Fix You

Author's Note: Thanks for another batch of inspiring and flattering reviews. I appreciate your feedback immensely, and knowing that people are reading and enjoying the story help me want to get another chapter up faster. Also, to my anonymous reviewer Abby, I had to idea that there were other stories with Ryan's daughter named 'Cassandra'. I haven't been reading much OC work lately, and the name comes from one of my friend's sister.

Chapter Three: Syrup

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones

The Roberts-Downey home was decorated to the extreme. Summer Roberts-Downey had used her home as the ultimate project in her career. Her first project to be more exact. The curtains, the paint, the furniture was all picked precisely to match the theme Summer had chosen, and coincidentally their home had managed to become Summer's model to show other people her work. It was her masterpiece.

It was perfect.

For Summer, it was important that the house she shared with her husband Samuel feel like a home to her. When she lived in Newport, the step-monster had had decorators do everything she wanted them to. In New York it had been the same. Summer had never had a say in anything therefore she never really felt as if she belonged, as if she really lived in the house. That is, apart from her own room, which had been the only place the step-monster wasn't allowed to touch.

This house was Summer's first real home. That's why she had poured her heart and soul into decorating it exactly like she wanted it to be. Each room reflected Summer's personality, her taste, and her own distinct style. Of course, Samuel had been allowed his input, but he seemed to understand Summer's need to make their house a real home. Besides, he was also too busy with his career to really sit down and discuss paint colors and swatches with his wife.

Sitting on the crème coloredcouch in the living room, Summer flipped through the latest decorating magazine, which had a room designed by her on the cover. Absently, she turned the pages, not really paying attention to anything she was reading. Not after running into Marissa Cooper at her latest client's house.

She should've expected that she would run into her childhood friend because she knew before going to Newport that morning that the client was none other than Julie Cooper hoping to put together a memorial for her dearly departed Caleb Nichol. Summer had read all about his death in the papers right after he died. There had been brief mention of those he left behind, wife, daughters, grandson, and even great-grandchildren.

Still, seeing the friend she hadn't spoken to in a little over six years had an affect on her. Marissa had looked different, older and more mature than she had when Summer had moved. She seemed happier and less broken too, although she had seemed distracted and different the whole time Summer had been there before she had mysteriously up and left altogether. The ring on her left hand hadn't gotten past Summer either. Of course Marissa had gotten married. She shouldn't have expected that she would be waiting around for Ryan to suddenly leave Theresa. Although, it surprised her that she had never even heard about the wedding. It also surprised her that Marissa still lived in Newport.

She wondered if Marissa still spoke to Seth.

"Summer?" a small voice interrupted Summer's thoughts, and she glanced over and smiled slightly at the intruder.

"Cass," Summer motioned for the fourteen year old to come in. She did, slowly and warily plopping down on the love seat across from the couch Summer was seated on.

One thing that never ceased to surprise Summer was running into Ryan Atwood at one of the Model Homes that Summer was redecorating in LA and becoming friends with him. He had been a construction worker there, finishing off the last remaining wing. They had talked about life. His marriage to Theresa, his daughter, life outside of Newport and how they were both doing. Neither of them had much in common, but having both been through some of the same things, having both lived in Newport, they had common ground. They had some sort of bond that allowed them to keep in contact.

That was how Summer had gotten to know his daughter Cassandra. She adored the fourteen-year-old girl and had insisted on being a part of her life. After all, with both her parents constantly working, she was constantly getting into trouble and Summer always managed to help her out and get Theresa and Ryan to lay off on her a bit. Besides, whenSummer had first met her, Cass had been the ultimate tomboy, and Summer just wouldn't have that.

"Something you wanted Atwood?" Summer inquired, knowing that she would have to force it out of Cass much like she would've with Ryan.

"I was in trouble again," Cass shrugged, "Mentioned some crazy lady at the mall who knew my name and dad went nuts. Used the phone in the bedroom."

Summer knew Ryan only used that phone for one thing, secrets. Sometimes she was on the receiving end of those calls, but sometimes it was the Cohens. Since she hadn't heard from Ryan in days, she figured it was the latter, which could only mean that the crazy lady Cass was referring to was none other than Kirsten Cohen.

"Tell me about this encounter," Summer urged, "Was there some tall gangly, dorky looking guy with her? Or a man her age with bushy eyebrows?"

"Dorky guy with two kids," Cass clarified.

So, Seth had been there too, and if Kirsten had reacted in a way that would get Cass to call her crazy, then Seth would certainly be suspicious. Which could only mean he would be investigating, and that would lead him to Ryan. Cassandra had no idea about her dad's former life during the two years he had spent in Newport. She'd never met her adoptive grandparents, never heard about the likes of Cohen or Coop.

Ryan had purposely separated himself from Newport. He talked to Kirsten and Sandy, but he knew that if he ever saw Seth, he would be forced to remember how good he had had it. Would be forced to remember the opportunities her had given up, and the love he had lost. It was also an unspoken fact that Seth Cohen would lead to Marissa Cooper, and Ryan had never stopped loving her.

"It's nothing Cass," Summer brushed it off, "You're overreacting."

Cass frowned, and Summer knew what was going through her head. She knew that by brushing it off, she had only managed to spark more curiosity in the girl who had a knack for investigating every little thing her parents tried to hide from her. Like the time she went to all lengths to find out about her Uncle Trey the year he got released.

Summer could only hope, for Ryan's sake, that Cass didn't find out what she wanted to this time around. She knew how hard it was to let someone you love go, to cut them out of you life. After all, wasn't that what she had done with Cohen when she moved to New York?

And I will try to fix you
High up above or down below

"Cohen! That's not fair," Marissa protested, trying to grab the syrup out of his hands. Her blonde hair was matted with the brown gooey liquid.

"You look good all sticky and sweet," Seth chuckled, smirking as she slowly turned the bottle of syrup down towards her head.

"Don't you dare," Marissa warned, forcing herself to frown even though she wanted to laugh. It was goofy things like this that made her love Seth even more. Even if they meant she'd be all sticky and gross and covered in food.

"I'll make a deal," Seth grinned, pausing before the syrup could pour out of the bottle again. He raised a brow, waiting to see if she'd forfeit and take the deal. They both knew that there was no way she was going to win. His Cohen charm and speed were just too much for her.

"All right," Marissa nodded, hiding the sneaky smile that was forming. She knew Seth thought he was able to outwit her, but Marissa knew better. They had been through this many times with various different food products.

She'd never understand what it was with them and food. She supposed it was a Cohen thing.

"Okay, " Seth lowered the bottle slowly, watching her warily. A smirk still played on his face. It seemed that both had managed to be in better spirits since their talk down by the pool, and Seth had managed to convince Marissa to have a late night snack of pancakes and bagels. Neither the pancakes nor the bagels ever managed to be made. "You have to do something for me and I promise to stop pouring the sugary goodness all over you."

Marissa raised a brow, stepping towards him, "What exactly did you have in mind Seth because there are certain bargaining chips I'm not willing to bring to the table tonight."

"Well," Seth tilted his head to the side, not paying attention to the syrup in his hands anymore, "I was thinking something along the lines of me, you, and a game of ninja fighting action?"

Marissa laughed, "That's not exactly what I was thinking."

"What were you thinking?" Seth questioned, brown eyes twinkling with mischief.

"That you should probably go for a dip," Marissa grinned, shoving him back into their pool behind him. During the syrup-pouring match, Marissa had tried to evade his attack by running outside. Now, it only proved to be a strategic move in regards to her current form of revenge.

Seth broke through the water, sputtering slightly as her shook the water out of his face, running the hand that wasn't holding the syrup bottle through his messy jew-fro. He laughed good-heartedly, sending a playful glare at Marissa. "I don't suppose you'll join me?"

"In your dreams," Marissa laughed, "I'm going to take a hot shower and get this syrup off of me."

"Any chance I could join you in that shower?" Seth raised a playful eyebrow, glad to see that Marissa had gotten over her quiet, sad mood from earlier.

"Nope," Marissa shook her head, flipping her long, blonde locks over her shoulder, "And when you decide to come in, don't forget to be quiet. We wouldn't want you to wake Kurt up now, would we?"

Seth shook his head, swimming to the edge as Marissa walked in towards the house. He hoisted himself up onto the asphalt and jogged towards his wife. Wrapping his wet arms around her, he enveloped her in a hug, pressing himself against her so that she too would get wet. The syrup bottle had been abandoned down by the edge of the pool.

"Seth!" Marissa screeched, pulling away and turning to look at him. Now, she couldn't hide the grin on her face, she never could around Seth. These playful moments, moments, that they've had many of,are one of the things that Marissa loves most about them. They were brought together by the drama, but their relationship had never been defined by the Newport drama as their previous ones had been.

"Marissa," Seth mimicked with a light laugh. He grabbed her arm before she could move away and pulled her close to him again, kissing her lightly, "Now, what do you say to a shower and some late night video games. I'll let you win at least one."

"You'll let me win?" Marissa asked with a laugh, "If I remember correctly, I've managed to kick your butt every time we've played the ninja game."

"It's okay Marissa," Seth said solemnly, patting the top of her head as he led her into the house, "Someday the young grasshopper will learn the ways of the master."

"Is that so?" Marissa looked up at him with a small smile; her worry about Summer was at the back of her mind right now. She knew she'd have to tell him, but it could wait until tomorrow when they were talking over bagels and coffee as the kids made a mess around them.

"Yes," he kissed her forehead, wiping away a smudge of the syrup that had dripped down from her hair.