Hey everyone,

I know I'm obviously not breaking any records with the lengths of my chapters lately. Sorry about that! I was in the mood for fluffiness today so here ya go!

Dru

Chapter 8

Brothers and Sisters

"BOO!"

I squealed as Seth grabbed me from behind and started to relentlessly tickle me.

"Get off of me you big goof!" I cried as I was finally able to push him off of me. He fell over backwards narrowly missing hitting the back of his head on the edge of his nightstand. It was the first night of my new founded freedom. And Seth was taking advantage of me being distracted while I braided Marissa's hair. I knew my dad would probably show up in a few days so I just decided to enjoy myself while I still had the chance.

We showed Sandy the note. And with Seth at my side I confessed that I hadn't told him the whole truth earlier. I explained to him that my dad would hit me, sometimes even when he wasn't drunk. I said my dad had a serious problem and I was more then willing to press charges.

"Where's this sudden change of mind coming from Summer?" Sandy had asked after reading the note over for about the third time. I shrugged my shoulders. I really didn't know. I was ready not to fear him anymore. I was ready to have him out of my life and in jail where he belonged.

"I'll admit that I am not entirely convinced that your father was in the proper state of mind when he wrote this," Sandy said, distractedly smoothing down the edges of the note with his thumb. Even Sandy could tell that the wording in the letter didn't sound like anything my father would say on paper or out loud, drunk or sober.

"Neither am I," I said. "But in truth, I am not in a huge hurry to find him." Sandy smiled gently.

"I understand Summer. You've been through an awful lot and you deserve a break. How are those ribs of yours?" The level of soreness had gone down tremendously but it was still a chore to take deep breaths.

"A lot better," I said.

"I will have to contact the authorities and let them know that your father has gone. But in the mean time I would sure expect you to make yourself as much as home here as possible," Sandy said.

"I already have," I said surely as I felt Seth's arm creep around my waist.

"And Mr. Cohen?" I turned around before we left to go up to Seth's room. "He has a gun. But it didn't have any bullets in it."

"Noted. He's armed and possibly dangerous. Don't worry Summer. We should have this figured out in a couple of weeks."

Now I sat here on the floor of Seth's bedroom with Marissa and Seth himself, thinking about where my father was now. If he was coming to terms with what he had done yet. If he would ever look back again at the life he had just left behind. Ryan had gone down to talk with Sandy. I wondered if it was about me.

"Summer," Marissa broke me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh sorry Coop…I guess I just spaced out," I smiled gently.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Seth crawled up next to me and put his arm around my waist.

"I wonder where he went," I thought out loud.

"Maybe he went to get help on his own and will come back when he's better?" Marissa offered.

"It's possible," I said doubtfully. "But I don't understand what could have happened for him to just now decide to go get help."

"Maybe someone talked to him," Marissa said.

"Like who Coop? Honestly, you're such an optimist!" I teased poking her in the shoulder.

"Would you rather have me not be one?" she asked, smiling.

"It's refreshing," Seth replied. "Wonder what Ryan's up to."

"Why don't you go see?" Marissa suggested. Seth shrugged.

"Why not? It's not like Ryan has never done anything on his own or anything," he said sarcastically. He gave me a kiss on the head before getting up and leaving. I turned to look at Marissa, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"What about you Coop? What's new?"

"Since last night?" she giggled.

"I liked talking with you. A lot," I said. "I miss those days." Marissa nodded and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"But we'll have a lot more nights like we used to. Don't worry," she assured me.

"Do you think the Cohens will take me in like they took in Ryan?" I asked just to see the look on Marissa's face.

"Some thought! Could you imagine being attracted to one of your brothers?" she asked. I giggled.

"I never thought about it that way. Then if you married Ryan I'd be your sister-in-law!" I exclaimed.

"Summer!" Marissa grabbed my arm in her sudden thought. "What if my dad adopted you? Then we'd be sisters!"

"That's way too much wishful thinking Coop!" I said. But I liked the thought. My best friend being my sister. I knew we'd probably drive each other up the wall! But I'd always have someone to call my sister. And someone to be proud to call dad. But most importantly I would have somewhere to call home.

"It would be just like a fairytale," Marissa murmured resting her chin on her knees. Her voice sounded distant. Like she was thinking the possibilities over like I just had.

"You know we'd drive each other crazy right?" she laughed. I laughed too.

"Hey it comes with the territory," I said.

"Fighting?" Marissa asked. "Do you think Seth and Ryan ever fight?"

"Like cats and dogs," I said. "But how could you blame Cohen? I'd go crazy too if I lived with a brooder."

"Hey! What about Ryan? Seth talks to a plastic horse!" Marissa countered.

"Well so do I!" I giggled nodding up to Princess Sparkle who was set up next to Captain Oats on Seth's bed.

"You don't get it! If you had less weight on the moon then it would be a lesser you!" Seth cried at Ryan as the two walked through the door.

"No Seth. If you had less mass on the moon it would be a lesser you," Ryan stated calmly.

"How is that even possible? So you're telling me that if I took a scale up to the surface of the moon I would weigh exactly the same as I do on Earth? Is that what you're getting at?" Seth cried.

"I didn't say that at all!" Ryan snapped in his defense.

"Guys!" Marissa and I cried, getting up off of the floor.

"What are you two bickering about?" Marissa asked.

"Seth thinks your mass changes when you leave Earth's atmosphere but I am calmly trying to explain to him that it isn't your mass that changes, it's your weight," Ryan stated through gritted teeth. Here was a perfect example of what Marissa and I had just discussed. Cohen and Ryan fighting like brothers. It was so cute!

"He's wrong!" Seth exploded.

"Honey, sweetheart, baby, sugar bear?" I said nuzzling up to Seth. His mood immediately melted back into my teddy bear.

"Yes," he replied putting his arms around me.

"Ryan's right," I said.

"I know. I was just testing him," Seth said. Ryan just sighed and took Marissa into his arms.

"We were beginning to wonder if you guys ever fought," Marissa's voice was muffled as she was talking into Ryan's chest.

"Like cats and dogs," they replied at the same time. All we did was laugh. Even though we were all just friends and we came from different worlds, it seemed like we had all belonged to the same family our entire lives.