Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters or situations. I just like writing about them.

Warning: This part contains some slash. If that bothers you, please leave NOW. Otherwise, on to the next chapter!

OClover1 – Thank you so much! Is this soon enough? I feel like this part's not as well written as the rest of it, but I was trying to post it quickly.

Of course, Ryan won't just leave. He'll go back to the Cohens' house first, to tell them before he just takes off. He's not irresponsible and insensitive, not like some people. If he gets back and they're not there yet, he'll wait for them to come home so he can talk to them in person, not just leave a goddamned note for them to find on the kitchen table.

Ryan kisses Theresa on the cheek, promising to return tomorrow. She'll be out of the hospital in a few days, and he'll go back to Chino with her. There's no point in going before she's there.

He walks somberly out of the room. Summer is waiting right outside, ready to take him home.

"So?"

"I'm going back to Chino."

"What? You can't go back. Ryan... Why?"

"To take care of Theresa."

"What about the Cohens? What about Seth? What about me? What am I supposed to do when you leave?"

Ryan is surprised at this. "What do you mean? We haven't hung out at all since I've been back. You knew I was here, but we've never done stuff just the two of us. And I'm not up to hanging out with Marissa. So what are you talking about?"

"I'm lonely," she admits. "I hate my friends, and Coop's a drag now that she's drinking again."

"She's –"

"Don't say it," Summer says softly, echoing Ryan's earlier words to her. She hears his voice harden with that one word and knows the anger that will come out if she lets him continue. But Summer, too, is tired and angry. Angry at Seth for leaving, angry at Marissa for drinking, angry at the stepmonster for existing and at Ryan for starting this chain of events that has left her high and dry. That's probably not fair, but she doesn't care. She doesn't want to be alone anymore, or angry anymore, and she doesn't want to hear Ryan voice her own feelings towards Coop. She's had enough. "I know. I think so too. Which is why I haven't hung out with her since the day after you left. I have no one here, Ryan." She knows she's begging, and it doesn't suit her. Since when does Summer Roberts ask a guy to stay around for her? There are always other guys and other friends to chill with. But, suddenly, there aren't. If Ryan goes back, there's no one.

"Really?" He is skeptical.

"Yes," she admits. "God, I miss Seth. I hate the asshole, but I miss him like crazy."

"Me too," Ryan says.

"So stay."

"Theresa needs me."

"There will always be some girl who needs something, Ryan. Stop saving people. Learn to live for yourself."

He looks at her, and for a moment she thinks he's actually considering what she's said. But then he says, "Theresa's not just some girl, Summer."

"I know."

"I can't let her go through this alone."

"I know." She is defeated. "Come on, let me drive you back to the Cohens' to get your stuff." She starts walking away quickly, expecting Ryan to follow.

"Summer," he pleads, catching up to her. "You don't understand."

"Yes, I do. You love her."

Ryan almost laughs at that. "No, I don't."

"I don't believe you."

"Trust me, Summer. There's nothing – She's a good friend, and she needs someone. But that's all."

"Really."

"Really! How can I make you believe me?"

"I don't know. Is there someone else?"

"Well..." Ryan trails off, thinking about Seth. "There might have been. But no."

"Coop?"

Now his face is cold again, and she regrets bringing up Marissa. "No. Someone... different."

"Ooooh, really? Who?" Summer is excited now, thrilled at the prospect of knowing something secret about Ryan, something that no one else knows.

"No one. You don't know hi- her."

Summer could have sworn Ryan almost just said "him," but she must have misheard. "How do you know? Try me."

They are back in the lobby at this point. Summer stops walking to stare at Ryan, trying to break down his defenses. His face turns bright red, and he turns away. "Just trust me. You don't."

As they walk outside, Summer stops again. "Uh-uh. You're not getting in the car until you tell me."

"Summer!" he groans. "Why do you care so much?"

"I don't know. Why won't you tell me?"

Damn. This girl is good.

"Well, it's just that – I don't know how to say this, Summer, since I've never said it to anyone before, but," he takes a deep breath, "I'm gay."

Summer gapes. So he was about to say "him." Well, this is an unexpected twist of events. "But what about Coop? And Theresa?"

"Hero complex."

"There has to be more to it than that."

"I'm not going to say I never had feelings for either of them, because I'd be lying. But the feelings were never as strong as what I felt for guys. So I guess I'm bi, but more gay than straight."

"You told Coop you loved her!" Summer accuses. Ryan avoids her eyes.

"I did like her a lot."

"Why would you tell her that?"

"I didn't want to lose her to Oliver. And I thought I would still come to love her. I just didn't... yet."

That's reasonable, Summer supposes. She hasn't been feeling particularly loyal to Marissa lately anyway. There's something about it that doesn't seem right, though.

"Okay, fine. So who's this mystery guy?"

"Please don't ask me to tell you more than that." This has to be hard for him. Ryan doesn't beg. But then, neither does Summer, and she was doing a pretty good impression of it earlier.

"Please?"

"No."

What would possibly make Ryan this set against telling her? Sure, they're not that close, but he just told her his deepest secret. Why would he still feel the need to hide anything? Unless...

"You're in love with Seth!"

Ryan pales under the streetlamp in the parking lot. "I'm right! You are!"

"Don't hate me," he says meekly.

"Why would I hate you? You two make perfect sense, actually. I'm amazed I didn't see it sooner."

"What is this 'you two'? Just because I'm in love with him... I mean, Seth doesn't feel that way about me."

"How do you – Ryan. Get in the car. How do you know?"

He gets in. "Well, if he did, then why did he leave? And why did he leave a note for you and Sandy and Kirsten, but not for me?"

"Oh, my god, you are so oblivious. He left because you left. That's what his note said. It said he couldn't bear to be in Newport without you, and that he loved me but he didn't think he could make it work. He loves you, idiot. And he didn't leave you a note because he was mad at you for leaving, probably."

Ryan gapes at her. "He really said that? That it was because of me and he couldn't be with you?"

"Yes. Are you still going back to Chino?"

"Yes. No. I don't know," Ryan groans. "I'll figure it out tomorrow."

Summer puts music on, a mix CD Seth made her months ago. Ryan smiles in recognition of some of the songs. They don't talk the rest of the way back to Newport. There's nothing else to say.

When he gets inside, Ryan meets an angry Sandy and distraught Kirsten. "Where were you? What do you think you're doing? Why didn't you call?" Sandy demands. Kirsten blows her nose. Her eyes are red.

Fuck. He forgot to call and tell them where he was. How could he be so forgetful? He can't keep playing with people's emotions like this, even if it's unintentional.

"I was at the hospital. In Chino. Theresa had a miscarriage. Summer drove me." His sentences come out the way he's feeling - disconnected, unsure.

Their faces instantly soften. Ryan can't deal with this right now. He's too exhausted. "I'm really sorry I didn't call. I meant to. I'm going to bed." He doesn't wait around for a reaction, hurrying instead to the pool house. Maybe - hopefully - everything will be clearer in the morning.