Author Notes: Every time you see this: OX its either a flash back or a return to the present.

One week before….

Taylor was sitting alone in her apartment listening to her Ipod blaring the newest Indie rock her roommate had downloaded for her. Her laptop was open to her latest Dear Taylor advice column. A question from someone called Clingy was next. She had no idea why the Daily Californian kept her column but it was good for her future in the newspaper business.

She looked down to Clingy's letter, reading it.

Dear Taylor,

I think I fall in love to easily and I fall for any guy who pays attention to me. The last guy I fell for helped me break up with an abusive boyfriend who wouldn't leave me alone; now I like him so much. What do I do?

-Clingy

She kept rereading the question over and over again; her thoughts going back to the last man she fell for. She had walked away from him almost three years ago. Her heart broken every time she thought of him.

Taylor began to write her response:

Dear Clingy,

Maybe you should take some time to find out who you are and what you want and need from a man before you fall again. From my own personal experience I have learned that taking a step back from a situation always helps.

-Taylor

She wiped the tears from her face as she hit forward in her in box.. It had been so long since a column question made her think of him. She was at the end of her third year at Cal and she loved every moment.

Berkeley was her home now and he was her past.

OX

Spring had some early to Orange County; the Santa Ana winds were blowing hot heat all over the Southland. All of the trees on the Cohen's block were almost sideways from the blowing wind and the only two people in the world who hadn't noticed were lying in the pool house.

"Ryan, you think your funny but I know the truth; your one liners are planned months in advanced so you don't over use your daily limit," she whispered into his ear.

His hands tangled together on her lower back while her legs covered his with hers. Taylor's head nestled to his neck, "And your daily limit was used up with that quip about my Mother being the nicest woman you ever met," she said but was stopped by his finger over her mouth.

His blue eyes piercing hers as he spoke, "You know Taylor, your Mother wasn't that bad; well until she realized who I was and then that vain in her forehead came to life. How drunk was she," he laughed rolling over on top of her.

"Speaking of drunk did you see Summer and Seth; they were dancing half naked in the wading pool?" she said leaning up to place a kiss on his nose.

Today was their six-month anniversary of not dating as Ryan called it. After Marissa died he didn't want to label anything ever again. It was his defense mechanism against getting hurt again he said to her many times. As for Taylor she was just happy to be with him. To friends and family they weren't even two people anymore. Seth called them Rylor; Ryan of course smacked him when he said it the first few times but like with every that came with being with Taylor he just went with the flow now.

A new Ryan had come to the surface in the wake of Marissa passing. He used to be anger, he used to be everyone's savior and he used to close off whenever something was wrong.

But with Taylor at his side Ryan stopped trying to save everyone and started to save himself. Ryan stopped being anger at a past he couldn't change instead looked to a future with his non-girlfriend at Cal in the fall.

The largest change for Ryan was letting her in. She may have pushed her way into his life but when he let his walls down she was everything the other woman in his life had never been.

She was strong for him and for Ryan that was enough.

Taylor looked back up at Ryan with an evil smile, "Did you know your parents are going away for the weekend? Sandy asked me to keep an eye out for you," she said licking the vain on his neck causing him to moan slowly, "so my idea of keeping on eye on you has a lot to do with locking the pool house door and walking around in my geisha costume…" and before she could finish his mouth was devouring hers.

He knew his parents would be gone for the weekend; he had already planned the weekend for them. A surprise that was going to blow his non-girlfriend's mind he thought deepening his kiss with her. His inside were melting with every moan she managed to muster up.

OX

Taylor was brought back to life as her roommate threw a pillow at her head.

"Hay loser, what planet you on right now?" she yelled across the room at Taylor.

"Planet, wait what?" she said shaking her head trying to get Ryan out of her mind, "Oh I am just finishing my last Dear Taylor letter before break."

Apprehension crossed Summer's face as she took a better look at Taylor. Her face was blank as she talked about her last mid term and how she got tickets for the UCLA VS Cal game on Thursday night.

Summer walked over to her friend, "Taylor please stop talking."

Taylor hadn't even realized she was still talking as Summer asked her to stop, "I'm sorry Sum, I was just thinking about, about him," she said pointing at a photo behind Summer's head.

The photo she was pointing at was taken seconds after graduation, the girls were wearing dark purple gowns and the boys were wearing dark blue gowns. The five friends had huge smiles; it was moments after Taylor put it put it best, "I hope the memory of our friendship will be everlasting." She had no idea when she spoke those words how meaningful they would become.

"Ryan," was all Summer said looking back at her friend.

"Tay, let's go get Sushi and talk," she said to Taylor leaning down to hug her friend.

As the two friends left their apartment Taylor looked back one more time at the photo on the wall. Ryan was smiling at her in the photo; she only wished he could still look at her like that but after what she had done. She could never be forgiven she thought

She was brought back to life by Summer speaking, "Tay, let's hit the pool hall after we eat. I bet we can take some frat boys for their rent money again."

"Of course, playing those frat boy is like taking candy from a baby," she laughed forgetting about Ryan for the moment.