A/N- I was bored today and this story is totally random. I was missing the O.C and this idea just came to me. As always, I don't own any of the characters (although I wish I did), only the plot. FYI, this is set sometime in season two after Seth and Summer get back together (post "The Rainy Day Women") This is my first O.C story, so be nice! Read and Review. Thanks!
The California Campers
"Seth, get the tent poles," Summer barked as she dug the holes necessary to set up the tent.
"What? What poles? How would I know what poles you are talking about? As a young boy growing up in privileged Orange County, I never had the, well, experience of camping. My grandpa's idea of roughing constituted going to Denny's in the Range Rover."
"Grow up and get the poles," Summer said from her position by the tent, "You can read your precious comic books after you get done helping."
"Okay, but your going to be very sorry when I haven't finished them all, thus causing the untimely demise of the comic book club," Seth announced dramatically, complete with exaggerated hand gestures
"What a shame," Ryan whispered under his breath to no one in particular, "no more comic book club."
Once the tent was set up, although slightly lopsided from Seth's lack of help, the group began making dinner.
"Remind me again why I was dragged out here, Marissa got out of doing this" Ryan asked Seth, who was unsuccessfully attempting to light the fire.
"Because Seth decided that in order to have a complete childhood, he needed to have the 'camping experience', and we were the only ones he could possibly get to come with him, and Marissa had to have dinner with her mom" Summer said, looking at Seth with a certain fondness.
"If it was good enough for the Brady Bunch and good enough for those doctors on Grey's Anatomy, then it's good enough for Seth."
"I can't believe you actually want those shows, or that you have taken to referring to yourself in the third person. Never admit it to anyone besides us."
As the sun began to set, and dinner had been semi cleaned up by Seth, who felt that cleaning constituted misting everything in hand sanitizer, the campsite became flooded with bugs. Seth fished out the family size can of bug spray, proclaiming that "you can never be too prepared."
"So, Ryan, you had a relatively normal childhood. What do you do once you are actually camping?" Seth asked pulling a sweatshirt over his head to fend off the breezy night.
"We might want to gather around the camp fire and sing a song together, maybe I'll play the harmonica. You and Summer can harmonize"
"Am I sensing a low note of sarcasm there? I seem to have taught you well. You have learned the ways of a Seth."
"I cannot believe you just referred to yourself as 'a Seth'. Are you your own tribe now or something?" Summer asked, hitting him playfully on the arm.
"Would you want to join if I was?"
"Maybe I would? Can I be the queen and you can be my king?" Summer asked kissing him lightly.
Ryan, noting the uncomfortable flirting going on excused himself to go get more firewood.
After 15 minutes of Seth describing his summer camp experience to Summer, they began to wonder where Ryan had gone.
"Is it normal for him to be gone this long?" Seth whispered into Summer's ear.
"Why are you whispering?"
"Because if he's been kidnapped, we don't want them to know we're here."
Summer rolled her eyes, "He's fine, he probably just got lost on his way back, and just help me look for him. Help me up."
Seth jumped up and
extended his hand to Summer.
"Be quiet, and remember: we have to
be stealth. You know, I was-"
Summer cut him off, "Yes, I do know, you were all camp capture the flag champion at camp whatever, you just told me."
"Well, if you were listening, you would have known that it was not called 'Camp Whatever'," Seth said, trying to seem mad at Summer.
"That's nice Seth, now go grab a flashlight."
Seth grabbed Summer's hand and clutched the flashlight in the other. They made their way past the campsite and into the woods. The dark trees overshadowed the moonlight, making the forest pitch black. Every once and a while, a twig would crack and Seth would jump while Summer kept crunching through the fallen leaves. Just two minutes into the trees, Seth broke off a large branch from one of the trees.
"What are you doing with that," Summer asked, trying to find where Seth's face was in the dark.
"If something happens, I need to be able to protect you, so I got a branch. Summer, if the kidnappers get me, I want you to know that—""
"Wait, Seth I think I heard something. Where's it coming from?"
In the distance, they could hear leaves being displaced. It seemed as if someone was walking towards them.
'Shh," Seth whispered, holding out his branch, "maybe I should throw it, I'll scare them off."
Before Summer could stop him, Seth threw his branch wildly out in from of him.
"Ow, what was that?" Ryan's voice came from ahead.
Even in the dark, Summer could see Seth's eyes go wide, "Run," he whispered.
By the time that Summer and Seth reached the campsite, they were doubled over trying the catch their breath. Minutes later, Ryan emerged from the trees.
"I think I just heard a bear. I was walking back from getting the firewood and something big moved in front of me. Maybe I should call the park to tell them, there was also the huge branch that I ran into. They should really take that tree down."
"You can't!" Summer exclaimed trying to get Ryan to drop the subject, "They'll murder the poor bear. You can't be a bear killer!"
"Okay, whatever. I guess I'll just go to bed. Make sure to lock up all the food so the bear can't get it."
Seth and Summer exchanged a look.
"Okay, sure, will do. Goodnight," Seth said, and he, Summer and Ryan retreated into the tents for the night.
The three woke up early the next morning, just as the sun was peeking over the top of the mountains. They hastily threw all of the camping supplies into the trunk of the SUV, not bothering to completely disassemble the tent.
Summer and Seth piled into the front seat, while Ryan occupied the back, holding an ice pack over the large red bump on his forehead.
Summer turned around in hear seat, "Wow Ryan, that tree really got you."
"Yeah, but it's fine. It's really not as bad as it looks."
"We should do this again sometime," Seth proclaimed as they backed onto the road.