Seth's heart pounded painfully as he rode the elevator up to the third floor, making his chest feel like a kettle drum. He struggled to catch his breath. He hadn't felt this nervous since the day he came home from his summer in Portland. He hadn't known what to expect when he got there; he thought his mother would have at least yelled at him, but she hadn't. She had taken him and Ryan into a huge hug and cried, telling them how glad she was that they were both back. He thought everything would be alright, that things would go back to normal. Then, eight months later, his dad shipped her off to rehab. Seth had learned the hard way that repercussions were not always immediate. The summer she spent drying out was the worst of his life, and not just because he felt guilty about sending her down the spiral of alcoholism. It was a lot of things. It was seeing his father so desolate. It was Ryan, feeling responsible also. It was the death of his grandfather.

And in the end, it had been Summer, the most unlikely of allies, who had helped him work through it all. She hadn't sugarcoated anything, or told him it wasn't his fault, because he knew in a way, she thought that it was. But just by taking things one day at a time, in his relationship with her in particular, made him realize that regret had to be left behind. He didn't want to end up like Caleb...alone, or worse, with someone like Julie Cooper.

Seth tipped the doorman as he disembarked. On the one hand, he was relieved that Summer hadn't left him for another man, and he would even hazard to say that she probably still loved him. On the other hand, he could hardly bear the agony of knowing she would never be able to see him again, to see anything again. His anger upon first seeing her in the park had melted away almost instantly, he understood everything she'd been feeling, as his own rioting emotions were making it impossible to think about anything else. His stomach clenched queasily as he approached the door, and he took a deep calming breath before knocking as softly as he could. It didn't help much.

Anna must have standing just on the other side of the door, waiting, because she opened it almost immediately and beckoned him inside.

"She's asleep," she whispered, leading him towards the sofa. "I shouldn't have brought you here... but I didn't know what else to do. I wasn't thinking."

Seth glanced around their neat, tidy apartment. There was no clutter, the furniture was pushed back against the walls to leave as much open space as possible; only practical, considering. The room was airy, bright, with creamy neutral tones for the walls and carpeting and dark brown accents. A large print of a pastel yellow tulip hung against the living room wall, obviously Anna's choice; Summer hated the color yellow.

Tasteful leather sofas dominated the living room, along with classy mahogany end tables. A large lamp in the corner was the only source of light, bathing the room in a soft glow.

Anna sat on the sofa facing the door, offering him a seat adjacent to hers. She'd grown her hair out longer, it was down around her shoulders, still as bright blond and smartly-styled as it had ever been. She had changed for bed, or for a workout at the very least. Maybe she did yogalates. Her hips were slim in the stretchy gray pants; and her tank top accentuated just how thin her arms were. She had French blue socks with small yellow ducks on them.

"Patitos." Seth said.

"Excuse me?"

He pointed. "Patitos. Ducklings."

"Oh."

They stared at one another for a long moment. His expression was mournful; hers uncertain. Should she have even invited him back here, like this? She was asking for trouble. All Summer would have to do is wake up, hear his voice... Her dark eyes filled with tears, brimming, but not overflowing. He rubbed his hand wearily across his face. "Oh, Anna."

Her voice cracked. "I knew that you would find out, eventually. I just didn't think it would be this soon," she replied truthfully. She angrily wiped her tears away.

"I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," Anna blew her nose, cleared her throat.

"What happened to her?"

"She had a stroke," Anna answered simply.

"She what? How is that even possible?"

Anna sighed. "Your parents told you about the car accident, right?"

"That one she had the summer I was in Italy..." Seth's brow furrowed. "They told me that was nothing. Her father called them, and told them it was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing," Anna shook her head.

Seth started, his mouth hanging open slightly. He raised a hand, then lowered it. "How is that even possible?" He asked again. "I mean, she wasn't even twenty four yet."

"Anyone can have a stroke, especially with a trauma. And that's what happened, after the accident. She blacked out in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. She was unconscious for almost a week."

"And she woke up blind."

"She woke up blind," Anna parroted solemnly.

"That's ridiculous," Seth blustered, leaping from the couch. "I mean, the miracles of modern medicine, surely there's a surgery that can be done, or something. Or just time...I mean, people wake up out of comas all the time..."

"She's not in a coma, Cohen. She's not going to snap out of this. Don't you think we've thought of everything by now?"

He crossed to the fireplace mantle and rested his head against it. Without looking at Anna, he asked, "It's permanent?" though he already knew the answer.

"It's been almost three years, and she's never going to have it any better than she does right now. She doesn't have headaches anymore, which the doctors told us was a good sign, because it means that it's nothing more serious," Anna's hands fluttered nervously. "But she also doesn't have any sensitivity to light, or shadow. She's never going to regain..."

"Why didn't she tell me?" The utter heartbreak in his voice was enough to leave Anna breathless. She crossed over to where he stood, and wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Because she didn't want you to leave her," she replied candidly. "And don't tell me you wouldn't have thought about it, Seth, because I know you. I know you all too well. You may not have done it, but you would have thought about it," she released him from her embrace, and he turned to watch her move back to the couch and take her seat. "Summer...she's very sensitive. I can't so much as change an expression without her being able to feel it."

"So? I still would have stayed!"

"And do you think she would have wanted that?" Anna argued passionately, quietly. "Do you think she would have wanted you to stay when you obviously felt like she was a burden? She would be able to feel everything you felt, Seth, and she would have hated you for it."

Seth was, for once, utterly speechless.

"Seth, I love her more than anything. If you're here to pity her, or pity me, or ...anything, you can just leave. We've been doing just fine without you."

"Why are you angry with me?" Seth asked quietly, crossing back over to where she sat and flopping down on the couch next to her.. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"I don't know!" Anna replied, miserable. Her tears finally began slipping down her cheeks. "This just couldn't have come at a worse time. We've finally gotten to where she'll go out, and she's finally growing out of the constant moody hatefulness. She's learned how to read Braille, and to cook and clean. I'm just frustrated. This is going to set her back."

They sat silently for several minutes, Seth in a stunned silence and Anna in guilty contemplation. Seth looked up, startled, when Summer appeared in the doorway, almost soundlessly. Anna rose immediately, alarmed, but Seth remained quiet.

"Anna?" Summer's voice sounded soft and childlike to Seth's ears, too long denied the pleasure of hearing her speak.

"I'm here, I thought you were going to bed."

"I was, I just forgot my water glass."

"I think I put it back up, I'll go get it," Anna shot Seth a look admonishing him not to utter a word. She returned quickly, and as she approached, Summer's spine stiffened.

"Anna, are we alone?"

"No," Anna answered honestly, not offering any other information.

"Guy or girl?" Summer hissed.

"Guy, but don't worry, you're fine," Anna soothed, adjusting the collar of Summer's plain cotton nightgown slightly. She handed over the water glass.

"Okay, I'm going to bed. Night," Summer presented a rosy cheek for a kiss, Anna obliged with a quick peck.

"G'night."

After Summer retreated, Anna turned back to Seth, who had leaned forward on the sofa, his hand covering his mouth. Anna saw grief and confusion warring across his countenance, and her heart was filled with compassion. She settled next to him on the couch and pulled him into her arms. From over her shoulder, she heard a cracked sob and then a flood of tears started.

Seth couldn't remember the last time he had actually cried, but it was coming so naturally as he clung to Anna fiercely. The Summer he remembered was far less docile, so much more demanding. The Summer he knew wouldn't have left the room without knowing who was there and for what purpose. But she'd gone straight back to bed without a word. He wasn't sure what was more disconcerting about the whole thing: the fact that Anna was subtly lying to her, or the fact that Summer let her.

"Does she still love me?" He finally asked when his tears had subsided.

"I don't know," Anna shrugged helplessly. "She doesn't talk about you anymore. She doesn't talk about much of anything anymore," she mused, more to herself than to him.

"I have to talk to her," Seth insisted.

Anna sighed heavily. "I knew that you would want to...I mean, I knew this was coming. I don't know why I'm so unprepared." She cradled her head in her hands, pressing a palm against her forehead. "We have to find away to bring this gently."

"I need to find out," Seth rocked forward, propping his elbows up onto his knees. "I need to find out if she still loves me."

Anna's head shot up suddenly. "Seth, this isn't about you."

"It would be just as much for her as it was for me," Seth shook his head emphatically.

"Yes, but have you really thought this through?"

"Have I thought what through? Whether or not I still love her? No, I don't have to."

"Seth."

"Anna," he mimicked, not unkindly.

"She's...she's different now. You're remembering a person that doesn't really exist anymore. She's meaner, she's bitter. More bitter. She can't stand to be in the same room with children, it makes her so sad. She hates being outside without another person to help her. She's terrified of being mugged. She ran away from you because she didn't want you to reject her. And if you hurt her now, I swear to God, I'll kill you."

"I need her, Anna. She's the only woman I've ever loved."

A shadow of sadness passed across Anna's face momentarily, darkening her features the way a cloud darkens the Earth when it passes over the sun. "I guess. But Summer isn't the same person that you fell in love with anymore. She's not going to just come running back to you just because she knows you know."

"I can win her back, though," he swore, defiant. "I have to win her back. I can't live without her, An."

Anna sighed again. "I'll think of something. For now, though, you better leave. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Thanks," Seth stood, then leaned forward impulsively and kissed her forehead. "You're a good friend, you know that?"

Anna shooed him away with her hands, and he left without another word. She dropped her head into her hands once more. Shit.

The phone rang three times before Anna was able to find it tangled in the bedsheets, and she cursed at herself for not putting it back on the charger, where it belonged. She glanced at the LCD screen briefly, it was a California area code, though she didn't recognize the number.

"Hello?"

"Anna?"

She frowned. "Yes. Who's this?"

"Marissa. Marissa Cooper, from Newport."

"I remember," Anna answered, stilted. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Marissa tried to sound cheerful, but Anna saw right through it. Marissa wouldn't be calling her, not unless... Seth?

"Not that I don't appreciate it, but why are you calling me?"

"I found your number in Summer's address book, I just wanted to call. You know, see how you were."

Anna held the phone out from her ear and gave it a twisted who-are-you-trying-to-kid?-smirk.

"Summer has my number in her address book?" she asked after a moment, surprised. Summer had not called her even one time since she'd moved back to Pittsburgh.

"Yeah...I think she's got you programmed into her phone, too," Marissa answered, distracted, as she scrolled through Summer's address book on her cell phone.

"Wow. Um, okay," Anna cleared her throat. "That still doesn't explain why you're calling."

Marissa sighed heavily. "See, that's the thing. I can't really tell you what's going on, because I sort of promised Summer I wouldn't."

"Okaaaaaay," Anna said, playing along with the typical Marissa drama.

"I...I can't handle it anymore. I don't know what to do. She won't let me talk to anyone about what's going on."

"So you want me to come back," Anna stated. Not a question.

"Yes," Marissa exhaled loudly.

"What's wrong with her? Will I know it when I see her?"

"Oh, yeah, you'll know," Marissa warned ominously.

"Will she even agree to see me?"

"Probably not. If I were you I would barge right in before anyone can stop you. Don't let the household staff scare you off, either. She may not want to let you in, but ..."

"What's wrong with her?"

"Please, Anna. Please just come."

Anna sighed and rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to get anything out of Marissa. She was about due for a visit with her parents, anyway. She shrugged. May as well...

To be Continued...