So here comes number six, seven if you count New Season. This is a Season 2 fic taking place during The Way we were. Don't worry for all my fans; I am still continuing my other stories.

Enjoy!

What Could Have Been

His mind was running over all sorts of paths thinking about what he had just seen. She had said she had not dated anyone since them. But then what had he seen about two minutes ago. IT was clearly Marissa making out with some guy that he had never seen before.

FLASH BACK

Ryan sat in the pool house thinking about the past day's events. He thought back to his talk with Summer. He remembered her saying something about how all of them had moved on. And then she said it. Even Marissa had moved on. But what had Summer meant by that? Ryan didn't know. He had thought that for a minute she was with somebody else, but quickly dismissed that notion. She would never lie to him like that. Not his Marissa.

Ryan walked out of the pool house and into the living room where Sandy and Kirsten were watching the television.

"Hey guys, listen can I borrow the range rover? Marissa and I were thinking about going to the Carnival together tonight and I need the car." Ryan asked hoping that they would say yes.

"Sure Ryan. The keys are on the dining room table. Have a good time. And call us when you get there okay?" Kirsten said, adding in the last lines like every worried mother when dealing with her children.

"K. I'm just gonna go say goodbye to Seth, and then I will be on my way."

Ryan walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. When he heard no answer, he simply walked into Seth's room. When he got there, all he heard was the faint sound of Rooney playing. He rounded the corner and saw the source. Seth was lying on his side facing away from Ryan with his ear phones on, listening to his ipod. Ryan walked up to Seth, and slowly climbed over to his ear.

"SETH!!!!" He yelled as loud as he could.

Seth startled a little bit by the magnitude of Ryan's yell, rolled over and saw him looking at him. He took his ear phones off and asked Ryan what he wanted.

"I want when I pick Marissa up, for you to be ready for the Carnival when I get back. Okay?" Ryan demanded of Seth, as he said his goodbyes and walked back down the stairs, leaving Seth to do something that Ryan had come so accustomed to doing. Brood. That is what Seth planned on doing.

He would spend about one hour of each day, going up to his room, and put on his ipod, and silently brood to himself. HE would do that of course until either Summer decided to get back together with him, or until she would at least talk to him. Both of those seemed like long shots at the time.

But back to Ryan.

Ryan walked outside and unlocked the range rover. HE got in the car, put it in reverse, backed out of the driveway, and began on his journey to Marissa's house. He had wanted to see her all day. Though he wasn't sure if he wanted to go on the ferris wheel again like last year, he was sure that he wanted to be anywhere that she was.

Ryan was driving down Newport Avenue when a flower shop caught his eye. He decided to make a detour before heading over to the Nichol residence. Ryan drove to the flower shop, parked his car and walked in. Once inside, he saw what he was looking for. 12 beautiful long stemmed roses. He paid for them with his credit card the Cohen's had given for him, and got back in his car, continuing his drive down to see Marissa

He was five minutes out and decided to turn on the radio to his favorite classic rock station. He knew tonight was the all Journey night, so he was especially excited. But he found out from the Disc Jockey, that they lost their Journey CD collection, and would not be able to play any more Journey CD's. Ryan knew then that tonight would not be a good night. He could just feel it.

MEANWHILE AT NICHOL RESIDENCE

Marissa sat in her room. She knew Ryan would be coming within the next hour or two, but she didn't know exactly when. She was going to get ready in two hours no matter what. He would have to wait if he came any earlier.

Marissa sat on her bed thinking about the past summer and the past couple of days. She was so messed up this summer. She would get drunk every night, and then she found herself in the arms of DJ. She always thought that there relationship would always be just purely physical. But Marissa never expected to get emotionally attached as she had indeed become. She felt so dirty when Diego's judging eyes centered on her while she made out with Ryan at her house the other day. She didn't feel dirty because it was Ryan, but because she was leading both of them on, and had lied to Ryan.

Marissa really wanted Ryan, but whenever she thought of getting involved with him again, her thought would always focus on him leaving her. That is where DJ came in. He was there for her. When times were worst, he was there. When she was drunk, and needed somebody to pick her up from whatever party she was at, she could call DJ, and he would come running out to get her. God, she was so confused.

And confused she was when she walked outside to ask DJ a question that night. But he wasn't speaking to her. He instead told her she was just like the rest of them. Marissa broke down and DJ comforted her. That is when she did something she had been accustomed to do all Summer long when he comforted her, she kissed him. But this kiss would ruin everything she ever wanted.

This time, two headlights shined on her as she kissed him.

IN CAR

Ryan stared at the site ahead of him. Marissa was making out with someone else. Those lips were not his. Her hands were not on his shoulders. She was crying to someone else. She was already taken. Ryan's right hand which were holding the roses, let go, allowing them to fall to the floor of the range rover. With tears in his eyes, he backed out of her driveway, not paying attention to her movements towards his car.

He pulled out of her driveway and drove away.

Marissa felt a part of herself die that day. Her heart broke inside of her, and so did Ryan's.

Ryan sped away with tears spilling out of his eyes. He wanted so badly to make this work. To make it work between him and her. All he wanted was to hold her in his arms tonight. But he wouldn't get that chance again. She was lost to him. They were no more. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be anything with her after tonight. But one thing Ryan couldn't shake off. He still loved her. No matter how much she screwed up, he would probably always love her, even if she didn't feel the same way about him. Ryan head sunk as he thought of the simple fact of losing her to someone else. When he brought his head back up, he had no time to react.

He heard the sirens coming from a distance. He tried his best to stay awake, but fell unconscious, never sure if to wake up again.