The O.C
A Life Half Lived
A/N: Thanks SO, SO much for the support and feedback. I think that 23 reviews for only two chapters is more than I've ever had before and all of them were positive, so thanks. You O.C reviewers are AWESOME! I can't promise anything in the way of happy or sad endings, we're both in this together, I have no idea what's going to happen yet but I have one advantage: I'll know half an hour before you do. I promise not to spoil it! Happy reading! Genevra xxox
Nefftys: I'm sorry to hear that. I can't promise anything but I'll at least put some light-hearted moments in for you. That okay?
Prix: You again? Oh, boy. ; )
J and paige fan: You'll just have to wait, lol.
Mrs.AdamBrody: Not a bad idea and even though I considered it, there are reasons why that couldn't happen. You'll just have to wait and see why later.
Summer-breeze171 and kursk: Oh, another two Zach haters? Well, we'll see what we can do about that. I can't stand him. something about him rubs the wrong way oh and: Summer and Seth are so meant to be!
Summary: "I don't look sick. I am sick."
Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with The OC. Sigh. I do however own any characters or scenarios you don't recognize. Yay!
Chapter Two: About a Girl
"Summer, would you please sit down for two seconds?" Seth asked, a laugh in his voice.
"I can't," she said, pacing around the room.
"You're making me nervous. You're making the coffee nervous," he tried again.
"Cohen," Summer said. "This is the rest of our loves. How can you be sitting so still? And how can you be so quiet?"
"I think you're moving enough and making enough noise for the both of us," he deadpanned.
"You aren't even making jokes," she shrieked.
"Yes, and I can really see why that would upset you," he said.
"Because it means that you're okay with this. You can handle it" she says. "And it doesn't upset me, it scares me."
"Funny, because you're scaring me."
"Where is she?" Seth asked as he entered the house.
"Seth. I need you to calm down," his mother said. She had just walked from the area of the kitchen and had a tea towel with her.
"If you've been cooking, Kirsten, I don't see how we can be," Ryan said lightly. He walked over and kissed his adopted mother on the cheek.
"How can you do that?" Seth spat.
"Do what?" Kirsten asked as she and Ryan looked innocently at him.
"Make jokes at times like this," he said.
"If that isn't the pot calling the kettle back," Sandy said, coming into the room.
"Well, maybe I wish the pot was a little less black," he said. "Now, if you don't mind, could you please tell me where my wife is?"
"Your room. With Marissa," Kirsten offered. She brushed a hand across his chin and then took his hand. "She's okay."
Seth nodded and smiled slightly at his parents before making his way to the foot of the stairs.
"Mum, I really hope you haven't been cooking," he said, turning around slightly. She smiled at his joke and then the three stood and watched his retreating form. Ryan looked at his adopted parents expectantly.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Come into the kitchen," Sandy said finally.
"So," Seth asked.
"So, what?" Summer said in her agitated voice. Seth sucked in his breath and steeled himself.
"Good news or bad news?" he asked.
"I don't know," she said, finally. "I couldn't do it."
They were silent.
"Can you do it?" she asked finally. He nods and takes her hand. He opens it gently and looks into it.
"Pink," he said.
She looked up at him and for a moment he couldn't read her expression but then she broke into a big, toothy smile.
"We're happy right?" she asked, unable to keep her smile off.
"Happy?" Seth asked. He leaned forward and kissed his wife hard on the lips. She jumped into his arms and he spun her around in a circle. "We're thrilled."
Seth waited and stood outside the door for a moment. He listened to the voices behind the door but they were talking so quietly all he could make out was the lower pitch of Marissa's lilting voice and Summer's higher pitched one. He inhaled and then quickly blew the breath out before lifting his hand to the door and knocking quickly. The voices stopped abruptly and he heard the ruffling of sheets and footsteps on the wooden floorboards. The door opened and Marissa stuck her head out.
"Hey," she said, opening the door fully and stepping back. She pecked him on the cheek and looked at Summer. Her eyes were red and she had mascara running down her cheeks.
"You really should invest in waterproof mascara if you're going to cry," Seth said. His voice was pure and toneless and his face expressionless. Marissa didn't cry anymore. Something serious was up.
"Noted," she said trying to keep her voice light and borrowing what had become one of Summer's catchphrases. She turned back to Summer. "I'll see you."
"Bye, Coop," Summer said softly. She refused to stop calling her best friend that even though she had been Marissa Atwood for four years now.
Seth took a step inside the room and took a look at his wife. She was nestled into the covers and sheets of their queen-sized bed. Her made out the curves of her five-month pregnant belly and he closed his eyes. Her image was pressed into his brain. She looked tiny and exhausted. Her hair was messy, as if she'd just woken up, and it was obvious she'd been crying. She was pale but her eyes were black and she had bags.
"You look horrible," Seth said, taking another step closer to the bed. She looked so fragile and he was scared he'd break her if he touched her, breathed on her. She snorted at his comment and blinked three times quickly. Their signal for hold me. He walked to the bed and collapsed on it, his head resting on the 'Belly.' She held his head for a moment before he maneuvered himself so he could lie next to her and hold her.
"Bad news or good news?" he asked and immediately regretted it.
"Bad news, you dork," she replied, listlessly.
"I'm sorry, Sum," he said. They lay there again in silence. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"
"Shh," she said. "I just want to lie here for a minute."
Her eyes were closed, he could tell without even looking at her, that's how well he knew her. He nodded and he knew she felt it. He brushed the hair off her face, kissed her cheek and her nose and her eyes and then the belly before he repositioned himself and leaned against her.
"Is a minute up yet?" he asked.
"Is a minute up yet?" she asked.
"No, Summer."
"Yet?"
"I already said no," Seth said.
"I hate surprises!" she complained.
"I heard already," he shot-back. "If I had of realized how annoying you would be, I wouldn't have bothered."
She pretended to be offended but really, she was excited. She was bouncing around the living room of their brand new, six bedroom, eight-bathroom house. She could hear scraping and clunking as she walked around singing until she gave up and plunked down on the white suede couch and kicked her feet up onto the coffee table. She heard a grunt and then a door opening and then closing again.
"Typical," Seth sneered.
"What?" Summer asked innocently.
"You get to sit around while I do all the physical labor," he joked.
"No, sweetie, I get to do the labor," she laughed back. "And anyway, I couldn't have helped anyway. It would have ruined the surprise."
"Who said anything about a surprise?" Seth asked. Summer smacked him on the arm and he winced. "Ouch. Fine, there is a surprise."
He took her hand and pulled her towards the closed door.
"Close your eyes," he whispered. She closed her eyes and he covered them with one of her hands.
"Hey, not fair," she complained.
"Right," he huffed. "Because, if I don't, you wont peek or anything and the surprise won't be ruined."
"Whatever," Summer said. She bit his hand and he yelped. "Show me already."
She heard the door opening and she let herself be led into the room. Seth removed his hand and he told her to open her eyes.
She opened them and was met with the Nursery. The walls were painted a pale yellow with a border of the original Winnie the Pooh prints. There was a gleaming white cot with a yellow sheet and quilt set, a white rocking chair with yellow cushions and a white changing table. She gasped as she turned around in a circle. There were already photos on the walls, on the chest of drawers and there were toys tucked into all the corners and spaces.
"You like it?" Seth asked.
"Yeah," she answered. "You did good."
"I am so good," he said. Summer was walking around in awe. Seth did a victory dance until Summer tapped him on the shoulder. "What?"
"Come here," she said. He leant down to her and she kissed him. "I love you."
"I love you too," he said. He kissed her again and then leant down and kissed the belly. "And I love you."
"Boy or girl?" she asked, looking down at him.
"Girl," he said, without missing a beat.
"Why a girl?" she asked.
"Because I've always wanted a girl," he answered. "Having a girl means we get to keep Ryan and Marissa around."
Summer looked at Seth in surprise and confusion.
"You're its mother and I'm its Dad so it's going to be gorgeous," he answered. "Which means it's going to need protection and well, I'm not much with the fists and hurting but Uncle Ryan is."
"You're so cute," Summer said. "Or maybe a dork."
"I'm whatever you want me to be," he said.
"How about Chinese?" she asked.
"I won't be Chinese but I will get you some," he answered. He went to leave the room. "I want a girl because if she's anything like you, she'll the be the prettiest, sweetest, most adorable thing in the whole world. I want a girl because I want to know what it's like to hold the tiny, fragile parcel in my hands for the first time and to know that this girl is going to grow up to be just like her mother."
Summer blinked back the tears.
"I love you."