Fix You

Author's Note: Well, looks like things are on the right path. I've been writing non-stop all weekend and I think I'm doing pretty well. As always, your feedback on everything written would be appreciated, just so I know I've been doing a good job with this.

Chapter 17: Shift

When something is broken
And you try to fix it

Seth was in his office with Allie all the time he wasn't with Marissa. The two of them would spend hours locked away in the room and would come out whispering so that no one could hear what they were up to in there.

Marissa was beginning to wonder what her husband and six-year-old daughter were planning.

Holding Kurt in her arms, she watched the door warily, waiting for any indication hat the two were about to emerge. Even though they had been working slowly on making things better for the past few weeks, Marissa still felt some tension. As if she was waiting for them to loose their grip again and fall.

The sound of the doorbell in the distance made her pull her attention away from the door and go and see who was there. In all likelihood it was Anna ready to take Kurt and Allie off their hands so they could attend Caleb's memorial service.

An event Marissa was looking less and less forward to by the second.

Not only was she expected to pay her respects to a man she had loathed, but she would have to face Summer again for the first time since the big disaster at Allie's birthday party. Even though her father and everyone kept assuring her they would be there for her, she still stressed about it. She couldn't help it, especially after all that had happened.

"Hey," Anna greeted, "So, you and Seth ready to honor the former owner of Newport?"

"No," Marissa replied honestly, "Want to trade spots. I'm sure Caleb Nichol liked you better than me anyway."

"Well, I don't want to spend the evening with Julie Cooper hounding me about your location," the pixie blonde returned, "Besides, Seth needs you to be there for him."

Marissa nodded. She knew it was true. Not only because Summer was going to be there and the whole of Newport watching him, but also because they would all be telling him how they were looking forward to seeing what he did with the company once he took over from his mother. How they were sure he was going to be the best thing to happen to Newport in decades.

Seth hated it. The only reason he was going to take over was because Kirsten needed him to. Because he had promised that he would never sell the company to anyone. It had to stay within the family.

Therefore, Seth was the richest man in Newport. He needed Marissa by his side to keep him grounded, to keep himself from wanting to jump ship and hide away in Switzerland until he was old and gray.

"Anna, hey," Seth greeted, joining the two of them at the door.

"Cohen," Anna smiled, "Beanie!"

"Aunt Anna!" Allie launched herself into her godmother's arms, "Kurt's napping so it's me and you! Think we could watch Hugs and Tugs' story with lots of cookie dough ice cream?"

"Of course," Anna promised before turning to Seth and Marissa, "You to go. Don't have too much fun."

"We'll try not to," Seth winked, taking Marissa's hand and leading them out of the house.

Trying to repair it
Any way you can

According to Seth, the summer months had too many parties in them. There was Allie's birthday, his anniversary, and not to mention any events that Newport seemed to cook up for him and Marissa to have to attend. Not to mention now they had to get dressed up and watch a bunch of people pretend to mourn over the reunion of Caleb's passing.

It baffled Seth's mind.

In a week's time, he would be brushing shoulders with all these people once again when they came to celebrate his and Marissa's seventh year of marriage. He really should've decided to go with small and simple for the even, especially since both himself and his wife included hated these big Newport events.

With Marissa by his side though, he was sure that things wouldn't be as bad as he always thoughts. Especially since they were now patching up their relationship and slowly getting back to how they used to be, not too long ago. The only problem was that Summer would be here.

He was afraid Marissa would have a setback in their improvement.

Of course, he didn't really plan on talking to Summer anyway. Not after what had happened last time.

"Coop. Cohen."

Summer was standing behind them, dressed in a simple black dress, Ryan beside her.

The not talking to her plan certainly seemed to be going down the drain now.

"Look, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for all the…the trouble between you two," Summer continued, "I never meant to, like, ruin things between your or whatever because you guys seemed so happy."

"Neither did I," Ryan put in.

"It's all right, man…and Summer," Seth shrugged, "We kind of set ourselves up for it. After fourteen years, we never thought you guys would come back. I guess we never prepared ourselves for what might happen. That we might still…feel something."

"Friends?" Summer offered cautiously.

"Friends," Marissa agreed, "We could try at least."

There was a shift in the world then as the former star-crossed lovers decided to renew their friendship and start over. Now, there would be no drama, no crying, no break-ups or hurting. They'd grown up, moved on, fallen in love with other people. Maybe now, the fantastic four really could be fantastic.

Maybe all they had ever needed was time to mature a little.

"So, Ryan what are you doing here man?" Seth asked, "I mean, you were never really exactly on my grandfather's pay list."

"Living with Summer," Ryan explained.

"What about Theresa?" Marissa asked, leaning into Seth's arm, "And Cassandra?"

"Theresa and Ryan are over," Summer jumped in, "Threw in the towel. Cass is staying with me too until her and Chino find a place to live."

"You know, my mom could help you with that," Seth offered, "It's still her job."

"It's your job too Seth," Marissa reminded him

"Hey, so how did you end up married to Cohen anyway?" Summer wondered.

"Yeah, I thought she was too much drama Seth," Ryan chuckled, "Stuck up."

"Seth!" Marissa feigned shock.

The four of them caught up, somehow falling into the groove they'd been in back at seventeen. There was still obvious tension, but they'd made the shift from lovers to enemies to strangers to friends. It would be a while before they stopped feeling the tension, the doubt, the regret and the blame, but they could still be friends.

They could be fantastic again.