Disclaimer: I don't own it.

A/N: And because I am so completely awesome – enjoy. :)

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"Summer, we need to talk," Seth breathed, taking a few heaves with his shoulders.

"Okay. Yeah, that's fine. I'm just glad you're back. I was getting worried," Summer walked over to the coffee table, averting Seth's gaze, and absentmindedly tried to tidy the already straightened out magazines on it. "Did you get my voicemail?"

"Yeah…," Seth tried to follow Summer but she kept bouncing from one area of the living room to the next in avoidance, "But I'm only here because I have to pack up and move my stuff out."

Summer immediately stopped her fidgeting and shot up straight. "You found an apartment already? You've only started searching today! What? Did you make an offer on the first shack you found?" Seth attempted to speak but Summer inched towards him, grabbing his hands in hers. "Seth, you don't have to leave. I don't want you to leave."

Seth pulled away. "No, I got a job."

"What?" Summer stood back, looking at Seth in disbelief.

"I got a job offer. In Providence," Seth began losing his cool, and looked away from Summer.

Summer placed her hands on her hips. "Where?"

"In Providence."

"Yeah, I got that," Summer flung one hand aimlessly in the air. "I meant at what firm."

"Umm… I can't remember the name of it… but I have to move back there immediately." Seth made eye contact and then made his way towards the kitchen in nervousness.

"You can't remember the name of the law firm you supposedly got this sudden job offer from?" Summer followed him.

"It's not sudden."

"Oh, really?" Summer's voice grew angry.

Seth stood behind the kitchen counter, giving himself ample space between his body and Summer's – just in case she decided to lunge at him suddenly. "What's with all the questions? I'm supposed to be moving out of here anyways. I should have moved out two weeks ago but I wasn't sure about the job yet."

Summer slammed her hands on the kitchen counter before turning around. "You are full of such bullshit, Seth."

"What?"

"You know, you suck at lying now," Summer turned back around towards Seth, pointing at him furiously. "You had me fooled back in high school but now I can see through all of your stupid, half-assed lies. I know you, Seth. And I know you don't have a job lined up in Providence. So why don't we make this conversation a half hour shorter and you just tell me the real reason you seem to think you have to leave."

Seth didn't want to anger Summer any longer – and she was right, he really did suck at lying to her now – so he decided to just get it all out in the open and tell her the truth.

And hope that she wouldn't kill him in the explanation process.

"Summer, I can't be your burden anymore."

Summer seemed to soften at these words and made her way back over to Seth. "That's why you think you need to leave? Seth, you're not a burden. You're not at all. I love having you here."

"I'm holding you back from your life," Seth spoke softly.

"What?" Summer bellowed, placing her arm on Seth's. "No! How?!"

"You need to start moving on. And you can't do it with me here." Seth walked away from Summer, making his way into the bedroom to begin packing his things.

"Excuse me? Move on? Seth, you made love to me last night!"

"I know," Seth looked back up into Summer's eyes. "We shouldn't have done that."

"Oh, so I'm just some one-night stand to you now?" Summer's fury seemed to be coming back at a rapid pace and Seth gave her a sympathetic look, shaking his head.

"You know that's not it, Summer. We just had a moment of weakness. But now our minds are clearer – at least mine is – and we have to move on. I'm not sick anymore so I don't have to have you taking care of me so I'm going to move my stuff out and stay with Nick again until I find a place."

"God, Seth! Are you insane? What don't you understand? I don't want to move on!" Summer's voice began to crack, wishing for the billionth time that she could go back in time and make everything right once again.

"But you have to."

"Why?"

"Because we hurt each other."

Summer sniffled and shuffled to the bedroom door, closing it and leaning against it before speaking again. "I don't care. I can't live without you. It hurts so much more when you're gone."

Seth smiled delicately and sighed. "That doesn't even make sense, Summer."

"Yes, it does," Summer pushed her body off of the door and walked over to Seth, placing each of her hands on his arms. "I'm not happy when you're not in my life. I know that may sound like I'm this dependable, obsessive girlfriend, but it's true. Everything that happens in my life I want to be able to run to you and tell you, but for the past six months I haven't been able to and it hurts. Some days I feel like you died and I even used to try and imagine that that was the case because it just seemed easier to think you were dead rather than you were out there, somewhere, wandering around, but not talking to me."

Seth grabbed a hold of each of Summer's hands, squeezing them in his. "We can still be friends. I want to be your friend."

"That is such bullshit, Seth!" Summer yelled through her cries, pulling away from him again. "You know exactly what I'm talking about! You feel it too! I know you do! Cause you can't just be in love with someone for twelve years of your life and decide to shut your feelings off!"

"That doesn't matter, Summer. We need to just end this. Our relationship isn't healthy. I don't think it ever was." Seth turned back to packing his things away.

"Listen to me," Summer pulled Seth's arm to grab his attention and make eye contact, "You can't leave me. I've realized that I don't care how healthy or unhealthy our relationship is. I don't care how backwards or forwards, right or wrong, planned or unplanned anything happens anymore. I took everything for granted when we were together and I had this perfect vision of how I thought everything was supposed to go. I know now that that doesn't have to be true. As long as everything I eventually want happens with you I shouldn't care when it happens or how it happens. I tried for six months to get over you and I couldn't. And then, somehow, you ended up coming back into my life even when everything seemed completely over. It always seems to happen like that for us. We're perfect for each other – in that ridiculously unhealthy, backwards, unplanned way. That's why you can't leave me. That's why you're not moving out. That's why you love me."

"Summer…" Seth tried to walk away towards the door but Summer flew her body in front of the door, blocking his way.

"Cohen, I love you. Stop being a dick."

"A dick?" Seth laughed. "You love me but I'm a dick?"

"Yes."

"That's so fucked up. That's nonsensical and absurd… and… and…" Seth paced around the room in distracted thought.

Summer was right. It finally clicked. It didn't matter how idiotic and unhealthy their relationship was because it was real. He would never be happier with another woman than he was just thinking about Summer. It didn't matter what Nick thought – or any other person for that matter – because no one would know how it felt to be in this relationship besides him and Summer. And to be in a relationship with her? It was the most fantastic thing in the world he had ever experienced. Of course it had its up's and down's – every great relationship does, Seth noted – but he just couldn't imagine not having her in his life. And he definitely couldn't bear to imagine her being in love with some other guy that wasn't him and spending her life with that person. He couldn't. He may have wanted to but deep down he knew he would never actually be able to handle it. Summer was just it. She was it. She had always been everything and more for him. And for him to deny that was just… well… it just all seemed really petty right about now.

"And…?"

"And… stupid," Seth seemed to snap back into reality and began making his way towards Summer in urgency. "Really stupid."

"Stu -" Summer tried to reply but Seth leaped forward, grabbing her arms and began kissing her passionately. Summer was completely shocked at first, just letting Seth take over, but within seconds her brain caught up to her lips and she began furiously kissing him back and wrapping her arms around his body.

"This is still stupid," Seth pulled millimeters away, breathing heavily with swollen lips. "Really, really, very ridiculously stupid."

Summer barely smiled before she reached for his shirt's collar, bringing his lips back down to reach hers.

Deep down, Summer knew this was going to work between them. Seth was never one to lead a person on – especially her – and she knew Seth must have been harboring these same loving feelings for her as well for him to have made love to her last night and to be kissing her in that moment. Seth was never a casual guy. Seth was always sure of what he wanted.

But she still had to ask.

"Seth?"

"Yes?" Seth placed his forehead against hers, trying to catch his breath.

"Does this mean you're not going to move out?"

Seth paused for a moment, smirking. "I thought you weren't going to let me?"

"I'm not, but I was just making sure I didn't have to fight you on it," Summer smiled back.

Seth lifted his hands bringing them up to cup Summer's face. "No rage blackout needed."

This time it was Seth to resume the kissing but after only a few moments he pulled back once again looking Summer intently. "I do still love you, Summer. I really, really do."

A grin played upon Summer's lips as her heart skipped a beat or two. "I told you so."

Neither Seth nor Summer were sure of how they had made it back into the living room and onto the couch because they were so wrapped up in each other and trying make up for lost time when Summer heard a faint knock on the door. She tried to ignore it at first but then she heard it seemingly get louder and Seth must have heard it as well because he tore his lips from their spot nuzzled in Summer's neck.

Before either could utter a syllable, the door swung open and Nick stood there dumbfounded at the sight he saw before him.

"Wha…" Nick tried to find his words as Seth peeled his body off of Summer's on the couch. "What the hell is going on here, man?"

"I love Summer," Seth shrugged his shoulders, still trying to catch his breath.

"Well, three hours ago you didn't!" Nick bellowed, wailing his arms in the air.

"It's been three hours already…?" Seth scratched his head before turning to Summer motioning between their bodies and then towards the couch. "How long were we doing that?"

Summer stood speechless with her mouth agape, shrugging her shoulders and shaking her head.

"Three hours ago you said you two weren't healthy for each other and that you hurt each other! That you needed to leave and move on because you two weren't right for each other! Three hours ago you were being rational!" Nick yelled at Seth and then walked up to Summer, yelling at her as well. "What the hell did you do to him? Brainwash him? He doesn't love you anymore! Can't you just accept that and leave him the fuck alone?!"

Summer's eyes began to water as Seth took charge of the situation and stood between Summer and his best friend. "Stop it, Nick. Summer didn't brainwash me. She just made me realize that we belong together. We really do and I'm sorry you had to drive all the way over here but there's nothing to fix now. I've finally come to my senses and realized this is it. This is what I want. I want Summer. Now and tomorrow and the next day and forever. That's it. I think that's all I've ever wanted but I was too stubborn to admit it," Seth told Nick and then turned around to wipe away Summer's tears with his thumbs. "Summer, I'm in love with you. And I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize it but I need you in my life. And I never want to lose you again." Summer smiled weakly, nodding in reply.

"You're fucking crazy!" Nick threw his hands to his head. "You're ruining your life you know! And you," Nick pointed to Summer, "Are helping him ruin his life! If you loved him you'd realize no relationship is worth the pain you put him through. If you loved him you'd let him go back to Providence and live his life away from you."

Summer had been silent since Nick had arrived. She had been shocked and then had just been taking the scene in, not really realizing she was going through it herself, instead feeling like she was having an out-of-body experience. But now? Now she had had enough. She was done letting Nick insult her and insult her and Seth's relationship.

"I'm not ruining his life, Nick," Summer told him.

"Oh, really?" Nick replied sarcastically. "Well, then, enlighten me as to what is exactly happening here."

Summer took a deep breath, giving Nick an icy glare. "You're ruining our lives."

"Summer…" Seth laid a hand gently on Summer's wrist.

"No, Seth, I'm serious," Summer told Seth before whipping her head back around to give Nick a piece of her mind. "Why do you insist on hurting me? On hurting us? Don't you want to see your best friend happy? Whether or not you like the person who's making him happy?"

Nick laughed ironically, not believing his ears. "Are you mentally unstable?"

"What?" Both Summer and Seth replied angrily.

"I've known you both for about two years now and all that time everything has always been about you, Summer," Nick thrust his pointer finger towards her. "It's like the Goddamn universe has to revolve around you or all is not right with the world! And you just string my best friend along and frankly, I'm sick and tired of seeing him be hurt by you and then go back to you and repeat the same fucking cycle over and over again! I know you were like some 'goddess,'" Nick used air-quotes with his fingers to emphasize the word, "in high school but this is the real world! This isn't even college anymore! People aren't just going to fall at your feet because you're some pretty spoiled princess," Nick ended snidely.

"Hey," Seth glared at Nick, pushing him back by the shoulders slightly. "Don't say those things to her."

"Seth, I can stand up for myself," Summer spoke to Seth, but kept her dark eyes glowering at Nick. She walked closer to Nick, pushing herself up into his face. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough," Nick spit back.

"You never even tried to get to know me. You had your mind all made up the day I first met you when you were all watching that stupid Spiderman movie back at our apartment in Providence."

"It was actuallyBatman," Nick replied calmly, keeping his glare focused on her.

Summer grunted. "Like I fucking care."

Nick moved away, towards the door. "Maybe you should seeing as that your boyfriend's favorite comic. But I guess you're just too wrapped up in your own little world to know anything about anyone."

"What the hell does that mean?" Summer was on the brink of a rage blackout and Seth could tell, bringing himself closer to Summer and letting his hands hold her back – just in case she were to lash out on Nick.

"It means that no matter how hard I try, Seth will never listen to me. No matter how many times I have covered for him or helped planned parties for him or blew off some hott one-night stand just so he could have someone to go to the comic store with him to make him less miserable because of something you inevitably did to make him upset, I will always be that guy that tried to keep him apart from 'the love of his life,'" Nick used air-quotes once again, before bringing his hand down to the doorknob, opening the door. "I will always be seen as the bad guy when all I was trying to do was be the best friend. I will always be that guy that's kicked to the curb because I tried to save him from this train wreck of a relationship." Nick laughed sardonically to himself once again before regaining his composure and looking back up to both of their stunned faces, "You know what? You both fucking deserve each other. You," Nick pointed to Summer, "don't care about anyone but yourself and insist on getting what you want, which just happens to be him," Nick then pointed to Seth, "and you only care about her and sacrifice your entire life to make her happy. So I guess that makes you two the perfect pair and me the idiotic best friend who listened to you and gave you advice, even when you never intended on using it." Nick turned his back away from Seth and Summer, making his way out the door, before turning around once more, leaving them with one last snide remark, "I'm not ruining your lives. You both are ruining each other's lives. And honestly, I don't give a shit anymore."

Nick turned back around, walking out the door and slamming it shut, making objects inside the apartment tremble in his wake.

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A/N: Only a few more chapters left. 3 to be precise.

Tell me what you thought!!!

(And to the person who mentioned that Nick might be gay – hahahahaha, I had actually thought at one point about going down that route but then I figured it might be really awkward and yeah… he's not gay. But I hope after this chapter it makes sense why he didn't like Summer.)