(I prefer writing about the whole lot of the characters together, which is why I fastforwarded the time in between Ryan and Marissa going back to Newport, to now during Thanksgiving.)

Fast Forward to Thanksgiving weekend.

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

It was November: Thanksgiving, which meant everyone would be together once again. It was a tradition ever since the beginning of college, Seth, Summer, Ryan and Marissa would come back to Newport and celebrate Thanksgiving altogether with the parents as well.

Seth and Summer have been living together in a near-by apartment near Brown. The two have been busy with last-minute packing, with their flight in only 2 hours.

"Summer! You have enough outfits to last you 5 months! Now c'mon, we're gonna miss our flight!"

Summer was beginning to have a rage blackout. "Shut it Cohen! If you would just help me then maybe I would be a little bit faster." Clothes were scattered across the floor, with Summer's suitcase still empty.

"Well you're paying for another plane ticket if this will make us miss our flight!" he argued back.

/

Meanwhile, Ryan and Marissa met up at Marissa's dorm. They decided that after the roadtrip they had to visit Caitlin in the hospital after her accident, they would just drive to Newport. It would save money and they wanted to just enjoy each others' company, alone.

knock knock

"Hey, Ryan, Marissa's in her room." Sarah said, opening the door to her and Marissa's dorm.

"Thanks Sarah." He walked towards Marissa's room and opened the door. "Riss, you ready?"

"Yeah, hold on. Just some last-minute things to get sorted out." Marissa said, walking back and forth from her suitcase on the bed to her closet.

"You didn't do all this last night?"

"I have to make sure I will look good on the weekend. You wouldn't want to stand next me looking all ugly." Marissa was busy looking through her clothes in her suitcase, checking to see if they all looked good enough.

Ryan smoothly wrapped his arms around her from behind, "You could wear any of Seth's clothes and would still look as sexy as usual." He began kissing her neck.

"Ry..." she couldn't concentrate, getting lost in his touch. "Now I'm never going to finish if you...keep...this...up!" She pushed him away from her and turned around. He put his hands up as if he gave up. She put the shirt up to her and posed. "Is this good?"

Ryan looked at her, took the shirt from her hands and put it in her suitcase, then began kissing her neck again. "You'll look great in whatever. Now we have a little spare time before we really have to go and I really miss my girlfriend."

"We had dinner last night, what are you talking about?" Marissa laughed. But Ryan kept at what he was doing. "Fine, what did you have in mind?"

He gave her a smile and met her lips with his. They fell onto the bed and never broke contact. Marissa couldn't help but let out a little giggle.

"Well, I guess I miss my boyfriend too."

/

Seth and Summer were now strapped in their seats on the plane. Summer looks over at Seth, "I'm sorry for earlier. I was just..."

Seth turns to meet Summer's eyes. He smiles, "Summer, I've suffered through all your kinds of rage blackouts, but I still love you no matter what."

"I love you too." They share a sweet and simple kiss. "I'm really excited to see Ryan and Marissa again. And with them being finally together...again, it'll be just like old times!"

"Yeah. The 'Core-Four' as Taylor would put it. Or the 'Fab Four', 'Fantastic Four', Fruitacious Four..."

"Seth." Summer snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You know what would top all of this?" Seth began, "If some psycho named Oliver, an impregnated ex-girlfriend, a yard guy or lesbian showed up and came into the picture." he laughed at his lame joke.

Summer hit him. "Shut up COHEN! You're going to jinx everything."

"It's okay my little Summer. I believe in Ryan and Marissa. They're going to be fine. And I really do think that this time, they're going to make it."

/

Seth and Summer arrived at the airport, with Sandy and Kirsten welcoming them at their gate.

"Seth! Summer! Glad to you see you guys again. Newport isn't the same without you." Sandy pulled them both into a hug.

"Dad, can't...breathe..." Sandy laughed at his son and let him and his girlfriend go.

"Life isn't the same without you, Mr. C." Summer turned to give Kirsten a hug. "as well as Mrs. C."

"I'm so happy all of you guys are back, even just for the weekend. The house and practically all of Newport is so boring." Kirsten said, helping Summer with her luggage, Sandy did the same with Seth; and they all headed to the car.

They were now in the car, Sandy driving. He looked through the rear view mirror towards Summer, "So how's Brown? College life? Your classes?"

"Good, good and good!" Summer smiled. "I can't believe it's junior year already. Sooner or later, we're all going to be graduating from college!"

"Yeah, time sure does fly by pretty fast." Seth agreed.

"I know, you all are growing up at a pace I can't keep up with." Kirsten commented. She started to get emotional. "I'm so proud of all of you. I've missed you all"

"Mom, it's been less than an hour since we've arrived and already with the water works?"

Kirsten let out a little laugh while Summer hit his arm. "Seth, can't a mother be proud?" Kirsten said.

"Yeah. She's proud of you and all you say is that?" Summer said while Seth pouted and gave his best puppy dog eyes. "Ew, Cohen, what is with your face?" Seth quickly kissed Summer on the tip of her nose and Sandy and Kirsten watched from up front. They exchanged looks, how much they've missed this. As the two couples continued to talk about college, joke around and make fun of Seth, eventually they arrived at home.

"So when's Ryan and Marissa getting here?" Seth asked.

"They called when they left which was around noon. So they should be getting here in the next hour. Why don't you two go sit down, relax? You must be tired from your flight. Summer, your dad's coming over and same with Julie and Caitlin. We're having turkey at around 7, just be ready then." Kirsten said.

"Sounds good! Thanks mom." She kissed her son on the forehead. "MOM! I'm 21, I'm no baby anymore." Kirsten smiled at her son's reaction. Sandy left to bring all the luggage to another room out of everybody's way.

"Thank dad!" Seth called out. He grabbed Summer's hand, then walked to the family room. They both collapsed on the couch.

"Cohen, it's been like, 3 months since I've seen them. I'm so excited!"

Seth wrapped his arm around his girlfriend and kissed her forehead. "I am too. Can't wait for some fab four hanging out, some Seth-Ryan time...unless he's all whipped from Marissa." Summer hit his head. "OW! You know it's true. Even not dating, they can't get enough."

"It's called being in love, moron."

As she said this, Seth smiled and looked into Summer's eyes. "Yeah...well if not ever getting enough of someone is 'being in love', then I sure do love you Summer; because I could never get enough of you."

Summer smiled and kissed him sweetly. "I love you too, Cohen." She rested her head on his shoulder and they stayed like that, eventually falling asleep.

/

Ryan and Marissa crept in, with all their stuff in hand. They walked silently to find a sleeping Seth and Summer on the couch. They analyzed the two sleepyheads, how peaceful they looked.

"They're so cute" Marissa commented.

"I know, don't you just want to ruin it?" She smacked him playfully. He wrapped his arm around her. "You're going to have to pay for that. But for now, why don't we wake up Sleeping beauty and sleeping ugly here?"

Marissa nodded and went over to the kitchen. She got out a wooden spoon and a pan, went behind the couch, and hit it repeatedly. The loud crash and bang rang in Seth and Summer's ears, immediately waking them up and noticing Ryan standing there.

"Good...morning?" He laughed.

Marissa went back around to join Ryan. "I didn't have any alarm or blow horn, so I thought these would work perfectly!" she said, holding up the spoon and pan.

"Coop! I'm going to kill you." Summer said, standing up. But then she smiled and ran over to her best friend embracing her. Marissa laughed into the hug. "But later, right now I wanna hug my best friend because I've missed her so much!"

Ryan joined Seth on the couch and smacked his back, playfully but to Seth, hard. "Good to see you again dude. I'd say I'd miss you but... it was quite peaceful in Berkely."

"Ryan Atwood, since when were you sarcastic?" He turned over to Marissa and Summer. "Looks like the Jedi is turning into the Master."

"No offense, Seth, but Ryan is not turning into another Seth, and I hope to keep it that way." Marissa giggled.

"Yeah Cohen, there has to be one hot guy in the group."

"Well, he may have the looks, but never the brain of a Seth Cohen." They all laughed.

Marissa went over and sat on Ryan's lap; Summer did the same with Seth. She looked in Summer's, Seth's and Ryan's eyes. "I really missed you guys. Yes, Seth, even you..."

Immediately he looked at Summer on his lap, "Wow look at that, I'm missed." He boasted.

"I'm glad to be back here in Newport with you guys. I've missed this – the 'Fab Four' as Seth would put it. I don't know. I'm just trying to say, I love you guys." She snuggled against Ryan and Summer snuggled against Seth and for the next hour they continued to just hang out, a little playstation, talk and catch up with their lives. It was the Fab Four, together once again, just like old times.

/

"Mmm, Mom did you make this?" Seth said with a mouthful.

"I've picked up a few things since you were gone, like cooking." Kirsten boasted.

Marissa turned to Ryan and whispered, "Tell them."

"Hey lovebirds, what's with the whispering?" Caitlin called across the table to the mysterious couple.

Ryan took a deep breath and spoke up, "So there's something that I've been meaning to tell you guys." Everyone except Marissa looked at him curiously. "Don't worry, I'm not moving to Alaska or something... A few months ago my mom called me, just seeing how everything was going: college, all of you guys... Anyways, so she has a friend who had an internship opportunity at her architecture firm. It's near Berkely, so it's perfect. After I went over there a couple of times and met with Lily – my mom's friend – we discussed some stuff and they've finally accepted me. I start in January."

"That's awesome, man!" Seth smacked Ryan in the back, almost making him spit out the water he was drinking.

"Seth!" Kirsten yelled at him. "Ryan, congratulations, I'm so proud of you."

Sandy raised his glass, "To Ryan, and to all of you. I'm proud of you all and thankful for everything you guys make me go through. Cheers."

"Happy Thanksgiving," they all say to one another.

Seth and Summer exchanged glances, "I'm thankful to have you in my life Seth, I love you."

"The feeling's mutual, Summer. I love you too."

Kirsten and Sandy looked at one another, "Since when were we so lucky to have these amazing people in our lives?"

Ryan over heard Kirsten say and responded before Sandy could, "I don't know about you, but ever since you let me in this house, my life has just been getting better. Thank you, to both of you."

They continued on, sharing what or whom they were thankful for. Though it was tradition and they were do it every year, it was still another memorable Thanksgiving.