Some things remain the same

The first night of Chrismukkah was a big to do. Jimmy had flown in, Hailey had already arrived and Ryan went to answer the door to let in the other guests. When he opened the door he almost regretted not letting Seth get it.

There stood Caleb and Julie. "Ryan" They said. "Mr. Nichol., Julie" He said trying to be pleasant. Caleb went in search for Kirsten while Julie decided to talk to Ryan. "So I didn't know you were back for the holidays" She said.

Ryan found it weird that Julie would suddenly find the need to strike up a conversation with him. "Yeah I attended the New Port gala and you know it's the holidays" He said. "Right so I assume you know Marissa's in town then?" Julie said. "Yeah I've seen her actually" Ryan said not really knowing where this was going.

"Typical she graced you with her presence but didn't even visit her own mother yet" Julie said. "Right well I actually ran into her at the gala so it was unintentional" He said. "Right because you haven't been with each other in years let alone talk" She said. Ryan started getting annoyed but then was surprised to hear the next few words out of her mouth.

"Which is a shame because I know it's not what Marissa really wants" She said. He looked at her confused as to when she ever started caring. "But it is how you've wanted it all along" He stated. He felt the need to say it

. "Ryan we may have had her disagreements in the past but I was wrong about you" Julie said honestly. "Ryan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Don't look so shocked I can be nice when I want to be you know" She said. He laughed slightly.

"Yeah it's just never really been directed at me" Ryan said. She smiled. "Well there's a first for everything right?" Julie said leaving him standing there. He laughed at how weird it was to have Julie Cooper telling him that she was wrong about him.

He laughed it off and went out back to rejoin the party. He noticed that Summer had arrived and was currently talking to Kirsten. Seth was busy talking to Caleb.

While he was by his lonesome he decided to get away from the madness and take a breather in the pool house. He clicked on the light and found her sitting there. He was surprised.

"Hey I didn't know you were here already" Ryan said. "I got here a few minutes ago I was trying to gear myself up for seeing my mother" She said. He sat down on the bed. He laughed. "If only I could have been that lucky" Ryan said. "She started with you already that's unbelievable" She said getting angry.

"Well I can handle Julie Cooper" He said. "Well at least one of us can" Marissa said. "Surprisingly she was actually civil. In fact she told me she was wrong about me" He said. Marissa laughed.

"Was she drinking because that would explain it" She said. "I know it was bizarre but I actually believed she was being sincere" He said. "Well there's a first time for everything right? I just didn't expect it coming from her" She said. "That makes two of us" He agreed with a smile. "So what are you hiding from?" She said.

"I'm not really hiding" He said. Marissa gave him a look. "Okay so I was but that's because Seth bailed on me to talk to Caleb and I'm not exactly his favorite person and he's not exactly mine so." He explained. "So that's all you were hiding from?" She said teasing him.

"Yes I wasn't hiding from you if that's what you're asking" He told her with a laugh. She looked at him. "Well I should go face her before she sends out a search party" She said. "Right" He said feeling a bit awkward.

She left him by himself it was only then that he noticed a brightly wrapped present on the breakfast bar. He got curious walked over to and read the tag aloud "Merry Chrimukkah Ryan love Marissa" He smiled and placed it down choosing to return to the party.

He ran into Summer on his way out. "Atwood enjoying Chrismukkah" She said. "Yeah I guess just as long as there's no drama this year" He said. "That's if Caleb doesn't have any illegitimate daughters that we don't know about yet" She said joking. He laughed. "You guys talk yet?" Ryan asked.

"Well we said hello which is a start but I haven't been able to find him since" She said. "Well when Seth is trying to avoid the world where does he go?" Ryan said giving her a hint but not really coming out and telling her figuring she would get it and when she smiled he knew she did so he walked away.

Ryan looked up to see that Marissa was in fact talking to Julie and it looked as if for a second they had some common ground he smiled. "So big turn out this year" Sandy said coming beside him. "Yeah I'm still not exactly sure what's made Julie Cooper into a civil human being" Ryan joked. "Oh you mean she was actually nice to you?" Sandy said. "For a change" He said. "Well then your right what has gotten into Julie Cooper?" Sandy joked.

Ryan Smiled. "Hey Sandy" Jimmy approached. "Jimbo how are you doing?" Sandy said. "I'm good. Ryan always good to see you" He said. Ryan nodded. "How's it going Mr. Cooper?" He said.

"You know it could be better it could be worse" He said. Sandy noticed Kirsten going into the kitchen. "Excuse me you too" Sandy said. "You see Marissa yet?" Ryan said. "No I actually just got here but I see she's actually talking to Julie which is strangely odd" Jimmy said.

"I think it's on account of Julie deciding to be civil at least for the holidays" Ryan said. "Which is odd for Julie" He said joking. "Tell me about it" Ryan said. "Well If you'll excuse me I think I'll go say hello while I can" He said walking. "Sure" Ryan said.

He watched as Marissa saw Jimmy approaching and her face lit up and she hugged him. She was happy and he was happy just witnessing it with that he walked away. He didn't notice Marissa watched him walk away with a smile.

He heard a knock on his door. "Enter" Seth said. In walked Summer. He expected it was Ryan so he continued to lay there staring up at the ceiling. "You know there is a party going on downstairs" She said. He didn't expect her so he jumped at the sound of her voice. He got up and looked at her.

"Summer" He said. "You thought I was Ryan?" She said. "Well yeah" He said. She nodded. "I figured I should come see you, you know since we barely spoke all night" She said. He nodded sadly. "Seth if this is too weird we don't have to do this you know" Summer said. He looked up at her.

"No I'm actually glad you stopped up here because he paused walking over to his desk "I wanted to give you this" He said handing her a small wrapped gift. She looked at him and took it. She reached into her purse and pulled out a similar small gift and gave it to him.

"I guess we had the same idea" She said laughing a little. He took it. "I guess we did. Merry Chrismukkah Summer" He said. "Merry Chrismukkah Cohen" She said with a smile.

He was looking at her as if he could stare into her soul. She broke the tension. "So I was thinking although I'm all for parties I'm not really to keen on the food so I was thinking maybe we could go to the diner for some fries and he interrupted "and some Cheese burgers. I am so there." He said getting up.

"You think we should ask if Ryan and Coop want to come?" She asked him. "Nah we need to catch up anyway" Seth said with a smile. Summer smiled hoping he would say that. With that they left to head to the diner.

The party was pretty much over so Ryan went to help out in the kitchen. He saw that Marissa already beat him to it. "This is a party you know" He said teasing her. "I just figured I'd help Kirsten out" Marissa said. He nodded. She threw a towel at him.

"I figured you're in here for the same reason" She said assuming. He started drying the dishes that where already washed. It was quiet for awhile. "So thanks for the watch" Ryan said. She looked at him acknowledging he had opened the present." Your welcome. I figured you'd like it" She said.

He smiled. "It looks like Seth and Summer bailed they left earlier" Marissa said. "Wow that's amazing I mean I know Seth wants to change his relationship with her its just he's she interrupted "Seth" She said. He nodded with a smile.

"Well sometimes people can surprise you" Marissa said and when she put the plate down her arm grazed with his and it shocked her that she still felt it. He did as well but chalked it up to it being awkward. "So I saw some of your work its amazing" Ryan said.

She looked surprised at him. "What?" He said. "Nothing I just never pictured you reading magazines like the one's I work for" She said with a smile. "Well I don't usually but I noticed one of them one day at a vendor while I was waiting for a flight. I looked down noticed your name on the cover and figured it had to be you" He said.

"Marissa Cooper is a common name you know?" She said. "I knew from the details of the way it was shot that it had to be you" Ryan explained. "But you never saw my work before" She said. "Doesn't mean I wouldn't know it's yours if I saw one" He said. She smiled impressed.

"And of course Summer only confirmed it when I talked to her about it" He said. "Right. You know it's kind of Ironic really you came here and burned down a house and now you build them" Marissa said teasing. He laughed.

"Well I figured I tried destroying them why not build them" Ryan said joking. She laughed shutting the water off. "Well they are amazing" Marissa said. He looked up. "And you would know this how?" Ryan asked. "Kirsten should me a picture of the first house you did in Boston" she told him.

"Right of course Kirsten's pretty excited that I became an architect" He said. "Well it's only normal I mean you are her son" She said. "Not technically but Yeah Kirsten and Sandy are my family now" He said.

"Which makes you apart of my family after all what do you know" She said joking. He laughed. "That's not such a bad thing is it?" Ryan questioned. "Depends on who you ask?" Marissa said. "Right the kid from Chino and The girl next door actually became apart of the same family what would people think?" He said.

"Except I'm no longer the girl next door" She added. "And I'm no longer the kid from Chino" He said. She nodded. "Right except to me you always be the kid who came from Chino" She said. "And you'll always be the girl next door" He said looking at her serious. She smiled.

"Well that was who we were when we first met so it's only fitting I guess" She said. He nodded. Kirsten walked in. "Oh hey guys you know you didn't have to do that" She said walking over. "It's fine Kirsten we just felt like helping" Marissa said. "Yeah we wanted to do it" He said with a smile.

Kirsten smiled happy that at least they were talking. "Okay well I'm going to go see my dad and Julie off since everyone else already left" Kirsten said leaving. Marissa laughed. "I should probably go say bye to my mom you know before she freaks out and I have to hear a lecture from her yet again" She said "You know you are twenty four years old?" He said.

"Yeah but that doesn't mean she doesn't still try to lecture me." She said. " I mean I always have to hear "Marissa when are you going to come visit me and Cal? When are you going to stop working as a free lancer? You know you could do so much better then that?" Marissa said laughing thinking about all that her mother has said lately.

"Well for the record I think your doing just fine regardless of what anyone else thinks you should be proud of your work" Ryan said looking at her. "Thanks Ryan. So I'm going to go while I'm prepared for her" She said. "Yeah and you know Merry Chrismukkah" He said looking at her. She smiled. "Merry chrismukkah" She said leaving him behind.

Marissa had said good bye to her mother and headed towards her car. She opened the door jumped in and then noticed something on the dashboard. It was a small brightly colored wrapped gift.

She picked it up and Read it to herself "Merry chrismukkah Love Ryan" she said with a smile. He got her a gift and it was kind of ironic that he did the same as she did but that was the way they always were they were never direct.

She smiled and pulled down the driveway where they first met.