Marissa glanced out the window for what seemed like the millionth time.
"You can take a break and go to the club to see her," Toby said from the kitchen window.
Marissa sighed and looked at Toby. "Is it that obvious?"
Toby smiled, "Yeah. You've been looking outside all night."
She walked into the back where Toby was and sat on a stool by the back door. "I dunno what to do."
"You've got it bad," Toby smirked.
Marissa glared at him until she heard the door open. She jumped off of the stool and quickly walked out into the dining room. She could hear Toby laughing after her and she paused when she saw someone she didn't know sitting at a booth in the back. She sighed and grabbed a menu for the man.
As she was taking his order, she heard the door open again. She turned around and saw only Tina walk through the door.
"I'm gonna sit here," Tina pointed to the counter.
Marissa nodded, wondering where the rest of the group was, especially the blonde bartender. When Marissa was done with the man in the booth, she walked over to Tina.
"Hey," Marissa looked out the window, "Where's…"
"They're not coming," Tina added, "And I'm going to leave in a few. I just came to ask you what happened with you and Alex. She said she doesn't wanna come here and Rachel left the club as soon as we closed."
"Oh," Marissa looked at the ground.
Tina took a napkin and the pen out of Marissa's hand and wrote something down. "Go see what you can do to help Alex. She's a mess."
Marissa nodded and bent down to grab her purse, but suddenly remembered, "Alex has my car."
"Take my car," Toby offered his keys through the window.
"Really?" Marissa asked.
Toby nodded, "Go."
"I got you covered here," Tina smiled jerking her head toward the man sitting at the booth.
"Thanks," Marissa took Toby's keys and grabbed her purse before bolting out the door. Once on the sidewalk she realized she didn't know what Toby drove. She looked down at the keys in her hand and saw a familiar looking blue and white circular emblem on the car key.
Marissa's eyes scanned the cars on the street and stopped on a black BMW convertible. It looked brand new. Marissa paused and decided to try to figure out how Toby could afford this later and get to Alex now.
She drove around a block for ten minutes before finally finding Alex's apartment. The building had four apartments in it and Alex's apartment was on the right as Marissa stepped off the stairs.
As she raised her hand to knock, she realized she didn't know what she was going to say. She didn't have much time to think about it because the door swung open.
Alex stood there in a white button down shirt, a tan jacket, low cut loose fitting jeans and her old Converse. She stopped dead when she saw Marissa. "Hey."
"Hey," Marissa looked down in Alex's hand and noticed her keys.
"I was just…going to bring you your car back," Alex offered Marissa her keys.
"I need to talk to you," Marissa quietly added.
Alex opened her mouth like she was going to say something but nothing came out. She closed her mouth and walked back into her apartment, leaving Marissa to follow.
Marissa stepped in and closed the door leaving her hand on the knob just in case she decided to bolt out the door. She watched Alex sit down on her old familiar homemade couch, while trying to control her breathing.
"Nice couch," Marissa couldn't help, but smirk.
Alex chuckled, "Thanks."
Alex's slight laugh eased some of Marissa's nerves. She let go of the door and went to sit on the couch next to Alex. Marissa ran her hand over the soft cloth of the couch and she smiled remembering laying there many nights, watching old movies while Alex lay behind her and lazily drew circles with her fingers on Marissa's stomach.
"You wanted to talk?" Alex asked quietly.
Marissa shook out of her memories and looked at the blue eyed beauty in front of her. She swallowed hard and looked at Alex's hands, resting in her lap. "Yeah…I…can't stop thinking about you."
There was question in Alex's eyes. She knew she'd been thinking about Marissa a lot lately, but wanted to know in what context Marissa was thinking about her. "How?"
"Like I…that I miss laying with you and feeling your arms around me. I miss talking to you while we lay in the dark and I miss knowing that I could come talk to you about anything and you'd be there to listen. I miss kissing you and that you don't mind when I touch you or hold your hand in public. I miss you. I want to be with you again. If you'll give me a chance…." Marissa trailed off.
"I don't…" Alex took a deep breath, "I want to, but…"
Marissa decided to cut her off, "Honestly. Right here right now. What do you want?"
Alex looked from Marissa's lips, up her hair and to her eyes. "I want to be with you."
"I want to be with you too and I will do anything to make that happen," Marissa told Alex.
Alex let out a long breath, "I didn't get much sleep. Let's just go lay down for a while. We can talk."
"Okay," Marissa nodded.
Alex led the way to the bedroom where there was a dark wooded platform bed with cream colored sheets and a brown comforter. Alex fell back onto the bed and Marissa crawled next to her.
Alex wrapped her arms around herself just watching Marissa. "You really want to be with me?"
Marissa nodded, "I can't stop thinking about you. I miss you."
Alex closed her eyes and breathed Marissa's words. "I miss you too."
Marissa smiled. She reached over and stroked Alex's arm, "So do you wanna give this another try?"
Alex bit her lip, "I…" She paused then saw a twinkle in Marissa's eyes, "Yes."
Marissa threw her arms around Alex and held her close, "Thank you so much."
Alex slid her arms around Marissa and hugged her. She breathed Marissa in and knew she made the right choice.
After half an hour of laying and talking, Alex glanced at the clock, "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
Marissa looked at the clock, "Shit I need to take Toby's car back to him."
Alex chuckled, "Okay. You drive his car and I'll drive your car, then I'll wait for you to get off and you can drop me off here because I'm so ready to sleep."
Marissa nodded and they got ready and left.
When they parked outside the diner, Marissa walked in while Alex was getting out of the car. Tina stood up and saw Marissa, "Where's Alex?"
"Here," Alex walked through the door.
Tina pulled Alex into a hug, "I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm great," Alex smiled.
Marissa went into the kitchen and found Toby at the grill. He smiled at Marissa, "I take it, it went well."
"It did," Marissa beamed. She handed Toby his keys.
"You can have the rest of the night off," Toby told her, "You deserve it."
Marissa hugged Toby, "Thanks."
He patted her back, "Anytime."
Before walking back to the front, Marissa made a quick phone call in the kitchen. When she emerged, Marissa saw Alex who was talking to Tina at the counter.
"Ready?" she asked.
Alex nodded, "Always."
Tina walked out with them and said her goodbyes to them before going to her car and driving off.
Marissa drove them toward Alex's apartment in silence. Alex's seat was reclined and her eyes were almost closed.
A few minutes later Alex sat up and looked around, "I think you missed the turn to get to my apartment."
"Oops," Marissa smirked.
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to turn around?"
"Maybe," Marissa added playfully.
"Okay," Alex closed her eyes, "but their better be a bed where we're going."
"Maybe," Marissa repeated in the same tone.
This perked Alex's interest and she sat up, looking around. Her eyes got wide as Marissa pulled into the valet of one of Los Angeles' finest hotels.
"What are we doing here?" Alex asked.
Marissa got out and handed the keys to the valet, "We're going to visit a friend of mine."
Alex raised an eyebrow, but got out of the car and followed Marissa inside. When she got to the doors of the hotel, Marissa was already at the front desk talking to a man while he handed her a card.
As soon as Alex got over to Marissa, Marissa turned around and took Alex's hand, pulling her toward the elevator.
"What's going on?" Alex asked.
Marissa pulled Alex into an elevator. "We're going to a bed."
"I thought we were going to see your friend," Alex raised an eyebrow at Marissa.
"I saw my friend, now we're going to see your friend," Marissa slipped her fingers between Alex's, "The bed."
Alex smiled and slowly leaned toward Marissa, who eagerly met her in the middle. Their lips met in a soft frenzy. Marissa nailed Alex to the mirrored wall and her hands tangled themselves in Alex's hair.
The elevator dinged at they hit their floor. Marissa reluctantly pulled away and looked into Alex's eyes. "Bed?"
Alex smiled and quickly kissed Marissa, "Bed."
They walked along the elegantly decorated hallway to the room Marissa was looking for. She opened the door and let Alex in. Alex flipped on the light and stood in awe for a moment. The room was decorated in a rich dark woods and soothing greens. Right when you walked in there was a sitting area and past that was a king sized bed. A few feet from the foot of the bed where white French doors that opened to a small balcony.
"This is great," Alex smiled.
Marissa closed the door, "I'm glad you like it."
Alex walked to the French doors and opened them. She paused and take in the view of the rolling hills behind the busy streets of LA. Marissa appeared next to her and rested her head on Alex's shoulder.
"So…" Marissa smirked.
"So," Alex echoed, wrapping her arms around Marissa's waist.
"Bed?"
"Bed."
Alex let her arms fall from Marissa's waist, watched Marissa strip down to her light blue boy shorts before crawling into bed. Alex smirked and followed Marissa's lead. Stripping down before turning off the light and slipping under the soft blanket.
Marissa turned on her side to face Alex who was already on her side. Marissa ran her fingertips up Alex's bare side. Alex's skin tingled at the touch.
The only light in the room was that of the moon, filling the room with a soft, cool radiance. It lay on the bed in such a way that Marissa could seen the brilliant color of Alex's eyes and that Alex could see the few strand of hair that swept across Marissa's face and rested on her cheek.
"I miss this," Marissa whispered.
"Miss what?" Alex couldn't keep the small smile from her face. Truth be told she missed this too. Marissa was the only one that every made her feel completely comfortable, like she could be herself completely and Marissa wouldn't judge her or anything. Everything about being with Marissa, to Alex, felt right.
"I miss your skin," Marissa laid her hand flat against Alex's side, pushing it toward the small of her back and resting it there. "And," Marissa paused pulling Alex close, "I miss your kiss."
Alex fully smiled before cupping Marissa's face and pulling her in for a warm beautiful kiss. Their lips met like puzzle pieces that fit just right.
In that moment, Marissa realized exactly how much time she'd wasted not being with Alex. She realized she'd been so stupid to think that her feelings for Alex had gone away, that Ryan was the right choice because he was safe, that her feelings for Alex were too strong to control so they needed to be gone. All her fears about being inadequate because she was a waitress and not the supermodel she thought she'd be, all her insecurities, all her doubts that life wasn't worth living anymore, they went away with Alex.
When they pulled away, Marissa laid her head on the pillow Alex's head was on and just looking into the blue eyes that had haunted her dream from what seemed like years.
Alex swallowed hard and felt her heart start racing. She gently brushed the hair off of Marissa's face and traced the brunette's cheekbone before moving her hand to the back of Marissa's neck, gently rubbing her thumb alone Marissa's jaw line. "You're so beautiful," Alex breathed.
Marissa immediately looked down at the pillow. Sure she'd been told that a million times but coming from Alex…it was completely different. It meant so much more.
While Marissa was looking down, Alex kissed her forehead. Marissa started to look back up and Alex kept kissing her away down Marissa's face to her lips.
Marissa immediately deepened the kiss and tugged Alex hips toward her. Alex smiled internally, knowing what Marissa wanted. She shifted herself so that she was on top of Marissa.
Alex slowly pulled the kiss apart and stroke Marissa's hair, "I missed you so much."
Marissa smiled, "I love you."
Alex's eyes held Marissa's and she knew, looking into Marissa's eyes, that Marissa meant it. Her heart felt like it was going to burst open. Alex softly kissed Marissa again and added, "I love you too."
When Marissa woke up, it was still dark. She smiled and rolled over in the bed, reaching for Alex, but feeling nothing where she was before.
Marissa sat up in the bed quickly searching for Alex. As her eyes traced the room she saw Alex, standing on the balcony. Alex had put on the white button down shirt she had been wearing earlier. It hung on her elegantly and barely gave a glimpse of the lacey underwear underneath. Alex hair cascaded down her shoulders and shielded her face from Marissa's view as Alex surveyed the tree covered hills on the horizon.
Marissa quietly slipped out of bed and looked for her shirt or at least Alex's jacket and not finding either. She shrugged to herself and pulled the sheet off of the bed before wrapping it around herself, leaving her arms free.
Alex closed her eyes and breathed in the night. This all seemed to be a dream. She had Marissa back. Alex smiled and slowly opened her eyes. When she did, Marissa was leaning back on the railing, smiling at her.
"Hey," Alex gingerly took Marissa's hand, tracing Marissa's fingers with her own, "Nice dress."
"Thanks. I made it myself." Marissa smirked and after Alex laughed she asked, "What are you doing?"
"Waiting," Alex kissed Marissa's knuckles then turned her hand over and kissed her palm, "It's almost time."
Marissa chuckled at the memory of their first date when it was almost time for the tide to change. "We're not near the ocean."
Alex stood in front of Marissa and rested her hands on Marissa's hips. "It's almost time for sunrise."
Marissa glanced behind her and saw the sunlight start peeking out from the other side of the Hollywood hills. Marissa grinned and turned back to Alex, wrapping her arms around Alex's shoulders and kissing her.
When the kiss slowed, Alex pulled away and smiled. "Look."
Marissa turned around in Alex's arms and saw a sliver of the sun show over the hills. She felt Alex's arms tighten around her and she leaned back into them.
Marissa turned back around and saw Alex's eyes shine in the early light and her hair gleam with the beginnings of morning. The sunrise's beauty had nothing on Alex. Marissa couldn't stop herself from kissing Alex.
They stood there, kissing each other softly, as the sun slowly brought them into a new day and a new chance together.