A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, I really appreciate all of them! Hmm...So who was in the room?...

"Zach?" Summer asked confused "What are you doing in here?"

Zach just gave a short laugh and slowly sat himself down on the bed "Well it's nice to see you too Summer."

Summer simply gave a terse nod in response, but a sense of foreboding crept over her as she noticed Zach's slightly out of focus eyes and vaguely slurred words.

"So, it was quite a little scene you caused down there…" he continued, a smug smile playing about on his lips.

"They had it coming to them." Summer shrugged and started to make her way over to the door.

"So you dumped me…" Zach clarified "…For Cohen?" He glanced up at Summer and his eyes pierced accusingly into hers.

Summer paused, and did feel a brief pang of sympathy for him, knowing that she hadn't exactly treated him well whilst they were together.

"It wasn't really like that…you and I were never…" Summer tried to explain but Zach cut her off mid sentence, clearly he wasn't in the mood to hear her excuses.

"You see some people would be insulted by that…" he snapped "But me? I'm just confused…"

Summer said nothing, sensing it would be wise to just let him say whatever he felt the need to.

"I'm confused..." Zach went on, standing up and taking a step closer to her "…about why you would settle for Seth Cohen…when you could have it so much better." He finished simply, gesturing slightly to himself.

Summer gave a brief snort of derision "Well I think I'll be the judge of that Zach."

She crossed her arms defensively across her chest and turned once again to leave the room.

"But you see Sum…" Zach said, grabbing hold of her arm and turning her back to face him "…nobody would ever even have to know."

Grasping tightly to her shoulders Zach lurched drunkenly forward and attempted to kiss her. But Summer saw it coming and shoved him violently back away from her, all sympathy for him now having disappeared.

"Leave it Zach…" she demanded "You're drunk, I have a boyfriend…I'm not interested."

At that moment Seth, who had been searching for Summer downstairs, appeared in the doorway undetected just in time to see Summer shoving Zach away from her.

"A boyfriend?..." Zach spat "When has that ever stopped you before? We all know what you were like…I lost track of how many guys you got with. People don't change that much Summer…" he continued in a menacing whisper "…Once a slut…always a slut…"

Anger, rage like Seth had never felt before in his life surged ferociously through him and the next few moments passed in a blur.

One second he was storming into the room, incensed further by the arrogant look on Zach's face…and the next thing he knew, he had drawn back his fist and Zach was sprawled on the bed, stoic from shock and pain, with blood gushing from his nose.

"Oh my God Cohen!" Summer squealed in surprise and hesitated, wide eyed, for a moment before crossing the room and throwing herself into Seth's arms.She sighed with relief and smiled into his chest as feelings of security and love flooded through her.

Seth wrapped his arms protectively around her trembling body and kissed the top of her head tenderly. "It's ok..." he murmured "I'm here now."

Summer pulled away and lost herself in his deep brown eyes "I love you Cohen." she whispered.

Seth just smiled and kissed her passionately for several moments, erasing the anguish that had settled in her heart over the evening.

Breaking apart, Seth looked down in awe at his slightly swollen fist "I just punched someone…" he muttered in amazement "I didn't know they could do that…" he mused, admiring his hands again.

Summer gave a soft laugh "Thanks for defending my honour Cohen"

"Anytime…" he said, kissing her lightly on the tip of her nose "Anytime."

"Although…" he added mock-seriously "I feel we may not be so welcome here again."

"I had that suspicion!" Summer grinned "But I think I can live with that."

Seth smiled and grabbed hold of her hand "Come on, let's make it back through the vultures downstairs and get you home.

Holding tight to one another's hand, Seth and Summer made their way back out to Seth's car, oblivious to the disdainful looks and scornful comments that were directed their way.

It was them against the world…or at least them against Newport…but together, they felt like they could do anything.

Driving home in comfortable silence, Seth stole a look across at Summer who, finally overpowered by alcohol and fatigue, had drifted off into a deep and contented sleep. He smiled as he observed that the troubled expression which had been lingering on her face for at least a week had finally disappeared and she looked at peace.

Pulling into Summer's driveway Seth noticed that the house, as usual, looked deserted. Reluctant to wake her from her slumber, he found her door keys in her purse and gently scooped her up into his arms. Summer didn't stir as he carried her slowly into the house and up into her bedroom before laying her tenderly ontothe bed.

Brushing a stray strand of hair away from her face, Seth pulled the sheets softly over the top of Summer's body and tucked her in. She looked peaceful…angelic even and Seth was filled with a love so pure, yet so all consuming that her sleeping form captivated his heart and mind. The anger he'd felt earlier that night at Zach's comments confirmed to him that he never wanted to leave her side again. He couldn't bear the thought of her having to face the world on her own, he needed to be there...to protect her, and to love her.

Settling himself into a chair beside her bed and with only Princess Sparkle for company, Seth was content to sit and watch her sleep.

A/N: Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!