(A.N.) Hey! Im updating promptly today so i dont kill you all with suspense. Just pure build up this chapter and I hope you all like it. I'll update either tomorrow or the next day if I have time. Thanks for the reviews!

R/R again!

Thanks!

xxxxxxx

The Looming End

"I can't believe this Sum! You two never fight, for real anyway," Marissa said, looking upset for her friend.

"Well, Cohen's always been an ass. So, how was your date with Ryan?" Summer asked, looking interested.

"Don't try and change the subject, this is a big deal."

"No its not. We both said what we needed to and Cohen made his place clear. He doesn't want to be near me and I don't wanna be near him. Done, finished, over. Now can we change the subject please?" Summer asked.

"Uh, sure…" Marissa stared at her friend worriedly.

Even though Summer made it out as not being a big deal, it had really knocked her, Marissa could just tell by the way she was acting.

"Well, I was thinking that since your Dad's outta town, you have the house to yourself and we could maybe have a sleepover?" Marissa suggested.

"Sure, tonight sounds perfect," Summer said, "I'll have to go grocery shopping though, I kinda made a huge dent in the chips, chocolate and ice cream department last night," she sighed.

"Okay, sure." Marissa glanced at the clock and sighed, getting up.

"So, I should be going I have some stuff to do, some shopping. Hey do you want to come?"

"Uh, where are you going?"

"Well I'll probably head to fashion island then South Coast maybe. I have to pick up some dry cleaning then swing by the Cohen's to…" Marissa stopped as she saw Summers face.

"I think I'll pass…" she said, turning back to her Cosmo.

"You can't hide forever Sum…" Marissa said, putting on her jacket.

"I can for now. Be here for seven tonight Coop," Summer said casually flicking through the magazine. Marissa just shrugged and called bye as she left the room.

"Hey sweetie. Here to see Ryan?" Kirsten greeted Marissa as she appeared at the door.

"Yeah, is he in the pool house?"

"Yeah, he's with April." Marissa thanked Kirsten and hurried out to the pool house. When she entered she saw Ryan laid on his bed with April sat on top of him. He was reading her a book and acting out all the different characters with different voices. Marissa bit her lip as she smiled widely. She loved seeing this rare side of Ryan. The sweet and sensitive family guy who cared so much about his family. It was adorable.

"And then the Prince jumped up out of his chair as he saw… Marissa!"

"Huh? Marissa?" April frowned but she glanced over to the door and saw the real Marissa she leapt up and gave her the April flying hug which she greeted everybody with.

"Hi April, how are you?" Marissa asked.

"I'm great. Ryan's reading me a story because Seth wont come out of his room…" April pouted and looked upset. Marissa raised her eyebrows and glanced at Ryan.

"Really? Well it was great to see you sweetie but I gotta hurry because Summer's having a sleepover tonight and I gotta be there soon," Marissa hugged the tiny girl again. April grinned and ran back out to the house.

Ryan smiled after her and as soon as she was no where in sight, he took Marissa in his arms and kissed her.

"So, what's the story with Seth and Summer?" he asked as they sat down on the bed.

"You don't know?"

"Nope, no one has seen or talked to Seth since last night. Except for April who he yelled at and scared her to death." Marissa shook her head.

"Summer lied to him, she's on her own this weekend."

"Really? On her own? That's a bad idea. No wonder he's angry…" Ryan said, his eye's widening.

"Yeah, I'm keeping her company tonight, you don't mind do you?"

"No, you should. Just be careful."

"Okay, I wont stab myself with the ice cream scoop," Marissa smiled sarcastically. Ryan pretended to be offended and the two started to play fight but were interrupted by April who bounced in.

"Rissa, can I come to your sleepover pretty please? Mommy says it okay!"

"Uh, what?"

"Can I come? Mommy and Daddy are going to a party tonight so I sugestd…sughest….serges…asked if I could come with you. So can I?" Marissa smiled down at April who was clinging to her jeans.

"Okay, but I'll have to talk to your Mommy first. We can cheer Summer up!"

"Yey! I'll get Mommy to get my stuff. I love you Rissa!" April hugged Marissa and ran back into the house.

"Hey, don't feel you have to watch her you know, its okay if you don't," Ryan said.

"No, actually its great. Summer's just going to be depressed or in denial so April should liven things up. I should go talk to Kirsten. Talk to you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, sure," Ryan kissed Marissa quickly.

"I you need me, for April, or anything, just call," he said, as she turned to leave.

"I know my white knight's always there," Marissa grinned.

Ava Gardener stood in front of her opened closet with a hard decision on her hands. For any normal teen girl, you'd imagine it to be something like, 'Should I go for the jeans and boots or tailored shorts and flats?' But for this twisted teen, it was miles away from anything of that calibre. Because Ava was picking out her murder weapon.

She was running out of time and the only way that she could have any chance of taking down Summer Roberts was to do it soon, as in tonight. It was a huge risk but Ava was so past caring. Her plan was to kill Summer then head out to the beach and kill herself. That way she could rest in peace knowing that she had fulfilled the one ambition that had mattered most to her.

"And Beth, Natalie, Holly and Summer can watch me get my wings in heaven as they burn in hell," she grinned to herself in the mirror.

All the past murders that Ava had done had been conducted after months of planning and waiting for the perfect moment. But tonight it didn't matter. There was a stupid Newport event tonight so she figured that Summer's dad would be there and Summer would hopefully be at home, alone. Leaving Ava open and available to get rid of her, the sooner the better because as anxious she was to end another persons life, she was also anxious to end hers.

Her life sucked. Her father only cares about his 25 year old plastic wife and himself- he couldn't give a rats ass about his only daughter. She was depressed, painfully thin and knew she'd never get anywhere. Especially with the cops practically snapping at her heels. Oh no, she had to end this once and for all, and Summer was coming with her.

Summer heard the downstairs door open as Marissa let herself in just like Summer had told her to. Summer was laid on her bed, absent-mindedly flipping through the channels on T.V.

"Hey Coop!" Summer called. She heard her faint reply and seconds later she entered the room.

"Hey Sum, I have a surprise for you…" Summer went white and glared at her.

"If its Cohen I'm gonna hunt you down and kill you!" Summer glowered.

"Hey Summer!" April bounded into the room with her pink My Little Pony backpack on.

"It's a Cohen," Marissa smiled nervously. Summer grinned at April.

"Well, don't I get a hug?" she pouted. April jumped up and hugged her.

"Hey, why don't you go into that room over ther and get changed while Marissa and I talk?" Summer asked April who simply nodded and bounced out of the room.

"Coop!" Summer hurled a pillow at her friend who just tried to look innocent.

"She wanted to, oh come on Sum, we'd just be moping around watching The Valley re-runs all night, what with you and Seth…"

"Coop!"

"…you know what I mean and anyway, April will liven things up. She's cute and we can dress her up and play just like when we were little. She said she loved me Sum, how cute?"

"Marissa, she told the postman that she loved him the other day…"

"Oh," Marissa glanced down.

"Okay," Summer sighed, "But you've ruined the part where I bitch about Cohen all night long…"

"Thank god," Marissa said under her breath. April re-entered the room wearing an adorable little yellow and white spotty nightdress and matching slippers. She had a DVD clutched in her hand which she thrust into Summer's.

"Can we watch please, its my favourite movie!"

"Sure thing sweetie, what is it?"

"Barbie in Swan Lake!" Summer tried not to groan.

"Oh, uh, great, give it to me and I'll put it in." Summer got up and glared at a laughing Marissa.

"Its gonna be a long night…"

"Seth? Seth can I come in?" Ryan knocked on the door. He paused and a couple of minutes later, heard a muffled, 'okay.' Ryan entered the room. It was totally different to how it used to look. It was dark and shadowed with random objects littering the floor. Seth had ripped up all his 'little miss vixen' drawings and they laid on the floor. The large cardboard cut-out of Little Miss Vixen was turned around and the photos of the two had been removed or taken down. Ryan sighed, this was not good.

"How are you man?" Ryan asked the lump on the bed, Seth was hidden underneath his duvet.

"What do you think?" he replied. Ryan sat down on the desk chair.

"Are you gonna tell me to shut up and get out just like April?" Ryan asked. The lump moved slightly.

"I didn't mean to do that, I was angry…"

"Don't be, don't dwell on this. Remember last time, when Summer was going to Italy, you didn't do anything, Summer came back to you. So, wait for her and if she doesn't come over or call or anything by Monday morning, you can mope and hide as much as you want." There was a long pause and then Seth's head emerged from under the duvet.

"I guess so…"

"Great, now come on. I've ordered a pizza and we're going to watch a movie. You need to. Come on buddy," Ryan got up and headed for the door.

"Ryan!" Seth said. He stopped and looked back.

"Thanks man," Seth nodded sincerely.

"No problem."

The night went on and on as Summer and Marissa endured hours of a digitally animated Barbie twirling around a lake. It was torture and Marissa was beginning to regret inviting April. It got to 9pm and April was getting tired so they decided to get in bed. All three were going to sleep in Summer's bed so April felt safe and happy. They laid there in the dark at only 9pm but all felt drained and tired. It wasn't long before Marissa had drifted off and April laid next to Summer, staring up at her.

"Seth's sad…" she whispered. Summer looked down at the little girl, trying to hide the emotions that were bursting to get out.

"I am too," Summer replied.

"I hope you make up soon, and live happily ever after," April said.

"Sometimes life isn't as simple as that honey," Summer whispered, stroking Aprils mahogany curls.

"I wish they were…" April said sadly, her eyelids fighting to stay open.

"Me too…" April drifted off to sleep and Summer kissed her forehead gently before settling down to go to sleep herself.

Outside the Roberts mansion, a nervy Ava stared up at Summer's window. She was pretty sure that she was alone. Ava strolled to the outer door and carefully picked the lock using a bobby pin and in minutes, she was inside. She crept through the downstairs area, looking for the kitchen so she could steal a knife to use. She cursed under her breath as the drawer squeaked.

The high pitched sound rang though the house and upstairs April Cohen's eye's flicked open. Someone was downstairs.