As usual, none of this is mine, just the concept.

I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews. They're awesome.


Chapter 2: Positive Consequences


"Hi, Summer," Seth Cohen breathed, barely able to speak anymore. It had taken him every moment since what he and Ryan had termed as 'The Ultimatum' to decide what he would do, but his answer had come in a stranger form. Well, not so strange, but considerably Seth-like. Sitting on his desk, beside the computer, sat two comics. One, the one he'd been given for Chrismukkah from Anna, and the other a simple Wonder Woman and Captain America.

"Oh, Seth," Summer Roberts replied, realizing her caller's identity. Seth still marveled at everything that had happened since Ryan had come along, but nothing more so than how he'd come to know Summer and how she'd come to like him.

Seth lay back on his bed and looked at the ceiling, handling his cell phone with his right hand. "Um, yeah. I was wondering if you'd like to meet somewhere. Go for a walk, meet at the pier, I dunno, maybe go for dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date?" Seth couldn't tell if she sounded wistful or resentful, even if there was a considerable difference.

"That's kind of what I want to talk to you about. Could we just meet somewhere?"

"Sure. At the pier, ten minutes?"

Seth nodded to himself before realizing Summer couldn't see his action over the phone. Incompetent technology. "That works. See you soon."

It was actually twelve minutes later when they met down by the pier, out in the omnipresent sunshine. Seth was twiddling his thumbs together, staring out to the Pacific. Having arrived several minutes earlier, he had begun to fear Summer was standing him up, even when he realized she had proposed the location of their rendezvous. But, sure enough, she arrived just moments after they'd decided.

Seth was still staring out to sea when Summer approached him, dressed in a floral pattern summer dress. He didn't seem to notice her presence, so she tapped his shoulder lightly. "Seth? Sorry about being late, but I was talking with my father."

"Oh," Seth said, turning around and smiling. "No problemo."

They regarded each other for a few moments, each fidgeting to stifle the awkwardness. Summer thought he was choosing Anna, Seth thought Summer'd reject him anyway after all this time. Seth's mind was a flurry but he was trying to calm it. Now that Summer was here, Anna had completely flown the coop – well, from his mind at least. That summer dress she was wearing accentuated her form perfectly, her dark hair was rippling in the coastal breeze. Even from where Seth stood, he could detect her perfume.

Seth tried to laugh off the awkwardness to focus himself to the duty at hand. "Now that I've got you here this is a little more difficult than I'd thought."

"Well just say it, 'cause I'm not going to mope around for long, and I especially don't want to see you around with her," Summer chirped with a definitive frown on her face.

"Her?" Seth asked, more confused than his expression could convey. What was she talking about?

"You know who I mean, Cohen," she remarked, noticing Seth's confused look. "Anna."

"Summer," he replied, taking a few steps forward so they were just a few inches away. Seth took her not flinching or stepping away as something to be happy for. "I didn't bring you all the way out here to tell you I'd chosen Anna."

She frowned again, setting her hands on her hips. For a moment, Seth remembered her suffering from rage blackouts. "Then why did you get me all the way out here? You want to be friends or something, even though you're with Anna?"

"No, Summer," Seth snapped. "I asked you to come out here because I wanted to tell you that I was choosing you!"

The brunette blinked a few times. Summer's mouth started working, as if she was going to say something, but nothing came. "So, uh, what now?"

"I don't know," Seth replied.

"You could, like, kiss me. You know, our first kiss as a couple, if that's what we are."

"Uh-huh," Seth murmured as he moved in and brushed Summer's lips with his own. "You know, you're all I ever wanted."

Summer blinked up at him. "You're really sweet, Seth."

"Wait, did you just call me Seth? Not Cohen?"

She smiled. "Cohen didn't seem to match the mood."

They kissed again, gradually making their way to their cars and tailing each other to the Cohen's.

Summer Roberts broke off, fighting to catch her breath. It didn't help that Seth Cohen was above her, perched and trying to catch her lips with his. She couldn't believe this was happening. Like she was totally dating Seth Cohen. That had to be, like, social suicide! Or maybe she could make him cooler. Doubtful.

"You realize this might be kind of weird, right?" Summer murmured after a while.

"I, Seth Cohen, am dating you, Summer Roberts," he replied, grinning like a fool. "What could possibly be weird about that?"

It wasn't particularly sweet, but Seth's candid honesty and way with words seduced her more than any other thing could. Summer flashed him a small smile – not the fake on she used around her 'friends', but one that only Seth Cohen commanded. It was the kind of smile that only came out when you were completely comfortable around someone, when you didn't care what others were thinking, when you gave on hundred percent.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, touching his lip with her delicately manicured fingers.

Seth's face contorted in a look of confusion, but his trademark 'Seth Cohen wry grin' was pasted all over. "For what? Did I do something worthy of thanks?"

"You cared," Summer replied, her voice uncharacteristically soft.

"Of course I care," Seth murmured, laying a hand comfortingly on her stomach. "You're the most important thing in my life, Summer; it's been that way for years."

It was Summer's turn for facial contortions. She screwed her nose up, still glancing up at him with rapt fascination. "But why?"

"Because you're you."

Summer raised an eyebrow, Seth laughed.

"Well, the way you looked after that squirrel, your mermaid poem, how you don't really care about what people think; jeez Summer, just everything about you."

"I was such a bitch to you, how could you still like me?"

"Because I like you that much. Isn't that enough?"

She nodded sullenly, but perked up when Seth's lips began their rhythmic caressing of hers. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and her hands found his dark curly hair. "You're really cute, you know that?"

"Cute enough to be seen with you at school?"

Summer frowned. "Don't push it, Cohen."

"What kind of relationship will this be if you don't even acknowledge my presence? If I'm good enough for you, shouldn't I be good enough for your friends?"

Another raised eyebrow.

"Good point, your friends aren't the kind of people I want to be good enough for," Seth muttered, Summer laughing at his external monologue. "But seriously, Sum."

"It'll just take some time, Cohen," Summer murmured to his ear, pulling him close for a hug. "I promise."

Seth grinned. "You promise on... what exactly?"

"Princess Sparkles."

"Huh? Who?" Seth was totally discombobulated.

Summer blushed. "Uh, nothing."

"No, you distinctly said 'Princess Sparkles'," he reprimanded. "Who is Princess Sparkles?"

"No one!"

"Summer…"

"Damn you, Cohen," she muttered. "She's a plastic horse."

Seth gasped, pulling Summer into a tight hug. "It's like Captain Oats and Princess Sparkles were meant for each other, just like we are!"

Summer looked at her new boyfriend quizzically. "Is there a cure for what you have?"

"No," he chided, nuzzling her neck. "But you bring out the best in me."

"Is that what they call this?"

"Yup."

Summer shook her head before leaning up and pressing her lips to Seth's. "Let's just resume the making out, please."

"As ordered, ma'am," Seth retorted, before leaning back down to return to the previous broadcasting.