(A.N.) Hiya! Im sorry for not updating sooner, ive been so busy lately but the climax is here! Its only a shortish chapter because i had to split up the action more so its more suspenseful. We really see how crazy Ava is and how Summer, Marissa and April cope with the situation. I hope you like it!

Thank you sooooooo much for the reviews they were awesome! Please review again!

R/R Thanks everybody!

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Stumble and Fall

April Sophie Cohen's heart stopped as she heard the footsteps of someone padding around downstairs. She knew that it wasn't Summer's Dad because Summer had told her about how he'd gone to see her step monster so April was pretty scared. She'd seen enough movies where a bad person broke into someone else's house and the results weren't nice. There was only one thought that flew into her mind, the one person who she knew would help. Seth. April slipped out of the bed carefully so she didn't wake up Summer and Marissa and seized Summer's cell phone. She knew her house phone number off by heart as Sandy and Kirsten had taught it her if ever she needed them. She dialled the number and prayed for her brothers to answer. After about 5 rings which seemed like an eternity to April, Seth answered.

"Hello?"

"Seth! Its me, I'm at Summer's there's someone downstairs!" April whispered into the phone. Seth's blood turned to ice and he straightened up.

"You better not be messing April. Who? Do you know, have you seen them?" Seth asked hurriedly.

"One sec," April rested the phone down and quietly rushed over to the door opening it quietly and slipping out, looking down at the lower level through the banisters on the hall. She hid herself, peering for a sign, a shadow, anything.

"April! April come back! Don't leave!" Seth cried into the phone. Summer shuffled slightly in her sleep and her eye's flickered open as she heard Seth's voice.

"Cohen?" she yawned.

She glanced over at the open cell phone and grabbed it, putting it to her ear.

"Who's there?"

"Summer?"

"Cohen! What are you…?"

"Summer, is April with you?" Seth asked urgently.

"No, oh god where is she?" Seth's heart pounded as Summer began to sound more and more worried, she didn't know about April's discovery.

Meanwhile, April was still waiting, getting worried about everyone shouting at her when they discovered that no one was there. Suddenly a tall, thin shadow of a person slowly drifted across the hall below April. She darted back into the room. Summer jumped as the tiny girl faced Summer, her face a ghostly white and her eyes glazed over.

"April? April what's going on?" Summer asked, her hand shaking.

"Someone's here, a girl. She's downstairs Summer," April sobbed quietly, she'd never been so scared in her life. Summer knew who it was instantly.

"Cohen, Ava, she's here, get over here fast!" Summer said quietly into the phone, her voice quivering in fear. Seth had frozen at hearing the one name that he and Summer had feared for the last month. It was happening and his little sister was in danger too.

"I'll be right there. Oh and Summer, I'm sorry for everything, I overreacted, just stay safe," he said sincerely.

"I'm sorry too, please come quickly," Summer said quickly, a tear running down her cheek.

By this time April had woken up Marissa who had also turned a pale shade. Summer stood up and ran to her closet to open it, she then grabbed hold of her cell phone and April.

"April sweetie, you have to get in the closet. I'm gonna lock you in so you don't get hurt." She handed the child her cell phone. April had dissolved into tears.

"When its all quiet I want you to call Seth and Ryan, tell them that we love them so much and to call 911. The key's in the dressing table drawer, Okay?"

"B,But Summer, I don't…" April sobbed.

"You have to April, please!" Summer cried. April looked into Summer's eyes in which she saw the fear that she felt.

"Okay…" April whispered. Marissa leapt over and the two girls hugged April tightly before Summer locked the door on a sobbing April. She hid the key in her dressing table drawer and stared back at Marissa.

"What are we… how… Sum…" Marissa stammered.

"Coop, this isn't it. I'm not gonna let her…" she hesitated in finishing her sentence.

Ava's body was throbbing with adrenaline as she proceeded upstairs. Her eyes lit up as she looked ahead at the white wooden door on the end of the hall with a large pink 'S' carved at the top of it. Ava walked down to the door and her hand slowly went towards the door knob…

Seth and Ryan rushed out of the pool-house after Seth giving a very brief and quick description of the situation and Ryan was in panic mode. The two ran down through the house, grabbing the Range Rover car keys on the way. They pelted outside and clambered into the car, Ryan hurriedly pushing the keys into the ignition. He turned them and both their hearts sank as the car wouldn't start.

"What the hell?" Seth cried.

"It wont start Seth!" Ryan replied angrily, punching the steering wheel.

"Why? Why the hell does all this happen when it shouldn't? It just my luck!" Seth yelled, climbing out of the car angrily. He kicked it with his foot and then tried not to wince as pain went shooting up his leg.

"What do we do now?" Ryan asked, looking a mixture of anger and worry. Seth shrugged and suddenly cried out as an idea came to him.

"We walk Ryan."

"What? Summer's house is really far from here, we'll never make it!" Ryan said. Seth stared back at Ryan, his eyes filled with determination.

"Ryan, a crazy serial killer has broken into a house where my girlfriend, your girlfriend and our little sister are. We have NO choice!" Seth yelled.

Ryan nodded and the two pelted down the driveway and off into the streets, veiled with darkness.

Ava stood, staring at the two girls before her. Both were quivering with fear, especially Marissa. Summer stood with her back straight and tried to hide the fear that yearned inside her body but it was obvious to Ava. They'd tried to stop her, and failed. She was slippery and both felt that the end was near, they just didn't want to believe it.

"What do you want Ava?" Summer asked, trying to hide her shaky voice.

"Wow, Summer Roberts remembers me," Ava said, looking surprised.

"How could I forget you," Summer spat. How could she forget the piercing grey eyes that sliced into you like a razor every time she stared at you. Her painfully thin figure and the way her clothes hung loosely off of her jutting bones. Her dusky blonde, straggly hair which reached her lower back and frizzed out from the roots. And not forgetting the sick smile on her face.

"I have a score to settle Summer, I thought you would have worked that out," Ava smiled.

"No you don't," Summer whispered.

"You probably don't remember, your heads full of stupid junk like how hot you look in your new skirt or 'which guy will I make out with tonight?'" Ava replied.

"You know nothing about me! You never did!" Summer cried.

"Oh, I know enough about how you and your little friends humiliated me every day of my school life. And that's enough for me…" Ava, moved closer to Summer who scowled and bit her lip to stop her from lashing out.

"And look who else we have here. Marissa Cooper. Popularity Princess of Newport."

"I never did anything to you," Marissa said, unflinching.

"True, but you know what? I still hated you. You had everything, everything. And I didn't like you so I guess I'll just kill you too…" Ava grinned hatefully.

"No. This is between me and you Ava. Leave Marissa out of this!" Summer yelled. Ava turned and moved towards Summer so that she was only inches from her nose.

"I'll do what the hell I like," Ava said darkly, her gaze slicing through Summer like a blade.

Anger surged through Summers body and she didn't feel scared anymore. All she felt was an immense sense of hatred and loathing towards this intruder. The jealous, sadistic girl who's mind was warped in an unimaginable way. Something had to be done, and it was Summer's time to step up. Ava turned away and Summer prepared to lunge at her but froze as the girl turned around with a shiny silver handgun in her small, bony grasp.

"Well looky here girls. Marissa, I wouldn't have thought you'd have been scared. You shoot blue collar thugs every weekend so I hear." Ava laughed cockily. Summers hand clasped into a fist as she tried to contain her anger. She glanced at her friend who was fighting back tears.

"So, what are you gonna do? Be a coward and shoot us?" Summer asked, gritting her teeth. Ava clapped sarcastically.

"Well done Summer! I'm not gonna shoot you, this is to scare you and what do you know? It worked. This is for me after I kill the both of you. But don't be too happy, ill use it if I have to…" Summer smiled sarcastically and grabbed Marissa's hand to try to comfort her friend who face was etched in sheer terror.

April sat in the dark closet, her mind going a mile a minute. She'd never been so genuinely terrified in all her short life. She sat with her back to the standing mirror, her knees clutched to her chest and her eyes pressed shut. The cell phone was gripped in her sweating palm and she tried to distract herself from the situation.

She was grateful for the thick door which blocked out a lot of the sound. She didn't know what was going on but Summer and Marissa looked more scared than April felt. She jumped, Summer just yelled something at the other person. A tear ran silently down her cheek and she pressed her hands over her ears thinking one single thought.

'Get here soon Seth and Ryan.'

Marissa took a shallow breath, trying to keep calm, it want easy. She had to do something or else Summer and herself would be joining Holly soon. And she wasn't going to be a victim. As Ava rattled on about how much her life sucks, Marissa let go of Summer's hand and decided that now was the time. It was now or never. She suddenly lunged forward, reaching to grab the gun off of Ava. But Ava was too fast. She grabbed Marissa's wrist with her free hand and twisted it around until it snapped. Summer leapt forward but froze as Ava pointed the gun at her, still clutching Marissa's wrist.

"Sit on the bed!" Ava screamed. Summer nodded, her body quivering in fear, and sat on the bed. Ava forced Marissa to the wall.

"You really do like guns don't you Marissa?" Ava spat. Marissa whimpered and cried out as a wave of pain streamed through her body like a shockwave. Ava then dragged Marissa around and with one almighty thrust, she shoved her to the floor. Marissa banged her head on the small sideboard as she fell causing her to black out and lied limply on the floor.

"COOP!" Summer screamed in horror. Ava stared at Marissa's motionless figure and turned slowly around to turn Summer, her face twisted into a sick smile.

"Looks like its just me and you…"