Disclaimer: Fox and Josh Schwartz own The O.C. even on the summer break…so yeah I still don't own crap.

"You sure this is a good idea? New York for the weekend with K.C. when you already told Seth he couldn't come?"

"It's not like there's anything going on between K.C. and me. He hasn't been to the States in like years. He's just coming to check out New York. We're not even going to spend time together," Summer defended.

"And Seth couldn't have come to check out New York too?" Jerry asked.

"It's not like that, Jerry, and you know it!"

"Don't snap at me for trying to save your relationship, kid."

"My relationship doesn't need saving. I'm going to call Cohen and explain. He'll understand," Summer reasoned.

"You really think that will go over well? Things are rocky enough between you two right now anyways. Do you really want to do this?" Jerry asked.

"There's nothing that I'm doing."

"Right. It's your life I guess," Jerry sighed.

"Yes it is my life, not yours. So thanks but no thanks. I've got this under control," Summer replied.

"Fine. Your tickets are set up and your rooms. I don't have anything else to say."

"Jerry, I'm sorry-,"Summer started.

"Forget it. Enjoy New York with K.C.," Jerry said and hung up.

"What's going on?" K.C. asked.

"Jerry thinks that Cohen is going to be pissed about you coming to New York."

"He probably will be, but he'll get over it."

"You think he'll be mad too?" Summer asked.

"Nah, it's his loss if he wants to get all upset about it," K.C. waved it off.

"Right. I've gotta call him and explain."

"Go to it. I'll just go pack my things."

K.C. left Summer's apartment as she picked up the phone and dialed Seth's number.

"Hello?" Seth greeted.

"Hey, Cohen."

"Hey, Summer. How are you?"

"I'm ok. How are you?" Summer asked.

"Been better but been worse I guess," Seth answered, deciding not to tell Summer about him quitting just yet.

"Look, I need to tell you something and I don't want you to get mad so just let me explain everything first."

"What's going on, Sum? This doesn't sound good," Seth said nervously.

"I'm going to New York City this weekend."

"I know."

"I'm not going alone," Summer added guiltily.

"You're not?" Seth asked, trying not to jump to conclusion.

"K.C. hasn't been to the States in years so he's coming to go site-seeing and stuff. We're staying at the same hotel but that's basically it. I'm not really going to be spending time with him or anything. I'm there strictly for business."

"I see," Seth said tightly.

"You're not mad, are you?" Summer asked slowly.

"Of course not. Why would I be mad? I mean I couldn't come but I can completely understand why it's ok for him to come."

"You're mad."

"No, don't be ridiculous. I mean you guys are just probably staying in the same room or something. No big deal," Seth said sarcastically.

"Whatever, Cohen. It's not like that. We have two separate rooms and I will be working while he's out on the town. I probably won't even see him outside of like dinner once or something-if even that."

"So we couldn't have dinner?"

"If you came I wouldn't want to work. I wouldn't be able to concentrate. I'd just want to spend all of my time with you. I don't care if K.C.'s there," Summer replied.

"Right. Well have a nice time. Call me when you're done with K.C.," Seth snapped.

"Great, Cohen! Why don't you call me when you lose the attitude?"

"I'll lose the attitude when you lose K.C."

"I work with him. That's it. We're friends. Deal with it. You have female friends. What about that girl Beth? Marissa told me you made an interesting friend at work," Summer tried to reason.

"She hit on me!"

"She did what?" Summer asked, immediately becoming jealous. "She did not!"

"Yes, she did. She practically threw herself at me all the time! Happy! You have K.C. and I have Beth!" Seth exclaimed.

"K.C. doesn't hit on me! And you tell that slut to keep her hands off you!" Summer ordered.

"I did."

"Good," Summer said calmly.

"Yeah," Seth sighed. "You don't have to worry about that situation anymore."

"Good. I should go pack. I'll call you before I leave and then once I land in New York."

"Yeah. Later then," Seth grumbled.

"Ok. Bye. Love ya," Summer said weakly.

"Yeah. You too.Bye."

"Right. Bye," Summer said sadly before hanging up.

Seth snorted into the dial tone and walked back into his living room where Ryan and Marissa were sitting.

"What's up?" Ryan asked.

"Summer's going to New York."

"We know," Marissa replied.

"K.C.'s joining her," Seth added bitterly.

"Are you serious?" Ryan asked.

"As a heart attack…which ya know are serious things so yes."

"Seth, I'm really sorry. I don't think she understands how uncomfortable K.C. makes you feel," Marissa said softly.

"She doesn't say it," Seth whispered, flopping down on the couch.

"What?"

"She didn't say I love you," Seth said matter-of-factly.

"Well we don't always on the phone either," Ryan tried to help.

"We always do. I usually initiate it but if I don't then she will…and she didn't…well she said love ya. But that's how you say it to your friend or something. It wasn't I love you. She hasn't actually said that in a while. And me too is not the same thing as I love you too!"

"It is if you mean it," Marissa offered.

"Thanks but you guys aren't helping…I think I'm losing her to a movie star. It's hard to compete with that…especially when they're together in Australia and I'm stuck here," Seth sighed.

"You're not losing her. I'm Summer's best friend. If she had any feelings for him, she would have told me something or at least hinted around. You'll both be fine once you get to see her again. Trust me."

"Marissa's right. You're not losing her to anyone, especially not that asshole," Ryan added.

Seth just nodded.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Summer and K.C. made it to their hotel in New York City. She called Seth as soon as she landed at the airport and their conversation was short and once again no actual "I love you's" were spoken. Summer called Marissa as soon as she got in her room.

"Coop! What is going on?" Summer exclaimed as soon as Marissa answered.

"You could've invited him to New York," Marissa said, immediately knowing what she was talking about.

"Yeah but…I have to work. It'd be weird if he was there…and we wouldn't see each other…he'd just sit in a hotel room and we'd have dinner and then go to bed so I could get up early and go to work all over again."

"Still, dinner and even just sleeping in the same room is spending time together that you haven't had."

"I guess," Summer said uneasily.

"What? What's going on, Sum? Talk to me."

"It's nothing. I mean, it's probably just me being me again. It's nothing," Summer said softly.

"What do you mean? Spill it," Marissa instructed.

"It's just-I get scared of commitment so that's probably all this is."

"Probably? All what is? You're not telling me something."

"I…things with Cohen aren't going so well…whereas things with K.C. have been going…better," Summer confessed.

"You like K.C.!" Marissa exclaimed between shock and anger.

"No! No, not like that. It's just Cohen's so jealous of what's not an issue-," Summer began.

"Or is a total issue and you're avoiding dealing with it," Marissa cut in angrily.

"Coop! Please don't get mad at me! I'm just…I'm confused."

"Confused? You're confused? Think about how Seth feels!"

"You don't think I've thought of that! Why do you think this is so confusing! I'm sure there's nothing with K.C. and I love Cohen. I really really love him. It's not like I'm questioning my relationship with Cohen. I just…I'm confused about this thing with K.C….we're friends but-but it feels like…I think he wants more," Summer explained.

"Sorry to be blunt but no shit, Sum," Marissa snorted.

"So I've been completely clueless?"

"Pretty much."

"So that's why Cohen's pissed?"

"Pretty much."

"What should I do?" Summer asked, sounding more like a confused high school teenager again than a twenty-four year old famous actress.

Marissa was silent for a minute, trying to think of the right answer.

"Do you like him?" Marissa asked, seriously.

"I don't know…as a friend? Yes…as more? I don't know."

"But you love Seth."

"I do. I know I do."

"So what's the problem?" Marissa asked then realization really hit her, "Youactually like K.C."

Summer was silent now.

"You love Seth but you might like K.C. and that throws a detour in your plans. You're confused because you might have feelings for K.C. even though you love Seth," Marissa pieced it together.

"It's not like that-," Summer started to defend.

"Talk to them. Talk to Seth."

"I can't. He'd take it the wrong way. He'd just think that I wanted to end things or that there was something going with me and K.C."

"And there's not?"

"No! Definitely not! But… what if-what if I have feelings for someone else…too. Does that mean that I love Cohen less because of it?"

"I don't know."

"You've never had feelings for someone other than Ryan?" Summer asked.

"We're married."

"So! Don't like married people ever like other people? Or maybe that was just my parents…which could be why they didn't work out," Summer muttered sadly.

"I think my dad liked Seth's mom for a while when he was with my mom…but they didn't work out either…so not a good example. I don't know. Ask Kirsten. She's happily married. Ask her if she's ever liked someone else even though she's been with Sandy forever."

"I can't ask Cohen's mom!" Summer exclaimed.

"True. That'd be kinda weird….I guess-I guess you should just try to sort out any possible feelings you have for K.C. and see if that changes how much you love Seth….Sum, I don't think that-well you need to figure this out soon or else this is only going to get worse before it gets better," Marissa concluded.

"I know, Coop. Just…please don't tell Cohen. If he knew that I even had possible questions-it just wouldn't go over well."

"Sum, I can't not tell him."

"Please, Coop," Summer begged. "Just give me time to figure this out without Cohen's added pressure. Promise me you won't tell anyone…not even Chino."

"I can't keep secrets from Ryan," Marissa argued.

"He'd tell Cohen. Just hold off for a while. Give me some time. I don't want to end things with Cohen. That's not even an option! I just need to sort out the K.C. mess so Cohen and I can get married."

"Fine," Marissa sighed.

"You swear you won't tell?"

"I swear."

"On your life? On Chino's life? On Princess Sparkle's life?" Summer asked.

"I swear on everything that's swear-able including Princess Sparkle, Ryan, andmyself," Marissa replied.

"Thanks, Coop."

"Yeah, but I'll have you know that I feel very shitty for this."

"I know but thank you so much," Summer said sincerely.

"Right, well you should like unpack and go to sleep. You have a busy day tomorrow. I'll talk to you later, Sum."

"Thanks, Coop. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

"Bye."

(AN: Hey ok so basically I'm trying to make sure that everyone understands that Summer doesn't want to end things with Seth at all. She's just confused about the K.C. situation. She thinks she could have feelings for him but nothing big enough to make her call things off with Seth. So ya know even though I hate it, that's how it is. And yes, Summer's kinda stupid for questioning things but fear of commitment mixed with small feelings for someone else (which can happen) and we have a confusing combination for her. She's not horrible just confused. Now that I'm done pleading on Summer's behalf so you don't hate her or something, let me say that I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Keep on reading.)