Chapter: The Secret

Note: I do not own The O.C. or any of its characters or anything O.C.-ish at all.

Summary: Sandy does the right thing, Evan keeps a secret and Seth worries...again.

"Knock, knock," the voice came from outside the poolhouse, while he also really knocked on the door.

Theresa opened the door to find Evan, holding a single flower. His tan skin and light hair shimmered in the sunset, and his blue eyes reminded her of Ryan.

She looked at him with one eyebrow raised and a slight smile on her lips. "You picked that from the Cohen's yard, didn't you?" She laughed at him as he mocked a sad face and looked down. "That's okay," she said, "but next time, pick it from your own yard." She pulled him inside by his shirt and kissed him.

He went directly to Samantha, and looked disappointed to see that she was sleeping.

"You like me too, right? Not just my daughter, I hope," she teased.

He smiled, but she could tell he didn't think it was funny. "I like you a lot," he said seriously. He looked at Theresa, and a sad expression took over his face. "Look, I turn 18 in June, and as soon as I do, I'm moving back to Seattle." He got up and set the flower on Theresa's bed and walked out of the poolhouse. He was really upset about something, but Theresa had no idea what.

"I should go," Marissa said, realizing they weren't making up; they were just getting deeper into the argument.

Ryan didn't stop her, and she left. They were both right in their own ways, but neither wanted to give the other any slack. Marissa felt strongly about being her own person and not having Ryan fight her battles for her. Ryan felt strongly that Marissa should take action and do something about the aspects of her life that made her unhappy, instead of making everyone around her miserable too. He sat back down on his bed and tried to read again.

"What in the hell is going on?" Sandy asked the young couple standing in his kitchen.

Seth started to say something, but Summer cut in. "I'm so sorry! I couldn't do it…living in…" she made a disgusted face, "Baltimore. Newport is my home, I need to be here," she finished, and started sobbing in front of the Cohens. Seth put his arm around Summer's shoulder and pulled her into a comforting hug.

"I need to call your father," Sandy said picking up the phone. He handed it to Summer and she dialed the number. Sandy took it back and it rang and rang and rang. Finally, Summer's father picked up.

"Hello?" he sounded as thought he was in poor health.

"Neil? This is Sandy Cohen, Seth's father…" he said as he walked out of the room to have his conversation in private, but not before giving Seth and Summer an ashamed look on his way out.

"Oh, you poor thing," Kirsten said rushing to Summer's side and touching the torn collar of her shirt. "Oh!" She smelled Summer's 3-day-old scent and stepped back. "No offense, but you need a shower, honey."

Summer's laugh made its way through her tear-stained cheeks and Kirsten led her upstairs.

Theresa stood at the door of the Leek house next door waiting for someone to answer. She had already knocked twice and had been waiting for a few minutes. She was just about to leave when the door opened slowly.

"Hi," Evan said, stepping outside.

"I actually just came to bring your jacket," she said handing him a black hooded sweatshirt. "And maybe also to find out why you….I don't know, left in such a hurry." She smiled to try to lighten the mood, but it didn't seem to work.

"I just don't want to get attached to anyone," he said point-blank. "I'm leaving in a few months, so…" He just nodded, as if he had explained something.

"Okay," Theresa said, slowly backing away. "Good luck."

"Wait, don't…" he murmured. She stopped, but when he looked at the ground unable to say anything further, she left. He stood on the porch and watched her, wishing he could tell her what he wanted to tell her.

Caleb sat in his office alone, looking at some files on his desk, when Julie stormed in unannounced.

"I'm on my way to see an attorney, Cal. I'm going to take you for every cent I can possibly squeeze out of you," she threatened as she sat down on the other side of his desk.

"It was always about money to you, wasn't it?" He asked calmly, not bothered by her intimidation tactics.

"Don't you dare turn this on me, Caleb Nichol! I am not the one who resorted to lying, and cheating, and blackmailing to get…" she couldn't think of what he would have gained by his lowly schemes.

"You," he finished her thought, "to get you and to make you happy. That's all I ever wanted, Juju."

She tried not to believe him. She stuck her nose in the air and looked away from him, but he was right. The more she thought about it, he did what he did to be with her. And to please her. He wanted to sell the restaurant to make enough money to keep her happy for the rest of her life. He threatened Marissa because he knew Julie had wanted her to live with them. Maybe he did really love her, maybe he wasn't so terrible for what he'd done after all.

Sandy came back into the kitchen with a distraught look on his face. "That girl's father thought she was dead!"

"So did I," Seth said, looking at the glass-filled sink.

"Ohhh," Sandy said, realizing why Seth had been drinking.

"So what did he say?" Seth asked timidly, wondering how he would live without Summer after this ordeal.

"Not much," Sandy explained. "He was just…completely overcome with emotion. I can't even imagine what that must be like. He did say that he would be on a plane to Newport in the morning."

Seth's heart sank. Summer's dad was coming to get her and take her back to Baltimore, he thought. He had to do something immediately, he couldn't let that happen.