Thanks for the reviews. As I said I do have a huge amount of this story written already and it does take a few interesting turns. Julie's secret will come out in the not too distant future but it creates a few problems of its own.

As I said earlier, I will post whenever I have a few reviews. I'm not trying to hold you to ransom - it's just that otherwise I don't know if anyone is actually reading. And if they aren't then I don't want to waste my time putting it up. So if you want me to post more often then review more often and I will. Even just a 'post soon' will do.

Thanks. ;-)

The meeting

After they had disembarked in San Fran they found their driver and went straight to the address that Ryan had been given. He met up with the government officials and the developers of the project that he was there to look over.

Marissa had been nervous about meeting all these people in case they all thought her to be the "accessory" that had been mentioned in the newspaper article and that they would all treat her as some kind of bimbo. But Ryan introduced Marissa and said that he had asked her along because he "valued her opinion". They obviously had so much respect for Ryan that they readily accepted Marissa and included her in all their discussions.

Marissa watched as Ryan went in to work mode. It was obvious that this was very important to him and he was giving it his full attention while still glancing at her every few minutes to check that she was alright and still feeling included in what was going on.

They first inspected the actual housing development and then made their way to the health centre. As they went to walk in the entrance, there was a woman about Marissa's age, struggling with a baby in a pram and another child about 4 years old trying to get through the doorway? The baby was very distressed and the woman was taking her stress out on the 4 year old.

"Emily, you have to help me here. Grace is sick and I haven't had any sleep and I can't cope with you when you're in this mood." She yelled.

Ryan rushed forward to open the door and help her with the pram. Marissa followed and said. "Would it help if I looked after Emily for you?"

The mother stopped and looked at Marissa.

"I won't take her away. Perhaps I could just read to her in the waiting room and keep an eye on her while you're seeing the doctor?"

"Thank you. I'm sorry for my outburst. I haven't had much sleep lately. I'm Cheryl and this is Emily."

"Hi. I'm Marissa. Perhaps if we just get inside we can get you settled and then I could help." Marissa looked up at Ryan. "You don't need me for a little while do you? I think Cheryl needs my help more than you."

"Sure. I'll just do the guided tour and come back when I've finished. Call me if you need me." He smiled as he left thinking that she had her work cut out for her. Emily was glaring at Marissa. She was obviously not too keen on being expected to spend time with a stranger.

---

Ryan was gone about 45 minutes and when he returned to the waiting room he was shocked to see Emily sitting on Marissa's knee playing with her hair, entranced in the story, and a couple of other children also gathered around listening to Marissa read the book to them. She looked up at him and smiled. "Give me about 5 minutes and I'll be finished. I don't want to disappoint my audience by leaving before the end."

"Okay. No hurry." He sat down in an empty chair and watched as she kept the children mesmerised with the story she was telling. He couldn't help but imagine what she would be like with children of her own. With children of their own, if he had his way. He hadn't thought about it for a long time. Not since he'd been building the house at Newport. But somewhere, somehow he had always imagined having children with her. And that they would make a real family. The kind that they had both wanted for themselves, but had missed out on, for different reasons. But he knew he couldn't rush things. It was hard to imagine that it was only a week ago that Seth had come to visit him at his office and encouraged Ryan to 'make a move'. Part of him felt like he'd been moving ever since and that he was caught up in some whirlwind but he wouldn't have it any other way.

One of the reception staff who noticed this interaction came to Ryan and offered him a coffee while he waited. "Your friend is amazing. She looks like she could be model or something and yet it seems like she couldn't care less what she looks like. The kids have been climbing all over her. I gather she works with children."

"Why do you say that?" Ryan asked.

"Well you can tell by the way she relates to them. I mean a lot of the kids around here haven't had the best start in life and they tend to be a bit defensive, especially of strangers. She somehow won their trust in a very short space of time. I mean look at Emily. Usually when she is here, we draw short straws to see who will try to keep her amused otherwise, she throws a tantrum. But look at her now. If Marissa ever needs a job, I'm sure we can find her one here in a flash."

Ryan smiled. "Thanks for the offer. But she's not looking right now. But I'll let her know so she can keep it in mind for the future."

"You do that."

Just then Marissa closed the book and said good bye to the other children. She picked up Emily and walked over to Ryan. "I just have to take Emily back to Cheryl. She finished with the doctor a little while ago and Grace had fallen asleep so I told her I'd look after Emily until you'd finished. She's just having a rest in her car. So we can go whenever you're ready."

"But Mawissa ... I don't want you to go." Emily cried.

"Em. I'm afraid I have to. I live a long way away from here. This is Ryan and he's my…" Marissa hesitated and then looked at him and smiled "boyfriend and we have to catch a plane so that we can get home. But I promise that the next time I'm in San Francisco, as long as it's okay with your Mum, then I'll come and visit with you. Okay?" Marissa asked giving Emily a big hug.

"I guess so." Emily replied glaring at Ryan as if it was all his fault that Marissa had to leave. "Do you think it will be very long until you come back?" she asked.

"Well I actually have a job in LA that I have to go to. So it could be a little while. But I'll come back as soon as I can. Now let's go and find your mum."

---

After Marissa had said her good byes to Cheryl and Emily, she and Ryan got back into the limo.

"All set?" he asked.

"Yep. I even have Emily's address so that I can visit next time I'm up this way."

Ryan smiled watching her put the piece of paper safely away in her bag. "So….Hungry?"

"I hadn't really thought about it… but yeah I guess. Why?"

"Well I just thought that instead of going straight home we might go and eat at Fisherman's Wharf first. There's this restaurant there that I really love called the Crab House at Pier 39. Skip actually introduced me to it when we had to stay over one night a couple of months back because of bad weather. And the other bonus is that, with a bit of luck the San Francisco paparazzi won't be looking for us. So we may actually be able to have a meal out, without being pestered. What do you say?"

"Sure. But are you having a go at my cooking? After only one night you're desperate to eat out."

"No. I love your cooking. I just thought this would be a nice change. We haven't actually tried eating out since our little visit to the diner in Newport. Which wasn't exactly a great success."

"Yeah. That was….interesting. But eating out sounds great and you know I love seafood."

"Okay. Then I'll just call Skip and let him know what we're doing. He may like to join us? Would that be a problem?"

"Not at all. I think he's probably a lot of fun. Perhaps dangerous, if you were on your own, then I think he might lead you astray. But I'm sure that with me as chaperone, the pair of you won't get into too much trouble." She smiled.

"What us?" Ryan tried very hard to sound surprised at what she was suggesting.

"Yes…you." She laughed and raised her eyebrows at him trying to give him 'the look' but failing.

---

They met up with Skip a short time later and made their way to the Wharf.

The restaurant they went to was extremely busy and for good reason. The food was delicious. They were all enjoying their meals when Skip asked how Ryan's meeting had gone.

"Yeah. Good. I think we should be able to build something really worthwhile. I liked a lot of their ideas. Although it seemed as if the clinic needed to be about twice the size." He turned to Marissa. "That waiting room was bedlam. You spent a bit of time there? Do you think it's always like that or did we just hit it on a bad day?"

Marissa looked at him. "Umm… I was actually going to talk to you about that."

Ryan waited, wondering why Marissa was hesitating and what she was about to say.

"Well...I know you're much better at all this sort of thing than I am… but I was… I was going to suggest that maybe you could think about somehow incorporating a child care facility into the community health centre. Most of that bedlam was being caused by the brothers and sisters of the sick children. Kids like Emily. The parents are having enough trouble coping with their sick children and unfortunately sometimes the wait is quite long, so the other children get restless with nothing to do. If you could maybe have a long and short term care facility either in the same building or at least close by then it would certainly take some of the pressure off the health clinic. The staff was getting involved in looking after the healthy children and keeping them entertained and I'm sure their time could be better spent caring for the sick children. If you had taken all of the healthy children out of there today, then I think things would have been quite a bit different."

Ryan listened intently to every word she said. "That's a great idea. I'll suggest it to them tomorrow and see if we can get the funding to incorporate it into the same project. I'd be happy to make the extra land available for free so I can't see the government baulking at the extra construction costs. I'll make sure the difference is minimal." He looked over at Marissa. "I knew I brought you along for something." He smiled and leaned over to give her a kiss.

Skip watched the two of them and said "And I thought you brought her along to..."

"Skip! We don't need to know what you thought." Ryan laughed. "You'll get me in to trouble."

Marissa felt herself start to blush. She realised that Skip knew exactly what Ryan and Marissa had been up to on the flight. She smiled looking at the two friends feeling very self conscious.

Ryan noticed her embarrassment and said "How about we get out of here and go home?" he looked over at her and gave her leg a small squeeze under the table.

"Sure…Sounds good. I just have to visit the bathroom. I won't be long." Marissa said as she stood up and excused herself.

Skip looked at Ryan. "Is there any more of those where that one came from?"

"No I think she's one of a kind." Ryan smiled. "And hands off she's mine."

"She really is something." Skip added.

Ryan was still watching her as she made her way across the crowded restaurant. "Yeah. She is."

"So I gather she's the reason you haven't been up for double dating with me."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because of the way you look at her. You can't tell me that you haven't fallen hard for her. And you don't fall that hard in a week. There's obviously history here that I don't know about."

Ryan smiled. "Yeah. You're right. But don't worry about the past, I'm hoping that there will be a future. So you'll get to know her."

"Well from the way she looks at you, I'd be prepared to bet on it…..She doesn't have any friends she could set me up with does she?"

Ryan laughed. "Not that I know of but I'll check. Even if it's just to make sure you don't become my competition."

"Nah…..You know I don't like to lose. And from the way she looks at you it's a done deal so why would I put myself though it if I've got no chance?"

"Yeah well your turn will come. But here comes Marissa. Let's get out of here."

---

When they were safely underway on their return to LA, Ryan turned to Marissa and said "I really like your idea about the child care facility. It makes a lot of sense. I knew there was a good reason for having you with me."

"What? You mean other than the mile high club?" she smiled teasing him.

"Yeah. Mind you that was a good reason too." He smiled and squeezed her hand. "See, you're making yourself indispensable…. By the way, I forgot to tell you that you actually got offered a job at the Health Centre today."

"What? You're joking."

"No. Seriously. The woman in charge came and said if you were ever looking for a job that she was sure they could find one for you because you were so good with the kids."

"That's silly. I was probably having more fun than they were. What did you say to her?"

"Just that I'd pass on the offer. I wondered if I should try to talk you into it. At least San Fran is a lot closer than Paris when you've finished with the film."

Marissa looked at him. She didn't like to think of the fact that all of this may be only temporary. "Yeah. But I don't think the pay would keep me 'in the way I've become accustomed' as my mother would say."

"How about if I employed you? Would you consider that?" Ryan asked scared to even consider the fact that she may leave him for the other side of the world in a few weeks.

"Don't be silly." Marissa laughed and added "I'm sure you're much too astute a businessman to waste your money and I don't have any skills that you need."

"Ah. But that's where you're wrong. I need you very, very much." Ryan's eyes met hers and she turned away scared that she was reading too much into his offer.

Marissa thought to herself that she would love to be with him forever. But she didn't think that was what he was offering. There was no doubt that they were good together sexually… hell they were great. But that wasn't enough for them to consider being together forever. She didn't want to be some sort of 'kept woman'. That just wasn't her. She wanted the whole shebang. Marriage, kids the lot. But they still had a lot to resolve before they could even consider that. But they were definitely getting closer. It seemed the more time she spent with him the better things got.

Marissa looked out the window wanting to change the subject. "Wasn't Emily adorable?"

Ryan realised that she had deliberately changed the subject. But he didn't want to put any pressure on her. If she wasn't ready to talk about what would happen when the film was finished then he wouldn't push it just yet. But he knew he wanted her in his future. He would just have to wait until she was ready to talk about it. He smiled and said "Yeah I guess. But I don't think she was a big fan of mine."

"That's only because she doesn't know you like I do."

"I assure you that no one 'knows' me like you do."

"Good. Let's keep it that way. And any how I'm a huge fan of yours. Isn't that all you need?"

"Yeah. That's the most important thing. I think Emily thought I was responsible for taking you away. I doubt she'll ever forgive me."

"I'm sure that's not the case. I just..." Marissa stopped what she had been about to say and turned and looked out the window.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. It's not nothing. What's going through that head. I can almost hear the wheels grinding."

She turned and smiled as she shook her head. "I can't tell you. You'd run a mile."

"Try me."

She shook her head again.

"Remember we said we were going to be honest with each other?" he pushed.

She looked at him as if to say please don't ask me this.

"Well. Be honest." He added. "Whatever it is, it'll be fine. I promise I'm not going anywhere. You've got me trapped. We're on a plane and I'm scared of heights so I'm not about to jump."

Marissa smiled. "Yeah. But what about when we land? You'll take off as soon as you get a chance."

"I assure you that's not going to happen." He squeezed her hand for reassurance.

She took a deep breathe. "I was just wondering…" she looked up at him not sure if she should continue. "what our children would be like…. You know if we ever had any. Just, you know sometime in the future, if everything turns out okay between us and you don't get sick of me and throw me out on the street." She knew she was rambling but she was so nervous as to whether he would feel she was putting too much pressure on their relationship.

Ryan hesitated before he answered, measuring his words carefully. "As long as they took after their mother they would be perfect." Ryan replied and leaned over and kissed her gently. "And don't worry, I've already been thinking about it. When I was sitting watching you today, the same thoughts were going through my head."

Marissa looked deep in to his eyes looking for any hint that he was trying to be funny but found nothing remotely like that. She thought she could drown in their blue depths.

She reached over and undid his seat belt and then took off hers and stood and pulled him with her.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Let's go and practise making them just in case we ever decide we might want to for real. Cause you know they say practise makes perfect."

He smiled and followed her willingly. "I'm definitely up for practice."