Chapter six, people. I'm very glad that you enjoy this story and even though this isn't my favourite chapter I hope you'll review!

Seth was really enjoying himself; it was a while ago he'd met them all. And at times like these, when they were talking and laughing like they used to, he missed that. He missed being a kid and always having them there. Now, when he lived by himself, there weren't many people to speak to. No one there to hear his new jokes.

So, to be able to just hang out with Ryan again and his dad was great. He was also glad that Summer could talk to Marissa and his mom; she was being a lot braver than he'd expected. He'd tell her that later, how proud he was.

"Seth?" Kirsten came out with Marissa shortly behind, looking quite concerned.

The guys looked up from where they sat around the table, having some beers and talking. "Where's Summer?" Seth immediately asked, getting worried as he only saw the two of them.

"She went to the bathroom I think." Marissa said. "We asked her if she wanted to come shopping with us. I thought it was a good idea but…"

Seth understood. "Its okay, Marissa," he said, knowing that they couldn't possibly know. "I'll be right back."

Seth went inside, leaving his family confused and worried behind.

"Summer?" he asked as he knocked on the bathroom door. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer so Seth felt on the door; it wasn't locked.

"Do you ever lock any doors?" he joked as he went inside, only to find Summer on the floor with a blank look on her face.

"Wanna tell me what happened?" Seth sat down next to her and carefully looked at her.

He recognised that look but still he couldn't figure out what she was thinking or feeling. He only knew that it wasn't good.

Summer shook her head and trembled, a sign for hold me. So, Seth pulled her close to him and heard her fight the tears.

"I'm such a mess!" she complained before bursting into tears. She leaned closer to Seth, crying into his shirt like there was no tomorrow. He could actually feel her frustration as she clenched his shirt in her hands and pushed her face further into it.

"Summer, you've been so strong and brave today. You're doing really well." Seth said, trying to comfort her best he could by gently patting her back.

"I'm not. Can't you see that I'm falling apart here?" Summer asked, swallowing back a hiccup. She really hated being so weak all the time. "They probably think I'm crazy." Summer bitterly said and coughed onto Seth's neck.

"You're not crazy, Sum."

"Don't lie."

Seth changed position, placing Summer between his legs. "You need to be positive, Summer. Don't think like that because then, you're gonna get crazy. Try to see things from the good side. Instead of thinking that you're weak because you're crying right now, think of all the hours that you spent together with people you'd never met before and didn't cry."

"I'm not like that. I'm not a positive person." Summer stubbornly said, angrily wiping at her tears.

"Then let me help you."

"Seth, you don't have to do anything to me. You don't owe me anything; on the contrary. I owe you so much."

"I want to help you and you don't owe me anything. You have no idea how glad I am that I've met you."

"I don't?" Summer asked, sounding a little hopeful.

"No. Summer, you are my friend and friends take care of each other."

She sniffled. "But I'm an impossible case."

"You're not." Seth reassured her, smiling. "Now, let me help you. Please?" Seth wasn't giving in, he just wasn't.

He looked so hopeful and so cute that she couldn't possibly say no. So she nodded against him, taking his hand into hers.

"Okay. I'll let you help me," she said while still sniffling. "But only because you're my only friend. And I kind of don't want to lose you."

"You won't lose me." Seth said and hugged her tightly against his body.

vvvvvvvvv

"Seth?"

Everybody looked at him as soon as he walked outside. They were still around the table in the backyard, looking awfully concerned. Seth figured that his mom and Marissa had explained what happened because they all looked worried; everyone in a different way.

"Is she alright?" Marissa asked, feeling most guilty.

Seth nodded calmly and sat down in an empty chair. "Summer's fine. But I'm gonna take her home."

"I'm really sorry, Seth."

Seth smiled at Marissa and placed a hand on her arm. "Don't worry about it, okay?"

"Just let her know," she pleaded.

"I will but it wasn't anything you did. Summer isn't feeling good, that's all." Seth said, making them all even more worried. "I'm gonna go back to her now, but it was really nice to see you all again."

Kirsten stood up and hugged him. "I love you, Seth. And don't wait too long before you come visit us again."

"I won't."

"And you can bring Summer anytime. She's a nice girl."

Seth nodded thankfully. "Thanks, dad. I'll let her know."

And after hugging them all he went back inside to where Summer was waiting for him.

vvvvvvvvvv

"Therapy?" Summer said as she held the brochure Seth had given her in her hands.

He calmly took it from her hands and placed it on the table. He then took her hands in his, looking into her eyes. Summer would have looked away but she had by now learned that Seth always waited until she met his gaze anyway so this time she stared back at him.

"Just try it," he said. "You want to feel better, right?"

Summer nodded, knowing that he was right. "But I won't know what to say."

"They're professionals and they're gonna help you." She still looked unsure. "Why don't you try a little on me?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Tell me what it's like. Talk about it."

"Seth, I can't."

"Then you need to go. Do it for you."

"Alright," she said but deep down didn't feel like doing it at all. She didn't want to bother someone with her problems.

"Have you thought anything about shopping with my mom and Marissa yet?" Seth carefully asked, knowing that that subject was very sensitive.

Summer shrugged. "I can't go with them, Seth. I don't have money to go to the places where they shop."

"I'll give you my credit card."

"I can't let you do that, Seth. You don't have to pay for me."

"I know. I just want you to be able to have some fun."

Summer smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know you do."

"And not to brag or anything but I do have money and I don't need them all." Seth said totally sincere, showing Summer that he actually wanted to do this for her.

"Letting you pay for my therapy is enough, more than enough."

"Okay," he said. "I won't force you, but let me know if you change your mind."

"I will," Summer replied. "Sorry by the way."

"For what?"

"You know, letting my problems affect your family. I never wanted them to know."

"I didn't tell them anything. And I won't if you don't want me to."

"I don't but it's not like they haven't already noticed. I mean, they just asked me if I wanted to come shopping; totally normal. And I couldn't handle that. What do you think they think of me, Seth?" Summer sadly asked. "They know."

Seth knew that his family probably was very worried about not knowing and he knew that by now they probably had billions of ideas. But he'd never betray Summer and give her a reason not to trust him.

"Do you want to watch a movie?" Seth asked after some time of just sitting there, completely quiet.

"Sure." Summer nodded and let Seth get up from the couch.

vvvvvvvvv

Summer's first therapy session quickly approached, without her being able to stop it. The last couple of days had been kind of horrible; she'd practically been a wreck. Seth had done his best to support her, trying to give her a positive view of it or if that didn't work take her mind off it. They'd been out a lot, taking day trips or had lunch in restaurants. Anything to make Summer feel better.

But now here she was, one windy September day, standing outside of the office afraid to go in. Everything was so frightening; grey and strange. So not welcoming.

But, she'd promised Seth and he was paying for this so she couldn't just skip it. She had to pull herself together and just walk in there.

After telling the receptionist about her meeting she sat down and waited. Two other people were there, one older woman and a man seeming to be in his thirties. It felt good to not be alone but at the same time she was embarrassed.

She was now officially letting other people know that she had a problem. No matter how common everyone said that it was, Summer could never stop feeling embarrassed.

"Mr. Simpson," a woman came out from nowhere and seconds later she disappeared with the man. Now they were only two.

Summer nervously fumbled with her fingers and looked around. She thought about reading a paper but was too nervous, she was too nervous to do anything. Maybe she'd even throw up.

The woman came and called out a name again, leaving Summer alone in the waiting room. She just wanted this to be over with.

Please, someone call my name!

And as to have answered her prayers, someone did call her name, just seconds later.

Summer's head started to spin and she knew there was no way back; she had to go inside and meet her fears.

So, she fallowed the woman but as they entered a small corridor Summer stopped. "Can I just have a minute by myself?" she quickly asked, knowing what she wanted to do.

"Okay, you can just walk into that room when you're ready."

She disappeared, leaving Summer just outside the therapist's door. Summer sat down in a chair and brought her cell out.

Seth quickly answered. "Summer?"

"Yeah, hi."

"Isn't your session starting now?"

"Any minute. I just wanted to call you first."

"Oh. Okay." Seth said. "How are you feeling?"

"Nervous."

"It'll be okay. We can do something fun afterwards."

"Yeah. Will you come pick me up?"

"Of course. In an hour."

"Good. And Seth?"

"Yeah,"

"I just wanted to say thanks."

She knew that she wouldn't have to explain. He knew.

"You're welcome."

Summer smiled brightly to herself and sat there biting her lip. And this time not in a nervous way. "I better go,"

"Yeah. Good luck, Summer!"

"Thanks. See you soon."

"Can't wait,"

Summer put the phone down with a smile and then walked towards the door, feeling ready. If she didn't feel like doing this to herself she could always do it for Seth.

I am soon gonna update A Heart's Desire. I haven't forgotten about that story.

Now, over to this one; what did you think? I'm almost finished with the next chapter so if you're lucky I'll post more very soon.

Please review!