A/N: Okay, here we go. Last chapter. This time for real. But I wrote an Epilogue, so don't forget to read that, too!

Anyway, I really wanna thank all of you, for the amazing reviews! Thanks that you sticked with me through that whole story and I really hope for your support with the next one, too!

Love ya all!

Chris

PS. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The O.C. Belongs to Josh Schwartz and Fox and "Eternity" to Robbie Williams.

Chapter 9: Eternity

I felt sick. I knew that I would manage to backstab myself. I wasn't even so worried about Zach. Guys don't have the best grasp anyway. But somehow Marissa decided to sit with us too. She already had made a few pointed remarks before. And I had seen her at the bar before. Which was never a good sign. Once again she was so frustrated and self involved with her own crappy marriage, she seemed to wish that mine was the same way.

A few seconds after we had sat down and gulp our first few cocktails, Marissa turned to me with a grimace that should probably be a a smile: "So Summer, are you thinking about buying one of Seth's pieces today?"

And there we go...

"Well, Marissa. Actually there is only one", Seth saved me when I was still thinking about a response.

"Oh what a shame! Well then you'll probably have to be really obstinate to get it. But that shouldn't be a problem! Right Summer?"

With my elbow I kicked her purse of the table. Innocently I looked around: "Oh my! I'm so inept today! Let me help you Marissa!"

Not even waiting for an answer I crawled under the table and pulled her with me. When we kneeled under the table I looked at her sharply.

"You're gonna go to the bar, now! I don't care how much you drink! But as long as we sit here I don't want you to come back! If you don't do so, you're gonna wish you OD'd last night!"

My voice must have sounded really sharp, cuz she did as I told her without one word of back chat.

I straightened my skirt, sat back in my chair and smiled at my two man. At least one problem solved! Two more to go.

My heart felt heavy when I only looked at Seth and his warm, comforting eyes. And it got even worse when I saw the faithful dumb way Zach smiled at me. There I was. Two good looking men in front of me. The voice of the auctioneer got me out of my selfpitty back into reality.

"Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to the 23rd annual Charity auction for the children's hospital."

Applause.

Why had everybody to be in such a disgustingly good mood? Everyone here looked like straight out of a yogurt commercial. I felt like I was sitting on needles. After going through the whole "going once, going twice, sold!" project about ten times I decided that it was time to have a serious talk with Seth.

Why I waited so long, you ask? Well, I think I forgot to mention that with every auction process I gulped about one glass of Chardonnay.

One look was enough to make sure Seth would follow me. While I was sitting I hadn't even realized how much I really drank. Carefully, so I wouldn't stumble, I walked between the tables.

I waited for about five minute the hallway before I saw Seth rising from his seat. I didn't even give him the chance to say something. I grabbed Seth's hand and pulled him along with me. In a silent corner, away from the others we stopped on a dime.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?", my voice sounded pretty slurry.

"Huh?"

"Making friends with my husband... joking around with my kids... are you trying to make this harder on purpose?"

"It was him who invited me to sit with you! What should I have done? Answer 'no', I'd rather sit with Taylor."

"Yes! We agreed on making the split up as simple as possible..." It took all my strength but I refused to cry in front of him. Alcohol usually made me pretty emotional.

"We never agreed on anything, Summer! You agreed. I never wanted this to end!"

Me neither! The words were in my mouth. But I just stood there in silence.

"Seth", my voice got all forceful. "We can't do all of that over and over again. We have to set a clear line, now."

"So that's what you want?"

"Yes", I wasn't surprised myself on how shaky my voice was.

He took a few steps towards me, so I was trapped between him and the wall: "I want you to look me in the eye and tell me that you don't love me."

"I don't love you!", although my look was steady, I knew that he didn't buy it for a second.

"Liar!"

He cupped my face with his hands and kissed me angry. The bare touch of his lips made me forget all my good reasons.

I sighted. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Even though I first tried to push him away but after a while I just let him grant. Just one more kiss... and than I would tell him to leave. Almost two days I had been without him and that had been two damn days to long.

His skillfully hands worked down their way on my back and stopped at my butt. With that he pulled me even closer. He pushed up my skirt and reached under it.

"Stop it!", I told him. He gave me a hurt and confused glance until I told him what to stop. "The foreplay."

To prove my point I unbuckled his belt and shoved down his pants a little bit. Without breaking our kiss he grabbed me on my hip and lifted me up. My legs tangled around his hip. Then he shoved his manhood into me. I was overwhelmed by the heat, the closeness and his touch. The danger that we might could get caught did its thing, too. I kissed and touched his face all over. The next time we should be separated I wanted to remember every single bit of it. I never wanted to forget it again.

Circling he started to move inside of me. I felt the tension building up inside of me and started to move even faster. When I felt my climax building up inside of me, suddenly he started to move slower too. Wanting, I shoved my pelvis closer to him, so I would feel him even deeper inside of me. We kissed passionated before my muscles started to tense around him. My breathe stopped for a second. Then we fell of the edge together.

"I lov--", he put his hand on my mouth.

"Sh!", he stopped me from asking any questions and set me to the floor again.

Then I discovered what he meant. Someone had just entered the storeroom. Seth and I hid behind a big old velvet curtain.

"Summer!"

Fuck. Zach.

I looked into Seth's eyes and he just nodded. Telling me without words that I should go.

Straighting my dress I stepped towards my husband. Away from the man I loved.

"Hey Honey!", my face started to hurt of that fake smile I had walked around with all day.

"What are you doing back here?", he asked looking skeptic.

"Oh... Taylor dragged me back here. She said she needed help with something... but she disappeared quite a while ago... I think she found a way to handle the problem by herself! Come on let's go back inside. I want to buy something for our living room!"

For a second Zach looked around in the room. And for that second I thought he knew. But then he turned around and followed me back to our table.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

After the auction the whole crowd had wind down itself. Little groups sat spread everywhere on the round white tables. The former white table clothe was now stained with red wine, chocolate ice and half eaten strawberry's. I actually had managed to buy Seth's painting. At 20 000 $ it was mine. When I had heard its new name I just couldn't resist. "Once in a lifetime". I was convinced that he did all of that just to torture me.

And it worked. I felt lousy. Although that could have also been the starting hangover.

Zach had left with Michael and Lilly a while ago. When the two had fallen asleep on my lap, we had decided that it was time for them to go to bed. I stayed under the pretext to help with the cleaning up stuff. Of course I waited for Seth. After our date in the store room, I hadn't seen him anymore.

When I still hadn't found him after an hour of searching I decided to ask the only person who really had perspective around here.

"Hey Taylor. Have you seen Seth?"

"Well yeah. But that was like three hours ago."

"Where is he now?"

"What do you mean, where is he? He left. I wonder how he'll be able to sail at all at that weather."

"So he left for good?"

She nodded.

Without another word towards her, I ran. I had to keep him from leaving. For good this time.

By now it had started raining outside. But rain really played it down. It was the ultimate cloudburst. Within seconds I was drenched to my skin. But I didn't care. While running I somehow managed to get rid of my heels. Kicked my 300$ Manolo's just on the floated sidewalk.

My lungs burned from running. My heart raced. The rain ran down my long hair. I didn't care if somebody saw the always perfect Summer Stevens like that. I didn't even care, that the white drenched dress showed everything. The only thing I cared about was Zach.

When I reached the jetty I only found an empty embarkation point, where his sailing yacht had been. I thought that he had to hate me really hard if he sailed away in a weather like this.

"You fucking asshole!", I yelled out on the ocean. "How can you just leave like that!"

Hot tears streamed down my anyway wet face: "Come back! Don't run away like a freaking coward!"

I knew that he was probably in Catalina already. But I was sure I would die if I didn't yell out my feelings.

For a moment, when I stood there in the rain, the thought crossed my mind that he actually didn't want me. That it was easy to walk away. Only until his words made its way back into my mind.

You were there for summer dreaming
and you gave me what I need
and I hope you'll find your freedom
for eternity, for eternity

"This kind of certainty comes with onces in a lifetime."

And I also thought of the words I should've said the night we wanted to go to Ojai.

"I love you and I'll leave with you."

But I had missed out that opportunity. And now he really was gone. Indefinitely.

I sat down on the wet wood and buried my face on my knees. No idea how long I sat there. Maybe not even a minute... maybe a half an hour. I looked up again when I felt somebody standing behind me.

Seth! That was what my first thought was.

But I only looked into Taylors, suddenly all warm and comforting eyes. She held a umbrella over the both of us. She lifted me up and put a blanket over my shoulders.

"Come on. I'll bring you home."

The End

just until the Epilogue! lol