A/N: First off if you haven't read Little Victories, please read it first otherwise the events and histories in this story will be rather confusing. Now I don't want to give too much away right now, but I will say that this isn't going to be a full on Ryan and Marissa story, I mean they're going to be a part of it, however I've got an interesting triangle I want to explore… I'll explain my reasoning more when I actually introduce it into the story because I don't want to give it away right now… but feel free to guess…. Until then here's the new story

My Most Myself

Chapter One

The cool air rushed his face as Ryan opened the refrigerator door to explore its contents. "Water, ketchup, diet coke, mustard, lettuce… Hey are we eating tonight?" He called towards the living room as he slammed closed the near empty fridge.

"Summer and Seth are arguing right now over what kind of pizza to order," Marissa moved behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Oh, that's nice I'm sure you guys will have fun eating that, I'll just watch being that I have to cut weight for a fight in five days. I love you too babe." He bent his head down for a quick kiss to finished up his sarcastic quip.

Marissa laughed to herself, it still amused her just how much Seth had rubbed off on him in the past few years. There were still flashes of the brooding, closed off, lonely man she'd met four years ago, but every time he made a crack like that she couldn't help but smile. Even when they were in the middle of huge fights if he made a sarcastic comment to her, she had to fight herself to keep from smiling. Ryan had changed, and in the process he finally let people in, he finally let her in. Parts of his life were still hidden from her, his past for one. She knew bits and pieces but whenever she'd tried to further probe he would simply tell her that it was a different time in his life, he was different person, and it was better that she not know most of it. Marissa didn't like having to accept this, but she did.

"Well maybe if you were nice to me, I tell you that I ordered Chinese for us, because I knew you were cutting weight."

Ryan looked down with an apologetic smile, "Sorry." He let his grin widen as they walked into the living room.

"Cohen, don't you dare!" Summer said through her teeth as she stood hands on her hips watching Seth on the phone with the pizza guy. "If you put mushrooms on that pizza…"

Seth looked to his girlfriend with a smug look, "Yes, and I need mushroom…" He paused and gave her and 'I win' grin. With his head cocked to one side he flashed his grin wider then winked over to Ryan and Marissa. With the pizza guy repeating his order he continued to watch as Summer fumed. "Yes, and that mushrooms on… half," he emphasized the word half, looking directly at Summer. "Of the large pizza."

"God, you guys have been together almost as long as me and Marissa, and you still fight over shit like pizza." Ryan scratched his head and flopped onto the sofa.

"Ah, you are incorrect my friend," Seth held up a finger to Ryan, "We've been together longer than you and Marissa, due to your little break."

"Ok that doesn't make you guys look any better." Marissa curled onto the sofa next to Ryan.

"Yeah Cohen, that mean shut up…. And your little pizza stunt wasn't cute." She watched as Seth walked across the room in slow motion, leaning against the wall as he moved. "What the hell are you doing Cohen?"

"Shhh," he put his fingers to his lips, "I'm being stealth, I'm gonna sneak up and surprise you… like this." He shot towards her picking up and spinning her around in a circle.

"Put me down," Summer beat on his arms laughing the entire time. "You drive me nuts," she leaned in and kissed him. "But for some God unknown reason I love you."

As things calmed down in the room, Seth and Summer moved onto the loveseat next to Ryan and Marissa. "God Cohen, why do you have to be so gawky," Summer pushed his legs to the floor as she tried to get comfortable on the small sofa.

"So Ryan, when do you leave?" Seth tried to turn the attention away from himself for once.

"Tomorrow night." As Ryan spoke he felt Marissa sigh against his chest.

"I hate that I can't go with you. I haven't missed one of your fights in two years."

"Yeah but my fights have never fallen right before your finals before."

"Finals," Summer perked up she looked to Seth then to Marissa, "You guy realize that this time are finals are actually are finals. Like the last tests we'll ever have to take I mean after this college is over, school is over."

"Maybe for you guys," Marissa retorted. "Some us are going to grad school."

"Wait I thought my dad got you a job with DHS?" Seth asked her slightly confused, because he was positive he'd heard his dad telling his mom about it just a few days ago.

"DHS?" Summer raised an eyebrow to them.

"Department of Human Services," Marissa answered then turned back to Seth. "And he did, and it's a great job and DHS is a great place to start. But I'm still going to grad school, so I can get certified to be an addiction counselor. What about you Seth, what are you doing after graduation?"

"Actually," Seth nervously looked around the room, and then stopped on Summer. "I haven't said anything to anyone yet, but I… umm…. I got an internship with Wild Storm comics."

"That's great!" Summer cried out as she popped up to give him a kiss. "I mean don't get me wrong I still think you little comic book obsession is like totally weird but if you can make a career out of it, hey I can learn to deal with it."

"Well, I'm glad you think so because the position is in San Diego." He bit down on his lip as he watched her face drop.

"San Diego…" Her eyes cut at him, "And when did you plan on tell me that?"

"After I'd left?" He tried to joke.

"Mature Cohen, very mature." Her voice bleed sarcasm as she was obviously pissed.

"Don't be mad at me it's just…"

She cut him off, "It's just what Cohen? It's just you're too spineless to…"

Ryan drowned out their words and leaned down into Marissa's ear, "I think this is our cue to quietly leave."

"What about dinner?" She whispered back.

"We'll venture back into the battle zone when it get here." He carefully stood and took her hand, sneaking up the stairs unnoticed. As they reached the top of the stairs the Summer's screaming got louder and Seth's defense stuttered.

"You think they'll ever stop fighting like this?" Marissa laughed.

"No, but they'll never break up, no one else wants them." He smiled and led her into their bedroom.