Fix You

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for your kind reviews and patience with my updating. I'm bad at the whole updating thing, just ask my Family Portrait readers, but I always get it done. I'm glad you're all enjoying this and it's helping me through my OC withdrawal some.

Chapter 4: Sometimes

When you're too in love to let it go
If you never try then you'll never know

Kirsten Cohen had always been determined to keep her family together. All she had ever wanted was for everyone to be happy, but happiness seemed to come at too high a price, so they had all settled for content, almost happy. Sometimes she wished that she had pushed harder to get her way, had pushed Ryan not to lose contact with Seth and Marissa, but she knew that it was hard for him. She also knew that if she pushed too hard he would sever all ties with his former life altogether.

She only knew of Cassanda Dawn Atwood through pictures. Through things Ryan would tell her, but a part of her always wished she could know the girl. A girl she had come to consider a granddaughter. For years she had been trying to get Ryan to introduce the two, but he had always refused. He wanted to separate lives.

Two lives that had collided in the mall the previous day.

Kirsten knew that there was no way that this would remain secret for long. Her reaction had ensured that both her son and Ryan's daughter would want to further investigate her abnormal behavior, her slip of becoming the weepy Kirsten Cohen she was by saying her name. She had never expected it though, running into Cassandra in the Plaza of all places. It was absurd.

Sandy had told his wife time and time again that she meddled too much for her own well being. Not only with Ryan and trying to get him to somehow reconnect with them, but also with Seth and Marissa's relationship. Sometimes she wished that the two of them weren't together incase Ryan did want to come home, but most of the time, she loved that they were. She loved that Marissa had become the daughter she never had, loved how Seth was with her, and how they were when they were with each other.

Sometimes, they reminded her of Sandy and herself.

"Kirsten," Sandy's voice broke her thoughts and he put his large, warm hands on the back of her neck, whispering lightly, "We're going to be late."

Turning, Kirsten looks up at her husband with tired eyes. She smiled at him and nodded, putting on her dangling gold earrings and standing up. Another day, another Newport function, another opportunity for gold-digging businessmen to try and snatch her father's company from under her. It didn't matter though, Kirsten had other things on her mind, her son and Marissa, Ryan and his daughter, and when exactly her mistake would send their lives into a tailspin.

"Let's go," Kirsten took her husband's hand and let her lead him out of the house. She never heard the phone ring. She didn't hear Ryan's voice on the other end, leaving another message.

"Kirsten, it's Ryan. Look, Cass has been asking questions…about yesterday at the mall. Um...I couldn't reach you last night…" there was a pause, "I'm coming over…to talk about this, about what I should do."

Just what you're worth
Lights will guide you home

"Marissa, Caitlin's here," Seth called out to his wife, giving Marissa's younger sister a nod. Caitlin wandered into the house, going to sit in the living room and await her older sister for instructions. Seth was all dressed up and ready to go to another Newport event he wished he could just skip. He knew he couldn't though, not when he was the heir to the Nichol estate. Not when he was married to the princess of Newport.

"Aunt Caitlin!" Allie launched herself at the younger of the Cooper girls, wrapping her arms around her waist, "We're gonna have such a good time, right Aunt Caitlin?"

"Right," Caitlin nodded, with a wink to the little girl. Seth gave her sister-in-law a frown, he was in his fatherly mode, even though both he and Caitlin knew he didn't care if she stayed up too late when they were out.

"You know the rules Allie Bean," Seth said false sternly, with a wink at his daughter, "They don't change when mommy and daddy are out being bored to death by all the old fogies of Newport."

Marissa came down the stairs then, dressed in a tight, cream colored dress. Her long, blonde hair was swept back in a neat bun, and Seth stopped to stare at his wife who looked absolutely stunning, not that it wasn't a daily thing anyway. "You know I don't want to go to this thing either," Marissa reminded him, "But if one thing hasn't changed, it's my mother's ability to drag me out to Newport functions."

"You know, if Little Miss Caitlin over there had a life, we wouldn't have to worry about this because we wouldn't have a sitter," Seth said, sending a withering glare at Caitlin, who just glared right back at him.

"Let's go Seth," Marissa said with a light laugh, she went over and kissed Allie on the forehead, "Kurt's in bed already in bed, and if…"

"I know 'Rissa," Caitlin waved them off, "Just get out of here, please!"

Linking arms with her husband, Marissa led them out of the house. Once outside, Seth stopped and turned to look at his wife, "Have I mentioned how incredible, ridiculously good looking you are tonight?"

"Not yet," Marissa couldn't help but feel a blush creep to her cheeks, even after seven years of marriage, she had never gotten used to Seth Cohen complimenting her. It was different than when anyone else said it because Seth really meant it.

"Well, you do," Seth leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, "And let me just say, that I will duel to the death of any man who tries to steal you away."

Marissa laughed, "Guess I'd better make the funeral arrangements then. We both know you can't fight Seth."

"Haha," Seth said sarcastically, "Let me just say, Zach sucker punched me, and Summer doesn't know anything about it because she was dating the walking Ambercrombie add to begin with!"

Both of them froze at the mention if Summer. At the mention of what life used to be, fourteen years ago right before everything fell apart. She could feel their good-natured mood become somewhat strained, and sometimes she wished that they could just forget that part of their lives and just be totally happy with how they were now. She was happy, and she hoped Seth was too.

She hoped that when Seth found out Summer was going to be around Newport in the next few weeks, none of his old feeling for Summer would return.

"Come on, let's get there before Julie Cooper sends someone to drag us into this party," Seth wrapped his arms around her, leading her to the car.

The drive was quiet, as Marissa had stared out at the passing scenery of Newport, of her life. Some things reminded her of what had been before and that just made her feel more somber. Feel more alone. Halfway to the party, she had reached out and grabbed Seth's hand to remind herself that she wasn't alone, she had Seth. They were together and that was what mattered. It was all that mattered. Not Summer, who had left them for New York, not Ryan, who had started his own family long before they had, and certainly not anyone else in between. There was the two of them, and that was all they had ever needed. That was all they would ever need.

Walking into the lobby of the Newport Grand, Marissa spotted the Cohens chatting with a petite brunette and her strapping husband. Both of them looked awkward and uncomfortable, and when Sandy's eyes flashed towards the couple, when he grinned widely and greeted then, when the brunette in the strapless red dress turned around Marissa knew why. She felt Seth's hold on her waist become tighter, which she wasn't sure should comfort her or not, but she refused to look at his face and see his reaction.

Summer Roberts-Downey, the petite brunette, stared at them in wild shock, and then in her usual Summer-manner spoke loudly, "Cohen! Coop!" She rushed over to them, "Oh my god! I can't believe you're here with Cohen, Coop. God, what are you two like, married now?"

Marissa looked away, Seth cleared his throat his arm never moved from her waist.

Realization dawned on Summer's face.

"Oh my god, you two are married!"