A/N: Sorry for such a long break between chapters. My internet stopped working and I had no way to get it up. But everyone's reviews were amazing! Thank you so much, and I'm sorry I didn't live up to my promise of quick updating.

But if everyone reviews this, I might have the next chapter up by tomorrow even! So please please update, and I hope you enjoy!

CHAPTER 4: That's What Friends Are For

"It's the nana. She's been in an accident."

Summer looked over at her new roommate and knew immediately what he was going through. When they had their big revealing secrets session Seth had mentioned how close he was to his nana, and when he moved to New York – his parents live in Berkley – she was the one who made sure he was settled in, and since then, they tried to catch up as often as possible. From the sounds of things, Seth hadn't had the easiest childhood, and his nana was one of the people who helped him through it.

Oh no, Cohen, that's terrible." Not really knowing what to say, she started stroking his back, knowing this made her feel better when she was upset. But she'd never been in this situation before. "What did they say?"

"Only that she was driving home – I guess from my uncle's house in Jersey – and a drunk driver ploughed into the driver's side. They didn't really know anything about her condition but I was in her phone as emergency contact cos I'm the closest family member."

"What are you going to do?"

"I guess I'll go to the hospital." He stood up and went over to the dresser, collecting his keys and wallet. "I'll see you in the morning maybe. I'll let you know."

"No Cohen, I'm coming with you. You're obviously not in a state to go anywhere by yourself, and anyway, it's Saturday so it's not like I have to be anywhere."

"Don't worry about it Summ. I'll be fine. But I guess our shopping trip will have to be postponed." Having located his coat, he was ready to leave, even if he had no idea what he'd do if something was really wrong.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. But thanks anyway."

"Hey, don't worry about anything except the nana. I know you're pretty close."

"Yeah. Ok, see you."

He went to leave but Summer stopped him and wrapped her arms around his. They stood there for a while. "Bye Cohen. Let me know if you need anything."

He left and Summer was left wondering what was going to happen. Seth put on the facade of someone who was pretty strong and didn't get fazed easily, but she knew that if anything were to happen to the nana it would kill him. And it didn't help that Summer had no experience comforting people, and didn't know how to act. She wasn't one of those people who instinctively knew how to comfort others, and now that she and Seth were friends, she didn't want to let him down.

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Seth had arrived at the hospital after one of the worst taxi rides of his life. He didn't know where she was – even which wing she was in, but someone helped him eventually and he found his way to the nana.

The police were still there, and told him that the drunk driver was fine – only scratches. It was only the nana that sustained any damage, and she was in pretty bad condition. Seth had known years ago that he would have to prepare for her dying at some stage. She had beaten cancer four times, and was in her eighties, but now that it looked like it had become a reality.

He walked in and saw her with all the tubes helping her heart beat and helping her breathe, and soon afterwards the doctor came in confirming the news that she was brain dead. Without the machines, she would not be able to breathe on her own.

Not being able to do anything to comfort his grandmother and not wanting to stay in the hospital longer then he had to, Seth left. He needed to go home and think about things – he was starting to come to terms with everything, and although he was still sad, he was beginning to understand that it was going to happen sometime, and maybe having something happen where she didn't feel any pain was the best solution. The doctor told him that she was unconscious instantaneously, and hadn't suffered. And wasn't suffering now, because her brain was dead.

He caught another taxi back to the apartment, and spent a minute outside. He put his hands on the back of his head and sighed. Not exactly knowing what to do, he stood there, thinking, but he knew instinctively that the way he was going to feel better was by going inside.

Summer was waiting anxiously on the couch, watching TV but not really concentrating because she was so worried about Seth. When she heard the door open she breathed a sigh of relief, but knew something was seriously wrong when she saw Seth.

He looked deflated. For someone who was so funny and energetic all the time, he looked like something had just come and rolled all the air out of him.

"How is she?"

"Brain dead. They've called my dad and uncle and they're coming over in the morning."

"Cohen, I'm so sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"Yes. Get a bottle of wine. I'm going to get drunk. Very drunk."

"Whatever you want."

She came back with 2 glasses and a bottle, and filled them both up. Five minutes later, Seth had skulled two very full glasses and was starting to calm down. He was telling Summer all about the infamously scary nana who was actually the kindest old lady there was, and Summer could see he was beginning to come to terms with things.

"Seth, let me know if I can help out in any way. If you want me at the hospital, I'm there."

"No, you don't want to see anyone like that. But thanks anyway."

They were sitting very close together on the couch – their legs were touching – but neither of them seemed to notice because there were other more important things to think about. But as the wine took effect and time went on, they became very conscious of how close they were, although they did nothing to change it.

When Seth spilled wine on his shirt, Summer got a tissue and went to help him mop it up. Seth felt her warm breath on his neck as she concentrated on stain removing, and breathed in her coconut smelling hair as she moved closer and closer.

All of a sudden, the mood changed, and they both felt it, sending shivers to their spines. It was no longer an innocent act of mopping up wine but something much more.

Summer looked up from the shirt – her face still impossibly close to Seth's – and she started to whisper,

"You know Seth, I really am sorry about your grandma."

Seth stopped her as he moved his lips towards hers. They collided and Summer let out a small gasp before she gave into the passion of the moment. His hands were running up and down her body, her hands started moving freely through his curly hair, their eyes closed as they fully surrendered themselves to the moment. Their tongues intertwined, they moved so they were lying down, Summer on top of Seth, never breaking the kiss as things started to heat up.

Things were so incredibly intimate – the lights were dimmed, music was playing through the TV, the scent of wine was overpowering. As Seth kissed Summer and held on to her more tightly than he had to anyone before, the problems in his life melted away and he could think of nothing else other than the most beautiful experience of his life.

But Summer, with extreme self-control, suddenly moved backwards, breaking the kiss and lifting her body off his, where she had been straddling his waist as if something more was about to happen. Although that was maybe one of the greatest things that had happened to her since she could remember, she knew she would regret it in the morning. They were both a bit drunk and Seth was obviously suffering, looking for a way to escape. And no matter how much she wanted it, she wasn't going to be something Seth regretted in the morning.

"What?" Seth had no idea what was going on, and moved his hand behind her head to try and gently move it back down.

"No Cohen."

"Is something wrong?

"Yes. I mean no. Kind of. Seth, we're drunk. And you're sad. And you're just looking for something to escape."

"No I'm not. You're beautiful."

"I don't want you to regret it. I'm going to bed."

She kissed him quickly as she got up and left, instantly regretting her decision as she lay in her cold bed. More than anything she wished she could share it with Seth, but she didn't want things to be awkward between them.

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Seth woke up on the couch and it took him a while to realise why he was there. Then he remembered about the night before – the accident, the hospital and the kiss. He sat up and was greeted by a pounding headache. Obviously he had turned to more wine after Summer rejected him. He got up and got himself an aspirin, waiting for the effects to kick in. After a while of sitting doing nothing, he heard the door open and Summer appeared, having been for a jog around the block as she usually did on a Saturday morning.

"Uhh, hey Summ."

"Hey Cohen." Summer looked away embarrassedly and her face started to turn red. She was replaying the events of the night before over and over in her head. The feel of his hands as they roamed her skin, the warmth of his breath on her face, the... stop. She couldn't keep doing this. "I forgot something outside. I'll be back... soon."

Taking the easy way out, Summer left the apartment again to be alone with her thoughts. She had stopped the kiss to stop things being awkward, but it seemed it had made things more so.

When she returned to the apartment an hour later Seth was gone – to the hospital she assumed. She hated that he was going through something and all she could think about was how awkward things were with her. She wasn't around to comfort him at all.

Over at the hospital, Seth wasn't worried about Summer not comforting him. And he wasn't thinking about the nana either. The more time he had to think about it, the more he became at peace with everything. She wasn't suffering now, they were just waiting for his dad to fly over from California, and until that happened, he was going to wait with her. But the time by himself just led him to think about Summer.

Even though he was drunk, he was pretty sure that something about last night had just felt right. It wasn't a little fling because he was bored or anything like that, but everything had just felt so natural. And now he had stuffed things up royally with his roommate because they couldn't even bear to look at each other.

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The awkwardness continued for a couple of days, and it wasn't fun to be in the apartment at all. Every time Seth walked into the bathroom to get a tissue or something and Summer was in there, she would mutter something hurriedly and leave. Every time their bodies came within five feet of each other, one would mumble awkwardly and move away.

It looked like Summer's attempts to keep the awkwardness away had caused things to become worse, but two days after the incident, something happened to push the awkwardness to the back of their minds.

Seth's dad Sandy arrived in New York, after a hurricane had delayed him since he heard the news. Sandy was the power of attorney of the nana, and he was the one who had to make the decision of whether to turn off life support or not. One look at her and Sandy knew what the right thing to do was. She wasn't the nana anymore, she was gone. They decided to turn life support off that afternoon.

Seth had had those two days to accept what was going to happen, but having it actually happen was something different. He wasn't ready for the overwhelming emotions he felt as he went to the hospital, and despite the current situation with Summer, he knew he would feel better with her there.

She turned up with him, and at 3 o'clock that afternoon, Dr Price shut off the machines that were keeping the nana alive. It took her half an hour to pass away, and she looked more peaceful than Seth had ever seen her.

He couldn't help the tears escape his eyes as they left the hospital, but Summer was right beside him – she grabbed his hand tight and squeezed it comfortingly as they made their way back home.

"Seth, do you need anything?"

"I'm ok. Thanks for coming today."

"Don't mention it. I just feel sorry for your family."

"Well she was a tough old cookie. We knew she would go soon, but it just happened suddenly."

"I know." She moved closer to him on the couch and put her arms around him, pulling him in close.

Seth took extreme comfort in knowing someone was there for him, and he leaned into her, surrendering to the hug. It wasn't at all a romantic situation – the memories of two nights ago were suddenly a distant past – but it was a symbol of friendship. In the two short months they had been living together, their relationship had changed so much and now Summer was the person Seth was relying on.

They remained in their hug for a long time. Hours passed and they didn't move. All awkwardness melted away as Summer helped Seth through the night. And the next morning, Seth felt he could keep moving and stood up. Without anything being said, they both knew a big change had occurred. Two people couldn't go through this and not change – the nana's death (although tragic) had brought them together, and from that moment on, they were closer than ever.