Alex drives up to Marissa's house but decides to visit her aunt and uncle first. As she pulls up to the Cohen residence she notices that life here is different and wonders why

her parents would ever move away. Then she realizes that its been a few years since she has seen her family and wonders if she should have called first. She walks up to the door and rings the doorbell.

"Hel...Its you" says a voice

Alex is startled but quickly realizes who the owner of the voice is "Its nice to see you to Summer" Alex smiled."

"So you are a Cohen as in my boyfriends family Cohen" Summer asked.

" I guess so, now can I come in please, and wait does that mean you're dating Seth?" Alex inquired with a laugh.

"Ugh fine, fine come in and yes I am dating Seth so shut your mouth about it." Summer warned.

"May I ask where my aunt and uncle are?"

"They are in the kitchen." Summer said blankly.

"Thanks Sum."

" Eww don't ever call me Sum again, you freak"

"Well Summer you need to get over your jealousy that I hit on Marissa and not you" Alex laughed out.

"Whatever freak" Was all Summer could get out it frustration with the blonde girl in front of her. Summer turned and went back upstairs while Alex walked in the direction of the kitchen.

"Well I hope this isn't a bad time." Alex said as she turned around the corner into the kitchen.

"Oh my God, Alex!" Kirsten yelled as she ran to hug her niece.

"Its nice to see you to Aunt K" Alex said, a little taken back in the hug.

"Its been too long, how are you?" Kirsten inquired.

"Yea it has and I'm great, I just have a new friend I'm gonna hang out with tonight and she lives next door so I thought I would stop by for a minute."

"Wait, wait, Marissa Cooper is your new girlfriend?"

"Huh, girlfriend?..no but... how did you..?" Alex stuttered out.

"It's ok sweetie... your mom called here when she threw you out and asked us not to take you in or help you because you would ruin the 'Cohen name' because you were gay, but we told her we didn't care about you being gay and if you came to us we would help you." Kirsten explained.

"Wow...you know its funny but I never thought about coming here but in the past few days im starting to realize I should have."

"So now tell me are you dating Marissa or what?" Kirsten asked again.

"No we are just friends, I wish it were like that and maybe it will be soon but..." Alex started to explain but was interrupted by the door bell.

"Hold that thought hun, let me just get the door." Kirsten said as she walked out, a minute later she returned and as Alex looked up she was surprised to see Marissa walk in behind her.

"Hey Alex, Summer called and told me you were over here." Marissa smiled.

"Yeah I got here a little early so I figured I should visit while im here." Alex grinned back.

"So I can see you were talking so I'll just hang upstairs with Summer and Seth till your done."

"Ok, I'll only be a few more minutes and I'll just come upstairs since I haven't seen Seth yet."

"Sure alright, see you later Kirsten"Marissa said as she turned to leave.

Kirsten who had just been standing there quietly throughout that exchange just smiled and shook her head and as soon as Marissa was out of the kitchen she turned to Alex and said "Well that was interesting... I think she definitely likes you Alex."

"What makes you say that Aunt K?"

"Because I've known her for years and because she dated my other son Ryan for a year and I've never seen her look at him the way she looked at you just now." Kirsten informed Alex.

" That could be because she loved him and we are just friends." Alex protested

"I'm not so sure of that and you just told me you like her so why are you so disbelieving?" Kirsten wondered

"Because Aunt Kirsten I've had my heart broken before so I don't want to get my hopes up."

"Well I guess that is understandable. But don't worry sweetie just try to have fun tonight," Kirsten tried to comfort her niece. "Where are you taking her if you don't mind me asking?"

" Well I heard about this place called 'The Lighthouse' so I was gonna take her there but judging by the look on your face I guess I'll have to come up with plan b."

" Normally I would say that's a great idea its just that, that happens to be your uncle Sandy's restaurant and today he asked Ryan to help out. So unless you want to be on a date and run into her ex boyfriend I would think today's a bad idea. Plus you know your uncle doesn't stop talking and if he sees you, the two of you won't have any alone time." Kirsten explained.

" Well thanks for the warning Aunt Kirsten and by the way do you thin I could stay here tonight I'm thinking its gonna be late when my date is over."

"Sure sweetie you can stay here anytime you want."

"Thanks Aunt K" Alex yelled before running upstairs to get Marissa.

Upstairs Seth, Summer and Marissa were talking. Seth was telling the girls what Alex was like when they were kids. Seth had just finished a story about a thanksgiving play they had once done when Alex walked in.

Marissa turned to her trying to suppress a laugh as she said "well if it isn't Tina the dancing turkey."

"Huh,"Alex stopped for a second before remembering where that name came from "Ooh, Seth I am so gonna kick your ass for telling them that story, it's the first time you've seen me in three years and already your trying to embarrass me."

"You know me cous it's a talent I have when it comes to you. But anyway how the hell are you?" Seth remarked while grabbing her in for a hug.

"I good these days little cousin. I see you somehow managed to get a girlfriend, what did you do drug her." Alex laughed out.

"Ha ha very funny no she fell in love with my charm. Now sit down, stay awhile."

"Can't cousin, Marissa and I have plans already. We should really get going."

Marissa looked up at that last statement from Alex and she started to grab her purse when she said "Alright guys maybe we'll see you at the bait shop after dinner."

Alex looked at Marissa before agreeing "Yea maybe...but if not I think I'll be here a couple of days anyway so we'll hang then.""Later"That was all Alex said before grabbing Marissa's hand and leading her out of the house and to her car.

"So where we headed?" Marissa asks happily.

"Well I was planning to take you to the lighthouse but Aunt K says that's probably not the best idea so I was thinking we could pick up food and I do still owe you ice cream and then go somewhere like your house, my house or back to my aunt's house." Alex threw her idea out thinking that it wouldn't fly.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Only my parents are home, and at the Cohens Seth and Summer would bug us to death with their incessant bantering. Soo unless you can think of a reason we're better off with my parents than yours I'm thinking we should head to your house."

"Well we are definitely better off with your parents than mine but that's a long story for a different day...luckily for us I live alone in my own apartment. So yea I guess we could head there. It's only a 20 minute drive."

"Yea that's cool. But I think I should get my car so you don't have to drive back."

"Are you sure because I was just gonna stay here tonight?"

"No its fine I'll just follow you to your house."

"Ok that's fine,"

At Alex's apartment

"I can't believe you have such bad taste in movies... and that you haven't seen Batman Begins." Alex said while trying to catch her breath from laughing hysterically.

"Can you imagine summer in a movie that's slightly scary and besides Be Cool wasn't that bad." Marissa managed to laugh out.

"Now that we've officially managed to pig out on Chinese food and ice cream can we watch the movie now?"

"Yea sure but let me call my mom and tell her I'll be a little late."

"Well that's good I'm already making you miss curfew. Your parents should love me."Alex chuckled.

"I could leave just to protect your good name" Marissa slyly remarked.

"NO! I mean No it's not that important"

Alex's outburst made Marissa laugh as she shook her head and asked " Hey can a borrow a shirt this one is sticking to me."

"Sure no problem, I think we could find something just follow me." Alex said as she walked towards her bedroom.

Marissa was standing in front of the mirror waiting for Alex to come out of the laundry room. She had found a few pictures that Alex kept on her dresser and was lost in her thoughts. She was asking herself why this felt so weird . She had only known Alex a few days but she felt so comfortable around her. A comfort she had never felt before. But Alex was a girl so could these feelings be real.

Alex had come back in and noticed how spaced out Marissa had become in her thoughts and for a few minutes Alex just stood there and watched her. Alex thought she had found the girl of her dreams and after their night together she was sure the girl in front of her was feeling the same way.

Alex walked up to Marissa and put her arms around the girls waist. "Hey gorgeous, what are thinking so hard about?"

Marissa, though she realized she should have been, wasn't the least bit startled, in fact she was feeling safer than ever. Instead she leaned back a little and smiled before responding "A lot but nothing important...I'm glad we're hanging out. I wish I didn't have to leave after the movie."

"You don't have to you know, you could stay here tonight. I promise to wake you up in time for you to make it to school." Alex said in between kisses on Marissa's neck.

"Wait... don't you have school in the morning also?"Marissa now turned around to look at Alex.

"No. When my parents kicked me out for being gay. I dropped out so I could work at the Bait Shop and get an apartment to bring gorgeous girls back to." Alex said now her kisses were becoming longer.

She stared for a second before speaking, "If I didn't know any better I would think you were seriously hitting on me right now."

"That's because I am." Alex whispered before kissing Marissa fully on the lips.

The two girls made out for a minute before Marissa realized what was happening. When she did she pushed Alex away and ran towards the door while yelling back "Oh my God Alex I can't do this..I'm sorry...I really have to go."

Alex chased after her as she called out "Marissa wait its ok...its my fault...don't leave like this." But her yells went unanswered as Marissa sped away towards home leaving Alex alone.

Alex sat back on her bed replaying the night and realizing that nothing that happened that night was anything more than friendly banter. Now Alex was beating herself up thinking that she ruined what could have been a great friendship. She went to sleep that night knowing that any chances of that were gone now because she misread the signs.

Now back at home Marissa laid on her bed crying. She was upset. She had realized that Alex meant a lot to her but when they were kissing Marissa got scared. She pushed Alex away and now she regretted it. Its just that she was confused and at that moment her brain was telling her to run...FAST! She doesn't know why but she listened when deep inside her heart was telling her it was right.

The next day Summer arrived at school only to find that Marissa wasn't there and she wasn't answering any of her phone calls either. Summer was worried to at lunch she took off for the Cooper-Nichol mansion. She arrived to see that Marissa's car was there so when there was no answer at the door she decided to use her emergency key. She ran up the stairs to Marissa's room and slowly opened the door. What she saw was Marissa still lying in bed and what she heard was her crying. "Coop, sweetie, what's wrong?"

Marissa was barely audible so she just shook her head to signal nothing.

Seeing her state Summer obviously wasn't buying that so she tried a different tactic. "Marissa Cooper if you don't tell me what's wrong right now I will sooo go rage blackout on your ass."

Realizing she needed to talk anyway Marissa slowly sat up and tried to talk but barely did as she started to cry even thinking about the previous night.

"Oh my God its Alex... Is she like uber psycho bitch? Do I have a blonde ass to kick?"

"Marissa looked up and smiled softly at her tiny friend. Now that she was finally calmed down a bit Marissa spoke "No Summer you don't, Alex was super sweet the entire night. It was me who wound up being the asshole."

"What did you do?"

"Its just I think I have feelings for her and I know I gave her the signals that I did but when she kissed me I freaked and I ran out of her house. Now I'm positive she thinks im a jerk for leading her on then pushing her away."

" First of all... you THINK you have feelings for her? Well I can tell you this I have never ever seen you smile more than you have since the day you met her. Not even with Ryan, so the feelings are obviously there. Secondly, what the hell are you scared of that girl is HOT if I do say so myself and she's obviously in to you and you said she was sweet so I don't know what the problem is. I'm sure if you explain how you were feeling she'll understand."

" Summer when did you become all zen like?"

" It comes from reading Cohen's Star Wars comic books."

" Well thanks Sum, you're right I need to talk to her."

"How the hell are you gonna manage that."

"We are going to that party tonight at the Baitshop. Even if she isn't partying she'll be working so no matter what she'll be there."

" You are so lucky I love you. Now come on we are gonna make you look so hot she won't think twice about taking you back."

"Thanks Sum you are the best."

"Don't I know it"