A/N – Sorry, sorry, sorry! Um…serious illness, surgery, promotion, moving… Forgiveness? Please? Here's a little for now. Thanks for liking this so much!

Lies - Chapter 45

Summer felt the eyes of every person in the room boring into her back as she separated herself from the crowd and walked to the prosecution's table to join Sandy. When she reached it, he pulled out a chair and helped her into it, seating himself next to her. Then the whispering began. The police had yet to charge Seth or her with anything, but the paper had detailed her father's ridiculous story without naming names, since they weren't of age, and the entire county had been speculating all day on the identity of the person accusing Mr. Roberts of assault. She'd met almost every person packed into the courtroom at one fundraiser or another throughout the years, and as the spectators got a good look at her, low tones of shocked recognition filled the air. She took a deep breath.

"You still want to do this?" Sandy's voice was concerned.

"Definitely not. But I'm going to." She looked past him as his co-worker took a seat at their table. "Do I look ok?"

He checked her out critically. "You look battered, which is good. We want the judge to see that. But rest assured, kid, your beauty shines through."

She managed a small smile. "I know you think I shouldn't go up there and talk, but I have to."

"Hey." Sandy held both palms up in surrender. "I know who's in charge here." He turned to confer with his partner as the DA joined them.

Feeling quite alone, Summer glanced back at the first row. Kirsten was talking with Julie and Caleb, who'd finally arrived yesterday from Italy. Funny how Kirsten and Julie had actually become friends of a sort. Ryan and Anna were deep in conversation, holding hands, and she was thrilled for both of them. They seemed to compliment each other, kind of even the other out, and while she'd never have guessed THAT pairing would work, it made perfect sense now. Jimmy was here, looking haggard and ten years older; she hadn't known he was coming. Seth was talking quietly to him, and from the look on Mr. Coop's face, he was saying all the right things. Sure, Cohen had a habit of putting his foot in his mouth, but he also could be eloquent and thoughtful, and his heart was always in the right place. He looked so handsome in his suit and tie, older and a lot more confident, somehow. Not surprising, considering the things he'd heard and seen and done in the past few weeks. The amount of responsibility he'd shouldered for her was immeasurable, and it showed in his face and the way he carried himself these days. He glanced up, catching her loving look, and smiled at her - saying everything she needed to know with his eyes. When he turned back to Jimmy, she gazed down at the ring on her left hand, newly determined to do everything in her power to protect him.

An hour earlier she'd faced her enemy over a cold gray table.

Summer shivered, telling herself the air conditioning was the cause. She stood, nervously twisting her ring around on her finger while waiting for the guard to bring her father into the room. Glancing quickly at the dark glass wall, she was momentarily comforted by the fact that Seth and Sandy were on the other side watching her. It would be nice to be able to see THEM right now. Seth had been beyond wigged when he'd learned that she wanted to come here, even going so far as to flat out forbid her to go anywhere but the courthouse with him. That grand display of authority had lasted almost ten minutes, until he realized she was out in her Porsche, about to leave without him. Face grim, he'd opened her car door and abruptly motioned her to scoot over, not saying a word while he drove her to the police station. She sat down again, placed her hands palms down on the table in front of her and pushed her anxiety away, concentrating on keeping her head in control, not her emotions. The doorknob turned and Satan entered the room, briefly showing surprise to see her. He was followed by a burly guard who immediately locked the door and stood in position next to it.

"Hello Angel. You couldn't stay away from me, could you? How sweet. Have you come to your senses and decided to drop these charges you made up against me?"

His voice was smooth, words flowing like oil tainted with venom. Summer fought a hot flash and the urge to throw up, managing to maintain a stone face. "The general public isn't aware that you molested me when I was a child. Retract your story blaming Seth or I'll tell everyone in the courtroom AND the press about it. I'll go on every talk show and every radio station in LA and New York and give very specific details. I'll talk to every magazine and every newspaper from 'Cosmopolitan' to the 'Wall Street Journal'. I will ruin you."

He inexplicably beamed at her, momentarily throwing her off guard.

"Wow! Look who inherited Daddy's cutthroat business sense! Now THAT'S how you broker a deal. Very impressive, Summer."

She watched him cautiously. "So you'll leave Seth alone?"

He was fully aware that their conversation was being monitored. "Of course not. I couldn't lie just because you have a misguided crush on one of your many conquests! The little nerd framed me; I can't let him get away with that. Unless of course you drop the charges against me, then we never have to see him again, and you and I can go back to being a loving family. Just like when you were little."

He winked at her, causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up. She knew exactly what 'just like when you were little' meant.

"I don't know how we grew so far apart, Angel. I suppose I spent too much time away from home on business. But we can change all that. You could come to live with me in LA, with your stepmother, too. We can get you the help you need after that… boy – tried to rape you and beat you up so badly. Looks like he really lost his temper. Does it hurt?" He reached across the table towards her face.

The chair legs screeched as she pushed it back from the table, standing quickly. "Don't you ever try to touch me again."

He sighed dramatically. "Oh, it pains me to see you so traumatized. I'm sure it will be a while before you're able to let anyone touch you, after what you've been through. It makes me so sad to see you like this."

She leaned forward with her hands on the table, staring him straight in the eyes. " Funny you should say that. More like hilarious since you're the one that did this to me. Look, I'm not here to listen to your bullshit. Drop the lies against Seth or I go public with detailed stories about my perverted father."

"Think of it, Summer. Your friends at school would stop talking to you, stop including you in their little cliques. People will take sides, most calling you a lying whore; a few calling you vengeful or misguided. But all will look at you with pity or scorn and simply avoid you." He shook his head. "I just don't know why you'd want to say that. It will just show the world that you're a pathetic child willing to lie about her family in order to get her own way. It's time to grow up, my girl. No one will BELIEVE you."

She ignored the very real possibilities he'd brought up of how she'd be perceived by the general public and concentrated on his words that had literally made her stomach roll. "I'm NOT your girl OR your family. The sight of you makes me want to puke." Realization dawned on her face. "Speaking of family? There've been times while growing up that knowing I was created by shit like you made me want to kill myself. But now? I understand now that I must have more of my mother in me than you, because all along Seth has seen it and never given up on me."

His face grew red. "Seth." He spit the name out like it was rotten milk. "That –"

Summer flatly interrupted him. "He loves me, and I'm going to have a kick-ass, happy life in spite of all your efforts to ruin it. I'm going to be a whole person – a woman able to love and trust completely in spite of how YOU raised me. In spite of you AND to spite you. THAT, Father? Is a promise." Her eyes narrowed. "You will plead guilty to the hell you put me through and recant your lies against Cohen by the time the hearing begins or I swear I'll tell the world about my 'very special' childhood. Believe THAT."

She looked up at the guard. "Let me out. Now."

She quickly walked to the door, not looking back.