A/N: So I just had this random urge to write some Seth/Marissa friendship after watching 2x03. Here's a continuation of their last little scene together, we should have had more Cooper/Cohen interaction with these two. The title is from 'Meet me by the water' by Rachael Yamagata. Marissa's POV is told in the third person but Seth's POV is told in the second person. Feedback is always appreciated!

Don't fit anywhere into my life, but that's okay

He greeted her with his infamous awkward wave, head poking around her door and she addressed him like a complete and total stranger. How did you get in here? So what are you doing here? It wasn't surprising really, considering they lived a matter of meters away all their lives and didn't utter a word to one another before a certain broody blonde intervened. They were destined to take different paths from the beginning, Seth Cohen was always meant to be the outsider looking in and Marissa Cooper was meant to shine, light up the room even when her head and her heart were painted black. So maybe then, it was all that surprising he turned up at her doorstep. She had it all, at least, she thought she had and lost it. She lost herself.

And when he lost Summer or rather, let her go, he lost himself.

So they were lost and that what the obvious. Throughout all of this though; the breakup and hook-up with DJ, the summer fling Summer and Zach were dragging into winter, in the back of her mind there was the niggling voice telling her they'd find their way back in the end, even if it did mean stepping over hearts to do so. She had never been happier, even when her life was seemingly falling apart, than when Ryan would let down his guard and they'd talk for approximately a minute and move on to other activities involving tongue. They weren't people of words anyway; leave that to the darker half of their foursome.

But love involves sacrifice, and if anyone has learned that over the past year, it's Marissa Cooper.

And so when she saw Ryan with the redhead she decided perhaps it was needed, all of this. They needed to be apart for a while. They needed to fix themselves. They needed to rip it all apart before they could put it all back together.

Right now though, in this moment, it feels over. She and Ryan were the perfect-on-the-outside-not-so-much-on-the-inside couple for a while and she'd always value her time with him. Always.

Marissa was far from shallow, but there were only about three people who actually knew that. Those people were Ryan, Summer and herself. She doesn't know what Seth thinks and to be frank, she doesn't really care. She knows the only thing they have in common in their taste in music but liking The Clash and The Sex Pistols couldn't possibly sustain a relationship.

But she is not shallow. She is gorgeous and blond and all legs, she is the princess of Newport Beach. Sometimes, shallowness came with the territory but she is not shallow, which is why she won't sugar coat things for Seth Cohen when he sits on her bed to talk incessantly about his many issues. Which in the end, all come back to her brunette best friend.

You can't find a reason why as to what compelled you to show up at your friends bedroom door, your brothers ex-girlfriend or your ex-girlfriends best friend, whatever she is, but you go anyway after taking a little mini tour of her house (understatement of the year). You found her sprawled across her bed, clutching a stuffed animal. And people are saying you're the one who is pathetic and sweet.

She looks like someone who is about to let loose, or something. You can't quite pinpoint it – she's not all rage blackouts like Summer, she's introverted. Maybe it's why they're best friends. Summer was always going to let you know how she felt whether you loved it or loathed it but Marissa was a mystery. This is the girl that took sixteen years to even acknowledge your presence. Not that you're bitter or anything, not at all.

She looked just as broken as you feel. Perhaps you can be broken together.

Instead you waved and she looked far more surprised than you thought she would. Nonetheless there's a welcoming feeling in the air between you both.

But as much as you may want to, you can't be the one to save Marissa, you're not any of the heroes in all the comics you read, you're not blonde and you're nothing like the guy whom you consider a brother. So instead, you asked where Summer was and Marissa mumbled something about giving her space and you humour her.

Then she asks for Ryan and you're both clearly estranged by the fact that he's studying.

You feel optimistic though and make a pit stop home to change. You look sharp in your shirt and tie; ready to win your dream girl back.

You walk into the restaurant to find her dad, the one adult's approval you could never gain, looking very impressed with Zach. Zach. Water polo playing, comic book loving, oh-so perfect Zach.

Then Summer's hand flies to his. And he wins this round. You know it'll never quite be over with her, because you never really believed in the word loved. You don't or can't stop loving somebody, but for today, it is over.

"You know, if someone had told me last year that we'd be the loneliest people in Newport, I wouldn't have believed them." He begins, sitting beside Marissa, awkwardly as ever. She smiles sardonically and then reality sets in; who was Seth actually kidding? She doesn't know him the way Ryan and Summer know him, but still, Marissa knows Seth the way she knows him. "Well, at least the you part." He concedes, earning a giggle.

It's the first time he's ever made her laugh intentionally, he thinks. They've shocked each other, bantered with each other and insulted each other playfully, but they didn't have the ability to make each other happy. At least, that's what Marissa thought. And there was no reason to break seventeen years of traditional silence and mutual ignorance of each other, surely?

Silence invades once again and she's thinking about how she's never felt this numb. Her family is still a mess, Summer always has some new drama involving the boy right next to her and Ryan is clearly moving on and Marissa's just stuck, left behind with Seth, although she's grateful for not being alone in this. She just didn't think Seth would be the one left beside her when the dust settled.

She should be telling how to redeem himself to Summer, but she can't exactly make it function with Ryan, even when it's clear their feelings still linger.

"Let's get out of here Cohen." Marissa says, not in any mood to be alone with her thoughts.

"Are implying we do something together?" He asks, eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "After years of you know, not doing things together?"

"And you know, this time last year, it felt like tradition was Ryan and I and you and Summer." Marissa shots back. Seth shrugs and then nods in agreement before they leave the bench.

"So, what could the Cooper and Cohen children possibly have in common besides listening to punk, huh Marissa?" He teases.

"The need to go somewhere, anywhere other than here." She smiles back.

This feels like the beginning of a friendship they should have started many years ago, but better late than never, right?

They wind up in the pool house where Seth subjects her to the X-Men movie marathon.

Typical.

But it's bearable, being here bitching about their exes relentlessly, even though Summer is like a sister to Marissa and Ryan is literally in every sense of the word, Seth's brother. But they bitch, eat popcorn, throw popcorn at each other, exchange their new favourite bands and quiz each other and as it turns out, it's more than bearable.

But all of a sudden, Marissa gets very serious. "Do you think it's possible to just loving someone? Switch it off, at least for a while?"

Seth thinks Marissa should know better, he presumes she spent her summer wallowing over Ryan just as he wallowed over Summer. They were complete wallowing fools, whilst Ryan and Summer were people of action.

"No. I really don't Marissa, and you know it's true. We have to win them back." He states like it's the most obvious answer.

"We have to win them back." She repeats.

It is in that moment she knows it will assemble back together. They'll find their way – they always do.

Maybe you do have what it takes to save Marissa Cooper, even if it is only for one mildly hopefully Saturday night, amidst the songs of Bright Eyes and X-Men movies.

Tonight, you don't find yourself treading down to the pool house for a complaining session with Ryan, instead, Marissa is in your bed. And you can't help but make a few jokes and tease, but it's done in the most platonic manner possible.

"What will our parents think?" You mock as you flop onto your bed.

"Could you imagine if they found us here? It'd be hilarious and you know it, Cohen." She laughs.

Your smile slips. You like Marissa – you really do, but it's her best friend you want here tonight.

"Hey, you two can't lose each other for long." She comforts, bumping her shoulder against yours.

"I hope so. Zach though...he is –

"Not you. And that holds a lot of weight." Marissa tells you earnestly.

You nod and yawn. You're done living life to the full – this day needs to end.

"And just so you know," she begins nostalgic tone, "I called you Cohen first."

You both end the night in laughter, a result neither of you thought possible. You'll sneak her out in the morning and maybe you'll think about how this is the way things should have always been.

"In the dark, you muse aloud, "Do you think we could be friends Marissa? You know musical compatibility is a solid base for any relationship. And besides, I'm kinda running low on those these days."

"Here I was thinking you were at an all time high," she remarks playfully, "Of course we're friends Cohen. After years of ignoring each other, it might be worth all that build up."

When you look at Marissa, you see glimmers of your past, the golden girl who shone, but was too shy to even address you.

You see your future; she'll always be a constant in your life. And you'll both find each other when you need too, because that's what happened today.

You see your present. You can hear her heartbeat ringing urgently, a vibrant, almost alarming yet soothing sound. You're glad you've both decided to embark on this friends stuff.

And right now, that's enough to get you through this.

End.