Disclaimer: Fox owns everything
A/N: So some of you guessed my plan =( It's all good though! Last chapter? You tell me! Also, tell me if you want Pete and Summer together, I'm always open to your suggestions. Maybe a follow up chapter on Summer finding happiness? Hmm...
Eternal Valentine
Summer woke up to the ever pleasant sound of her stomach rumbling. She shivered, and realized that the blanket which had kept her warm was now on the floor. When exactly had she gotten up to get the blanket? Then Summer remembered. The flowers. Pete. Crying into his arms. Where was Pete? He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would just leave while she was in such a state of distress. Her ears answered the question. The faint sound of the TV in the kitchen told her where to find Pete. Sure enough, Pete was there, apathetically watching "Passions" or some other soap opera.
"Hey, sleepy head," Pete said without turning his head around. "How are you feeling?"
Summer let her stomach do the talking. Pete laughed. "Ice cream and hot chocolate?"
She nodded as her stomach grumbled again. Pete, who had apparently become familiar with her kitchen, put the hot chocolate in the microwave to reheat it and grabbed the ice cream from the freezer.
"Where are the spoons?" Well, maybe he didn't know it like the back of his hand.
Summer walked over to a drawer and grabbed 2 spoons. She sat on a stool at the counter and gave Pete a weak smile as he placed the ice cream in front of her.
After they ate, Summer went to take a shower. Pete tried as hard as he could to get the picture of Summer in the shower out of his head. That was no easy feat.
Summer came downstairs wearing Seven for All Mankind jeans and a light blue Lacoste polo. Her hair was in a ponytail. She walked over to Pete and hugged him. He breathed in her sweet, clean scent. God, he could stay like this forever.
"Thanks for coming," Summer said. "I really appreciate it. Sorry you had to see me like that."
"It's okay," Pete said, "I didn't mind. Any time you need me, I'm just a phone call away."
"I think I'm going to go out. Maybe I'll go to the mall," Summer bit her lip. She knew exactly where she wanted to go. The flower shop that the mysterious flowers had come from. But for some reason, she didn't really feel like sharing this with Pete.
"Well, I'm going to be in town for a while longer. My company needs me out here to finalize the designs with Ryan and the Newport Group. So feel free to call," Pete said. Maybe he was being a bit forward, but Summer didn't seem to notice.
Pete got into his car and drove away. Why the hell was he falling in love with her? He barely knew her, yet he felt a deep connection with her. But Summer wasn't ready for a relationship and he didn't want to push her. He didn't even know if he was her type. What had her husband been like?
Summer watched Pete drive away. He seemed like a really nice guy. She just wasn't ready for a relationship. Pete didn't seem to be pushing it though. That's what made her like him even more. But it felt wrong to like him. Summer didn't know what Seth would have done if she had died. Would he move on? Well, not move on, but find someone else? Summer didn't want to think about it. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach. She figured that was her answer.
After taking the card from the bouquet, she got into her car and drove to the flower shop. Prepared to be upset, she called Marissa and asked her to come over later that day.
"Hi there," a slightly balding man greeted Summer as she walked into the small, fragrant store.
Summer took a deep breath. She could do this. The truth wouldn't be so bad. It was probably just some old bitch playing a joke on her. "Well, I received flowers with this card. And, well, this card says they're from my husband. But, my husband passed away last year. So, could you tell me who sent them?
The man put his thick glasses on. "Let me see the card, miss." Summer handed him the card, and he studied it for a few moments.
"Well?" Summer asked.
The old man's eyes twinkled. "Summer," he began, "these flowers are from Seth Cohen. Your husband."
Summer rolled her eyes. "I don't understand," she whimpered.
"Seth, he set up an account here. Always wrote his messages for the coming year. Just in case, he said. Actually, I have notes for the next 2 years," the man explained.
Summer felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh," she said softly. "Thanks." She turned to leave.
"He must've really loved you," the man said. Summer froze in her tracks. "Not too many husbands would prepare for the future like that. I'm sorry he's gone."
"Me too," Summer admitted. "I loved him more than anything in the world. And he was taken from me. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life anymore."
Even though Summer didn't know the man's name, she wanted to spill everything to him.
"I know what you mean. My Rosie was taken from me when we were only 28. I didn't re-marry until I was 47. I kept telling myself that Rosie wouldn't have wanted me to move on. But then I realized that I would still love her even if there was a new woman in my life. And that she would probably want me to be happy," the man agreed. Summer noticed the wistful look in his eyes and wondered if she had it in her eyes too.
Summer wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sorry, what's your name?"
"William, but call me Bill," the man replied.
"Wow, it's just that I'm having the same doubts now that you had. It's uncanny," Summer said.
"Seth would only want you to be happy, Summer. Just follow your heart," Bill advised.
"I will. Listen, do you want to go out for coffee or something? I'd love to talk to you more," Summer asked cautiously. She didn't know if Bill was just being nice or really wanted to talk to her and help her.
"I'd like that," Bill smiled. "Why don't we meet here tomorrow around 4:30?"
Summer nodded and left the store. She drove home, where Marissa was waiting in the living room. Being Summer's best friend, she had her own key.
"Hey, I was wondering where you went," Marissa said, not looking up from an old episode of Sex and the City.
Summer jumped on the couch and curled up with a blanket. Then she spilled everything to Coop. Her feelings for Pete, the flowers, Seth's plan. Marissa sat through it all, rubbing Summer's back and drying her tears.
Marissa always knew how to make Summer feel better. Bill had also given Summer a newfound courage and hope. Later, after Marissa had left, Summer lay on her bed.
"Please forgive me, Seth," Summer whispered, before dialing Pete's number.
She remembered Bill's words. Follow your heart. Summer put down the phone. She wasn't ready. Not yet. But when she was, she knew where to find Pete. He was only a phone call away.
A/N: So some of you guessed my plan =( It's all good though! Last chapter? You tell me! Also, tell me if you want Pete and Summer together, I'm always open to your suggestions. Maybe a follow up chapter on Summer finding happiness? Hmm...
Eternal Valentine
Summer woke up to the ever pleasant sound of her stomach rumbling. She shivered, and realized that the blanket which had kept her warm was now on the floor. When exactly had she gotten up to get the blanket? Then Summer remembered. The flowers. Pete. Crying into his arms. Where was Pete? He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would just leave while she was in such a state of distress. Her ears answered the question. The faint sound of the TV in the kitchen told her where to find Pete. Sure enough, Pete was there, apathetically watching "Passions" or some other soap opera.
"Hey, sleepy head," Pete said without turning his head around. "How are you feeling?"
Summer let her stomach do the talking. Pete laughed. "Ice cream and hot chocolate?"
She nodded as her stomach grumbled again. Pete, who had apparently become familiar with her kitchen, put the hot chocolate in the microwave to reheat it and grabbed the ice cream from the freezer.
"Where are the spoons?" Well, maybe he didn't know it like the back of his hand.
Summer walked over to a drawer and grabbed 2 spoons. She sat on a stool at the counter and gave Pete a weak smile as he placed the ice cream in front of her.
After they ate, Summer went to take a shower. Pete tried as hard as he could to get the picture of Summer in the shower out of his head. That was no easy feat.
Summer came downstairs wearing Seven for All Mankind jeans and a light blue Lacoste polo. Her hair was in a ponytail. She walked over to Pete and hugged him. He breathed in her sweet, clean scent. God, he could stay like this forever.
"Thanks for coming," Summer said. "I really appreciate it. Sorry you had to see me like that."
"It's okay," Pete said, "I didn't mind. Any time you need me, I'm just a phone call away."
"I think I'm going to go out. Maybe I'll go to the mall," Summer bit her lip. She knew exactly where she wanted to go. The flower shop that the mysterious flowers had come from. But for some reason, she didn't really feel like sharing this with Pete.
"Well, I'm going to be in town for a while longer. My company needs me out here to finalize the designs with Ryan and the Newport Group. So feel free to call," Pete said. Maybe he was being a bit forward, but Summer didn't seem to notice.
Pete got into his car and drove away. Why the hell was he falling in love with her? He barely knew her, yet he felt a deep connection with her. But Summer wasn't ready for a relationship and he didn't want to push her. He didn't even know if he was her type. What had her husband been like?
Summer watched Pete drive away. He seemed like a really nice guy. She just wasn't ready for a relationship. Pete didn't seem to be pushing it though. That's what made her like him even more. But it felt wrong to like him. Summer didn't know what Seth would have done if she had died. Would he move on? Well, not move on, but find someone else? Summer didn't want to think about it. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach. She figured that was her answer.
After taking the card from the bouquet, she got into her car and drove to the flower shop. Prepared to be upset, she called Marissa and asked her to come over later that day.
"Hi there," a slightly balding man greeted Summer as she walked into the small, fragrant store.
Summer took a deep breath. She could do this. The truth wouldn't be so bad. It was probably just some old bitch playing a joke on her. "Well, I received flowers with this card. And, well, this card says they're from my husband. But, my husband passed away last year. So, could you tell me who sent them?
The man put his thick glasses on. "Let me see the card, miss." Summer handed him the card, and he studied it for a few moments.
"Well?" Summer asked.
The old man's eyes twinkled. "Summer," he began, "these flowers are from Seth Cohen. Your husband."
Summer rolled her eyes. "I don't understand," she whimpered.
"Seth, he set up an account here. Always wrote his messages for the coming year. Just in case, he said. Actually, I have notes for the next 2 years," the man explained.
Summer felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh," she said softly. "Thanks." She turned to leave.
"He must've really loved you," the man said. Summer froze in her tracks. "Not too many husbands would prepare for the future like that. I'm sorry he's gone."
"Me too," Summer admitted. "I loved him more than anything in the world. And he was taken from me. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life anymore."
Even though Summer didn't know the man's name, she wanted to spill everything to him.
"I know what you mean. My Rosie was taken from me when we were only 28. I didn't re-marry until I was 47. I kept telling myself that Rosie wouldn't have wanted me to move on. But then I realized that I would still love her even if there was a new woman in my life. And that she would probably want me to be happy," the man agreed. Summer noticed the wistful look in his eyes and wondered if she had it in her eyes too.
Summer wiped the tears from her eyes. "Sorry, what's your name?"
"William, but call me Bill," the man replied.
"Wow, it's just that I'm having the same doubts now that you had. It's uncanny," Summer said.
"Seth would only want you to be happy, Summer. Just follow your heart," Bill advised.
"I will. Listen, do you want to go out for coffee or something? I'd love to talk to you more," Summer asked cautiously. She didn't know if Bill was just being nice or really wanted to talk to her and help her.
"I'd like that," Bill smiled. "Why don't we meet here tomorrow around 4:30?"
Summer nodded and left the store. She drove home, where Marissa was waiting in the living room. Being Summer's best friend, she had her own key.
"Hey, I was wondering where you went," Marissa said, not looking up from an old episode of Sex and the City.
Summer jumped on the couch and curled up with a blanket. Then she spilled everything to Coop. Her feelings for Pete, the flowers, Seth's plan. Marissa sat through it all, rubbing Summer's back and drying her tears.
Marissa always knew how to make Summer feel better. Bill had also given Summer a newfound courage and hope. Later, after Marissa had left, Summer lay on her bed.
"Please forgive me, Seth," Summer whispered, before dialing Pete's number.
She remembered Bill's words. Follow your heart. Summer put down the phone. She wasn't ready. Not yet. But when she was, she knew where to find Pete. He was only a phone call away.