the ladder

too little too late (pt 2)

- 2 am -
"Can't sleep?" Ross asked. "Yeah. I'm just thinking... maybe it's my dad, ya know?" Said Maia. "Yeah. What's that?" He asked as he looked at the bracelet Maia was playing with "My dad gave it to me... it was my moms." she told him. "Its nice!" Ross said and smiled "Thank you ross!" Maia said and laid down. "Alright, go to bed, Now!" Ross said, like Maia's dad would. "Okay... dad." maia said like a rotten teenager

- 4 am -
"Mornin'" ross said as Maia woke up in his arms. "Morning, ross!" Maia said as she woke up, stretched, yawned and rubbed her eyes. "We should get going, so we can make it in time." He said to Maia. "Yeah,"
She said, and sighed kind of not wanting to go. "I really don't wanna do this." Maia said under her breath. "You coming or not?" Ross asked. Obviously didn't hear what she said. "Coming!" Maia said, half nervous half only think her farther is dead and she's going to have to go into foster care for a year till she turns 18.
- at the station -
"Oh Ms. Mitchell." the officer greeted her. "Hello, can we just get this over with." Maia said.
They took her to a room, with 3 bodies. They were covered with sheets so you couldn't see the faces of the dead people. She had to go in by her self, while Ross and the Officer were on the other side of the glass watching her. She uncovered the first person... she instantly started ball her eyes out. At the relief it was NOT her farther. There was two more to go. She uncovered the second one, and cried a little more, because it wasn't him. One more to go. She uncovered the third one and dropped to the ground in tears, not being able to breathe, just crying as hard as she could on the ground. Ross instantly ran into the room to get her. She was crying because it was....

BACK IN TREE HILL (their town)
"Hey, guys." rydel sighed as everyone walked into Maias house. "Why were you here?" Asked Olivia. "Maia's dad got stuck in the eye of a hurricane. And they lost three men, and she got a call asked if she could identify the bodies... because they couldn't find her dad. So he might be dead," rydel told them. "oh my god." Riker said and everyone sighed. "But I stayed on phone duty to see if anyone was going to call. And Ross took her to where ever it was." Rydel said. "So... have yo-" Rocky got cut off by Rydels phone

- Convo -

Rydel: Hey!

Maia: hi.

Rydel: so...

Maia: None of them were him. He's alive,rydel! He's alive!

Rydel: Oh my god, oh my god!

Maia: I know!

Rydel: Okay, I'll let you go!

Maia: okay! Bye!

Rydel: bye!

- End of convo -

"who was that?" Ell asked. "Maia." Rydel said. "Well... is Larry okay?" Riker asked, and came next to rydel. "None of them were him. He's alive!" Rydel said. "YES!" Riker screamed in relief. Everyone starred at him. "I've known him longer then all of you and he's like farther... that I never had and will never have." Everyone looked at him. "Riker... who was your dad? Rocky asked. "I don't really remember." he said "You don't remember or don't wanna talk about it?" Asked Taylor. "I was 3 when he left... Got arrested. I don't remember it. That's when a little rich boy, went poor." Riker looked down. "Do you remember why he got arrested?" Liv asked him. "Um... n-no." He hesitated. "You do know!" Rocky pointed. "I was told not to say." he told them. "FUCKING SAY IT!" Rydel yelled. "Fine. He murdered 28 people. He was sent to jail for.... Life." Riker let out a little wimpier. "So, lets snoop on Maias drawings?" Olivia said. "No!" Everyone said. "Its not like she's gonna find out!" She said as she grabbed the notepad and opened it. "Stop it Olivia. Those are private!" Riker stormed over. "Why do care?" She asked. "Because, I've seen these before, and they're private." Riker said and closed the notepad "Who the hell cares." She said and opened it again. "She is so pathetic. Look at this one..."Always Left Behind." So stupid." she said and threw it to the floor "Let me see this!" Rydel picked it up. "This is sad." taylor frowned. "I know." Rocky said. "Hey Ry- What are they doing in my house? What is she doing with my drawings? What's happening?" Maia questioned. "Maia, what is this?" Taylor asked,showing her the drawing. "Oh- All OF YOU OUT! NOW!" Maia yelled "No, not till I see the rest of your pathetic drawings." liv said. "You." Maia said. Maia went over to her, pulled her hair, and started dragging her by her hair and threw her out side of the door and closed it. Everyone was jaw dropped. "I do not like that skank," everyone just started at her. "Now, who's next?" Maia said and rubbed her hands together. "We're good!" And everyone ran to the door, except Riker. When everyone ran out he closed the and locked it, but he stood in front of it. "Get out." maia said and crossed her arms. "No." he said and stood up straight, towering her by a foot and 3 inches. "Why aren't you leaving?" She asked him. "Because,"
They just starred at each other in silence. Not awkward silence, but relaxing silence. It was nice, starring at the real person you love in the silence knowing you want to kiss them so bad, but you have to resist it, knowing one is with another person and thinking the other one hates you. kind of silence. The cool wind came threw the window blowing her drawings all over the kitchen. Riker and her rushed to pick them up. After they picked all of them out, there was one left... "People Always Leave." But maia hid it behind her back.
"Thanks!" Maia said with a smile. "No problem!" He smiled back. They became closer, and closer and closer till he finally leaned in. She did too. Their lips touch, for awhile and Maia put her arms around his neck, and in her hand "People always leave." In between her pointer finger and thumb. "Maia, we are so-" Rocky was cut off so was everyone at the site they are looking at. Riker and Maia kissing. Rydel obviously had to take a picture because the beautiful kiss and people always leave hanging over his shoulder. They broke the kiss and hugged tightly. "I love you." he whispered in her ear. "I love you too." She whispered back.