AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. I've gotten backlogged with stuff in my own real life (believe it or not, I have one). I visited the site a couple of days ago and was so won over by all the positive feedback this story has received that I thought it would be fun to pick it up again and continue it. I'm not super pleased with this chapter but I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things soon. Please keep that feedback coming! Thanks!

Summer and Seth are wrapped around one another underneath the covers, blissfully asleep. Limbs are tangled all around and the sun is shinning over their intwined figures. Everything is so peaceful and serene it could look like something out of a still life painting.

That is, until Seth's bedroom door opens and Kirsten enters absent-mindedly carrying a large laundry basket containing freshly folded clothing.

"Seth, you're going into your senior year of high school soon, so I think it's about time you learned to do your own—"

At the sound of his mother's voice Seth snaps awake instantly and panics. She is already in the room, however, and it is too late. Summer is awakening as well and she instantly pulls the covers up to her neck to shield herself completely. The couple is caught completely off-guard. Unfortunately it is simply too late as the moment Kirsten sets eyes on her son and his bedmate, she drops the laundry basket to the floor in shock. The pile of clothes comes toppling out, but no one seems to notice. Kirsten's eyes dart back and forth between Summer, who looks like she wants to die from mortification, and Seth who looks like he's having another anxiety attack.

"Summer." It's a simple statement, but Kirsten doesn't know what else to say. When she regains her composure she quickly diverts her eyes and faces off to the side of them.

"Hi, Mrs. Cohen." Akwardness and tension fill the room completely. Seth jumps out from under the covers quickly and tries to assess the situation.

"Okay, Mom. How about we go downstairs and have one of those lovely family pow-wows you're so fond of?"

Kirsten nods quickly before high-tailing herself out of the room, shutting the door behind herself. Only when she is gone does Seth slump down and falls back on the bed, exhausted.

"Shit. Well, Summer, I hope you've enjoyed being my girlfriend for all of two days since this relationship is officially over being as I probably won't be allowed to be in the same room alone with a girl until I reach a point in my life when Viagra is needed."

"Honestly, Cohen, can you stop thinking about yourself for a second! What about me? Now your mom's going to be convinced I'm Summer the Turbo Slut."

"Which won't matter anyhow since she won't be leaving the house for the next two decades so she can keep twenty-four hour watch on her virgin son!" Summer punches him on the arm for being... inconsiderate? They both look deeply worried. Cohen retreats into a pensive state and Summer just sits and observes him for a moment.

"I hope you're thinking of some way out of this mess, Cohen."

"Not exactly. I'm picturing what the Summer The Turbo Slut action figure would potentially look like. What kind of accessories do you think she'd come equipped with?"

She stares at him incredulously for a moment before getting frustrated and shoving his limp body off the bed and onto the floor. After a moment a tiny "Ow" can be heard from down there.

Seth tentatively wanders into the kitchen not knowing what to expect. He is quite tense and suspicious. Sandy is already seated, sipping his mug of steaming coffee and Kirsten is leaning back against the counter looking perplexed and disturbed. They both look up at him as he approaches. Sandy simply shakes his head and looks down while Kirsten walks forward and takes the offensive position.

"Seth, this time you've really done it."

He knows it's not going to be good. He slumps down into one of the dining chairs, looking guilty.

"I'd like to say, on my behalf, what happened this morning was relatively innocent. It's not like I lied about going to a foreign country or totaled the Land Rover again."

"You told me that random kids vandalized the car."

"Wait – you bought that? Damn."

She is astounded by his nerve. He knows he's going down and he's just digging himself deeper and deeper.

"Regardless. Having a girl in your room for the night, at your age and in your bed is completely inappropriate."

"Mom, it was harmless. Really—"

"I'll decide what's harmless. You're too young to behave accordingly and the fact that you lied to us in the first place shows how you knew it was wrong to begin with. Just a couple of days ago you were insisting to me that Summer isn't your girlfriend. But you went ahead and deceived myself and your father anyhow."

Sandy says nothing and looks away guiltily. Seth looks to his father for some backup and Kirsten catches on to this, looking at her husband suspiciously.

"Sandy?"

Sandy drags his line of vision back to her and the guilt on his face says everything. Kirsten's jaw drops.

"You knew the entire time and you did nothing?!"

"Kirsten, the circumstances are a little out of our hands. Summer's family is gone and this has been a traumatic time for all of the kids. Maybe it's a good thing that they're learning to rely on one another. And if Seth is going to go ahead and have sex there's really nothing either one of us can do to stop it."

Sandy tries to appease his wife, but she's not buying into it. Seth grimaces at the mention of sex and decides to interject.

"Can we please not discuss my sex life?"

Kirsten's head whips around to her son and her eyes look like they're going to fall out of their sockets in shock.

"You have a sex life?!"

"Not yet and the two of you are sure succeeding in preventing me from having one in the future..."

"Don't talk like that's a bad thing. You're too young to be having sex."

Seth throws his hands in the air and gives up. Sandy tries to jump back into the conversation and calm the ordeal.

"How about this? Seth, Summer is allowed to stay here until her father gets home. But only as long as she sleeps in one of the guest bedrooms. And no more sneaking around behind our backs. You're still grounded until school starts and if Summer is going to stay here, so is she. I'll take her later on to go pick up some things. You will both abide by mine and your mother's rules. Any violation will result in Summer going back to her house and you two won't see one another until the vacation is over. Is that clear?"

This deal isn't too bad. Seth nods enthusiastically. Kirsten agrees as well, but she isn't entirely comforted.

"And no sex."

"After you two have made it sound so appealing? How will I reisist?"

Sandy is driving the Land Rover down the various backstreets of Newport Beach. He seems more than a little tense. Summer sits quietly in the passenger seat, occasionally casting a glance over at Sandy to gauge his mood. Neither one say anything, but the situation is already beyond awkward. Summer is terribly embarrassed and so is Sandy.

"Thanks for doing this, Mr. Cohen."

Summer seems almost afraid of how he'll react to this. Sandy is simply flustered by the break of silence and nods.

"Of course. I trust Seth explained all of the conditions to you?"

"Yeah. And I'm, like, sorry about lying to you and Mrs. Cohen. That was never my intention. I guess I just wasn't really thinking of anyone else..."

She looks deeply apologetic and her sincerity wins Sandy over immediately. He is flattered that she is being honest and open with him.

"I know it's been a... trying time for everyone involved in the incident in Tijuana. And I'm aware you're Marissa's best friend and with your family out of town this has to be overwhelming to you. I also know that despite his eccentricities, Seth can be an astoundingly sensitive and caring person, which is why I'm please you two are forming a close... um, friendship."

"Yeah. After all these years of growing up together I'm figuring this out only now. I mean, no offence, Mr. Cohen, but Seth... well, for the last ten years I've sort of been avoiding him like head lice. Head lice that reads dorky comic books and listens to whiny emo music and tries to pass off Playstation as an actual sport."

Sandy is a little amazed at the amount of thought put into that one, but he lets it slide. A tiny smile plays on Summer's lips.

"I also happen to know that Seth cares very deeply about you. And, being his father and all, I have a bit of a protective instinct over him. I can see that you're a wonderful girl, Summer, but I'd be very disappointed if your recent bond with Seth was simply for your own benefit and turned out to be insincere. I'd hate to see him get hurt when he's done everything he is able to in order to be a good... friend."

She nods thoughtfully and considers this carefully.

"I'm not going to abuse that."

Sandy seems satisfied at this and offers a curt smile. They pull the car to a stop in the driveway of Summer's home.

Ryan is lying face-down on his bed in the pool house. He has propped himself up on his elbows and is looking out through the windows into Marissa's yard. In the distance Julie and Marissa are lying in loungers on the deck while Caitlin swims in the pool in front of them. Julie is sunning herself, but Marissa is clothed and has her arms crossed in front of her. She looks sulky and displeased.

Seth breezes through the door and flops down on his back on the bed next to Ryan, who barely acknowledges his presence.

"In some cultures what you're doing is considered creepy and illegal."

"I haven't spoken to her since before she went to the hospital. Her Mom is on guard twenty-four hours a day. She doesn't want me to see her at all."

"Well, she lied to her mother and came home after over-dosing on tequila and painkillers. Her Mom has to be more than a little freaked. Give it some time to settle and she'll eventually unwind when she sees that Marissa is in the clear."

This doesn't help Ryan at all and he still stares straight ahead and looks dejected.

"So I hear your Mom walked in on you and Summer."

"Yep. My life is coming to an end."

"In order for it to end, doesn't it have to begin first?"

"Right on. Just keep rubbing the salt into that open wound, Ryan."

"The truth hurts."

"Did you hear that my mother actually imposed a 'no sex' rule starting immediately? Only in the Cohen house could a sex be forbidden before it's even started. I'm going to die a virgin."

Ryan ignores him and watches Marissa feign sleep as her mother tries unsuccessfully to lure her into conversation.

"Dude, this is where you chime in and reassure me, as my best friend, that I'm not going to die a virgin and that I'll be having heaps of hot monkey sex in no time."

"Newport Beach is like an alien colony, man. Take nothing for granted."

Seth flips over and examines Ryan carefully.

"You're really worried about her, huh?"

"I don't know. I just wish I could talk to her. I'm not worried she's going to do it again or anything. That's one reason I'm thankful for her Mom. But that doesn't mean she's okay, you know?"

Seth doesn't entirely understand, but he nods supportively. Nothing is going to help Ryan at this point, so all he can do is be there to listen.

Dinner is laid out on the dinning room table and everything would appear to be perfect, but each member of the Cohen family seems too preoccupied in his or her own world. Sandy sits at the head of the table and is zoning out by staring at his salad a little too intensely. Seth and Ryan are sitting side-by-side with Ryan brooding and Seth looking bored out of his mind. Summer sits across from them, her eyes darting around the room nervously. Kirsten, however, is nowhere to be seen. They're all waiting on her before they start to eat.

When she finally does appear she walks in briskly and sits down opposite Sandy. She offers everyone a very forced smile, but doesn't pick up her fork. She looks quite anxious and the others are curious about her mood.

"Well, since everyone is here tonight I thought I should get a few things out in the open."

Sandy looks wary of what's to come and Seth is nervous. Kirsten pulls out some neatly folded pamphlets from under the table and hands them to the boys and Summer, who also hand some of the extras to Sandy. Summer's jaw drops and she turns a bright shade of red. Sandy chokes on the wine he is sipping. Ryan simply looks disturbed, but Seth starts hyperventilating.

"Mom, what the hell! 'Sex and Your Teenager: Understanding Adolescents' Sexual Curiosities and Urges'. This isn't dinnertime conversation material!"

"Well, since everyone has been sneaking around my back and now both of you boys have found girlfriends I didn't see any alternative. This is an important subject that I feel we need to discuss."

Summer looks completely mortified and Seth offers her a sympathetic look before staring daggers at his mother.

"Fine, but do we have to do this right here and now?!"

"Yes! We do!"

"Are you seriously going to whip out sexual education material every time I bring a girl home for supper for the rest of my life?"

Summer who has been lost in her own embarrassment up until this point looks up as rage overcomes her.

"Every time you bring a girl home?! Excuse me? What am I, flavor of the week?"

Seth rolls his eyes and tries to soothe her.

"You know that wasn't what I meant..."

"Like your stock is in such hot demand! All of my girlfriends are beating down the door for a socially retarded asshat."

"As opposed to a girl with bigger testicals than those of a whole NFL team?"

Ryan looks desperately at Sandy for an escape.

"Can I be excused?"

"Kirsten, I think Ryan and I should go fix the storm drains you've been asking me about for months..."

"Sandy, it's August in Orange County. They can wait. I want to have a serious discussion here and I don't appreciate you abandoning me."

Sandy realizes he's in over his head so he opts to simply shut up and cut his losses. Summer and Kirsten both look furious while the men look lost. Kirsten speaks up first.

"Summer, honey, this must be a really awful time for you and I want you to know that our family is here to help you out. But I just want to be sure that everyone is on the same page as to what that means."

She casts a pointed look at her son who rolls his eyes in defiance.

"We get it, Mom. No making with the sex. We're not complete unwitting slaves to our urges, you know. Well, Summer isn't. And, besides, after this conversation I don't think I'm going to feel even remotely sexual ever again cause, like, parents, food and sex just don't... Oh God, I think I need to go throw up."

He sits up and quickly exits the room. Sandy sighs and shakes his head knowingly. Ryan has found a new fascination with his feet. Summer looks pouty and Kirsten is the only one who seems quite pleased.

"Well, all things considered, that could have gone much worse."

Seth, decked out in his Batman pyjamas, heads down the hall towards the bathroom. Right before he gets to it the door opens and Summer appears dressed in her own as well. The silk bottoms and overshirt are much more feminine than those she had been borrowing from Seth. They stand face-to- face suddenly and both seem shy. She offers him a cute smile and he finds her adorable.

"Fancy meeting you here, Summer."

"Cohen, do you have an extra toothbrush somewhere? I forgot mine at home and there's, like, no way I'm going to let all that bacteria fester on my gums all night."

"Ooooh, Summer, I love it when you talk dirty."

She punches him on the arm playfully as he leads the way back into the bathroom. He starts digging through one of the cupboards.

"I know Mom keeps some extras for guests in here somewhere."

He finally retrieves a red toothbrush in the back. He removes the packaging and hands it to her before grabbing his own blue one off the rack. He then politely puts toothpaste on both their brushes before beginning brushing his own teeth. She laughs a little but follows his lead. The entire time they're both casting cute glances at one another in the mirror. Seth shows off by horking up a big spitwad, which Summer grimaces at as she daintily spits afterwards. They both rinse their brushes off and she heads for the door with her's. Seth stops her, though.

"What now, Cohen? Synchronized exfoliating? Or were you thinking synchronized showering?"

"Summer, don't even joke about that or I might need three hours in here with a steady stream of cold water and some of those pamphlets my Mom had."

He shakes his head dismissively at her and grabs the toothbrush from her hand. He then places it in the wall-mounted holder next to his own and his parents'.

"There you go. So you always have space here."

She finds it completely adorable and she grabs him and gives him a tender kiss. He's quite impressed with himself when they separate.

"Wow. If that's what I get for giving you a toothbrush, what is the going value on flowers and chocolate?"

She rolls her eyes.

"Goodnight, Cohen."

"Come on! Okay, jewellery? Champagne?