Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I own nothing that has to do with Fox or the OC.

Author's Note: Last chapter was a flashback, but this one is back to future time, a month before the time at the beginning of the story. Thus, Seth hasn't come back yet. Sorry, the time continuum is confusing in this story. Since my other story, One, is winding down to the end, I'll be focusing on this one and maybe some new stories. I'm fairly busy with the summer semester in school, so I may not be updating as much, but I'll try! Thanks for all the great feedback, keep leaving me some please. The song that goes along with this chapter is If you leave by OMD, one of my favorite songs of all time. I based a lot of the story's events on this song--especially the part: Seven years went under the bridge like time was standing still. The version by Nada Surf works as well. Enjoy!

Still Fighting It

Chapter 4: I need you now like I needed you then

If you leave, I won't cry
I won't waste one single day
But if you leave, don't look back
I'll be running the other way
Seven years went under the bridge
Like time was standing still
Heaven knows what happens now
You've got to--you've gotta say you will

I touch you once I touch you twice
I won't let go at any price
I need you now like I needed you then
You always said we'd meet again

Someday…
---

A month prior…

"Thanks for picking the boys up for me Ryan, it was just really hectic down at the office. Where are they now?" Summer hurried into the house and threw her stuff onto the counter. Ryan sat at the kitchen counter, reading the newspaper. He folded up the paper and set it down quietly.

"Up in Danny's room, playing on the computer. Listen, Summer…" Ryan's voice muted down to a whisper, "I think we have to talk about Danny."

"What is it? Is something wrong? Did he get into trouble at school?" Summer's brow furrowed into worry lines, and Ryan really respected his sister in law. She put Danny in front of everything, and cared so deeply for him. Seth would be proud; she was a great mom.

"No, calm down, it's just that he's been asking a lot of questions lately. You know, about Seth." Her expression turned sour slightly. It was always hard to talk about Seth with her.

"He's always asked questions Ryan, and we've always been truthful. He knows why mommy and daddy do not live in the same house, or in the same state, etc. I explained that to him when he first asked. And Seth regularly sends him postcards from the road."

"I know that, and believe me that's almost the most normal situation that he can be brought up in, but he's been asking more intrusive questions like when Seth is going to come back and when can he have a brother or sister. He wants to know how to make Seth and you get back together, basically."

Summer sighed. Seven years without Seth and it never got easier. "Well, it's not like I haven't let him come back here Ryan, I've invited him to every party, every event we've had for Danny. He's just too busy with touring and recording."

"I know, but you've never actually asked Seth to come back. You've sent him invitations and stuff, but you, Summer, have never asked. You know that if you did, he'd be on the first plane back here. Don't you think it's time your son met his father?"

"Ryan, if Seth wants to come back, he knows that he can. He doesn't need my permission."

"Yes he does, you know Seth. He needs you to reassure him that things won't be weird."

"How could they not be? We haven't seen each other in seven years, Ryan," she paused for a short while that made Ryan slightly uncomfortable. He hated playing the middle man. "I don't know, I'll talk to Danny about it."

"Don't just talk to Danny, talk to Seth, Summer, he needs to know. He's Danny's father."

"I know, I know. They should meet so maybe they can have a normal relationship down the line. I don't want Danny to end up hating Seth. And I suppose I'll have to talk to him sometime or another about the whole state of our marriage, so I guess I'll have to give him a call."

"Good. I promise Summer, this is for the better. Seth needs to be a bigger part of Danny's life. Danny needs a father."

"He's got you and Sandy, you guys are doing a great job with him."

"Thanks. But we're not his father. Trust me, he needs this. Just do it for your son. And do it for Seth." Summer nodded softly and slowly made her way up the stairs to check up on the two boys.

Danny shushed his best friend, Brian. His head was up against the door, trying to listen to every word his mom and his uncle were saying to each other. They were obviously talking about him, the tones always became more hushed when they did. He shouldn't have asked so many questions in the car today. But he needed to know. Danny Cohen was not like the rest of the kids his age. Other kids, like Brian, were obsessed with videogames and sports and the latest music and movies. While he liked that stuff, and always had a steady supply of everything he could ever want from his mom and grandparents, he always thought about deeper things, for a seven year old anyway. He knew that his family was different. He wasn't like kids who had two parents, a mom and a dad and brothers and sisters. But then he wasn't like the kids whose parents were divorced either. His parents were still married, but they just hadn't lived together for years. He needed to know his dad. That's why he always tried to get more information from his uncle or his grandparents. But no one liked talking about him too much, especially around his mom. But he'd never even seen his dad.

Well, that wasn't really true. He saw his dad all the time, on tv and in magazines. Everyone thought it was so cool that his dad was "Seth Cohen." He didn't even know who the real "Seth Cohen" was. Brian was chattering away about plans for Danny's next birthday party when Danny heard his mother's faint footsteps on the stairs. He ran back to the computer and closed the window of the internet browser. He did not want his mom to know that he was looking at his dad's official website. It wasn't that he was not allowed to look at his dad's site or listen to his music, but underneath all of confusion, Danny knew that each time he mentioned his father, Summer hurt a little more inside. And he didn't want to hurt his mom like his dad did. Danny did everything to please his mom because he knew that it was hard enough having a constant reminder of Seth around. He didn't want to upset her by making her think that she wasn't good enough for him.

The door creaked open as Summer popped her head in. "Hi boys, how was school?"

"Good, Mrs. Cohen!" Brian gleefully shouted. He was an exuberant child, just like his dad had been.

"Good, Mom." Danny was more subdued, he always deliberated the answer before replying to anything.

"Brian, will you be staying for dinner with us tonight?"

"I don't think so, I think my dad said he was gonna pick me up at 4:30 after his meeting."

"Oh, okay, well then I guess it's just you and me kiddo. What do you want to eat?"

"I don't care, anything is fine." Summer could tell that Danny was in one of his moods. He was always quiet when he thought about his father.

"Hmm, okay. Well, I guess I can scrounge something up for us then. What were you guys doing?"

"We were planning Danny's party. I think it should be Batman themed."

"I think that's a great idea, Bri, what about you Danny?"

"Yeah, that's okay, I guess."

"Just okay? You love Batman. You've almost read all of the comics we have. And trust me, your dad had like a billion so that's a lot." Danny inherited his father's love of comic books, amongst many other traits. Every time Summer looked at her son, she saw a miniature version of Seth. They looked exactly alike, with their eyes and dimples and that unruly hair. It was a constant reminder. They acted the same way, both were extremely bright, and were quick to come back with smart comments. Danny was so precocious, she could barely keep up with him. Hardly anyone could.

Danny's eared perked up at the sound of his mom even mentioning his father. She rarely did that. She must have been in a pretty good mood. "Do you think he's gonna make it to the party this year?" he whispered.

"I don't know, sweetie, he's got a new album and I'm sure he's really busy with promoting it and finishing up the last minute details. I'll send him an invitation though and we'll see."

Danny smiled even though he knew there was no hope in the situation. His mom sent his dad invitations to everything. And then he would get Uncle Ryan or Aunt Marissa to send another one just in case the first one got lost. But every year it was the same thing, he'd get a card or postcard from some exotic location wishing him a happy birthday. Sometimes, if he was lucky, he'd get an email or a call, but his dad was always overseas or in the studio. But he had to give it to his dad, he never forgot. He always tried to call whenever he had time. And he sent the best presents. Last year, his dad had bought them a baby grand piano, and asked his mom to sign Danny up for lessons. He loved to play the piano, it made him feel that much closer to his father. His grandparents said he was a natural, like his dad. And then Seth would send him rare comics, and special editions of books to read. Or copies of big movies that hadn't hit the theaters yet. But still, it didn't make up for the fact that he never got to see him.

"I'm going to go start preparing dinner, you do all of your homework yet?"

"It's Friiiday," Brian exaggerated.

Summer laughed, "Okay. Well I'll call you when your dad gets here Brian." She walked out of the room and shut the door.

---

Long after Luke had come to pick up his son, Summer and Danny sat at the dinner table in silence. Danny poked at his potstickers with his chopsticks. He didn't have much of an appetite. "So, Danny, it's magazine day."

"Oh."

"Come on, you love magazine day. You want me to put them up in your room after dinner, so you can look at them?" Danny had a ritual that he had started as soon as he could read. Each time new magazines came for his mother, he would look through the celebrity pages to see if there were any pictures of his dad, so he could rip them out, so she wouldn't have to see them. At first he had done this in secret, but Summer caught on fairly quickly when the pages started disappearing. She was lucky to have a son who cared so much about her feelings. He knew she didn't like seeing or talking about Seth, so he did it for her. But maybe this was too much for him, keeping it all inside. Maybe he did need to talk about it, and she was just making it worse by not bringing it out into the open.

"So, are you okay with going over to Aunt Marissa and Uncle Ryan's house tonight?"

"Yeah, I don't know why I can't just stay here though."

"Danny, you're 7, you can't stay at home by yourself.

"But, Jenna follows me around everywhere…"

"She's your cousin, be nice. It's only for a few hours anyway while Mommy goes on her meeting."

"Why are you having a meeting so late?"

"Well, it's a special meeting," Summer didn't really know how to approach the subject of dating with Danny, so she didn't. She would soon though, as she was starting to get serious about her new boyfriend. She didn't think he would take too well to the news, since he still wanted her to get back with his father. "How about I clean up here, and you go pack up some stuff to take over there."

"Okay." He trudged up the steps slowly, laboriously. Summer sighed and leaned up against the counter top. In a Lacoste shirt, brown cords, and Chuck Taylors, he was a miniature of his father. She loved that about him. She hated that he was so sullen and sad as of late. Growing up without a parent was hard, she knew that better than anyone. But unlike her situation, she could change this for Danny. She picked up the phone, and dialed the number that she had somehow burned into her memory.

"Hi, Seth? It's me…we need to talk about our son…"

If you leave by OMD