you."

They both looked at each other for a long moment.

"Want to sit?" Ryan offered, gesturing to the place he had occupied moments before.

Marissa nodded, moving over and sliding down to sit on the wooden floor, pulling her knees up to her chest and rubbing her hands together.

Ryan stood looking down on her shivering frame for a moment. He instinctively pulled off his hoodie and knelt down beside her, draping the heavy material around her delicate shoulders.

"Thanks." Marissa said gratefully. "You'd think after living here this long I'd learn how cold it gets at night by the beach.

Ryan smirked as he settled beside her. "You'll never learn." he predicted confidently. "So what're you doing here?

"I come here a lot. To think about things."

"Me too."

"Well then it's weird we've never met here before." Marissa said thoughtfully.

Ryan shrugged, not really concerned with that at the moment. He was busy building up his courage to say what he wanted to say.

"So how was the gala?" she asked.

"Good. Long, but good."

"And … Tia?" she blurted out the name, as if saying it quickly would lessen the possibility of any bad news.

"Oh we had fun. Talking, and stuff."

Marissa raised an eyebrow. "Talking? And stuff?"

"Yeah." Ryan nodded, clueless to how badly his words could be taken.

"So where is she now?"

"Oh she left with some guy she likes." Ryan scrunched up his face, trying to remember. "Jordan from marketing."

"That's an interesting way to end a date." Marissa commented.

"It wasn't a date." Ryan said quickly. "I mean … we went as friends. We're just friends."

A smile lit up Marissa's face. "Friends." she repeated happily. Suddenly a look of determination settled upon her face. "Ryan can we talk?"

"Sure." he said, grateful she had brought it up. " I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"Can if I go first?" Marissa asked.

"Yeah." Ryan said automatically. "Wait, actually no."

Both of them looked surprised at Ryan's declaration. He never said no to Marissa, and they both knew it.

Marissa looked at Ryan with wide eyes, shock still written across her features. "Oh ok then, go ahead."

"I wanted to tell you …" Ryan trailed off. What was wrong with him? Since when was he such a wimp? Seth was the one known for cowering away from confrontation, while Ryan seemed to seek it out.

"Tell me what?"

Ryan took a deep breath. "Ok I don't talk a lot about stuff. But I care about you. A lot. And I know that you've been through a lot, and that it wasn't easy, and that right now you don't really trust people, but I want you to know that you can trust me. Because I trust you, and I really like you, and I would never purposefully do something to hurt you."

"Ryan." Marissa interrupted.

"Let me finish." he insisted. "I need you to know where I stand. So I know you need time and space and all that, but the truth is that time and space suck."

"Ryan."

"Wait. So I don't like the time space thing, but I do like you. And if that's what you need, I can deal with it. I can wait, even if it takes months. But I want you to know that I'm here, and however long you need, I'm not going anywhere, and my feelings aren't going to change."

"RYAN!" Marissa finally yelled.

Ryan stopped. "What?"

"I trust you." she said simply. "And I don't want to wait anymore."

"What?" Ryan said once again, this time more softly.

"You're right. Time and space suck. Being apart, it sucks. This whole thing we've got going on, I mean I know it's all my doing, but it sucks. It's like the more we're apart, the more I realize that all I want, all I've ever really wanted, is to be with you. I want to be with you."

"But what about the time? And space?" Ryan questioned, her words having overwhelmed him past the point of rational thought.

"Screw it." Marissa retorted. "We've had enough of that to last a lifetime."

"So you want to be together?" Ryan asked hopefully as his brain finally seemed to start working again.

Marissa nodded. "But first-"

Ryan's face fell. He should have guessed there would be some kind of clause.

"You deserve an apology."

"An apology?"

"I'm sorry." Marissa said simply as she took Ryan's hand in her own. "I'm sorry for how I've been acting. I haven't been fair to you, changing my mind all the time and-"

"Playing me hot and cold." Ryan interrupted, remembering Summer's story from earlier that night.

"Yeah." Marissa laughed. "Whatever you call it, I'm truly sorry."

"Well I wasn't exactly nice about it." Ryan conceded.

"You were honest." Marissa corrected. "Which is something we should always be with each other."

"I think I can do that." Ryan smiled at her. "So … the time and space thing is done?" he clarified.

"You know Atwood, it's a good thing you're hot."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that it's not your quick mind I like you for."

Ryan's mouth dropped open in pretend shock. "Are you calling me stupid?"

"I'm just stating the facts."

"You're not one to talk."

Marissa gasped. "Oh no you did not just say that."

"What? I'm not the one who took this long to figure out that time and space suck." Ryan retorted playfully.

Marissa became serious once again. "I'm sorry Ryan."

"Hey, don't worry about it."

"It's just that after the whole thing with Rick I was … scared." Marissa began.

"I understand." Ryan assured her. "It's ok."

"No, it's not." Marissa looked down. "You know, ever since you got to Newport, it's like all I've done is cause problems for you and drag you into my messed up life." She blinked rapidly, a gesture Ryan recognized as meaning that she was trying to dispel the tears that were pooling in her eyes.

"Hey." Ryan interrupted her, gently taking her chin in his hand and tilting her head towards him. "If anything, you've made my life better."

Marissa looked at him sceptically. "Better?"

"Marissa, before I came to Newport my life was hell. And living here … I mean sure it's been crazy and intense, but it's also been … you know." He trailed off, unable to find the words to express what he meant.

"Yeah, yeah I do." Marissa nodded. She paused for a moment, exhaling loudly. "So what happens now?"

Ryan looked at her carefully. He leaned towards her, still holding her chin in his hand. "Marissa?"

"Yeah?"

At this point their faces were mere inches apart. "In about ten seconds I'm going to kiss you. And if you don't want me to … then you're going to have to stop me."

Marissa lifted her eyes to meet his for a brief second before allowing them to flutter shut in anticipation.

"Ten … nine … eight …" Ryan counted. "Seven … six … five … you're not going anywhere."

"There's no where else I'd rather be."

"Four … three … two …"

"One." Marissa finished as his lips met hers.

----

Ryan and Marissa sat on the lifeguard stand, entwined in each other's arms, both breathing heavily from their high school worthy make out session.

"Mmm." Marissa moaned softly, kissing him once more before resting her head on his shoulder.

Ryan shifted slightly and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, tucking her hair behind her ear with his other hand before placing a kiss on her forehead and leaning his head on hers.

"I missed this." Marissa confessed.

"Yeah, me too." Ryan agreed. "Making out is pretty fun."

"Ryan! I meant this … us."

"I know." Ryan said softly. "I missed it – us - too."

Marissa smiled. "And the making out is fun." she conceded.

"That's what I'm saying." Ryan tilted her chin upwards and bent his head down to kiss her once again. "What do you say we take this somewhere else?" he mumbled against her lips.

Marissa shook her head slightly. "Let's stay here." she pleaded.

"But I'm cold." Ryan whined.

"I can help you with that." Marissa said seductively. She pulled herself away from him and shrugged off the oversized hoodie she was wearing.

"Hey you should wear that." Ryan said. "Otherwise you'll be cold."

"I have a plan to keep both of us hot." Marissa informed him with a lusty gaze, trailing kisses along his jaw line as she ran her hands along the edge of his wife-beater.

"Here? Now?" Ryan questioned.

Marissa nodded, tugging the flimsy material over his head. "I've always wanted to do it at the beach."

"Up here?"

"Would you rather in the sand?" she teased as she began undoing his belt.

"Good point." Ryan noted. "But-"

"Don't you want to?" Marissa asked, her hands freezing. She sat up, forcing him to do the same, and stared at him with eyes full of hurt.

"Hey." Ryan said tenderly, cupping her cheek in his hand. "Of course I want to. It's just that …"

"Ryan, this is what I want." Marissa assured him, slipping off her own shirt and leaning in to kiss him again. "Right here, right now, with you."

Ryan pulled her body closer to his, deepening the kiss. He grabbed her waist and shoulder, flipping them over so that he was on top of her, and cradling her head with his hand as he did so. "You sure?" he asked as he kissed her collar bone.

Marissa nodded before pulling his head to hers hungrily, running her hands through his hair as they continued to kiss passionately. "Positive" she said breathlessly.

Later the two sat together in a post coital embrace, the curves of their bodies aligning perfectly, and their heads resting together as both looked out at the ocean.

Ryan grabbed his hoodie from the pile of clothes they'd made, wrapping the material around both of their shoulders. "That was-"

"Perfect." Marissa sighed, nestling against him.

"Yeah." Ryan agreed.

"You know, you're not as tough as everyone thinks." Marissa commented. "If they all knew some of the things you said tonight, it would ruin your whole 'bad boy' image."

"Which is why no one will ever know." Ryan said decidedly.

"No? I was looking forward to telling Seth and Summer that Ryan Atwood has gone soft."

"Don't you dare!" Ryan said mock threateningly.

"What would you do if I did?"

"Hmm … I could do … this." Ryan said as he began tickling her sides mercilessly.

"Ryan! Ok! Ok! I won't tell." Marissa relented.

"Good."

She moved closer to him again, tucking her head against his shoulder once again. "You know I wasn't going to tell anyone."

"Really?" Ryan said sceptically.

"No. Everything that happened tonight is just between us." Marissa said, shivering involuntarily.

"Hey, you're freezing cold." Ryan said caringly as he ran his hands along her arms. "Let's get out of here."

"I like it here." Marissa protested. "Plus where would we go?"

"I know a guy who has a pool house." Ryan suggested.

Marissa pondered this for a moment. "Let's go!" she said enthusiastically, grabbing her clothes and quickly dressing as Ryan did the same.