Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Author's Note: It's been awhile, I know. I'm sorry I haven't been able to update in so long, I've just been busy wrapping up my summer session for school and taking care of things back home here in Orange County. I also had a bad case of writer's block and had no idea what to write for this chapter, so that contributed to the delay in posting. Anyway, the song that goes with this chapter is Kissing the Lipless by The Shins--one of my favorite songs/bands. I'm going on vacation for a week, then I have to start the fall semester, so it may be awhile until I can update again. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and thanks for all the reviews and encouraging remarks urging me to update, it's really appreciated. I'm also working on some new stories, so keep an eye out for those. Thanks again!

Still Fighting It

Chapter 9: kissing the lipless

You told us of your new life there
You got someone coming around
Gluing tinsel to your crown
He's got you talking pretty loud
You berate remember your ailing heart and your criminal eyes
You say you're still in love
If it's true, what can be done
It's hard to leave all those moments behind

Called to see if you're back
Was still aligned and your sheets
Were growing grass all on the corners of your bed
But you've got too much to wear on your sleeves
It has too much to do with me
And secretly I want to bury in the yard
The gray remains of a friendship scarred

You tested your metal of doe's skin and petals
While kissing the lipless
Who bleed all the sweetness away
--The Shins

Seth had been gone for two weeks already, and Summer had never been more relieved. He was out of sight, but not out of mind. That kiss blew her away. Everything she had been feeling for him had been kept inside her for all these years and with that one kiss, every memory, every hint of desire for him came flooding out. It had been completely unexpected but completely welcome. Wait no, not completely welcome. Summer didn't want this to happen. Just as she was starting over with Jared, Seth had to come waltzing in to distract her. She didn't want that. But that kiss. That kiss was everything she remembered and more. He was still gentle and slow, but aggressive with a hint of nervousness. It was amazing. But she was so conflicted. There was Jared, who had been there when Seth hadn't been. Seth was dragging his name through the mud. And for what, to get her back? That wasn't fair. She didn't think she could sink that low and didn't know how he could even involve their son. Summer hated this situation. She hated that she couldn't forget about him.

The media didn't make it any easier on her to forget either. They constantly played his songs over and over again. If not that then it was music videos, interviews, magazine articles, or recaps of his promotional tour. Seth in Japan. Seth in London. Seth everywhere. He was coming back tomorrow and his homecoming concert was in three days. It was such a big deal. They were already setting up for the show at the beach. She didn't want to go, but Danny begged her, so Jared convinced her that it would be a good thing to go and support her ex-husband. It was a "no hard feelings" gesture.

And after the concert was over, he would sign the papers and they would be done.

---

Danny sat in his room, reading one of his dad's old comic books. He was upset. His father wasn't going to be staying with them, instead staying with Uncle Ryan and Aunt Marissa. His mother hadn't said a word about his dad for weeks. And Jared was around more than ever. Everything had seemed so perfect just a month ago, but now everything was in shambles. And Danny couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't understand why everything was falling apart.

His dad was coming home tomorrow. And this time everything would be different.

Uncle Ryan knocked on his door softly, and peeked his head inside.

"Hey buddy, what are you reading?" Danny held up the familiar Dark Knight cover, which may have been a little mature for him, but he wasn't really reading it anyway. "So, you excited to see your dad tomorrow? I know he's pretty excited to see you."

"And my mom?"

Ryan gave Danny a look. "I'm sure he'd like to see your mom too. Are you ready to go?" Danny silently nodded. He was spending the night at his uncle and aunt's and the going with them to pick up his dad at the airport. It was something that Seth had asked. His mom walked into his room, and sat on his bed. She zipped up his backpack and handed it to Ryan.

"I'll see you tomorrow night, honey. Say hello to your father for me." Her speech was stilted, and both Ryan and Danny could hear it. She was obviously still upset at Seth. She kissed him on the cheek, and followed the two of them out, waiting until they were halfway down the street. She still didn't like being apart from her baby.

"Why do my parents hate each other?"

Ryan shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He didn't really like talking much in the first place, and answering questions about Seth and Summer wasn't something he was too comfortable with either. This was quickly turning into the longest 5 minute drive he'd ever taken.

"They don't hate each other. And remember, they love you."

"Did they love each other?"

"Umm, of course. They loved each other very much." Ryan shifted in his seat.

"Did they love each other when they had me?"

"Sure. You were made with lots of love. Umm, I guess. Ew. God, I'm starting to talk like your mom. Great. We're here, thank goodness," Ryan jumped out of the car as quickly as he could.

"Uncle Ryan, what did my mom and dad…" Ryan opened the door and Danny jumped inside the house.

"Hey, Danny there's your Aunt Marissa, and look, she's putting Sarah to bed. Why don't you go help her, I'm sure she'd love to answer your question." He shuffled off to his office quickly before she could protest. Marissa gave him a dirty look, as she followed Danny into the baby's room.

"Aunt Marissa, what did my mom and dad like to do before I was born?"

"Well, I suppose they liked to do the same things that everyone else does, go to movies, go out to dinner and go to concerts. In fact, your mom used to go to all your dad's concerts. He used to do this thing where he would pull her up on stage, and dance around with her, and she'd get so embarrassed, but you could tell she really loved it. And he loved her so much. He used to sing to her all the time. Back then, you could hear the tinkling of the piano at all hours of the night. He really pissed some of their neighbors off. But don't tell you mother I used that word in front of you."

"I've heard worse," he replied coyly. She gave him a look. He was a smart one, just like his father.

"Still, I know she wouldn't appreciate that kind of language. Anyway, yeah, that's what they liked to do."

"What song did my mom like to hear my dad sing?"

"Hmm, you know? I don't really know. She did always like Wonderwall. It reminded her of high school, I think. Danny, I have a question for you now. What's with the 3rd degree here?"

"No reason. I just want to do something to cheer her up."

"Aww, Danny that's really sweet. How about we plan something special for her in a few weeks, I can help you make her dinner and you can make her a card. It'll be great, we can start planning it tonight. I'm sure that'll cheer her up," Marissa ruffled his hair a little and smiled at him. Summer and Seth were lucky to have such a sweet kid.

Danny beamed at his aunt. He already had a plan formulating in his head.

---

Summer picked up the phone and dialed the familiar number.

"Hello?" Seth picked up the phone. Ryan and Marissa had already gone to bed, at the ungodly hour of 8:30. Seth was sorry that he didn't experience the exhaustion that came with raising a baby. He was sorry for a lot of things. Danny had also been sleeping for awhile now, and Seth had stayed in his room, watching him. His peaceful slumber was calming his nerves. He didn't hear anything on the other line. "Hello? Is anyone there?" he heard a click on the other line. Seth returned the phone to its cradle and turned off the lights.

Summer didn't know why she hung up. It's not like she didn't think it was impossible that he would pick up the phone. In fact, she was sort of hoping he would. She knew that Danny was probably asleep. She wouldn't have called so late had she not wanted to hear his voice. But she had nothing to say, or more like she could not say a thing. Her throat ran completely dry. She listened to the dial tone ring in her ears and walked into Danny's room. She hated to see the empty room. She could just imagine Danny tucked safely beneath the covers, as Seth read him a story. She hated to admit it, but she missed it. She missed the three of them under one roof. She missed her son and she missed Seth.

---

Seth sat in Ryan's office, looking over the set list again. How was it that every song he wrote was about Summer? It was going to be very difficult to sing those songs knowing that she was in the vicinity. He couldn't stop thinking about her the whole time he was gone. He shouldn't have kissed her because now that was all he could see in his head. Replaying…slow motion…every second. He had wanted to kiss her the minute he saw her, those eyes, that hair, those lips. He wanted to touch every inch of her body. How could he resist? So he had done it. And he didn't regret it. He missed the feeling of her in his arms. But now the bad thing about that was that he couldn't let go. He wanted her even more. He had already been back for three days and yet the only contact he had with her was in passing, when he visited Danny. He certainly wasn't staying with them and anyone with any ounce of perceptiveness could see that there was extreme tension between Seth and his wife.

She was making a mistake. He had to convince her that Jared was cheating on her, but how? They spent every minute together, it was disgusting. In fact, they were on a date right at that moment.

He looked down at his phone as it rang. Luke? What was he doing, calling at this hour?

"Hello?"

"Seth, man you will not believe who just left."

"Left where? Where are you?"

"I'm at Fleming's."

"Oh, great steaks."

"Yeah, yeah, but Summer was here with Jared."

"Yeah, they went out tonight, big whoop."

"Well they were here. Summer ran into Stacy in the bathroom and said that Jared wasn't feeling well, so they were leaving early. So I guess Summer left, but then I see the bastard at the bar with another woman. So, I guess what Ryan and Danny saw was right on. Stacy and I both were staring, but we don't think he saw us…"

"That dick, at least he could have the decency to take them to different places. Okay can you just remember what she looks like? It'll be sort of hard to trace from that. We have to go right to the source this time because it's obvious that Summer won't believe anyone anymore."

"Dude, you didn't let me finish. They just left, but he walked her to her car, and it's a fucking brand new SC430."

"And that matters because…"

"Well, it matters because the dealership tag was still in the license plate holder. And guess who's dealership the car came from."

"Holy shit, you have to be kidding me."

"Yep, Ward Lexus of Newport Beach. It'll be easy for me to find out who bought the car. Stace and I have been thinking of a brilliant plan for how all this will go down, but my battery's dying, so I'm gonna have to tell you later. We should all have lunch, you, me, Stacy, Ryan and Marissa. We can talk about all of this then. I gotta go, though. Bye."

Seth flipped his phone shut and looked at Ryan, who was staring at him.

"We may have just hit the jackpot."