Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

KC-Chick: lol, innocent looking tree, that made me laugh so much! Really glad you liked that chapter, I'm thinking it was her subconcious too! lol, hope you enjoy this!

xGoingUnderx: did i really shock you! ooohh, thats good! lol, just kidding but i like the shock factor sometimes! Glad you liked the friends stuff, I know I've said it before but i really do love writing it!

EVCGLSB: please dont ever stop squeeing, i love it! That review was lovely, thankyou xx

smartiepantz: I'm so glad you said that, the bit about them being like they're dating but not, cos that is exactly what i wanted to get accross, so yay! Thanks!

I-Believe-In-The-Butterflies: your fave chapter so far? wow, that's really cool, thanks! And yes, i totally used your idea, it was too fab not to, so thanks for that! But ouch, major sunburn, maybe this chapter can take your mind off it! lol.

emzylou: OMG! I can't believe I wrote that Ryan propped himself on his eyebrows, I'm so weird! My only defense is that it was five to midnight when I was typing it up and I was severely jet lagged, I know it's a lame excuse but I'm sticking to it! Lol! That actually made me laugh when I re-read it, it's obv not a very good idea to 'proof' read so late at night is it!

valkrys: oh no, you've got writers block? that sucks:(dont worry thoI'm sure you'll come out with another amazing chapter soon! Glad you liked this.

slimkay: glad you liked it!

XXXX

Ryan awoke with a start the next morning wondering why the hell Marissa was lying next to him and thinking he'd gone back in time. Then he remembered. He crept out of bed quietly trying not to wake her as he prised her hand from his.

"Mmm...no." She murmured sleepily

"It's ok." He whispered "I'll be back in a minute." He left the poolhouse and returned, true to his word, a minute or so later holding two cups of coffee.

"Marissa, wake up." He said nudging her gently with one of his feet.

"Don't want to." She said groggily, but she sat up and took the cup he held out to her. She sipped in silence for a few seconds then groaned loudly, slapping a hand to her forehead.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"I've just remembered."

"Remembered what?" Ryan asked, confused.

"Remembered everything, oh God." Marissa blushed a deep shade of red and was suddenly unable to look Ryan in the eye. "You know, when you wake up and everything's ok, then you remember?" She mumbled to the floor. Ryan nodded slightly, smiling. "Oh God! I kissed you, oh God, my Dad's leaving, oh God!"

"It's ok." Ryan said

"What is? That my Dad's leaving or that I kissed you?" She asked nervously.

"Both." Ryan said firmly, then seeing the look on her face he added hastily "Well, I mean, neither really, but y'know?"

"I know and, oh God I'm so sorry about..."

"About what?" Ryan asked, feigning total ignorance. "Don't know what you're talking about." She smiled gratefully, still reeling fromher thoughts about last night and how well he seemed to be taking it.

"No problem." He glanced down at his watch "You'd better go."

"Oh! So you always let girls stay and then kick 'em out the next morning do ya?" She asked winking.

"Oh no, you can stay." Ryan said smiling mischievously "I just assumed you'd wanna go home and get some clothes, unless of course you plan on going to school in what you have on?"

"Oh yeah, forgot about that." Marissa admitted, gulping down the last of her coffee and getting out of bed. "What time is it?"

"Seven fifteen."

"Cool, hopefully my Dad won't be up and I can sneak in and out without him noticing."

"Marissa." Ryan chastised "You don't mean that."

"Yeah I do. I hate him" She said shortly. "Anyway I'd better go."

"K, see you at school?" Ryan asked standing up.

"Yeah, and listen, thanks for last night, you were great."

"Didn't do anything."

"Yeah you did." She said leaning down to give him a hug. "You're the best."

"Don't let Summer hear you say that."

"Oh, will you quit joking around and give me a hug?" She demanded.

"I think I can manage that." He said obliging.

"You trying to break my ribs?" She asked after a few seconds.

"No. Why you want me to?" Ryan teased, squeezing tighter.

"Ow! Stop it, ow!" She squirmed "I'm gonna kill you!"

"I'm sorry, did you say kill me or kiss me?" Ryan teased. She stopped squirming. Ouch. "Sorry, not funny." He mumbled.

"No. Not funny." She agreed, but she was still smiling. "Still, who can blame me? You are kinda cute."

"Oh, cute huh?" Ryan asked puffing out his chest.

"I said kinda cute. Don't get bigheaded."

"I'll try, now go!" He said gently pushing her gently out of the door "I'll see you later."

XXXX

Marissa spent hardly anytime at home over the next few weeks. She was avoiding her Dad at all costs despite everyone's attempts to get her to talk to him. She spent nearly every night at the Cohen's either hanging out and watching movies with the rest of the Fantastic Four or playing playstation with Ryan in the poolhouse. He had been afraid that things would change between him and Marissa after she'd kissed him but, if anything, that night had brought them much closer together.

Finally, the day before they left - she deliberately left it until the last minute in the vain hope that they might change their minds about going - Marissa was forced to spend some time at her Dad's, moving her stuff over to her Mom's house. Jimmy had tried to persuade her time and again to go to Maui with him and Hailey but Marissa was adamant, Newport was home and that's where she was staying.

She roped Ryan into helping her move, Summer was away for the weekend - bonding with the step monster at a spa - and although he had protested she knew he was glad she'd asked him.

"You have so much crap." He complained for the tenth time as he moved yet another box of clothes down the stairs.

"Oh, stop complaining." Marissa said airily "You know I'd help you if you were moving."

"Me, moving in with Julie Cooper-Nichol? I don't think so."

"Yeah, well. I didn't think I'd have to either but, hey." Marissa said angrily throwing stuff into a box. Suddenly she screamed and jumped onto the bed.

"What?" Ryan asked sprinting back up the stairs.

"Spider. Huge!" She gasped.

"Where?"

"Behind the dressing table, you can't miss it, it's, like, the size of a dinner plate." She said peering under the dressing table from the safety of her bed. Ryan looked for a minute.

"Huh? Barbie's dinner plate maybe." He scoffed locating the spider and picking it up in his cupped hands. "It's only a baby." He started to walk over to her and held it up to her, she squealed.

"Get rid of it, it's huge!" She demanded. Ryan obliged, laughing, going downstairs and setting it free.

"Has it gone?" Marissa called.

"Yep."

"You sure? Hold out your hands." She wouldn't put it past him to still have it concealed on his person, ready to scare her with.

"There, no spider, satisfied?" He asked holding out his hands.

"Yeah, ok." She said warily getting down from the bed. "I think that's it." She said surveying the nearly empty room.

"Are you sure? There's not another closet full of clothes somewhere?"

"Oh, you're funny, let's go. Off to the House on Haunted Hill, I want to be outta there before they get back."

"From where?"

"Oh, Europe somewhere, who cares?" She said vaguely.

"Ok, you sure you got everything? Percy?"

"Of course, how could I possibly forget him?" Marissa asked wounded.

"Just checking."

XXXX

After what felt like forever later, they had moved all of Marissa's stuff into Julie and Caleb's.

"I know you probably don't wanna hear this." Ryan said cautiously, walking out onto the balcony just off Marissa's room "but this place is beautiful."

"You're right I don't wanna hear it," She sighed "but it is. It's gorgeous." She admitted grudgingly, following him. She leaned dangerously far over the balcony. "Never mind." She said brightly. "If it all gets too much, I can just throw myself off here. Put me out of my misery."

"You don't mean that."

"Yeah I do."

"No, you don't."

"And how the hell would you know?" Marissa snapped, suddenly flipping herself upright again. Ryan looked at her, hurt, but she didn't care. She'd had enough of him being so nice, so understanding all the time. "Come on then." She challenged, glaring at him. "Why wouldn't I jump off here? Why do you think you know so much about me?"

"Because we spend a lot of time with each other." Ryan said calmly. He knew what she was doing. She was mad at her Dad but taking it out on him. He refused to be drawn into an argument.

"Whatever." Marissa spat.

"I'm gonna go." Ryan said indifferently.

"What? You're not gonna get really mad and yell at me? Maybe throw a punch or two?" She knew that was out of line but she didn't really care.

"No." Ryan said quietly, not rising to the challenge. "Because I know you didn't mean it. You're not mad at me. you're mad at your Dad for leaving you, because you have to move in with your Mom. The thing is, he's not leaving you is he? He wants you to go with him. It's your choice to stay here in Newport. When my Mom left me at the Cohen's it's cos she didn't want me, she wasn't even gonna say 'bye. At least your Dad wants you." He stopped and swallowed, not looking at her. "I'm sorry if you think I'm preaching but your Dad's leaving tomorrow, and you need to talk to him, sort things out. Please." He begged, he knew how much she'd regret not sorting things out with her Dad in a few weeks time. Marissa thought for a moment, not quite sure what to say.

"I-" She began.

"Don't, its ok." He stopped her. "It's just, look, come over after they leave, ok?" Marissa nodded slowly.

"Ok." She whispered as he left the balcony and left her, alone.

She walked back into her room and sat down on the bed, thinking about what Ryan had just said. She didn't think she'd ever heard him talk so much but it was all true; her Dad did love her, he wasn't abandoning her, he wanted her to go with him. She really needed to talk to him before he left.

And as for Ryan? Well, Summer always said that 'the ones you hurt the most are the ones you love the most.' She just hoped that this wasn't one time too many.