Thanks to RJMoonspell4, ocgirl.fr, Girlz-Rule, Juzzy88, tines, newportgirl22, Movies are our Business, and kursk for all the reviews. Never planned on the story going this long but with all the reviews it was fun to keep going. Let me know what you think of this one!

Summer slowly transcended into fall, the beaches less filled now as the droves of people had gone back to their lives of school and work, while Ryan walked along the shore just out of reach of the water. It was a perfect day to be outside, the temperature warm with the shining sun while the breeze blowing in from the water kept him just cool enough. His mind traveled back on the last few months as he walked along barefoot in the sand, his dress shoes hanging down against his side. These little trips along the beach had become a new routine for him, allowing himself the privilege of some time alone to think things through that were rattling around in his head. A few short months ago he had been sitting in a hospital room wondering how much more time he had left with his daughter and the other woman that had won a piece of his heart had said her good-bye. Those next few days had been the toughest he had ever experienced in his life, the uncertainty hanging over his future weighing down on him until he felt suffocated and had escaped to the beach to try and walk away his problems. Though his problems remained, the sense of clarity and peace he felt had provide a comfort when nothing else had and so he continued to come back each day if only to escape for a little while.

His daughter collapsing in the kitchen that morning had terrified him like nothing else had, nightmares still snuck into his dreams to haunt and remind him of that feeling but yet it had been a blessing in disguise. The doctors preformed more tests on her and had realized that the treatment they were proceeding with was not going to help. With the new results they outlined a different treatment plan and yesterday he had received news that broke the strong man into tears. The doctors believed that Mya was finally cancer free, she had responded better than believed to the new treatment and her hopes of living a long, healthy life may finally be in front of her. They warned about it possibly coming back and would continue to monitor her for it but for now Ryan was soaking in that he might actually be able to walk his little girl down the aisle some day. The thought of that brought a smile to his face but was quickly replaced with a grimace as the thought of giving his daughter away to some other man meant that he would be forced to let go of his little baby.

While Marissa had left him that night in the hospital, knowing that with his daughter lying in the hospital bed he wouldn't chase after her, he didn't give up so easily. Once Mya's condition became better and he wasn't worried with fear, he finally managed to dial every last digit of her telephone number and she had answered. They hadn't seen each other since that day but slowly they began picking back up the pieces of their relationship over the phone and now spent at least an hour a day talking to one another. It wasn't what he had pictured, nor was it everything that he wanted with her, but the fact that they were working on it was more than he could have ever hoped for. He knew that he had to regain her trust again and show her that he was back to being the man she had fallen in love with and each day that passed got them closer to that point.

He knew that he wasn't quite ready himself to reach that point they were once at, needing some time to regroup his life back to what it had once been while trying to become more open with his feelings and emotions so that he stopped pushing people away when they tried to help. These little trips to the beach helped him get there, allowing him to sort through his feelings as he walked, so that by the time he was done it didn't feel like he had a million things going on that he alone had to deal with. With a clearer mind and just taking a step back, his life had begun to reshape into a better one with him being a better father, son, friend, and one day he hoped husband.

As his mind drifted across the country to a little state filled with cornfields and what one particular woman was doing there, he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket. Normally he refused to answer the device when he was out here as it violated trying to escape his life for awhile but he felt that someone might also be thinking about him at the same time he was about her. He placed his phone to his ear as he answered, a smile breaking across his face as he heard her voice. It was times like this one that he knew they were going to be alright, that they were destined to spend the rest of their lives together when that time came.

"So I'm sitting here in my office looking out at all the leaves on the trees changing colors and I just had a sudden urge to call you," she said, her voice telling him that a warm smile was hiding behind the line.

"That's funny because I'm sitting here walking barefoot along the ocean and I was just thinking that it has been a long time since I've gotten to see that wonderful smile of yours in person."

"I'm stuck here in my office while you're walking along the beach right now? Care to explain how you think that's going to get me to smile?" she teased although she longed to be walking beside him at that very moment.

"Would it help if I told you that I'm just taking a break from my life before I get set to spend a week stuck in meetings across the country?" he asked, dreading the trip that tomorrow would take him away from his daughter for the next ten days.

"It would if you told me that you were flying to some little state in the middle of the country," she replied, closing her eyes as she prayed that somehow they would reunite in the next few days.

"Sorry, no where close and even if I was my schedule is so packed that I'm trying to figure out when I'll sleep," he sadly answered, knowing his words were no comfort to either of them.

"So we're destined to continue this relationship strictly through the phone with no date in the future as to when we'll actually see each other?" she spoke forlornly.

"I'm sorry Riss, work has been crazy now that I'm finally back and we're trying to catch Mya back up in school so that she doesn't fall further behind," he said, her words killing him.

"I know Ry, I just really miss you that's all. It's been so long since I've had your arms around me that I can hardly remember how warm and safe they make me feel."

"Chrismakkuh will be here in two months," Ryan said as an idea began forming in his mind, "I will be up there for two whole weeks with Mya, Seth, and Summer if you promise to have your schedule cleared."

"Done," she said quickly, her rapid response telling her just how much she really did miss him, "And Ry, if you don't get your ass up here and spend two whole weeks like you're promising, there will be severe repercussions."

….

While the two months between their arrangement and Chrismakkuh did not go near as quick as either one of them had hoped it would, the day finally arrived. Mya was nearing the point of annoying as she hadn't been able to contain her excitement for the last few weeks but as Ryan was feeling the same, although keeping it inside, he couldn't fault her. Once they were safely on the ground and he could open his eyes, he too found it difficult to keep his excitement to just himself, having longed for this day since the summer.

The only thing that had him a little worried about their trip was the greeting. The last time they kissed have been nearly six months ago and the last time they had been in the same room she had told him good-bye; how were they to act around each other now that they were finally back face-to-face. As they walked down the ramp and exited out into the airport, his apprehension soon was forgotten as she ran into his arms and kissed him with everything she had. Every kiss they had missed over the last year and a half was thrown into the one they were sharing now and he instantly knew that this trip was worth everything.

Somehow they managed to break apart though neither wanted the kiss to ever end, and they picked up their luggage and into the rental car waiting for them. Traffic was horrendous, even for someone use to the traffic in California, due to it being Christmas Eve and it was on this day all those years ago that this had all started. It had seemed like a lifetime journey since that eventful day but yet they were here after all this time and Ryan could say that he had never been happier.

"Daddy, didn't you use to go shopping for my presents here?" Mya asked from the backseat where she was sitting between Seth and Summer.

"Yes, I always went shopping tonight for your gifts before I flew out in the morning," he answered as they crawled through the traffic.

"Can we go shopping right now there?" she asked, "I want to go see where you use to go."

"Sure," Ryan answered, navigating his way through the lanes as he changed their direction.

Shortly the five of them arrived at the mall, the parking lot filled with cars as people raced to get their last minute shopping done and the snow falling down silently from the sky like he always remembered. They hurried through the cold and into the warm building where fate had happened for two of them.

"Marissa, would you take me to go pick out a gift for my dad?" Mya asked once they were all safely inside the building, not use to such extreme temperatures.

"Sure hunny," she said as she took the little girl's hand and after making plans of meeting back up the two of them disappeared into the crowd.

Seth and Summer soon took off on their own leaving Ryan by himself. He wandered among the people who were busy checking off items on their lists before going home to a house full of friends and family. The stores brought back many memories for him as he thought back to the first time he had met Marissa as they searched for a gift for Kirsten. Somehow among all the people that came to fulfill their shopping needs, they had not only found each other once but twice and yet here they were again. This place was special for the two of them, bringing them back together when they fell out of touch and it was then that Ryan knew what he wanted to get Marissa for her present.

He soon found the store he was looking for and after carefully selecting his purchase, he paid for it and set off to look for Marissa and his daughter. He knew it wasn't going to be hard to track them down, somehow they were drawn to each other no matter where they were at but this place seemed to make that attraction just a little bit stronger. He hadn't made it more than five feet out of the store he was just in when he saw the two of them walking towards him hand-in-hand laughing at something that they had just shared between the two of them.

"Did you find me a present?" she teased as she leaned up to kiss him, neither able to get enough of the light kisses they had been sharing since the airport.

"Actually I did," he said, knowing how she would react.

"What is it?" she asked instantly, not liking not knowing as she searched for a bag.

"If I told you it's a surprise what would you say?" he played along, finding the way she could get excited about a present in the same way that a child did very attractive.

"I would say that I've spent the last year and a half alone in my bed and that one more night wouldn't kill me," she whispered as she leaned in close to him, her breath on his ear making it very hard for him to concentrate.

"And if I give it to you now?" he replied, trying to regain back some control over the situation.

"Then you will be one very happy man later on tonight," she replied, knowing that she had him caving into her demands.

"Alright, close your eyes," he told her, fishing her present out of his pocket once he was sure she wasn't peaking.

He smiled at his daughter who was watching in fascination as he showed her Marissa's present. The smile that lit up her face was the same reaction that he was hoping he would also receive from Marissa. The minute he saw it he knew that this was what he had been looking for, now he would find out if it was right for her.

"You can open your eyes now," he said.

Marissa slowly opened her eyes, looking around for her gift until she spotted Ryan kneeling on one knee in front of her. In his hand he held a black jewelry box which he slowly opened to reveal a sparkling diamond ring, an engagement ring to be more precise. Her free hand covered her mouth as she looked down at him while her other hand still had a hold of Mya who was grinning at the both of them as were several onlookers who had stopped to witness what was unfolding.

"Riss, I know you once said that we've spent more time apart than we have together but we have the rest of our lives to change that. I don't want to waste anymore time not having you in my life, not just over the phone but to wake up to everyday. Marissa Cooper, will you be my wife?"

Marissa stared down at the ring and then back into Ryan's eyes, never preparing herself for this moment to happen here. She could see in his eyes how much he loved her and she could feel in her own heart how much she loved him. Before she had a chance to respond, to compose herself enough where she trusted her own voice, she felt a pull on her hand.

"If you say yes, then you'll get to be my mom!" Mya whispered excitedly to her, a smile blossoming on her face as she looked up at Marissa.

"Riss?" Ryan said, a little worried as he remained on one knee that she hadn't responded yet.

"Yes Ryan Atwood, I would love to become your wife," she whispered, allowing him to slip the ring onto her finger before throwing her arms around his neck.

"Hey daddy, lets go find Seth," Mya announced loudly as he and Marissa shared a kiss.

"Why do we need to go find Seth?" Ryan questioned, puzzled at his daughter's request.

"Dad!" she exclaimed as if their ages were reversed and it was obvious as to why she wanted to find her uncle, "You know Uncle Seth wants to know about miracles happing on Chrismakkuh!"

"So Marissa agreeing to marry me is a miracle?" he asked as he scooped up his daughter.

"No daddy, I've always wanted a mommy but I just never thought to ask for one at Chrismakkuh until now and it finally happened," she explained as she leaped from Ryan's arms into Marissa's and wrapped her into a big hug.

"You want to know a secret?" Marissa asked which prompted Mya to bob her head up and down, "I've always wanted to have a little daughter and a loving husband so I guess my Chrismakkuh miracle came true too."

"Daddy, did you get your Chrismakkuh miracle to come true like we did?" his daughter asked as Marissa leaned into him while he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I did sweetie," he answered while looking into Marissa's eyes, "My miracle has just happened."

"Seth is never going to believe this one!" Mya exclaimed as the three walked into the crowd of shoppers, laughing and living in their Chrismakkuh miracles.

Thanks to everyone who followed along with the story. The reviews were great, they made the story just that much more enjoyable to write.