Wow - As a few of you have pointed out this is post 100. I guess I would have liked it to be more monumental but no such luck. It is sort of the first post of a whole new phase. When I started this I didn't imagine that I would ever get this far but it just seems that this pair are very easy to write about. There's still quite a lot to go so I hope you aren't getting bored just yet.

Thanks again to those of you who take the time to leave me a review. It is muchly appreciated.

A Change of Plans

The next morning things between Ryan and Marissa were uncomfortable. They both went through the motions of their usual morning ritual without actually saying more than two words to one another. They hadn't spoken about the phone calls or Julie and Dan again because they both knew that they were never likely to agree. So it appeared they both thought that it was better to let the scab heal even if it left a permanent scar than to pick at it until it bled.

After breakfast, they finished off their packing. They were both extremely polite to one another but kept their distance where humanly possible. They were waiting for the lift to go down to the car when Ryan's phone rang.

Ryan looked at the caller id and answered "Hey Skip. Nice day for flying."

"Sorry not Skip. It's Annabel." said the female voice.

"Annabel. Sorry. I just thought …" Ryan started.

"No It's fine. I'm using his phone. He's a bit busy at the moment." She replied.

"Hopefully getting our plane ready?" Ryan asked.

"Um no. There's been a bit of a problem." She said.

"Nothing serious I hope?" Ryan asked wondering if there may have been a problem with the aircraft again.

"Well, Skip's just had a call from his brother. Apparently his Dad had a heart attack last night and it looks like it's serious." She replied.

"Oh my god." Ryan replied. "What can we do?"

"Nothing. But he's returning to Australia as soon as he can get on a flight. He asked me to let you know that he will organise for another pilot to take you to Las Vegas."

"Of course. But isn't there something that we can do?" Ryan asked again. He felt so helpless.

"No. I just thought I should let you know. Plus now you won't need the extra room." Annabel stated.

"Why? Aren't you coming?" Ryan asked.

"Well I was only coming along to keep Skip company. And now he's not going. So …" She replied.

"Nonsense. There's no point in staying at home on your own for the weekend and I've already paid for the room so you might as well come along for the ride. I'm sure that Keith could do with the company." Ryan replied thinking maybe the only thing he could do for Skip, would be to keep Annabel amused for the weekend. He knew things weren't great between them at the moment so maybe if he kept her busy she wouldn't sit at home and sulk.

"If you're sure?" Annabel asked perking up. She hadn't wanted to stay at home but she had thought it was the right thing to offer to do so.

"I'm sure. I'll see you at the airport soon." Ryan replied. "And tell Skip that we'll be thinking of him and to just let me know if there is anything that I can do to help." Ryan added. "Actually I hadn't thought, but do you want to go with him?" Ryan asked.

Annabel could think of nothing worse. The thought of flying half way around the world to sit in some hospital watching the father of her fuck buddy (as she'd come to think of him) while he fought for his life was not what she had planned for the weekend. She would much rather spend the weekend in Vegas with Ryan and Marissa and see if she could maybe work out just what the phone call from yesterday had been all about. Maybe with a little encouragement on her part, their relationship could self destruct. But she couldn't actually tell Ryan that so she replied. "I think it's better if he goes on his own. At times like these it's good for families to be together. They don't need any hangers on." She replied.

"You're probably right." Ryan said. "So I'll see you at the airport."

Annabel smiled. "Okay. See you soon."

---

Ryan, Marissa and Keith arrived at the airport a short time later and were met by Rob, Skip's partner, who was going to fly them to Las Vegas.

"Ryan, I'm sorry we're running a little late. I got here as soon as I could after Skip called and we're just doing the final checks on the aircraft. Give us another 10 minutes or so and we should be set to go." He informed them. "And I'm afraid that I won't be able to stay in Las Vegas with you. I have another job that was already booked for tomorrow. But it shouldn't be a problem. I'll just drop you off and then I'll return on Sunday to collect you, if that's okay with you?"

"That's fine." Ryan replied. "Is there anything we can do to help Skip?" he asked.

"Not at the moment. He's pretty shaken up. But he's managed to get on a flight that leaves here in a couple of hours. I guess we'll know more once he gets back there." he added. "I'll just go and finish off the pre-flight checks and be back with you soon."

"Take your time." Ryan said. "We are in no particular hurry." Ryan turned to Marissa and Keith just as Annabel walked into the terminal and came to greet them.

"Hi. Sorry I'm late." She said, obviously addressing herself mostly to Ryan.

Marissa noticed the snub and turned to Ryan. "I'm just going to the bathroom."

Ryan nodded to Marissa and then replied to Annabel "It's fine. They're not ready to go just yet anyhow." He replied and then realised that Annabel and Keith hadn't met. "Sorry, excuse my manners. Annabel, I'd like you to meet Keith. Keith this is Annabel. Annabel's my secretary." Ryan explained "and Keith … Keith's …" Ryan looked for the right word. He knew that Marissa didn't like to think that she needed a bodyguard and right now, Ryan didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was. "Keith's Marissa's personal shopper." He smiled thinking of Keith's visit to Victoria's Secret on Marissa's behalf.

Keith smiled. "I'm not sure that she would agree with that." He said to Ryan and then turned to Annabel. "But it's nice to meet you anyhow."

"Same. But I feel like I've seen you around somewhere?" Annabel asked. He was cute. And the exact opposite of Skip. Where Skip was tall, blonde and lean like a greyhound, Keith was a little shorter, dark and definitely built.

"When Marissa doesn't need him, Keith's been helping out with security at work." Ryan explained.

"That's where it was." She remembered seeing him on her way in to work one morning and admiring the body. She was hoping that this weekend would be dedicated to causing a rift between Ryan and Marissa but if all else failed she may be able to find some fun anyhow she thought looking him over. The glance didn't go unnoticed by Keith.

Ryan looked at the two and realised that now while Marissa was at the bathroom was a perfect opportunity for him to call Dan. He had promised to get in touch after he had spoken to Marissa but had not wanted to call from home scared that Marissa would be upset about it. He spoke to the couple in front of him. "I'm just going to go outside and make a call. I shouldn't be long but just come and get me if they are ready to go and I'm not back."

Keith and Annabel nodded as Ryan walked quickly back outside.

---

The phone was answered on the first ring. He had obviously been sitting waiting for the call. "Ryan?"

"Yeah. Hi." Ryan said.

"How did it go?" Dan asked, and then remembered his manners. "Sorry. How are you?" Dan asked.

"I'm fine. But in answer to you previous question. Not well." Ryan replied.

"Ryan. You'll have to try again." Dan pleaded.

"I don't think it will make any difference. She doesn't want anything to do with her. That's why she won't talk to you. She figures that you are Julie's messenger." Ryan explained.

"Well I hope you explained that I'm not? Well at least not really." Dan replied.

"I did. But it still made no difference." Ryan said. "How's Julie?" Ryan asked.

"If anything she's getting worse." Dan replied. "The doctors are certain that what ever is the cause of it is something to do with Marissa. But, I just don't know what else I can do."

Dan sounded desperate and Ryan felt for him. "I think you've done all you can." Ryan replied. "Perhaps you should just let the professionals …" Ryan started only to be cut off.

"I can't believe that whatever happened between them could be worth Marissa doing this to her mother." Dan stated and then Ryan saw red.

"This isn't Marissa's fault." Ryan stated forcefully. "She has just cause for cutting Julie off from her life and I know I said that I would try to help you. But let's get one thing straight, this is Marissa's choice and I'll stand by her whatever she decides. Don't for one minute think that Marissa has anything to be sorry for."

Dan was taken aback. There was a few moments of silence and then Dan asked quietly "Ryan. What can I do to fix this?"

Ryan had hoped that this phone call would have been the last he would have to make to Dan but hearing the desperation in his voice Ryan changed his mind. "I guess I could have another go at asking Marissa … but I'll need to leave it a few days. She's barely speaking to me as it is." Ryan said.

"Thank you." Dan said simply. "I'm sorry to put you in this position but I don't know what else to do."

"It would be easier if I could just tell Marissa about what's happened with Julie." Ryan stated.

"No. You promised. I know that Julie doesn't want pity. That would be even worse than having Marissa not contact her. It seems her pride is one of the few things that she has left intact." Dan stressed.

"If you say so." Ryan said reluctantly, regretting yet again that he had ever made the promise to keep Julie's condition a secret.

"Can I call you next week and see if you have made any progress?" Dan asked.

"Sure." Ryan replied.

"Is it okay to call you at work again like yesterday?"

"No. I won't be there. Marissa and I are flying to Paris on Monday. So it's best if you call me back on this number. Actually thinking about it … it's probably better if I call you." Ryan said thinking that he wouldn't want Marissa to know that he had been talking to Dan.

"Okay. But if you're going to Paris … I mean it's so close … maybe you could have a stopover in London for a couple of days and we could meet up. Maybe sort all this out." Dan suggested.

"I can't see Marissa agreeing to that." Ryan stated.

"But …I'm sure if we got them together, we'd be able to sort this all out." Dan suggested.

---

Marissa had just rejoined Keith and Annabel when Rob came up to them and said. "We're all set to go. Where's Ryan?"

"He just went outside to make a call." Annabel replied. "I'll go and get him."

"No. I'll go." Marissa said. She knew she was being petty but she didn't like the way that Annabel was so proprietorial with Ryan. She had a feeling that she was going to need to re-state some boundaries this weekend. She glared at Annabel and proceeded to walk outside and saw Ryan talking on the phone. He had his back to her and she walked up to him and was about to put her hand on his shoulder to get his attention when she heard his words.

"I'll try to talk her into it. Maybe I can get her to spend a couple of days in London on the way home. But I have to get going now Dan. I'll talk to you next week." Ryan said. "Bye." He ended the call and turned around to find Marissa standing right in front of him.

"Dan? You were talking to Dan?" she asked.

Ryan looked guiltily at her. "I promised I call him back."

"Unbelievable." She said shaking her head from side to side. "You know how I feel and yet you still won't give up. Don't you understand that all she wants is to break us up?" Marissa asked.

"Ris. That's not true. You don't understand …" Ryan started only to be cut short by Marissa.

"Maybe that's what you want too? If it is, you should just come out and say so. You don't have to drag me home to Paris to do it." She said turning on her heels to walk back inside.

Ryan grabbed for her arm. "You know that's not what I want. Your home is with me." he replied.

"Is it? I'm not so sure anymore." She said and pulled her arm from his grasp. "Rob's ready to go." She stated shortly and walked back into the terminal with Ryan following closely behind.

Annabel was watching Ryan and Marissa through the glass windows of the terminal and even though she couldn't hear what was being said, she could tell from their actions and the expressions on their faces that things weren't good between them. She smiled. It looked like this could be her lucky weekend in more ways than one. Things between Ryan and Marissa were definitely tense, she'd got rid of Skip for the weekend so she was footloose and fancy free and she was off to Vegas with a hunky bodyguard for company. It was all definitely going her way. This weekend was looking better and better.