Alrighty, its that time again...
Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. Im estatic that you guys enjoy the humourous parts..I think that means Im doing something right! Thank you anon. reviewers (and the regulars too).
As for the the thing about Seth and Summer in regards to their feelings, theres still lots that havent been said and they definitely need to sit down and talk..same for Ryan..but lets face it these are the characters of The OC and its not gonna happen...or will it...
Anyways, about this chapter...for those of you who dont like Ryan ( I dont really, but I felt that this part was needed to establish some things) Im sorry, but the first part is needed...and for those of you that do: There you go! lol
This turned out to be the longest chapter written thus far..but it doesnt really seem that long. I know that not a lot seems to happen..and it doesnt...but you never know, what happens here could be setting premises for future situtations...I still have a few really good tricks up my sleeves for you guys...
So, enjoy, read, review, tell me what sucks and what doesnt.

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White Shadows

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"…I spent the whole night wishing you were there."

Ryan looked out of the window in his hotel room.

"My life just doesn't work without you."

He gazed at the dark star-lit sky. Ryan was perched on the window sill, back against the wall; his arms cradling his bent knees.

"…I don't know what my future is but I know it's with you."

Images of memories long past flashed through Ryan's head. He looked down at the beach across the street. What he saw was no Hawaii. No Waikiki. What he saw was four teenagers strung together; two girls two guys. They walked down the stretch of beach laughing and toying with one another.

Ryan formed a small faded smile on his face as he stared at them.

He slowly blinked, rejuvenating his eyes so that he could watch the image longer. When he opened his eyes, the four were gone. He saw an empty stretch of beach. He saw Waikiki. He saw Hawaii. His smile disappeared just a quickly as it came.

Finally Ryan tore his face away from the window. He fixed his eyes on the half empty bottle and glass beside him. His face quickly filled with anger, his jaw buckling and his teeth clenched. He grabbed the recently emptied glass and hurled is across the room with excessive force causing it to shatter against the wall in the bathroom.

Ryan rested his head against his knee caps and tried to steady his breathing.

"Hey man"

Ryan's head shot straight up and saw Seth standing in the door way on the other side of the room. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and looked at Seth despite his glossy eyes.

"I fell off the bed and uh, now I can't get back to sleep." Seth looked down and fiddled with his hands.

Ryan just continued to look at Seth, still very unsure how or why Seth was in his room.

"Summer's a kicker" Seth quickly added, hoping that would cure some of the confusion on Ryan's face.

"Ah" Ryan whispered in muted level and slightly shook his head in acknowledgement. He was still looking at Seth for further information; there was still one question left.

Seth raised his key card to Ryan's room.

"Of course" Ryan nodded and looked back out the window.

Seth made his way across the room and sat on the edge of the large bed, facing Ryan.

"What're you doing here" Ryan asked bluntly, not at all in the mood for company.

"Well, I figured that we haven't had much Seth-Ryan time so…" Seth rubbed the palms of his hands on his knees.

"…I know this is no pool house but…" Seth trailed off watching Ryan's face for a reaction.

Ryan just sat there and looked out at the city below them.

"Uh, we could start by telling me why, uh you're getting more than friendly with the Russian Prince." Seth pointed at the vodka bottle next to Ryan.

Ryan looked at it for a moment and then looked back out the window.

"Why, did Jack dump you?" he replied very monotone and sounding very unenthusiastic.

"It was John, and yes" Seth retorted quickly but he quickly turned serious.

"Dude, what's going on" He looked at Ryan with concerned eyes.

Ryan exhaled lightly remained motionless.

"Man, we all miss her but you can't keep doing this to yourself."

"I know!...Alright…I know" Ryan shot out loudly at first but softening as he finished.

Seth was taken back a little by the small outburst. He knew this was only infuriating Ryan but he had to get it out.

"I know it's hard, we're all going through the same thing"

Ryan shook his head his teeth and fist clenched as he turned closer towards the window as if to block the sight and sound of Seth.

At this point Seth was getting more frustrated. Not only had Summer given him the cold shoulder tonight but he was also getting it from Ryan.

"Just leave me alone, alright?" Ryan managed to push through his gritted teeth.

Seth got up and stood next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder, trying to pull him away from the window, towards him.

"No. Come on man tal-…"

"Seth…" Ryan quietly warned.

"…k to me, tell me wh-…"

Ryan's breathing increased. This was no time for Seth to be persistent but it was too late. Ryan snapped.

"Seth Ryan practically screamed. The rage that was flowing through him escaped through his arm flailing at Seth, knocking him on the floor and up against the bed.

The half brothers stared at each other both with a multitude of emotions concealed in their faces.

Seth looked completely dumbfounded. He was in complete shock and disarray. He never actually feared Ryan up until now at this very moment. Everyone knew Ryan as an impulsive person and short tempered. Seth had just picked the wrong moment. Above everything else Seth was hurt. Not physically, like every other time, but emotionally. Never had Ryan lashed out to that magnitude to one of his friends and the fact that he did raised serious questions in Seth's mind. He couldn't blame him though. Ryan had been so reserved, so secluded since the death it was only a matter of time before he let some of it out. Seth just wished he had brought a mouth guard or a helmet with him.

Ryan's eyes flared at Seth, full of rage. He didn't mean to lash out at Seth nor to hit him but he just lost control. Ryan's eyes shifted to a spot on the floor next to Seth and just continued to stare it as everything fluttered through his mind.

Without saying a word, Seth, using the bed for support, pulled himself up and quietly walked out of the room. He flattened himself up against Ryan's door. He heard the shattering of glass from within the room. Seth sighed and shook the confused look that was plastered on his face.

Seth went back into his own room and made his way to the bed. He was definitely tired now...again, not just physically. He half smiled at Summer whom the very sight of managed to calm Seth down... but only a marginal amount.

Summer was lying on her side, facing the vacant area on the bed where Seth should have been.

Seth quietly laid down facing her, trying to make as little noise as possible. Although Seth was tired, he needed to talk and wouldn't sleep until he did…to anyone. When he opened his mouth, about to wake Summer up when Summer rolled over to face the other side of the bed. Even though she was sleeping it was almost if she knew Seth wanted to talk to her and just like the time before, she had turned her back on him, shunning him.

Seth's face dropped, as well as a small part of his heart. His two best friends had no time for him and once again Seth started to feel utterly alone.

He shook his head and grinned at the absurdity of the actions of his 'friends'. Seth turned his back to Summer and just stared at the wall, his mind running a mile a minute.

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Seth had no recollection as to when he fell asleep but it hadn't been too long ago.

He was exhausted and the sounds of Summer and the sun blinding him through his eyelids had awakened him. He was in no better mood nor frame of mind than the night before…or rather earlier that morning. He still couldn't help but feel a little disserted and alone.

"Cohen?" Summer yelled from the bathroom, just finishing her shower.

Seth made no attempts at a reply. No moans. No groans, nothing. It was his turn to be alone. He wanted to shut out and turn away the people he cared most about.

He pulled the covers up and over his head, sheltering him from the light and the sounds.

When Summer heard no reply, she knew how to get a 'rise' out of Seth in the mornings. She smiled and walked out of the bathroom with just her towel clinging to her body. He remained motionless, his entire body buried under the sheets.

"Cohen!" She yelled again, this time with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

Seth felt a heavy piece of linen fall on top of him and his sheets. Summer's fragrance was drenched in it as he could smell the all too familiar smell sieving through the sheets. He couldn't help but take a deep breath and enjoy it.

Seth's eyes bulged out, doubling in size. If her towel was on the bed, then she would be… Seth's mouth opened. This was definitely a new approach for Summer but he wasn't one to complain!

'NO!' Seth's brain screamed at him.

'You're pissed! You were abandoned! You want to be alone!"

Seth's internal struggle ended the way it always did.

Feeling somewhat cowardly he slowly lifted and turned his head.

Seth was never good at listening to reason.

When the sheets finally fell off his head Seth stared at the image in front of him. He gasped loudly. He had never felt more betrayed…There Summer stood completely and perfectly….so not naked. There the towel was still wrapped tightly against her small body.

Seth looked down at the wet towel next to him and then up at Summer. He finally got the notion that the towel next to him had been used for Summer's hair and not her body.

"Why do you have to have hair" He mumbled, falling back down on the bed.

"Would you rather I didn't?" Summer smiled, knowing that her little trick had succeeded.

Seth stopped and thought for a moment.

"Yeah you're right. Bald chicks are gross" He then covered himself with all the sheets again, knowing that he should have listened to his brain in the first place.

Summer giggled after taking back her towel and marched back into the bath to do…whatever it was that she did for two hours in the bathroom.

"Come on! Hurry up and get dressed, there's a 90 chance of 'perstipitation' today, so we should try and get out before it starts." She called through the bathroom door.

"Precipitation" He corrected.

Seth sat up and cocked his head to one side, a single eyebrow raised.

"Have you been watching the Weather Channel again?"

"Come ON!" She yelled even louder.

There was no way Seth could be mad at her and he would much rather be hand in hand with Summer than be alone.

He repressed his mood, not wanting to ruin Summer's apparently better mood than the previous night. Seth did this with ease for this was something he had gotten better at all through the Summer. He never really had the time to be alone and wallow.

He knew he was utterly defeated.

Seth groaned and rolled over on the bed.

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Ryan groaned and rolled over on the bed.

He hadn't slept a single minute the entire night. His head was consumed by everything and everyone. Marissa. Seth. His life, her death.

He spent the latter part of the morning reviewing the events of the night up to the point when Seth left. He knew he had to apologize and soon, but he couldn't. Ryan needed some more time alone. He draped the covers over himself and buried his face in the pillows.

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"Do you think we should wait for Ryan?" Summer raised her fist to knock on Ryan's door as they exited their room after promptly dressing for breakfast.

"No!" Seth reached out and stayed her hand from touching the door.

"Uh, I don't think he's gonna want to come"

"What? What're you talking about?" She turned to Seth, not fully understanding him.

"Well, I just think that yesterday was kinda hard for him you know, the three of us together…without uh, Marissa" Seth looked at Summer uneasily. He did not want a repeat of the previous night. From Summer or Ryan.

"Oh" Summer's face faded slightly at the thought of Marissa. She knew what Ryan was going through all too well, something she, nor Ryan, thought that Seth could possibly understand.

"Well, are you sure?"

"Yeah, I just think he needs some time" Seth shifted his weight from one leg to another, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Okay, yeah." Summer responded. Seth could sense the distraction in her voice and in her eyes.

"Summer..." he began

"Come on, let's go eat. I'm starved." She purposefully cut him off.

She grabbed his hand and led him down the hall towards the elevators.

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Seth and Summer had just finished another massive breakfast and were in their room preparing for their day at the beach.

Summer had spent almost the entire meal comparing Seth's complexion to an Albino. Naturally, Summer had a habit of over exaggerating on certain things. After 10 minutes of trying to disprove Summer's accusation, Seth caved and agreed to spend the day at the beach with her. Summer smiled triumphantly and added that she would help Seth pick out what bikini to wear.

As they made their way across the lobby, towards the elevators, Summer stopped dead in her tracks.

"Wh-…" Seth stopped a few steps ahead and turned to see what had held her up. When he realized what it was, an enormous grin crept over his face.

Summer slowly turned towards the large glass lobby doors and looked outside.

Her mouth dropped.

A bolt of lightning cracked through the sky followed by the booming sound of thunder. Immediately the rain came crashing down. It was a torrential down pour.

"You gotta be kidding me" Summer shook her head in disbelief.

She then turned back around and looked at Seth. He had the biggest, most dorkiest grin slapped all over his face; from ear to ear.

Seth held out a hand to wave at Summer, still smiling.

Her open jaw immediately closed and she now sported a frown on her face. She then began power walking back to the elevators.

When she approached Seth opened his mouth to broadcast the witty remark that had been forming in his head since Summer had first saw the rain.

"Don't speak." Summer said as she walked right past him, not letting up her speed.

Seth just stood there for a moment, displeased.

"S- Summer. Hey, wait" He called as he took off after her to catch up.