Author's Note: What? Another chapter? So soon? Don't get your knickers in a twist – I'd already written a good proportion of the chapter a few weeks ago because of planning and plots and stuff. I don't mind this chapter, apart from the shortness, but would you expect anything else from me?

It had been days since the phone-call, days in which I have hardly been able to breathe. When it had, on the rarest of occasions, slipped from my mind, I could not help but be wrapped up in Seth's presence. At night, when his hand found mine, or his arm rested gently across my waist. These were the times when my mother drifted from my mind to allow room for him.

Financially, I will admit, it had been easier too. Seth, as it turns out, works part-time at a mechanics shop that his friend used to own before he skipped town. The second job, however, I had no idea about. Although, I assumed it was related to the late and early hours Seth snuck out. I would often wake up to his side of the bed, cold and empty, with a note on the pillow.

Last night was no different, however, when my eyes open against the glare of the morning sun, he is next to me. His eyelids flutter, but I can see the dark circles under his eyes. I touch his face as gently as I can, but his eyes open in an instant.

"Sorry." I mutter, pulling my hand away, but he grabs it and holds it in his own.

"No problem." He mumbles, eyes closing but a smile spreading on his lips. "So what's wrong?"

I stare at him, aghast. "Nothing – what? How did you know?"

"You're never up this early." He says, eyes still closed. "I thought that either the house was on fire or something is bothering you."

"I think I'm having a quarter life crisis." I told Seth, rather dramatically.

He gave me an alarmed look, his eyes opening suddenly. "How so?"

"I mean, look at me!" I cried, throwing my arms out for emphasis. "No college education, working in a frozen yogurt store – presumably for the rest of my life – how am I meant to be a proper adult?"

Seth looked slightly taken aback, he peered at me slightly skeptically. "Well, lets face it, I don't think you'll ever be a proper adult.

"Exactly." I said, almost close to tears. "How am I meant to care for Molly? All my parents have to do is take me to court where the judge will take one look at me, declare me criminally insane and unfit to provide."

"Hey, hey." He said, suddenly taking my face in his hands. "Don't say that. Molly doesn't want to live with your parents anyway, they don't have a stable lifestyle – jet setting off to the most isolated places every other week. Even if you did end up going to court, the judge would surely take those things into consideration."

"But they're financially stable," I told him. "Whereas I'm living on a frozen yogurt store salary."

"You've got a combined income as well though," He tried. "You and I."

"But the judge won't consider a boyfriend as stable in comparison to a married couple." I said, big fat tears starting to pathetically roll down my face.

He gave me a pained look, which only made me feel worse. He wiped a tear off my chin with his thumb, his eyes looking at mine searchingly. "We'll work it out, or I will at least." He said, giving me a smile. "You'll see – just don't worry about it at the moment."

"But I'm eighteen." I moaned. "Legally I'm an adult but no one in their right mind would give me custody of a child."

"Don't worry about it." He repeated. "I'll sort it out."

He wrapped his arms around me, his warmth cocooning me against his chest. The rhythm of his fingers, gently combing through my hair, calmed me almost as I breathed in his scent.

After a while he speaks into my hair. "What brought this on?"

"Phone-call from my mother." I said simply, because I knew that was all I needed to say.

He pulled me closer, which I thought was impossible, and pressed his lips, cracked and dry with sleep but sweet and tender all the same, to my forehead. The gesture was reassuring, and I let my eyes close, his heart beating against my ear as I nuzzled into his chest.

"What do you want to do the rest of your life?" He asked me abruptly. I could feel his voice vibrating through his chest, and I tilted my head to look at him. "As a career." He clarified.

"I – I…" I hesitated, trying to think about it.

"Don't think," He told me, as though reading my thoughts. "Just say the first thing that comes to your mind."

"I want to write." I said suddenly, surprising myself so much that I clapped a hand over my mouth.

Seth looked just as shocked as I did. "You want to write?"

"I suppose so," I said slowly, turning over the thoughts in my mind. "English was the only subject I was really good at in high school, apart from art – but that doesn't really count if you want a proper career."

"So…" He said slowly. "You want to write. Books?"

"Well," I said thoughtfully. "Yes, but journalism is a bit more sensible."

The idea seemed so sudden and absurd, but Seth didn't laugh. I, on the other hand, almost did. Of course the idea had always nagged me from the back of my mind, but I always thought it was an outrageous thing to even consider. I would have to attend college for one thing, which was out of the question because I couldn't even get in, especially not now since I had to look after Molly.

My eyes returned to his and I shook my head. "Not going to happen." I said simply.

"Why not?" He asked stubbornly.

"Not smart enough." I said, but when he opened his mouth to protest I shot him a look and continued. "I'm not – and I'm not trying to put myself down or anything, but I didn't get into college a couple of months ago and I won't now. Besides, Molly is such a huge factor in my life now."

"You can take online classes." He offered. "You won't have to leave Molly and you can still work."

"Seth," I said, trying not to sound condescending. "I'm not going to get in."

"We'll find a school." He grinned, looking at me very knowingly. "The thing about college, Ginger, is that they want to take your money."

"Money." I repeated. "I have no money to pay for a college education."

"I will help you with your crippling debt." He said instantly, not even thinking about it.

"Look," I muttered, trying not to grind my teeth in frustration. "I am very close to thumping you over the head, so can we drop it for now?"

He sighed, looking at me with a hint of disappointment that was hard to swallow, before his hands removed themselves from around my waist.

"Cup of tea?" He asked, the look vanishing from his face, as he stood up and stretched.

"Sure." I said faintly, pulling the covers up around my knees as I sat up.

It was strange, and in a sense, jarring, to see Seth look at me like that. Sure, people gave me that look all the time – Gran when she saw my grades, Magus after looking at my outfits – but it was different when it came from Seth. I almost thought I was immune to his disappointment, I mean, he'd seen me throw myself out of a window and make sarcastic comments about trees, but nothing I had done so far had made the corners of his lips turn downwards and his eyes narrow in that way.

I fumbled with my shirt as I heard the distant sound of Seth moving around downstairs, before it hit me. Seth wasn't the only one disappointed in me – I was too. I was right after all, I couldn't work in a frozen yogurt shop all my life, certainly not if I wanted Molly to be apart of my future. Seth had an answer to my problem, so why couldn't I trust his judgment of me?

I looked up as he reappeared at the doorway, carefully carrying two cups of steaming milky tea. "Here we are-" He started.

"I'll bloody do it." I said, grimacing at him. "But if I fail miserably, I'll blame it on you."

He grinned and hurried over to me (well, as much as one can dash while carrying cups of tea). "I wouldn't expect any less from you."

He kissed me deeply, and it was wonderful until the tea slopped over the side of the mug and splashed into my lap.

"Typical." I said as he dashed around the room, frantically looking for something to mop up the mess, but I smiled all the same.