The O.C
A Life Half Lived
A/N: Here's your next chapter. I hope you all like. It makes me so happy when I get yoru reviews. You all really seem to like this story. Happy reading! Genevra xxox
Silver Eyed: New fan, yay! I have to admit I don't know what a 'wonderwall' is. Something in a future episode, maybe? No, this isn't a 'la-dee-da' story. At least, I'm trying not to let it be and I will be adding an epilogue to 'Intertwined' soon before I start working on a sequel.
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 Nine: Man Enough
Summer sits up straight in her bed. She looks around the unfamiliar room as she struggles to breathe. 'Calm down,' she tells herself as she chokes. 'Calm down or you won't be able to breathe.'
She calms down and slows her rapid, gasping breaths down and substitutes swallowing oxygen in over-sized gulps to sipping in small amounts of air. The breeze moves a tree branch outside and Summer remembers the dreams that ripped her out of her peaceful sleep. The first sleep she's had in three days since the incident happened. They slam into her and softly, so as not to wake anyone, she starts to cry...
--
"You know you want too," Zach says, breathing all over her face.
"No, Zach. I don't want too," she says. She is tired of fighting and thinks that giving in would be so easy but the jabbing pain from where only five minutes ago he punched her in the face tells her that yes, it would be that bad.
"But you're here," he whispers, leaning closer. "So you must."
"I already told you why I'm here Zach," she tries. She steps away but he grabs her arm and pulls her closer. She gazes into the golden eyes that were once harmless and friendly. "Zach, just leave me alone. Let me go."
"Zach, please. Let me go," he mimics back. He puts his face right into hers. "No."
"Zach," she pleads. Her voice is becoming hoarse and she needs a drink. Zach looks at her and smiles. She breaks eye contact and looks towards the beach.
"Look at me, Summer," he demands in a chilling voice. She shakes her head and so he violently grabs her chin and twists her face to him. He grabs her face and tilts it up to him and kisses her hard. His tongue licks her teeth and in a moment of inspiration, she bites his lip. He yelps and spits the blood back into her face. He pushes her away lightly and she takes the chance to stumble away from the side of the car where he has had her pinned.
Her pants catch under her sole and she stumbles. Zach is behind her and tackles her to the ground before she can crawl away.
"You aren't going anywhere," he singsongs. She smells the alcohol in his breath and shudder. He is drunk but that is no excuse. She wonders briefly what it is about normally sane and kind boys and alcohol that turns them into… monsters.
"Zach, no," she pleads. She is starting to cry now but he doesn't care, it only eggs him on. He kisses her again and she feels like throwing up. When she rolls over and tries to crawl away, she feels a stinging blow on the back of her head. Zach grabs her leg and rolls her back over.
"This is it," he says, roughly pulling on her pants. "I've waited long enough."
"Zach, I don't want to do this," she cries. He looks at her and smiles devilishly.
"You should have thought of that before," he whispers. He rips open her shirt and trails kisses all over stomach. He feels her shaking and struggling, but he is resolute. "Where's your Cohen to save you now?"
Just the name is enough to move something inside her. She is now, more than ever, determined not to let this go further. Cohen would hate her if he thought she had done anything. Suddenly, the sky breaks and a wall of water splashes down onto them. The cool rain energizes her and she knows what she has to do. She glances up at Zach who is straddling her but has stopped caressing her to look up at the rain. Zach loves pain. He works off it, she knows this. He was feeding off her anguish over Cohen when he started this.
Summer feels his hand stroke the length of her hair and then continue down to her half open jeans. She pulls her knees together and rams the between his open legs. He yells out in pain and pulls the hair he is holding.
"Ouch," she screams, as he pulls her head and slams it on the gravel of the parking lot. She is covered in cuts and bruises but she needs to get away so she rams her knees into his groin again. He screams again and she sees tears well up in his eyes as the agony overcomes him. He falls on top of her, clutching himself in pain. She is crying hysterically now but she needs to get away from. She becomes aware of the rain falling down around her again and she become alert again. She pushes Zach's body of hers and crawls towards the car. She hears him calling out to her, suddenly sorry and remorseful for what he's done but she doesn't care. She uses the car as a support and stands up.
She glances back at Zach one more time and spits on the ground before turning and walking towards The Bait Shop where she knows Seth will be waiting for her.
--
"Seth," she calls out softly, hearing a movement in the doorway.
"Yeah, Summer. It's me," he says, coming towards her. He sits on the bed next to her. "Are you ok? You've been crying."
"I'm going to be ok," she offers.
"I'm sorry," he says sincerely. "For leaving you. for letting this happen."
"It's ok," she says, automatically curling into him. she starts to cry again and he rocks her while stroking her shiny brown hair. "It's not your fault."
"You're with me now," he comforts. There is an edge to his voice and Summer knows he is deadly serious. "You're safe. You're going to be ok."
"You ok, sweetie?" Kirsten asked, coming into the room followed by a nurse pushing a wheelchair.
"Hmm?" Summer replied, blinking. She tore her gaze away from a spot on the wall and looks at Kirsten. "I'm fine. I was just thinking… about that night."
"It was nearly eight years ago," Kirsten offered, a small but sympathetic smile stretching across her face.
"I know," Summer replied. "I don't even know why I was thinking about it."
"You want some good news?" Kirsten asked, changing the subject expertly.
"Sure," Summer said, sitting up straighter.
"I just talked to Dr. Roberts and he ahs agreed to let you go home," she smiled. Summer had been under observation for almost two weeks and with baby coming in two months, she didn't particularly want to spend any more time there. "On one condition."
"Of course there's a condition," Summer sighed.
"You have to take it easy," Kirsten replied, walking over to the cupboard. She started packing Summer's bag for her.
"I'm not exactly up to even walking down a set of stairs," Summer replied. "I think that's a given."
Kirsten stopped packing the bag and came over to Summer, cupping her face in her hands. She kissed her cheek and smiled.
"I love you, Summer," she smiled.
"I love you too," Summer replied automatically. Kirsten saw the confused smile on her face and she laughed.
"You're still making jokes and…" Kirsten started but trailed off, her happy demeanor momentarily replaced with a more morose and grieved on.
The nurse, sensing an awkward moment as she was trained to, stepped in.
"Mrs. Cohen, would you like to get into the wheelchair now?" she asked. Summer glanced down at the nametag and smiled.
"I'd love to Olivia."
Kirsten and Olivia helped Summer gingerly stand up and make the three steps necessary to slump into the wheelchair.
"You can do it, honey," Kirsten prodded her daughter in-law as Summer collapsed into the chair.
"Where's Seth?" Summer asked, after a few minutes. She watched Kirsten zip up the expensive Hermes suitcase she and Sandy had bought her for Christmas three years ago.
"I don't know," Kirsten shrugged. "I talked to him in the phone and he said he'd be here."
The both heard the familiar squeak of old bowling shoes on the linoleum floor and shared a knowing smile.
"I'm so sorry," Seth panted as he flung himself in through the door. He kissed first his mother and then walked over to Summer who tilted her cheek up to him and received a kiss. "First Alex was late and then there was a mix-up with the delivery guy but I made it."
Dr Roberts walked into the room and whispered something to Kirsten who rolled her eyes but laughed. He turned to Summer who was talking to Seth.
"I don't need to remind you take it easy and take your medication, do I?" he asked, feigning sternness. They had found a herbal remedy for Summer to take. She shook her head emphatically and rolled her eyes at him. "Didn't think so. Take care, Summer, Seth."
He flew out of the room, his white doctor's coat flying out like a cape behind him.
"Ready to go home, sweetie?"
"Yes," Seth sighed. "When we get there, will you make me a peanut butter sandwich?"
"I meant Summer," Kirsten replied, rolling her eyes. "She's my new favorite child."
"No fair," Seth pouted. "Mum."
"Don't Mum me," she laughed.
"You'll be sorry soon," Seth shot-back. "When I'm not here anymore."
"I don't think we really need you anyway, do we Sum?" Kirsten said, throwing him a haughty gaze.
"Nah," Summer said, as the nurse started pushing her towards the door. "I think we were doing just fine without him."
"Oh, wait. Can you grab Summer's bag, sweetie?" Kirsten asked in a sweet voice, trailing off behind her.
"Sure," Seth countered. "Because that's all I'm here for. To carry the bags. I'm only here because you need my manly strength."
"Right," Kirsten deadpanned. She was smiling because her son was becoming more and more like his old teenage self everyday. "Because you're such a manly man."
"I am," he retorted. "I'm the manliest manly man there ever was."
Olivia, the nurse, stopped pushing the wheelchair and gave Seth a once over before bursting out into laughter.
Summer and Kirsten had been faking cool, unaffected demeanors but after Olivia's outburst, they looked at each other and burst out laughing.
"You are so mean," Seth pouted. He eyed the Hermes bag he was carrying and looked at Summer. "You know, it's raining outside."
"And?" she asked, an eyebrow risen. They had just reached the main doors.
"If I decide not to bring the car around then your bag will get wet and it will be ruined," he said. He placed the bag on the floor next to the wheelchair and fished his keys out of his pocket.
"No," Summer said, her eyes bugging open. "Please don't hurt the bag."
"I wont," Seth said, as he watched Summer's chest visibly deflate as she let go of the breath she was holding. "If you do as I say."
She sucked in a breath again and pleaded at him with her eyes.
"I'll do anything," she breathed.
"Anything?" he asked in a sing-song voice.
"Yes," she squeaked, unsurely.
"Tell me I'm a man," he said, nodding at her.
"Yeah right," she shot back. "I can't lie."
"Lie or the bag's going," he replied.
"Seth, don't be mean to your wife," Kirsten pretended to scold.
"Mum, this is partly your fault," he retorted.
"What do I do, Kirsten?" Summer asked desperately.
"I don't know. Lie?" Kirsten shrugged.
"Fine," Summer sighed. She looked at Seth and then back at Kirsten and winked. She wasn't going to let him. "You're man enough for me."
"Really?" Seth asked, looking pleased. He leant over and kissed her cheek. "Honey, you made the right choice."
"Maybe," she muttered as he walked towards the car. "Maybe."