Send the roses and champagne to Josh Schwartz.

This chapter's dedicated to Kylyn Elizabeth. Because of her, it took twice as long to write this as it should've.

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Seth had never thought it was possible to have as much junk mail as he did. There was something he could do for ah hour. He emptied everything after reading each subject line, Click here to receive $100 in FREE prizes, Living Waterfalls Screen Saver, New Gear From Fender! But that still left four hours with nothing to do in a house he could barely recognize. He slid across the counter and down the railing, but that got old quick. He lay in the bed he had missed, staring up at the ceiling that he had previously memorized. He updated his playlist and listened to a few old favorites, mildly interested in the fact that they were now oldies played on different radio stations. Keyword: mildly interested.

By three, when he was finally sure he was going to tear out his hair, he heard a click and a slam downstairs. His head came up and he jumped out of bed. He brushed his hair so it didn't look like he had been sleeping all day. He jogged down the stairs to see the pretty nine year old grinning up at him.

"Uncle Seth, hey."

"Hey. How was...your day?"

"Good. What about you?"

"Much better now that you're here."

Jenn grinned again and gave him a quick hug around the waist. She walked past him to the kitchen and sat at the middle island. He followed her and sat on the counter and tossed her an apple.

"Homework?"

She shook her head. "Too much."

"Yeah? The year's almost over though, right?"

"The teachers keep saying 'It's not over blah blah. You're going to be working to the last day blah blah.' They like putting up a front."

"Yeah, I know that. But the year really is almost over."

She nodded and took a chunk out of the apple. He grinned and took one himself.

"When does Chris get home?"

She shrugged and took another bite. "In like an hour."

"When does Ry—your dad come home?"

"Soon."

"Your grandma?"

"Late."

"Grandpa?"

"Later."

"Summer?"

"Depends. She said she'd be back soon too."

"So we get to hang out for a while."

"Mm-hmm."

"What do you want to do?"

"Anything but homework."

"You want to play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"The best kind of game."

"That would be..."

"Come upstairs. I'll show you."

"Okay."

She put the apple down and followed him up the stairs and into his room. He reached up onto a shelf with a mountain of dust. He pushed it off and squinted his eyes and his head was surrounded in a cloud. He pulled a box off and handed it to Jenn.

"Jenga?"

"Yeah. You have a problem with Jenga?"

"No. What is it?"

"Good god, you don't know about Jenga? I'll teach you. You build a tower and then pull pieces out until it falls down. Whoever makes it fall down first loses."

"Okay."

Summer knocked on the wall next to the doorframe.

"Hey. What are you guys doing?"

Jenn smiled up at her and held up the box. "Jenga."

Summer laughed and walked into the room. Seth shrugged.

"What?"

"You really didn't change."

"Jenga is a very educational game."

"Uh-huh. What does it teach?"

"Uh, um, architecture. Yeah. Math skills."

"Right. Can I play?"

Jenn nodded and Summer sat with her legs out to one side on the ground. Jenn crossed her legs and Seth joined them. He and Summer made the tower and Jenn corrected them to make it neat. As soon as they finished, they heard the door open downstairs. Summer glanced at her watch.

"That's Chris. I'll be right back."

She got up and walked out of the room. Seth watched her leave. Jenn watched him turn his head back and jump when he saw her staring at him.

"What?"

"You like Aunt Summer."

"What?"

"You like her."

"Yeah. I like you too."

"No. You like her. Like you like like her."

"Uh, what?"

"Like you like her for dating."

"What makes you think that?"

"She makes you smile."

"Your dad makes me smile too, but I don't want to date him."

She giggled and sighed.

"You don't understand. I think it's romantic that you like Aunt Summer."

"Yeah? Why?"

"Because she likes you too."

"Why do you think that?"

"Duh. She's always looking at you. And she named Chris after you."

"Why do you think she named him after me? Seth is a very popular name."

She giggled again and shook her head.

"Because I heard her talking to Grandma and she said that she named him that because she missed you. And she wanted a part of you with her. Because she loves you."

"You eavesdropped on your grandma and your aunt?"

She nodded without a trace of embarrassment. Seth laughed and played with her hair. Summer came back into the room holding Chris's hand. He sat on Seth's bed, and she sat in between his legs.

"So what'd I miss?"

"Nothing." Jenn's smile seemed to get bigger.

"Yeah? Are you sure?" Summer crawled to Jenn on her knees. Jenn nodded quickly.

"Do you have a secret, Miss Jennifer Dawn?"

Jenn shook her head just as quickly and bit her lip to hide her smile. Summer grinned.

"I don't believe you. And you know the best way to get secrets."

"No!"

"Yes."

Summer picked the girl up and dropped her in her lap and tickled her sides. Jenn shrieked with laughter and tried to tickle her back. Summer hovered over her and tickled her legs and her feet. Jenn shrieked louder and squirmed, trying to roll over. Summer fell backward laughing and Jenn jumped on top of her. She crossed her arms on Summer's chest and rested her head on top of them.

"You're so mean."

"I'm not mean."

"Yes, you are. If my daddy was here, he would yell at you."

"If your daddy was here, he would be jealous because he didn't get to tickle you first."

"My daddy's mean too."

"Your daddy is mean. Get mad at him. I'm the nice one."

Jenn laughed and Summer joined her.

"You're tickling me again."

"I'm not touching you."

"Your belly shakes."

Summer laughed again and Jenn started giggling. The door opened and Ryan walked in.

"Why's everyone laughing so loud?"

"Daddy!"

Jenn jumped up and ran into his waist, hugging him.

"Whoa, hey, you're getting strong."

"Yeah?" Jenn's head looked up at his with a huge grin.

"Mm-hmm."

"So I can start ballet?"

"Why do you want to do ballet?"

"Because it's pretty."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I'll think about it."

"That's what you always say. Just say yes."

"Maybe."

"Daddy, I..."

"Ask too many questions. Let's go."

He picked her up under her arms and swung her onto the bed next to Chris.

"What are we doing?"

"Mmm, Jenga." Summer tied her hair up into a loose ponytail and sat back on the floor.

"I've actually never played that before."

"Dude, you're my brother and you haven't played Jenga? Something is wrong with that." Seth grinned and Ryan shrugged.

"Let's do this, man."

Ryan sat on the floor and Jenn sat in between him and Seth. Chris crossed his arms and lay back on the bed.

"You don't want to play, honey?" Summer touched his arm. Chris shook his head. "Honey, what's wrong?" Summer pushed up onto the bed next to him and stroked his back. Seth looked over to her. She was a mom. She really was.

"Nothing."

"Baby..."

"I'm fine, Mom! Leave me alone."

He jumped up and ran out of the room. They all heard him run down the stairs and a distinct door slam. Summer stood up and sighed.

"I...have to go. Don't wait for me." She turned and ran out of the room. "Chris!"

Summer slipped into the pool house and saw her son facedown on his bed. She sat on the floor in front of him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Baby, talk to me."

"No."

"At least tell me what's wrong."

"You won't listen to me anyway."

"I'll try. Especially if it's important to you."

"You don't want to listen."

"Tell me anyway."

"You just...I don't know. You're different."

"How?"

"I don't know! You just changed since he's been back."

"You're not...jealous, right, honey?"

"No. I'm not."

"Okay. So what do you mean?"

"You're just different, that's all. Like you don't want me around."

"Honey, I always want you around. I love you, babe."

"But you love him too, don't you?"

Summer stilled her hand on his back and stared at the wall. After a few second, she looked back at him.

"I don't know, honey."

"Why? You don't know him. You met him in the park and suddenly you want to be with him more than you want to be with me. Why?"

"Oh honey." Summer wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged his cheek against hers. "Baby, you don't understand. I did know him. A long, long time ago. And sometimes it's nice to remember."

"So you loved him more then than you love me now?"

"Oh, baby, I love you in a completely different way."

"But you did."

"I don't know. That was a really long time ago."

"So why do you still love him?"

"He is a good person, honey. If you just gave him a chance."

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because he makes you not want to be my mommy."

"I'll always want to be your mommy. I promise."

"But you giggle more around him. And it's weird."

"I do?"

"Yeah. Like the girls in my class."

"Well, I...I knew him when I was younger. So I don't know, maybe I remember what it was like."

"How well did you really know him then though?"

"Oh, believe me, babe, I knew him. Well."

"But if you changed so much, didn't he?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. But we may as well give him a chance so we can figure that out."

"But will you be my mommy if I give him a chance?"

"I swear."

"Don't swear, Mommy. You're not good at it."

"Have you been watching movies with Uncle Ryan again?"

He nodded and Summer laughed.

"He shouldn't let you watch movies with bad words in them."

"Jerry Guire doesn't say as many bad words as you do."

"Maguire, honey. Show me the money."

"No, the kwon."

"That's right. The kwon."

"Can we go back in and see Uncle Ryan?"

"Sure, honey. Let's go."

Summer stood up and held out her arms for him. He stood up on the bed and hugged her.

"I love you, baby."

"I love you too, Mommy."

She rocked back and forth and kissed his hair.

Dinner was less awkward than it used to be. Kirsten was there, even though Sandy was still out. Chris was laughing more than he had before. Jenn was firmly planted next to Seth and kept tapping him on the shoulder to tell him things. Kirsten was beyond happy. After they all finished, Seth and Ryan brought the plates to the sink and started washing them. Summer tapped Chris on the shoulder and nodded over. He gave her a look and she crossed her arms. He sighed and walked over.

He tapped Seth on the shoulder and crooked his finger. Seth bent down and Chris whispered into his ear. "I'm sorry I was mean to you."

Seth whispered back. "It's okay."

"I didn't mean to be."

"I know."

"I want to be your friend."

"I want to be your friend too."

"Do you like my mommy?"

Seth bent down onto his knees and thought about it for a minute. He looked back at the bright, bright green eyes and slowly nodded. Chris nodded too and walked away. Ryan handed Seth a plate and he rubbed it with the dishcloth.

After dinner, Seth went up to his room and continued staring at the ceiling. His playlist was on rotate and he was remembering what it was like to be sixteen and dance with Summer to Ryan Adams. There was a knock at his door and he shouted an "it's open" without moving. Ben Folds was singing the one overplayed song he had ever released.

"Six AM, day after Christmas. I throw some clothes on in the dark. The smell of cold, car seat is freezing. The world is sleeping; I am numb."

"Hey. Who's this?" Summer walked into the room and sat on the dark blue carpet she had memorized.

"Ben Folds Five. What are you doing in here?"

"I needed to talk to you. Did you talk to Chris?"

"Yeah. Was he really that mad at me?"

"Up the stairs to the apartment. She is balled up on the couch. Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte. They're not home to find us out. And we drive; Now that I have found someone, I'm feeling more alone. Than I ever have before."

"I don't think so. I think he was just jealous?"

"Why?"

"He thinks I like you more than I like him."

"That's ridiculous. You're his mother."

"I know. He just thinks I pay you more attention or something."

"Oh. But you talked to him about it?"

"Yeah. I think he'll be okay."

"Okay. Good."

"Yeah. It was really weird though, he said I turned into a different person when I saw you."

"Like what?"

"Like I was younger."

"Do you? Think you've changed?"

"I don't know. I mean, it has been good to see you again."

"She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly. Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere. She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly."

"Yeah, I mean, I really missed you."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean, you and my mom."

"Wow. I mean, I missed you too."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, duh. You were a pretty big part of my life."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"They call her name at 7:30. I pace around the parking lot. Then I walk down to buy her flowers. And sell some gifts that I got. Can't you see, it's not me you're dying for? Now she's feeling more alone than she ever has before."

"Really cheerful song, Cohen."

He sat up and grinned at her. She laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing. You just...called me Cohen."

"Oh. You know, um, we could lock your door and..."

"Oh right. I was supposed to, um, talk to you about that. Um, do you think it would be okay if we kind of started over?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like pretend that we just met each other. Because I mean, we don't know each other as well as we used to."

"Ryan talked to you."

"Yeah, why? He talked to you?"

"Yeah. You know, he might be wrong though. I mean, I see you, right? And everything feels the same. Well, not everything, but how much I feel for you."

"Oh. Maybe we should kind of listen to him though. Like, take things slow."

"What if I told you that I hadn't had a date in a year and maybe I don't want to take things slow?"

"But Summer..."

"This is stupid. You really are blaming me because you left! This is so stupid! God, Seth, you leave me for nearly a decade and you think you can yell at me and blame me! Seth, I never knew you were that stupid. Maybe you have changed."

"Summer, I don't want to say this. I mean, I want this, I want you, but I know I left and I don't blame you. I blame myself to the extent where I'm almost certain that I don't deserve you. You've changed for the better and if you were anyone else, I wouldn't care about just sleeping with you. But you deserve more than that. You deserve some guy that can give you the life that you deserve and now I'm not so sure I can."

"Everyone's telling me what to do. I hate it. You don't have the right to choose what I deserve. Because I think I deserve to be goddamn happy after all this."

"You do. And..."

"And what I want is you. I don't want to take things slow and I don't want people to tell me they know what's best for me."

"What do you want me to say? I'm trying to make the right choice here for once."

"I want you to say that you love me. I want you to say that you want this to work out because you still have feelings for me. I want you to throw me on your bed and fuck my brains out."

"I can't do all that. I'm trying to grow up."

"Well I already grew up. So I can."

Summer stood up and kissed him as hard as she could. She pushed him backward on the bed so he was lying down.

"Summer..."

"Shh. Don't think."

"She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly. Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere. She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly. As weeks went by, it showed that she was not fine. They told me, son, it's time to tell the truth. She broke down, and I broke down. Cause I was tired of lying. Driving home to her apartment, for a moment we're alone. Yeah, she's alone. I'm alone. Now I know it."

Slowly, he felt his hands creep to her back. It was just like that; like he was watching his hands move without control of them. Summer shifted up against him, as a knock came at the door. He turned his head up to look at the door, but Summer shook her head and kissed him again.

"Pretend that you're asleep."

Another knock came accompanied with a whine. "Uncle Seth, I need you."

"Shit, Summer, I have to get that."

She shrugged and fixed her shirt and makeup. He got up and opened the door after running his hand through his hair a few times.

"Jenn, hey. Sorry about that."

"It's okay. I need to talk to you."

"Sure, what's up?"

"Daddy's mad at you. I think Granddaddy's mad too. Grandma's just crying."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But they're scaring me."

"Okay, I'll go check. You go to bed, okay?"

She nodded shakily. He kissed her forehead and ran down the stairs. Jenn cried for a second, but wiped her eyes with the back of her hand when she saw Summer walking to her.

"Jenn, sweetie, what's wrong?"

"Daddy's mad. It's making Grandma cry."

"Is Uncle Seth going to take care of it?"

She nodded and Summer half smiled at her.

"Come on. I'll take you to bed."

She nodded again and wrapped her arms around Summer's ribs.

"Hey. You're getting tall."

"Really?"

"Either that or I'm getting short."

She grinned through her tears and crooked her finger. Summer bent down and Jenn kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Aunt Summer."

"I love you too, sweetie. Let's get you to bed."

Summer disappeared with the nine year old into her room and tucked her under the covers.

Seth walked into the kitchen, very nervously, and saw Ryan and Sandy standing up, trying to talk to Kirsten through her tears.

"You guys, what's wrong?"

Ryan turned around, and Seth saw the tears stinging his eyes. He'd never seen Ryan cry.

"Who do you think you are?"

"What?"

"You think you can just swoop back in and it will be like nothing ever changed! Newsflash, Seth, it doesn't work that way."

"Ryan, I..."

"No. I don't feel like eating that shit that everyone else has been eating about how you're sorry and it's hard because that's just bullshit! You left for...too long for you to just say I'm sorry and get welcomed with open arms! It doesn't work that way, Seth, and I don't know what Summer's been telling you or making you think, but you can't just pretend like nothing ever happened, because something did! And it was your fault!"

"Hey! You left too, man, I don't know what..."

"I left because it was the right thing to do! I didn't have a choice! You did it for all the wrong reasons, but the main one was you're a selfish son of a bitch. And I'm sick of pretending I don't care!"

Sandy's arms became uncrossed and he threw them out to the side.

"He's right, Seth! You don't seem to care! At all! You hurt everyone in this house, and you don't seem to be all that sorry just because we didn't scream at you when you got home! Do you think this is a game, son? Because it isn't. Real feelings are being involved and you can't just brush if off like it's nothing! It is something! And things are different! You're not the same little sixteen year old that can depend on his parents and expect their forgiveness for staying out too late! This is a big deal!"

"I know that, okay? It's not like I don't care about you guys. I love you people and if you don't think I feel bad about any of this, you must be right, Ryan. We all changed. And you don't know me anymore. So maybe I should just get out of here so we don't wake up your daughter, in case you forgot."

"I didn't forget, Seth. Because I have responsibilities while you have nothing. You just wait around all day for us to come home so you can remember what it was like to be around people that care about you. I'm goddamn sick of waiting for you to do something with yourself, but I kept doing it because I thought you were the kind of kid that cared what he did with himself. Maybe you were, but something must have happened to you in that damn Pacific because you sure as hell don't seem to care anymore!"

Summer came running down the stairs, her eyes huge.

"What is your problem? Ryan! Your daughter is upstairs crying her eyes out because she thinks her dad is mad at her! She keeps covering her ears, but nothing she does can get your stupid voice out of her head! She's crying, Ryan. Because of you. You guys can't even go outside?"

Ryan's hands were on his hips and he was watching the ground as Summer smacked his arm. His voice lowered and he whispered to Summer.

"Put her in the pool house, please. I need to talk to Seth."

"You put her in the goddamn pool house. She's your daughter! And she's afraid of her own father! And she has to sleep, Ryan! She has school tomorrow and it's already 10!"

Ryan exhaled sharply and shook his head.

"We'll go outside, then."

"Well lower your goddamn voices because I don't want you waking up my son too."

"Now, you remember your son."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Have you noticed that he's been upset for the past three days? He's been telling himself not to cry because he thinks it would upset you. But he wants to cry because he doesn't think you care about him anymore. Which isn't completely hard to believe at this point."

"Now I don't care about my son? You think you know me so well, Ryan Atwood, but here's something you don't know about me, I'm not as bad a mother as you think I am. I love my son and I love your daughter because someone needs to take care of her while you're screaming your head off! So don't act all proud of yourself thinking that you know what's best for me because you really, really don't!"

"I know that you should get out of this make believe land you have where nothing has changed in nine years. Things are different, Summer, and you keep trying to tell yourself they're not! That's impossible because nine years have gone by! Nine years. So stop fooling yourself into believing you know what you're doing because you don't!"

"Just because you're jealous of your own brother doesn't mean you have to act all high and mighty."

Ryan shook his head again. "I'm not jealous, Summer. Don't flatter yourself."

"Oh really? It doesn't make you mad to see me pay attention to someone else? Just because you've stopped me from finding someone else doesn't mean you can stop me from finding the love of my whole fucking life when he walks into my house. I'm sorry if things didn't work out like you wanted them to, but I'm not going to be Mrs. fucking Brady. I can't do that, Ryan. I'm sorry, it's been nice having someone when I had no one, but we both know I don't love you like you want me to. So we have to move on."

Ryan swallowed and nodded. "Okay. Maybe I should be the one to go, then."

"No. No one's leaving." Kirsten stood up and starting shaking her hands. Ryan put his hand on her shoulder and nodded.

"I guess I should go. Prove that I do have responsibility. I've been living in my parents' house for six years, and Summer's right. It's time to move on."

Summer shook her head and lowered her voice too. "You can't go now. Jenn has to sleep."

Ryan looked up and looked directly at Summer. "Tomorrow then. I'll get my stuff ready."

"No, Ryan, you don't have to..."

"Mom. It's time. Good night, you guys."

Ryan walked out of the room and up the stairs to rock his daughter to sleep. Seth looked up at his mother, father, and his...Summer, and shrugged.

"I guess I'll go tonight."

"No, Seth. No ones leaving." Kirsten hung her head and started crying again.

"Mom, I can't stay somewhere where I'm not welcome. I'm not that stupid contrary to popular belief."

He rubbed circles in his mom's back and hugged her quietly. He gave his dad a look and touched Summer's shoulder before grabbing his bag from upstairs and shutting the door with a quiet slam.

"Brick" written by Ben Folds and Darren Jessee

Next chapter brings Marissa back into the picture. Peace and love...