A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in awhile! It's been crazy. Thanks for reading, though, and please review :)

Disclaimer: Nothing belongs to me.

"I've been hoping and praying for a single way to show you what I'm all about."

A sea of black painted the beach as Summer sat lifeless, listening to her step-mom lie about how she and Neil's marriage had been one from a fairytale. It definitely hadn't been, and Summer would be the first to tell you that.

David squeezed Summer's knee when it was her turn to speak about her father and she smiled weakly at him before climbing the few stairs to the stage. Salty wind gusted through the air and Summer's hair flew into the gray sky.

"To a lot of people Neil Roberts was a plastic surgeon, a husband, a colleague, and a friend. But to me, he was a father," Summer began, her voice cracking.

She searched the audience and found Seth, who was smiling encouragingly at her. Caden was sitting on his lap, and he blew a kiss to his mommy. Summer smiled warmly at her baby. Both her babies.

"He worked a lot, but he always made time for me. I remember one night when we were in New York, we stayed up all night watching home movies and eating ice cream. And it didn't matter that he had to work the next day. He took off…because we hadn't spent time together in a long time…"

Summer trailed off, the memory becoming so real in her mind. She remembered it like it was yesterday.

She couldn't get Seth or this baby out of her mind. Lightening cracked outside. She hated storms.

There was a 3 hour difference between New York and California, so it was 12:45 back in her old home. She longed to be there so badly.

Summer came down with a sudden urge, and quietly, she slipped out of her room and into her father's. The step- monster was away at some rehab place.

"Daddy?" she asked, slipping under the covers. "Daddy," she repeated, shaking him. He turned over and opened his eyes. "Summer? Honey, what are you doing?" For one, she was scared of storms, but she was also scared for her future. It was times like these when a girl needed her daddy.

"I just haven't seen you in awhile, and I don't like storms."

Her dad laughed and kissed her forehead. "When you were a little girl you would run in here and snuggle between your mom and me when it was storming."

Summer laughed.

"Come on, how about we go downstairs and watch a movie and I'll make some popcorn?" he said.

"Don't you have to work today?" she asked.

"Yeah, but I'll call in sick. We haven't spent time together in a very long time."

Summer smiled and hopped out of bed.

"And he was a very supportive father, always encouraging me to speak my mind, follow my heart and my dreams..."

Summer's pink too-too fluffed out from her sides as she looked out on the stage, waiting for her queue. Her brown thick hair was separated in two pig tails resting high on her head.

Summer turned to her dad, who was kneeling beside her, equaling her height, and she kissed his cheek. "If I mess up, will you run on stage and make a bigger scene so maybe nobody will notice me?"

Her dad laughed, nodding. "I will, but I bet you don't mess up. You're the best ballerina ever."

Summer giggled. "So if I wanted to move to New York City and be a famous dancer like Anna Pavlova, would you let me?"

Her dad kissed her tiny button nose. "You bet."

"…he was there when I was going through my pregnancy…"

"Summer, can you come down here please?" her father's voice reverberated through the house.

Summer zipped down the stairs and saw her father on the couch, letter in hand. He was teary eyed, and she looked at her feet. She knew now what he wanted.

"Come sit down" His tone was strict, but shaky. She'd never had her dad mad at her before. She slowly walked to the couch and sat down.

"Summer, this is your senior year. Do you have any idea how hard it is? And now you throw a baby into the equation. You do realize you're going to have this baby at the very beginning of your second semester, don't you?"

Summer sighed and leaned back on the comfy cushions. "I know dad. I've thought everything through already."

"Were you thinking things through when you had sex and got pregnant?"

Summer bit her lip. She opened her mouth to speak but her dad did instead.

"How could you be so irresponsible? You've messed up your entire future!"

Her father was yelling at this point, sounding angry yet disappointed at the same time.

Tears welled in her eyes. "Dad, listen, I know I made a mistake. I realize that. But…but I really want to keep this baby."

Her dad closed his eyes momentarily and sighed. "You've got so much of your mother in you it's not even funny. We had you when she was 17, ya know?"

Summer didn't know, and she was surprised.

Her father continued with his story. "And she was so stubborn. We had to keep you. From the moment she had her first ultrasound she knew that she was keeping you. So she did, and eventually we got married. Then she died and…Listen honey, I want you to realize what you're giving up. No senior trip, you may have to wait a year before college. But I've got conditions if you still want to keep this child. For one, you're finishing high school! And you're are going to college and your going to make something of your life."

Summer nodded at every bit he was saying.

"He was a great person, and he still lives in me, and in his grandson," Summer closed, wiping away some of the tears that had escaped her eyes.

It was an open casket and people started to line up, paying their last respects. Kirsten hugged Summer softly. "You're being so strong, sweetie. We're all here for you, though, in case you start to fall apart. And sweetie, it's okay to fall apart. It's natural…don't try to hold it in forever."

Summer sighed.

Kirsten squeezed her hand briefly. "Well, if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm around," she said, hugging Summer once more before Caden came running.

"Hey my big boy," Summer said, kneeling down to his height. "Can you go find daddy for me?"

Caden nodded and ran off, his tiny ringlets bouncing around on his head.

Summer's body was shaking. Kirsten was right. She was trying so hard to not break down, but she needed to so badly, and only one person was going to see her do it.

Whitney Houston's voice softly filled the thick atmosphere and Summer fought back the urge to scream. She was too young to be saying goodbye to her dad.

If I
Should stay
I would only be in your way
So I'll go
But I know
I'll think of you every step of
the way

And I...
Will always
Love you, oohh
Will always
Love you
You
My darling you
Mmm-mm

Bittersweet
Memories
That is all I'm taking with me
So good-bye
Please don't cry
We both know I'm not what you
You need

And I...
Will always love you
I...
Will always love you
You, ooh

I hope
life treats you kind
And I hope
you have all you've dreamed of
And I wish you joy
and happiness
But above all this
I wish you love

And I...
Will always love you
I...
Will always love you

I, I will always love
You...
You
Darling I love you
I'll always
I'll always
Love
You..
Oooh
Ooohhh

Heavy tears built up in Summer's eyes and spilled over onto her cheeks, dampening her face. She started walking away, but Seth caught her by the arm.

He wrapped his arms around her shaking body. "Hold it in, baby. You've done good so far…just hold it in."

Summer buried her face into his neck as the tears spilled rapidly out of her eyes. Short breaths escaped between frequent hiccups.

Summer pulled herself free and wiped her mascara stricken face. "Damnit," she cursed, looking at the black streaks now on her fingers. "I knew I should have worn waterproof," she muttered hastily to herself.

Seth rubbed her arm softly. "Did you want Caden to stay with my parents tonight?"

Summer shook her head and pulled her compact out of her purse. "No," she whispered. "He can stay home. You and him are the only things keeping me sane right now," she said, fixing her hair a little.

Shyly, she glanced around at all of the people. "I should probably go mingle," she said, her tone full of dread. She smiled weakly at him before walking to a group of men and women who pulled her into tight embraces.

Seth looked around for his parents and spotted his mom with Caden. He smiled as he saw his son laughing quietly. He wondered if Caden even really knew what was going on.

Seth scooped Caden up when he finally reached his mom. "I think we're gonna head to the burial soon," Seth informed his mom. She nodded and looked around.

"How's Summer taking it?" Kirsten asked. "I tried talking to her earlier but she wouldn't open up to me…"

Seth nodded understandingly. "She builds up walls. One day they'll come crashing down."

It had been weeks since the death of Neil Roberts, and Summer was not the same. She put a happy front on, but Seth knew she cried at night. He could hear her from his bedroom.

Sometimes he would sleep with her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. She would stop crying then.

Seth's thoughts subsided as a light knock clapped the wooden door. It was David; he and Summer had been on countless dates the past few weeks. Maybe he thought he was helping.

Summer smiled as she opened the door and accepted David's kiss. "Caden's asleep, and I gave him some more Tylenol," she informed Seth, grabbing her coat.

"Check his temperature in about an hour," she reminded him. Seth rolled his eyes. "I'm not the babysitter, Summer. I think I know what to do when my child gets sick."

Summer tilted her head, eyeing him, annoyed. "We'll be home later. Don't wait up."

Seth mumbled a "don't worry, I won't," as Summer shut the door behind her and David.

Summer placed the delicate white napkin in her lap and smoothed the crinkles out of it. David sat across from her, his eyes transfixed on her. Summer smiled shyly. "Why are you staring at me?"

David never broke his gaze as he spoke to her. "We've been dating for a little over a year now," he said, "and you've made me so happy."

Summer looked down at her lap. She was flattered.

"Summer," David whispered. "Will you marry me?"

Summer's eyes swelled. The room was starting to spin. Was David really kneeling in front of her? Summer's hand flew to her mouth.

She had no idea what to say. Sure, her feelings for Seth had definitely started to resurface, but was it unrealistic for her to think it was going somewhere? Besides, David loved her. He loved Caden, too.

"Yes."