"I shouldn't be unloading this on you, you have enough stuff to---" She got up and hobbled a little trying to get to the door.

"No, wait! Its fine, I'm here. Go ahead, bare your soul." He squinched another half smile. She nodded and they both moved back to the bed. She fiddled with the tie on her robe.

"It's just that I don't know what the hell is going on with Luke, and now my family is all messed up. My mother is probably gone, who knows what's gonna happen to my dad---I mean, I don't care if we live in a huge house or with these people---they aren't real anyway. Summer is less than wonderful, and Luke is---Luke is my parents' idea of what I should date, he's got money, a car, "good" family, typical pod person."

"You sound a lot like Seth." Ryan interjected.

"Why?"

"He calls them something like that, pod people I guess."

"Well, that's because Seth is the only sane one of us."

"Why don't you hang out with him then?"

"I---I should. These people are my crowd, and while I may not like them all that much, Seth doesn't fit in there."

"I might have noticed that." He replied. That made her smile a little, and that made him smile. There was another long pause where Marissa looked down at her feet.

***Ryan's POV***

"Remember when you said we were from different worlds?" She asked looking up at him. He nodded, lying out on the bed. "Well, the more I see what you're like, the more I wish---the more it makes me want to be different then these people. Sure we grew up in different places, but both our parents were less than perfect and---"

"I get it." He replied. Was Marissa actually implying that she felt something---a connection? He wanted so badly to do something, to kiss her or hug her or console her. But he resisted the urge.

"I'm just so confused and scared. I have no idea what is gonna happen from one day to the next. I---I'm sorry, I shouldn't be coming to you with my--- " She broke into tears there and she could no longer control herself.

"Hey, hey it'll be okay." He scooted towards her on the bed, and wrapped his arms around her.

***Marissa's POV***

She put her head on his strong shoulder and sniffed a little bit. She felt him run his hand over the top of her head, and smooth down her hair. She felt safe here, in Ryan's arms---in the pool house, like she was somehow away from it all. She knew the embrace had to end or it would just get awkward, so she pulled back gently.

"So, yeah I guess that's mostly it. It doesn't seem like much when I say it- --"

"I get it. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'll just go back home and try and sleep, even though I probably won't be able to." She got up and walked to the door, and opened the door. "Thanks for listening." She added as if she was about to leave, but she didn't. She stayed there.

***Ryan's POV***

She just stood there, expecting him to reply. What was he supposed to say? Luke is a major jerk and you should dump him and give me a chance? You're parents will be fine, and your life will get better? She didn't want BS from him. He was so close to having a moment with her, was he gonna let it slip away like this?

He rose again and followed her path to the doorway. For a moment, he just stood there in front of her, not sure of what to do. He reached out for her hand and grasped it tightly. Her eyes got wider but somehow brighter.

"If you ever need to talk, you know where the pool house is." He started. She smiled and sniffed a little again, done with her tears.

"Yeah, I do. Thanks." He smiled a little and let go of her hand.

"You know, you don't have to go?" He added.

A/N: Hey, positive feedback! That's cool. I wasn't sure after tonight's episode, that I'd even finish this because this is no where near as awesome as the pool scene, but I kinda like it. Looks like I had time to write after all, huh? Well, hope you enjoyed! :)