TROUBLE
FULL CREDIT for the next 3 chapters goes to one of my readers, Emily. She was the one who came up with idea. I wanted to add drama and something exciting involving the past. I had some ideas in mind but after thinking about it, I realized I loved her idea so much, I had to include it in the story. Enjoy! And Emily, I hope you like it!
Ryan woke up lazily. At first the sun hit him in the eyes and he couldn't remember where he was. But then seeing Marissa cuddled up beside him, it all came back. He just remembers what a night they just shared. Seeing her cute little face, her eyebrows wrinkle, he could tell she must be dreaming. He kisses her forehead, then her nose... as soon as Marissa felt his kisses on her, she smiled. He knew now she must be awake.
"Good morning."
"Mmm, it is." She said, slowly opening her eyes. "Good morning to you too. What time is it?"
"It's 9, any plans for today?"
"Well it is the first day of 2009... Maybe my boyfriend planned something?"
"Damn it, I planned something, can he just wait?" he teased, and she playfully smacked his chest.
"Shut up." She laughed, "What did you have in mind?"
"Well, I'm kind of hungry. I'm thinking breakfast? Pancakes and coffee sound nice, by the pier?"
"Perfect." She leaned and kissed him.
He moaned, "Mmm, and the rest of the day, I'm thinking..." he said while kissing her, "Just... this..."
"Sounds like a plan."
/
Meanwhile, Summer awoke from her bed. But instead of seeing her fiancée sleeping beside her, she just saw an empty spot on the bed. She got up and wondered where Seth could have gone. She put on a robe and made her way down the stairs. In the kitchen, she stood at the doorway and smiled at the scene before her. There, she saw Seth, his back to her so he didn't know she was watching. He managed to put on a pair of boxers and a shirt, with socks pulled up in a dorky way. She smiled, how much I love this nerd. He was very busy, cooking something for them both for breakfast. She peaked outside at the table Seth already prepared, with a small vase of flowers.
"And just what is all this?" Summer said, creeping up behind Seth and wrapping her arms around him from behind.
"Good morning," he turned around to greet her with a kiss, "and this is not much... just pancakes."
"Well, I love it."
"I'm glad, c'mon, I'm done. Let's eat."
They both made their way to the table outside and Seth put down the plate he was carrying full of pancakes. "So how'd you sleep?"
"Wonderfully. Except I was kind of scared you ran off as I woke up and you weren't there..."
"Well, we have pancakes now... was it worth not waking up beside me?"
"Definitely," Summer said with a mouthful, "Besides, we have the rest of our lives to wake up in bed beside each other."
He smiled and leaned over the table to give Summer a kiss.
Summer then got a ring from her cell phone in the kitchen.
"Who would be calling you at this time?"
"Maybe Coop or something. Hold on," Summer stood up and got her phone. "It's... Julie." She flipped it open, "Hi Mrs. Cooper-Nichol."
"Summer, hi! I was wondering if Caitlin was there? Maybe she went there with you and Marissa and the boys last night?"
"Um, no sorry. Just me and the fiancée."
Julie smiled, "I'm really happy for you guys, I hope you know that."
"Thanks, Mrs. Cooper-Nichol."
"And for the last time, Summer, I told you to call me Julie."
"Right, sorry Mrs... Julie... anyways, did you try to reach Coop?"
"No, Marissa's phone went straight to voicemail, I'm guessing it died."
"Well, try Ryan's phone. They're probably still together."
"Okay, thanks Summer."
At the Crab Shack, Julie was waiting for Caitlin. They had planned to have a New Year's breakfast together. It was already 10 o clock and they wanted to meet around 9:30. After calling Summer, she scrolled down her phone and called Ryan.
"Hi, it's Julie."
"Julie." Ryan said, looking at Marissa, who stopped eating her pancakes and gave him a confused look.
"I was wondering if you're with Marissa?"
"Yeah, she's right here."
"Do you guys happen to know where Caitlin might be?"
"Umm, sorry no. We spent all last night just hanging out, the two of us." Marissa had now a confused and worried look on her face.
"Just call me please, if something comes up."
"Sure will Julie. Is everything okay?
"I just... we were suppose to meet for breakfast but she hasn't showed up. Her phone goes straight to voicemail.
"I'm sure she's fine... on her way there.
"Yeah.. but as a mother I guess it's natural to freak out and wonder..."
"It's okay, Julie. She'll come soon or later."
"Thanks..."
"I'll call if I hear from her..."
"Bye." and Julie hung up from the other end.
"Why was my mom calling you?" Marissa asked skeptical.
"She was just, uh... Caitlin and her were suppose to meet but she's not there."
"WHAT?!"
"Don't freak out. I'm sure her phone just died, like yours, and that she'll meet your mom eventually." Marissa still had worry across her face. "C'mon, let's go back to the pool house." Ryan offered out his hand. Though she felt uneasy with Caitlin missing, she was able to get out a little smile and take Ryan's hand.
/
With a whole lot of making out going on in the poolhouse, Seth and Summer were doing the same back in her bedroom until Summer's phone went off.
"Hello?" she asked, pushing Seth away from her.
"Hi Summer, it's Julie. Did Caitlin call or anything?"
"No, sorry. No other signs yet?"
"No, and I'm really getting worried. The last time I saw her was last night." Summer could sense the concern and shakiness in Julie's voice.
"Okay, Julie, I'll let Ryan and Marissa know and we'll see if we can do something."
"Thank you, please call if anything comes up..."
"Sure thing." Summer hung up the phone and Seth made his way back on top of her but she immediately got up. "Sorry Cohen, this'll have to wait. Caitlin's missing. It's been hours and no reply. We have to get Ryan and Marissa and find little Coop."
"I'm sure she just has a dead cell phone or got lost in her shopping at the mall.." Seth said trying to kiss Summer. But she put her hand over his mouth.
"No, this is serious. Julie called and she sounded pretty worried. We have to go find her."
"Ugh, fine, let's go back to the poolhouse. I mean, what else would Ryan and Marissa be doing?"
The two made their way to the Cohen's and went straight to the back yard. Ryan was on top of Marissa as Summer bursted in, "Enough guys. We have a problem."
Marissa pushed Ryan off and straightened out her shirt that was riding up her stomach. "SUMMER!"
"Okay, I'm going to pretend I walked into you guys playing video games... but this is an emergency."
"Why, what's wrong?" Ryan said, getting off the bed and helping Marissa up.
"Marissa, have you gotten any messages or anything from Caitlin?"
Marissa looked at Ryan, her eyes grew big and full of concern. "No... why?"
"Your mom called me. Both in the morning and just now, Caitlin has been AWOL. Last she's heard of her was last night..."
"Oh my God." Marissa ran to her phone that was charging on the wall. She tried calling Caitlin. After a few rings, she ran her fingers through her hair, looking stressed.
"It's okay, Coop."
Marissa didn't respond to Summer. She tried calling again. Soon, she began shaking with tears forming in her eyes.
"Marissa, stop. Everything's going to be fine." Ryan said at his worried girlfriend.
"Last time her phone died, she called me and my mom through a payphone. Why wouldn't she just do the same now, instead of having everyone worry?!" Seth, Summer and Ryan didn't know how to respond. "It's because something's happened. Something's happened and–"
"Marissa!" Ryan said, grabbing a hold of her shoulders to make her snap out of it. "Look at me... Everything'll be alright. We're going to find Caitlin, okay?"
"Yeah Marissa. We'll split up. Summer and I will go to the malls and around town, you and Ryan can go to the beach and stuff..." Seth suggested.
"Sounds good, we'll go. Call if anything comes up." Ryan said, grabbing Marissa's hand and heading out.
Seth and Summer took Summer's car and drove out of the driveway. Ryan and Marissa went over to the Range Rover, Ryan opening the door for Marissa to let her in the passenger seat. He went to the other side and got in the driver's. Marissa was shaking and couldn't stop fidgeting with her hands. Before he started the car, he reached out and grabbed it, "Marissa. We're going to find her."
"And how do you know?"
"You're going to have to trust me... do you trust me?" Ryan asked her.
She turned her eyes to face him. She didn't before, with the Oliver situation. And it was hard during the Johnny period. But they've grown from that. She knows she always can, "I trust you."
And with that, Ryan started the car and drove to the pier.
/
Ryan and Marissa first went to the Bait shop. After looking around a little, they couldn't find Caitlin or anyone at Harbour. Just a bunch of random people enjoying the band of the night.
"C'mon, let's try the diner. She's not here." Marissa said, walking out the door before Ryan could say anything else.
Before leaving, Ryan saw a familiar face; however, he couldn't match it with a name. He looked like he was anxious. Like he was waiting for something he didn't want to happen. After a moment, a man came up and dragged him to another room. Because it was dark, Ryan couldn't make out any of the faces completely.
Marissa came back inside, "Ryan? C'mon!" she was getting impatient, letting the worry get to her.
Ryan understood where she was coming from, so he just took her hand and led them out.
On the other side of town, Summer and Seth were at Southcoast Plaza. They checked ever single store but there was no sign of Caitlin.
"Maybe she's not a mall type of person." Seth suggested.
Summer raised her eyebrows, "Seth, we did find her here with her ex remember?"
"Ahh, yes drug dealer ex. I remember." Just then his phone started ringing from his pocket. "It's Ryan... hold on..." Seth flipped it open, "Hey man."
"Seth. Any luck?"
"Sorry, no. Summer and I were just leaving, we're gonna try another mall. And I'm guess you have no luck as well?"
"Yeah, we're going to the diner now. Just call if something comes up."
"Yeah, sounds good. We'll meet up later, it'll get dark soon."
"Alright." Ryan hung up the phone. He shook his head no at Marissa, telling her no luck. She sighed and tensed up. Ryan went over to her and wrapped his arm around her. "C'mon, let's go the diner."
/
After hours of searching, the four met back at the Cohen's. Seth and Summer were in the family room as Marissa and Ryan just arrived. Marissa ran to her two friends, "Anything?"
Summer sat up and spoke slowly with bad news written on her face, "No.. Sorry Coop."
Marissa ran her fingers through her hair. She was past concerned, now she was scared.
Ryan now caught up with her and everyone else in the family room. He went over to Marisssa, "C'mon you look tired–" he tried planting a hand on her back but she flinched.
"I'm not tired! I want to find Caitlin!"
"Coop, it's late. Let's get some rest and we'll continue tomorrow. We're going to find her, it's okay." Summer got up and hugged Marissa. Marissa bent down to hug her best friend as she cried into her shoulder. "It's okay, baby."
"C'mon, before it gets too late to drive." Seth said. The girls slowly made their way out the front door.
Marissa turned to Ryan before she climbed into Summer's car to go home, "If she calls you or anything.."
"I will call you the second after." He said. He gave her a comforting kiss before she got in the passenger seat.
Summer rolled down her window as she was pulling away, "We'll be back tomorrow morning!"
The boys waved goodbye then headed back into the house.
/
It was 3:30 AM and Ryan was staring straight up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. He could only worry for Marissa and how she was feeling, as well as Caitlin, his little sister who is missing. There was something about him that always made him protective over the Cooper girls. How could he sleep with one missing and the other in a horrible state.
His cell began to vibrate, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked at his phone: Unknown. Who would be calling me at this time? He immediately picked it up.
"Hello?" he spoke into the phone.
"RYAN! PLEASE COME GET ME!"
"CAITLIN?! CAITLIN WHERE ARE YOU?"
"I don't know!" she cried, "I'm in a motel room, near the beach I think? I see an Irish pub across the street? I don't know!" She cried even harder.
"Okay, I'm coming to get you."
"Don't tell Marissa, I don't want to get her in trouble..."
"Caitlin, please just keep talking to me, are you okay? Are you in trouble?"
"I can't talk. I'm so scared, Ry..."
"Who are you talking to?!" he heard a voice in the background say. "How'd you get a phone? Give that to me!"
"Please, no!" Caitlin cried even harder. "It's–" the line went dead.
"Caitlin? CAITLIN?" Ryan got up and grabbed a jacket. He made his way to the car and bumped into Seth, who was sitting on the stairs.
"Ryan? Where are you going?"
"Caitlin called, she's in trouble."
"Oh my God. Well, let me come!"
"No. This guy was on the other end of the phone and he sounded angry, like she wasn't allowed to have a cell phone in the first place. He hung up the phone and I don't even know what's happening to Caitlin right now. I have to find her."
"Let me come with you."
"SETH! She didn't even want Marissa to know. You can't tell her. Let me handle this."
"Let me come with you and I won't call Marissa."
"No arguments!"
"I'll call Marissa! I'll tell dad." Seth threatened. He really wanted to be there for his brother. "Ryan, this guy sounds dangerous. I'm not gonna stand aside while you risk your life."
Ryan looked at his brother. Even though he didn't want to get Seth in trouble, he understood what he was saying and saw how much he meant it. "Okay... thanks." They shared a quick understanding look with each other then hurried out to the Ranger Rover.
Ryan drove as fast as he could to the beach. He knew she had to be in one of the few motels there. And he knew he had to hurry. Caitlin's in trouble and she called him for a reason. She knew he was the only one that could save her.