"No wait, there you are…" Ryan smiled and untangled his hand from Marissa's as he pointed at her in the Mitchell High School's Senior picture. It was leant up shakily without a frame on the mantelpiece, taking somewhat pride of place in the centre. Marissa sat in the back row, smiling into the camera.

"Oh yeah…" Marissa trailed off as she set her coat and scarf down on the couch, before plopping down beside it. "My Dad insisted we get a copy."

"So I guess now you have two?" Ryan asked, sitting down beside her, referring to the other Senior Picture which had been taken whilst she was still at Harbor.

"Yep." Marissa nodded, smiling slightly remembering that day, then standing up again as she walked towards her bedroom. "The other ones in my room." She opened her door and beckoned him in.

"Wow, I see you still have that same Marissa Cooper sense of style." Ryan said, smiling as Marissa nudged him playfully before walking into the room. Despite her best efforts, there was no way her new room was ever going to look like the one she had had in Caleb's mansion, she had about a quarter of the space and even less of a budget. Nonetheless, a lick of pale lilac paint, some new slatted blinds and a new bed opened up the room making it seem bigger.

"Yep, even though I've had to work to a budget, I think it came out looking pretty good." Ryan smiled slightly at her reply, before looking down feeling slightly guilty at the fact that she was here, and he had a whole poolhouse to himself and a basically unlimited cash flow. But the thought flashed quickly out of his head as he looked back up to see her still smiling at him.

"You know what?" Ryan replied, a smile forming on his lips. "It looks really good, I guess you kinda took after your mom in the design department." Ryan quickly sensed this probably wasn't the best subject to be talking about now, but he knew he had to say it anyway. "Speaking of which, your mom sends her love…"

"Oh, so she actually knows I exist?" Marissa asked, her voice now turned bitter as she leant up against the wall which her bed was next too. Ryan looked at her concerned, and she realised she sounded out of line. "I don't know, I guess I'm still feeling pretty angry. She hasn't rung once, you know."

Ryan walked over to her bed, and sat down next to her, slipping an arm around her shoulders uncertainly, before she leant her head down on his shoulders. He understood what it was like to have a mother that ignored you.

"Sorry." Marissa said quietly. "I know we should be making the most of this time, I shouldn't be bitching about my mother of all people."

"It's okay." Ryan rubbed her hand in reassurance. "Besides, I'm your boyfriend, its what I'm here for." Marissa looked up at him, that's what he was. Her boyfriend. She couldn't remember the last time she had said that, and now despite everything that had happen, there they were again. It was almost as if they had gone around in a full circle, but this time she knew that circle would never break again. Marissa smiled as she leant her head back in the crook of Ryan's arm, and feeling him pull her in tighter. It wouldn't break again because there was too much depending on it this time. Marissa didn't want to tell him her worries, but she knew they would have to come out sometime.

Ryan felt her relax against him, and he was glad that he was able to hold her after so many months apart. He glanced around the room and smiled as his eyes came to rest on the picture of Marissa and him that was standing on the bedside table.

"So who's the guy in the picture?" Ryan said, a smile playing on his lips. Marissa looked up and laughed as she saw what he was looking at.

"Oh, I dunno…some guy…" She smiled and looked back at him.

"Just some guy, huh?"

"Well, not just some guy…" Marissa trailed off, grinning as she pushed him down so his head was on the pillow. "He's pretty special to me, actually…"

"Oh really?" Ryan replied, smiling fully as he took hold of her again. "What if that guy thought she was pretty special to him too?" Marissa laughed as she pressed her lips to his, feeling his hands tighten around her waist.

"I'm so glad you're here, Ryan…" Marissa whispered softly into his mouth as they pulled away from the kiss, before leaning in again and kissing him again.

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"So this is Denver, huh?" Ryan asked as he and Marissa walked hand in hand down the grit-covered icy sidewalk. "Long way from Orange County."

"Tell me about it." Marissa rolled her eyes, shivering slightly. "I guess it will get better in the summer, at least I hope so." They walked past the park, eager to get to their destination without actually freezing to death, and bashed straight into the person who was rounding the corner the opposite way.

"Marissa!" Marissa looked up as Ryan helped her up, seeing Brittany's smiling face. "What a surprise! I was just about to come round to yours, actually!" Marissa smiled back as she greeted her. Ryan stood silent beside them, wrapping his arm around Marissa's waist.

"Oh, sorry, Ry." Marissa turned to him, feeling rude as she hadn't introduced him yet. "Brittany, this is Ryan. Ryan, Brittany." The two smiled at each other.

"Hi, Ryan." Brittany replied, smiling a little too enthusiastically. "Marissa's told me so much about you." Ryan looked at Marissa, who blushed slightly, squeezing his hand.

"So were are you guys headed?" Brittany asked, moving over to the side of the pavement near the fence.

"We were just going to grab a bite to eat." Ryan replied.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not." Marissa answered, as Ryan felt a flicker of jealousy in the back of his mind, not wanting to share this day with any except Marissa. Brittany flashed another smile in thanks, and walked ahead of them. Marissa mouthed "Sorry" to him, and he nodded, pulling her in tighter to him as they braced the icy-cold weather together.

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"Hey." Marissa stood in the doorway as Ryan looked up from where he was sitting on her bed, dressed in her pyjamas. He smiled at the sight of her.

"So where am I sleeping?" He asked, looking around her room as Marissa laughed and sat down beside him.

"With me, silly."

"Are you sure? I-I mean, what about your Dad…?"

"My dad isn't even here, he's not going to be back till late." Marissa replied, lying down as she pulled Ryan down to lay next to her. "Why, is it going to be a problem?"

"No, no, of course not." Ryan smiled as their hands intertwined underneath the covers. "I just don't want you to think I'm taking advantage of you." Ryan finished his sentence in a whisper, looking down.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Marissa answered, leaning forward into his embrace, taking his lips into his. Ryan gently rubbed her sides where her pyjama top had slightly ridden up, whilst her hands were cupping his face. She moaned quietly as he did so, the feel of his touch after so long felt so warm and comforting, just right. Ryan pulled away and smiled, gently rolling them over so they were lying on their side.

"I guess you really did miss me." Marissa said after a couple of moments, gaining a small laugh from Ryan, before he looked back at her.

"I did."

"So how are things? I mean, at Harbor?"

"Okay, I guess."

"Only okay?" Marissa smiled back at him, squeezing his hand lightly.

"Yeah, well… Courtney's been hounding me…"

"Courtney?" Marissa pulled back, and sat up slightly. "Courtney as in...Courtney!"Ryan looked back at her, surprised at her outburst.

"Well, yes…"

"Why are you hanging around with her?" Marissa replied, shaking her head. "Ryan, she's bad news."

"Marissa, she's not bad news." Ryan answered sighing. "Its not like I choose to hang around with her…"

"What, so she makes you open your mouth and talk to her?" Ryan stayed silent at this comment. This was exactly what he was afraid of happening.

"Look, Ry, you have no idea how many times she screwed me over, I mean…it was before you even went to Harbor..." Marissa sighed, attempting to explain herself but realising it was more than slightly inadequate.

"Well, you should have told me…I would have stayed well away, you know I would've!"

"And how was I supposed to do that? Drive round the corner and visit you in the poolhouse? Even if I called you, you never ring back!"

"That's not true." Ryan said, sitting up as he felt the tension in the room. "I've called you loads of times."

"Oh? And what number were you dialling?" Marissa replied, staring him out as she got out of bed and grabbed her sweater that was draped over her chair, suddenly feeling the cold. "Look, Ryan, its not my problem that you have a committment problem..."

"Marissa, don't give me that, I know you wrote letters to Summer." Ryan answered, watching Marissa's face change, getting off of her bed to face her. "I mean, couldn't you even write me note to tell me how you were doing! Its not that hard! If anyone has a committment problem, its you, you can't even share your feelings with your boyfriend of all people!" Marissa turned around and grabbed something from the bed.

"You know what, Ryan?" Marissa said, the coldness of her voice startling Ryan as she pushed a pillow into his hands. "I heard the sofa's pretty comfy."

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A/N:- : ( So that was pretty sad, huh? Review please please please please. I LOVE to hear what you guys think, seriously.