Thanks to those of you who are reviewing and enjoying this story. I just thought that I'd let you know that I have been writing this for over 6 months now and so I have a huge amount written. I can post as often as you like. I just wait until I get a few reviews and then I post again because it's the only way that I know if anyone is actually reading. So if you want me to post more often then review more often and I will.

Thanks. ;-)

The Surprise

Thursday morning they were getting ready for the trip to San Francisco.

"What do you think I should wear?" Marissa asked.

"I don't know. Are you going to go shopping or do you want to come with me?"

"What are you suggesting? I just 'came with you' or was that someone else in the shower." She smiled at her little joke. "I thought you had a meeting with someone?"

"Ha ha. Yeah I do. But then I'm having a look around this health centre. I'd love to have you with me, if you'd like to come along."

"Sure." She shrugged her shoulders. "It sounds interesting. I'd like to see it. I'd like to see what you're doing in Chino too. That sounds amazing."

"Yeah. I must admit. I'm pretty proud of it. It's turning out even better than I'd hoped."

"I just wish that I was doing something that was making a difference in people's lives." Marissa sighed.

"Films can be very….. entertaining?" Ryan suggested.

"Yeah right. And that really compares to what you are doing…. But without a college education there's not much else I can do."

"What would you have done at college if you had gone?" he asked.

"Promise not to laugh?" she looked at him and he could sense her insecurities.

"Sure."

"I thought I'd like to do something with kids. Either teaching or maybe social work or something? You know, I had a pretty screwed up childhood. I'd like to think that my experiences might help someone else. But I guess we'll never know."

"It's not too late. You know you are only 25. You could still go to college."

"Hmm. I guess so. But I think I've probably missed my chance."

"Okay. But if this acting thing doesn't work out will you at least consider it?" He suggested knowing he had ulterior motives. He thought that maybe this way she could stay with him and not return to Paris.

"Sure. But come on, we'd better get going or we will miss our flight."

Ryan smiled knowing the flight wasn't going anywhere without them. He couldn't wait to see her face when she found out about the little surprise he had planned for them.

---

They drove to the airport and Ryan pulled in to the car park of Jet Corp. He got out of the car and took Marissa's hand in his. She looked at him and smiled, not saying anything as they entered the building.

"Good morning Mr Atwood."

"Good morning. Is everything ready?"

"Certainly sir. Your pilot will be with you in a couple of minutes. I'll just let him know you are here."

They sat down in the lounge and waited.

Marissa looked at Ryan. "Private Jet hey?"

Ryan just smiled. "Is there a problem with that?"

"Do you usually fly by private jet?" she asked.

"Sometimes."

"And why this time?"

"Let's just say the motivation this time was entirely different to any other time." he replied trying not to smile as he said it… but failing terribly.

Marissa did her Mona Lisa smile where you could only tell she was smiling by looking into her eyes. "You know you really are desperate Atwood." Her mouth hadn't moved but her eyes were definitely smiling.

Just then a man with close cut dark hair walked out to greet Ryan.

"Ryan. Good to see you." The broad Aussie accent was unmistakeable.

"Skip. So you had nothing better to do today than hang around San Fran."

"Yeah. Something like that. It looks like a beautiful day for flying."

"Skip I'd like you to meet Marissa Cooper. Marissa, Skip Taylor."

"Pleased to meet you Ms Cooper." He smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

"Marissa, please."

"Marissa." Skip nodded and gave her a look over. "You're even more beautiful in person than you are in the photos. You know if you ever get sick of this guy, I'd be pleased to give you my number."

Marissa smiled. She was quite taken a back by his forwardness and wondered what Ryan would do. He had been known to be quiet jealous before.

"Get off with you." Ryan laughed. "She's taken. Find your own girlfriend." He put his arm around her and pulled her in to him.

"So girlfriend is it? What ever happened to sharing with friends?" Skip laughed at Ryan.

"I may share lots of things but I assure you Marissa is not one of them." Ryan smiled and looked at Marissa telling her with his eyes just how special she was to him.

"That's hardly nice. You keep all the good stuff for yourself, hey?" Skip replied.

"Yeah and don't you forget it." Ryan laughed.

"Well come on then. We'd better get going. I'm sure you have a few million to make today. We wouldn't want you to be late." Skip teased.

Marissa looked at Ryan and smiled as he took her hand and walked out to the small jet. When they were safely seated on board, Skip returned. "Andy is the co-pilot today and once we're up in the air, he will come back and see if you'd like any drinks or something to eat."

"Um Skip. We'll be fine. We'd probably just prefer our privacy if it's all the same. If we need a drink I'm sure we can get it ourselves." Ryan replied giving Skip a knowing smile.

"Whatever you'd like Ryan. Buckle up and phones off and we'll be in the air in no time." Skip replied giving Ryan a wink as he turned and walked back to the cockpit.

Both Marissa and Ryan switched off their cell phones and did up their seat belts. "Whatever happened to you being scared of heights I thought that meant flying as well?"

"Well let's just say I've had to do a fair bit of flying in the last couple of years so I've needed to find a way to cope. However if you have an idea for taking my mind off it I'd be pleased to try it out."

Marissa smiled and then as the aircraft started to taxi along the runway she leaned over and kissed him. As the plane gained speed to take off they continued the make out session until they were well up in the air. A short time later Skip's voice came over the intercom.

"Okay folks you're welcome to take your seatbelts off and move around the cabin. It looks like it should be smooth sailing all the way to San Fran. Just remember Ryan don't do anything I wouldn't do." he started to laugh and then the intercom went dead.

"And just what did he mean by that?" Marissa smiled as she turned to Ryan.

"Who do you think told me about the mile high club?" Ryan asked.

"Hmm…Someone's a little confident."

"Shouldn't I be? I mean I've gone to a lot of trouble to set this up. Surely I deserve a little something for my efforts."

"Well I must admit when I said no, this isn't exactly the flight that I had been expecting."

All of a sudden Skip's voice came back again startling them.

"Sorry to interrupt you folks again but I just thought I should tell you that there's actually a bed on this aircraft, behind the curtain down back. You know, just in case you're tired." The chuckle again was unmistakeable as the intercom went dead.

"You really did think of everything hey?" Marissa smiled.

"No I can't take credit for that. I asked for a shower so we could clean up afterwards? I figured that we could make do without a bed. It's not as if we haven't before. The bed's a bonus." He explained.

"Well I guess we should try it out since you've gone to all this trouble."

"We don't have to you know? It was worth it just to be able to be alone with you, without all the attention and prying eyes I'm sure we would've encountered on a commercial flight."

"What going shy on me now? I think it's a bit late for that. And anyhow I'm all for making the most of my opportunities and who knows when this opportunity may come up again." She undid her seat belt and pulled him with her towards the back of the plane. "Let's investigate."

---

Sometime later, they were curled together in the bed and Ryan asked. "I wonder how much these things cost. I'm might not fly commercial ever again."

"If I'm not with you buster, you'll always fly commercial. I don't want you anywhere near one of these without me. And as for Skip, I think he might be a bad influence on you."

"Nah. He's a good guy. I've gotten to know him fairly well. I do actually use these every so often for work when timetables and things don't fit well and also if I have a few of the staff with me. It's easier and we can actually have a meeting on board as well, so we don't waste time."

"Hmmm."

"What."

Well I was just wondering did you do this because 'things don't fit well" or are we 'having a meeting' so we don't waste time.

Ryan thought for a moment and answered "I think this comes under. We're 'having a meeting' and now that parts of us have met I can assure you that we fit very well." He kissed her softly on the lips.

"Hmmm." she smiled. "We do fit well don't we?"

"Uh huh. But I think we should probably go and try out that shower now. It can't be too much longer until we get to San Fran and I think we could both do with a quick shower."

Just then Skip's voice came over the intercom. "Just thought I should warn you folks that we'll be beginning our descent in about 10 minutes, so I'll need you in your seats with you seat belts done up……Just in case it might take you some time to get back to them." He chuckled.

"Either he's a very good friend or he's a little cheeky." Marissa said.

"Probably a bit of both. But I'm sure you'll get to like him. Come on we'd better get moving. He may be cheeky but he's also a very good pilot and he won't bypass safety rules for anyone. I guarantee he'll be back to check we have our seatbelts on before we land. So unless you want him to find you in your present state of undress we'd better get moving." Ryan said as he hopped out of the bed and pulled her with him.

"But we're flying home on the same plane right?" Marissa asked reluctantly following him.

"Yeah. Why."

Marissa smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Just checking."