The Way Of Heart

A/N: Here it is. The sequel you've all been waiting for. For those of you who didn't read "Once In A Lifetime", you maybe should, cause it really helps you understanding that story.

For the others of you, who start reading right away: I won't bore you with any stupid talking! I hope you enjoy! And don't forget to hit the review button!

Oh and in this one flashbacks are written in italics. Just so we won't get any confusions. And all of sets eight years later. Summer is 34, her kids 15 and 10, Zach and Seth 35. I know the ages might not fit to the one I used in "Once In A Lifetime", but just be flexible okay?

Love ya all,

Chris

Chapter 1: Yesterday

Summers POV

Zach's hand touched my back calming, the way he always did when we rested together, when I started to stir until I woke up. I loved Zach for many years, and that familiar and still unexpected gesture touched me every time.

Everybody else who saw us described us at the perfect couple. We slept in spoon style, had hardly differences of opinion, didn't go to the analyst and had a healthy sex life.

As if to prove my point Zach started to work his hands under my pj's top. I closed my eyes and enjoyed his touch. Zach was a tender and careful lover, although not that inventive. And of course no compare to--. I closed my eyes as if could make those thoughts go away. As I had done for the last eight years.

Zach worked his way down and kissed my bare skin after every button he had opened.

"I love you so much...",

"You too."

I didn't even know if he had noticed it, but for years I hadn't said the actual words "I love you" to him. For seven years, six months, two weeks and three days to be exact. That day had been the worst in my life.

A yellow comfortable room. Voices out of the room right next to me.

"How am I supposed to tell her?" , a female voice asked.

"She's not gonna take it well...", another woman said back.

"Well, what kind of person would take that well?"

"Caren..."

They seemed to notice me so they closed more or less discretely the door.

I felt panic rising in my chest. I'd been waiting here for one and a half hour already. Normally they just told me everything was fine and I was out again after twenty minutes. What was going on? What was the long secret discussion about?

I started having the weirdest imaginations about what could be wrong. And my worst nightmares seemed to come true when the door opened and my doctor came in with a serious, sad expression on her face towards me.

Now I was really afraid.

"What's going on?"

"Mom!"

My daughters voice called through the house.

"And there goes the adult time...", Zach rolled himself of me.

"Mom!"

I gave him a peck on the lips: "We'll find some other time! I promise!"

"MOM!"

"Coming!", I yelled back and swung my legs out of bed.

When I had arrived in the kitchen from where I located the voice from I found pure chaos. Seemed like Michael and Lilly had tried to make the breakfast by themselves. Typical spoiled brats. It was the same every Wednesday when our maid had the day off. I know that was in big parts my fault. But since I had the possibilities to spoil them I didn't see a reason why I shouldn't.

I scanned Lilly, who was still wearing her pj's.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?"

She put on her puppy eyes, like she did every time she wanted something: "You think it would be okay if I skipped the first two periods? Could you write me an excuse, or something?"

"What's the occasion?"

"Well, I didn't learn for that damn math test... and Mrs. Warren already hates me... Mom pleeeaaaseee!"

"All right." Of course she knew I'd say yes the second she asked me. "But you won't go to South Coast Plaza instead. You'll stay in."

I knew that I shouldn't even have been thinking about that, but I liked her better than Michael. Of course I loved him too, but she was just my little girl. In some weird way just like me. And Michael had always been very connected to his father.

"Thanks Mom, you're the best!", she flung her arms around me, before grabbing a cub and disappearing upstairs.

Shortly after that Zach came down. Ready for work.

He turned to our son who had just entered the kitchen: "Michael are you ready for school?"

When he nodded, Zach started to look around: "Where's Lilly? Is she not ready?"

"She's got the first two periods off. I'll drive her myself later", I lied into his face. Zach would never back me up in any of this. School was way to important to miss out... blah blah blah... He just took this whole stuff to seriously.

I guess that was also the reason why Lilly liked me better. We were just some kind of a unit against the men.

"She could still ride with me. Would give her a chance to go to the library! God knows wouldn't be the worst thing", he told me.

"Why can't you accept the fact that I'm not a genius?", Lilly leaned in the door.

"Because you got it in you! If you would just strain more! Instead of being lazy and partying with your idiot friends all the time."

"Have you ever thought about the possibility that I don't got it in me?", she asked provocative.

"Well good luck finding a job without graduating college...", he sighted and emptied his coffee cup.

"I can have success without college! Mom didn't graduate college either! I'll just find some rich and hot politicians son, to impregnate me, when it's time for college!"

Touché.

I had a hard time not laugh out loud. Lilly always knew how to drive him nuts. But instead of tapping her shoulder and congratulating her on the victory, like I wanted to, I put on my strict Mom-face.

Before I could say anything in my Mom-voice, Zach turned to her with a red face: "If you even think about having sex before graduating college I'll disown you!"

"But why? You did it before marriage. Obviously."

"Daddy what is sex?", Michael asked innocently.

Lilly laughed out loud, turned around and disappeared in the living room.

"Something you won't have before you're graduated college!", I told him, when he gave me a questioning glance, and gave him a little push so he would walk towards the front door.

I kissed Zach on the cheek: "I think it's time for you to go!"

After they had left I joined Lilly in the living room, who had just put on a CD.

"Do you have to provoke your father like that, all the time?"

"Mom, please! Don't try to play strict now! I saw the look on your face!"

I bit my lip and stayed quiet. We just sat there and listened to, what was, according to Lilly, the song plainly.

"Summer!", I shrieked when Taylor came running into our living room.

"Hasn't the invention of the doorbell reached your hole, Taylor?", Lilly smiled.

"Oh shut up midget! Why don't you go play on the highway, while adults talk?", Taylor told her.

Although it didn't sound that way, the two got along very well. After all Taylor was my best friend for almost eight years now, since Marissa had ruined our friendship - and Lilly saw me as one of her best friends.

"I can't help I inherited Mom's gnome size!"

"I don't have gnome size! I'm small but mighty!", I told her and crossed my arms.

"Sure! Whatever!", she held up her hands in defense.

I hit her slightly on the shoulder: "Shut up!"

She hit back: "You shut up!"

Taylor slapped both of our arms at the same time: "You both will shut up! And wait what I have to tell you about Marissa Cooper!"

"What is there to know about that wino?", Lilly asked.

"She's leaving her husband..."

"For the, what... 20th time?", I rolled my eyes.

"27th... but that's not the point. It's for real this time. She already moved out into some architects, he was originally supposed to redo her holiday home, apartment. Can you imagine that she just left her kids back with there father? Anyway, Luke filled for divorce and she seems to have found, I quote 'the love of her life!'"

"I'll give them two weeks. I mean we all know Ms. Cooper-Ward", I got up to get myself another cup of coffee.

"Cooper."

"What?"

"Not Cooper-Ward. Just Cooper. She already had it changed!", Taylor informed us.

"If you tell me know that she gave up booze I'll eat my hat!"

"You don't wear hats!", Lilly threw in.

"Well then you better get one, cause according to what my source told me they're already planning their wedding. You should get the invitation pretty soon."

"Yeah cuz Marissa would me invite to her wedding... what source anyway?"

"I'm not authorized to tell you that."

"Well then what are you still doing here? You spread the gossip", Lilly wanted to know.

"In fact, I have to leave now. Not that I go now, just because you tell me to..."

"Why is she still here?", I turned to Lilly. Taylor-bashing was one of our favorite activities.

Seth's POV

"You can't marry that woman!", I blurred.

"And why is that?"

"Because she is a fucking drunk!"

"She is sec. What's your point?"

"You have no idea how sick she really is!" That had to make him change his mind.

"But you do?"

"Yes."

"Good argument, really."

"What she needs is rehab and a shrink. Not a fucking engagement ring!"

"What are you really worried about?"

"Wha... I... What? I'm worried about you! And if you wanna say that this has anything to do with your fiancé is Summers former best friend, you're wrong. You couldn't be more wrong. This has nothing to do with my fear of Summer finding out that I settled down and live only one hour away from her... In fact I didn't even think about her, before you just mentioned her!"

"I didn't say a word about her. That was you!"

"Are you trying to twist my words now? You asked me if I was worried about meeting Summer and ruining her life once again!"

"If you say so, bro!", Ryan tapped my shoulder and shook his head. Continuing the work on his laptop.

I sighted, leaned back and decided to be the strong silent type from now on. Of course I knew that this wouldn't last to long.

"Why would you even suggest Summer? I mean her and Marissa aren't even friends anymore... which I think is another good sign for you not to marry her... oh my god... what am I going to do? You two will have a big Newpsie wedding won't you?"

Ryan wanted to start to continue but I cut him off before he could even open his mouth: "Of course you will. Mom won't you let get out of that one... and that means half of Newport is going to be there... ergo: Summer and her family are going to be there..."

"I think I might choose another favorite season...", Ryan told me.

"What is that supposed to mean?", I put my hands to my hips and looked – well I tried – to look at him challenging. Then I realized that the whole hands to hips thing, made me look kind of gay, and I undid it.

"Don't you have to be anywhere?"

I took a look onto my watch: "In fact I do. But I'm 45 minutes late already anyway."

"Well, you might still be on time!", with that Ryan grabbed me on my shoulders and pushed me out the door.

Summers POV

"Mom...", Lilly did the puppy eyes again.

"Don't even think suggesting if I let you have the rest of the day off too! Out. Now."

"What's with the 'I'm a strict mom' thing?", she screwed her mouth and didn't show the slightest inclination to leave the car.

"You want me to call your Dad? Cuz I'll do it!"

"Yeah sure... then you would get a preach about letting me ditch..."

I pulled out my cell: "Try me. After all I'm the one who can make it up with sex."

"Ew! Okay I'm going!", she had left the car and entered school, before I could even say "Bye".

After all I had to admit, Taylor was right. The over share really worked like a charm.

So now I had finally time for myself. And I knew exactly what I would do with it.

One hour later I arrived at a little art gallery . I'd read about an art exposition in the newspaper. Yeah that's right. I did read something else than InTouch and People. Although, reading the sad depressing news everyday, kind of remembered me why I preferred the other two.

And, just to set that straight too: I hadn't become an art expert. There was only one reason, why I did go into that exposition, where people looked at me like I was some kind of alien just because I wore clothes that were made by designers and not 100 out of waste paper. And that one was named Seth Cohen.

In the last eight years it had been my passion to collect everything he painted or ever did paint. Without his knowledge I was probably his best customer. And his greatest admirer, although he probably knew that. Each of his pieces was some kind of message to me. His way of telling me that he was sorry for leaving, without a real goodbye. Or at least I thought so. I just wished I could tell him that I forgave him a long time ago. Around the time I had made my peace with everything.

"Summer, I know this is hard. But we have to go on in some way!", Zach said.

"You don't know a shit! It's like a part of myself died! So don't even try to tell me that you feel as much grieve as I do!"

"Summer, you didn't leave this room for two months. I just want you to remember Lilly and Michael.

They need their Mommy . And I need you."

"Why? Is an election coming up?", I turned my back to him.

"Don't try to act like you have the whole pain of the world on your shoulders. Things could be worse."

"Fuck you, Zach!", I got out of bed, threw a jacket over, and stormed downstairs.

"Summer, wait!", he came after me, but I was already outside and in my car.

I guess at the time he came out of the house all he saw were the back lights of my car. I think I drove around for hours until I found myself at the pier. I stood and my hands clasped around the rails so tight until my fingers turned white.

I felt empty inside. Only one week ago, I had been full of so much hope and joy. And now everything seemed senseless. The sound of the ocean, the warm breeze ... all the things I used to love so much were now like a painful reminder. Even, or maybe especially Lilly and Michael.

For a second I thought about jumping. But that was really just a second. When I buried my hands inside of my pockets I was surprised to find the dummy, I three months ago. My heart felt like breaking.

"Summer." A soft voice reached my ears. "Please come home. The kids have been asking for you."

Zach looked sad and helpless like a little boy, when he stood there in his pj's and coat.

I don't think I ever felt more for him but then. He reached out his hand for me. I turned to the ocean again. I squeezed the comforter before letting it fall into the water.

Afterwards I took a deep breathe. Although it was only a symbolic gesture, I felt like a huge weight had been taken of my shoulders. I still would miss my baby. And the grieve would probably never go away completely. But for the first time in two months I actually felt alive again.

I took the reached out hand and cried for three hours in my husbands arms.

"You like it?", I jerked around to find the employee standing behind me, smiling.

"I think Seth Cohen is an extraordinary artist."

"Yes absolutely", she agreed, and it even sounded honest. "It's called 'Summer Breeze'."

The last two words brought a smile onto my lips. Those were his messages to me: "You've got anything else he did?"

She shook her head: "No, I'm sorry.

"Well, all right. How much is this one?"

"This is not for sale. I'm sorry."

I screwed my mouth. Great!

"Listen--" I looked onto her name tag. "Anna, isn't there any possibility to change that... money shouldn't be a problem here..."

"I'm sorry, Ms. --"

"Mrs. Stevens-Roberts."

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Stevens-Roberts. But Mr. Cohen only gave it out for this exposition. It's a private piece of his."

I sighted. Seemed like it shouldn't be.

I was in such a bad mood by the time I got into my car and started driving, I didn't even notice the Audi, that came from the right. I'd already driven around the curve when I heard breaks squeal and angry honking. I sighted and looked into the rear-view mirror. The car seemed okay. So I just drove away.

Seth's POV

"What a bitch!", I muttered when I went into the gallery.

"What's up with you?", my ex-wife looked at me smiling. As always she was very happy when I was in a bad mood.

"That bitch with the beamer almost crashed into me."

"Well that bitch seemed to be a fan of yours", Anna told me. "She wanted to buy 'Summer Breeze'."

"But you didn't sell it, did you?"

"Was I not supposed to?", she asked bluntly.

I think my mouth fell down to my chest but when she saw the expression on my face she started laughing.

"Ha ha ha... You're so funny, Anna", my laugh was supposed to sound ironic but it came out pretty creepy.

"I know I'm funny. Although you're not. But you are really on time today."

"Hey! My brothers wants to marry the best customer of Betty Ford Clinic."

"He proposed to her?", her face told me that the idea didn't make her fall into tears of joy either.

"Yep. The silent brooder and the drunken drama queen are hitting the altar. God, I hope they won't have kids... Imagine that mixture!"

"I'd rather not!", she braced onto some sculpture that looked like a three thousand dollar piece. "So tell me, my beloved ex-husband. What else is new?"

"I live a boring life. So... nothing."

"You're boring. I know that. I meant what's new in your family. How are Sandy and Kirsten?"

Before I could answer she turned to a person behind me: "Did you forget something?"

I twisted around and, even though it's impossible anatomically, my heart slipped into my stomach.

Yesterday
All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe
In yesterday

There she was... after all those years.

Summer.

"Seth..."

To be continued

A/N: Mean cliffhanger? Yes I know. But look at it this way: I could have gone on for five more chapters before they meet... What did you think? Good? Bad? Worst? Best? You all know I'm open for criticism.

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