A/N: Okay, so second to last chapter! Thank you all for your reviews… keep them coming. And after Ch 14 is posted (which will probably be either tonight or tomorrow, depending on how many of you review) I'll start posting my new story… I'm up to Ch 9 of it so, yay!

Hope you're all enjoying the various holidays and keep me entertained with your reviews! By the way… new preview for episode 409 on the Fox website (smiles).

Disclaimer: Not mine.

XXXXX

"Omigod, omigod," Seth said as he put his face in his hands.

"What is it?!?" Summer screamed, pushing the bra into his face.

"A bra?"

"I know that, stupid. Why is it here?" Summer was on the verge of tears and bit her lip to keep them from spilling out. Seth had just confessed his everlasting love to her, that he could never get over her, and here she was with the bra of another woman in her hand.

"It's Jenny's."

"Who is Jenny?" Summer asked, venom mixing into her voice.

"Just a girl."

"Just a girl? What? A fuck buddy? Something more?"

"She goes to Brown."

"Funny, huh. She's my stand-in. How long Seth? How long?" Tears streamed down Summer's face.

"No, you're getting it all wrong. There's nothing between us, we just, we kissed, Summer."

"Last time I checked, kissing did not require bra removal," she stated.

"Omigod, I know. I didn't even notice that she removed it, Summer, I promise." He paused. "It was nothing."

"I just don't know you anymore, Seth." She collapsed on the bed. Seth knew that it was not the time to defend himself. Instead, he rubbed her back and held her as she cried in his arms.

XXXXX

Summer woke up in Seth's embrace. Her eyes were stinging, and then she remembered. The bra. She looked at Seth, who had also fallen asleep. He looked so peaceful, so innocent. She felt secure in his arms, and realized that he wasn't going to hurt her, that he probably hadn't meant it. There was so much more to do than to question his love for her when she knew that it was genuine and had been there for nearly a decade. She sighed, she was going to have to believe him if they were going to be alright again. She looked back over to him. His eyes had just fluttered open.

"Hey there, sleepyhead," Summer said, softly. Seth was a bit taken aback by her calm demeanor.

"Hey you," he kissed her forehead.

"I'm…" Summer tapered off, thinking carefully about what to say.

"I'm an ass. I know."

"But I missed you. We'll get passed it, we just need to try again. Baby steps."

"Baby steps," Seth said and the two drifted back to sleep as the March sun beat through their windows.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Seth and Summer spent the rest of the day in Seth's hotel room, cuddling, kissing, and catching up on lost time. Summer told him about Tom and the almost kiss, Seth told him about Jenny. They winced hearing the names of the other man and woman, but knowing that both had held back, and that neither gave into temptation relieved both Seth and Summer. Seth told Summer about his coffee chats with Anna, while Summer told him about crazy Carrie and her even crazier wedding planning. Neither had even thought about how much had gone on in one another's life over the month of not speaking to one another. And that was it, Seth realized. After three years of practically seeing each other every day – with the exception of Seth's summer in Portland and Summer's stint at Brown – they were used to knowing everything about each other's life. And with distance came uncertainty, and with uncertainty came doubt. Not that Summer had been worrying that Seth was cheating on her, but rather that she was no longer his top priority, that he was consumed by comic books and the college scene. Their relationship had changed, and the two would have to deal with distance.

"It's only another month and a half," Seth said out loud.

"What?" Summer looked at him, removed from her thoughts.

"I was just thinking, about us. And you were right all along."

"What about?"

"The long-distance thing. We work when we're close together. When we see each other, know what is going on with each other."

"What are you saying, Seth?" Summer asked.

"It's not that we can't do the long-distance thing until summer, we just need to adjust to it."

"Don't you think that we've had months of adjustment?"

"Well, no. We've skirted the issue. What we need to do is confront it, head on. Tell each other what we're thinking when we are. Talk more."

"We tried that, Seth," Summer said, sullenly.

"We need to try harder. I need to. I'm sorry for ignoring you."

"You didn't… I mean, I took it out on you hard."

"From now on, I'll call you every day. We're going to make it work. And well. Are you with me, Summer Roberts?"

"Sure," Summer said, without hesitation.

"Then hit it," Seth said, holding his hand up. Summer slapped him five.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

And just like that, the break was over. Summer wasn't leaving for another couple of hours but offered to go with him to the airport.

"You promise you'll call more?" Summer asked, kissing him goodbye as they approached the security checkpoint.

"Make an honest man of me, Summer." Seth said. "The next six weeks will fly by. Promise."

"I'm holding you to it, Cohen."

He smiled at her as he walked through security, trying to convince himself that the six weeks would fly by.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Will all work out with Seth & Summer? The story's almost over – please review!