A/N: Sorry about the last chapter, but the Camdens need some fun once in a while. Besides, the drama will always exist! Thanks for the great reviews! You guys are awesome and inspiring!

The music had ended, the dancing had stopped and the crowds had dispersed. Eric and Annie went inside to start supper. The twins went off to investigate over in Lucy and Kevin's backyard. Lucy and Kevin took Savannah home for her nap. Simon, who wanted to stay and spend some more time with Ruthie, realized that Sandy was tired and anxious to get back home.

Ruthie watched Martin help Sandy into Rose's car. Simon got into the driver's seat. Martin and Sandy were chatting away, probably baby stuff. Ruthie turned away. Would this ever get easier, she asked herself.

When the car pulled away, Martin, both hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans, walked slowly toward Ruthie, taking a seat beside her on the step.

"Did you and Sandy have a good day?" Ruthie asked, not sure what she should or shouldn't be saying.

Martin gave Ruthie a look. "We went to buy some baby stuff. Can I tell you something?"

Ruthie nodded her head slowly, not sure that she wanted to hear what was going to come out of Martin's mouth.

"I'm terrified," he confessed quietly. His voice, sounding so small and scared continued. "We were in that store, looking through strollers and cribs and monitors, and all I wanted to do was run away. I'm not ready for this."

Ruthie put her arm around Martin. It was a reflex, this simple action. It hadn't taken a thought from Ruthie to do it. Martin needed her and she would be here for him. "You'll be fine. It just seems scary now, but it will get easier."

"Like when?" Martin asked. "In a few months that baby is going to be real. I'm going to have to learn how to change diapers and make formula and…"

"Slow down," Ruthie soothed. "Take things one step at a time. Those other things just come with experience. All new parents are scared at first and no one really knows what they're doing."

Martin smiled at Ruthie. "You always know what to say to make things better, don't you?"

"Well I am pretty smart," Ruthie boasted.

"Yeah, pretty and smart," Martin admitted.

Ruthie blushed instantly, remembering the sweet kiss Martin had planted on her. It had only been a month ago, but it seemed like forever. Ruthie had wondered when or if Martin would ever kiss her again. Had that been there one moment and now it was gone?

"Ruthie?" Martin whispered. "I want us to be friends again."

Friends, that elusive word. What did it mean anyway? Did it mean that they couldn't kiss anymore, because Ruthie wasn't sure she wanted to sign up for something that meant she'd never feel Martin's lips on hers again.

"We are friends, Martin," Ruthie assured. "We just have some awkwardness between us."

"I want that awkwardness to go away. I want what we used to have to come back."

Ruthie sighed without meaning to. Martin gave her a questioning look. She looked away. How could she tell Martin that being his 'friend' was not what she wanted right now? What she wanted was to be something more.

"Ruthie?"

Ruthie looked over at Martin. His eyes were entrancing and absolutely gorgeous. Ruthie found it easy to get lost in those eyes.

Martin was smiling. "You're staring," he pointed out.

Ruthie blushed again. "I'm sorry."

Martin's smile grew larger. "What am I going to do with you, Ruthie Camden?"

Ruthie shrugged and playfully answered, "Treasure me."

"I already do, more than you know," Martin admitted. Ruthie rolled her eyes. Martin turned her face toward his. "I mean that, Ruthie. I treasure everything about you."

Ruthie's eyes searched Martin's for a sign, any sign. What did he mean by this? Did he mean that he cared for Ruthie the same way she cared for him? Was Martin trying to tell her that he wanted to be with her too? Ruthie's heart did an impulsive flip, while Ruthie's brain told her to be careful. Martin hasn't admitted anything!

"I have a lot of regrets, Ruthie," Martin started. "But my biggest regret is letting our relationship disappear."

Ruthie needed to know what Martin was getting at. Pointedly, she asked, "Martin, what are you trying to say here?"

Martin swallowed the lump in his throat. "I never lied when I told Meredith that I loved her."

Ruthie's heart sank. As if Sandy and the pregnancy weren't bad enough, now he had to add his undying love for Meredith? What was wrong with Martin?

"I did love Meredith. I didn't think about anything else except her. I didn't allow myself to let in other possibilities."

Ruthie took a deep breath. This conversation had gone from heart lifting to heart wrenching in a matter of seconds. "Look, this isn't helping, Martin."

Martin smiled. "I take a long time getting around to things. Bear with me." Martin took an unsteady breath. "I wasn't meant to be with Meredith because she couldn't handle the things that were about to happen to me. I was really upset when she broke up with me, because I thought that something I was meant to have was being taken away from me unfairly. But I wasn't meant to be with Meredith."

"You were meant to be with Sandy?" Ruthie asked.

Martin shrugged. "In a way. She's having my baby and she needs me. A certain percentage of my time has to be with her. But I don't love her."

Ruthie wanted to let out a giant sigh of relief, but knew it wouldn't have helped matters. So, she remained quiet.

"I've been doing some soul searching lately and have come to some pretty major conclusions."

"Like what?" Ruthie asked, turning her body to face Martin.

"Like I hated Vincent."

Ruthie's confusion was overtaking her. Vincent? What did he have to do with any of this? "Vincent?"

Martin nodded. "I really hated him, even before he hurt you the way he did. And when you had that thing for Mac? I hated that too. And Jack? I…"

"You hated him too?" Ruthie offered, with a chuckle. "Are you trying to tell me that I have bad taste in guys?"

Martin laughed. "Sometimes. Remember that dance at the church that Lucy and your dad set up?" Ruthie nodded. "I set you up with that guy, because I knew you wouldn't be interested in him."

Ruthie's face fell. "Why would you do that?"

"At the time I convinced myself that it was because I thought he was a nice guy and someone who would be good to you. I thought that maybe you would see that and open yourself up to him."

"I guess that could have happened if I wasn't being so shallow back then," Ruthie confessed."

Martin shook his head. "It didn't matter. If you had started dating him, I would have hated him. I hate everyone who's with you and I never realized why until a few days ago."

Ruthie waited for Martin's explanation, convinced the words "love you like a sister" and "look out for you" would be used.

Martin chose his words carefully. "Ruthie, the thought of you being with another guy… The thing is… I guess it all started… I don't want you to be with anyone…"

"That's a little selfish!" Ruthie exclaimed. "You don't want me to be with anyone?"

"Anyone, but me," Martin whispered. "I don't want you to be with anyone unless it's me."

Ruthie sat back, sure she had heard Martin wrong. Martin wanted to be with her? He really wanted to be with her? He'd always wanted to be with her? Could it be true?

Martin reached out and took hold of one of Ruthie's hands. "I know that my timing couldn't suck more, but it's taken all of this to make me really see my own feelings. I care about you, Ruthie, more than a friend, more than family."

Tears fell quietly from Ruthie's brown eyes. "Why couldn't you have realized this months ago?"

Martin leaned forward until his forehead met with Ruthie's. "Can I be honest with you about something?"

"Be gentle," Ruthie whispered. "My heart can't take much more."

Martin stayed the way he was, leaning against Ruthie, afraid to look her in the eyes. "The weekend I went to see Simon, I talked to Vincent before I left."

Ruthie sat up. "You what?"

"I talked to Vincent and told him to stay away from you," he confessed.

"Why would you do that?" Ruthie asked.

"I knew he was going to hurt you and I couldn't just stand by and watch it happen," Martin said. "He told me that he really liked you and you really liked him. And then he accused me of liking you and being too scared to admit it. He told me that I was hiding behind this whole 'brotherly love' thing, just to cover up my true feelings. I could have hit him, I was that angry."

"But you didn't?" Ruthie asked.

Martin shook his head. "No, I didn't. Instead, I ran away to see Simon and slept with Sandy."

"Wait a minute," Ruthie halted. "Are trying to tell me that the reason you slept with Sandy was because you were trying to run away from your feelings for me?"

Martin gave Ruthie a pained look and nodded slowly. "I'm so sorry."

Ruthie got to her feet. Martin got to his feet. He reached out to her, but Ruthie stepped back. Then, rethinking her positioning, she stepped back toward Martin. With all her strength, she drew back her hand and slapped Martin across the cheek.

Martin, stunned by the power of the slap that had come from someone as small as Ruthie, remained quiet. The red handprint still on his face, Martin sat back down. Ruthie joined him, tears falling down her cheeks.

"All you had to do was be honest with yourself. A little bit of honesty and you wouldn't be in this whole mess!" Ruthie yelled. "Am I that awful to be attracted to?"

Martin gathered Ruthie into his arms. "You are that special, that's what you are. I felt like I was taking advantage of something just by admitting that I had any kind of feelings for you. I convinced myself that it was wrong, that I was too old for you. I'd give any amount of money to have that moment back."

"What would you have done if you could?" Ruthie asked.

Martin placed a warm hand on Ruthie's red cheek and looked deeply into her eyes. "I would have left Vincent and went straight for you. I would have told you that I cared about you and wanted to be with you. I would have kissed you."

Ruthie waved a hand in front of Martin's face. He gave her a questioning look. "I just turned back time. There's no Jack. There's no Sandy. There's no baby. It's just you and me."

Martin smiled. "Ruthie, I'm glad that I found you because there's something I need to tell you."

"Go ahead," Ruthie urged.

"Something happened today that made me realize a few things. You're my best friend. I thought that moving into this house would be weird and I'd never be happy here. I was wrong. You made me feel at home. You made me feel safe. It's not like I woke up this morning and realized this, but it's something that's always been there, growing and forming all on its own. Ruthie, I don't want there to be a Vincent or a Zoe. I want there to be a Ruthie and Martin. I want us to be together, because I care about you and I need you. I want you to be my girlfriend."

With those words, Martin leaned forward and kissed Ruthie, a fated moment, almost a year in the making.