Tossed Up In the Air

Disclaimer- I own crap and I mean literally, heh. Nah, just pullin' your leg.

A/N- Here's the next update, enjoy!

Dinner wasn't going too well, at least not as well as last time. Seth and Summer, right smack in the middle, were talking to each other, leaving Ryan and Marissa to talk with whoever would talk to them. Although not as many guests as last time, they sure did make up for it in noise.

"Look, why don't you stay for a while," Sandy suggested to Caitlin, who was just so close to milking Caleb out of his back account. "I don't need to intrude anymore," Caitlin retorted sweetly.

"Well I'm sure Kirsten...or even Ryan for that matter can find somewhere for you to live...it can be an apartment or--"

Caitlin put a hand up to motion for him to stop. "I don't want to live here or else I would be," she told him in a snappy tone. Sandy sighed and settled back into his seat, an awkward silence soon following.

Summer gave a weak smile to everybody as she reached over the table to grab some potato salad; when something shone in Julie's eyes, and everybody else saw it.

Summer's wedding ring.

"Oh shit," she whispered under her breath.

"Summmmmmmmer," Julie dragged out cheekily, quickly getting up and going over to Summer's side of the table. Summer tried to hide her hand but Julie picked it up and put it on display for everyone else to see. Marissa gave Summer a tired smile followed by a head nod, most likely as a congratulations. "You got married!" Sandy exclaimed, following suit to Julie's actions, also getting up and giving Seth a hug, squeezing the life out of him. "When did this happen?" Kirsten followed with joyful tears hugging both Summer and Seth at the same time.

"About a week ago," Seth explained. "Vegas!" he added after a giggle.

"Vegas? And you still came back?" Sandy questioned sarcastically.

"Well, you know, we couldn't leave the people we love behind," Seth returned the humor.

Ryan and Marissa stood there awkwardly but no one seemed to notice. "--and white frillls?" Julie and Kirsten asked in unison.

"It's vegas," Summer deadpanned with a laugh. The rest of the dinner continued with noises coming out of everyone except the mutes, Ryan and Marissa. Ryan looked over to Marissa who just seemed sick, literally; her head was down and her face looked pale.

"You wouldn't mind, would you sweetie?" Julie nudged Marissa who just at that moment, snapped.

Weather it was the hormones or just the news of her best friends wedding and the fact that she wasn't there, she snapped.

She stood up, swaying side to side. "Congratulations you guys! Real happy for you. I am. Right Ry?" She looked over at Ryan, who just seemed scared of mental state. "Well I am," she concluded with an over exaggerated smile. Everyone looked at her weirdly as she walked out of the kitchen. "I'll go see--" Ryan got up from the table, rushing after her only to hear retching noises from their bedroom. He quickly rushed inside and saw her figure lying over the toilet, vomiting. He held her hair back for her. "Are you okay?" he asked, kissing her hair.

"Fine," she said simply, getting up and walking back into the room, taking off her dress. She put on an oversized shirt, hanging down to her knees and got under the covers. Ryan sighed and walked over to her side of the bed, kneeling. "Are you okay?" he asked again, running his hand over her cheek. "I told you I'm fine."

"Than what's with the snappy attitude?" His voice was still calm. "Nothing's with the snappy attitude."

"Good, than...uh, I got something to...uh tell you."

This got her attention.

"I'm um, well I wanted to tell you before but uh...I'm going away for a few days."

"What?"

"Yeah, business trip."

"You have never taken a business trip."

"First time for everything right?" he joked. "Not funny."

"I know," he sighed. "It's just really important to the company that I do this."

A sigh came out of Marissa as she turned to face the celing. "When are you leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Same day kids go to camp." She deadpanned. Ryan sat up, stroking her arm. "I know. But unless Caitlin's got somewhere to go, I really doubt you'll be home all by yourself." Marissa nodded as Ryan kissed the top of her head. "I love you." His voice purred against her smooth forehead as she closed her eyes.

--

"Hormones or something," Ryan explained, as everyone was in the froyer was getting ready to leave. They all nodded sympatheically and said their good byes and exchanged kisses and hugs. "Hey man, sorry about...you know, we wanted you guys to be there, but the wedd--" Seth started.

"It's fine," Ryan said dismally as Seth nodded gratefully and than went to join Summer in the car. He inhaled deeply as he went to the kitchen to clean up.

--

"I love you and I'll call you soon," he whispered in her ear, giving her cheek a gentle kiss as he picked up his carry-on and joined Caitlin in the froyer. "Ready to go?" she asked perkily as Ryan took one last look up upstairs and nodded.

"And you know that the twins have to be on the same bus as Riley, right?" Ryan questioned as they were on their way to the aiport. "Yes Dad!" Caitlin joked as she saluted him from the passenger seat. Ryan rolled his eyes and focused them back on the road. "Kidding. Just lighten up, jeez. You people are not fun." Her hands went directly to the raido as Ryan swatted them away. "My car, my music."

"Fine," she crossed her arms. "I'll put on my music on the way back."

"As long as Barney isn't that loud." He joked.

"You know, I don't know if I like this funny side of you. When you don't talk and give an occasional nod, I'm okay with that." She teased back.

"Ah, yes, thank your sister for that. She likes to bring the best out of people."

"Even me?"

"I don't know. I've only seen the boarding school side of Caitlin and the money grubbing side of Caitlin. How many sides are there to Caitlin Cooper?"

"Oh god, please stop using my name." She buried her face in her hands. "And I don't know how many sides there are to Caitlin Cooper. Ask someone who actually knows."

Ryan parked the Range Rover as he got out, Caitlin following suit. "I'm sure someone knows," he told her as she handed him over his suitcase. "Ever consider weight lifting?" he teased, letting out a grunt as the suitcase fell to his feet. "I expect to come to a nice, clean house and have my wife in one piece...okay?"

She laughed and gave him a quick hug. "And if you don't, it's not my fault." Ryan glared her down til she cracked another smile. "So...really? What are you gonna do in Wisconsin?"

"Uh...work, like I said." "Oh come on, tell me what you're really going there for."

"Okay, okay, you got me." He grinned, closing the door and walking away. "Wait!" Caitlin protested. "Wh--" Her protests only recieved a wave in return as she sighed and started her way home.

--

"I miss you," he said dreamily, twirling the the hotel phone cord, like a little school girl. She laughed as she kissed Caitlin's head good night and walked out of the guest room into the hallway, whispering the words back to him. "When are you coming home?"

Ryan shrugged on the other line. "Tomorrow hopefully."

"Well I can't wait to see you and the kids say hi from camp. They even sent a postcard," she added with a laugh and a little cry. Ryan laughed as well and looked around the hotel room. "I'll be there soon. I promise."

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too. 'Night."

"Night." They hung up their phones as they awaited the next day.

--

"Don't put that there!" Marissa ordered, scaring Caitlin with the DVD player in her hands. "Look," Caitlin snapped, dropping the DVD player into place, "If you wanna do this, do it, but if you want me to do it, don't bother me."

Marissa sighed and leaned back into the love seat. "Sorry," she apolgized.

"Why are you so anxious? He's not coming back fighting a war, he was on a business trip."

Marissa shrugged. "We've never been apart for so long before." This Caitlin to come to her next comment. "So where do you think he really went?" she asked excitedly, siting down next to her. "Uh...work. And that's just creepy, you got all Julie Cooper on me for a sec."

Caitlin shrugged helplessly, "I can't help it," she smiled. "But really, come on. Didn't what Summer said yesterday make sense?"

Marissa scoffed. "That Ryan's cheating on me?"

A nod from Caitlin gave it all away. "C'mon, the movie we watched, and what Summer said made sense."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Marissa scoffed again. "The movie?" Caitlin continued questioning, leaning in closer to Marissa. "And 60 percent of married men cheating on their wives...desperate housewives...who don't put out."

"I put out!" Marissa exclaimed. Caitlin flinched, "Didn't really need to know that." She leaned in even closer. "Look, all I'm saying is he could be looking for a little passion...not necessarily feelings, I mean he's got you for that," she pat Marissa's head sweetly. "Okay Nancy Drew, calm down," Marissa laughed. Caitlin leaned back. "Sorry, but family mysteries get me going."

Marissa nodded knowingly. "I forgot how much fun you have when you ruin families."

"Hey!" She protested, slapping Marissa's arm. "Maybe if they wore wedding rings I would know they were married."

Marissa stifled back her giggles, nodding instead. "Before you slept with them?" Caitlin continued, "So than..."

"Cati, drop it," Marissa stated sternly. "I trust Ryan. Okay? Simple as that. I know--"

"All right, all right, be naive." "I am not naive!" Marissa defended, resting her shoulders more comfortably in the pillows as Caitlin got up. "Uh huh." She nodded and picked up the rag she was cleaning with leaving Marissa to drabble our her thoughts.

--

She felt a light tickle on her noise and opened her eyes. "What?" asked Marissa irratbly.

"Watch out hormones, your lover's here," Caitlin explained, lending her hand out.

"Ryan's here?"

She recieved an obvious nod from Caitlin and rushed to the front door. "I thought Caitlin was supposed to pick you up," Marissa mumbled as she jumped into Ryan's arms. Ryan laughed and hugged her back tightly. "They had an earlier flight so I thought I would surprise you. Surprised?"

Marissa laughed and leaned into kiss him. Ryan cupped her chin his hands as he kissed her hungrily while Marissa wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, still kissing. Caitlin rolled her eyes as she picked her purse up. "You two aren't gonna stop anytime soon, so I'm gonna go hitch a ride with the cabbie, later." She rushed out the door quickly before they could protest, as if they were going to anyways. They both watched as the front door shut and than returned their lips to one another, whispering in unison "I missed you."

--

"I can't wait til it gets out of me than it won't be as hard to...you know," Marissa deadpanned jokingly as she ran her hands through Ryan's hair. "I don't mind a challenge," he teased, running his hands over her belly. "You have no idea how much I missed you."

"I think I have some idea," he continued his teasing but ended it with a long kiss.

"Please tell me you're never going to leave town again," she whispered.

"Actually..." his eyes avoided hers. "I have to go back in two weeks."

Marissa's eyes bulged as she stared him. "What?" She sighed, closing her eyes and blinking back tears. "I--" she sighed again.

He ran his hands over her hair smoothly. "I know, but unless you want me to make money...this is the only way." She nodded to let him know she was okay with it as she left short kisses on his bare chest and he stroked her arms.

--

Grabbing the nearest robe, she put it on and headed downstairs, only to find him in the kitchen, a dim light on. He seemed to be staring off into space. She decided to tease him and put her hands around his neck. He let out a little squeal and she giggled. "What are you doing up so late?"

Ryan rifled through the papers. "Oh, you know, work, bills."

"I don't know, but I'm glad you do," she giggled, kissing his his cheek. "I thought I paid those while you were gone," she added. "Uh...yeah, just work bills...stuff like that."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, 'course."

"Good, because I slept in an empty bed for a whole week and I don't plan spend another moment without you." He grinned at her as she pulled him away from the counter and enveloped his lips into hers.

With one look back at where all the papers lay, he knew he had to tell her soon before things got out of hand.

A/N- Don't spaz out, I already know what the situation is, if you want to guess, be my guest. Heh, that rhymed. Anyways, sorry if things moved too fast, but that's how it's supposed to be. Uh...just let me know what you thought and I'll try to update soon.