Rating: PG

Disclaimer: I do not own the O.C., nor will I ever.

Life, Love, and Coming Home

Chapter Seven

"You guys really didn't have to drive me airport. I could have just caught a taxi or something," he sighed from the backseat of the Range Rover. Seth had never fully complied with the New York idea. But Marissa being as stubborn she is wouldn't listen.

"And miss you leave. I don't think so," Marissa replied while checking her makeup in the overhead mirror. "Besides, we came to make sure you don't back out or do something stupid. I didn't pay a hundred bucks for you to chicken out. The tickets are non-refundable."

"I can always give the ticket away. Who knows, I could possibly change someone's life in the process too," he suggested.

"Ha, ha, very funny. You sarcasm grows everyday, Seth," said Marissa in an obviously annoyed voice.

"Ryan, couldn't you have at least tried talking her out of this ridiculous plan. Oh wait....I forgot, Marissa has got you whipped," he imitated the sound of a whip cracking. Ryan stayed quiet. He knew all too well not to get into one of their arguments. He would have to take sides, and that never turned out well.

Marissa turned and gave Seth one of her death glares, which was something she has been doing a lot lately. Maybe, he was starting to get on her last nerves. Pissing Marissa off was a full time job for Seth, a job that he rather liked.

"I still don't get why you have to follow me to the airport. It's not like you can follow me through security. You don't have a ticket," he continued again. "I mean I can just slip out without you knowing, and stay out your sight until Thursday."

"I'm not even gonna comment on that. You are so immature." She gave up. In all the time that she has known him, there was never a single civilized conversation between them. Never.

Seth had never seen a longer check-in line than the one he was standing in right now. It had passed nearly ten minutes, and the line has even budged. He checked his watch once more as taps his foot impatiently. The crying baby in front of him wasn't making the situation any better. The mother turned around and gave in a smile, and he begrudgingly forced out a smile. Marissa and Ryan were at the seating area, waiting and doing whatever they do. He let out another sigh as the line moved another inch. Half an hour and a migraine later, Seth emerged from the line.

He had never fully acknowledged with himself that he was actually going to New York. He was going to New York….to see Summer. What the hell am I doing?! Somehow holding the ticket at that moment, everything felt so real and sudden. He wasn't ready to see Summer, hell he didn't even know what he would say to her. Hi…I was nearby, so I thought I drop by. And there he started to panic. Beads of sweat began dropping from his forehead as he went to find Ryan and Marissa. He wasn't going. So I'm a coward. I'll deal with that. He spotted them seating over near the windows. His hands began to shake a little as he approached them.

"Hey you ready," Ryan greeted him. "I'm not going," he blurted out quickly.

"I knew it. I knew you would back out," Marissa exclaimed, causing a few people around them to turn and look. "I knew it," she lowered her voice.

"Congratulations, would you like a medal," he had all the intention of screaming back at her for making him go in the first place, but since it was a public place with several hundred people, he restrained himself.

"You are getting on that plane," she snapped firmly.

"No I'm not. Ryan, would you tell her I'm not going," he turned to Ryan, waiting for him to comply. Ryan stood again, yet in the middle.

"Ummm….," he started. "Ryan, tell him he has to go," Marissa demanded next. "I have to…," he looked around for a way out, "…go to the bathroom," he said quickly, as he spotted the bathroom signs. He headed off quickly to the direction the signs were pointing to as they both shouted for him.

"Ughhh....," Marissa exclaimed as she stomped her stiletto heels on the ground and fell back angrily on the seats. "Ditto," he bitterly remarked. The only person that could have possibly helped him escaped…just left. And he was now stuck in the wrath of Marissa Cooper. Shit.

"I'm saying it again. I'm not going. I've made up my mind," he said again.

"Well too bad, you are going. Don't make me push you on that plane,"

"You can't make me go."

"Seth Cohen…." she raised her voice, "….you are getting on that plane, or I'll….," she searched for something valid to hold him against.

"Or you what," he tempted her to say.

"Or I'll…I'll tell your mom what happened to that antique vase she loved so much."

"You wouldn't….," he gasped.

"Oh…I would," she said with her arms squarely crossed and her foot tapping on the floor, waiting for his reply.

"I don't care. I'm still not going. "

"Seth!" she exclaimed as she flopped back onto the chairs.

"Can I ask you a question?" he asked coolly. She gave him a glare and he took it as a signal to continue.

"Why does this mean so much to you? Me seeing Summer," he asked.

"I just...I don't know," she sighed, "I guess....seeing you two together, just reminds be of how we used to be. The four us....you know what I mean?"

He paused for a moment to recollect what Marissa had just said. Oddly enough, he knew what she meant.

"Yeah, I actually do," he nodded his head slowly.

"I mean I don't expect you guys to get back together or anything. Just...."

"I know what you mean," he said sympathetically. She leaned in and gave him a hug, and he hugged her back

Did Marissa and I just have a moment? He shook his head and shuttered at the thought.

Ryan from the distance approached them carefully, unsure if they had dealt with the situation yet.

"Hey, is it safe yet," he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah, Seth is going to New York," she said as she wrapped her hand around Ryan's waist.

"Really," he said as he gave Seth a look. Seth shrugged back in response, "I'm going."

"Well, let's go then," Ryan said as he picked up one of Seth's carry-on duffels.

They headed toward security, and Seth reluctantly followed along. He tried to think optimistically about the whole situation. But he was never an optimist…or a cynic actually. Maybe he was just stuck between the two.

"Have a safe trip man," Ryan said leaning in to give the two pats on the back hug, otherwise known as the man hug.

Marissa surprisingly remained quiet and offered no last minute advice.

"Hey, are you gonna wish me a nice fright or what," he asked with a smile.

"Have a nice flight Seth," she let out a smile and leaned in and gave him one last hug.

Seth headed toward the throng of people waiting to pass security and turned around to give Ryan and Marissa one last wave.

"Do you think it's a good idea sending him to New York," Ryan asked as he waved back.

"Of course it is."

"Matt, where the hell is my pint of ice cream?!" she yelled from the kitchen.

"I might have eaten it last night," he shouted back from his bedroom. "There was nothing else in the fridge. I was hungry," he said as he emerged from the bedroom. Summer was standing by the fridge looking ready to snap with a death glare that could easily give someone a panic attack. "I don't fucking care if you are starving to death. Don't ever touch my ice cream. Do I have to put a fucking label with my name on it?!"

"Might help," he replied back nonchalant. "Chill. I'll buy you some more later."

"Forget it. I going now," she fumed as she reached for her purse.

She headed to the door and opened it to be greeted by an extremely perky face. "Sara."

"Hey! You look great. Did you get a tan?" she leaned in a pulled Summer into a hug.

"Ummm….thanks," she replied, even though she hardly looked one bit tanned. Sara nodded her head, and made her way straight to Matt, who was a little stun to see her. "I thought we were gonna meet tomorrow for dinner," he said as she pulled him into a hug.

"Well, you said it was important. So why not talk now," she replied smiling.

"Now?" he asked a little uncertainly as she looked towards Summer for help. She shrugged back and smiled widely as she closed the door.

"Umm…let's sit down," he motioned towards the couch. They both sat down. He wasn't ready, at least not at this moment. He didn't even know what he was gonna say. How do you break up with a girl without hurting her feelings? Well....he wasn't actually dating Sara. Hell, they hadn't dated in two months. Just tell her it's over. Couldn't be simpler, right?

"We've known each other now for…" he started off shakily.

"Almost two years," she interrupted, smiling back at him.

"Yeah," he chuckled uncomfortably. "Well, I think that we should…"

"I agree," she interrupted again.

"You agree?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah. That we should get back together," she said smiling once more.

"Get back together?" he smiled uneasily. "Ummm…."

Outside Seth walked shakily up the stairs. He hands fumbled nervously with the slip of paper Marissa had given him. The crumbled up piece of paper held Summer's address and number. He looked at it again, for the ten-millionth time since he got there. He walked down the long hallway, looking ever so often at the room number. 385. 387. 389. 341.

341. His hands began to shake as he reached up to knock on the door. He pulled his hands away as he looked again at the paper in his hand. He didn't want Summer to be home honestly. He just didn't want to deal with it. Not now....not at this moment. But there would never be the "right" moment. So he reached his hand up and knocked firmly on the door.

"Ummm…." he struggled with the right words to say. Just then, just as if God had answered his prayer, someone knocked at the door. "I'll be right back," he said as he got from the couch. He breathed a sigh of relief as he went to answer the door.

His sweat glands were working profusely on overload by now and his heartbeat had quickened to an abnormally fast rate. He could hear his own heartbeat go thud, thud, thud against his own chest with every breath that he made. He thought about running and looked to the nearest stairway, but his foot was already planted to the ground. The locks to the door were clicking and unlocking on the other side. It's now or never, he thought. He straightened up and tried to smooth the lines on his shirt, making himself somewhat presentable.

"Ummm…hey," Matt greeted as he opened the door. He was a little surprise when had taken a look through the peep hole. Summer wasn't expecting any friends from Newport, as far as he knows. "Seth, right?" he asked as he extended his hand.

"Uhhh…yeah," he replied back unsteadily as he shook the hand in front of him. "Is Summer home?"

"She just left for the store several minutes…"

"Oh, okay. Thanks anyways," he said as he turned towards the staircase.

"Wait, you can stay and wait for her."

"I don't want to intrude."

"You're not, please come in," he said as he motions Seth in the door.

"Thanks."

He looked around the apartment, and took in the sight of the space around him. It was small, cramped, but simple. It still retained a very vibrant and modern style, which no doubt had to be Summer's doing. The apartment was very Summer-ish in a way. He couldn't describe it, maybe it was the pink linings of the wall, or maybe it was just the daisies on the kitchen counter, Summer's favorite flowers. It had a nice view, at least a nice half-view. The other half of the view was obstructed by a giant billboard.

"Sara, I'd like you to meet a friend of Summer's, Seth. Seth this is Sara."

"Hi," she says as she extended a hand.

"Hey," he said. Over her shoulder, a picture sitting on the lamp table caught his attention. It was a picture of Summer and Matt and a few other people he didn't know. She looked beautiful. Hell, Summer was extremely photogenic. Summer has never taken a bad picture before, as far as he knows. She looked happy.

The phone rang from a distance in the bedroom as Seth shook away from his daze.

"Why don't you two talk for a bit while I get that," he said as he made his way towards the bedroom.

Sara took a set on the couch and Seth sat down on the nearest chair. "So, are you from Newport?"

"Yeah."

"It must be nice there. All the sun and beach," she said smiling.

"It's not all hype up as it is," he replied back with an awkward smile.

"Still I would love to live there. It would be nice change from New York," she sighed. "So how long have you known Summer?"

"Uh…a long time, I guess," he said as shifts uneasily in his chair.

"I'm detecting a boyfriend vibe from you," she said smiling coyly.

"A what?" he asked a little startled at the comment.

"Have you and Summer dated before or are you guys still dating now," she asked as she leaned in towards Seth.

"Umm…" he wasn't sure he wanted to disclose his personal relationship with a complete stranger "…we used to date. But now that she's engaged…."

"Wait….what?" she abruptly interrupted. "Summer is engaged?! To who?" she asked in a shocked tone. "I can't believe she didn't tell me. Is it someone form Newport?" she continued on.

"Ummm," he said, not sure of how to answer the questions. Didn't she know?

Matt's voice was heard talking in the distance. He slowly pointed toward the direction of Matt. She gave a small laugh as she turned to look around to what he was pointing at. Still trying to figure out at what he was pointing at, she turned back with a confused look.

"Matt," he coughed out quickly.

"What?" not sure if she heard what she heard. "Did you say Matt?" she asked with the same confused look.

He nodded his head quietly as he kept his eyes focus on his hands.

"Matt and Summer are not engaged. They can't even stand each other," she said in disbelief. "I mean they fight and bicker almost everyday. I don't understand how they even ended up as roommates. They…they hate each other!" she shouted in bewilderment. Matt hung up the phone in the other room as he emerged to see what all the commotion was. "Hey. What's with all the noise out here?"

"Matt. Summer's friends here, Seth thinks that you and Summer are engaged. Isn't that ridiculous," she asked while laughing.

Shit, Matt thought. Quick think of something. "Uhhh…" Anything.

"I mean you and Summer practically hate each other," she continued.

He figured he could do both him and Summer a favor and just admit the truth.

"We are," he said. "Engaged. And we…we don't hate each other."

…well not the truth exactly. At least this way, can officially break things up with Sara and help Summer as well.

"What?!"

"It was about a month ago," he continued on.

"I can't believe this!" she cried in disbelief. "We broke up hardly two months ago!"

"Well, Summer was there when you and I broke up, and well…things took off from there. I can't explained it," he continued.

"Oh my god…I have to go," she said as she gathered her purse and jacket together. She headed out the door and looked back once more at Matt and shook her head in complete and utter disbelief.

"Uhh…sorry about that," Matt said as he ran his hand through his hair.

"No problem," Seth said still staring at his hands. What the hell just happened there? He knew it was none of his business. But something was off. It just didn't seem to fit, or make sense. Or was he just thinking like this because he still wanted to believe that there was still a small possibility of him and Summer again.

to be continued

Hope you guys like this chapter. It was a little longer than usual to make up for the wait. The truth must come out – I know. It will…eventually. After all it is a SummerSeth fic. Thanks for the wonderful past reviews. They really keep me going. So please keep them coming. :)