Outside the air was still crisp, the sound of running water can be heard, Marissa assumes it's the water feature further round. She folds her arms across her chest, running her hands up and down her arms trying to generate some warmth… It was nice out here she supposed…in a really Newpsie way…still the night wasn't turning out as bad as she thought it was going to. She had taken the opportunity to get some air when Ryan had been pulled off by Caleb to schmooze a potential client.

" Don't think I haven't seen you", an approaching voice startles Marissa out of her thoughts.

With an audible sigh she turns round to face her mother…just when she thought she could get a moment alone.…

"I'm not leaving"

"I wouldn't expect you to after all you havent gained your maximum pleasure from ruining my event yet have you?"

"Some things are bigger than you believe it or not"

"I've been hearing that phrase a lot lately", Julie replies with a bitter laugh and she turns away from Marissa.

Her curiosity piqued Marissa lets her mind wander to its meaning. Julie swivels round eyeing Marissa.

"You know you could have done great things at the Newport Group"

"Great? Great what?"

"It could have been you and me heading the Newport Group one day, not Caleb and Se…Seth", not even bothering to mask her displeasure.

"You think that is what I want?", Marissa sucks in a breath incredulously.

Julie eyes her condescendingly, "Marissa come on who would not want to run the company"

"Well me for starters…you just don't get it…I'm not like you, I don't want what you want"

"And you have never let me forget it…that your different from me. Marissa what is so hard and wrong about conforming to this society…its not wrong to expect the best or want more you know, you act like it's a crime"

"It is a crime when its not what you want!"

"You don't want nice things? A nice house? Nice husband?"

"I'm not saying that!…god would you just try to understand me for once in your life…I don't want those things the way you got them. I want to be able to get them myself…earn them"

"Are you saying I didn't earn them! The hell your father put me through god knows how many times"

"I refuse to have this discussion with you", she turns around blocking Julie out. Conversations with her never went any where except in circles.

"NO! Marissa we ARE having this discussion", Julie spits out turning Marissa back around.

Marissa looks at Julie her face contorted in anger. Julie drops her hand off Marissas shoulder her head hanging low. "God Mariss how did we become this?"

Speechless Marissa shrugs her shoulders, searching for words but none forming.

"I just…I wish…things were different you know?", Julie looks at Marissa her eyes clouded by a film of unshed tears.

"I know", Marissa states quietly as Julie retreats back inside the ballroom

- -

"Hey there you are I was looking for you", Ryan approaches Marissa quietly wrapping his arms round her waist and letting his chin rest on her bare shoulder.

"Mmmm your cold", he whispers into her shoulder, noticing the many goosebumps that have risen on her arms, his breath tickling her shoulder and making her giggle.

She turns around her eyes sparkling like diamonds to face him.

"Shouldn't you be offering me your jacket right now?", she asks innocently.

"Ohh no, no, no", he shakes his head at her. "If you want my jacket you'll have to share it", he taunts her opening up the front of his suit invitingly.

"So your gonna let a lady freeze then?", she bats her eyes at him.

"We'll the lady just declined my offer soo…", he sits down on a nearby bench, pretending to ignore her and looks at his watch. And sure enough she moves closer to him and laughing she sits in his lap, wrapping her arms round his chest under his jacket. Snuggling up to him to share their warmth.

"Hmmm isn't this cosy", he smiles.

"Mmmm", she leans in to kiss him. Their cold lips colliding together generating enough heat to start a fire.

"Maybe… we… should… go… home…", he gasps out in between pecks. He captures her lips in his again, before making his way to the sensitive spot on her neck, she illicit's a breathy sigh leaning in to him further.

"But I havent even got to use…", she breaks off letting out another happy sigh. "…your dancing skills yet…."

"Maybe my dancing skills are transferable to the bedroom", he puts his point across further by letting his hand rest on her thigh, rubbing small circles.

"Ryan Atwood are you trying to seduce me?", she pulls back grinning.

"Oh god I'm trying", he smirks, feeling chills race up his back as her fingers run the length of his back.

"One dance pleeeease", she looks at him imploringly, her hands either side of his face now.

"One dance", he concedes kissing the tip of her nose gently.

She squeals excitedly, extricating herself from their lovers embrace and grabs his hand ready to go into the ballroom.

He on the other hand has a much better idea. Pulling her gently back to halt her, he rests his hands on her hips; beginning to sway gently to the music drifting out from inside. Her face lights up into a smile as she realizes, and she leans in letting her cheek rest next to his. Her hands clasping together at the nape of his neck.

And together they move gently , the music allowing them to drift to land all their own.

Laughing loudly two figures run as fast as they can down the path, clutching at each others hand wildly. The man exits his car; the thought of seeing her once again, even if only a glimpse is too great. He smiles to himself glad to see her laughing. The couples car pulls up the valet handing over the keys. He wonders if they are married…they look happy enough. Surely she would have found him some how and told him….

She glances round as she sweeps up the bottom of her dress to get into the car, locking eyes with him. He realises he's caught, but he cant look away, its been to long since he last saw her. A pain runs through his chest as the memories of what he did overcome him…

- - - - -

"Just go!", her voice full of hurt, betrayal and pain. Her anger seeming to carry him down the stairs and out of the building, his guilt mounting and seeming to roar in his ears. The paper bag clutched so desperately in his hand rapping incessantly against his leg, blown around by the breeze. He'd never forgive himself…he was pretty sure neither would she….

- - - - -

It takes all his effort to turn away from her and duck into the car. Breathing heavily he watches carefully ducking low to avoid her curious eyes. She looks confused momentarily, but then visibly shakes herself out of her riviere. Obviously putting what she saw down to wishful thinking…or perhaps not so wishful….

He was lucky this time…it couldn't happen again…he had to be more careful….

Drawing in a shaky breath he watches the tail lights of the car retreat into the cold, black night.

"Riss come on, quick before the neighbours bust us again…", he trails off all thoughts of neighbours forgotten as he lets out a low moan.

"Your thinking about the neighbours right now",she pulls away from him with a smirk, pulling at his belt teasingly.

He leans against the door to the apartment trying to catch his breath. She reaches out putting her hand in his pocket looking for the key to the apartment…amongst other things….

"Aha", she holds up the key victoriously. The key sways round merrily on its metal mistletoe key chain, Ryan gives it an evil glare.

"Do you now see the wonders of mistletoe key chains?", she giggles jiggling the keys over his head.

"I'm coming round I think", he laughs reaching for the keys before she can tease him any longer. Her hand slips into his and they fumble their way into the dark living room. Not even bothering to turn on any lights as they manouever their way through the dark to the bedroom.

Marissa grabs his arm halting him at the foot of the bed. He blinks repeatedly trying to make his eyes adjust to the dark quicker, before long he can see her face and he sees shes looking at him. It almost startles him the look in her eyes, they hold so much that neither can ever express vocally. He nods to her, picking up her hand and kissing the top of it gently, holding it to his face. She moves forward grazing his lips with her own, locking them in a world where nothing can touch them.

Tentatively she moves her hands to his collar and pulling back from him, she pulls at his his tie removing it quickly. He laughs as she sends it flying over her shoulder. His laughter dries up as her hands remove his jacket and move to his dresss shirt. Slowly she unbuttons it their eyes never leaving the other, his desire for her increasing with every moment.

He runs a single finger down one of her arms following the trail with his lips, sparks showering in all directions. She shivers and places her hands against his chest, he helpfully discards his shirt. Leaving her to dance circles with her hands on his chest as he slowly slides the straps of her dress off her shoulders, their lips once again finding each others. Shes like his oxgen and he can't get enough, their tongues meeting in a sensual dance. She shimmies the rest of the way out of her dress languidly moving backwards to the bed.

He pulls at his belt, his eyes never leaving hers. And follows her to the bed his pants laying forgotten on the floor. He hovers above her inspecting every detail of her face, before lowering his lips to hers. This kiss hot, full of passion and meaning; the start of something new…the rediscovering of old territory…and signifying the continued steady rebuild of their once torn apart relationship….

The distant sound of thunder wakes Ryan out of his doze, his eyes shooting open. It takes a while for him to register where he is…or more along the lines of whom hes gripping on to so tightly. He turns his head smiling into her bare shoulder and moves his hand to rest on her flat stomach. To his surprise she rolls over to face him, her eyes open and glassy.

"Hey"

"Hey yourself", she whispers throatily with a smile. "…can never sleep when theres thunder"

"Hmm well how about I make you a hot chocolate huh?"

"Oooo yes please", she sits up on her elbows.

"Alright then", he gets up and pulls some pants out of his draw slipping them on before making his way to the kitchen.

Not long after, she enters the kitchen as well a t-shirt covering her frame. He flips the jug on and searches the cupboards for two cups. Hands creep up on him, wrapping round his torso and he turns around grinning.

"You are going to make this very difficult arent you", he pecks her on the lips.

"No…me?…what am I doing to distract you?", she giggles leaning in for another kiss.

"Oh I dunno…say perhaps….", he lifts her up onto the bench top, eliciting a squeal of surprise from Marissa, but he smothers it with his lips, running his hands up her bare legs.

"Hey what happened to my hot chocolate?", she murmurs against his lips.

"Mmmmggpppfff", he mumbles pulling away, reluctantly returning to his task

Before she knows it a hot chocolate is thrust into her hands, and he watches her sip it tentatively.

He glances at the refridgerator and points at the picture and advertisement of an apartment that she had put up "when were you gonna tell me about that"

"Ohh", she grimaces looking down, placing her mug gently on the bench. Her eyes meet his again " I want this to happen at a 'normal rate", she points in between them. "No pressure for things to happen…just us…learning to be independent…but together", she grins remembering hearing that line from Ryan along time ago.

He smiles "I understand where your coming from…but I cant help feel everything inside me is screaming this couldn't be more right", he puts his mug next to hers and reaches for her hand, their fingers entwining.

"And I can feel everything inside me screaming 'don't go'…but Ryan…I've just… I've got to", she pulls his hand to her, trying to make him understand. "Just think of it this way, we can still see each other as much as we like…nothing much is really gonna change"

"Except the fact I cant imagine you not being here now", he whispers quietly almost to himself.

"Hey you lived here fine without me before"

He smiles squeezing her hand, "that was before I found out how great it was to have some one always making me breakfast"

"Ryan!", she exclaims slapping him in the chest. "Honestly though if things stayed like they are, we'd miss all those fun things like…"

"…Finding out your strange obssession with crumbs on the bench", he intercepts her other hand which had been casually sweeping off crumbs into the sink. She rolls her eyes at him.

"Or your 'guess what I can dance now thing'", she waves her arms round bizarrely, releasing Ryans hands.

"Alright I think that's enough sharing", he smirks. "I know all your weird ways Cooper so don't invent any new ones or I'll have to catch up…and ya know that could just be tiresome"

She wraps her arms round his neck bringing him closer, her bare legs cold on the bench surface."We'll I bet you don't know I have a tendency to slap smart arses"

"Actually I think that's more Summers forte don't you?"

She cups his cheek "you happen to like my weird ways Atwood"

"Mmm that I do", he kisses her gently pulling back slowly.

"Ryan?…"

He looks at her; the moment tight and emotion filled. Their lips meet in a fury of kisses, her hands raking through his hair pulling him closer. He runs his hands down her back to rest on her butt momentarily before lifting her up completely from the bench, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Ryan!", she giggles banging him on the back with her fists.

He ignores her carrying her back to the bedroom, where there is more giggling before silence….

On the bench the mugs sit forgotton. The steam from both mingling together twirling upwards in its own intricate dance….