How long has it been since I've updated? Forever, I know. I have been totally bogged down with school stuff. What college do you think is the best between Goucher, Temple, Towson, and the University of Tampa? Any imput would be lovely, lol. Alright now, this chapter is Summers POV and rather long to make up for the lack of updates. So about that... lol. Um, anything else to say? This chapter is, as requested, what went on with Seth and Summer while Ryan and Marissa were out and ends with the four of them... don't want to spoil anymore! PLEASE READ AND REVIEW. I want to know what you all think. The stories with the most reviews will probably take priority seeing how busy my schedrule is right now. Thanks a lot loves!

xoxo Jules

Chapter 6: "Look up to the skies and see-"

Summer POV: Or thank my pops for all the talks

"I wonder what's taking them so long." Seth said as he sat in the windowsill.

I looked at him. I have no idea how he can stand that draft.

"Did you celebrate Christmas at home?" I asked sitting on the bed attempting to ignore the horrible stench of the thing.

"No. Well not exactly." He said with a sparkle coming to his eye

"What do you mean?" I asked. So maybe I was, as I usually am with Seth, a little more interested in what he has to say than I let on.

"It's nothing really. I was a kid."

"Oh come on Cohen, we have nothing better to talk about."

The dim streetlight cast an eerie glow across Seths face as he sat in the window. In the small bit of light I could see snowflakes lightly falling around him.

"It was called Chrismukah." He said grinning a bit, at memories I suppose. I have no memories to grin at, smile about.

"Chrismukah?" I asked not surprised by the oh so Choenish play on words.

"Yeah, my dad was Jewish, my mom wasn't, so we settled somewhere in between."

"Sounds nice." I said leaning back

"I guess so." Seth said shrugging, and then he went silent.

I didn't know Seth very well but what I do know is if he gets quiet you must have struck a chord somewhere. I guess we all have our secrets though. I remember Christmas morning waking up at my Grandmothers house, this was when I was young, before she died, before I had to go live with my mother… I was five, I had no idea that it was going to be our last Christmas together… we decorated the tree together, and she always let me put the star on top. We would fall asleep on the couch by the fire, but I would wake up in my bed and come downstairs to tons of gifts under the tree…

I was five that Christmas, I don't think that I have another pleasant memory since. Grandma died a week later, she fell down the stairs when I was at school. I came home, found her there… My mom took me after that. She would work late into the night at clubs, or she'd work the corner, and leave me with her sleazy boyfriend for the nights. She knew what was going on. She let it happen. The longer they got what they wanted from me the longer they'd stay and help with the bills, and support my moms little drug habit.

"What about you? What would you do this time of year?" Seth asked me.

I sighed. Nobody ever asked me about myself.

"I wouldn't do anything."

The first Christmas after my grandmother I remember sitting in the windowsill like Seth was, staring out to the street. It was like watching a slideshow of your past, everything good for that matter. That's how I knew he was lonely, he was missing something. I was the same way once. I had hope. I had love. I had protection. I guess my hearts just gotten hard since then.

"You have to have some memories, something!" Seth proded

I choked back tears at the memories. If it had been any lighter in the attic Seth could have seen me go pale.

"I was six. It was my first Christmas away from my Nana… My mom was out that night. She was working the corner out by our house. Her boyfriend was there with me. I was sitting in the window… It was snowing. He called me into their room. He said that he wanted to give me a present. When I got to the room he was sitting on the bed… he wanted me to sit next to him. I did. He pushed my bangs from my eyes and told me that I was even more beautiful than mommy. Then he kissed me…" My voice faded off as I spoke.

I will never forget that night. I will always remember how mom came in and saw everything, but she did nothing, nothing at all. Later I figured that she was jealous, I don't know why, I didn't want those guys doing that stuff to me. She blamed me for taking away her figure. She acted as though I took them all away from her… and she hated me for it. She called me a whore, and she called me dirty… it was true…

"I'm sorry." Seth said from the window

I shrugged.

"It's the past." I said acting as though I didn't care.

"Next time this year we'll be in Tahiti. I'll take you with me. We can be on the beach under the sun. And we won't have a Christmas tree. We'll decorate a palm tree, and put a menorah right beside it. It'll be awesome."

I couldn't help but smile. I have never known anyone like him… so… strange

"You're talking crazy Seth. Look at where we are now. We will never been in Tahiti this time next year, Tijuana maybe, but not Tahiti."

"You just wait." Seth said turning away from the window.

When Ryan came back Marissa wasn't with him.

"Come here." Ryan said

"Where's Marissa?" Seth asked "She use?"

Ryan shrugged.

"She's to calm not to have."

I chewed my lip. I promised myself I wouldn't do drugs, I wouldn't be like my mother. I never imagined that I would be surrounded by so many people constantly in pain until I went into the system… At least I'm not alone anymore.

We followed Ryan out and down some abandoned halls when we came to a balcony. Marissa was there hunched in the corner with her arms wrapped around herself. She was humming with content.

Oh holy night
The stars are brightly shining

I looked through the cracks of the wall to below where seats were filled with families. Little girls sat on their fathers laps, but their dad's didn't want anything from them. When I was young I didn't know people like that existed, outside of my Nana. When she was taken away from me the world turned sour.

It is the night of our dear savior's birth, ohh yeah
Now long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till he appeared and the soul felt it's worth

And then the people stopped singing and bowed their heads to pray. I never got that whole "ask and you shall receive", thing. I have asked for so much, I've even prayed. Why am I here now? Maybe I've asked for to much. God is probably like all men anyway, you've got to at least give them head to get something out of him. I bet there'd be a long line of people wrapped around the earth for that one.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks, a new and glorious morn

There can't be a God, he just can't exist. If he did why would there be such pain? Why does Ryan always have his guard up? Why can't Marissa go without a fix? Why did those guys do those things to me? And for the love of God why can't Seth have his Chrismukah?

Fall on your knees, oh hear the angel voices
Oh night divine, oh night when christ was born
Oh night divine, oh night, oh night divine

I looked around. Marissa was still hunched over in the corner. Her eyelids were fluttering open and closed… Ryan stood beside Marissa occasionally glancing down to make sure that she was still conscious. She had been known to overdose a time or two. Seth sat alone, his face expressionless. His knees were pulled to his chest and his head rested on them. His eyes were fixed on something that no-one else could see.

Our father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name

I don't know a whole lot about Christmas, but I do know that it's about giving. People in my life made that very clear to me. I always made other people happy this day… even if it was at my own expense. I don't know why, but for some reason it's important for Ryan, Seth, and Marissa to know that I am not a cold hearted whore, even if that's what everyone has said.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven

"I'll be right back." I said excusing myself from the group.

I didn't know very much about Ryan and Marissa's holiday pasts but maybe getting through to Seth would get through to them.

I wandered back to the room where we're staying, the attic. Looking around I was happy to finally find something. There was a coat hanger, I sat it in the center of the room, and threw one of the green shelter blankets over it. I wrapped gold garland around it that I had found in the hallway, and then put a flashlight under the blanket making it look like it glowed. It was perfect. But there was one thing missing…

Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who trespass against us

Searching further I came across old coat hangers. I bent one hanger in the shape of a "U". The rust wore on my hands but that didn't matter. I continued to bent the hangers until I had constructed a menorah. It looked like a school childs art project, but it was good for me. I was never too artistic.

There had to be candles around, this place is like forever old. I searched again until I came across a box filled with noting else but candles. I stuck the candles on the metal spokes, and then placed the wire base of the menorah on the floor. I quickly lit the candles.

Lead us not into temptation
But deliver us from evil

"Guys come here. I have something for you." I said as I stepped onto the balcony.

"What's going on?" Seth asked standing, followed by Ryan who helped Marissa to her feet.

I led them to the attic door.

"It's been a hard night." I began realizing just how cold I was still in my mini skirt. "So I thought it'd be cool to lay back and celebrate the holidays."

They all looked at me like I was crazy. All that any of us knew during this time of year was pain.

"Oh come on, it's not that bad!" I tried to assure them

For thine is the kingdom
The power, and the glory

I slowly pushed open the door. The light from the candles and the flashlight illuminated the room.

"Happy Chrismukah!" I said. I was worried about how they would react. What if they hated it?

"Wow!" Seth said "You did all of this for me?"

"For us." I said realizing how small my voice became.

"What's Chrismukah?" Ryan asked confused

The grin that came to Seths face when Ryan asked him that was nothing like I had seen before. And then he started ranting about the beauty of having Jesus and Moses and everything in between.

For ever and ever
Amen

Marissa stood against the doorframe. I didn't expect much of a reaction from her anyway in her state, although she seemed to enjoy the light coming from under the "tree", seeing how her eyes were fixated on it… At least it was something.

"Thank you Summer." Seth said turning to me. "It means a lot."

I nodded. So I gave someone something this Christmas, but it felt different. It wasn't dirty or illegal, it was nice… it was comfortable…

"Yeah thanks Summer." Ryan said even smiling himself

Marissa mumbled something inaudible but it sounded like a possible thank you…

"No problem." I said "Happy Chrismukah everyone."

"Happy Chrismukah." Everyone responded in unison

And for the first time we felt something that none of us ever had before. We felt family.

Fall on your knees, oh hear the angels voices
Oh night divine, oh night when christ was born
Oh night divine, oh night

What'd you think? Doesn't that purple box look of so pretty?