So guess what folks. Jmacsgurl15 has informed me that Summerland might come back for at least another season if the people from the WB get wind that people still want to watch the show. Apparently, the series finale is more like a hiatus to see if people still want the show to come back on. If you want to do your part to bring back Summerland, you can post on the WB message boards or write to Tigerbeat magazine on their website. Any letters that you send to the magazine regarding Summerland's return will be sent to the WB. Come on people, let's rally together and bring back the show we all love.

Chapter Thirteen

A weight felt as if it had been lifted off Bradin's shoulders as he made his way back to the Sandbar. Now that he and Emma were officially through, it was time to work on getting Marie back. Bradin knew that it wasn't going to be easy to get Marie to listen to him, but he had to at least try.

The Sandbar stood in front of him, full of possibilities and opportunity. Taking in a deep, collective breath, Bradin stepped through the door.

The lunch crowd was just beginning to thin out and the restaurant seemed considerably empty. Bradin could see waitresses and waiters wandering around the floor, cleaning tables and taking orders. He searched for Marie.

There. She stood by the bar, talking to Johnny animatedly. She smiled and laughed, the sound reaching Bradin's ears. He couldn't help but smile. He was so filled with love right then that it was overwhelming, like being taken under by a wave.

Cautiously, he moved towards the bar. Johnny looked up and caught his eye. There was a question there, but Bradin simply smiled. Johnny seemed to understand what he was trying to say, because he excused himself from the conversation.

It was now or never.

He saw him enter; sunlight catching on that annoyingly blonde hair. Through the window he watched Marie; the smile on her face captivating. Jealousy: unwanted, untamed, pure jealousy wafted through his veins. It boiled in his blood, consuming him.

Moving swiftly into the Sandbar behind Bradin, Kyle summoned all his strength. It took every ounce of will within him to keep from punching the living daylights out of the bothersome surfer. For too long Bradin had had a hold on Marie's heart. Now it was someone else's turn to hold her, to love her. It was Kyle's turn, and he wasn't about to let Bradin ruin that. Not after he'd already ripped Marie's heart out without so much as a second thought.

"Afternoon, Bradin." He said, his voice filling with disdain that he could not keep in check. Bradin turned, his eyes meeting Kyle's head-on. There was no mistaking the irritation within their depths.

"Kyle." His voice was equally disdainful. A smirk picked at the corner's of Kyle's mouth. He loved raising the ire of his competition.

From the corner of his eye, he caught Marie's gaze. She smiled and walked over to meet him; her purse slung over one shoulder.

"I thought we were going to meet at Two Brothers." She said as she approached. She stopped short, catching sight of Bradin. The blonde turned his head to look at her and Kyle rejoiced in the look of contempt within her eyes.

"Bradin." She said icily. With that one word, and that one small look in her eyes, she laid to rest all of Kyle's fears. Bradin no longer held her heart, leaving it free and clear for him.

Sickness, a feeling of overzealous nausea swept through her. How could she be so cold to him? How could she, after seeing the pitiful expression on his face only that morning, could she be so cruel?

Marie felt hot tears pricking at the backs of her eyes. She wanted to beat herself over the head with something heavy. After all they had been through, the many times that Bradin had been by her side, how could she treat him as if he were scum? It was so inhuman an act that it made Marie ill to think that this was what she had come to. This was what anger, jealousy, and betrayal had driven her to.

She forced the tears away; closing her eyes and willing them to disappear. Once certain that they would not spill over, she opened her eyes. Bradin and Kyle both were looking at her, searching her gaze with their own. Both wanted from her what she could not give. Both wanted her heart; she could feel that deep within her soul. But her heart was no longer her own. It no longer existed. Seeing Bradin with another girl had made sure of that.

"We should go, Kyle." She said, forcing herself to smile, but failing miserably. He nodded, his own giddy smile spreading across his lips. Marie knew that he thought he had won. But when it comes to matters of the heart- even a nonexistent heart- no one can ever win.

He draped his arm carelessly, though possessively, around her shoulders and led her out of the Sandbar. Bradin's eyes burned into her back. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw his head drop. But not before seeing the look of hurt and sadness that clouded his beautiful eyes.

Marie had made her choice. With a single look, a single word, a single action, she had made her choice. Bradin felt as if the earth was falling out from beneath his feet. Blood roared in his ears and he felt his life flooding out of him in a torrent. He felt ill, positively and completely sick to his stomach.

How could she choose him? How could she choose the guy who didn't hold her hand and offer her his shoulder to cry on when she thought she was pregnant? How could she choose the guy who wasn't there to protect her from her stepfather's beating? How could she choose the guy who hadn't held her hand, praying for her to come back to him as she lay in the hospital, comatose? How could she?

Bradin hadn't cried since that day Marie had woken up in the hospital. And he was surprised to find that tears were streaming down his cheeks right then, as he stood in the middle of the Sandbar. People moved around him, unaware of the battle that had just been fought, and lost.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder and looked up into Johnny's understanding eyes. The older man offered him a sympathetic smile. But Bradin wanted no part of his empathy.

Overcome with a sudden feeling of rage, Bradin pushed Johnny's hand off his shoulder and stalked out of the restaurant. Kyle had won that battle, but the war for Marie's heart had only just begun.

Alrighty, so that was an extremely short chapter. Oh well, at least it's enough to wet your appetites for more. (Evil cackle) I am in a really hyper mode right now and a really dramatic one too (I just finished watching Phantom of the Opera on DVD and it's put me in the mode to write very dramatically). Anyways, review and tell me what you thought.

Jmacsgurl15: Don't lose heart.

Soxbabe: Emma's furture role is, as of yet, undecided.

the different person: Yes, a complete physical showdown just might be what the doctor ordered for this fic. We'll all just have to wait and see.

jessesfan0409: Bradin and Marie's make up, if it indeed is going to happen, will definitely be a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

chadslover, Caitlin, cher, Samantha, Jamie, kandykane33, Dramagrl, jessebradinsummerlandobsession, and Saynt Jimmy: Thank you all so much for reviewing. It really means a lot to me.