AN: Just a note, Summer's father in this story is not the same as her father on the show. I started Secondhand Smoke before his character was introduced on the show and he is mentioned in that story and that's the character I'm using here. So, in closing, Summer's Dad is totally unconnected to the one on the show.

--Disturbing scenes to come.--

Sandy was watching Seth and Ryan curiously later that night. Kirsten was watching Sandy watch them.

Ryan had a pen sticking out of his mouth and he was staring blankly at his opened textbook while chewing on the cap.

Seth was tapping his pen against his notebook obsessively. The only sound for the past ten minutes had been the steady rhythm of his pen.

Silently, without averting his gaze, Ryan grabbed Seth's pen, popped off the cap, replaced his chewed up cap, and returned the pen to Seth. Seth resumed tapping.

Kirsten was amused but Sandy was worried.

"She'll call," Seth murmured.

"She'll call," Ryan agreed.

Summer was trying to study. She'd been home for three hours. She hadn't seen her father but she knew he was home.

She had to convince Ryan to drop her off after school. He'd been painfully silent but she'd been grateful that he didn't push her to stay with him.

God knows she wanted him with her right now.

But she had to be here. He was her father and she couldn't abandon him.

He didn't mean it. She had to believe that.

She heard the knob of her door turn and she sat up in surprise. Her father walked in, swaying. She could smell his familiar alcohol scent.

She shouldn't be afraid of him. He wouldn't hurt her. He was her father. She steadied herself. She had nothing to fear.

"Dad?"

"Summer. Get up."

"What? What is it?"

"Stand up."

Summer stood up, too stunned to argue.

"Take off your clothes."

"No," She gasped immediately. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She snapped, stepping backwards.

"Don't you question me, I'm your father…" He hissed, stepping toward her.

"Hell no, you're crazy," She retorted and he slapped her. She tasted blood. She was stunned by his blow.

He pushed her against the wall.

"Daddy, no…stop…"

She struggled, panicked but he slapped her hard. Her vision went dark for a second. She stopped fighting.

He removed her shirt and skirt and stepped back. She remained against the wall, her hand covering her bleeding face.

"Turn around."

She hadn't realized that she was crying. She stepped shakily away from the wall and turned around.

"You've got cellulite on your thighs and you've got a belly."

She couldn't believe that he was examining her like a fucking piece of meat. She was his daughter, how could he do this?

"From now on, you're on a diet. I'm not going to have a fatass for a daughter." He turned to leave. "Put some ice on your face."

She crumpled to the floor.

Ryan answered his phone before the first ring was finished.

"Yeah? Summer? Summer, talk to me…" Ryan's entire body tensed and Seth could see Ryan's eyes dull with panic. "Okay…okay…I'm on the way…can you make it outside?" He hesitated. "No, I'll come get you…don't move, okay?" He closed his phone.

"Ryan?" Seth called.

"I'm going to kill him," Ryan said seriously.

"Dude…you know you can't touch him…"

"I'm going to kill him."

"Ryan…"

"I have to go…" Ryan stood up and Seth grabbed his arm.

"Don't do anything stupid," Seth whispered.

"Everything okay?" Sandy startled them both.

"I have to go," Ryan repeated.

Seth didn't release his arm. "Dude. Chill first."

Ryan met Seth's gaze.

"What's going on?" Sandy asked gently.

"You can't touch him," Seth said.

"He hurt her. He hit her again," Ryan whispered.

"You can't touch him. She'll never forgive you. Think."

Ryan's eyes flickered between Seth and Sandy.

"Ryan." Seth said his name quietly.

"I won't do anything stupid," Ryan replied after a long pause. He gave Seth a slight nod.

"Ryan needs the Range Rover," Seth said to his father.

"Why?" Sandy asked.

"Summer needs him."

Ryan rang the doorbell three times at Summer's house before trying the knob. It was unlocked and he left it open as he sprinted to Summer's room. There was no answer at her door either so he swung it open.

"Summer?"

She still had her phone clasped in her hand. Her nose was bloody and the dried blood was all over her face, chest and arms. He grabbed a blanket off her bed and draped it across her before gently picking her up.

Her brown eyes didn't register his presence.

"Summer? I'm here. I've got you…"

She murmured her assent and burrowed herself in the blanket. He carried her down the stairs and outside, to the Range Rover.

"I can't go back there, Ryan…"

"You don't have to…"

"I need clothes, I need my things…" She murmured. Her eyes were glazed, like she was looking right through Ryan.

He hesitated. He didn't want to run the chance of seeing her father but she…he couldn't turn her down. He placed her in the passenger seat.

"Stay here." He was gone for ten minutes and returned with three dufflebags. He had tried to get the things she would need the most in the least amount of time.

"Ryan?" She called his name with a trembling voice once he got into the driver's side.

"I'm right here…"

"He didn't…"

"You don't have to tell me…"

"He didn't touch me…"

"You're bleeding, please don't lie to me…"

"He…he hit me but…he didn't rape me…"

Ryan hated seeing her in pain. He moved his hand toward her and she clasped it desperately. "Summer…"

"I swear…" She whispered.

"Okay," He nodded.

"I should have listened to you..."

"This isn't your fault, Summer," He said urgently.

"I'm so sorry…" She started to cry but he didn't stop driving. He didn't let go of her hand.