Disclaimer: Fox and Josh Schwartz own The O.C. not me blah blah blah

"I think I'm going to go to New York," Seth announced to his parents, Ryan, and Marissa.

"What?" everyone said in unison.

"I'm going to New York to see Summer and tell K.C. to back off," Seth said determinedly.

"Seth, I don't think that's the best idea right now," Marissa spoke up.

"Why not?"

"Because…Summer's really busy. You'd totally distract her and she's doing this for her career. She wouldn't stand in the way of your career," Marissa pointed out, trying to come up with any excuse.

"She already did! I quit my job for her!" Seth spat, getting angry with Marissa.

"It's not like she asked you to! You just flipped because Beth hit on you!" Marissa countered.

"Are you defending Summer or Beth now? I'm confused!"

"Why are we arguing about this? I'm just trying to help you out!"

"By telling me not to see my fiancé?" Seth asked, throwing his hands in the air.

"By telling you to give her some space!"

"Like Australia's not enough space? We've had space for the past few weeks!"

"Just back off a little. Summer's going through a lot right and she's really stressed and you're not helping," Marissa said calmly.

"She's going through a lot? Like K.C.-related?"

"No!" Marissa answered quickly.

"What's going on?" Ryan asked, finally speaking up.

"Nothing. They're just friends! She told me last night that they're just friends! It's just hard on her when everybody keeps insinuating that they're more. She's frustrated and her career is really taking off. The girl just won a freaking Oscar. Everybody wants Summer for endorsements and movies and everything. Just stop giving her a hard time for your insecurities, Seth!" Marissa finally exploded.

"Do you know something you're not telling us?" Ryan asked.

"I just told you the problem. What more do you want me to say? She told me she loves Seth and still wants to marry him. That's a top priority. What more do you want?" Marissa asked calming down.

"I just want to see her," Seth muttered sadly.

"And you will," Sandy added in confidently.

"In a few weeks," Kirsten added in as they all looked at her shocked. "Maybe you should give her some time. Let her settle in with all of these new changes and let her sort things out."

"Mom?" Seth asked sounding betrayed.

"Give her space, Seth. It's for the best," Kirsten advised.

"Are you sure?" Sandy asked, looking at her curiously.

"Trust me. She just needs some space and some time to figure everything out."

Marissa studied Kirsten carefully as Sandy, Seth, and Ryan seemed to accept her advice.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"She seriously just came in like that? She like came to my defense?" Summer asked incredulously.

"It was really weird. She just told them how it was. She totally had a handle on things…I know you'll think this weird, but I really think you should talk to Kirsten. After yesterday, it just seems like-I don't know-like she knows what you're going through. I'd talk to her," Marissa admitted.

"She's Cohen's mom. It's too weird. I can't. But at least she understands…or it sounds like she does."

"Yeah."

"Well look, they need me back at the shoot. I've got about four hundred pictures left, but they're reviewing the commercial right now and we might have to go back for a few extra takes but I'll be finished by the end of today and back to Australia tomorrow," Summer sighed.

"I'll talk to you later."

"Give Cohen the update on commercial and everything. I'd call him but I think he's still mad."

"I'll tell him," Marissa replied.

"Thanks, Coop."

"Alright. Later then, Sum."

"Bye."

"You ready?" the photographer asked as Summer hung up her phone.

She nodded as K.C. came in the door.

"What are you doing here? What happened to site-seeing?" Summer asked with a laugh.

"I got bored. I figured I'd see how it was coming," K.C. replied nonchalantly.

"Well take a seat. I'm going to be a while."

"That's alright. I can wait. Then we'll go eat or something."

Summer nodded and walked back to her mark in front of the cream backdrop.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Later that evening, K.C. and Summer went to dinner at a really fancy restaurant in Manhattan.

"To our last night in New York City, may your commercial and pictures turn out wonderfully and may our evening be enjoyable," K.C. smiled before they clinked their glasses together.

"So you ready to head back to work?" Summer asked.

"No, are you?"

"I never stopped working," Summer said flatly.

"You're not working now. You're enjoying a fine meal with fine company," K.C. smirked.

"Whatev. The meal's good and the company's…ok I guess."

K.C. laughed and took a sip of his drink.

"It's been good being back in the States."

"Yeah it has…I just wish I was in California," Summer smiled weakly.

"Hey, don't worry about that tonight. Just enjoy yourself. This is our last night in New York City. This is supposed to be fun."

"It is. I'm having a nice time."

"Good. Nice, I can live with nice…great would be better though."

Summer rolled her eyes.

After dinner K.C. gave Summer his jacket as they stepped outside.

"Thank you," Summer laughed.

"You're welcome," he smiled before stepping closer to her and wrapping his arms around her tiny figure.

"What are you doing?"

"You're cold. I'm warming you up," K.C. said as his warm breath flicked across her face.

"I'm not that cold."

K.C. laughed and closed the gap between them. He forced his lips on hers and pried her mouth open with his tongue just as a flash went off beside them.

"What are you doing!" Summer screamed pulling away from him.

"I thought that's what you wanted," K.C. said with wide eyes.

"No! Not at all! I'm engaged!" Summer shrieked before stalking down the street. Suddenly she whirled around practically slamming into K.C. who was right behind her. "Did they take a picture? They did not take a picture of that!"

"Sum-," K.C. started calmly.

"No! This is not cool! Stay away from me!"

Summer started off down the street again as K.C. grabbed her and pulled her towards him. He kissed her again as more flashes went off this time. She pulled away and slapped him across the face.

"Oh my God! Do you not take the hint? I'm engaged! Stay the hell away from me! And never touch me again!" Summer screamed. Then noticed three photographers standing around taking pictures. "And you, give me that camera!" She took off after one photographer while the other two scattered.

"Hey I'm just doing my job. I take pictures of celebrities. It doesn't matter who I see them with," the man muttered backing away from Summer.

"Pictures of celebrities? It doesn't matter who they're with? It does matter! This is my life you're going to ruin!" Summer screeched, bordering on a rage blackout.

"Sum, calm down. Leave the man alone," K.C. said trying to keep her from attacking the photographer.

"Calm down! You want me to calm down! You freaking kissed me! What the hell is your problem!" Summer shouted and smacked him again.

She pulled her arm back for another slap but he grabbed it this time.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please stop," K.C. said in a combination of fear and amusement. "Is this a rage blackout?"

"So not funny! Get away from me! Just stay away from me! Don't talk to me!" Summer hissed and stalked back to the hotel.

"Summer," K.C. called after her.

She ran into the elevator inside the hotel and shut the door before he could get in. Once she got up to her room she slammed the door shut and paced back and forth angrily. Eventually there was a knock on the door.

"Sum, I'm sorry," K.C. called from the other side.

"Go away."

"Just let me in. Let's talk about this."

"I don't want to talk to you. Go to your room."

"What are you my mother?" K.C. joked.

Summer flung open the door and it slammedd loudlyagainst the wall.

"Do not make jokes outside my door! I suggest you go to your room get some sleep and find another seat on the plane! I do not want to see you for the next 24 hours!"

"We work together," K.C. said flatly.

"Thank God we don't have to for much longer! Thank God for overtime. We're way ahead of schedule and then I won't have to put up with you much longer!"

"We still have like a month left of filming regardless."

"And it will be hell for you, I promise," Summer hissed and slammed the door shut.

"Summer," K.C. whined for a few more minutes before he finally left.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"They're flying back on the separate flights," Seth said after he hung up the phone.

"What?" Sandy asked.

"Summer and K.C. had a falling out. They're flying back on two separate flights," Seth explained almost happily.

"Did she say what happened?" Marissa asked curiously.

"Nope. She just said that she was sorry that she put me through all of this or something to that effect. She said he's a jerk and she should have known better."

"And you don't know what brought this about?" Ryan asked, confused.

"No. She didn't say. I figure she just finally wised up to his intentions," Seth replied.

"So what's going to happen now?" Kirsten questioned.

"I'm going to go see her…in Australia."

"You are?" Ryan asked incredulously.

"She's ok with that?" Marissa asked at the same time.

"I'm going to surprise her. She seemed upset so I want to be there."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Marissa asked.

"What do you have against Summer and me all of a sudden?" Seth teased.

"I don't mean anything like that…just maybe you should check with her first."

"Then that would ruin the surprise."

"I guess you're right," Marissa muttered.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"I think we need to talk," K.C. said coming into Summer's trailer.

"The only thing I have to say to you is my lines on set."

"Summer, we need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to say. You kissed me. I thought you were my friend and you basically sabotaged my relationship in front of paparazzi," Summer said tightly.

"I didn't mean to….let me explain."

"I don't care to hear anything from you except your lines. This is strictly business. We have no need to talk to each other unless we're filming."

"I'm sorry. I let my feelings get the better of me. Yes, I have feelings for you. You're engaged and I know that. But I can't stop feelings this way. It wasn't supposed to be like this," K.C. began.

"You're damn right it wasn't. You were supposed to be my friend."

"I can't be your friend!" K.C. exclaimed.

"Yeah, not anymore."

"I'm in love with you," K.C. confessed.

"What?" Summer asked in complete shock.

"I don't know how it happened or when it did. But I fell in love with you. I didn't mean to. When this started…God, you're going to hate me for this, but when this started it was a ploy for me to get some publicity. I wanted to be seen with you to establish myself better. It was stupid and it was this plan I had with my manager. But truth is, I screwed up because I wasn't supposed to fall for you and I did. And now I could care less about the publicity or anything. I just want you," K.C. explained.

"I'm taken," Summer said shortly.

"I know you're pissed and you have every right to be," K.C. said, as his eyes watered, "but if you can't look at me and not feel something then we need to figure out what this means and where this takes us. I'm in love with you and if there's any chance at all that you could have any feelings for me then we need to figure this out."

"K.C. I-," Summer started.

"If you can stand here and be with me and feel nothing then I'm very sorry for everything. But if you feel the slightest thing for me, then I don't take back what I did. I want to be with you."

"I can't deal with this right now," Summer said and left her trailer.

"You ready to start?" the director asked. "Where's K.C.?"

Summer just huffed past him.

"Ok."

K.C. came running out of her trailer.

"K.C. there you are. You ready to start filming?" the director asked.

K.C. ignored him and chased after Summer.

"I'm sorry but I love you. There, it's out in the open. I love you. I love her," he announced to everyone.

"Please stop," Summer begged.

"Ok. Why don't we just start filming and deal with this some other time," the director suggested slowly.

"Yeah," Summer sighed.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

After they finished up on set, Summer practically ran out of the studio and drove to her apartment. She didn't answer any of K.C.'s calls. She soaked in the bathtub for a solid hour before she finally emerged and decided it was time to call Seth and explain everything. She had to clear up this whole mess before it got worse.

"Hello," Ryan answered.

"Chino? Where's Cohen? Why are you at my house? Don't you have a wife and a house of your own," Summer teased.

"Oh I just came over to get the mail for Seth."

"Where's Cohen?"

"He left."

"Where'd he go?" Summer questioned.

"Um…I don't know," Ryan lied.

"Chino, you're a horrible liar. Where's Cohen?"

"He took a trip? Yep. Don't ask me where. I'm not sure."

"Why'd he take a trip and not tell me?" Summer asked.

"I don't know. That's between you and Seth."

"Oh…well I'll talk to you later…thanks…bye," Summer said, sounding kind of hurt.

"Later, Summer."

(AN: Ok...so I'm totally getting way ahead with my writing even though I haven't posted it. I'm going to try to keep up with regualr updates and stuff. So as long as I stay a few chapters ahead of what's posted then this should go pretty quickly. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Keep on reading! There's still much more to come.)