Title: Firebug
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to The O.C.. Not for profit.
Description: There is a fire at Harbor. Arson. Guess who is the prime suspect?

Author's Note: Much thanks to my new beta fredsmith518 for all of her valuable input.

Chapter 3

"Thank you for calling, Dr. Kim."

After hanging up, Sandy sat in his office and stared at the phone for a moment, willing it not to ring again. The phones had been ringing non-stop all weekend – both the house phone and all their cell phones.

Between Kirsten fielding countless calls from those Newpsie vultures wanting to gossip about the whole thing, and himself keeping in touch with all his contacts at the police department and the D.A.'s office, not to mention the kids talking to all their friends, it seemed like the phone was never silent. Sandy had heard Seth talking to both Anna and Summer, who had apparently relayed all the information about the fire to Marissa. And Ryan had called Luke to warn him about the police, that they would probably want to talk to him too since he had been arrested with Ryan last summer.

And most recently, Dr. Kim had called to let them know that the police would be at Harbor on Monday. It looked like Seth and most of the other students would be interviewed as potential witnesses. Ryan, unfortunately, was among those who were requested to report to the Dean's office, with himself or Kirsten along, for a more targeted interview. Sandy tried to get more information from Dr. Kim, but that was all she knew.

So Sandy made plans to drive Ryan and Seth to school on Monday, so he could accompany Ryan to the interview, both as his guardian and as his lawyer, although he hoped Ryan wouldn't need the latter.

When the BMW pulled into Harbor's parking lot on Monday, Seth couldn't believe what a circus the school had become. He found himself gaping through the window, like a five-year-old going to the zoo for the first time. Students and parents and teachers and police all milled around. Some guy with a bullhorn was announcing that all students should report to the gym. It was total chaos. Seth couldn't remember ever seeing anything like it anywhere, not even the time when they were all eight and Chip Saunders had cut his head falling off the swing at the playground and there had been blood everywhere and he had screamed like a girl and an ambulance had come and all the kids and parents had been standing around watching...

Seth took a deep breath. That was nothing compared to this. He couldn't stop staring, like watching a car wreck on the highway.

In light of the crowd, Seth wasn't surprised when the parking lot turned out to be jam-packed, and they had to make a U-turn and park way out at the end of a long line of cars strewn along the side of the street leading to the school. And he, his dad, and Ryan had to hike it back. On the way back, he saw how all of the police cars, parents' cars, and who-knew-what-else were using up all the free parking spaces. He even saw a red sedan with the fire department logo on it which said arson investigator. Seth remembered also seeing it at the site of the model home fire, just before Ryan had been arrested. He really hoped it wasn't a bad omen.

Seth took a quick look at Ryan, who was walking ahead of him. Seth sighed and watched him from behind for a minute. On the whole ride in, Seth had wanted to say something – anything – that would help Ryan through this. He looked so tense and worried. Seth glanced at his dad, who was walking by Ryan's side. It didn't help things either that his dad looked kind of worried himself. The best he could come up with was Hey, man, it'll be okay. Which was totally lame. Seth shook his head in disgust at himself. But this whole thing was just so out of his league.

All weekend, in fact, Seth had scrambled to find something he could do to help Ryan. He had felt like he needed to apologize – for not giving him a ride home without being asked, or, something. He had even flirted with the idea of covering for Ryan, like they both did all the time with the parents. You know, like give Ryan an alibi – tell the cops that he was with him. But he didn't think his dad would go for that.

So Seth had resorted to doing what he did best: being the comic relief. He had tried to distract Ryan with playstation, movies, comic books, and even mindless rambling. At least all of that stuff was in his wheelhouse. Seth wasn't sure that it did Ryan any good, though, in terms of getting his mind off of his current troubles, but at least he had felt like he was doing something.

When the three of them finally arrived at the main steps of the school, they all kind of stopped and looked around. Seth himself was looking for Summer, who was supposed to meet him here at the steps, but he didn't see her anywhere. He stood on his tiptoes and tried to crane his neck up and over the heads of all these people to see if he could spot her.

Before he saw her, though, he heard her. "Cohen!"

Seth smiled. There was no mistaking that voice. He looked in the direction Summer's voice had come from, but before he could find her, he, his dad, and Ryan were approached by a teacher.

"Ryan Atwood?"

Ryan looked at her. "Yes?"

"You're wanted in Dr. Kim's office."

Seth's dad replied, nodding. "Yes, thank you. We're on our way." The teacher nodded to them and moved away to find her next target.

Seth followed his dad and Ryan up the steps, thinking that Summer might be up there or, if not, at least at the top he'd have a better vantage point to look for her.

"Cohen!"

Now that was impossible to miss. Seth smiled as he spotted his girlfriend at the top of the steps and hurried up to meet her. When he got there, he put his arm around her, and she clung to him in return, something that she never did, especially not in public. That just proved to Seth how much this situation had gotten to her. He held on to her tighter to try and comfort her. She smiled back at his efforts, but just for a moment. Soon the frown was back in place.

"God, Cohen, this is a nightmare. This semester was supposed to be all-time."

"I know. I know." He rubbed her back. "But it'll be over soon." Seth wished he really believed that.

Marissa was right there with Summer as well, and Seth nodded hello to her. But she wasn't paying attention to him. She was watching Ryan walk by with his dad on their way to the Dean's office. Once they were past, she asked so quietly that Seth barely heard her, "Is he okay?"

Seth shifted his gaze to watch Ryan, too. He didn't really know how to answer that. "No, not really. But my dad's with him, so..." Seth shrugged. Marissa nodded.

As Ryan walked out of sight, Seth sent a silent prayer to Jesus and Moses that everything would be okay.

Shortly, Seth, Summer, and Marissa were joined by Anna, and right after that, they all had to head off to the gym. A bunch of teachers had apparently decided it was time to herd all of the students to where they were supposed to be, instead of letting them mill around outside.

Once they reached the gym, Seth had to shake is head in disbelief. If anything, it was more chaotic in here than it had been outside. Almost all of Harbor's three hundred students were now packed into the gym, trying to figure out where they were supposed to go. There were signs up on every wall and teachers trying to direct the students into lines based on their last names. So that was how Seth found himself standing with Marissa in the line for the C's. He kept an eye out for Summer and was glad to see that she was able to stay with Anna in the line for the R's and S's.

Sooner than Seth would have expected, he found himself at the front of the line and heard "Next!" bellowed at him. He quickly stepped up to the table.

"Name?"

"Seth Cohen."

The woman behind the table searched her list, found his name, and crossed it out. Then she turned to look behind her. Seth followed her gaze and could see dozens of police officers sitting behind tables, interviewing students. A few chairs were empty.

"Number three."

Seth looked at the woman and nodded, then headed to table number three and sat down across from the policewoman there. She had a clipboard in front of her, with what looked like multiple copies of a form on it. The policewoman took a look at Seth and picked up her pen. She jotted down his answers to her questions on the form. Seth found the whole thing so ridiculous. He couldn't help but make snide comments in his head. On occasion he had to bite his tongue to keep from saying them out loud.

"Name?" Not this again.

"Seth Cohen."

"Age?"

"Seventeen."

"Are you a junior or a senior?"

"Junior."

"Were you in school on Friday?"

"Yes."

"What time did you leave?"

"Right after final bell."

"You mean three o'clock?"

"Right." What do you think, lady?

"Did you come back to school at any time on Friday after you left?"

"No." Yes, I came back and started the fire. Thanks for asking.

"Where were you at around 5:30 on Friday?"

"At my girlfriend's house. Summer Roberts." Don't ask me what we were doing...

"Is she a student here?"

"Yes." Don't you people have lists?

"Do you know anything about the fire that could help our investigation?"

"No." Yes, I know Ryan didn't do it, but I doubt you people would listen to me.

"Did you see or hear anything suspicious on Friday, or in the days or weeks before, that may be related to the fire?"

"No." Yes, I saw a kid carrying around a lighter, threatening to torch the school. What do you think?

"Is there anything you want to add to your statement?"

"No. Nothing."

"All right."

The policewoman nodded and finished filling in the form. She removed it from her clipboard and turned it around and placed it on the table facing Seth.

"Please review this statement and sign at the bottom."

She handed Seth a pen. Seth read through her notes, signed the bottom where she had indicated, and then returned the form.

"Thank you. Please exit through the door behind me and to my left." She gestured behind her where she meant. "If you hear, see, or remember anything that could help the investigation, please contact the Newport police to report it."

Seth nodded. "Yes, Ma'am."

He thought about telling this lady that if he heard anything about the fire, he'd tell his dad, not the police, but he figured that this was not the place to say that, nor the person to say it to. She probably had no idea who he was, who his father was, who Ryan was...

Seth nodded to her, stood up, and walked out of the gym, through the door she pointed out. He thought about leaving, and maybe heading over to Dr. Kim's office to check on Ryan, but he wanted to wait for Summer (and Anna and Marissa). While he was waiting, he looked off in the direction of the Dean's office. He wondered how Ryan was doing.

To Be Continued