A/N: AHH! Okay, you can hit me! It's been, like, two days I believe. Things around my house has been hectic. I've been reading & my brother came back:D I'm extremely happy you enjoy my story! I seriously thought it was going horrible. But, in the end, you guys liked it. So, I shall continue! Thank you to EVERYONE who reviewed! It means so much to me! I hope you like this chapter! If you have any suggestions, state them. I don't mind (I do have a couple of the future chapters planned out, but I can always add more). Thank you again, and enjoy!

A cough was heard behind them.

"Mom?"

Busted.

At the sound of the way too familiar voice, Summer pulled away from Seth immediately.

She was caught in the act, and all Summer could do was stare at Summer, eyes wide open.

There was a long, long silence as Michael Ann stared at her mother. Her expression was not a pretty one. Confusion, anger, and disbelief all mixed into one. How delightful.

Michael Ann began to turn away before Summer stopped her.

"M-M-Mike—!" she stammered, "I-I uh, um, I—" she pointed at Seth, "his fault."

Her eyebrows clinched; she bit her bottom lip.

Michael Ann crossed her arms and lifted an eyebrow. She turned to Seth.

Seth's mouth opened.

"What?! My fault?!" He looked over at the immature girl beside him. "Summer, this was your fault just as much as it was mine," he turned towards Michael Ann and mouthed, "her fault."

"No! It… It-I, I don't— god! I—" she couldn't think of an excuse.

She had no excuse.

Michael Ann scoffed and glared at the previously mentioned immature girl.

"Wow mom, you know him, like, two seconds and you already have your legs open for him."

Seth's mouth drooped even lower.

"Wow. She is a Cohen. Inappropriate comments at inappropriate times," he said quietly to himself. "Wait, why am I thinking of this… now?!"

He started fiddling his thumbs.

Now it was Summer's turn to get angry. "Oh, you think you're so clever, don't you? Michael Ann Roberts, I am your mother. That is not how you should be speaking to me. You have no righ—"

"No, mother," Michael Ann interrupted rudely, "You're wrong. I have every right. And don't you go full naming me," she snapped back. "He's my freaking English teacher! What the hell are you thinking?!"

"Excuse me! What did I just say?!" Summer yelled back. She was not going to take that tone. "I thought I told you to—" but then she stopped dead in her sentence.

She realized that Michael Ann did have every right to be angry. Even a bitch, for that matter..

'What was I thinking?' Summer thought to herself.

It actually was Seth's fault. He knew that whatever he did, Summer would have followed him. He knew her style, and he certainly knew her antics. He knew, yet used them to his advantage.

Then again, Summer was to blame as well. She knew he knew, and that left a bit of power she had to say no. She let him do it, despite her morals and values. She had kissed him back. Not only that, she enjoyed it; fully, completely, and perfectly.

Summer's face softened to simmering guilt expression.

"I… I don't know," she finished quietly.

Michael Ann's dark expression lightened a little. That is, until she saw Seth.

He was obviously trying to contain his laughter. He had a small smirk on, and amusement was dancing in his eyes. He was busy thinking of the perfect metaphor to describe Michael Ann and Summer (a ping pong match, perhaps) before he knew what was coming.

"And you!" she bellowed while jabbing a finger at him, "You! You are my English teacher! You and I?" she said, gesturing towards herself and Seth, "We just met! You two just met! What the hell were you thinking with kissing my mom?!"

Michael Ann turned to both adults. She groaned angrily.

"Were you guys not thinking of how it might affect me at all?!"

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and counted to ten.

"People are going to be talking…" she muttered under her breath. "They're going to say things," she continued, oblivious to the fact that she looked like cuckoo ladies who spoke to themselves, "and they're going to blow it out of proportion! I can just see it! Bias, look out of the way! Oh now! And they're going to assume mom's a slut. Boy, I bet the teachers are going to love me now. And then there's the grade thing! 'Oh, yeah, her mom is sleeping with the teacher, that's why she has such a good grade.'"

Realizing she was talking to herself, Michael Ann looked up to see four concerned eyes and two bemused expressions.

Her glare intensified.

"You two," she paused, "have got to be the most self-centered people in the world."

How ironic.

Seth chuckled a little, trying to lighten the mood. "I wouldn't doubt it," he chimed in.

Both Michael Ann and Summer shot him a glare.

Seth raised his hands in defense.

"Hey, both of you already knew this about me. I was just simply stating that your," he looked at Michael Ann, "statement was true. We are self-centered."

Through the corner of his eye, he saw Summer put her head down in shame.

"L-Listen," he said quickly, fumbling over his words, "don't be so hard on your mom. We're human, we make mistakes."

Seth glanced at Summer again.

Seth statement meant nothing to Michael Ann. She scoffed in return.

"Who are you to give me advice? I hardly even know you! The only advice I'll be taking from you is English."

Michael Ann looked over at her mom. Her face softened a little. She let out an annoyed sigh and crossed her arms.

"Okay… so… I'm still angry at you," she stated.

Summer continued to stare at the floor.

"He's my teacher," Michael Ann explained softly. "He teaches me things. I see him everyday. I have to communicate with him all the time. If things were to— If—" she let out a frustrated sigh. "Things would be awkward. It'd be hard for me to learn. Not to mention all the gossip I'll have to endure."

Michael Ann saw Seth roll his eyes. She shot him a look before returning to her mom.

"But…" she said, hesitantly, "I don't want to yell or fight, or scream… or whatever anymore," she moved towards her mother and let out a little sigh.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you."

The floor must be interesting or something.

"Th-Thank you, honey," Summer replied quietly, "That mea—"

Michael Ann cut her off.

"Why were you two kissing each other anyway? I mean, okay, I would understand why… but you guys just met!"

She turned to her mother.

"And I know for a fact you're not that type to kiss this quickly. Especially with someone like…" she looked at Seth and grimaced.

"Hey!" Seth protested, feeling a little wounded, "what's wrong with me? I'm—never mind."

Seth looked over at Summer.

"Summer, I think we should really do what we agreed to."

Summer lifted her head up and looked at Seth, then to Michael Ann.

"Yeah…" she agreed timidly, "okay. It's just…" she smiled a little, "it's not easy."

Their little exchange confused Michael Ann. Did they already know each other or something?

"Tell me what?" Michael Ann demanded.

After no reply and watching the two adults avert gazes, Michael Ann sighed.

"Can you please tell me what going on here?"

"Mike, honey, Seth is…" Summer started. She looked towards Seth for helped.

Seth saw this and jumped in. "Huh? Oh, yeah, I—"

"Seth's your father."

A pin dropped onto the ground, and the sound made Summer wince.

A cricket was heard in the distance, and Seth flinched at the growing noise.

An eerie silence wavered over the three and—

Michael Ann blinked twice.

"My…" she trailed off, unable to comprehend what was just said. She tried again. "My…"

Twenty seconds later.

"Father…?"

"Yup," both adults replied in unison.

Michael Ann was quiet.

Then, suddenly, after what seemed like a lifetime away, she burst into giggles. Her giggles soon turned into laughter. And her laughter, into a delightful fit.

Seth and Summer stared at the giggling girl in front of them.

Michael Ann was gasping for air when she was done.

"You're kidding, right?"

Seth and Summer shook their head.

"So, you're saying that he," she pointed at Seth (in a rude manner), "is my … father? My mysterious other half?"

Summer pursed her lips and nodded.

"And you're not kidding?" Michael Ann asked again.

Seth rolled his eyes and said, "No!"

Michael Ann's face became serious.

"Then that was a totally derisive laugh."

Seth and Summer exchanged looks.

"I…" Michael Ann started, "I don't know what to say. Do. Whatever. I—"

She looked at both parents again before closing her eyes.

"I need to get away from here," she said quietly, "Away from you guys. You're making my head hurt. I-I just got to go… somewhere…" she turned on her heels.

Summer instinctively stopped Michael Ann and pulled her by the arm.

"Wait. Mike. Where—" she began in a small voice.

Michael Ann tugged her arm away and looked squarely into her mother's eyes.

It's funny how identical their eyes were, and how different the two girls were.

"I promise I'll be back," Michael Ann promised softly. "Just… let me be."

She began walking away.

Summer started after her.

"But Mike—!"

Seth stopped Summer from getting any further.

"Let her go," he whispered into her ear.

Summer began to fight Seth out of his arms.

"Why?!" she yelled angrily at him, "she's my daughter! Something could happen!"

Seth didn't budge.

"Let go of me, Seth!"

"She said to leave her alone. You just dropped a bunch of information on her. She needs time to think. At least give her that; space. She needs it," Seth calmly replied.

"No!" Summer retorted, still fighting Seth back. "Let me go! Stop, Seth! Let me go! Seth! Let. Me. Go—" tears began to trickle down her face. "Let me go, Seth— Let—" she continued to hit him in the chest as she tried to push away from his freakishly strong hold on her. "Move! Let me go!" Her voice now cracking as the water works began to multiply. "Let… Me…" she panted, her blows getting weaker, her voice getting smaller, "…go," she whispered.

Summer stilled pounded on him, and Seth took it all in.


"So… is she here?" Summer heard Seth call out from the living room.

Summer emerged from Michael Ann's doorway.

"No," she said sadly, "she's not in her room, either."

She sounded defeated.

Seth let out a deep sigh and rubbed his hands over his face.

"Do you want to go looking for her again?"

"No," Summer said quickly, staring at the front door, "I think… I think I just want to stay here and wait for her… you know… until she comes back… she'll come back… she promised. She wouldn't have if she wasn't thinking of coming back… yeah. Yeah. Yeah! She'll be back… Yeah."

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you?"

Summer shot him a look before sighing a little.

"I don't know anymore…"

Summer moved passed Seth and collapsed onto the couch.

Seth heard her let out an exasperated sigh. He looked over at his watch.

1:27 AM.

He looked back at Summer.

"Okay… well, I guess I should get going? It's pretty late. And… I have school tomorrow." He chuckled. "You know, you'd think I'd get used to saying that, but it still sounds really weird to me."

Summer didn't say anything.

"Okay, well, um, I'll see you later?" He took her silence as a confirmed reaction. "Okay, well, bye."

He turned and walked towards the door.

"Cohen?"

He whirled around and stared at the big brown couch in front of him. He couldn't see her.

"Yeah?"

"Wait with me."

"I don't—" he paused, "yeah. Okay, yeah, sure."

"Thank you, Cohen."

Seth awkwardly shuffled into the living room and looked at Summer.

She returned his gaze.

He moved over towards her and she made room for him. He put his arm around her and kissed her forehead for reassurance.

"I can't believe you were going to just leave me here," she whispered.

The dark shadowed them, and he couldn't see her face.

"Huh? What? I— No. I mean, I wasn't—" Seth fumbled.

"Wasn't what?"

"Well, that is, wasn't…."

Summer rolled her eyes and smiled.

She still had it. She still could make Seth Cohen shake under her demeanor.

"Kidding, Cohen, gosh," she giggled a little, "I knew you were just waiting for me to ask you. The way you kept stalling and walking slowly towards the door. You like hearing me need you."

Seth barked a laugh.

"What?! That is absolutely the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! I do not like hearing you need me!"

Summer gave Seth a pointed look.

"That's ridiculous! I just— Okay, so, maybe a little."

Summer's lips turned up. "Or maybe a lot," she teased as she raised one of her eyebrows.

"Okay, a lot," Seth agreed. "I can't help it. C'mon! It's such a turn on hearing a girl say she needs her man," he cracked a small grin, "I'm your knight, saving his damsel in distress!"

Summer fidgeted in Seth's arms. He felt it.

"What?" he asked, suddenly quiet again.

"You better turn it off. Nothing is going to happen."

Seth laughed.

"I'm serious. Nothing is going to happen," Summer repeated.

Seth thought maybe Summer really was being serious.

"Wait, in which way? Sex or us altogether?"

"Both."

Silence overcame the both of them.

Seth just had to break it.

"But wait. Wha-What about what happened today? I mean, before Michael Ann came in. That… kiss?"

Summer closed her eyes and sighed.

"That kiss, Cohen," Summer paused, "was a mistake. We shouldn't have done it."

She looked up at Seth. She couldn't really see him due to the lack of light, but she could see his outline. It didn't look too happy or confident.

Summer's insides cringed.

"I mean, it's nothing to the kiss. That was a good kiss. A really good kiss. I just, I don't think we should be doing anything right now. This is the first time I'm seeing you after what, twelve years? And! Did you see what happened to Mike? She flipped out! And she had every right. I…I don't think it's the right time to start anything up again. Not now… and you saw Michael Ann and me fight, right? Are you sure you're ready to take all this on? I'm pretty sure just having me was a pain, right?" She glanced up at him, a little gesture to make him smile.

Seth put his head down and looked the other way, avoiding Summer's eyes.

"Yeah… yeah, I guess," he whispered softly. "When do you think we'll 'start things back up, again?'"

"Couldn't say… Maybe after we get the things with Michael Ann straightened out first, you know?"

"Yeah…" he agreed, "Yeah. I can do that. Wait, I mean. I can wait," he smiled at her. "Besides, I want to know my daughter, I suppose," realization dawned on him. He knew nothing about his daughter. "I want to know what she's been doing for the last twelve years."

Life started to look a little better. Maybe his eyes were just now used to the dark, but it seemed to him that Summer brightened up a bit, too.

"Good. I want you to know her too," Summer replied. "She's so much like you. You'll love her."

Seth's dimples surfaced. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I mean, come on, Cohen. I love her. And everything I love, you love, right?" Summer asked teasingly, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Seth chuckled. "Right," he echoed, "I love everything you love."

Summer fell in deeper into Seth's body and snuggled in.

"Good…" she said softly.

"But why don't you love everything I love?" he suddenly questioned her.

"Er, because the things I love are… you know, love worthy. Your things, however, are, um, well, not."

Seth scoffed. "What? My things are so love worthy."

He felt Summer poke him on his side, probably meant as a pinch. It still hurt. He flinched a little and grabbed her hand.

"Nuh-uh," she whispered into the dark as she felt contact with his warm hand against hers.

"Yes-huh," he replied, just as quietly, and just as playfully.

"Uh, no?" she protested, nimbly moving her hands with his.

"Uh, yeah? I believe it is."

"Yeah?" she murmured, "well, you're wrong."

Their hands moved up from the couch's cushions onto Summer lap.

"No, I'm not. You're wrong."

Summer erupted into silent giggles. She moved her hand from his and slowly swished her fingertips against his wrist, light as a feather. Her hand moved up to his bicep, and to his shoulder, where she leaned her head in. Her lips almost made contact with his neck when—

SLAM!

Seth and Summer quickly pulled away from each other and jumped up from the couch.

Michael Ann silently crossed the room, turned on the lamp, and sat in the chair across from the couch. She crossed her arms and looked at both adults expectantly. When no one said anything, she sighed and broke the silence.

"Aren't you guys going to sit down?"

Seth and Summer looked at each other for a moment and sat back down on the couch. This time, obvious inches away from each other.

"So…" she began, "I thought about what you guys said. It's in my head now. Seth Cohen," she looked at the subject, "is my father. It was no wonder why his name sounded so familiar," she paused briefly, "I think we should start over."

Michael Ann turned her body to face Seth and presented her hand.

"Hi, Seth Cohen," she smiled easily, "I'm Michael Ann Roberts. It's nice to finally meet you."

Seth glanced at Summer before taking her hand and replying.

"Um… It's nice to meet you too?"

Michael Ann nodded her head and her smile turned into a lop-sided one.

"Okay… I guess that works. Right then," she turned to her mother, "What's going to happen?"

Summer returned to her a puzzled expression.

"What do you mean 'what's going to happen?'"

"I mean… I just met my dad," she glanced at Seth. "So, now, what do I do? Is he going to stay with us?"

She moved her body back into the center of the chair and faced both adults.

Questions rose everywhere in her, and she shot out the ones that hit her surface.

"What's going to happen in school? Will anything change? Will there be any arrangements? Will I finally get to meet my outside family like aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, nieces, nephews? Where is Seth from, anyway? How did you guys meet? What happened when you got pregnant?" she looked at Seth, "Did you leave mom?" back to both parents, "And most importantly," she took in a deep breath, "Are you two going to get together, again?"

Summer's eyes were wide as she bit down onto her lip, hard.

"I, uh, wow," she let out a nervous laugh, "So many questions. Um, I—"

Seth put a hand on Summers shoulder and gave her a reassuring smile.

"I got this, Sum," he said confidently. He looked back at Michael Ann, straight in the eyes. "I just met you too. And I have no idea what you do. Oh, gross. I rhymed," Michael Ann made a face, "I also have no idea what's going to happen in school. I don't think anything school related will change. We haven't discussed arrangements. You probably will get to meet your aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and if some, nieces and nephews. I'm from Newport, Orange County, just like your mother. We met in high school although I've know her since I was six. I didn't even know Summer was pregnant 'til today. I most certainly did not leave your mother. And no, we are not going to get together."

He said it all in the same breath and at the same speed as Michael Ann.

"Nice," Michael Ann commented with an impressed smile.

"Thank you. You were pretty good yourself."

Summer looked at the two of them and good heartedly rolled her eyes.

"Why not?" Michael Ann asked suddenly.

"Why not what?" Seth replied.

"Why aren't you two going get together? You both kissed. I saw it. And it was no light kiss. That there was a rated 'R,' maybe NG-17 kind of—"

Seth cut her off. "Yeah, I think we got it."

He looked over at Summer. She was the one who didn't want anything to happen yet. He figured she would have to be the one to explain it.

Summer accepted his unvoiced accusation and took Michael Ann's hands into hers.

"Mike, baby, your father and I aren't getting back together because it's all so fast and new. And you are just meeting and getting to know him. Besides, I don't want to get your hopes up or anything. See, Seth and I—" she stopped herself.

Michael Ann saw Seth's sudden mood change and her mother's guilty expression.

Huh?

"Well, you should have thought of that before you went and kissed him."

"There wasn't supposed to be a kiss in the first place."

Summer shot Seth a glare.

"You kissed me back."

"So? I didn't start it."

"Yeah, but you didn't end it either."

"Because you wouldn't let me!"

"Oh, right. It's because I didn't let you end a kiss that you hold half the responsibility of that it's my fault there was a kiss to begin with," he muttered sarcastically. "And anyway," he continued, just for the hell of it, "You liked it."

Summer shot him a sarcastic look.

"Liked what?"

"The kiss."

"No, I didn't. I hated it. It was a mistake. Look where it led us!"

"Liar."

"How so?"

"You loved it."

"No."

"Yes."

"Cohen, I said no."

"Summer, I said yes."

"Cohe—"

Michael Ann groaned and made a disgusted face.

"Will you guys please, for the love of God," she paused, "Shut up?!"

"And Moses," Seth added quietly.

Michael Ann gave him an annoyed look.

"What?"

"and Moses," Seth repeated.

Michael Ann stared at him for a split second and shook her head furiously.

"Again, what?"

"You said 'for the love of God.' I'm saying 'and Moses.' So that means 'for the love of God and Moses.'"

Michael Ann continued to stare at him.

Summer smiled a little.

"Oh yeah, Mike, I forgot to tell you… you're Jewish."

"I'm what?"

"Jewish," Seth chimed in.

"I'm Jewish," she echoed.

"Well, partly, right?" Summer looked at Seth.

"Yup, that's right. Oh wow, I didn't even really think of that. I mean, I did, but I didn't. She got some of my jewishness…" he let out a chuckle, "Boy, I can see it. The Nana is going to be so proud."

"Who's 'the Nana?'" Michael Ann asked.

"The Nana is my grandma. Your great grandmother… yup, she's going to be ecstatic to meet you."

"Yeah?" Michael Ann replied offhandedly, thinking about a grandmother. She only heard about them from other people and in books. It used to be that a grandmother was an elderly woman who made cookies and read children bed time stories. She remembered wanting one so bad when she was younger. Now she did. She had her own. "Yeah. I would love to meet her too."

Suddenly getting excited at the notion, she couldn't help but ask, "When will I get to meet my family, anyway?"

Summer thought for a bit.

"Uh, I don't know… Seth?" She turned to look at Seth.

He thought for a moment. Then a big grin flashed across his face.

"Christmukkah!" he announced. "It's almost here! She can meet them then!"

Summer's face lit up at his excitement. She laughed. "Yes! Excellent! Bonus points for you, Cohen."

"Christmukkah?" Michael Ann repeated in question.

She stared at her parents blankly.

"Yeah," Seth prodded enthusiastically, "You know… Christmas plus Hanukkah equals," he paused, "Christmukkah!"

Michael Ann raised an eyebrow. "Um, okay. I'm going to take a big guess and say there's a lot of things I don't know," she looked at both of her parents, "You're going to have to fill me in with all that I've missed."

Summer immediately looked at Seth.

"She's right. Cohen, I give you the honors."

Seth shot her a look. Summer only smiled sweetly.

Seth sighed and turned to Michael Ann.

"Well, where do we start?"

"Oh drop your act, Cohen. You know you want to tell her everything," Summer shot in teasingly.

"Ignore her," Seth whispered, "So, again, where do you want to start?"

Michael Ann pondered this for a second. "Let's start at… am I a Cohen?"

Seth looked at Summer for her answer. She nodded. He looked back at Michael Ann.

"You most definitely are. Even if your records don't say it, you have Cohen written all over you."

Michael turned to her mom.

"Is that a good thing?" she whispered, loud enough for Seth to hear it.

Seth held his hands to his heart in mock hurt.

Summer smiled.

It was going to be a long, long, night.


A/N: AHH! I'm so sorry, this was definitely the worst! And I'm not being hard on myself! It was hard for me to write this chapter because I didn't want the reactions to be overly dramatic. I wanted Michael Ann to be cool about it. Also, I wanted Seth and Summer to flirt, make them see no matter what, no matter how long they have been apart, they will always be comfortable with each other and go into habits, you know? I have certain things in my head going on, it's going to be great:D so stick with me, please! I will have the next chapter up shortly. R&R!