Another chapter to help make-up for the lack of updates…

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Summer got home that night and walked through the door exhausted. Unsure whether her time spent that day with Marissa would result in her making the right decision. Seth walked out from the hallway with a toothbrush in hand almost ready for bed.

"Where's Ryan?" She asked, looking around the room.

"He went home a while ago…Is she coming home?" Seth asked slightly concerned knowing how distraught his brother would be if she weren't there.

"I don't know…if she's there tomorrow at the airport, then she's there, but if she's not…" Summer trailed off. "You didn't tell him did you?" Summer then said quickly.

"I should've, I mean he'll find out eventually if she doesn't."

"I know…but even though I tried talking to her, I think she needs to come on her own terms."

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Throwing in the last few things he would need for the trip back home, he zipped up his luggage. Stopping suddenly as he had remembered the last important thing he would take with him. Opening his closet he reached behind a few boxes and grabbed a package. Neatly wrapped in ivory and tied off in red. Carefully he placed the item into his carry on bag, double checked he had his ticket and basic necessities and lined up his baggage by his door.

Stretching out on his bed he drew back to thoughts of her. She was everywhere now, she was inevitable and inescapable. Since that day she poured herself out; drenched in a mix of tears and rainfall. Marissa had been avoiding him, and he couldn't hold it against her as she had every right to. He couldn't expect that she be the one to reach out to him, and he would keep trying until all that was up in the air had been settled. Ryan shut his eyes and was just grateful at the thought he would finally see her tomorrow as he hoped to cross paths with her once more.

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Marissa sat on her bed and looked down at the empty travel bag then to a pile of folded clothes beside her. It was a matter of just placing one inside the other but still hadn't brought herself to do it. Maybe their miles apart were better than the awkward run-ins they would have to endure. But she knew the world will always throw complexities her way. All she had to decide was if she would confront them or turn her back from it. She watched the seconds rotate around the clock face; each second pressuring her to make a decision before their scheduled flight in the morning.

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The sun had come out telling all of San Francisco it was now morning. He exited the bathroom dressed and drying his damp hair with a towel, making his way to the kitchen, and found Sarah sitting at the table eating cereal.

"Good morning", she said while flicking the newspaper.

"Hey", he greeted as normal. Despite the unexpected scenario a few days ago the two of the seemingly let it pass them and carried on their lives as normal; void of any awkward aftermath.

"Aren't you meant to be leavin?"

"Yeah they'll be coming around soon. What about you? What do you plan on doing for Christmas?"

"Oh, my brother always hosts some Christmas Eve party down at the club, probably just spend it there I guess…" Sarah responded keeping her head down.

"Talk to Roy since…"

"No, it's over. Really over." She nodded.

The house phone goes of and Ryan heads to pick it up.

"…Hey…alright…alright…be down in a second." Ryan answering quickly then hanging up the phone.

"Is that you?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah that's me…" He said as he grabbed his bags. "Have a good Christmas, and take care okay?"

She gave him an uncertain smile, "I always do…safe flight." She said from the kitchen as he stood by the doorway. Giving him a small wave, he returned it and went on his way. Once he had shut it the room felt so numb and she absorbed all the loneliness that came after he'd gone.

Ryan made his way down the last few steps from the building and opened the entrance to find Seth and Summer waiting for him in the cab. The driver popped the trunk open, grabbed his belongings from him and organised it in the boot while Ryan took a spot next to Seth in the back seat.

"Ready for the Chrismukkah season back at Casa de Cohen?" Seth asked, festively; Summer rolling her eyes having already put up with his antics for the whole morning.

"Yeah did you call your parents to pick us up?"

"Sure did."

"Hey, Where's Marissa?" Having already noticed her absence the second he climbed into the taxi.

The other two beside him were still unsure how to answer that, considering they themselves had no idea, so Summer replied to the best of her abilities without skewing the truth too much, "She's probably going to meet us there", she said quickly. 'Probably' being the key word but still left a margin of chance to say 'maybe not".

Ryan shrugged it off and thought nothing more of it, while Summer looked out the window and watched this part of California pass by her, hoping every inch that Marissa would be there waiting for them. It wasn't so much that she would miss her during Christmas, because she undoubtedly would. It was more too see if the Marissa now was strong enough to keep pushing past the craziness and not let this speed bump in the road force her to run scared like it had in the past. Summer silently hoped Marissa had become better than that.

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They dragged their luggage in through a set of revolving doors, Ryan kept a lookout for Marissa amongst the people pushing past to make it to their own destinations. As they checked in, the comings and goings of the people around reminded him of his conversation with that girl a few nights ago. He watched as people arrived and departed, now finding himself wonder where they were headed or where they'd come from, more and more lately; taking more interest in the everyday things before he let it pass by him completely.

"Did you try her cell?" Ryan asked now beginning to wonder more hastily why Marissa was still yet to show. His insides became to flutter, his first instinct was to hope she was okay, but the second notion passing his thoughts hoped that she hadn't decided not to come.

Summer had been stretching her neck out to get a better view of the chaos around her. In the sea of strangers, she crossed her fingers wanting to find the one familiar face she needed to be there. She flipped open her phone and speed dialled her best friend.

"You've reached Marissa, leave a message and I'll call you back. Thanks." She sighed and signaled no luck.

"Try Kyle…"

"I don't have her number stored…" Summer said helplessly.

"Maybe she slept in by accident." Seth said offering up some reasonable explanations.

Time began to pass quickly and it made Ryan more anxious by the minute. The three of them sat in row by the waiting area. Ryan sat in silence and praying she would suddenly bust through the doors and rush in. Saying she slept in as Seth said, no longer seemed like a bad idea. Summer tapped her heels contemplating when to tell Ryan that Marissa had been having doubts about coming home with them to begin with. In the back of her mind she had this paranoid feeling that if she told him too soon he'd do something drastic and try to find her. Like she told Seth, she wanted Marissa to come on her own terms, if that meant missing Christmas so she can brood over Ryan, then so be it.

The waiting game catalysed mind games in Ryan's head. He wanted her to come home with them, but now began to lose hope and realise it was because of him that she may no longer be turning up. Time continued to run out and options were minimal.

A representative made an announcement over the intercom, "Attention. United, Flight N71 to Orange County is now boarding, that's United, Flight N71 to Orange County is now boarding. Passengers, please have your tickets ready. Thank you", Said the lady as if pre-recorded.

"What are we gonna do, Marissa's still not here…" Ryan said slightly frantic, and Summer knew she finally had to fess up.

Summer bit her lip and turned to face him, "Ryan…I spoke to her yesterday…I don't think she's coming." She said cautiously.

Ryan knew what she was saying, but still couldn't process all that she'd said, "What do you mean? Why not?"

"She…changed her mind. She said with everything that's happened…" Summer again began to trail off and it was there Ryan finally understood.

Ryan had a vacant expression, "She's not coming…" he said in a dry voice.

Summer shook her head slowly, "I don't think so…"

Seth patted him on the back and encouraged him to turn around, guiding him towards the airline attendant. The three of them walked hushed and provided their tickets and walked reverently through the confined walkway to the plane. Ryan walked ahead alone and Seth and Summer looked to the front of them only to see how suddenly morbid he seemed. A uniformed stewardess greeted them and directed them to their seats. Seth helped to put Summer's carry on in the overhead compartment and they both took their seats on the left hand side of the cabin next to each other. Ryan sat alone once more in row right in front; sitting by the window and the space next to him empty where Marissa should've been. Ryan set a bag of his down in it's place that contained her present, knowing now it sat as wasted space. Seth and Summer left him to have his peace, and he used this time to look sullenly out the small window, staring into nothing as the workers passed by.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of all the staff we would like to thank you for flying United. Once in the air you will be allowed to take them off and wander about the cabin. Drinks, coffee, and tea will be provided on the carts. But until then, for your safety, if you could please fasten your seatbelts as we will be taking off shortly. Thank you again for flying United."

Ryan and the rest of them did as instructed. He continued to look out the window without a sound. The wheels of the plane began to turn and they moved forward on the runway, once step closer to going home, once step further from the one he loved.

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