A/N: Thanks for reviewing everybody-it really means a lot to me! Anyway this chapter is...hmm...well maybe you should all just read it first. All I ask you to keep in mind is that, if we only know one thing about them, it's that when it comes to relationships, S/S are not the most rational people in the world!

In the hours since he'd made it home from school Seth had been able to think of nothing else but the suddenly precarious state of his relationship with Summer. Despite this, he could barely get his mind around it. He loved her…there was no question about that. And yet there were doubts… and so naturally there were questions.

Searching hard inside himself Seth became convinced that, when pushed, he could resolve these questions…sadly he just didn't like the answers.

"Hey Cohen" Summer called, letting herself into the Cohen's house and struggling down the few steps from the front door laden down with bags.

"Ugh I think I broke nail" she muttered distractedly, dumping a load of stuff onto the kitchen table "I brought The Valley season 2…" she shouted to wherever Seth might be "I know it's not as good as Season 1 but…" She broke off as she turned around and noticed that Seth was sat stoically on the lounge room sofa. With his head bowed and wearing a vacant, if downbeat, expression he seemed almost serene. It was only the distracted playing with his hands that gave away the turmoil that was raging inside him.

Seeing him like this was alien to Summer and she was immediately concerned. "Are you Ok?" she asked gently.

There was a pause. Not overly protracted, but long enough for a sense of foreboding to creep over Summer.

"Actually…no" Seth muttered, his voice low and not breaking eye contact with the floor.

Summer dropped onto the sofa next to him and brushed her hand comfortingly over his knee "What is it Sweetie?" her voice was laced with anxiety but Seth's reaction was minimal. His eyes flickered briefly to where her hand was rested then returned to stare hard at the wall.

Another pause…longer this time. So long that Summer actually began to dread what he was going to say. In the deafening silence she started to count her own heartbeats and was unnerved to notice that their pace quickened as she waited.

One…..Two…Three..Four.Fi-

"Why didn't you tell me?" Seth cut in finally, his voice expressionless.

"Tell you wha…"

"About Jen's party" Seth clarified. He was unable to disguise his clipped tones and for the first time Seth turned, albeit briefly, to face Summer and the pain evident in his eyes made her recoil slightly.

"About how I'm an embarrassment…" he continued "how your friends think you need a more socially acceptable replacement." Seth glanced almost accusingly at Summer and for a moment his statement hung heavily in the air.

"What? How do you know about that?" Summer demanded tersely…then desperately wished she hadn't.

Seth's eyes flashed and his voice became unmistakably harsh "What the Hell does it matter Sum?"

"I don't get it Cohen" Summer pleaded, shrugging helplessly but biting her bottom lip to ward off the tears that had welled up from nowhere "Why are you so angry with me?"

"I'M NOT ANGRY WITH YOU SUMMER…" Seth screamed getting sharply to his feet and rounding on his girlfriend "I JUST…" Seeing Summer's stricken expression he tailed off, screwed up his face and ran his hands frantically through his hair. Taking a deep breath and leaning against the wall for support he carried on in a fragile voice "I just though we were past all this…I thought that it didn't matter." He finished and collapsed dejectedly into a chair burying his head in his hands.

Seeing Seth like this, so hopeless and defeated, devastated Summer and having paused to blink back her tears she knelt by his chair and tried desperately to reassure him "It doesn't matter Seth, that's why I'm here…with you"

Her compassion appeared superficially not to affect Seth and his gaze remained averted from Summer "You shouldn't have to be Sum. These people are your friends"

"Were my friends Cohen. Were."

"You shouldn't have to choose." Seth's voice was stronger now but he visibly struggled to get out what he wanted to say "But as long as you're with me…" he broke off and for the very first time looked right into Summer's eyes "They're never going to accept me Summer" he was unable to disguise the desperation in his tone.

Summer shook her head fervently "That is their problem Cohen – Not ours."

Seth gave a faint rueful laugh and looked away again, he couldn't face her any more "You deserve more Summer. More than you're ever going to get with me." The pain in his voice was palpable but his conviction was undeniable.

There was a lingering moment of heavy silence and Summer got to her feet. She wiped the stray tears from her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her heart was shattering into a million pieces but it was anger that was beginning to get the better of her "What the Hell are you trying to say Cohen?" she asked, her voice quiet but cold.

Seth slumped disconsolately in his chair, a sense of self loathing washing over him as the pain he was causing Summer became evident. "I'm never going to fit in on that scene and that's where you belong…I feel like I'm holding you back from something."

"That is crap Cohen" Summer snapped "It's just a party"

"It's more than that"

Summer shook her head in disbelief, her irritation grew as she saw her perfect relationship crumbling around her and she felt powerless to make him see "This is ridiculous" she deadpanned.

Infuriatingly, Seth shrugged again. He hated what he was doing but he was doing it for her…he had to make her see that "Is it? Is it ridiculous? Are you telling me that you haven't once wished that I was 'cooler'…more socially acceptable…more like Zach?"

Summer sighed in frustration and shook her head agitatedly at the floor but said nothing.

"Summer?" Seth prompted

"So what if I have ok?" Summer yelled, her anger finally making her words bypass her brain before they came out "So what if once, just once, I thought it might just be easier if you were more like everybody else? But that does NOT mean…"

Seth felt like he'd just had all the wind knocked out of him and his breath caught in his chest. He stared hard at his feet and fought back the tears. It was what he had suspected all along…but to hear it coming out of her mouth….it felt like a small part of him had just died.

"Well I think that says it all" he cut in, his voice hardened of all emotion.

"I am not perfect Cohen!" Summer continued, unable to lower her voice, unable to plug the mental floodgates that had just been brutally smashed open " I know that you put me on this pedestal but sometimes I do things, or I think things…" She ground to her halt. All of her sudden she realised there was no anger left… but it had left pain in its wake. Pain like no other. Her voice audibly trembled and tears flowed like torrents from her eyes "But I love you Cohen…"

Seth got immediately out of his chair and cradled her shaking body in his arms. Her slender frame shuddered as she wept and Seth just held her, finally giving up the fight against his own tears.

For several moments, until Summer's breathing had regulated again and her quaking eased to shivers, they stood like this, as though nothing else in the world mattered.

Gently, Seth pushed Summer away from him so he could study her face and reached up to tenderly wipe a tear away from her eyes "You know that I love you Summer…" he began, but continued before a watery smile could fully form on her face "…But maybe…at 17…it's just not enough"

A/N: Argh...yeah so I'm sorry it was horrible but necessary, it was a big scene in my head and i just hope I did it justice. Also, just because they had a big fight does not necessarily mean they broke up...so don't panic! Anyway, thanks for reading, please review!