Chapter 4-

Ryan kissed Marissa hard. It was two months after Marissa had been pushed off the pier. Two months after they had found her. Two months after Ryan had murdered Lindsay, thinking that Marissa was dead. Now Marissa and Ryan both lay in bed, naked, kissing. They had made love in Ryan's pool house, and had just awaken to find themselves in a loving bliss

Ryan wrapped his arms around Marissa and pulled her closer to his body. They were both hot and sweaty, panting. Marissa sighed and let Ryan crawl on top of her. He nibbled at her neck, the whole time whispering how much he loved her.

Marissa had just began to remember the past 8 months, but only flashes of it. She told no one, how she remembered trying to give herself to Ryan, some one named D.J., Lindsay, and Alex. She remembered having sex with D.J. and missing Ryan...he had gone for some reason. And then she remembered falling off the pier, and seeing the girl named Lindsay as she fell and fell and fell.

Ryan and Marissa had sex five times that day. They were deeply in love. Ryan and Marissa could not be seperated.

Zach had returned. He didn't suspect anything at first. But then he began to spy secretly on Summer and Seth. Summer and Seth decided not to see each other, and just to forget that one night of love and bliss. But Seth couldn't. He loved Summer, and there was no way he was going to forget.

On a Saturday night when Zach was at the movies with some of his friends, Seth walked to Summer's house and climbed up to her room. He knocked on the window and she let him in. They made love but promised not to tell anyone. They couldn't. Chaos. Turmoil. Terror. They knew they couldn't. They secretly loved each other. He would sneak her kisses and sometimes they would sneak into the closet–only sometimes. Other times she would come to his house and they would make love–either in his room or they would borrow Ryan's pool house.

Summer was sitting on her bed one night when she suddenly got sick. She ran to the bathroom and vomited. She knew what this was. Summer bought a few pregnancy test and peed on the strips. They tested positive.

At the same time, Marissa and Rachel were testing themselves also. They both tested positive.

Caleb Nichol's funeral had been held a month and a half ago. One of his employees had found him sprawled out on the floor of his office. The ironic thing was his will was clutched in his hand. It said that everything was to go to Julie Cooper.

Kirstin lay on her bed, drunk, smiling up at the ceiling. Everything seemed better like this. Drunken. And nothing to care about. Worlds orbit around her head and yet she orbits around the sun. Ahh. Who cares? Everything was going wrong, her family was falling apart. Nothing seemed right. She glanced over to see Sandy standing in the doorway.

"If we can't work these things out," she screamed, "You are going to leave!"

Sandy shook his head and left the room.

Nothing was right.

Marissa sat up naked in bed. She turned and leaned her head against Ryan's shoulder. "I love you."

"I love you too," he said, and took something off of his bed. He showed it to her–it was a velvety jewelry box. He opened it, revealing a diamond ring. "Marry me," he smiled. "Marry me, Marissa Cooper. I love you."