Summary: Seth and Marissa at the last of Summer's mom's memorial service. This is a interconnected one off to "Our Greatest Sounding Board". I assume one could get away with not reading "MGSB" first, but it wouldn't hurt to give it a read. Also note this takes place a day or two after "MGSB".

Story Notes: This is distinctively a Seth/Marissa act. Take from it what you will. Whether it is friendship, romance, or soul mate like chemistry. I leave it up to you the reader to decipher.

Story title taken from the song "Lyric" by Zwan. I can't seem to post the html address to the lyrics, but do a search on google and you'll find them.

Disclaimer: oddsbodkin17 is the queen of witty disclaimers. So I won't even try to live up. I own nothing of value. Not our house (apartment), not our car (it's the banks), and no, not even the characters of The O.C. (They belong to some guy named Josh Schwartz). But I do own my fingers, and this computer I am typing on, and the words in my head that flow through my fingers and on to this screen. Yup, I own all of that. So in other words don't steal my ideas!

Rating: It's as clean as they come.

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Seth's posturing was a little slumped and it was clear he was more than gloomy as he sipped on his coffee. His eyes were peered on the cup of hot liquids and a bit of the floor before him. He had little strength to look up and out to the last of the sympathy laden minglers.

A familiar voice was heard from a short distance.

"Well that went well for you," Marissa said.

Seth sighed and then let out a short, almost silent grunt.

"Hmm, well let's see. I got reamed out by Summer oh and her Father and oh yeah, in front of her grieving family and friends. I'd say the day has gotten off to a wonderful start. Why did I come here again?"

"I'm sure you were just trying to be supportive, but ah, yeah, you've made better choices."

"Thanks. I needed a second, sober, thought."

"Oh, I'm not sober. I had a bottle of Jack Daniels and some Vodka this morning."

"Ok," Seth said with a hint of worry in his voice.

Marissa playfully punched Seth in the shoulder and laughed.

"I was kidding you know!"

"Of course you were," Seth said trying to cover up the fact that he assumed she was telling the truth.

"I'd never be wasted at a time when Summer needed me most."

Marissa laid her eyes on Seth who was awkwardly pacing and staring at the ground. Seth turned his head in the direction of Marissa. He'd normally be surprised to see her eyes ponder over his moping self, but this time he wasn't. He simply returned her watchful eyes with a half smile.

"You know, you could be barred from ever being friends with Summer again just by associating yourself with me, here, tonight," Seth said.

"I'll take my chances," Marissa said as she flashed a bright smile towards Seth.

Seth once again returned her warm gesture with a smile of his own. This time it was a wider grin as he was beginning to drop some of the tension that was weighing him down.

"So, how are you coping," Seth asked Marissa.

"Coping?"

Seth tilted his head in the direction of the corner of the room. There stood Ryan, Theresa and the final element that created an illusion of family, their baby boy.

Marissa turned her head in the direction Seth was motioning towards and paused.

"I'm really glad she could make it. It's nice of her to be here."

There was an obvious tone of remorse in her voice.

"You don't have to lie."

"I don't know what you're talking about Seth. Should this be bothering me?"

"Well sure, if you're normal."

"And when have I ever been normal? When have we ever been normal?"

Seth said nothing in response, but gave a vague motion as though he agreed. He ended his pregnant pause with a usual half smile and directed a glance at Marissa's face.

"You know they're not together. Not romantically anyway," Seth said.

"Yeah."

Seth watched Marissa expecting her to react but she remained still and silent. Marissa waited out the pause, but noticed Seth was waiting on her last words.

"It's not like it changes anything Seth. I'm sure he misses me and God I miss him, but what good can it do to fall back into old patterns, reopen old wombs, create new ones? I can only be delusional for so long," Marissa said.

"Well that's very bold and brave of you Marissa."

Marissa turned her head back and watched on as Ryan picked up his son and held him in his own hands. Theresa was wrapping a bib around the young ones neck, as he spit up a mixture of food and saliva. Just as Theresa lifted her head after tying the strings of the bib her eyes met with Ryan. He smiled in return. And although there was nothing intentionally romantic about it, deep inside Marissa shuddered at her visions of a happy family.

"I so have a graving for pancakes. What you say we get out of this poorly fashioned, depressing, joint," Marissa said.

"Ahh, the diner?"

"Yeah, is that cool with you?"

"Look, I know my current nature is to be cruel and heartless to Summer, but you? Shouldn't you be with her tonight?"

"We're cool."

Seth looked on confused.

"She's staying with family tonight. They haven't given her a moment to breath or be released from their grasp. But you know how loyal she is to her father."

"Yeah," Seth replies in a quiet tone.

"Anyway, I'll be with her tomorrow, at the burial. So listen. This place is beyond stuffy. There are enough suites and ties and moraless high rollers to populate the Newport charity guild."

"Wait, aren't you on the Newport Charity Guild?"

"Yeah, but I'm not normal, remember? You must be learning by now I'm nothing like them? Me and you Cohen, we're in our own class, our own little worlds. I kind of like it like that."

"Yeah, me too," Seth said while closing out with a smile

The two of them stood for seconds facing each other with smiles and general vibes of happiness. It was truly something be cherished by those who knew how infrequent they used to talk to each other let alone share in each other's joy.

"So, Dan's or the Newport Diner," Seth asked.

"Oh, it has to be the Newport Diner. It just has this presence. It just feels like a Kerouacian dinner. You know? Well, plus they have way better pancakes."

Seth laughed, his eyes nowhere near peering towards the ground. He was fixed on Marissa's glow. Her smile drew him in.

Marissa locked with his happy face and then turned towards his back, her hands coming up to rest on Seth's shoulders. She playfully pulled him back, toward her. Seth, in turn, released a light gasp and a childlike laugh mixed with a wide grin.

"Come on Cohen, let's get some real food."

"And a one way ticket out of Hell?"

"Yeah, that too."

Marissa paused and then smiled just before she moved ahead of Seth waiting for him to follow her in motion. Seth took a moment to look around him and made eye contact with Theresa. He nodded his head and she smiled back, knowing that Seth was heading out the cramped back room of the funeral home. Seth moved in stride as he followed Marissa towards the door.

Theresa whispered in Ryan's ear that Seth was leaving. He turned his head and saw that Seth was following Marissa out the door. His mind paused, only for a moment, as he watched them fade into the distance. Before he could process his thoughts his little bundle of joy sneezed on his jacket, diverting his attentions away from them.

"Was that Marissa, heading out with Seth," Ryan questioned, obviously surprised that the two of them would exit together.